Diverse photography can help challenge perceptions and fight stereotypes. When Amanda Esther Akokhia started her photo studio some five years ago in the United Kingdom (UK), where she grew up, she was not aware just how important this was. At the time, photography was a hobby but it soon began to give her life purpose and meaning.



“When I started working, I would leave work during lunch, take pictures and return to work, and that was how I started photography. I wasn’t really fulfilled doing my job, but photography made me really happy. I knew in my heart that this is what I wanted to do [for] a living. That led me to open my first studio at 24,” says Akokhia, born in the UK but whose parents are Nigerian.



She’s the owner of Green Studio and now has over a decade of experience in the industry. Through education and the consistent drive for representation, she hopes to use her photography platform, Amanda Akokhia Photography, to bring about much-needed change.



The British Journal of Photography found that, globally, about 70% &#8211; 80% of photography students are women but they only account for 13% &#8211; 15% of professional photographers. Furthermore, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics also reportedly estimated that, although women account for half of all working photographers, they still struggle to get opportunities.



When Akokhia started cutting her teeth in the industry, she had already noticed the disparity.



“I knew I wanted to do photography, but I could not find any successful role models that looked like me in the industry to emulate,” she recalls.



This was before the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite this, she decided to fully commit – she quit her legal profession and opened her studio with £10,000 ($12,400), which she secured through a combination of savings and investment from her business partner.



“They believed in my vision and were eager to contribute,” says Akokhia.



In those days the vision for the brand was simple.



“I didn’t know what the industry was like, I just knew my dream was to shoot for big magazines and to see my pictures on billboards. I was really interested in beauty and fashion and my vision was to be a commercial photographer who shot for the big brands that I admired so much growing up. I didn’t know how I was going to get there but I knew that was what I wanted to see myself doing,” Akokhia adds.



Within two years of opening her business, Akokhia had already fulfilled her goals in photography, working with brands like BBC, Warner Brothers, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Disney and Pantene, among others.



“I started thinking [about] what the new vision for me at this stage of my life is. And I started to imagine a world where everyone would feel seen and can be seen through my work and encouraging other photographers to capture everyone. Sometimes, when you look at magazines in the UK, you only see photographers of a certain type and color. I shoot everyone as I would shoot a model for a campaign shoot,” she says.



Akokhia has steadily grown her business from one that generated a monthly revenue of £5,000 ($6,200) to one that has secured individual commercial campaigns worth £15,000 ($18,600) by elevating her business and building relationships with prominent commercial brands. An important focus for her is representation in her work, both behind the lens and in front of it.



And, as a rising creative in the sector, Akokhia hopes to achieve her new vision for creating inclusivity through training and mentorship, where she teaches future photographers and creatives how to turn their passion into a business.

Amanda Esther Akokhia started her first photo studio at the age of 24; image supplied

The UK-Based Nigerian Photographer Using A Different Lens To Challenge Norms

Media Challenge Initiative, or MCI, lives on the 4th floor of a blocky, unassuming shopping center in Kabalagala, a busy Kampala district named after the toothsome cassava and banana pancakes sold by the city’s street vendors. Kabalagala is the kind of humble, honest treat – an African soul food – that makes one wonder, between sweet mouthfuls, why our planet is so complicated.



Truth ought to be simple; facts should be safe from pernicious subjectivity. But there are still compelling reasons to be hopeful about the safety of our media landscape: inspiring and proactive leaders working hard to manifest a positive future.



Abaas Mpindi is the co-founder and CEO of MCI. Since 2017, MCI has worked with 3,000 journalism students, and founded more than 10 youth media startups. A mobile newsroom delivers skills programs to 17 Ugandan universities; the Next Gen Journalist activity strand has trained more than 130 program fellows in solutions-based journalism for social change. The MCI Media Hub, based at the organization’s multi-functional Kabalagala headquarters, provides a space for innovators (such as the fact-checking Debunk Media Initiative) to disrupt the status quo.



“African journalists today face a generational opportunity and challenge,” says Mpindi. “They report not only on what is news today, but also document stories that challenge long-held narratives about Africa. We support the system by building a generation of journalists who are not only multi-skilled, but equipped with the leadership skills and social consciousness to change their communities.”



MCI’s activity is productive; learned skills are immediately put to use in the creation of compelling content. Solutions Now Africa, for example, MCI’s solutions journalism newsroom, produces stories which highlight local strategies that work, instead of the doom-laden media navel gazing which so often fixates on poverty porn and problem cul-de-sacs.



“Let’s put it this way,” Mpindi says. “People wake up looking for solutions. We need to document these challenges and provide people with existing responses. As a citizen of a continent whose progress has been restricted by stereotypes, I believe solutions journalism can cover Africa’s unreported contributions, innovations and urgency. In an era of clickbait and disinformation, controversy is attractive; it is important therefore to positively adopt the same emotional communication techniques that are used by purveyors of misinformation.”



MCI is a recent recipient of significant new funding from the Elevate Foundation, an NGO which rewards the work of changemakers worldwide. The prize will exponentially escalate MCI’s growth, and further evolve the organization. Mpindi is meditative about the depth of this responsibility.



“When I started this journey, I was excited about the idea of skilling young journalists and exposing them to internships and jobs,” he says. &nbsp;“I didn’t foresee it would catapult me into a leader now dealing with the current challenges of our industry. It is a lonely and reflective journey, but I have grown to understand and appreciate the systemic challenges that determine the kind of journalism we consume as a final product. We are not asking for one-sided positive stories. We are asking for the whole story: capturing the continent in its diversity. Our journalists are trained to appreciate they have the power to change history.”

Abaas Mpindi; image supplied2

‘The Power To Change History’: How This Ugandan Entrepreneur Is Challenging Long-Held Narratives With Solutions Journalism

Niger designer Alia Baré, also the daughter of a former president, is working to weave together a positive narrative of her country through fashion.



From gracing the runways of Joburg Fashion Week for African Fashion International (AFI) in South Africa to unveiling her latest collection in Lagos, Nigeria, Alia Baré, the fashion designer from Niger, is on a mission to democratize ‘Made of Africa’ fashion, ensuring its accessibility to the everyday African.



The daughter of former Nigerien President Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara, Baré, always attuned to feedback, shares insights with FORBES AFRICA during her second visit to Lagos, having been there 14 months prior. Fascinated by the allure of fashion at 17, she attended the International Festival of Fashion in Africa (FIMA) with her parents in 1998 — a transformative experience kindling her love for the industry. “I have always been interested in fashion but looked at it from afar as it was intimidating for a young African girl, given the perception of fashion as something superficial.



FIMA, in the middle of Niger’s desert with famous designers like Kenzo showcasing under the stars, left me with deep memories,” Baré shares.



However, it took a career shift 15 years later, enrolling at the Raffles Design Institute in Singapore, for Baré to heed the call of her creative instincts. “It took me many years, a banking career that was unfulfilling, to realize that I needed to follow this inner voice for creation. At 32 years old, with two toddlers at home, I registered for a full-time diploma in fashion, and to date, have never regretted it.”



Baré’s design style bears the imprints of her diverse experiences in Senegal and India. “I fell in love with the diversity of fabrics and colors in India during my three years there.” The majesty and feminine characteristics of the Asian aesthetic resonate in her creations, drawing a parallel between Asian and African cultures in craftsmanship and values.



After graduating, Baré returned to West Africa, choosing Senegal as the base for her eponymous brand. “Senegal was a natural option for me, as my family was living there, and it gave me the opportunity to open my own workshop, as I have always been driven by action.”



Launched in 2015, she navigated the competitive landscape with a focus on ‘Made in Africa’ garments, gradually building her brand through consistency in quality and aesthetics. The emergence of concept stores became pivotal in connecting with the right clientele.



Speaking at TedxADU in Niger in 2019, Baré imparts wisdom, urging her audience to heed their inner voice, conquer challenges, and strive for their best selves.



Growing up as the daughter of a former president, Baré reflects on her parents’ determination to provide her with a grounded and normal childhood. “Our parents always tried their best to raise us as normal as possible and, more importantly, to stay grounded to earth,” she reveals. Despite the tumultuous political backdrop, she emphasizes that they were deliberately shielded from privileges like diplomatic passports and business class flights. 



