Episode 180 with Dr Rufaro Nyakatawa, a leading voice in sustainable finance and international development, and a key figure in shaping Jersey’s strategic engagement with Africa. Dr Rufaro serves as Sustainable Finance Lead at Jersey Finance , where she champions the role of international finance centres in mobilising capital for Africa’s sustainable growth. With a rich background spanning environmental policy, infrastructure investment, and financial inclusion, she brings a unique, cross-discip...
Jul 07, 2025•30 min•Ep. 180
Episode 179 with Warren Myers, CEO and co-founder of AURA, a life-saving technology platform revolutionising emergency response in Africa and globally. Warren is on a mission to make safety accessible to all by building the world’s first global emergency response “clearing house” that instantly connects people in distress to the nearest vetted security or medical responders, anywhere in the world. Founded in South Africa, AURA is now the continent’s largest network of private emergency responder...
Jun 30, 2025•29 min•Ep. 179
Episode 178 with Estelle Dogbo, systems strategist, healthcare executive, and founder of BioVana Research. Estelle has spent her career at the intersection of biotechnology, digital health, and pharmaceutical development building adaptive health systems across African markets and beyond. From commercial leadership roles at Sanofi and Roche to co-founding 54gene and Syndicate Bio, Estelle has been a quiet force behind Africa’s genomics and health data infrastructure. Now, as CEO and Founding Part...
Jun 23, 2025•30 min•Ep. 178
Episode 177 with Jo Maiden, founder and CEO of SOKO Kenya, a trailblazing ethical fashion manufacturer driving social and environmental impact from the heart of rural Kenya. Jo is a visionary entrepreneur transforming the global fashion landscape by proving that high-quality, sustainable production can thrive in Africa and uplift communities in the process. Founded in 2009, SOKO Kenya employs over 150 local workers and partners with global fashion brands to deliver garments made with purpose, no...
Jun 16, 2025•38 min•Ep. 177
Episode 176 with Dr Samuel Kembou, Global Co-Lead for Learning and Evidence at the Jacobs Foundation, a Swiss-based philanthropy advancing the learning and development of children worldwide. With a presence in Africa for over 35 years, the Foundation is known for its long-term commitment to strengthening education systems through rigorous research, strategic partnerships, and evidence-informed policymaking. Dr Kembou plays a central role in ensuring that data, learning, and research translate in...
May 26, 2025•42 min•Ep. 176
Episode 175 with Desmond Koney, CEO and Founder of Complete Farmer, a Ghanaian agritech company which empowers African farmers to conduct their work in a much more sustainable and profitable way. Complete Farmer provides farmers with AI and data-driven technology to allow for "precision agriculture" so farmers can optimise their resources. The platform connects farmers with global markets, creating new opportunities for growth and profitability. Desmond shares his insights on how Complete Farmer...
May 19, 2025•44 min•Ep. 175
Episode 174 with Faizal Bhana and Claire Machin, who are recognised voices in global finance and private wealth, working at the forefront of family governance, cross-border investment, and wealth structuring. Faizal serves as the director for the Middle East, Africa, and India at Jersey Finance , while Claire is the group director and head of private wealth at Suntera Global . Together, they bring extensive experience advising families, corporates and institutions on how to build, manage and pre...
May 12, 2025•38 min•Ep. 174
Episode 173 with Edwin Tambara, Director of Global Leadership at the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF). Edwin shares AWF’s groundbreaking approach to the biodiversity economy, an innovative model that integrates conservation and economic development, driving both environmental preservation and community prosperity. AWF has played a pivotal role in supporting Zimbabwe’s biodiversity economy, from nature-based tourism and wildlife conservation to the commercialisation of non-timber forest products...
May 05, 2025•55 min•Ep. 173
Episode 172 with Abiola Jimoh, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of XchangeBox, the company behind PayRep, a platform supporting payments, collections, and access to financial products for SMEs, farmers, and traders across Nigeria. XchangeBox focuses on improving access to financial services for underserved communities through its PayRep platform. By offering services such as health insurance, pension savings, microcredit, and digital payments, the company supports the growth and stability of local economie...
Apr 28, 2025•39 min•Ep. 172
Episode #171 with Dami Olawoye, CEO of Rivy (formerly Payhippo) and leader in renewable energy financing across Africa. Dami Olawoye is at the forefront of making clean energy accessible across Africa through Rivy, an AI-powered lender focused on enabling homes and businesses to switch to solar power. With Rivy’s recent rebrand and a $4M pre-Series A funding round, the company is expanding its efforts to provide affordable financing solutions that help Nigerians move away from unreliable grid po...
