Nigerian agrochemical business Candel is intending to use the Lekki Free Zone as a way to move beyond West Africa and become a player on the world stage.

The small Polish city of Opole has landed some large investors, particularly in the food processing sector. Michal Kaczmarski looks at how it uses its excellent road connections to punch above its weight.

Oleksiy Pavlenko, Ukraine's minister of agriculture, is bringing about reform to the sector through a bout of privatisations and a simplification of the licence system. The private sector is responding to this positively, as Karen E Thuermer found out when she caught up with Mr Pavlenko at the US-Ukraine Investment Forum in July.

Mali's potential in the agribusiness sector is huge, and the country's government is looking to areas such as rice, sugar, cotton, fruit and vegetables, and livestock to boost its economy.

Eurotorg has expanded rapidly in the past few years, growing from a small, local grocery chain into an international operation, with stores in three countries as well as an online service. Its challenge now is to maintain this momentum over the long term.

Arkadiusz Bak of Poland’s ministry of economy explains why some of the country’s smaller cities should not be overlooked by foreign investors, but stresses that these locations also have to take a more proactive approach to FDI.

Vasari Global is seeking to tap into growing consumer demand in Ethiopia with a new $150m biscuit and pasta plant. And as the company's chairman explains, it is looking to become a byword for quality throughout Africa.

Annual real estate fair Mipim showcases hot investment cities from around the world. But it is also an opportunity for smaller cities and towns to make themselves known. Courtney Fingar and Michal Kaczmarski talk to representatives from locations in Serbia, Poland and Norway about their strategies to stand out from the crowd.

Over the past 15 years, global food giant Mars has enjoyed phenomenal success in the Egyptian market, not only meeting domestic demand but also using it as a base to export to other countries in the Middle East and Indian subcontinent.