Afro-Catalyst

Gone are the days of Africa’s single story. In large part, due to social media. Hundreds of millions of users across the continent have turned to tools like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to re-shape their narrative on their own terms. Brands have started to take notice and are increasingly expanding their marketing spend beyond traditional channels like radio or television to tap into opportunities to engage consumers online directly. Among the pioneers shaping how brands connect with consumers is Yanfo Hackman, an entrepreneur who has his finger on the pulse of digital advertising, marketing and communications in Ghana. Over the past decade, his agency Social Ghana has developed some of the most forward-thinking, digitally savvy campaigns in the country. One of his most celebrated recent projects includes the launch of @TwitterGhana. As millions of Ghanaians partook in the #DettyDecember revelry,  Social Ghana kicked off a campaign spotlighting hilarious tweets addressing the realities of everyday life in Ghana. In this episode of Afro-Catalyst, we speak to Hackman about this landmark campaign as well as the changing behaviour of African consumers online and how Ghanaians are curating trending conversations not only at home but across the Black diaspora.

Consumers are used to getting what they want when they want it; no questions asked. But COVID-19 has exposed the complex realities of the trillion-dollar logistics industry–and how we’re all at its mercy, whether we like it or not. The pandemic has also accelerated the push to digitize this shockingly manual sector. In Africa, home to the highest shipping costs in the world, these shifts are long overdue. And one woman, Miishe Addy, is determined to shape the trajectory of the supply chain revolution at this historic inflexion point. Her company Jetstream Africa enables people doing business in the fastest-growing economies in the world to see and control their cross-border supply chains. In this episode of Afro-Catalyst, we speak to Addy about the historic drivers of supply chain inefficiencies in Africa, how the pandemic has impacted the cost of doing business and consumer prices as well as the steps governments are taking to help stakeholders weather the storm.

Mali, Guinea, Sudan, Niger. The steady uptick in coups across Africa in the last year has raised alarm bells in the international community. After nearly two decades of progress and peace, recent gains seem to be eroding. What forces are driving the rise of these grasps for power? These aren’t your grandfather’s coups, after all. With knowledge of social media and growing transnational ties to autocratic regimes with deep pockets, today’s coup leaders have a different set of tools at their disposal. In this episode of Afro-Catalyst featuring Remi Adekoya, a political analyst and Associate Lecturer at York University, we unpack the dangers of states’ failure to deliver development, the psychology of powerful elites as well as how to renew faith in democracy in the world’s youngest, fastest-growing population.

Stephanie Busari is an award-winning journalist who currently serves as Supervising Editor of CNN’s Africa coverage. In this capacity, the British-Nigerian storyteller has pioneered hard-hitting investigations exploring topics such as human rights and the long-term impact of trauma — which have earned her international acclaim. Busari’s brave coverage of the missing Chibok school girls resulted in a Gracie Award in 2017 and she was an instrumental part of the team that won a Peabody Award in 2015 for CNN's coverage of the missing schoolgirls. In 2020, she was selected as a Yale World Fellow. In this episode, Busari reflects on her return to Nigeria as an opportunity for personal growth, unlearning cultural biases and drawing inspiration from talented Africans who have achieved extraordinary things with limited resources.

Constraint breeds innovation. Africa's development challenges have catapulted the region to become the global leader in financial technology. Now those constraints are leading the continent to become a pioneer in the future of education. Over the last 15 years, Ghanaian-born education entrepreneur has launched the African Leadership Group (ALG), a formidable set of institutions from the renowned African Leadership Academy (ALA) to the African Leadership University (ALU). But when the pandemic halted ALG's momentum, Swaniker was forced to pivot and re-imagine the organizational structure entirely. Within months, his team unveiled a bold new business model to better support its mission of creating the next generation of African leaders. In this episode, the former McKinsey executive, who has been listed among Time’s Most Influential People, opens up about ALG's unique approach to education. Not only has it helped graduates to land jobs with some of the world’s top companies, but it’s also attracted global attention for its practical approach to learning and leadership that turns traditional education on its head. Swaniker also shares personal lessons in navigating risk and why Africa must “think global” in order not to get left behind.

