In this episode of Six African Trade Talks, host Chad Chawanda interviews David Ogundeko, founder and CEO of Funema.   David shares his entrepreneurial journey, influenced by his faith, poetry, and life experiences. He discusses the challenges and rewards of building businesses in Africa and the innovative redemptive business model at Funema.   The conversation also touches on venture building, the role of governments in supporting startups, and the importance of passion and resilience in entrepreneurship.   Tune in for insights on transforming last-mile economies in Africa, scaling businesses, and the pivotal role of AfCFTA in fostering trade across the continent.   Episode highlights:   00:25 David Ogundeko's Journey: Faith, Poetry, and Entrepreneurship   03:23 The Redemptive Business Model of Funema   06:05 Transforming Last Mile Economies in Africa   12:33 Challenges and Opportunities for African Entrepreneurs   14:49 The Role of Government and Patient Capital   16:11 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs   21:09 The Impact of the AfCFTA on African Trade   25:34 Recommended Podcasts and Books   27:50 Conclusion and Final Thoughts  

Unlock Your Business Potential 

Are you fundable? How do you know—and where do you even start to check?

Introducing the AFcFTA 24 Fundable Process, a game-changer for African businesses ready to scale. 

This proven process helps you assess your fundability, identify gaps, and position your business for growth and investment.

 Contact us on WhatsApp at +971 55 443 8056 to get the link and start your Fundable Process today.

Don’t miss this opportunity to unlock doors to growth and success for your business.

Get fundable now!

In this episode of SCIX African Trade Talks, host Chad Chawanda interviews Kumbirai Chimukupete, founder of Umoja Lands, now EmuDumeni.   Kumbirai shares his journey from a high school intern in a local bank to the founder of multiple fintech ventures. He discusses the merger with Muganot Systems and their vision of driving Africa's digital transformation.   The conversation covers topics such as the challenges and opportunities in African markets, the role of the African Continental Free Trade Area in fostering innovation, and advice for young entrepreneurs in tech. Kumbirai also highlights some of EmuDumeni's key projects aimed at supporting smallholder farmers and enabling financial inclusion through innovative technology.   Episode highlights:   00:24 Kumbirai's Journey and Early Career   02:07 Founding Umoja Lands and Blockchain Interest   05:09 Merging with Muganot Systems   06:15 Innovations and Prioritizing African Markets   06:40 People, Purpose, and Profits   08:40 Technological Solutions for Rural Communities   16:56 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs   21:17 Impact of EmuDumeni on Smallholder Farmers   25:18 Recommended Books and Podcasts   27:21 Conclusion and Farewell   Episode sponsor:

Are you fundable? How do you know—and where do you even start to check?

Introducing the AFcFTA 24 Fundable Process, a game-changer for African businesses ready to scale. 

This proven process helps you assess your fundability, identify gaps, and position your business for growth and investment.

Contact us on WhatsApp at +971 55 443 8056 to get the link and start your Fundable Process today.

Don’t miss this opportunity to unlock doors to growth and success for your business. Get fundable now!

In the inaugural episode of Season 2 of Six African Trade Talks, the host interviews Justice, the Director of Financial Services for AFCFTA, discussing his passion for SME development and leadership.   Justice shares his background in banking, emphasizes the importance of financial documentation for SMEs, and explains the Know Your Customer (KYC) process and its benefits.   The conversation also touches upon the fundable processes to close the funding gap in Africa, the role of community platforms, and the valuable lessons learned from playing golf.    Episode highlights:   00:21 Meet Justice: Director of Financial Services 00:39 Justice's Background and Passion for SMEs 02:00 Challenges Faced by SMEs 03:39 The Importance of KYC 05:18 The Fundable Process 07:22 Role of Community Platforms 08:14 Lessons from Golf 10:04 Book and Podcast Recommendations 11:30 Conclusion and Call to Action

Andile Africa is CEO of the Automotive Industry Development Center. The Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) is a subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA) which is an agency of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development. 

The AIDC was established as a support centre to strengthen global competitiveness in the local automotive industry and to bolster the position of Gauteng as an automotive industry destination of choice. 

The AIDC has accelerated economic growth within the automotive industry through strategic partnerships with government, non-governmental agencies, and industry leaders. 

The AIDC prides itself in being a world-class organisation specialising in Skills Development and Training, Enterprise Development, Incubation Programmes, Management of Incentive Programmes and Facility Management.

In this discussion with Andile, you'll discover:

-The role of the African automotive sector in the global economy...00:45

-What is the future of the African automotive sector...04:00

-The future of EV's and mobility in the African auto sector...07:30

-What are the IAFCTA's objectives?...12:50

-Success stories of foreign investment in the African automotive industry...18:30

-What are the expectations for attending the Africa Automotive show this coming fall...21:50

-And much more...

