i-SPARK is a project developed by Numeris Media, a pan-African storytelling platform dedicated to spotlighting the people, policies, and projects shaping Africa’s economic future.
The i-SPARK team will travel across all of Africa’s 54 countries, uncovering and documenting grassroots innovation, startup success stories, and the unsung entrepreneurs fueling local economies. The objective is to spark interest in Africa’s products, goods and services, and trade opportunities.Â
We will let each country showcase its strengths by sector – featuring 05 startups and SMEs that make up the nation’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
We want to work with countries to attract investment, tourism, and showcase development – while objectively highlighting both challenges and opportunities.
i-SPARK will be the first cohesive, continent-wide chronicle of Africa’s startup and entrepreneur scene, breaking the current narrative silos, and breaking away from the single
story of Africa as a continent of problems (as opposed to massive potential).
As we travel along, we will pin country video clips to a virtual map of Africa, watchable by the whole world.Â
The i-SPARK expedition will seek to align with Africa’s goals of fostering intra-continental trade, private-sector growth, attracting global interest in local innovation, and making “Proudly Made-in-Africa” the universal slogan to beat. Â
A LITTLE TRIVIA + SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
On the i-SPARK traveling team will be Oluwafisayo James, a teacher from Badagry (Nigeria) who we have trained to become a Mobile Journalist (MoJo).
MoJos tell important stories, using just their humble mobile phone as equipment.
At the end of the expedition, a large percentage of any sponsorship proceeds we receive will go towards fortifying the Numeris Media MoJo Academy, which trains females from disadvantaged communities to become MoJos – just like Fisayo.Â
OUR PEDIGREE
Numeris Media founder, Anne N. Agbakoba, has embarked on a similar tour, tagged Solar4TheMasses – a 37-state road trip across every state in Nigeria to introduce basic (but functional) solar lighting to Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) operating in electricity-poor rural areas. The project was executed in 17 consecutive days of driving. In each state, PHCs were presented with a sturdy, combined solar lamp & phone charging unit. The portable units enabled staff perform crucial medical procedures in rooms previously lit by candles, small kerosene contraptions, and mobile phone torches. Solar4TheMasses was captured by CNN as an exemplary project for widely spreading the benefits of Renewable Energy, and encouraging its adoption. Anne will lead the i-SPARk Africa expedition.Â
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ADVISOR
We are delighted to count Meryanne Loum-Martin, visionary founder of Jnane Tamsna, among our ranks as Cultural Advisor and Global Ambassador to i-SPARK Africa.
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PROJECT CONSULTANTS
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Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (Founder, 1000 Black Voices) is i-Spark’s Expert-Entrepreneur-in-Residence.Â
She plays  a key role at i-Spark by designing and applying the Strategic Ecosystem Insights Framework, a proprietary model that analyses and interprets data from the expedition to uncover trends, opportunities, and challenges across Africa’s entrepreneurial landscapes.
Through network synthesis, Elizabeth will translate key findings into actionable connections, eventually she amplifying the project’s impact through thought leadership, publishing and co-authoring analytical pieces that provide expert commentary and spark global conversations on Africa’s innovation potential.
With Dr. Shaw’s contributions, i-Spark ensures that its work goes beyond storytelling to deliver actionable intelligence that strengthens Africa’s innovation fabric.
Meekam K. Mgbenwelu is founder of Nzuko Labs.
In his role with i-Spark Africa (Consultant, Grassroots Innovation & Inclusion), Meekam will lead the effort to surface, document, and analyse how national STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics)/education pipelines  feed into entrepreneurial activity, drawing on real-world examples and case studies. His work will also focus on:
Identifying grassroots innovators: By shortlisting standout pitches from entrepreneurs in diverse African countries, he will capture the pulse of local ingenuity.
Championing equity and inclusion: Meekam will highlight gender balance and equity in the innovation landscape, backed by practical examples and stories of inclusive entrepreneurship.
The insights gathered through this process will be synthesized into a knowledge resource, useful to entrepreneurs, governments, investors, educational institutions, and communities across Africa.
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AmickyCarol Akiwumi MBE is a thought leader, serial entrepreneur, and founder of The AVOCADO Foundation, an international NGO behind the global #WorldChangers movement.
A champion of financial education, entrepreneurship, and social innovation, she has led initiatives that have transformed communities across Africa and beyond.
As a Consultant for the i-Spark Africa expedition, Carol will collaborate with the team to amplify the voices of entrepreneurs and startups from all 54 African countries.
She will shape and refine the submission process to help founders clearly articulate their impact, oversee judging to ensure transparency and inclusivity, and join the traveling team to engage directly with innovators on the ground.
Any questions for team i-Spark? Email: iSpark-Africa@numeris-media.comÂ