The employer of a multinational active in Africa might be based in for example Europe, Singapore or Dubai and they are looking for someone that actually bridges the gap between the international stakeholders and the actual workplace and local culture.
There are different aspects to consider here.
Is there a difference in costs for an international or a local candidate?
Even if the candidates would have the same salary, hiring an international candidate brings other costs, maybe schooling, flights home, international insurance etc.
Are there candidates available with the required skills in the local market? Nowadays, there is a very big chance that there is. My experience teaches me there is a lot of talent all over the African continent.
But you do need to think about these aspects, and others, up front, because doing an international search is completely different than head hunting the top talent locally.
I would strongly recommend to speak to a specialist, who knows the local market and knows what it takes to bring in an international candidate. Generally speaking the one option is definitely not better than the other, but you do need to be aware of what or who you are looking for and what might be best for your organization.
If you would like to talk about this, please send me a message on inez@jobnetafrica.com and I will be happy to jump on a call.
Ps. This is the link to a video about this subject.