AFRICA: Changing the Narrative

Advancing Financial Inclusion in Africa: An Interview with Sabine Mensah of AfricaNenda

This interview with Sabine Mensah, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of AfricaNenda, focuses on the organization's role in assisting African governments with digital financial inclusion. Sabine explains how AfricaNenda helps map out needs and strategies for governments, focusing on creating inclusive and interoperable national payment systems. The goal is to ensure that various stakeholders, including regulators, ministries, and capacity-building organizations, work together to build systems that are tailored to local needs. She highlights Rwanda as an example, where the development of an instant payment system emphasizes local involvement, such as using open-source software and supporting local developers. This approach has fostered a robust ecosystem of fintechs and system integrators in Rwanda. A significant part of their work also involves identity systems, crucial for accessing financial services. Sabine discusses the importance of digital identities, which help with know-your-customer (KYC) processes, making it easier for individuals to access banking services. She notes that countries like Ethiopia are making strides in this area with digital identity initiatives that support financial inclusion. Sabine emphasizes the importance of designing solutions that specifically address the needs of the financially excluded, such as women, rural populations, and low-income groups. She suggests measures like collecting sex-disaggregated data and creating services that meet the unique challenges of these groups, such as distance from service providers and limited access to formal banking systems. To further accelerate progress toward financial inclusion in Africa, Sabine encourages collaboration with AfricaNenda, which is supported by donors, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and GIZ. She stresses the urgency of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to financial inclusion by 2030, emphasizing AfricaNenda's readiness to partner with governments across the continent.

Africa Director for the Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure

In this podcast by Africa.com, Emmanuel Khisa shares insights on the organization's role in supporting African governments in building effective and inclusive Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). He highlights Zambia's success with electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) systems, which have transformed digital health and social protection services. Khisa also emphasizes the importance of political will, strong infrastructure, and tailored technology solutions, and discusses how wireless and low-tech innovations, such as feature phones, can expand access to digital services across Africa.

Wamkele Mene Secretary-General of AfCFTA

Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of AfCFTA, discusses the challenges and progress in implementing Africa’s digital trade protocol. While overcoming initial hurdles like data movement and payment systems was key, the real challenge now is implementation. Mene highlights the need for capacity-building, advocacy, and the strong political will of 48 countries already committed. He is optimistic that private sector investment, supported by the protocol’s regulatory framework, will drive the growth of digital public infrastructure (DPI) across Africa.

Mohammed Abdi Mashaka

In the interview, Mohammed Abdi Mashaka, Director of Information Systems Development at Tanzania's Ministry of ICT, highlights the country’s progress in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). He emphasizes governance, innovation, and the development of the "JAMI stack" for digital payments, identity, and data-sharing to improve public services. Despite challenges like connectivity, Tanzania is expanding wireless and fiber-optic solutions. He stresses the private sector's role in economic growth and notes Tanzania’s 10-year Digital Economy Framework, driven by strong political will, as key to advancing digital transformation and regional collaboration.

ESG & Agriculture

70% of Africans make a living through agriculture, and technology could transform their world. Rural areas are chronically underserved by financial service providers, which is a limiting factor for economic development. Even where financial services are accessible, evidence shows that social concerns are often not fully incorporated in funding decisions and the delivery of services.
 
Standard Bank brings you this six-part series that delves deeper into key topics affecting the continent. Take a listen to how Africa can better prepare for the fight against climate change, leverage our agricultural potential, take advantage of deepening digitisation and protect the human rights of her people.

Unpacking the Mercer Report

Many African companies have realised that life will never be the same again post Covid-19. Business survival will, to a large extent, depend on how organisations embrace the future, use technology, invest in skilling and re-skilling employees, develop tailor-made employee benefits, incorporate mental well-being into HR models, develop sustainable working models, and embed Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices in business models. 
In this episode, Teresa Clarke talks with Kenny Fihla, Chief Executive: Corporate and Investment Banking at Standard Bank Group about how businesses can reorganise themselves post Covid-19.

Friends Or Foes ESG & The Mining Sector

Many mining and minerals businesses are already taking active steps on their ESG agenda; identifying their priorities and measuring their performance. But the real benefits come when you move beyond measurement and take action to improve.

Blockchain As Monitor Of Human Rights

Blockchain is, for many people, still synonymous with cryptocurrencies and financial applications. Yet the features that make blockchain technologies so appealing for asset management and monetary transactions -- transparency, tamper-resistance, efficiency, and smart contracts -- are also useful in areas that have little to do with finance.

Impact Investing - The African Reality

Investing in impact businesses can increase access to basic services such as finance, healthcare, education, clean water, and energy. Several prominent examples in Africa demonstrate that impact businesses can be both profitable and beneficial for a wide range of stakeholders and while offering tangible social and economic benefits.
Podcast host Teresa Clarke invited two women who are very familiar with the impact investing space.  
Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes is the Founder and Managing Partner of Aruwa Capital Management, one of the few women-owned and led growth private equity funds closing the gender gaps in Africa. 
Hema Vallabh is an engineer, turned entrepreneur, turned investor. Hema is a founding partner at Five35 Ventures, a pan-African VC fund investing in women in tech. She is also Co-Founder at WomHub and WomEng.

Why Africa Must Be At The Heart Of COP26

Africa’s situation deserves extraordinary attention: the continent contributes just 4 percent of global total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the lowest of any region, yet its socio-economic development is threatened by the climate crisis. In other words, Africa contributes the least emissions but suffers the brunt of the consequences.
Africa.com's TERESA CLARKE talks with SIMON FREEMANTLE, Senior Political Economist, Standard Bank Research Chair, and PENNY BYRNE, Climate Research Analyst at Standard Bank.
The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference. It is scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, between 31 October and 12 November 2021, under the co-presidency of the United Kingdom and Italy.

