Unlocking Africa

Episode #85 is with Tarek Mouganie, who is the founder of Affinity Africa, which is an owner and operator of financial services companies in sub-Saharan Africa. Affinity prides itself on establishing digital-forward and branch-light financial institutions, leveraging fintech and innovative design-led solutions to improve financial access and affordability.

Affinity supports the unbanked and underserved by providing every individual and business with accessible and affordable financial services they can trust. The business intends to make digital banking a successful and valuable part of its distribution strategy, showcasing a better standard for banking in Africa.

Founded in 2013, Affinity launched in Ghana in 2015 after acquiring PayFlex Microfinance Company Limited (now known as Affinity Ghana Savings and Loans) to focus on financial inclusion and financial literacy in a region that is underserved and under-penetrated. 

What We Discuss With Tarek

• What type of money-related services does Affinity Africa provide to people in sub-Saharan Africa who don't have bank accounts or aren't getting the help they need?
• How does Affinity ensure that the financial services that it provides are accessible and affordable for every individual and business?
• What are the main obstacles or challenges Affinity Africa has faced while operating in the sub-Saharan African market?
• How does Affinity collaborate with local governments, regulatory bodies, and other stakeholders to foster financial inclusion and support the growth of MSMEs?
• In your opinion, what are the key factors necessary for creating a better standard for banking in Africa, particularly in underserved regions?
• And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: Unlocking Africa show notes

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss From Passion to Progress: Pioneering Ways for Africa’s Creative Industries to Grow with Yemisi Mokuolu? 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 TerserAdamu, and Twitter @TerserAdamu

Connect with Tarek  on LinkedIn at Tarek Mouganie, and Twitter @TMouganie

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 #84 with Yemisi Mokuolu, who is an award-winning and highly regarded independent producer and creative industries business consultant. She is the founder and CEO of Hatch Ideas, which develops and promotes African arts and artists. She is also an independent producer and has produced some of London’s largest African arts festivals.

HATCH works across the creative, cultural, and social sectors, bringing to life initiatives that have the potential to drive inclusion and diversity, generate greater wealth for communities, and improve social environments. Clients include Arts Council England, BBC London, City University, the Department for Industry & Trade (UK), Historic England, Kings College London, the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, and Social Enterprise London.

What We Discuss With Yemisi

• With two decades of experience under your belt, you started this journey when Africa's creative and cultural industries weren’t really getting much attention. What did you see then that other people were missing?
• Are you surprised by what Africa's creative and cultural industries have achieved so far?
• You recently co-authored the book chapter "Finance for Creative and Cultural Industries in Africa". What were some of the key themes and findings of the report?
• In your opinion, what are some of the key challenges faced by Africa's Creative & Cultural Industries, and how can they be overcome?
• Can you share examples of how the creative and cultural industries in Africa have positively impacted local communities and economies?
• And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: Unlocking Africa show notes

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Harvesting Connections: Unveiling Strategies for Boosting Regional Food Trade in Africa with Daniel Njiwa? 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 TerserAdamu, and Twitter @TerserAdamu

Connect with Yemisi  on LinkedIn at Yemisi Mokuolu, and Twitter @IdeasHatch

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 #83  with Daniel Njiwa, who is Head of Regional Food Trade at Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), an international NGO established by Kofi Annan to drive the advancement of sustainable agriculture in Africa.

AGRA leads interventions in improving the predictability of the policy and regulatory environment while coordinating investments for market activation, allowing for inclusive and sustainable participation of small farmers in national and regional value chains. The organisation is an alliance led by Africans with roots in farming communities across the continent and puts smallholder farmers at the centre of the continent’s growing economy.

What We Discuss With Daniel

• What are some of the biggest challenges or barriers to regional food trade in Africa?
• How important is cross-border cooperation and collaboration among African countries in facilitating regional food trade?
• What role do SMEs play or contribute to food security and agricultural development in Africa?
• What policy changes or interventions are needed to further promote trade across African borders?
• In the last couple years, Africa has faced some extreme food security challenges as a consequence of the COVID pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine crisis. What have we learned from this?
• And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: Unlocking Africa show notes

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Championing Change: Advancing African Women in Leadership, Business, Politics, and Advocacy With Francesca Uriri? 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 TerserAdamu, and Twitter @TerserAdamu

Connect with Daniel  on LinkedIn at Daniel Njiwa, and Twitter @DNjiwa

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 #82 with Francesca Uriri who is the Co-Founder and Director of Leading Ladies Africa, a women-focused non-profit whose mission is to promote gender inclusivity and diversity by increasing participation and representation of women of African origin in fields of leadership, business, politics, and advocacy.

