Africa In Focus

This is the African Century

Group CEO of Standard Bank, Sim Tshabalala believes this is the African century and that Africans will be the ones driving the development of the continent. He spoke to Teresa Clarke of Africa.com at the World Economic Forum in Davos about making sure the African continent plays its rightful role in the world by driving economic, social, human, and environmental developments.
Simphiwe Tshabalala is joint Chief Executive of the Standard Bank Group and Chief Executive of Standard Bank South Africa. 

Principles for Responsible Banking

On 22 September 2019, Standard Bank Group became a founding signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Banking. Alongside the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Standard Bank signed the first-ever global sustainability framework for the banking industry and committed to aligning its business strategy and practice with the Sustainable Development Goals and the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.
Sola David-Borha, Standard Bank Group’s Chief Executive for Africa Regions, signed the Principles for Responsible Banking document on behalf of the group, which played a role in developing the framework.
In this podcast, Sola David-Borha is speaking with Africa.com CEO, Teresa Clarke. 
“The Principles align with Standard Bank’s purpose: to drive Africa’s growth and uplift her people by doing business the right way. They also support the group’s drive to maximise our social, economic and environmental impacts,” David-Borha says. “Standard Bank sees an opportunity to have a significant impact across the continent, given that we have the largest African footprint of all participating banks.”
The new framework, which has been designed for banks at any stage on their journey to sustainability came not a minute too soon. The COVID-19 pandemic, which took hold just as Standard Bank and other signatories were starting to implement the Principles, has served to highlight how reliant society is on healthy ecosystems and resilient economies.  
 

Enabling Financial Inclusion and Innovation in a Converging World

Partnerships Are Key To Driving The Future Of Inclusive Payments In South Africa says Mark Elliott, President of Southern Africa MasterCard. 
In this podcast, Africa.com CEO Teresa Clarke discusses the future of payments in South Africa with Mark Elliott.
The financial services sector in South Africa is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. Rapid developments in digital technologies are both disrupting and enabling change in previously disconnected sectors, such as banking, telecommunications and retail. These advancements make digital payments and services more readily accessible and affordable to consumers and small businesses, but the usage of such products will be subject to how well payments providers collaborate to meet their needs. This is according to a new Mastercard and Deloitte Africa report “The future of payments in South Africa: Enabling financial inclusion and innovation in a converging world” released today on the side-lines of the World Economic Forum on Africa. The report states that if we are to achieve meaningful financial inclusion in South Africa, private and public sectors must collaborate to reduce the reliance on cash and encourage the use of digital payment methods and financial services to achieve more inclusive and sustainable economic growth. It is not yet a reality, but several developments are providing encouraging indications of progress.
– Mastercard Deloitte Report

Women Leaders In Africa: Building Careers

In this podcast, Africa.com talks with Patricia Obozuwa and Brenda Mbathi of GE Africa.
Patricia Obozuwa, Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer for GE Africa
Brenda Mbathi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for East Africa
The transcript is available here.

Women Leaders In Africa: Walk-the-Talk

In this podcast, Africa.com talks with two of GE Africa’s high-profile women leaders.
Welela Dawit Chief Financial Officer, GE Power Services – Sub-Saharan Africa, GE West Africa
Adesua Dozie General Counsel for GE Gas Power Systems and Services, Sub-Saharan Africa
The transcript is available here.

Women Leaders In Africa: Balancing The Gender Equation

Africa.com CEO Teresa Clarke speaks with Nitika Rosa, GE Africa’s Head of HR and Lerato Molebatsi, GE South Africa’s Managing Director. 
The transcript is available here.

Training the Elderly to Fill the Mental Health Worker Gap

The Friendship Bench project is an evidence-based intervention developed in Zimbabwe to bridge the mental health treatment gap.
Health experts say globally there has been an increase in anxiety and depression as people struggle to cope with COVID-19 and job losses. Some grandmothers in Zimbabwe are offering free therapy sessions to tackle these mental health difficulties during the coronavirus lockdown. This is part of an initiative called the Friendship Bench.

Love Letter to Africa by Koleka Putuma

South African slam poet Koleka Putuma delivers a powerful recitation of the poem she authored, entitled – “Love Letter to Africa.”
Putuma uses the medium of the spoken word to express her love for Africa and to highlight the unique traditions, legacies, and culture of the African continent. Her words are carefully chosen and beautifully penned, but to see her speak the words that she has written is a spellbinding experience.
Every part of her body speaks to her audience, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Video available here: https://youtu.be/6gKqf-nQHLM
Putuma earned a degree in Theatre and Performance at the University of Cape Town, and she has traveled the globe delivering these mesmerizing performances in places as far afield as Glasgow, Scotland, and New York, USA.
She was recognized on the Forbes Africa Under 30s list of creatives making waves for 2018.Other works by Putuma address important social issues facing African women, including health and education.