This upbringing, she believes, created a balanced life for her and her siblings. The tragic assassination of her father in 1999 marked a turning point in their lives. Baré recalls the importance of family bonds during that challenging period. “We hung on to each other as a family and on the simple things that sounded normal beside our universe collapsing.” This resilience, instilled by her parents, became a lifeline during the tumultuous times that followed. Baré acknowledges that her life can be divided into “before and after 1999”, but she stresses that her father’s values and love for the country continue to shape her identity. 



“My father’s love for his country and Africa is a strong part of my DNA and defines who I am as an artist and as a woman,” she asserts. This deep-rooted connection to her heritage and a commitment to showcasing a positive image of her culture propel her artistic endeavors. Reflecting on her journey, she resists the notion that the experiences of that time defined her. “What I am today is, of course, the result of my fights, my struggles, my pain, and most importantly, my will to overcome all those obstacles to express a positive image of my culture and my love for my country.” Her determination and resilience emerge as driving forces behind her artistic expression.



The DNA collection is a fusion of Nigerien symbols and South African graphic design. Baré sought to redefine Niger’s traditional culture, infusing her narrative and vision into the designs.



Collaborating with a South African graphic designer, they crafted patterns reflecting both their visions, resulting in a visually stunning collection.



“The culture of Niger is well-known worldwide with the Tuareg jewelry, the blue men [of the desert], and many other things, but it is usually very traditional and hasn’t evolved for quite some time. I realized that I really wanted to talk about the culture of my beloved country but with my own narrative and vision reflecting the evolution of society, the world, and myself. So I decided to reach out to a South African graphic designer as I fell in love with the bold aesthetic found while I visited Johannesburg for the first time.”



Living in different countries has endowed Baré with adaptability and keen observation. “The most important thing I gained from living and traveling around the world is also a sense of adaptation. Therefore, I always keep in mind while creating my designs that they have to be versatile, easy to wear, easy to maintain, but most importantly, they can be worn everywhere in the world without looking like ‘a costume’.”



Participating in AFI’s Joburg Fashion Week is a constant highlight for Baré. Beyond the creative process, the event’s ‘shop the runway’ feature offers insights into the business side, fostering direct feedback from customers and enhancing her understanding of ocal and international markets.



At the launch in Temple Muse, Lagos, Baré plays the perfect host to fashion enthusiasts and supportive colleagues. Among them is Nigerian model Okorie Kenneth, who praises her collection: “I have known Alia and her brand for a year or two. I love the collection.



The collection is beautiful because this is not usually her niche or what she normally does.



But she found a way, and I love the fact that she has been experimenting with different fabrics and styles, which is beautiful. And it’s not just for older women; it’s for Gen Z girls. So yes, it works a lot, and I love it.”



Addressing environmental concerns, Baré emphasizes the inherently sustainable nature of African designers. Embracing slow fashion and prioritizing local production, she aims to create a virtuous circle of consumption. By selling mainly in the African region, reducing transportation, and encouraging mindful consumption, she believes in making a positive impact on African consumers’ habits. Baré stays true to her cultural roots while embracing modernity. 



“I once met a Reiki master in Cambodia, and I was sharing with him my struggles to find my real identity with all these influences and evolutions in the modern world. He just told me that a tree doesn’t need to be rooted in soil as my spirit is evolving through time and space, so are my values and identity. I am a floating tree with free roots enriching itself from life and experiences but doesn’t change its true nature.”

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Culture Couture: A First Daughter And Designer’s Journey From Niger To Senegal

It is said that good people die early. In the case of Herbert Wigwe, aged 57, it seems too soon. Those who had the privilege of crossing paths with Herbert realized immediately that they had a unique Leader before them. In this moment of pain and grief for his family and friends and faced with the unconformism of the tragedy, it is important to remember his path and honor his legacy.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="576" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/foto-inserir.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-61235" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/foto-inserir.jpg 576w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/foto-inserir-169x300.jpg 169w" sizes="(max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">N&#8217;gunu Tiny with Herbert Wigwe
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 I remember him as a Leader with unusual personal qualities and a global and humanistic vision. Herbert Wigwe stood out for his outstanding intelligence, fine and polite manners, and for his truly extraordinary decision-making and implementation capacities. He was a man who wanted not only to do things, but to do good and for others: he was a man of the common good. He had two families: Wigwe and Access Group, and he was committed to both. He co-founded and developed a global African institution. Access Bank is today an established African bank in the world&#8217;s main financial and commercial markets, serving 60 million customers (the same as Citi Bank, for example) in more than 17 countries, with assets totaling more than USD 35 billion. Numbers aside, he leaves us a global bank focused on African clients. Herbert was a humanist leader. And it is under this latter condition that he wanted to leave his imprint with the social impact investment in a Pan-African university in his hometown, Isiokpo, Rivers State, Nigeria, offering a new generation the opportunity of receiving world-class education. Wigwe University shall teach the new generation of African leaders and provide “school personality” to millions of Africans in the coming decades. I would also like to remember the man and the friend with whom I have had the privilege of working very closely on common projects and developing a unique friendship in recent years. Last year, on one of our trips, he asked me if I would be available to teach at Wigwe University. As I was about to answer he added, “It&#8217;s not really an invitation. I won’t take no for an answer because the transfer of knowledge is our daily obligation ”. The matter was settled right there! In this moment of deep pain and grief, I bow before the unique memory of Herbert, Doreen and Chizi and I would like to send my heartfelt condolences to his family, loved ones and the Access Group. My feelings are also with the families and friends of the remaining four victims of that fateful moment of Saturday 10 February 2024. Herbert&#8217;s legacy only makes our responsibility even greater. Keep soaring, “H”..! If he was among us, he would answer: “Tiny, No Wahala”. Lisbon, February 12, 2024.

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In memoriam: Herbert Wigwe, Leader, Visionary and Humanist (15 August 1966 – 10 February 2024).

Affinity Africa founder Tarek Mouganie is addressing the challenges of the unbanked in his country through digital finance.



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After dropping out of high school, Ibrahim Musa, a small business owner based in Ghana, has become somewhat of a serial entrepreneur. With stints in everything from cold stores, car sales and, most recently, selling electronic goods in Makola Market, the country’s busiest local market, his biggest challenge is actually in the digital sphere.



For years, Musa has faced a major snag when it comes to opening a bank account for his small business due to the many regulations involved.



“Every time I try and open a bank account, I am asked for so many documents that I simply do not have. After being rejected several times, I just decided to use mobile money for my banking needs but that is very limited because you cannot have access to the full range of services traditional banks offer and that is a real problem for entrepreneurs like me,” says Musa.



He is not wrong. The problem he speaks of affects over 500 million people across sub-Saharan Africa who do not have, amongst other things, proof of official identity documents. This is according to a 2017 article by the World Economic Forum. The knock-on effect of this problem is that it has led to over 350 million adults being financially excluded and expected to live on cash without the use of financial facilities, cited in a report by AfricaNenda.



For Ghanaian entrepreneur, Tarek Mouganie, the only way to tackle a problem like this is through the development of digital financial services. His solution, Affinity Africa, is a digital bank.



Mouganie holds an engineering degree from Imperial College London and PhD from the University of Cambridge. After working in the United Kingdom (UK) for a number of years, he decided to relocate back to Ghana to help solve the problems of the country’s unbanked and underbanked. It took Mouganie four and a half years to build the company and it finally launched in 2022.



“With no marketing spend, we have acquired 30,000 accounts just by word of mouth and, for 90% of our customers, we are their first-ever bank account. We have helped our customers save $23 million to date and have provided $13 million worth of loans as well. The average revenue of our borrowers has gone up by 500% and their employment base has gone by 3.5 times, so we are seeing growth,” says Mouganie.



The implementation of mobile money certainly is a silver lining for the future of the unbanked but according to Mouganie, it simply provides access. There is a deeper need to be addressed for small business holders.



“Our bank accounts are free, we don’t have any monthly charges and we provide interest across all accounts and that is a unique proposition. Our lending specifically focuses on small businesses which is what traditional banks don’t typically do,” says Mouganie.



He believes the problem is endemic to how African governments run their economies.