Unspoken Rules for Women Who Are Climbing The African Corporate Ladder

Men significantly outnumber women not just at the senior management and board levels but at every stage of the African Corporate pipeline. This is why Africa.com is committed to supporting talented women who aspire to climb the corporate ladder in Africa.
This workshop will inspire junior women by hearing the story of a successful African woman who reached the pinnacle of the corporate ladder, followed by an interactive session with a Harvard Business School career advisor and author of “The Unspoken Rules – Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right.”

Women Leading Corporate Africa

Why is it that most discussions of African women in business are focused on small and medium-sized businesses? 
We want to see African women dream big – why not earn the top spot in a large, complex organization?
On October 13, 2021, we began the journey of supporting every African woman to take on a new dream – climbing the corporate ladder to the number one spot. 
In addition to revealing the names of the 50 women on the Africa.com Definitive List of Women CEOs, this podcast features two big discussions:
Beating the Odds, with Harvard Business School’s Tony Mayo’s research on black women graduates of Harvard Business School who made it to the top spot.  He will share what a study of these successful women tells us. 
Then, a panel of Women CEOs from the Africa.com Definitive List of Women CEOs react to Professor Mayo’s research by sharing their own journeys to the top of Corporate Africa, and commenting on what is similar to Corporate America, and what it takes for women to get to the top in Corporate Africa. 
Finally, we explore the surprising role that stock exchanges are playing worldwide in advocating for women in big business.
For more information about Africa.com events, visit https://www.africa.com/

The First Public Sector Comprehensive Cancer Center for East and Central Africa

GE Healthcare – East Africa Projects Development Director Alexander Oketch
KUTRRH is poised to become the only Public facility in East and Central African region to offer the comprehensive continuum of cancer care with the establishment of an MIC. This centre will have state of the art technologies that will help in early diagnosis and management of cancer that will be expected to increase the survivorship of cancer patients, reverse outbound medical tourism while at the same time increasing inbound medical tourism into Kenya. This marks a significant milestone in the health sector and is a part of the country’s Big Four Agenda that prioritises increased access to quality and affordable healthcare to achieve Universal Health Coverage.

Restoring Up To 360MW In Nigeria Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic

Kenneth Oyakhire of GE Gas & Power Sub - Saharan Africa.  Restoring Up To 360MW In Nigeria Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic.
“Being Nigeria’s largest electricity generating company, with a total installed capacity of 4.0 gigawatts (GW), representing about 35% of Nigeria’s generating capacity, we are committed to strengthening Nigeria's power sector, despite the unexpected logistical challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak.”
For more than 125 years, GE has invented the future of industry, and today the company’s dedicated team, leading technology, and global reach and capabilities help the world work more efficiently, reliably, and safely.  GE is rising to the challenge of building a world that works in Africa.

Empowering Youth and Women Through Technology

Njideka U. Harry is the President and CEO of Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF), an innovative non-profit organization focused on using the power of technology to transform the lives of youth and women living in developing countries.
YTF’s strength lies in its ability to access market demands, design developmental programs, provide linkages that accelerate business opportunities and administer customized information and communications technology (ICT) and entrepreneurship training programs that uplift youth and women from poverty.
More information here.

Africa’s Portal to Doing Business with the United States

Overview
This Virtual Summit, the first and the largest of its kind convenes thousands of c-suite executives and decision-makers at African businesses, large and small, to present to you, from the highest ranks, the ways in which the U.S. can assist in growing your businesses through trade, investment, and technical assistance.
Objective
Designed specifically to serve African business leaders, this Virtual Summit is a portal, a one stop shop, into the United States Government’s resources at the highest levels. The summit is structured as four sessions taking place in one day.
History
For decades, The United States Government has funded a number of agencies and platforms to support African companies to do business with both the U.S. government itself, and with the U.S. private sector.  We are pleased to bring these resources together, at one time, in one place, for African business leaders.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Women & Girls - A Call to Action

COVID 19 has unearthed massive inequalities within our societies and brought to glaring light the unique burdens that women carry the world over.
Graça Machel and Melinda Gates joined Africa.com to discuss their policy recommendations in regards to women during the pandemic.
Both of these women are strong advocates for women’s issues. And both have governments and private sector conduct policies to not only address inequities experienced by women during COVID-19, but interestingly, both women independently concluded their works with the view that if we manage the responses to these critical issues strategically, women could come out of this period having made important gains.

African COVID-19 Cases Rapidly Rising.Economic Strategies: What Now?

Led by Teresa Clarke, Chair and CEO, Africa.com
Panelists:
Dr. Acha Leke, Senior Partner, Johannesburg, Chairman, McKinsey Africa
Dr. John N. Nkengasong, MSc, PhD, Director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Dr. Vera Songwe, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

Disruptions with Impact: The Intersection of Business & Philanthropy

Dr. James Mwangi, Managing Director and CEO of Equity Group Holdings and Executive Chairman of the Equity Group Foundation is featured in a fireside chat with Harvard Business School Professor Caroline Elkins, as part of Africa.com’s webinar series Crisis Management for African Business Leaders.
Among specific themes to be discussed is the balance between a company’s ethos and its ethical compass during crisis, and the leadership required to navigate the two.

Building a New Generation of Digital Leaders for Africa

William Miller, GE Senior Leader for Learning and Development
The Africa Industrial Internet Programme
GE partnered with African Leadership Group to build a new generation of digital leaders for Africa. The Programme enables mid-career engineers to build new skills in data analytics, data science, data engineering and data visualization. The programme is creating globally competitive, digital engineers right here in Africa, and we can’t wait to see their full impact on the continent.