Company promotes trade with Africa

Business

By Memo Hauke
KITENGI is the fabric or material sold in Africa especially for women, says Wilma Anania, the co-owner of the Afro-Pacific Enterprises Limited (Apel).
Apel is owned by business partners Fred Brown Ayella and Anania and promotes trade between Africa and Asia-Pacific countries.
It is located at the old Steamships compound where the City Pharmacy and traffic light are at Waigani.
“Many Papua New Guineans like to watch Africa films because their lifestyles relate to us,” she said.
“So the fabric that they wear are quite different and very strong polyesters.
“I then decided to buy them to sell them here in Papua New Guinea.
“By having an agent in Africa as a business partner to buy my stocks and send it down was all I needed to add a little bit of flavour to our clothing line.
“I initially wanted to get into construction of brick houses but the machine that produces the brick machine was to be imported from Asia.
Due to the foreign currency exchange (issue), we could not send money out of the country. That restricted us.
“Since I have ties with Africans I decided to try this business,” she said.
“I am married to a man from Uganda in Africa and I have travelled back and forth.
“They have amazing tastes in clothing and sandals for women so I decided to try put that into business.”