“If you look at OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, the tax to GDP ratio is 33%. If you look at Africa, it is 16%. So, we are the lowest tax-paying continent in the world and for this reason, governments typically don’t have money which causes a huge amount of issues. But what is even worse is that a majority of our taxation is indirect –VAT, E-levy and other solutions that are quite regressive.”



“The reason that exists is because we have a huge informal sector and as a result of having been excluded from financial services, small business don’t get created,” Mouganie adds.



According to Mouganie, the reason why small businesses are important is because in developed countries, they employ about 60% of the population and drive about 50% of government revenue.



“In our part of the world, that is just not the case. So, to create employment and build resilient economies, we need to support small businesses, nurture them and encourage those new businesses to be registered, so that we can drive employment and socio-economic development,” says Mouganie.



This is, perhaps, what makes Affinity’s growth noteworthy.



The journey has been far from easy. The stringent process of obtaining a banking license has proven to be a challenge for many fintech entrepreneurs in the past. But Mouganie was so confident in his vision that he sold his house in London to invest in Affinity and set out to conquer the hurdle of regulatory approvals.



“Regulators exist because they are there to protect the consumer and who is the consumer? In our case, it is our customer and the regulator in Ghana wanted to support economic growth and support small businesses. We came up with a proposition of increasing financial inclusion in the true term and not just giving accessibility, which is what mobile money and digital money has done, but very much focus on affordability as well,” says Mouganie.



He founded Affinity with the aim to solve the problem of financial inclusion through digital finance and based on the growth Mouganie has achieved so far, the digital bank is ready to transform Ghana’s unbanked sector, one customer at a time.

Tarek Mouganie; image supplied1

The Ghanaian Entrepreneur Who Sold His House In London To Build The Dreams Of SMEs  

Nobuhle Ndlovu is among the few to break the glass ceiling in the male-dominated world of private equity.



An investment banker-turned-vice president at a private equity firm in South Africa, Nobuhle Ndlovu realized early on that her calling was to help humanity.



Awarded a full scholarship to Canada, she majored in Economics and International Politics, is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, and holds an MBA from the University of Oxford. She has lived and worked in seven countries across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.



It was after a stint at Standard Chartered that Ndlovu realized her true goal. “My internship taught me that banking is the easier route to track money and hold people accountable. The NGO space has a lot of wastage; I liked the concept of making a difference but being able to quantify it.”



Ndlovu started her career with the mindset that she didn’t need to prove herself.



“I had been schooled overseas by my own right through scholarships, and worked hard to get to where I am, but coming back to a South African setting, it all goes out of the window,” says Ndlovu, who started from scratch when she moved back to South Africa.



Ndlovu recalls her earliest job in corporate finance in South Africa as one of only two women in a team of around 50. “I recall thinking, ‘wow, in South Africa, this is still a thing’; I get it in New York, but South Africa?



“But I quickly learned that if you stay humble, put your head down and work, you’ll get the props – if props are necessary,” she says.



“For me, it was about ‘how do I get to the next thing’. There’s not a lot of faces that look like me so it was trying to balance that and doing my best to include others to pay it forward,” she says.



Ndlovu didn’t know she wanted to get into private equity but as she got older, she thought about creating businesses and sustainable ecosystems.



“Even before I went into mergers and acquisitions advisory, I knew I wanted to gain the necessary hard skills to be able to go into private equity,” she says



Today, Ndlovu is a vice president at Kasada Capital Management, an independent real estate private equity platform that focuses on the hospitality sector in sub-Saharan Africa. She also made it to the Mail &amp; Guardian 200 Young South Africans cohort in 2021.



“I get to travel for work and spend a lot of time in East Africa. Hospitality is such an interesting space but it’s also about creating spaces that people want to spend their time and money in.”



You could look at it as real estate or FMCG because you’re catering to a fast-moving good, she says.



“My current fund is across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and it’s so fulfilling seeing how much you’re supporting the region.”



Some of the biggest lessons Ndlovu has learned over the years is that no market is the same.



“It’s about how you balance risk and return all the time and having the right people in place to buy and manage assets.



“We’re SSA-focused; we’re constantly trying to work out what market in SSA makes sense when, and where each asset gets anchored.”

Nobuhle Ndlovu; image supplied (1)

South African In Private Equity: ‘Put Your Head Down And Work’

Ghanaian entrepreneur Alima Bello, the founder of Bello Edu, would have been toiling away in a greasy oil seed factory had she not chosen to ignite her passion for contemporary fashion design.



Fashion and art are often synonymous. Just ask Ghanaian fashion entrepreneur Alima Bello, who in 2014 launched a contemporary womenswear brand named Bello Edu.



“We describe the clothes we are making as canvases for women,” says Bello on her body of work.



And as with every canvas, this dream too started on a blank sheet of paper.



As creative director of the brand, humble beginnings preceded international acclaim, such as showcasing her work on prestigious platforms like the Portugal Fashion Week as well as being stocked in retail outlets across Africa.



The challenges included facing an industry that makes it difficult to raise capital to fund entrepreneurial dreams.



“Fashion is such a seasonal business, and a lot of traditional finance institutions don’t understand how it works. It takes time,” says Bello, reiterating the words of most startup founders in the fashion sector.



“The way the fashion cycle works; you get a loan, you do your samples, you start taking your photographs, start doing your campaign, start getting your pieces into retailers and that takes about three months before you start seeing any income from your designs.”



Bello had to bootstrap her dream by creating capital working several odd jobs. Her career also did not take a linear path.



Growing up in her hometown in Kumasi, Bello was expected to graduate with a degree in business management from the University of Ghana and promptly join the family business.



“As a first-born child to a Yoruba man, my father expected me to finish school and join him in the family business and he designed my life that way – go to school to study business management and then finish and come back and work in an oil seed factory where we were processing soya bean oil, palm kernel oil and refining as well.”



That would have been a slippery slope, but thankfully, serendipity came calling.



Bello was privileged enough to have her father fund her travels abroad during school breaks when she would indulge in her love of fashion. But after graduation and once she started working for him, he told her she must buy her own tickets to London because he was no longer paying for them. It meant she couldn’t shop abroad and had to relegate her fashion choices to the boutiques of Kumasi.



“[But] if I found stuff I liked, they wouldn’t have the color or size I wanted,” recalls Bello. 



The only alternative was to start making her own clothes. That interest transformed into a calling and with that, Bello managed to convince her father to let her follow her dreams to pursue fashion.



“It took me two to three years to convince him that I wanted to move to Accra to start my business. But when I moved, I couldn’t find a fashion job with any established designer or brand. So, I found a job with a furniture company that had an interior design unit.”



Bello’s thinking was if she could find a job and see how brands interacted with customers, it would give her a better understanding of what customers were looking for and see how the customer-facing side of the business worked. But that did not pan out well and she found a part-time job in an ad agency doing administrative work and spent her spare time “pattern-drafting”.



Although she was garnering interest with her designs and being invited to showcase her work on some platforms like other designers, Bello decided to take some time out and focus on building her brand.



“It took some time to define who the Bello Edu target is; who am I designing for and what my brand story is. I took my time to answer these questions; trying to flesh out the ‘why I want to do this’ and ‘for whom am I doing this’.”



After some soul-searching, she finally understood.



“The Bello Edu woman is 33 to 35. She is a hard-working woman and confident of who she is. She likes to splurge every now and then but is very conscious about where her money goes. She can buy a luxury bag and a t-shirt from Zara and pants from Bello Edu. She doesn’t take herself way too seriously and she takes life as it comes.”



And with that, came the biggest turning point in Bello’s career. She rented her first brick and mortar store in 2017 and that is when it became “real”. Then came the challenges. By 2018, Bello had depleted her entire life savings trying to keep the business afloat. Although the brand was attracting some sales, the money was not enough to sustain the business.



“I would get so stressed that my jaws would lock up. I had dried up everything and I had workers depending on me. We were not making enough to [even] pay for our overheads,” says Bello.



Then 2020 came and Covid-19 hit. What should have spelled the end of her business brought unexpected respite. “When the lockdown happened, along with the Black Lives Matter movement, there was a boost in sales for black-owned businesses. We got featured on certain platforms and there were more eyes on the brand and that is what helped to boost sales and keep as alive. We didn’t have a marketing budget and everything we have done today has been based on word-of-mouth.”



