Unlocking Africa

Sydney Scott Sam, a celebrated leader in Africa’s marketing and entrepreneurship landscape, notably recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30. Over the past decade, he has been at the forefront of a mission to assist African entrepreneurs in establishing robust brands through his tech platform, Workspace Global. 

Workspace Global has revolutionized access to top-notch creative services and created remote work opportunities for countless African freelancers across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and South Africa.

Workspace Global is a tech-oriented brand engagement firm focused on solving problems for local and international organizations operating in Africa, using mainly visual & digital communication. They believe that every founder deserves to show up and compete fairly on the global stage. They achieve this by making high-quality branding, product and marketing accessible to startups.

What We Discuss With Sydney

• How do high-quality branding and marketing allow African businesses to compete fairly on the global stage?
• What are the specific strategies that Sydney has used to scale Workspace Global across diverse African markets?
• What is the current state of the creative industry in Africa?
• The main obstacles that African creatives face in gaining recognition and securing high-profile clients.
• How does Workspace Global leverage technology to boost creativity and deliver high-quality services at scale?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Using New Media-Tech to Discover and Champion Young African Voices All Over the World? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Sydney  on LinkedIn at Sydney (Scott) Sam, and Twitter (X) @sydneyscottsam

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 134 is with Claude Grunitzky, a Togolese-American journalist, editor, and entrepreneur, renowned for his work in media and investment. As the founder of TRACE TV, Claude has built a career on elevating diverse voices, particularly women and people of colour. He's also committed to nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs in his home country of Togo through specialized training programs.

A MIT Sloan Fellow and the subject of a Harvard Business School case study, Claude’s influence extends across multiple domains. He's the host of Limitless Africa, the TRUE Africa podcast, which reaches audiences across more than 15 African countries, including Nigeria.

TRUE Africa is a new media-tech platform that explores the latest trends in culture, music, sports, lifestyle, politics, fashion, and technology within Africa and its diaspora. Its mission is to discover and amplify the voices of young Africans globally.

What We Discuss With Claude

• From venture capital to media and tech. What motivated Claude to launch media ventures like TRUE Africa?
• How TRUE Africa is reshaping the narrative around black culture and African identities.
• The process of curating content for TRUE Africa and the types of stories that they prioritise.
• What role do media and storytelling play in the broader movement for social justice and equity in Africa?
• The impact African stories can have on a global scale, and how are they working towards achieving global recognition for these stories?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Boosting Government Revenue Without Raising Taxes. How African Governments Can Finance New Projects Through Governance Technology? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Claude  on LinkedIn at Claude Grunitzky, and Twitter (X) @claudegrunitzky

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 133 is with Prakash Sabunani, Senior Vice President & Partner at N-Soft, a company that uses its advanced solutions to generate extra Government revenues without raising taxes. In ten years of working with emerging states, N-Soft has built substantial expertise in creating innovative technological solutions providing essential support to national budgets. Our solutions allow governments to see where income is leaking away, improve their credit standings and their ability to govern effectively. 

N-Soft's mission is to become a vital long-term partner for governments in emerging countries. They enable them to develop their economies by increasing their tax revenues through the flourishing activities of each country's ecosystem, telecoms, mobile money, customs, utilities, finance, and governance.

Learn how N-Soft’s cutting-edge technologies help governments:

• Identify and seal revenue leakages
• Improve global financial and credit standings
• Enhance overall governance and financial control

What We Discuss With Prakash

• How do N-Soft's solutions help governments increase their revenues without raising taxes?
• How do they gain the support of African governments in order to have access to highly confidential and sensitive information?
• What are the biggest challenges N-Soft faces when working with emerging markets?
• How do they overcome resistance or reluctance from governments to adopt new technologies.
• What metrics or indicators do they use to track the effectiveness of their implementations?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Boosting Revenue and Solving Payment Failures in Africa: Payment Orchestration Explained? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Prakash  on LinkedIn at Prakash Sabunani, and Twitter (X) @NSoft17

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 132 is with Nader Abdelrazik, Co-Founder and CEO of MoneyHash, a company that addresses all payment needs, helping businesses build, optimise, and scale their payment infrastructure at any stage of growth.

MoneyHash recently raised $4.5 million to combat payment failures across the MEA region, despite a significant funding slowdown. They achieved this remarkable feat by tripling their revenue and increasing transaction volume by an astonishing 3,000% post-beta, making them a highly attractive investment.

