The Connecting Africa Podcast: Recent Episodes

Connecting Africa

This podcast tackles the biggest trends in African tech and interviews local startups disrupting their industries.

The hosts are Connecting Africa Editor Paula Gilbert, Venture for Africa Co-Founder and CEO Tobi Lafinhan and Informa Tech Senior Video Producer Tien Fu who may come from three different geographies and cultural backgrounds but who all have a love of tech and an interest in Africa's startup scene in common.

Find the latest tech and telecoms news at http://www.connectingafrica.com

Connect on Twitter: Paula - @paulajgilbert Tobi - @TobiLafinhan Tien - @tienchifu

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In this episode we speak to Reza du Plooy, director and co-owner of data analytics consultancy Datalab, about the rolethat data analytics plays in the success of African businesses as well as the unique data challenges that the continent faces.

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On this episode we speak to Touch and Pay Technologiesco-founder and chief growth officer, Michael Oluwole, about how the startup is digitizing and processing microtransactions in Nigeria's transport sector and his aspirations to grow the service across the continent.

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In the newest Cassava Tech Talks podcast we discuss the digital priorities of the C-suite especially when it comes to cybersecurity, cloud, digitization in Africa and how the introduction of AI tools is impacting the market. Guests are Liquid C2 CEO Oswald Jumira and Sabelo Dlamini director of SANReN. #sponsored

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The Connecting Africa Podcast is back for season three. In the first episode we discuss startups and companies making their mark across emerging trends like social commerce, artificial intelligence, smartphone affordability and venture into the hot topic of climate tech.

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In the latest Cassava Tech Talks podcast we discuss how African businesses can harness the power of data centers and the importance of data residency. Guests are Africa Data Centres CEO Tesh Durvasula and Dan Thompson, principal research analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence. #sponsored

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In the latest Cassava Tech Talks podcast we discuss financial inclusion in Africa and how the ecosystem is evolving beyond just mobile money. Guests are Darlington T Mandivenga, CEO of Sasai, and Kalvin Bahai, Principal Economist at GSMA Intelligence. #sponsored

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In the latest Cassava Tech Talks podcast we discuss Africa's connectivity mix and how satellite and subsea cables factor into overcoming connectivity gaps on the continent. Guests are David Eurin, CEO of Liquid Dataport, and Dobek Pater, analyst and director at Africa Analysis. #sponsored

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In the latest Cassava Tech Talks podcast we discuss the role of distributed energy as a solution for Africa's energy crisis. Guests are Norman Moyo, CEO of Distributed Power Africa, and Frost & Sullivan consultant Patrick Prestele. #sponsored

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In the pilot episode of Cassava Tech Talks, powered by Connecting Africa, we discuss the transformative power of technology to reduce the digital divide by leveraging true African Intelligence. Guests are Hardy Pemhiwa, President and Group CEO of Cassava Technologies, and Hendrik Malan, Managing Partner and CEO of Frost & Sullivan Sub-Saharan Africa. #sponsored

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On the final episode for season two hosts Tobi Lafinhan, Paula Gilbert and Matshepo Sehloho discuss financial inclusion in Africa and whether fintech services like mobile money are really making the impact they promise.

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In this episode we speak to Bamboo co-founder and CEO Richmond Bassey about his fintech app which is giving Africans global investment opportunities and promoting financial literacy to help grow the wealth of the continent and its people.

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In this episode we speak to Rahim Diallo, founder and CEO of fintech Jawudi, which is shaking up the money transfer space by using 20% of the profits from its remittance service to launch a fund which will invest directly back into startups across Africa.

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In this Connecting Africa Podcast we discuss gender-lens investing in Africa and are joined by Eloho Omame who is the co-founder of FirstCheck Africa.

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In this episode the Connecting Africa Podcast team speak to Cindy Ai, co-founder of Dream VC, about why so many young Africans aspire to get into the venture capital game and how her investor accelerator is helping them do that.

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In this episode we speak to South African startup Sendoff's co-founder Zolani Matebese about how the company is digitizing funerals to become Africa's 'Uber for funerals'. 

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In this episode the Connecting Africa Podcast team speak to Israeli-Kenyan startup Avenews's co-founder and CEO Shalom Ben-Or about his fintech super app that has been built specifically for Africa's agriculture industry.

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In this episode the Connecting Africa Podcast team speak to BezoMoney co-founder and CEO Mubarak Sumaila for a deep dive into Ghana's fintech ecosystem and how it differs from its counterparts in other African countries.

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This episode the team chatted to SendSprint founder and CEO Damisi Busari about Africa's remittance market and how she is trying to improve the experience that Africans in the diaspora have with sending money home.

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The Connecting Africa Podcast is back with a new season. We welcome new co-host Matshepo Sehloho to the team and discuss the tech skills gap on the continent. The team chats about Africa's talent pipeline as well as the battle between startups and global giants when it comes to hiring and maintaining that talent.

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In the season finale of the Connecting Africa Podcast, the hosts share their insights on Africa's digital divide and what needs to be done to bridge the gap.

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In the penultimate episode of Series One, the team discusses education and particularly technology skills training for Africans and our guest is Eyitayo Ogunmola, CEO of Utiva, which is a startup offering digital courses preparing young people for the future of work.

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This week the team chat to Baratang Miya, founder and CEO of Girlhype, who has been running a coding school for underprivileged girls in South Africa for almost 20 years. She shares her fascinating story about how as a struggling student and mother she fell in love with ICT and has now made a career out of fighting for diversity and inclusion in tech.

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This week, the Connecting Africa team discusses the rising trend of super apps in Africa with Gozem co-founder, Raphael Dana, who gives us the backstory to the francophone Africa-focused platform that evolved from a ride-hailing service into an integrated app for on-demand transportation, delivery, and cashless payment solutions.

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This week Tunisian startup InstaDeep's co-founder Zohra Slim joined the podcast and shared the human story behind the successful artificial intelligence and machine learning startup and how you maintain startup culture even when your company grows.

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This week, the team caught up with Amitruck founder and CEO Mark Mwangi. The Kenyan startup has created a digital logistics marketplace and is helping Kenyans secure transport directly from truck drivers and owners by cutting out the need for brokers.

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This week the team chat to Startupbootcamp AfriTech co-founder Zachariah George about venture capital and angel investing in Africa and what he is looking for in the next generation of tech startups on the continent.

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In the second instalment of the new Connecting Africa Podcast the team chat to Life.file co-founders Sinal Govender and Claire Keet who are approaching legal tech in a very unique way and helping people get their ducks in a row before they die.

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This is the pilot episode of the new Connecting Africa Podcast. In this episode the team talk about M-Pesa's origin story, the evolution of mobile money beyond just payments and how telcos are now offering financial services. We also discuss the rise of the African 'Super App' and whether the continent is embracing crypto currencies.