Today, the brand is in a much more comfortable space and the vision has evolved, she admits. “African fashion had become so popular, and the prints were so bold and in your face. My personal taste is very minimal when it comes to the choice of colors and prints. I wanted to create a brand that would serve as a canvas,” says Bello of her minimalist designs but maximum dreams.

Alima Bello; image supplied

What It Takes To Build A Fashion Brand In Ghana

The importance of agriculture to Africa’s economic output cannot be emphasized enough. Desmond Koney’s Complete Farmer is doing close to $10 million in revenue, and have just closed a funding round of $10.4 million. 



Agriculture has been lauded by many governments as the key to reducing poverty due to the sheer number of people that it employs. According to figures from the World Bank, agriculture contributes to about 65%-70% of Africa’s labor force as well as 30%-40% of GDP.



Furthermore, it estimates that agriculture is the most significant economic activity for about 70% of people on the continent who live in rural areas.



The Ghanaian agriculture sector, in particular, is characterized by smallholder farmers who farm on less than two hectares of land, according to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Ghana.



“Agriculture has been the principal sector for the development and growth of Ghana’s economy for decades and it still is a major contributor. It contributes somewhere in the region of about 30% to the GDP of Ghana. The main challenge is how we industrialize the process in order to scale and reap the fruits of the sector,” says Kwame Nkum, senior consultant at Nkum Associates.



This is a challenge Ghanaian entrepreneurs in the sector have been grappling with for years. On the one hand, the agriculture value chain is perhaps one of the longest in any industry. Also, there are interdependencies between one stage of the value chain and the next but, often, there is a lack of data between the two, which creates significant infrastructure challenges for the sector.



For mechanical engineer cum farmer, Desmond Koney, these challenges represent an opportunity to innovate and find solutions that help improve the sector. As the CEO and Founder of Complete Farmer, a crowd farming platform that facilitates easy sourcing of quality farm produce through an African online market, Koney is embarking on an ambitious journey to digitalize agriculture in Ghana.



“It is an exciting time to be in the industry and an exciting time to solve the problem the way we are solving it. Africa is producing close to $90 billion worth of produce and if you were able to build the infrastructure that captures that value, we can create a lot of wealth for local farmers,” says Koney.



The problem is that the farmers producing this are not able to sell their products to the people who need it and this is where Koney is hoping his innovative solution will make a difference.



“This presents an interesting opportunity to build global supply chains and ecommerce platforms. Once we can build this infrastructure, the opportunity of that $90 billion a year is something that should excite anyone,” says Koney.



Currently Complete Farmer is doing close to $10 million in revenue, according to Koney, and they have just closed a funding round of $10.4 million. That has led to the expansion of the Complete Farmer solution to Togo. The platform allows buyers from all over the world to order produce under the care of Complete Farmer.



“When a company makes an order, they put it up on the platform and make it possible for anyone who wants to be a supplier of the product to get on board by way of investment,” he says.



Like many great success stories, Koney’s journey was born out of adversity. Although his father was a pineapple farmer, Koney had opted for a life in the sciences with dreams of becoming an engineer for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Then tragedy struck.



“My father passed away suddenly when I was just about to write my exams in school, and it was a really difficult moment for me. One of my lecturers said this was going to be a defining moment for me and looking back now, I can see how it was. Suddenly, I had a little brother to take care of and I had to support my mother. I remember after my father’s funeral I had only GHC [Ghanaian Cedi] 10 in my pocket,” recalls Koney.



He decided to continue his father’s legacy as a farmer but first, he had to understand the challenges he went through. After working on his father’s farm, Koney realized the challenges were glaring.



“We realized that the agriculture industry has middlemen who purchase goods at a low price from the farmers to sell at much higher prices. This means farmers had no access to the market they were producing for,” says Koney.



With these invaluable lessons, Koney decided to utilize his engineering skills to build farms like factories.



“The initial vision was ‘how do we make agriculture like what China has done with manufacturing?’ In China, you will see people using their garages to set up factories… So, for me it was like ‘how can I bring that same energy and that same approach to farming?’ So, the vision was to really figure out how to build a farm like a factory and try and emulate how China has become a superpower in manufacturing,” says Koney.



The company designed an end-to-end process to solve the value chain issue by digitizing it. By doing so, Complete Farmer has become a bridge between both the demand side and the supply side which increases efficiencies in the entire value chain.



“It took us six years and we have had about three or four pivots to really figure out how we can create that factory to get there. Trying to raise funds, trying to figure out business model implications and trying to figure out the legal implications, and that is what we have been doing for the past six years to try and build this vision,” says Koney.



He is a firm believer in Africa’s ability to be the breadbasket of the world and, now, with Complete Farmer, it has become his mission is to make the rest of the world believe in Africa’s ability to feed everyone too.

Desmond Koney; image supplied1

‘Completing The Chain’: How This Ghanaian Is Bridging Gaps Through Agritech

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The Big Backroom Boom In South Africa’s Townships

Wandia Gichuru cannot wait for the day that AfCFTA becomes a reality, especially in the textiles and fashion space.



Most people start young. But while in her 40s, Wandia Gichuru’s journey into entrepreneurship was serendipitous and unexpected. Creating a truly Kenyan fashion brand, she now epitomizes a new generation of fearless entrepreneurs in the East African nation.



Before venturing into the fashion world, Gichuru spent over 15 years as an international development advisor, working for the government of the United Kingdom, the United Nations and the World Bank. But she always knew that she wanted to make a difference back home.



Into fitness in a big way and also a salsa dancer, she set up Vivo Activewear with a friend, Anne-Marie Burugu, in Nairobi in 2011, with a vision to create a Made in Kenya brand catering to women embracing wellness as a lifestyle. She went on to also set up an e-commerce platform onboarding Made in Kenya beauty and fashion brands.



From a single store in Nairobi, Vivo Activewear grew to include Vivo Woman, Safari and Zoya, curated to resonate with the contemporary African renowned for fusing style, comfort, functionality, and affordability.



“Our vision at Vivo Fashion Group is to see Africa dress herself, as well as Africa dress the world. We believe that in addition to being great producers and ardent consumers of fashion, the time has come that we are also creators of strong African fashion brands,” says Gichuru.



The fashion label recently joined the&nbsp;Nairobi Securities&nbsp;Exchange’s Ibuka incubation and acceleration program.



“We want as many people as possible to join us on this journey. So, listing on the Nairobi Securities Exchange would be one way to do this, by allowing anyone who wishes to become a shareholder of the group.”



Expanding its footprint across East Africa and beyond is a pivotal component of Vivo&#8217;s strategy. Unlike merely exporting Kenyan styles, the approach involves tailoring offerings to suit each unique market it enters.



Gichuru emphasizes the importance of establishing partnerships with creators, designers, suppliers, and manufacturers in these regions, thus nurturing the industry ecosystem.



“Over 200 million East Africans get up and get dressed every day. It is hard to get accurate data, but in our estimation, less than 5% of East Africans wear any clothes that were produced in East Africa. So, the opportunities in the fashion sector are huge, and we are only scratching the surface,” says Gichuru.



As Africa prepares for a single trading bloc under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Gichuru says this presents an exciting opportunity, especially in the textiles and fashion sector. She envisions the removal of barriers that currently impede sourcing and distribution across African countries, potentially opening doors to new African brands entering the Kenyan market.



“We cannot wait for the day that AfCFTA becomes a reality, especially in the textiles and fashion space. This will open doors for everyone in the sector in such powerful ways. We are desperate, for example, to make clothing using Kitenge fabric from Ghana. However, under the current tax environment, we would have to pay 50% duty on Ghanaian fabric, which makes it impossible to create a competitively priced product from it.”



For entrepreneurs like Gichuru, this impending reality holds the promise of uncharted growth. However, alongside this anticipation come the pressing concerns regarding the key challenges that must be addressed to facilitate the scaling of businesses like hers on the African stage.



“Hopefully, AfCFTA will address these kinds of challenges and we will be able to start sourcing from and distributing to countries across Africa. And vice versa, we will see all kinds of African brands enter the Kenyan market,” she says.



Gichuru’s venture, Shop Zetu, is also making strides in Kenya’s fast-growing e-commerce space. The platform is a one-stop shop for all things fashion, beauty, and accessories.