Apr 21, 2025•32 min•Ep. 171
Episode #170 with Stephanie Sarr Dioh, Tech and Finance Business Leader, Gender Lens Investor and Board Executive at Women’s Investment Club (WIC). Stephanie SARR is driving inclusive economic transformation in West Africa through her pioneering work with WIC Capital, the first investment fund in Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire dedicated exclusively to supporting businesses led by women. As a prominent figure in gender lens investing, Stephanie draws on her extensive background in both finance and tec...
Apr 14, 2025•39 min•Ep. 170
Episode #169 with Dare Odumade, CEO of Chekkit Technologies and contributor to the recently published book Thrive: Mastering E-commerce the African Way published by the Africa Retail Academy at Lagos Business School. Dare Odumade is at the forefront of supply chain innovation in Africa through his work with Chekkit Technologies, a company on a mission to protect consumers, build brand trust, and eliminate counterfeit products across the continent. As a key voice in the chapter Enhancing E-commer...
Apr 07, 2025•59 min•Ep. 169
Episode #168 with Dr Allan Pamba, Executive Vice President at Roche Diagnostics. Dr Allan Pamba is a global health leader and seasoned executive at the forefront of transforming healthcare systems through innovation, access, and sustainability. As Executive Vice President at Roche Diagnostics, the world’s largest biotech company and a global pioneer in personalised healthcare, he brings decades of experience bridging the worlds of science, policy, and development to improve lives across Africa a...
Mar 31, 2025•45 min•Ep. 168
Episode #167 with Adeolu Adewumi-Zer, who is a seasoned strategist, business leader, and author of the recently published book "Afro-Optimism Unleashed: Scaling African Excellence to the Global Stage Adeolu Adewumi-Zer is at the forefront of redefining Africa’s business narrative through her transformative SCALE framework and deep-rooted belief in Afro-optimism. Drawing from decades of executive experience across Africa, Europe, and Asia, she empowers entrepreneurs and leaders to scale African e...
Mar 24, 2025•38 min•Ep. 167
Episode #166 with Dr William Derban, Head of Programs and Partnerships at the Digital Innovations Group for Opportunity International, defining technical standards, developing business strategy, and negotiating collaborations across mobile money, mobile/cell-phone banking, and agent banking. Opportunity International is at the forefront of leveraging AI to bridge the gap between technology and smallholder farmers in Africa. Through initiatives like UlangiziAI in Malawi and the recent FarmerAI pi...
Mar 17, 2025•48 min•Ep. 166
Episode 165 with Bernard Laurendeau, who is Managing Director of Enkopa Lab, which is at the forefront of driving successful Japan-Africa investments by leveraging AI and technology. With a focus on market diversification, the firm helps Japanese companies navigate Africa's complex business landscape. Enkopa Lab on driving successful Japan-Africa investments through AI & technology Enkopa Lab is repositioning investment approaches by prioritising human capital development over resource acqui...
Mar 10, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 165
Episode 164 with André Moolman, CEO of Ener-G-Africa (EGA), a renewable energy company dedicated to expanding access to affordable solar power across the continent. With a focus on low-income households and small businesses, EGA is tackling Africa’s energy challenges through innovative, cost-effective solutions that go beyond electricity, driving economic growth, sustainability, and improved quality of life. EGA has grown from a solar wholesaler to a leading manufacturer of solar panels, clean c...
Mar 03, 2025•26 min•Ep. 164
Episode 163 with Olu Alake, CEO of The Africa Centre, a cultural institution dedicated to celebrating and amplifying African and diaspora heritage. Since its founding in 1964, The Africa Centre has been a vibrant space for intellectual exchange, artistic expression, and community-building, evolving to meet the dynamic needs of the African diaspora in the UK and beyond. Under Olu’s leadership, the Centre has expanded its reach through strategic partnerships, innovative programming, and cultural a...
Feb 24, 2025•56 min•Ep. 163
Episode 162 with Adesegun Adeosun (SMADE), CEO of SMADE Entertainment, Europe's leading Afrobeats music, live entertainment, and lifestyle promotions company. Since its inception, SMADE Entertainment has successfully planned, organized, and delivered some of the biggest Afrobeats concerts and festivals across the UK, Africa, and Europe. Their events have been headlined by global superstars like Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Diamond Platnumz, Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, and many more. At the heart of t...
Feb 17, 2025•41 min•Ep. 162
Episode 161 with Frazer Lang, CEO of the Scottish Africa Business Association (SABA), an organisation dedicated to promoting trade, investment, and business collaboration between Scotland and African nations. With a focus on tangible commercial outputs, SABA bridges the gap between African governments and Scottish businesses, making it easier for both sides to engage, execute opportunities, and access funding. SABA was founded in response to the challenges African governments faced in navigating...
