Fintech POD - Nikolai Barnwell on building PawaPay without the VC machine, and why mobile money beats cards PawaPay CEO Nikolai Barnwell on why payments, not "fintech", is the real problem worth solving, what a decade at 88mph taught him about funding, and why he is betting the continent's rails on mobile money over cards.
Venture Building OP-ED - Are founders and funders on the same page? Notes from an unreleased PawaPay conversation. Hindsight from someone who watched 88mph's death rate from the inside. Fundamentals focus from someone who has held PawaPay back from the fintech funding boom.
Market Intelligence POD - Russell Southwood on monopolies, M-Pesa, and candid framings of Africa's digital economy Analyst and author Russell Southwood reflects on a quarter-century of observing Africa's digital transformation. From yellow pages cold calls to fibre-to-the-home rollouts, Southwood makes the case for holding optimism and realism in the same hand.
Digital Transformation OP-ED - The US$140-million (R2.4-billion) reality check PwC’s latest Africa Cloud Business Survey says 98% of African organisations plan to expand their cloud architecture and 37% are implementing agentic AI. A sit-down with the man behind the numbers unearthed qualifications more revealing than the statistics.
Market Intelligence OP-ED - What do SAG Ventures and Balloon Ventures have in common? The intermediary trap Prince Nwadeyi's published research and Joshua Bicknell's operational experience expose the same problem: entrenched incentive structures don't serve those closest to real economic activity.
Digital Transformation OP-ED - What can standing in an iPhone 17 queue in Tokyo reveal about digital power and control? Plenty. Scarcity and sovereignty play out differently in Tokyo and Nairobi, but the underlying lessons for Africa’s tech builders are strikingly similar.
Fintech POD - April Long on why chasing 'impact' almost killed her fintech whilst bulk traders quietly transformed Africa-China trade Pyxis (rebranded Waka) CEO April Long reveals how her obsession with serving SMEs blinded her to the aggregators actually moving $286 billion in trade - and why accepting this reality saved her venture.
Market Intelligence OP-ED - Boring is beautiful, but can $50 million pyrethrum flower power fuel a natural insecticide industry revival in Kenya? When development finance meets agricultural nostalgia, the unit economics must be interrogated.
Digital Transformation OP-ED - Lessons from 25 Years of Africa’s internet story: a preview of Russell Southwood’s reflections Drawing from an upcoming African Tech Roundup podcast, this op-ed unpacks Russell Southwood’s reflections on lessons, blind spots and enduring questions.
Fintech OP-ED - The education of April Long: a Chinese entrepreneur's humbling lessons building for Africa's $286 billion trade gap After a decade in East Africa, fintech founder April Long reflects on the tough pivots, misread assumptions, and modest wins behind building Pyxis (rebranded Waka) for Africa-China trade.
Banking OP-ED - KCB Group builds on groundwork laid by 'Gov-preneurs' in Ethiopia as banking liberalisation accelerates Following Safaricom's lead, KCB's imminent Ethiopian entry leverages policy frameworks informed by 'Gov-preneurs' who embedded with government to safeguard 'fin-sovereignty'.
Infrastructure OP-ED - As Starlink disrupts broadband incumbents in urban Africa, is carrier neutrality the answer? Beyond monopolies and satellite hype, carrier-neutral infrastructure offers the continent a potential third path amid global internet connectivity upheavals and geopolitical uncertainties.
Market Intelligence OP-ED - Awkward investment realities: the case for backing 'boring' business in Africa As African tech investments plateau, Balloon Ventures' $14 million SME portfolio reveals an uncomfortable truth: 'boring' traditional businesses might be outperforming venture-backed startups in real economic impact.
Impact Investing POD - Impact theatre check: Balloon Ventures' contrarian sensibilities to SME financing in East Africa Joshua Bicknell, co-founder of Balloon Ventures, discusses how the financial institution is challenging conventional investor logic by backing "boring businesses" to create sustainable employment in East Africa.
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.
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.
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.
Failure OP-ED - Failing forward: translating public setbacks into fresh starts MarketForce's closure underscores the importance of sustainable growth. Co-founder Tesh Mbaabu's openness paves the way for new beginnings.
Blockchain OP-ED - Michael Kimani on lobbying for blockchain legislation in Kenya Kenya's Blockchain Association advances digital asset regulation, spearheaded by director Michael Kimani. Kimani takes us behind the fray.
MTN South Africa 40: Why Is South Africa Looking To Regulate Services Like WhatsApp? 🟢 CLICK HERE to subscribe to the African Tech Roundup Podcast 🟢 African policy makers are struggling to come to grips with the opportunities and threats presented by various important innovations being spurred by technological advancement — this as they carry out the unenviable task of safeguarding public welfare. In this week’s
Kenya 32: The Angani Saga Sets Silicon Savannah Ablaze 🟢 CLICK HERE to subscribe to the African Tech Roundup Podcast 🟢 Kenya’s tech scene aka Silicon Savannah is on fire! At least, that’s according to commentators like Brenda Wambui, who’s recent blog posted on Medium threw serious shade the way of some looming figures in Kenya’s tech
Apple 24: What's The Big Fuss About Apple Ad Blockers? 🟢 CLICK HERE to subscribe to the African Tech Roundup Podcast 🟢 As avid consumers of new media, it’s hard not to love the ad blocking features Apple has worked into iOS9, and the clever ad blocking apps that are selling like hotcakes on mobile app stores everywhere. But content publishers
Jason Njoku 22: "Cashflow Rules Everything Around Me" Alludes iROKOtv's Jason Njoku 🟢 CLICK HERE to subscribe to the African Tech Roundup Podcast 🟢 Launching a start-up in Africa is not for the faint-hearted. Very few promising ventures - even those that achieve solid traction, can expect to land Silicon Valley type investment offers that might allow a founder the liberty to concentrate
Mark Essien 20: What Defines An African Startup? 🟢 CLICK HERE to subscribe to the African Tech Roundup Podcast 🟢 Back in Episode 3 of the African Tech Round-up we asked the question: “What is a startup?” A lively discussion ensued— inspired by an eloquent piece written by David Adamo Jr, a Nigerian Computer Science PhD student at the