Her current focus is the East African and COMESA markets, where products can be more efficiently moved to and from Kenya.



The Vivo Fashion Group also places strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion. Over 70% of its 450 employees are women. Gichuru is also keen on promoting female entrepreneurs.



“Women in particular are sometimes afraid to come across as too ambitious or too confident. Which can work against us, especially when trying to raise capital. We must be clear about our goals and learn how to articulate them in a way that convinces people that we know where we are going, we know how to get there, and that they should join us on the journey.”



She advises aspiring entrepreneurs to be true to themselves and not let perfectionism or fear hinder their ambitions. She also emphasizes the importance of action.



“I have an incredibly strong bias for action. The advice I mostly give to younger entrepreneurs is to just get started! Don’t let ideas just sit in your head. Start! Execute! Put something in front of potential customers and get a reaction. You’ll either make a sale or you’ll get some feedback – or hopefully both. But it will get you one step further on your way to building a real business”.



As Kenya celebrates 60 years of independence, Gichuru believes that determination and resilience are central to keeping the country’s entrepreneurial spirit alive.



“We have a way of picking ourselves up and keeping ourselves going. And we are also lucky that we live in such a beautiful country, and have a great sense of humor – so no matter how difficult things are, the sun will still be bright and shining, and someone next to you is going to crack a joke and make you laugh!

Wandia Gichuru; image supplied

‘To See Africa Dress The World’: A Kenyan Fashion Entrepreneur On The Industry’s Promising Future  

Zuri obtains fabrics and designs from Kenya and other African countries, creating jobs.



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African style is making its way to New York City. In June this year, the Brooklyn Museum hosted Africa Fashion, one of North America’s largest exhibits celebrating African clothing and craftsmanship. From being highlighted on fashion runways to new stores popping up around the city, fashion from the continent is creeping into the wardrobes of many New Yorkers.



One fast-growing store is Zuri, which opened a few years ago in downtown Manhattan. The brand prides itself on obtaining fabrics and designs from Kenya and other African countries.



“We are hiring different artists from there, who then produce the pieces,” Tiffany Collins, an employee at Zuri, tells FORBES AFRICA. “Then it’s shipped. So you kind of create this ecosystem that continuously flows. You’re creating jobs, and you’re paying people fair, livable wages.”



Workers at Zuri hope their efforts will make African clothes a staple in wardrobes.



“More celebration and understanding of the textile and the process and what really goes into producing those beautiful pieces,” is what Collins wishes for. “So many hands have touched them prior to them even getting here.”

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Rocking African Style In Manhattan

Subomi Plumptre is one of the few female African CEOs in asset management on the continent focusing on empowering middle class Africans through investment solutions and unlocking prosperity.



The latest Henley &amp; Partners Africa Wealth Report reveals that the continent holds a total of $2.4 trillion in private wealth, with South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, and Morocco accounting for over 50% of this. Despite this, income inequality remains high, and there’s a significant ‘floating class’ within the middle class facing insecurity.



Subomi Plumptre, the CEO of Volition Cap in Nigeria, aims to address these challenges.


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Over a span of three years, her company successfully launched a $30 million fund for agriculture and real estate projects in Africa, resulting in financial independence rates of up to 75% for 3,000 members. Additionally, it’s supporting African filmmakers with $250,000 in funding and have provided financial literacy courses to over 10,000 individuals.



Plumptre also recently toured the United States (US) engaging with the African diaspora through the ‘Celebration of African Prosperity’ roadshow with information on diaspora-focused funds.



Originally, Volition began as a financial education company and investment club. Later, obtaining a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) license, it pioneered a novel fund management approach for Africa utilizing investment clubs (cooperatives).



The acquisition of the SEC license validated and institutionalized their model.



Plumptre co-founded Volition Cap, a licensed asset manager, with Kola Oyeneyin in 2018 after facing personal financial challenges.



A registered fund manager and one of the few African female CEOs of an asset management firm, Plumptre tells FORBES AFRICA: “I had worked in the corporate sector for decades and was committed to my career. But not only was I financially illiterate, my responsibilities did not leave much time for active investing. Like many middle-class employees, I assumed that someday, my stock options would take care of me. But during my career, my country went through two recessions, disrupting the plans of the company I worked for; and making my stock options worthless.



“Around the same time, my parents were dealing with critical medical issues that required expensive healthcare. I could not afford to fly them abroad for treatment that was unavailable in my country. That was a wake-up call for me. I realized there were others like me, hard-working middle-class folk, who were one catastrophe away from poverty. I decided to change that by setting up Volition Cap.”



On social media, where she commands a significant following and is regarded one of Nigeria’s thought leaders in business and strategy, Plumptre channels her thoughts on various topics including life, career and investment.



A few hours before the commencement of her series of engagements in the US, Plumptre, overwhelmed with the support she had already garnered, tweeted to her over 112,000 followers: “There are so many people on social media who quietly support me. You share my content and tell others about my work. I am truly grateful.”



Seemingly aware of the ongoing curiosity regarding her connection with Ashleigh Plumptre, a center-back for Al-Ittihad and the Nigeria national team (popularly known as the Super Falcons), she shared a tweet featuring Ashleigh’s victory dance after her team’s win against Australia in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. In response, she remarked: “Lovely to see my niece’s victory dance.”



Apart from her work with Volition Cap, Plumptre engages in various fields such as public speaking, coaching, and mentorship. Her Subomi Plumptre Fellowship aims to mentor and network with young Nigerians who value hard work and excellence.



Moreover, she established The Subomi Plumptre Trust to address education, health, and cultural challenges.



She is also a published author, having written The C’s of Social Media and Unscripted, where she candidly shares her thoughts and struggles about life. Additionally, Plumptre has trained thousands on investment intelligence through her online courses.



The film The Black Book, directed by Editi Effiong and co- executive produced by Plumptre, was released on Netflix on her birthday – September 22 – this year.



“At Volition Cap, we are proud to have been the largest funders in the exclusive syndicate that backed the film [The Black Book] a group of believers who are iconoclasts in their own right. Our homegrown creatives have taken the world by storm, through Nollywood, Afrobeats, literature and fashion. Therefore, the creative industry must be supported,” says Plumptre.



Her dedication has earned her recognition, including acceptance to the Forbes Business Council and being featured in the ChangeMakers’ list of 100 Nigerians Leading Change.



The Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation recently nominated Plumptre as one of the Goalkeepers — a global collective of changemakers advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This recognition is in acknowledgment of her efforts to champion middle-class wealth in Africa and the diaspora. Her specific focus is on Goals 8, 9, and 10, which include Decent Work and Economic Growth; Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; and Reduced Inequalities.



“It’s time to shift the African paradigm from poverty and foreign aid to wealth and prosperity. And we can only do so by empowering the socioeconomic group – the middle-class – that powers society through entrepreneurship, job creation, prioritization of education, active citizenship and remittances,” says Plumptre.



She is widely recognized for her integrity, thoroughness, and sincerity, as described by renowned photographer and singer Toyin Sokefun-Bello, better known as TY Bello.



“When I think of Subomi, the word that comes to mind is integrity,” Sokefun-Bello shared via Facebook in March 2021. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone more thorough, straightforward, and sincere in everything&#8230; even with the way she creates&#8230; One of the most innovative minds we have, both left and right-brained in a very special way&#8230; Subomi is a genius, really.”



“There’s still so much we all need to learn from Subomi. It feels good to know people that will change the world for real. I’m excited about the things she’s about to unveil,” she concluded, indicating her awareness of Plumptre’s plans for innovations in creating wealth for others.



“Trust is at the core of our community at Vizient Coop [one of the cooperatives managed by Volition Cap]. For many years, we built our membership from referrals only. This means satisfied customers told their friends, colleagues, and family members.



We also ensure that in times of market uncertainties, we never leave our community stranded. We keep communicating and intervening on their behalf,” Plumptre says as she highlights the importance of trust and community at Volition Cap.



She adds, “A major success story for me personally was a client we worked with for four years, having designed a custom investment plan for her. Through the returns on her investment, she could afford to send her kids to a premium university of their choice. We also have stories of retirees who currently live off their investment earnings.”



