Infrastructure

POD - Brokering broadband connectivity: Lanre Kolade and the inside story of Google's Equiano cable landing in Togo

Learn how this former CSquared CEO is driving digital inclusion across Africa through transformative infrastructure projects, including 'midwifing' the landmark Google Equiano submarine cable initiative in Togo.

Digital Transformation

OP-ED - Cameron John Walker asks, is Checkers sacrificing CX for efficiency?

In Checkers’ aisles, online fulfilment staff hustle, but at what cost? Cameron John Walker unpacks South African retail’s commercial optimisation vs. customer experience dilemma.

This Is Connectivity

POD - This Is Connectivity a la VC with Accion Venture Lab's Jasiel Martin-Odoom

Discover how Accion Venture Lab's Africa Investment Officer blends digital savvy with authentic relationship-building to find and fund some of the continent's most promising fintech startups.

Entrepreneurship

OP-ED - Moving beyond the 'genius founder' myth: African Tech needs a new entrepreneurship narrative

Oversimplification is the true enemy as Andile Masuku examines the complexities underlying popular myths in African tech entrepreneurship.

Sponsored

POD - Victor Mapunga on building from first principles in Africa's 'tech graveyard'

Victor Mapunga, founder of FlexID and Shona Prince Technologies, reveals the raw truth of building from scratch in Zimbabwe—rejecting hero labels and embracing the grit of progress.

Venture Capital

OP-ED - Secha Capital’s operator-investor model: an African VC alternative breaking the tech-first mould

Amid Janngo Capital's oversubscribed final close and Techstars’ abrupt exit from Lagos, Secha Capital champions South Africa’s traditional industries with a slow-burn, hands-on investment model—reshaping venture capital norms.

Sponsored

POD - Savvy product-led innovation: Evah Kimani's vision for digital insurance in Africa

In this podcast conversation, Evah Kimani unpacks how she’s channelling over 18 years of expertise into curating partnerships that fuel Britam's growth and digital innovation strategies.

Insurtech

OP-ED - Reimagining African healthcare access: Britam's director of partnerships & digital on 'insurable moments'

Andile Masuku weighs Evah Kimani's insights on how Africa's traditional risk-sharing practices shape Britam’s growth strategy, striking a balance between institutional scale and grassroots innovation in insurance delivery.

Infrastructure

OP-ED - Inside Safaricom Ethiopia: Overcoming terrain, 5G rollout and regulatory hurdles

Andile Masuku distils key insights from Safaricom's $8 billion venture in Ethiopia, highlighting the challenges of building a new network, meeting unexpectedly high demand, and navigating complex regulatory landscapes.

Telecoms

POD - Yahya Banafa on tackling challenges in Safaricom Ethiopia's $8 billion telecom bet

In this podcast conversation, Yahya Banafa, head of network planning and engineering at Safaricom Ethiopia, discusses what it takes to build a nationwide mobile network in Africa’s second-most populous country.

Digital Transformation

OP-ED - "Design with me, not for me": Marcus Welby Rance on empathy-driven innovation

Digital transformation specialist Marcus Welby Rance advocates for African governments to embrace citizen-centric design, emphasising empathy and co-creation to meet genuine needs and foster trust.

Sponsored

POD - Future in the Humanities EP 3/3: The Gig Economy's Hidden Costs

Wits University social scientist and researcher Fikile Masikane exposes harsh realities behind promises of entrepreneurial freedom for food delivery drivers in South Africa.

This Is Connectivity

OP-ED - AI meets its match: human connection

In the afterglow of the NOVACOM Africa 1-to-1 Telco Summit 2024, Andile Masuku notes that while AI continues to advance, the fundamentals of meaningful human interaction remain essential for long-term success.

Sponsored

POD - Future in the Humanities EP 2/3: Unpacking Social Media Conspiracies in a World of Crisis

Wits University media researchers Samuel Olaniran and Iginio Gagliardone come to grips with the societal impact of conspiracy theories in today's social media-led world.

Digital Transformation

OP-ED - Patience and progress: the elephant path to digital transformation

Africa’s digital transformation mirrors the patient wisdom of African forest elephants. Andile Masuku unpacks lessons on long-term progress, sustainability and reshaping ecosystems meaningfully.

Sponsored

POD - Future in the Humanities EP 1/3: Exploring the COVID-19 Pandemic's Impact on Human Connection

Wits University researchers Sahba Besharati and Victoria Williams discuss cultural perceptions of contact, pandemic-induced changes and the long-term effects on social relationships and mental health.

Venture Building

OP-ED - Abderrahmane Chaoui unpacks the challenges of asset-light models in Africa

Discover why popular "asset-light" business models, celebrated for their scalability, often falter in Africa's unique landscape, as Abderrahmane Chaoui shares his insightful analysis.

Fintech

OP-ED - Is fintech truly advancing financial inclusion or just reshuffling the deck?

Andile Masuku offers a thoughtful critique on oversimplifying financial inclusion, urging deeper exploration of systemic issues beyond fintech innovations and product-driven solutions.

Climate

OP-ED - Rethinking Africa’s climate finance future

Nchedolisa Akuma tackles Africa's climate finance challenges, advocating for more assertive strategies to drive innovation and environmental resilience.

This Is Connectivity

OP-ED - Unlocking Innovation: the power of prioritising connectivity in your strategy

Africa's innovation hinges on strategic, trust-based connectivity. Andile Masuku advocates for leaders to invest in continuous, intentional network-building.

Venture Building

OP-ED - A primer on Morocco's startup ecosystem, courtesy of Salma Kabbaj

Moroccan tech accelerator co-founder and CEO, Salma Kabbaj, offers a glimpse into the evolving startup landscape in Africa's fifth-largest economy.

Health Economics

OP-ED - How health economics research is improving breast cancer care in South Africa

Actuarial analyst turned health economist Sithabiso Masuku’s data-led research is driving more effective policy-making and the development of more efficient breast cancer care interventions in South Africa.

Impact Investing

OP-ED - Can impact investing really achieve both social and financial goals?

Industry experts weigh in on whether impact investing can truly bridge social good and commercial returns while avoiding past pitfalls of (foreign) aid.

Fintech

OP-ED - Fact, fiction and fintech: behind the hype of Bitcoin and M-PESA

Andile Masuku wades into the propaganda and conspiracy theories surrounding the origins of Bitcoin and M-PESA, uncovering how these groundbreaking technologies are influenced by myths, biases and special interests.

Fintech

OP-ED - Why Ochich Magero traded philosophy for fintech in agro-processing

Ochich Magero shares insights from his journey, evolving from philosopher to fintech founder, with a mission to transform financial inclusion for agro-processors across Africa.