Would you drive across Africa without a map, GPS or even asking for directions? Data is your business GPS. For decades, many African entrepreneurs have built thriving businesses powered by intuition and a pinch of good fortune. They have done well without spreadsheets, dashboards or analytics, which is a testament to their skill, resilience and business acumen. But here is the reality; the African business landscape is becoming more competitive, digitalised and unpredictable. Relying solely on gut feeling in this era is like driving from Cape to Cairo without a map or GPS, possible but not without waste of time, fuel and patience.

What is Data Driven Decision Making (DDDM)? DDDM means using facts, trends, and analytics to guide your decisions, not just intuition or hearsay. It turns the abstract into visuals that can inform strategy for sustainable business growth. DDDM bridges what you think and what is actually happening in your business.

SMEs using data in decision making grow 30% faster, according to Afreximbank’s African Trade Report (2023). So yes, the spreadsheet may be challenging initially, but the profit will be worth it. Below are the reasons why you should consider using data driven decision making to build business resilience and drive growth.

1. Sharper Competitive Edge

In sectors from retail to agribusiness, data reveals where your customers are, what they want, and how they behave.

• Example: A fashion retailer used sales data to see that their best customers bought during lunch hours, prompting targeted lunchtime flash sales.

Without data, you’re competing in the dark while others are using night vision goggles!

2. Smarter Resource Allocation

Every shilling, naira, or rand you spend can be tracked for impact. Data helps you:

• Stop wasting money on marketing channels that do not work

• Optimise stock purchases based on demand patterns

• Invest more in high performing products or areas

When the budget is tight, data makes you a sniper not a shotgun shooter.

3. Faster Problem Detection

Without data, problems only become obvious when they are already expensive. Data acts like an early warning system, spotting issues before they turn into full-blown crises.

• Sales slumps

• Inventory shortages

• Customer dissatisfaction

4. Improved Customer Loyalty

Data helps you understand customer buying habits, preferred communication channels and satisfaction levels.

• With that insight, you can personalise offers, send targeted messages and fix issues before they drive customers away. Loyal customers are cheaper to keep, than new ones are to find and data keeps them coming back.

5. Better Negotiating Power

When negotiating with suppliers, partners or investors, nothing beats hard facts.

• You can prove demand trends

• Show product turnover rates

• Justify better payment terms

Instead of saying ‘Business is good’, you can show them that the business has grown by 18% in the last quarter because of X, Y, and Z. Visuals and numbers silence doubters!

6. Scalability Without Chaos

Data provides the structure to expand without losing control.

• You will know which markets are ready for entry

• Which products to replicate

• Which processes are slowing you down

You have already proven you can grow a business without formal data systems and that is impressive. But in today’s market, instinct alone is no longer enough. Data does not kill your entrepreneurial ‘street sense’, it turbocharges it. Businesses that combine wisdom, market knowledge and data analysis will not only survive but dominate the next wave of economic growth. The real question is, do you want to keep guessing or start knowing?

Start your data journey! We will share some basic examples on turning DDDM into a growth strategy in the next module, Step-by-Step Roadmap to Business Data Analysis.