To address low investment literacy and combat Ponzi schemes, Volition Cap provides free investment courses to educate potential investors. Nigeria Deposit Insurance Company (NDIC) disclosed last year that at least N911.45 billion ($1.17 billion) has been lost to various Ponzi schemes and related fraud across the country in 23 years.



Plumptre sees technology as a valuable tool to distribute financial products and educate investors about their risk appetites and investment profiles. Volition Cap collaborated with Opportunik Global Fund to create an AI-powered platform to help investors find their Africa-themed investor profile, utilizing technology innovatively to support homegrown investments.



“At Volition Cap, investing is not just about money. It’s about enabling dreams and life plans for our clients. That’s what keeps us going.



“In Volition Cap’s white paper, we alluded to the importance of the middle-class in creating jobs, educating the next generation and active citizenship. Therefore, our vision is an empowered middle-class that is financially independent, freeing them to create visionary products and to participate more fully in the design of their nations,” Plumptre says.



She reveals that her second research report, Unlocking African Prosperity, co-authored with Oyeneyin and Dean Onyambu, is now recommended reading in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) class at Hult Business School’s United Kingdom (UK) campus.



“I am pleased to illuminate Africa’s potential, showcasing how both Africans and the diaspora can generate wealth through alternative investments. The narrative of Africa must evolve from aid and poverty to entrepreneurship and wealth creation.

The Wealth Creator In Nigeria’s Asset Management World

The man behind the success of the The Real Housewives of Nairobi has an equally interesting story.



Amidst the ever-changing landscape of entrepreneurship, Eugene Mbugua is a role model in Kenya, embarking on a journey that found its roots in the most unexpected of places — a high school canteen. Nestled within the hallowed halls of Nairobi&#8217;s Upper Hill Boys High School, Mbugua took his first steps into the world of business by joining a student-owned canteen that offered break snacks. This early foray ignited the flames of entrepreneurship within him, leading him to become a shareholder in the venture and explore unique avenues, such as selling creatively-adorned envelopes to fellow students, designed for penning letters to girlfriends in other boarding schools, whose letters were sent via post.



When he moved on to university, he continued his quest to explore the world of business. He dabbled in various enterprises, from a shop selling bootleg DVDs to a haven for video game enthusiasts between classes. “I also tried my hand in different businesses varying from event management to a tour company; they all failed,” says Mbugua.



It was during his last year of university that the tide turned. A chance encounter with the world of film-making after high school, courtesy of a cousin who brought him to a film set, ignited a passion that would change his life&#8217;s course. This newfound love led him to pursue a course in television production at university, while concurrently managing his small businesses and exploring various job opportunities in the field.



Throughout this tumultuous journey, Mbugua held onto a dream – the dream of creating his own TV show.



“This whole time I pitched to quite a number of different TV stations. Eventually about a month prior to my graduation, our first show Young Rich was bought by a local station”. It focused on young entrepreneurs and quickly became a top-ranking, award-winning TV show. “That was our first milestone, the premiere of our first TV show Young Rich in 2013. It’s what set the ground for everything else that came”.



Mbugua and his team at D&amp;R Studios went on to produce more than 20 television shows, establishing a prominent presence in Kenya&#8217;s media landscape. Their latest sensation, The Real Housewives of Nairobi, is capturing audiences&#8217; attention not just in Kenya but on an international scale, thanks to collaborations with platforms like Showmax and NBCUniversal.



After a successful run of their reality show Kyallo Kulture, Mbugua got into the beauty space, forging partnerships with entities and personalities that allow the studio to not only take advantage of their clientele base but also tap into their huge following to provide value for audiences and broadcasters.



He recently launched a cosmetic line called Unapologetic in partnership with media personality and entrepreneur Betty Kyallo.



What makes Mbugua’s journey particularly fascinating is his ability to adapt and innovate. One major pivot came in 2020-2021 when D&amp;R Studios attracted investment and established a governing board.



“We took in investment and set up a board which now governs the company and to which I answer to as CEO. The board’s input has often helped us expand our view of what our business is capable of and has also helped us put together governing structures needed to scale new heights,” says Mbugua.



This strategic move allowed him to expand the company&#8217;s horizons and put in place the structures needed for scaling greater heights. As an avid reader now learning to play the saxophone, he finds inspiration in books.



Challenges abound in the film and television industry, with the rapid growth of digital media and technological advancements like AI rendering some job roles obsolete. However, Mbugua and D&amp;R Studios seem to have met these challenges with a proactive attitude. Mbugua predicts that streaming services will continue to thrive, offering on-demand content to an audience reluctant to return to traditional TV schedules. Self-publishing through platforms like TikTok and YouTube will also gain momentum, providing fame and fortune for emerging talent.



“What I think will provide the most disruption however is artificial intelligence. If one is able to use these tools well, it is possible to generate very good content very quickly and this might build some new fortunes and destroy others.”



For aspiring entrepreneurs entering the industry, Mbugua, an alum of the FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 list, offers an essential piece of advice: “Start where you are with what you have and embrace new technology quickly. In a rapidly-changing media landscape, early adopters are handsomely rewarded.”

Eugene Mbugua; image supplied

Kenya’s Early Adopter In Showbiz On The Next Big Disruption

Former legal professional Kemi Lewis stepped into the unknown with a belief in herself and her vision. She tells FORBES AFRICA about her journey to becoming a beauty entrepreneur.



It’s been around a decade since Kemi Lewis traded a thriving career in law to live out her childhood dream of making natural hair a norm for Lagosians, and she has never looked back. The success of her business, and the strength of her determination, has seen her go from two members of staff to 30 in three locations.



As she speaks from her first location in Dolphin Estate in the wealthy suburb of Ikoyi in Lagos, Lewis is still amazed at how far her dream has come. Growing up as the first and only girl out of four children, Lewis felt she had a responsibility to follow in the footsteps of her grandfather, who was a judge at the time.



“Law was intense in terms of the sheer amount of stuff you needed to learn to understand the cases. I did not absolutely love all aspects of the law but being the first-born child and a girl, you just get on with it and I thought I was going to give it my best. So, I studied it at the University of Lagos and went to law school in Abuja, and then got a Masters in International Business at the University of Dundee (in the United Kingdom),” says Lewis.



She was determined to take her legal career as far as she could but after securing a role with a public-private partnership company in Lagos as a legal advisor, she began to have second thoughts about her future.



“Back in 2013, I had a glowing feeling in my heart and I knew that I wanted to do something for myself. My heart kept saying something in the beauty and health sector but I was not sure what I wanted to do. A good friend of mine had opened a salon so I asked her for advice.”



“We had gone to college together so I’ve known her since I was 10 years old and she said to me, ‘you have always known how to do hair and right now, I’ve opened a salon and a lot of girls want to go with their natural hair’, so she said if you open a salon specializing in natural hair, it will do well. And it ignited something in me and the feeling in me was this is it, this is what I want to do,” says Lewis.



Her initial vision was to create a safe space where people who had natural hair would come and take care of their tresses. And this is how KLS Natural Beauty Bar was born.



“I wanted to create a space where when you come with your natural hair, you would be welcomed and your hair would be treated with the necessary care and respect, and you won’t be told to go and relax your hair. You would have the right products for your hair and, most importantly, you will have your hair styled according to your specific needs,” she says.



Until her eureka moment, natural hair in Nigeria was a hugely underserved demographic in the beauty industry which meant that Lewis had to overcome several obstacles to ensure her success.



“The initial reaction when I told immediate family was shock, horror and dismay. The question was, ‘what are you going to do with your law degree?’ Hair dressing was seen as a derogatory profession and for people who did not go to school. So, it did not have the prestige that my legal degree had and a lot of people thought I was making the wrong decision.”



The next challenge was getting the right space and, most importantly, convincing her stylists about her vision of working with natural hair. This is also why education and training is a big focus for her.



Lewis believed so much in her vision that she liquidated her life insurance policy and scraped together enough money to make her dream the success it is today. Ten years on and her lesson for entrepreneurs is rooted in what she learned in the early days of her business.



“Even if there are no laid-down steps to follow, if you want to do something, you just need to create your own steps and create your own market. Secondly, not everybody will believe in you and even if they don’t, as long as you have conviction in what you want to do and you believe in yourself, just give it 150%,” says Lewis.