Their vision is to see an increased participation of African women in these fields by 2030. Leading Ladies Africa’s key target audience is upwardly mobile, internet-savvy women aged between 21 and 50. Its secondary audience is lower-income women and the unbanked, who require access to funding and macroeconomic support.

What We Discuss With Francesca

• How would you describe the current state of gender inclusivity and diversity in Africa, particularly in areas such as Leadership, Business, Politics and Advocacy.
• Which strategies or programs do you believe are essential for empowering the women you work with, enabling them to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to progress in leadership and business roles?
• How does Leading Ladies Africa effectively leverage technology and digital platforms to reach and engage with its audience?
• You have a focus on lower-income women and the unbanked. How does Leading Ladies Africa address these challenges or barriers they face in accessing funding and macro-economic support? 
• How does Leading Ladies Africa measure and track progress towards achieving its goals? 
• And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: Unlocking Africa show notes

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Developing a Networking Platform to Bridge the Gap Between Investors and Game-Changing Entrepreneurs in Africa with Gerrad Olisa-Ashar? 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 TerserAdamu, and Twitter @TerserAdamu

Connect with Francesca  on LinkedIn at Francesca Uriri, and Twitter @LeadingLadiesAF

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 #81 with Gerrad Olisa-Ashar, the visionary Co-Founder of Diaspora Investment Partners Africa. Join us as we delve into the remarkable story behind this groundbreaking networking platform that is revolutionising the landscape of African entrepreneurship and sustainable development.

Gerrad Olisa-Ashar, an inspiring entrepreneur and thought leader, shares his personal journey and the pivotal experiences that led to the inception of Diaspora Investment Partners Africa. Discover how Gerrad's passion for empowering African communities and creating lasting positive impact sparked the idea of a platform that bridges the gap between private investors and innovative entrepreneurs on the continent.

What We Discuss With Gerrard

• How do you plan to facilitate the connection between private investors in the diaspora and entrepreneurs in Africa?
• What challenges do Africans in the diaspora encounter when attempting to invest back home in Africa?
• What role does the African diaspora currently play, or have the potential to play, in supporting and investing in African businesses through your platform?
• Are there any unique challenges specific to Africa that you encounter when attempting to invest the funds raised in African markets?
• How do you effectively navigate the distinct cultural and regulatory landscapes across various African countries while facilitating investments and partnerships?
• And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: Unlocking Africa show notes

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Empowering African Markets: The Impactful CrossBoundary Approach to Purposeful Investing with Nneka Chime? 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 TerserAdamu, and Twitter @TerserAdamu

Connect with Gerrard  on LinkedIn at Gerrad Olisa-Ashar

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 #80 with Nneka Chime, who is a Partner at CrossBoundary and has a profound interest in utilising technology, innovation, and investments to foster a more equitable and sustainable world.

CrossBoundary is a mission-driven investment firm dedicated to harnessing the potential of capital for sustainable growth and robust returns in underserved markets.

With a transaction-centred approach to underserved markets, CrossBoundary offers investment advisory services, boasting specialised expertise in unlocking investment opportunities across all sectors in emerging and underserved markets. Their diverse clientele for advisory services includes governments, development finance institutions, private equity firms, Fortune 100 companies, and research institutions.

What We Discuss With Nneka

• What is CrossBoundary's transaction-centered approach to underserved markets, and how does it differ from traditional investment models?
• Can you provide examples of successful investment projects by CrossBoundary in African markets, and how they have led to sustainable growth and strong returns?
• What challenges does CrossBoundary encounter while operating in African markets, and how does the company overcome them to achieve its investment objectives?
• As CrossBoundary is located in Nigeria, how has the series of challenges faced by the Nigerian economy in 2023, such as the Naira redesign and change of government, affected the company's operations?
• How does CrossBoundary align its investments with sustainable development goals (SDGs) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles?
• And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: Unlocking Africa show notes

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Unlocking Billions of Dollars: Capital Reallocation and Asset Recovery in Africa with Amaechi Nsofor? 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 TerserAdamu, and Twitter @TerserAdamu

Connect with Nneka  on LinkedIn at Nneka Chime, and Twitter @CrossBoundary 

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 #79 Amaechi Nsofor, who is a partner and Head of Africa, Insolvency, and Asset Recovery at Grant Thornton, and his multi-award-winning and renowned team have pioneered the use of insolvency powers to facilitate litigation and trace and recover misappropriated assets. 

Grant Thornton is a firm with a global network that employs 58,000 people in 135 countries. They combine global scale with local insight and understanding to give clients the assurance, tax, and advisory services they need to realise their ambitions. 