Unlike many companies in the Middle East and Africa that replicate successful Western models, MoneyHash competes head-to-head with international players, standing on equal footing with their Western counterparts.

Nader is also passionate about the pressing issue of brain drain and the need for more category-defining companies in the region to retain top talent.

What We Discuss With Nader

• Identifying the need for a payment orchestration platform in the MEA region and the challenges initially faced.
• What differentiates MoneyHash's platform from other payment gateways in Africa?
• How does MoneyHash address payment failures, and what impact does this have on businesses in Africa?
• How businesses can expect to see a 10–20% increase in revenue through MoneyHash's solutions.
• What factors contributed to the tripling of revenue and the 3,000% increase in volume post-beta?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Resilience, Creativity and Building Tech for Real Sectors: The Story of a Serial Entrepreneur Building in Africa? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Nader  on LinkedIn at Nader Abdelrazik, and Twitter (X) @naderfahim87

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 131 is with Onyeka Akumah who is a serial entrepreneur. He is the Founder and CEO of Treepz, Africa’s leading corporate mobility solutions startup, with more than 5 million customer journeys completed across Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Uganda.

As a seasoned executive with a background in agriculture, real estate, mobility, and e-commerce, Onyeka has founded four startups and exited two. His work includes founding Farmcrowdy - the largest agriculture crowdfunding platform that came from Nigeria; SmallSmall Technologies - Nigeria's number one proptech platform; and exited QwikGist - a social news aggregator that grew to 300,000 users in 2013 within 6 weeks after launch.

Beyond building Treepz, Onyeka currently mentors entrepreneurs through Techstars, teaches entrepreneurship at Rome Business School, and invests in early-stage startups with more than 15 portfolio companies under his belt. 

What We Discuss With Onyeka

• Onyeka's transition from a tech career to become Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Jumia Nigeria, Africa's first unicorn and largest e-commerce store.
• What are the key learnings from his experiences at Jumia and Konga that he has applied to the startups he's launched?
• What was the inspiration behind Farmcrowdy, and what were the challenges that he faced at Farmcrowdy?
• What lessons did he take away from his experience at Farmcrowdy that he has implemented in Treepz?
• Given his notable successes in Africa's tech space, what advice would he give to young entrepreneurs beginning their journey on the continent?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss How a Ghanaian Entrepreneur Is Thriving in a Male Dominated Shoemaking Industry? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Onyeka  on LinkedIn at Onyeka Akumah, and Twitter (X) @treepzglobal

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 130 with Edna Frimpong who is an award-winning entrepreneur who is making remarkable strides in the shoemaking business. Affectionately called the "shoemaker girl," Edna is breaking barriers and inspiring others to pursue their passions, regardless of societal norms.

Edna's journey as an entrepreneur began while she was a student at Adonten Senior High School. She had always been interested in fashion and started making slippers as a hobby. However, as she began to receive positive feedback from her peers and family, Edna realised that she could turn her passion into a viable business.

With this realisation, Edna co-founded Ahofade, a popular classic fashion brand in West Africa that specialises in creating unique and affordable made in Ghana designs from Ghanian fashion designers. What started as a small-scale operation has since grown into a successful enterprise, with Edna gaining global recognition as a talented and innovative shoemaker, fashion designer, and entrepreneur.
 
What We Discuss With Edna

• Edna's inspiration to pursue a career in the shoemaking industry, especially being a woman in a male-dominated field.
• How has Edna used her background in public relations and communications to craft her unique story and build her brand?
• What motivated Edna to write her recently released book, "The Shoemaker's Girl?"
• How does Ahofade support local entrepreneurs in the fashion industry and help them grow their businesses?
• What is the importance of mentorship and coaching in empowering the next generation of African entrepreneurs?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Trust, Metrics, and Impact: A Blueprint for Success in Africa’s 2024 Startup Economy? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Edna  on LinkedIn at Edna Frimpong, and Twitter (X) @EdnaFrimpong7

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 129 with Efayomi Carr, who is Principal at Flourish Ventures, leads Africa investments for Flourish Ventures, and has worked with founders in the startup ecosystem for the last five years.

As of November this year, fundraising declined to nearly pre-Covid levels, with startup founders raising only $3.2 billion in a difficult macroeconomic climate that negatively impacted many global companies and regional scaleups and startups. In this period, Flourish Ventures, a global venture capital firm, has continued to support startup companies across the world, especially fintech founders in emerging markets, with patient capital and expert advisory.