Kemi Lewis image supplied

The Tress Test: How This Nigerian Entrepreneur Went From Law To Labor Of Love

The Nairobi-based co-founder of Craydel, an online career guidance platform, speaks to FORBES AFRICA about its ambitions to democratize higher education and scale across Africa. But first, more on what sparked his entrepreneurial journey.



Manish Sardana is in the midst of a busy day, opening yet another office, a bigger one, in Nairobi’s upscale Westlands area when we catch up for a conversation on Craydel, the edtech startup he successfully co-founded in Kenya in 2021, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.



“Right now, we have five offices – three in Nigeria and two in Kenya – and about 70-odd employees and we are growing rapidly,” the platform’s 43-year-old CEO says about the growth of what was once “just an idea in his head”.



At a time when most startups are battling to survive and retrenching staff, Craydel is hiring rapidly and on its way to profitability in 2024, he adds. On the cards: expansion to more markets such as Ghana, Uganda and South Africa. The investors are keen and Sardana is optimistic.



“When you are building something that has a real vision trying to solve a real problem, you get people gravitating towards you,” says Sardana of his platform that dispels misinformation and biases for students and guides decisions on college and course selection.&nbsp;Craydel is building the tech infrastructure to empower African learners to search, match and apply to their best-fit higher education institutions.



In 2021, Sardana, along with his co-founders <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-nguru-38677638/?originalSubdomain=ke" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">John Nguru</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayne-aman-premji/?originalSubdomain=ke" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shayne Aman Premji</a>, secured $1 million for Craydel in a pre-seed round led by Enza Capital, a private venture fund that invests in early-stage tech startups across Africa. Subsequently, they secured another $1.5 million to grow the platform.



Craydel – a play on the word ‘cradle’ – &nbsp;hand-holds students wanting to pursue higher education – from graduation to post-graduation to PhD – at any point in their student or professional career. In fact, 50% of their postgraduate enrolments are working professionals looking for a career change, says Sardana.



The tech startup has 380 direct partnerships with universities so far and seeks to democratize access to tertiary education, in turn, addressing the low gross enrolment rate, of about 9%, in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This includes working professionals who have not been to college before, for want of access to capital and resources.



Two years in, Sardana says they have figured out the formula for success.



“We know that if you do X, Y and Z, you are going to be successful. That equation is very clear to us now.



We want to show that we can build a real unicorn out of Africa, creating real impact.”



But there’s a reason why Craydel may as well be on its way to savoring billion-dollar success in the future. Sardana has a track-record of building and scaling successful businesses from the ground-up.



His penchant for entrepreneurship had its humble beginnings in India, and followed him to Africa, a continent that he now calls home and one that has “given so much” to him.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“I owe it to Africa,” he explains of his mission to expand opportunities in education.



“One of the things I realized early on in life is to observe things around me… What I love is looking at ecosystems and how things work, and understand how it is broken, and use technology to disrupt that ecosystem. There&#8217;s also a theory I use, which is called ‘perpetuators versus agitators’; wherein perpetuators perpetuate an ecosystem because it benefits them, while an agitator can really shake this up from the outside and create a better, more efficient ecosystem,” says Sardana.



‘Serial entrepreneur’



His first tryst with entrepreneurship was at the age of 10. From a middle class home in Delhi – with three rooms and 16 family members – Sardana was born to parents who worked in the government and instilled in him a love for reading.



He engaged this by creating “a sharing concept or library with a common pool of books and comics from everyone in one place”, renting books out to friends and relatives. The venture failed, but not without him realizing how much he enjoyed the process of creating it. All through school and college, he found enterprising ways to make pocket money, becoming “a serial entrepreneur more out of necessity than anything else”.



His parents allowed him these entrepreneurial bouts, so long as he was going to top his class, study economics and go on to become a civil services officer. Whilst studying for an economics degree in Delhi University’s Hansraj College, Sardana was also teaching students. But disillusionment set in.



“I mean 90% of what I studied two years ago, I had no recollection of, and I could not see how that education was going to ever help me in life. And especially because I had kind of exposed myself to building businesses, I did not see any practical application of what I was studying.”



Along with a couple of friends, he soon set up his own publishing business – a college magazine in Delhi University that proved to be very popular on campus. He hustled, spending nights at the printing press and knocking on advertisers’ doors during the day, thumbing through the Yellow Pages directories and traveling across Delhi on his dad’s scooter. This was in the year 2000.



“My parents said I have got to stop this and do my master’s degree,” says Sardana. His mom filled out a form to the prestigious Delhi School of Economics. Some of India’s greatest economists such as Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and former Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh have taught at the institution. &nbsp;



Sardana cleared the entrance exam, quite by default. “I really did not study for it. The only way I cleared the exam was because I was teaching my classmates and charging them money for it. So I would [conduct] private tuitions for my own classmates, and in the process of teaching them, I would kind of learn myself.”



Very soon, he realized it was all theoretical economics and he had no passion for it. It didn’t challenge him enough, so three months into the course, he quit.



After that, he tried to rekindle the magazine business but had to close it down. He also authored an economics textbook for class 12 students. A year on, he went on to do his MBA at the FORE School of Management and was subsequently hired by advertising agency FCB Ulka. Before long, he felt “jaded” in the industry doing marketing campaigns. But Sardana was also closely watching from the sidelines the big renaissance unraveling in India’s technology sector.



“That was in 2004-2005, the internet was coming up, Amazon was becoming a big thing and Google had come up. I saw the power of technology really changing and transforming ecosystems and got really excited about it,” he recalls.



After that, he worked four years in a successful edtech startup called Vriti, and the company managed to raise a total funding of $35 million.



“It was a lot of money at the time… Eventually, I sliced the part of the company I was running and set up as a separate company. I sold my company to a financial investor. So that was my first successful exit, which I was really happy about.



“And then, after seven years, I needed a break, I was very much done. Startups can also be an emotionally-draining experience, you know, especially when you are just married and have kids.”



A six-month break ensued, during which time he also helped his wife set up her bakery business, delivering her cakes door-to-door in their black Maruti Esteem car.



That was in 2014 when Sardana’s Africa rendezvous was just about to begin.



‘Owe it to Africa’



One of his former bosses who had been following his journey in the technology space told him about an opportunity in Africa with multinational communications company, WPP to focus on the digital marketing side of the business.



Within 10 days of receiving the offer, Sardana was on a plane to Kenya, his first trip outside of India. It took him three years to settle down, to understand the market and the consumers, and he was promoted to Managing Director for WPP-Scangroup in SSA.&nbsp; &nbsp;



He won a lot of business for the company but the entrepreneur in him was beginning to surface, again. He built a marketing automation platform called Optimus for the company, which is when he met and worked with his current co-founder and CTO, Nguru.



He presented the product to the board but it didn’t work. He presented it to one of their clients, Barclays in Kenya, and thereby to the bank’s leadership in South Africa, who were very impressed and gave him a chance to deploy it across their markets, which he calls his “first lucky break”.



“Once Barclays happened, you know, success creates more success. Suddenly, at WPP, the guys woke up!”



Sardana says Optimus was also deployed by leading African entities such as Kenya Commercial Bank, Equity Bank, the Old Mutual Group and Airtel.



The epiphany after that was inspired by his wife, whose bakery business was also doing well.



“She said to me ‘you know, you guys keep building all this sophisticated technology for large blue chip companies, but what about building something to help small businesses like us scale’?



“That was my first moment in Africa when I said, ‘okay, I&#8217;m making a lot of money for myself, am building a lot of wealth for my organization and for my clients, who are very rich people to start with, but we are really not doing anything of any significance, of impact, using our skill sets, and our insights for the large masses, the small business sector. If you understand Africa, it&#8217;s really run on the back of very micro SMEs.”



This led to the creation of Optimus Mini for small businesses. Eventually, that platform was called Goby – “the smallest fish in the world”. He explains the philosophy behind it.



“The big fish eat the small fish. So we wanted to empower the small fish to fight and compete with the big fish, by giving them access to all the technology and resources they needed. It was essentially e-commerce-as-a-service platform, allowing small entrepreneurs to upload their product pictures and prices, and it will set up an entire e-commerce shop for them online, integrated with payment gateways and logistics partners to deliver the products.”