What We Discuss With Amaechi

• Can you explain the concept of capital reallocation and how it can positively impact industries and markets across Africa?
• What are some of the key challenges currently hindering effective capital reallocation in African economies, and how can these be addressed?
• How can the unlocking of billions of dollars of cash at the sovereign and state levels contribute to sustainable development and economic growth in Africa? 
• How can governments and policymakers encourage and facilitate capital reallocation in Africa? Are there any specific policy measures that you recommend?
• What are some of the potential risks and pitfalls associated with capital reallocation, and how can they be mitigated? 
• And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: Unlocking Africa show notes

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss From Africa to the World: How Five African Women are Shaping Industries in the Diaspora with 5 Off The Cuff 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 TerserAdamu, and Twitter @TerserAdamu

Connect with Amaechi  on LinkedIn at Amaechi Nsofor, and Twitter @GrantThorntonUK

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 #78 with Samuel Brooksworth, who is the Founder and CEO of Remoteli, which is a tech-led on-demand staffing organisation with HQ in the UK. Remoteli supports organisations around the world in growing their teams with talented and ambitious graduates based in Africa.

Using AI, they match organisations with staff members based on personality matching and organisational culture. Companies see Remoteli as an extension of their core business, as they fully integrate their staff into their clients existing teams. 

By working with Remoteli, companies can economically expand and diversify their teams rapidly by simply subscribing online.

What We Discuss With Samuel

• What is the mission of Remoteli, and how does it differ from traditional staffing organisations?
• How does Remoteli specifically address the challenges present in the current African job market?
• What are the biggest challenges that you’ve faced so far in setting up and scaling Remoteli? 
• Could you elaborate on the cultural and social impact of Remoteli's efforts in connecting African graduates with global job opportunities?
• Are we witnessing a growing trend of companies selecting Africa as a preferred offshoring destination, similar to historical instances where business functions were strategically relocated to countries like India and China?
• And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: Unlocking Africa show notes

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss AI Is Here to Stay! How Artificial Intelligence Can Contribute to Economic Growth in Africa with Celina Lee? 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 TerserAdamu, and Twitter @TerserAdamu

Connect with Samuel  on LinkedIn at Samuel Brooksworth, and Twitter @SBrooksworth

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 #77 with Celina Lee, who is a Co-Founder and CEO of Zindi, which is a professional network for data science, and they are on a mission to make data science and AI accessible to everyone. 

Celina has a passion for unleashing the power of data for social good. She has a proven track record of thought leadership in the intersection between data and development and has played central roles in the launches of global platforms. 

What We Discuss With Celina

• How does Zindi help make data science and AI more accessible to everyone?
• How does Zindi support and nurture the African talent pool in data science and machine learning? 
• Could you share with us some examples of how AI is being effectively utilised in an African context? 
• Could you please provide an overview of the industries or sectors in Africa that are experiencing the greatest impact from AI?
• In what ways can African businesses or organisations harness the power of AI to enhance their operations and gain a competitive edge? 
• And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: Unlocking Africa show notes

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss From Africa to the World: How Five African Women are Shaping Industries in the Diaspora with 5 Off The Cuff 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 TerserAdamu, and Twitter @TerserAdamu

Connect with Celina  on LinkedIn at Celina Lee, and Twitter @Celina_L

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 #76 with 5 Off The Cuff. Join us as we delve into the inspiring stories of 5 off the Cuff—a remarkable collective comprising five dynamic and accomplished African women who have made significant strides in their respective fields and industries while living in the diaspora. 

During this engaging episode, we explore the extraordinary achievements, innovative ideas, and influential roles they play within their sectors and businesses. Prepare to be captivated by their journeys and gain valuable insights from these trailblazing individuals who are breaking barriers and making a lasting impact on the world around them, all while proudly preserving their African cultural identity and heritage.

What We Discuss With 5 Off The Cuff

• Do you need to be in Africa to unlock Africa’s potential? 
• Could you provide a few notable instances of Africans in the diaspora who have effectively contributed to bolstering Africa's influence beyond its borders? 
• Do you feel pressure or a sense of responsibility as African individuals residing in the UK to serve as positive ambassadors for Africa? 
• How has your African heritage influenced your identity as a woman and a mother?  Are there any cultural practices or values that have had a significant influence on your personal or professional life? 
•  What are some effective ways for Africans in the diaspora to leverage their networks and connections in order to influence and shape global narratives surrounding Africa? 
• And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: Unlocking Africa show notes

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Creative Awakening: Growing and Investing in Africa’s Creative Industries and Sports Business with Marie Lora-Mungai? 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 TerserAdamu, and Twitter @TerserAdamu

Connect with  5 Off The Cuff  on LinkedIn at: Shalom Lloyd,  Edith Udemezue,  Precious Zumbika-Lwanga,  Dr Elizabeth Shaw,  Elizabeth Anyaegbuna

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]