Flourish has also recently announced additional funding of $350 million to double down on their investments in fintech entrepreneurs, a good percentage of which is earmarked for African markets.
 
What We Discuss With Efayomi

• What role does mission-driven entrepreneurship have in determining the future of the financial system, especially in emerging areas such as Africa?
• How do you strike a balance between giving companies time to innovate without quick profit and ensuring they are on track for long-term success?
• Beyond providing capital, how does Flourish Ventures help entrepreneurs navigate regulatory frameworks and policy landscapes?
• Common pitfalls that startup founders encounter in their journey towards scaling their businesses for success, and how can they be avoided?
• What distinguishes successful founders from those that struggle to achieve long-term growth?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Building Borderless Banking: Transforming Global Financial Access for Individuals and Businesses? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Efayomi  on LinkedIn at Efayomi Carr, and Twitter (X) @EfayomiCarr

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 128 with Ibrahim Toyeeb Ibitade, co-founder and CEO of Leatherback, on his remarkable journey as a fintech founder and entrepreneur and the driving force behind his mission to transform global financial access for individuals and businesses.
 
Driven by the need to enable global financial access, payments, commerce, and lifestyle opportunities through more equitable financial solutions, Ibrahim started Leatherback in 2019 with an ambition to democratise banking by providing a single access point that empowers individuals and businesses to think and act globally.

Leatherback is a global banking service provider for individuals and businesses, with innovative technology solutions that unlock equal opportunity for borderless global trade and commerce. Users can access more than 15 currencies from 21 countries, including NGN, GBP, INR, EUR, USD, and many other currencies.

What We Discuss With Ibrahim

• How does Leatherback's technology contribute to democratising banking for borderless global trade and commerce?
• What was the process of meeting the regulatory requirements so you could offer a multi-currency wallet in 13+ currencies without a local presence? 
• What are some of the unique opportunities you've encountered while expanding to new markets in and outside of Africa?
• What does Leatherback's recent expansion into India through a collaboration with YES BANK mean for users in the India-Africa corridor?
• Is the India-Africa or Asia-Africa corridor an opportunity that is often overlooked when looking at financial transactions to and from Africa?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Building a Long-Term Payment Infrastructure in Africa That Removes Currency Friction and Accelerates Economic Growth? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Ibrahim  on LinkedIn at Ibrahim Ibitade, and Twitter (X) @ToyeebIbrahim

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 127 with Elizabeth Rossiello, who is the CEO and founder of AZA Finance, an established provider of currency trading solutions that accelerate global access to frontier markets through innovative infrastructure. By leveraging cutting-edge technology in its flagship products, TransferZero and BFX, AZA is able to significantly lower the cost and increase the speed of business payments to and from frontier markets.

AZA is now a market maker in every major African currency and facilitates payments into G20 currencies directly. Elizabeth expanded the company from Nairobi, Kenya, to operations in 20 markets across Africa and Europe.

What We Discuss With Elizabeth

• How has the payment infrastructure in Africa evolved since AZA Finance's inception in 2013?
• What role has technology played in lowering costs and increasing the speed of your payments process?
• Could you elaborate on AZA Finance's role as a market maker in major African currencies and how it impacts the facilitation of business payments to and from these markets?
• How did you navigate the diverse regulatory landscapes across the African continent to establish AZA's presence in 20 markets?
• How important has it been to address talent challenges within the payments space, particularly in retaining top talent in order to grow and expand the company?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss How the Africa Oxford Initiative is Supporting African Research and Innovation Ecosystems? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Elizabeth  on LinkedIn at Elizabeth Rossiello, and Twitter (X) @e_rossiello 

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 126 with Dr. Anne Makena, who is Co-Director of the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx), a cross-university platform for academic and research collaborations between the University of Oxford and African researchers and institutions.

The Initiative aims to support the work of universities and research institutions across Africa and to facilitate the development of equitable and extensive collaborations between Oxford and African institutions.

What We Discuss With Anne

• What are the specific mechanisms AfOx utilises to facilitate collaborations between the University of Oxford and African researchers and institutions?
• What are the challenges faced by African researchers and institutions when cooperating with international initiatives? 
• How does AfOx ensure equitable participation and benefit-sharing in collaborative research projects?
• What role can private capital play in advancing research and development efforts in Africa?
• How important are research collaborations in driving economic development in Africa?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Using the Best of Tech and Human Touch to Solve Human Capital Challenges for Businesses in Africa? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Anne  on LinkedIn at Anne Makena, and Twitter (X) @Kesh_Anne

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]