Feb 10, 2025•34 min•Ep. 161
Episode 160 with Luni Libes, a serial entrepreneur, investor, and impact-driven venture builder. Luni is the founder and CEO of Africa Eats, an innovative investment company tackling food insecurity and poverty across Africa by scaling profitable, for-profit agribusinesses. He also leads SEMX, a groundbreaking initiative unlocking public capital markets for African SMEs. Africa Eats invests in and supports early-stage, fast-growing food and agriculture companies that are solving critical supply ...
Feb 03, 2025•49 min•Ep. 160
Episode 159 with Boubacar Demba Coly, who is an inspiring ecosystem builder, business and entrepreneurship coach, and tech conceptor who is leading change in Gambia’s startup scene. As the project manager of the Gambia Tech Project, Boubacar is at the forefront of creating opportunities for young entrepreneurs and enabling a thriving tech ecosystem in a country often seen as challenging for business. The Gambia Tech Project, launched in partnership with the French Embassy and the Alliance Franco...
Jan 27, 2025•47 min•Ep. 159
Episode 158 with David Ogundeko, a poet, entrepreneur, and venture steward. David is the founder and CEO of Funema, a last-mile, impact-driven, alternative investment company with a presence in Pennsylvania, Lagos, and Cape Town. Funema is an impact venture building company investing cash-in-kind, providing a combination of capital and venture-building services to early-stage companies. These companies focus on developing B2B vertical market software solutions that drive the digital transformati...
Jan 20, 2025•57 min•Ep. 158
Episode 157, with Sonia Kherigi Nasfi and Nour El Imane Nasfi Founders of Deaf Square, which is an online career accelerator dedicated to bridging the gap between talented individuals who are hard of hearing and forward-thinking employers. They help hard of hearing people access high-quality education in the tech field, and job opportunities in leading industries. Their platform also supports employers by connecting them with skilled professionals with disabilities. Using an AI-powered solution,...
Jan 13, 2025•37 min•Ep. 157
Episode 156, with Yewande Adewusi, a visionary strategist and dynamic leader, currently the Chief Operating Officer and Operating Principal at Alitheia Capital. With a keen eye for market trends and a proven track record in driving strategy, business development and operational excellence, she spearheads the firm's operations, steering value creation initiatives, and enhancing operational efficiencies across portfolio companies. Alitheia Capital is a pioneering impact investment firm dedicated t...
Jan 06, 2025•43 min•Ep. 156
Episode 155, we speak with Dr. Austin Okpagu, the Country Manager for Nigeria at VertoFX. Dr. Okpagu joined VertoFX in June after an impressive tenure at JumiaPay, where he spent nearly four years driving business growth and expanding partnerships, culminating in his role as Managing Director for West Africa. His extensive experience in the payments and fintech sectors is further highlighted by his impactful contributions to Opay and Pagatech, where he led business development and partnerships. ...
Dec 30, 2024•46 min•Ep. 155
Episode 154 with Bronwen Everill who was a fellow of Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge from 2015 and was the Director of Cambridge’s Centre of African Studies. In August, she joined the faculty of the Princeton Writing Program. She is a visiting fellow at the Laboratory for the Economics of Africa’s Past, in the Department of Economics at Stellenbosh University. Bronwen recently publishing Africonomics, which is a short, bold story of Western economic thought about Africa. Br...
Dec 23, 2024•49 min•Ep. 154
Episode 153 with Benedict Owanga, who is powering Congo with Cutting-Edge Battery Technology. He is the founder of Owanga Solar, a pioneering company delivering clean energy solutions to energy-deprived regions. Through innovative use of recycled batteries and plastic, Benedict is transforming how electricity is accessed in the Congo. Discover how this young African leader's bold vision for renewable energy is driving sustainable development and reshaping lives with affordable, on-demand electri...
Dec 16, 2024•35 min•Ep. 153
Episode 152 with Daniel Yu, who is the Founder & CEO of Wasoko and Co-CEO of their new merger with MaxAB. African B2B e-commerce pioneers Wasoko and MaxAB have recently completed the continent’s largest-ever tech merger following the signing of preliminary terms in Q4 2023. Conducted as an all-stock transaction, the deal establishes a truly Pan-African platform for communities to access essential digital and physical goods, marking Wasoko and MaxAB’s evolution from B2B e-commerce companies t...
Dec 09, 2024•40 min•Ep. 152
Episode 150 with Somesh Adukia, Managing Director of Canon Central and North Africa. Canon, renowned as the world’s leading imaging company, was established in 1937. Over its 85-year history, Canon’s relentless drive for innovation has positioned it at the forefront of imaging excellence. The company is committed to strategic investments and seizing growth opportunities to sustain its leadership. Canon Central and North Africa, founded in 2016, embodies the company’s global vision while catering...
Dec 02, 2024•41 min•Ep. 151
