Traditional export markets in Europe remain stagnant; China's growth is slowing, and oil prices are falling. Security concerns have also risen. So will business opportunities increase or diminish in Africa in 2015? 

More than 200 African scholars and experts, mostly from South Africa, gathered at Africa Outlook 2015, a forum in Johannesburg, on January 15 to discuss these issues.

Many participants said the overall outlook for the continent will remain positive despite rising headwinds for its economies and other challenges.

"Globally speaking," said Axel Schimmelpfennig, the International Monetary Fund's Senior Resident Representative in South Africa, "Africa remains a fast-growing economy. It is the second fastest-growing economy after developing Asia. So there is a lot of positive momentum." But Schimmelpfennig pointed out that African governments are facing challenges from the lower oil and commodity prices. They have to stay on top of infrastructure investment and provide a sound environment to the private sector to move forward. "Overall, I think it is a good outlook," he said.

African growth remains robust at the moment, said Martyn Davies, CEO of Frontier Advisory, a research, strategy and investment advisory firm and the host of the event. But the significant drop in commodity prices and China's slow growth has had some negative impact on Africa, particularly on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. Davies said the consumer-driven consumption growth story, being internal, is not just creating an alternative growth driver, it also means better organization and better fiscal management by the countries themselves.