"What is this country with good roads and electricity and water?"

Francophone Africa is home to some of the continent’s fastest-growing economies, yet it continues to receive a disproportionately small share of global venture capital and startup investment.

In this episode of Limitless Africa, hosts Dimpho Lekgeu and Claude Grunitzky speak with Lina Kacyem, Investment Manager at Launch Africa Ventures, about why Francophone African markets remain overlooked by American investors and what is being missed as a result.

Drawing on her experience spending nearly two decades in the United States before relocating to Abidjan, Casim explains how historical legacies of colonization, legal systems, language, and business culture continue to shape investor behaviour. She contrasts Anglophone and Francophone market dynamics, from regulatory frameworks and communication styles to diaspora networks and trust-building practices.

The conversation also explores infrastructure development in countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, the role of face-to-face relationships in Francophone business environments, and why the CFA franc’s peg to the euro offers a degree of currency stability often misunderstood by foreign investors. As global funds search for new growth opportunities, this episode argues that Francophone Africa represents one of the most compelling and underexplored frontiers on the continent.

Plus: The appeal of the American mindset

🌟 IN THIS EPISODE:

3:00 Differences between the Francophones and Anglophones

6:09 The times they are a-changin?

8:42 Fat B - SI JE TE DIS que je t'aime

9:46 Why should Americans invest in Africa?

💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

"If you align with the right people, there are a lot of opportunities for gains. "

"Numbers don't lie. Look at growth."

"Americans are used to social mobility."

🌍 ABOUT LIMITLESS AFRICA

The podcast that asks how Africans and Americans can work together for shared prosperity

Every Monday: 15-minute episodes that dive into an issue that matters to Africans

Every Thursday: extended interview with someone unlocking Africa's limitless potential

➕ WANT MORE?

“We don’t have huge numbers, but we have huge profits” - Olivier Madiba on building Cameroon's most successful gaming studio https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/olivier-madiba-video-gaming-africa/

How crypto is making sending money cheaper in Africa https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/how-crypto-is-making-sending-money-cheaper-in-africa/

How Africa is basketball’s next big business move https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/why-nba-africa-means-business/

💗 LOVE LIMITLESS AFRICA?

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts

Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps get the word out

Share with someone passionate about investing in Africa

🚀 FOLLOW LIMITLESS AFRICA

Instagram: @_trueafrica

Website: https://trueafrica.co/

Substack: https://limitlessafrica.substack.com/

🤝 FRIENDS OF LIMITLESS AFRICA

We're delighted to feature Fat B, an amazing rapper from Benin - follow her here www.instagram.com/fatb_98 and here https://www.facebook.com/Fatbinois

Lina Kacyem writes a newsletter for TechCabal about Francophone markets https://techcabal.com/category/newsletters/francophone-weekly-by-techcabal/

Limitless Africa is sponsored by the US Department of State and the Seenfire Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.