In this discussion with Rui, you'll discover:

-What is Kemet Automotive, and what is Rui's vision for it?...01:00

-Africa will not miss the green electrical revolution...03:00

-The future of mobility and electric vehicles in Africa...04:30

-The impact of trading under the AFCTA...06:00

-Reasons to be excited for the African auto market!...07:00

-And much more...

Ashit Shah is Chairman of the Automotive Parts Manufactures Association (APMA) and Kenya Automotive Manufacturers (KAM).

In this discussion with Ashit, you'll discover:

-The role of the Kenya automotive industry in the regional economic growth....00:50

-Kenya's biggest strength economically...03:10

-Challenges facing the Kenyan automotive industry...05:40

-The impact of trading under the AFCTA...07:10

-The future of the automotive industry in Kenya and surrounding area...09:10

-Ashit's biggest objective for the immediate future...10:25

-And much more...

Here's an article about the Kenya automotive industry in which Ashit is quoted.

Cherine Kallal is Senior Vice President-Business Development at GB Corp. She received an undergraduate degree from Loughborough University. In this episode, Cherine will discuss the current vehicle market in Africa, and what she sees in the next 5-10 years!

In this episode, you'll discover:

-About GB Auto and the vision of what Cherine wishes to achieve with it...00:50

-GB Auto's current economic footprint...03:00

-The future of mobility in Africa...06:00

-Is Africa ready for electric vehicles?...09:30

-The impact of the AFTCA on the vehicle market in Africa...12:30

-And much more...

Welcome to the show, David Coffey, president of the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM).

Key tenets of the AAM:

African Automotive Eco-System:

• Work with African governments to unlock economic potential and promote the Automotive sector across the continent. Develop a network of stakeholders committed to achieving the potential of the African Automotive industry.

Regional Plays:

• Growth in key regions with an alignment and understanding of what different countries could do best within the Automotive industry. Initial target markets for assembly: Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Ethiopia, and South Africa; supported by the development of regional value chains for the manufacture and supply of components.

New Automotive Opportunities:

• Cater for relevant and robust Automotive technology and appropriate modernization levels/ growth, while considering country maturity and in-country conditions and resources.

In this episode, you'll discover:

-Progress made in the African economy in recent years...00:45

-What does the future of the automotive industry look like?....02:45

-The pace of development of the auto industry in Africa with the ASFTA...06:10

-Where automotive companies should position themselves in the local ecosphere...10:00

-The significance of the West Africa Auto Show...11:45

-How to get involved with the African automotive industry...14:50

-And much more...

Wandile Sihlobo is the Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) and the author of two books, “A Country of Two Agricultures: The Disparities, The Challenges, The Solutions” and “Finding Common Ground: Land, Equity and Agriculture“.

He is a Senior Lecturer Extraordinary at the Department of Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University.

Sihlobo is also a Visiting Research Fellow at the Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand, and a Research Associate at the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) at Rhodes University.

Sihlobo was appointed as a member of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidential Economic Advisory Council in 2019 (and re-appointed in 2022), having served on the Presidential Expert Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture from 2018.

He is also a member of the Council of Statistics of South Africa (Stats SA) and a Commissioner at the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC).

Sihlobo is a columnist for Business Day, The Herald and Farmers Weekly magazine.

His weekly podcast, “Agricultural Market Viewpoint with Wandile Sihlobo“, is available on all podcast platforms.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Fort Hare and a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from Stellenbosch University.

In this episode, you'll discover:

-Wandile's entrepreneurial journey...01:20

-Why it's so difficult to get into agriculture as an African...02:30

-What is stopping Africa from achieving its potential economically?...06:20

-How to go about feeding the world...09:55

-The future of tech in Africa is dependent on the regulators...14:05

-Value chain and agro-processing, and what is its potential...18:30

-The impact of the ASFTA in regards to agriculture...21:30

-And much more...

Amanda is an economist, management consultant and project manager with over 13 years’ experience providing cross cutting advisory services to solve business issues, increase productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness of organizations.

She has extensive experience working with executives in national government institutions, multilateral agencies, the private sector, indigenous organizations, and academia in both advisory and business development roles.

Amanda has delivered projects and results across various competencies including capital raising, transaction advisory services, international development project design, market and feasibility studies, data analytics and governance, strategy and operations, enterprise performance management, public policy advisory, technical assistance, project management and change management for transformation initiatives.

Amanda previously worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte, leading business transformation and international development assignments. She has been retained by the World Bank, the UK Department for International Development and Umeme Limited to provide strategic advisory services.

In this episode, you'll discover:

-Amanda's entrepreneurial journey...01:30

-Advice for those interested in investing in Africa...04:15

-The highest and lowest cost items Amanda markets...08:45

-Lessons in diversity learned from international travel...12:20

-Top 3 factors or dealbreakers that influence Amanda's business decisions...16:30

-What is the right investment mechanism...21:05

-Books and podcasts Amanda recommends...23:20

-And much more...