How Technology is Bridging the Divide in Africa's Emerging Markets

Mark Elliott - President, Southern Africa - Mastercard, talks to Africa.com about their recent acquisition of South African fintech Oltio, and how they will use the technology to drive cash displacement and innovation in emerging markets.

Brenda Sisane: The Art of Sunday

Brenda Sisane chats with Teresa Clarke about her radio show, The Art of Sunday and how it brings the family together by playing new hidden gems from creative artists around the world, and old jazz records; enabling the parent to school their young ones on art and music in a comfortable setting. The music is mellow, allowing the listener to relax while reading the paper or preparing Sunday lunch.

Powering Zambia's First Robotics Team

Africa is making headway in the area of robotics and Zambia is on the forefront. Let's meet these young ambitious ladies and gentlemen who are bound to make Africa proud.
More information here.

Good Governance, Sustainable Cities, and the Importance of Creating Jobs for Africa’s Youth

Abdoulie Janneh talks to Africa.com about good governance, sustainable cities, and the importance of creating jobs for Africa’s youth
Former Under-Secretary-General of the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the Executive Director of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Abdoulie Janneh talks to Africa.com about the importance of creating job opportunities for Africa’s youth, and in finding new ways to involve them in critical decision-making processes that promote good governance across the board.

How Infrastructure Development Will Drive Economic Growth In Africa

Geoffrey White talked to Africa.com in the run-up to the World Economic Forum for Africa in Durban about the importance of building strong logistical frameworks throughout the continent, the challenges of politics, policy and development, and empowering Africa’s young entrepreneurs.

The Masterpass QR Mobile Payment Solution In Africa

Daniel Monehin, Division President, Sub-Saharan Africa, Mastercard
Masterpass QR is the first mobile-driven, Person-to-Merchant (P2M) payment solution. The solution is an enhancement to the Masterpass global digital payment service that will enable millions of micro, small and medium enterprises across Africa to begin accepting fast and secure digital payments. This service addresses the challenges of expensive infrastructural issues associated with point of sale devices and eliminates the need for cash.

Innovative Community-Centered Solutions To Improve Access To Primary Healthcare

Africa.com caught up with Jasper Westerink, CEO of Philips Africa, during the World Economic Forum in Durban.
Philips Partners with the Government of Kenya and the United Nations (UN) to Advance the African Healthcare Agenda.

Donald Kaberuka Curates Africa.com’s Top10 Business News

We invited Donald Kaberuka, now a senior advisor to the Boston Consulting Group, to curate the week’s news.
Donald brings a unique perspective to the Africa.com Top10 Business. He served for ten years as the President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) a perch from which he negotiated with the collective of interests gathered at WEF this week: leaders in the private sector, country presidents, ministers of finance, and community organizations.
During his tenure at the AfDB, he led a strategy to promote regional  integration through infrastructure investments in roads, railways, power plants and communications.
With this experience, Donald has surveyed the many stories competing for your attention this week, and carefully selected the top ten business articles that he thinks Africa.com’s readers should focus on right now.

Guarang Shah on Masterpass QR in Emerging Markets

Gaurang Shah, Mastercard’s Lead for Digital Payments and Innovation Labs in Middle East and Africa, talks with Africa.com
Mastercard is highlighting the significance of Masterpass QR, their mobile driven Person-to-Merchant payment solution and the contribution already made in the Middle East and Africa.

Inviting Women Into The Financial Fold

The topic of financial inclusion was a major theme at the recent World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa, with many of the recommendations discussed there already being implemented.
President of Women’s World Banking, Mary Ellen Iskenderian, says there is a growing recognition that women’s financial inclusion is not only important in achieving every other social goal, but it makes financial sense.

Bisila Bokoko: Businesswoman, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist

There are very few women who can straddle several different types of industries at the same time and make it look effortless. Bisila Bokoko, a businesswoman, award-winning entrepreneur, philanthropist, and global brand ambassador, is one of those women.  She is rated as one of the most inspirational women, alongside Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Lupita Nyongo. Bokoko is one of Africa’s humanitarians who are breaking new grounds – not just for her, but for millions of people worldwide.
"I believe in the magnificent power of women. Let us help one another and hold hands to climb the ladder of success. If we ever fall from it, let’s be there to pick up the pieces and help to start again."
Bisila Bokoko is an Award-Winning Businesswoman, Wine Entrepreneur, Inspirational Speaker, TV Personality & Philanthropist. Bisila is currently writing her first book and has appeared in Forbes, Harper's Bazaar, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur magazine, and on Bloomberg TV.  Follow her on and off duty around the world @BisilaBokoko

Backstage with Minister Ngozi Okonio-Iweala

Exclusive interviews with key African entrepreneurs and politicians.