Samirah Ade-Adebiyi ( Managing Director, AFEX Investment) Nigeria-based commodities platform, AFEX, has received a capital injection of $26.5 million from British International Investment (BII), which is the UK’s development finance institution (DFI) and impact investor. As a commercial platform, AFEX, through its three divisions of operation, helps its 450,000+ smallholder farmers in Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda overcome challenges by expanding their access to inputs, financing, microinsurance, storage, training, and markets. Currently operating an expansive network of 200+ warehouses, the financing from BII will enable the construction of 20 advanced storage facilities in prominent locations across Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda. This…
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Ijeoma Agnes Oduonye (CEO, Cutix Plc) Did you know this? Listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Cutix Plc (Cutix) is a manufacturing company based in Nnewi (Nigeria), producing and selling a range of electrical wires, cables and switchgear assemblies. The company produces bare copper conductors, bare stranded copper conductors, insulated copper conductors, PVC insulated copper cables, PVC insulated single/double sheathed-core aluminium cables and PVC insulated and sheathed flat twin/three-core copper cables. Cutix also produces aluminium twist cables and conductors to connect homes to low tension lines; used to connect power from high tension wire for street lighting; used in high…
Joyce Daniels is an event MC extraordinaire and public speaking coach who is currently celebrating 16 years on that stage. Her journey is nothing short of fascinating, and we share some of her experiences verbatim, for the benefit of entrepreneurs struggling with self-belief and strategy:'[It has been] 16 years since 11th November 2007, when I agreed with the universe, I was going to be an Event Host MC of repute. It was 7pm that Sunday – I made my decision immediately after working as the MC at the launch of Sleek Hair and Makeup Nigeria, at 62b Anifowose Street off…
Last month, Gbite Oduneye (Founding Partner at ODBI) met up with his friend, Dr. Kingsley I. Ndoh (Founder & CEO, Hurone AI), and discussions veered into the remarkable strides that Hurone AI was making to transform cancer care – especially as the disease remains a critical global health challenge that still does not equally reach underrepresented populations, such as those those in Africa. (L-R): Dr. Kingsleu Ndoh (Founder, Hurone AI); Gbite Oduneye (Founding Partner @ ODBA) 📸Gbite Citing Hurone AI as an antidote to bridging the healthcare gap, Oduneye says: “Enter Hurone AI, a groundbreaking MedTech startup by Dr. Kingsley…
Winners of the inaugural South African Startup and Investor Awards, an initiative of Startup Club ZA, have been announced. Selected from 60 finalists and through a combination of public voting and adjudication by a 25-person judging committee, the 12 winners are: Zoie Health Founders (L-R): Dr. Nonhlanhla Sitole and Thato Schermer AI & Big Data: Melio.ai – Founded in 2019 by Merelda Wu and Harry Lee, Melio specialises in developing and deploying machine learning solutions and their Highwind marketplace lets data professionals find, benchmark and buy existing machine learning models; Biotech: Maltento – Founded in 2018 by Dean Smorenburg, Maltento aims to overcome…
(R-L): Ramin Toloui (U.S. Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs); Tony Elumelu 9Chairman, Tony Elumelu FOundation); Somachi Chris-Asoluka (CEO, Tony Elumelu Foundation 📸 Somachi Chris-Asoluka Recently, representatives of the US State Department paid a courtesy visit to the Tony Elumelu Foundation, and were hosted to an intimate reception that brought together some of the most creative talent in Africa, cutting across music and film. Says Somachi Chris-Asoluka (CEO, Tony Elumelu Foundation): “It was a beautiful day spent hosting the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs, Ramin Toloui, first in a roundtable discussion with some of our #TEFAlumni in the…
Nada Ghammem (Founder & CEO, Bionic Soul ) – winner of the POESAM €20,000 International Women’s Prize Revealed at Mobile World Congress Africa (Kigali, Rwanda), here’s a quick line-up of prizewinners at the 13th edition of the Orange Social Venture Prize in Africa and the Middle East (POESAM) – grouped into three major categories: The International Women’s Prize (€20,000), won by Bionic Soul (Tunisia) – manufacturers and marketers of smart, custom-made, affordable bionic prostheses for amputees. The International Women’s Prize worth is awarded to a startup whose project is led by a woman, and that helps improve living conditions by providing specific solutions…
Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (R) – Founder, 1000 Black Voices Every year since 2020, Black Tech Fest has hosted Europe`s largest festival of its kind that celebrates Black culture, showcases innovation, and creates pathways for underrepresented talent. At the October 2023 show, Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (Founder, 1000 Black Voices) joined fellow panelists at the event – Rahmon Agbaje and Nora Bavey – to share deep insights into the entrepreneurial journey, the highs, the lows and the in-betweens.Speaking on a particular topic of current and of immediate interest, Dr. Shaw said: “Venture Capital had a spot – we are looking forward to…
RELEASE The FATE Foundation is excited to announce the appointment of Amaka Nwaokolo as the Director of The FATE Institute, effective September 2023. The FATE Institute is the research, new thinking, advocacy, and policy division of FATE Foundation that is committed to leading innovative thinking and creating platforms to enable idea exchange and problem-solving strategies to foster sustainable entrepreneurship in Nigeria. Amaka brings to the role 15 years of professional work experience across private and social sectors with deep expertise in thought leadership, ecosystem mapping, and policy advocacy particularly within the small and growing business space and the entrepreneurship ecosystem.…
A couple of weeks ago Awele Elumelu (founder, Avon Healthcare) completed the world-class Bank of America Chicago Marathon. And she’s a regular at other marathons. Her husband, super-entrepreneur Tony Elumelu posted: “Congratulations #MrsTOE ❤️ on your completion of the 26.2 mile Bank of America Chicago Marathon. You continue to inspire”. Awele Elumelu (c) 📸 @tonyoelumelu on Instagram Physical activity can improve help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, and strengthen bones and muscles. To be detailed, exercise helps maintain a healthy blood pressure, keeps harmful plaque from building up in arteries, reduces inflammation, improves blood sugar levels, and helps stave off depression.…