Kenny Fihla – Deputy Chief Executive Officer, SBG and CEO & Executive Director, SBSA [📸StandardBank] Johannesburg, South Africa, 24 February 2025—The African Development Bank Group and Standard Bank Group (SBG) on Monday signed a landmark financial agreement to enhance funding for small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and expand trade across Africa. The agreement includes a R3.6 billion investment in a social bond and a $200 million Risk Participation Agreement (RPA) for Standard Bank of South Africa Limited (SBSA). This initiative strengthens Standard Bank’s lending capacity, ensuring greater access to finance for SMMEs, a critical driver of economic growth and job creation in South Africa. The social bond investment…
Author: Admin
Jonny Baxter (British Deputy High Commissioner) presenting a completion certificate to a Commonwealth scholar in Lagos [📸BritishDeputyHigh Commission] Lagos & Abuja, 21 February 2025 –The British High Commission held welcome home ceremonies for 191 (44 Chevening and 147 Commonwealth) Nigerians scholars who have just completed their studies in the United Kingdom through the prestigious Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships. The events held on Wednesday, 19th February and Thursday, 20th February in Abuja and Lagos, respectively. At both events, the scholars and fellows were celebrated for their exceptional academic achievements, received their completion certificates and were officially inducted into the Chevening and…
My name is Fisayo James, a roving mobile journalist who captures entrepreneurial activity in my local community, using just the humble smart phone – my trusted Samsung Galaxy S21. On my journey to discovering entrepreneurs in the Badagry area of Lagos (South Western Nigeria), I came across Mr. Olanrewaju Andu, owner of Made with Care Fashion. His quiet little shop, anchored in Old Cinema road, Sohwe, Ahovikoh Quarter, Badagry Lagos, belies the exceptional tailoring work that goes on within – beautiful bespoke clothing, made from rich fabrics, and structured with precision cutting machines and designs. Mr. Andu specialises in crafting…
Tola Alade When Tola Alade set out to launch his premium rum brand, DÃ’DÃ’, he was quoted a staggering £105K to bring my vision to life. But instead of being deterred by the high costs, he found a way to do it for just £600—by leveraging creativity, strategic partnerships, and community-driven momentum. Here is how he turned an April Fool’s prank (his unusual idea of producing a plantain-infused rum started as a joke) into a thriving rum brand, proving that you don’t always need massive funding to start—just a great story and the resourcefulness to make it happen. 🚀🥃 Alade…
Strive Masiyiwa – Founder & Executive Chairman, Econet Group (Cassava Technologies & Econet Wireless), Co-Founder, Higherlife Foundation) [📸 Author] Strive Masiyiwa is a telecommunications and technology entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. In nearly four decades as an entrepreneur, he has founded and invested in businesses globally, spanning Africa, Europe, India, Latin America, the Middle East, New Zealand, and the USA. Some of his most prominent start-up companies and investments include Mascom Wireless Botswana, Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, Econet Wireless Nigeria (now Airtel Nigeria), Liquid Intelligent Technologies Group, Econet Wireless New Zealand (now 2degrees Mobile), Trilogy Capital Partners Canada (early investor), Cassava Technologies…
Iyinoluwa Aboyeji is CEO & General Partner at Future Africa – the fund for Africa’s future, providing capital, coaching, and community to bold and visionary leaders turning Africa’s biggest challenges into business opportunities. This innovation fund has invested in over 100 companies across the continent, collectively worth over $6 billion, in sectors such as fintech, edtech, healthtech, and agritech. Some of Aboyeji’s notable investments include Moove, a flexible car ownership platform that empowers Uber drivers in Nigeria, and Itana, a network of charter cities for African technology talent. In this LinkedIn post, Aboyeji advises Founders to start right by choosing…
Chigozie Bashua – Founder & CEO, The Nut Place [📸ChigozieBashua] The OECD/SWAC Public-Private Dialogue is a platform that focuses on enhancing intra-regional food trade in West Africa by fostering collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders. This initiative aims to identify challenges, implement inclusive solutions, and build mutual trust to improve food security, stimulate economic growth, and promote regional integration. A key aspect of this dialogue is addressing gender-specific barriers in the food trade sector, recognizing the central role women play and the unique challenges they face. Chigozie Bashua (Founder & CEO, The Nut Place), contributes significantly to this dialogue.…
The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has opened applications for the 5th cohort of the Home Grown Solutions (HGS) Accelerator for Pandemic Resilience. This program supports the growth of African healthcare companies, strengthening the continent’s ability to withstand future pandemics. The initiative aligns with the African Union’s Energise Africa Initiative and Agenda 2063. Program Highlights: The HGS Accelerator provides tailored support to early-, growth-, and mature-stage healthcare businesses in three key areas: Context-Specific Advisory: Expert guidance addressing the unique challenges faced by healthcare enterprises. Investment Readiness Support: Assistance in preparing for…
The SIA Foundation and TheNest Innovation Technology Park have partnered to launch the second cohort of the SIA Startup Foundry, an incubator program designed to empower early-stage Nigerian startups. This program provides vital resources and mentorship to help entrepreneurs refine their business models and accelerate growth. Program Benefits: Seed Funding: Six winning businesses will share $10,000 in grant funding: $3,000 for first place, $2,000 each for two second-place winners, and $1,000 each for three additional winners. Comprehensive Training: Participants will engage in a four-week online bootcamp covering key areas of business development, strategy refinement, and market positioning. Mentorship and Networking:…
Eli Ben-Sasson – CEO & Co-Founder, StarkWare [📸SimonsInsitute] StarkWare, the $8 billion Israeli blockchain infrastructure giant, has announced a new $4 million venture fund dedicated to supporting blockchain startups across Africa. The fund will focus on early-stage companies building solutions on StarkNet, StarkWare’s Ethereum-based decentralised application platform. Targeting pre-seed and seed-stage startups, the fund will provide grants of up to $150,000, with the potential for follow-on investments of up to $500,000 for promising projects. Startups in West, South, and East Africa will be prioritized, particularly those operating in regions grappling with high inflation, volatile exchange rates, or low financial inclusion.…