Named among Forbes Africa’s Most Powerful Women, Clare Akamanzi spent her formative years outside of Rwanda, which shaped her identity in unexpected ways. It also sparked a strong interest in nation-building, which eventually saw Akamanzi represent her country globally. This included serving as Rwanda’s top commercial diplomat in London and overseeing its trade negotiations with the WTO. It was not long before her work, which helped turn the country into an economic powerhouse, was noticed inside the corridors of power. In 2017, Akamanzi was appointed as CEO of the Rwanda Development Board, where she now serves directly under President Paul Kagame. In this capacity, she oversees major investment into the East African nation, which has spent years learning from other countries that have embarked on similar transformations. In this rare interview, Clare discusses how Rwanda quickly adapted during Covid-19, its role as a proof-of-concept country and the power of unity against all odds.

The pandemic has hit Africa’s fashion industry hard as disruption in global supply chains has slowed production and stores struggle to keep their doors open. In the face of lockdowns, consumers have turned to e-commerce more than ever before, but the shift towards digital doesn't come without its own complications. In this episode, we meet Adebayo Oke-Lawal, CEO of Orange Culture Nigeria. As the brains behind one of Africa’s most-talked-about fashion brands, Lawal has built an increasingly global and socially conscious customer base that has embraced his gender fluid designs with open arms. In this conversation, the finance graduate turned designer reflects on the logistics of scaling an African business — from the woes of navigating payment platforms to the highs of his entrepreneurial journey — as well as standing up for his own values at all cost.

While Covid-19 has offered a devastating blow to the world economy, it’s also accelerated digital transformation across a slew of industries. This has created exciting new opportunities for innovation in tech, which is often criticized for a lack of diversity in Silicon Valley and beyond. But while many firms have stepped up their inclusion efforts, some still argue the sector has a long way to go before it reflects society at large. Nigerian-raised June Angelides is trying to change this. A former banker turned early-stage investor, she is working hard to help entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds gain easier access to venture capital. It’s a mission that certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed. The Financial Times has named her among the most influential minority leaders in UK tech and she’s even been honored by Queen Elizabeth II. In this episode, June shares her journey innovating in spaces that many overlook and how she is creating opportunities for entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds to do the same.

Rapid changes in technology are fundamentally changing how media is consumed across the world. Nowhere is that more true than Africa. In 2010, only 10% of Africans used the internet regularly--a figure that has quadrupled over the last decade. The rise of the mobile-first generation has contributed to a growth in digital media, especially in the region's booming megacities. But is all access good access? The popularity of platforms like WhatsApp may mean that news spreads like wildfire, but with it often comes the proliferation of false and hateful content. In South Africa, journalist Simon Allison is reclaiming the platform for good through The Continent, Africa's first WhatsApp-based newspaper produced in partnership with preeminent paper The Mail & Guardian. By using the same viral networks exploited by disseminators of disinformation, The Continent aims to counter the fake news on people’s phones with real news. In this episode, he discusses how the publication is pioneering a platform by Africans for Africans and how journalists on the ground are navigating a changing industry amidst COVID-19.

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Many companies highlight their value and the way they support their customers and other stakeholders. COVID-19 has been the ultimate test of that commitment. In the new normal, corporate social responsibility has moved from the realm of philanthropy to a strategic consideration. With all systems put to the test, "winners take all" is giving way to stakeholder capitalism. Development finance expert Dr. Frannie Léautier, Senior Partner and CEO of Southbridge Investments has spent decades deploying capital to address the world's most challenging health, economic, and social circumstances. She discusses how she's putting that knowledge to use to pioneer a new framework of responsible investments to grow the next generation of African champions for the post-pandemic era.

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