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="682" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Manish-Sardana-image-supplied-682x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-60328" style="width:335px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Manish-Sardana-image-supplied-682x1024.jpeg 682w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Manish-Sardana-image-supplied-200x300.jpeg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Manish-Sardana-image-supplied-768x1153.jpeg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Manish-Sardana-image-supplied-1023x1536.jpeg 1023w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Manish-Sardana-image-supplied-1364x2048.jpeg 1364w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Manish-Sardana-image-supplied-scaled.jpeg 1705w" sizes="(max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Manish Sardana; image supplied</figcaption></figure></div>


It really was just Nguru and Sardana developing it at that point.



“John is an exceptional technology guy, he&#8217;s amazing. I would come up with a product design, the user experience, the strategy, the business side of things and he would build the technology. Technology was always my handicap – I always regret not learning to code. I have all the stuff in my head but can’t build. I tell John he completes my handicap,” says Sardana.



In three months, they had 3,000 merchants signing up, deeming the platform a success. This was while they were still with WPP-Scangroup, when they had the reach, the capital and client access afforded by the company.



When Covid-19 struck in 2020, e-commerce took off and so did Goby. Leading brewer AB InBev approached them to sign on for “a B2B version of the product” to take orders online and deliver alcohol. Diageo, too, came along.



But the time had come for Sardana to go on his own, even if it meant giving up a lucrative salary and the comfort of a full-time job at WPP.



“Working with Manish was always magical, a journey into the future,” remembers Serah Katusya of that time, when she was the Managing Director at Mediacom, a sister agency at WPP-Scangroup; she is now the CEO of Belva and founder of WildMango.&nbsp;“He challenged and inspired with the same energy. He paved the way for many of us into tech, into thinking and building business solutions.&nbsp;He was definitely an agency leader decades ahead of his time.”



By the time he left WPP, Sardana had enough confidence in his abilities to build and scale real businesses. He wanted to build something in a very different space, specifically, in education.



“I think that was a very big inflection point in my life… that I was wasting all my knowledge, talent and experience building things for big companies, and I wanted to solve real problems on the ground. So that kind of gave me an exceptional amount of clarity… seeing the lives of ordinary Kenyans, doing fascinating things with very little resources and transforming their lives became a real thing.”



‘A cradle for young students’



Sardana’s research showed that there were government subsidies and funding for primary education but there was not a lot of momentum in higher education.



“The higher education infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa is extremely weak. The problem is that in most schools, the career counselor is essentially a teacher with the least amount of workload…. This entire industry is run by agents who don&#8217;t understand career counseling; they essentially push students to universities, and make money.”



According to Craydel, more than 16 million African students spend $30 billion on higher education each year.



As a continent with the youngest population in the world, Africa presents tremendous opportunities in this regard, and Sardana was quick.



“We wanted to build a cradle for young students in Africa, for them to get all the nourishment in terms of the right advice, the career counseling, the psychometric assessment, and the right technology to get them off on their own feet.”



Whilst they were setting up the company, and during the pandemic, Sardana met Premji, the third co-founder, who is now Craydel’s CFO.



“Shayne is Canadian, but like me, stayed in Africa for 10 years. We stayed on the same street in Kenya but never knew each other. During the pandemic, he was changing houses, and walked into our apartment building. That&#8217;s how we met. He had a lot of experience in investment banking, and was doing extremely well in his career…



He is also impact-driven, so said he wanted to quit his job and join us full-time… he was extremely instrumental in raising our first round of a million dollars,” says Sardana.



For now, the trio is looking forward to what lies ahead. Their “vision and impact story” is shaping up.



“We&#8217;re in a good space now, and really excited about building this journey,” concludes Sardana, as he sets off to launch the company’s brand-new office, surely, one of many more to come.

Craydel co-founders John Nguru, Manish Sardana and Shayne Aman Premji; image supplied

‘We Can Build A Real Unicorn Out Of Africa, Creating Impact’: Kenya Co-Founder On Building An Edtech Startup 

Founder and creative director, Daniel Diyepriye has a goal in mind – to build a brand that will stand out amongst the rest. And while his start in the designer clothing business wasn’t conventional, he knows exactly where his journey is going to take him next.



The African luxury fashion segment is expected to reach $1 billion in 2023, according to market research company Statista. Jeremy Nel, Managing Director of South African-based luxury marketing firm, Luxury Brands, reportedly estimates that there are over 160,000 millionaires in Africa with a combined spending power of about $700 billion. These millionaires want the very best and are willing to spend top dollar when it comes to fashion.



“Louis Vuitton just got a market cap of $500 billion and Shell’s market cap is nowhere near that. Imagine a world where African luxury becomes a lot more lucrative than oil? That would completely transform the African continent and that is why I want to be a big player in this space,” says Daniel Diyepriye, founder and creative director of what he hopes to be Africa’s first luxury fashion house, Daniel Diyepriye.



Diyepriye is not wrong. With the over-reliance on oil and gas by most African countries, especially Nigeria, its largest economy, he may actually be on to something.



The eponymous brand, which launched just before Covid-19 wreaked havoc all over the world, pays homage to the legacy of his late father who epitomized elegance and class. He passed away during the pandemic following complications from a stroke he suffered when Diyepriye was just 14 years old.



Back then, the dream was not fashion but simply, finding a way to support his mother, who was now the primary caretaker of her paralyzed husband and their three children.



“I dropped out of university in my first year. I had to make money for the family and I felt that I had to take the responsibility to provide. I thought it was going to be five or six years before I made money from what they were teaching me in university and I could not wait that long,” recalls Diyepriye.



That is when he became a serial entrepreneur. At first, he took over a modelling agency called Lethal Model Management when he was 21 years old. He then moved on to buying and selling sneakers before transitioning into a car rental business, which he still manages today. The business focuses on renting smart cars for under a pound an hour.



“The name of the company is called SmartMove Car [Hire]. We took some investment, and we run a membership model. Sainsbury’s backed us and allowed us to put our cars in their parking lots so customers can take the car from one Sainsbury’s [store] to the other. But I needed to make a business that could scale because the problem with car rental companies is that when all your cars are rented out, you stop making money,” says Diyepriye.



After the death of his father in 2019, Diyepriye and his brother – who, sadly, also passed away last year due to a heart condition – decided that a luxury fashion business would be the best way to honor him.



“I got my flair from my dad. He used to always wear nice suits. The heritage is to honor my father and it means everything we do has to honor who he was, from the quality of our products and everything we say as a brand,” says Diyepriye.



His eureka moment for his signature brand, coincidentally, also came from his father.



“Me and my dad used to play with jigsaw [puzzles] and he always used to tell me that the jigsaw relates to patience, attention to detail and trying to see the bigger picture. I had an epiphany one day that it would be really cool to put a jigsaw on a bag. And that is what has become our signature look.”



Diyepriye taught himself design and learned how to use all the software applications he needed to make his creations come to life, in order to bootstrap the company and grow it organically.



With the help of influencers to get the word out, the brand was launched with £10,000 ($12,000) he made from his car rental business. Soon after launching, Diyepriye made the decision to focus on the United States (US) market due to the volume of orders they received from there.



“Till date, we have done about $500,000 in revenue and a lot of that money has gone back into the brand. The first tackle for us was validating luxury to say that this bag is luxury regardless of who it is made by. We use materials that fast fashion brands won’t and can’t use,” he says.



As far as Diyepriye is concerned, most of the founders spearheading European luxury fashion houses are men but when it comes to Africa, there is no one male fashion mogul dominating the luxury fashion scene. His goal is to take advantage of this first-mover position and evolve his brand into the Daniel Diyepriye Group, where similar to the LVMH family, he will also be able to launch and acquire other ancillary brands to become a billion-dollar fashion house.



Like many sectors in Africa, technology is providing a platform for the luxury fashion industry to leapfrog archaic infrastructure and scale rapidly. As a result, online stores and social media have provided a platform for the Diyepriye brand to carve out its presence in the industry in the space of only three years. With that in mind, who knows what the future might hold?

Daniel Diyepriye; image supplied

The Mission To Become Africa’s Luxury Fashion House

Eco-luxury brand RAW Beauty draws its inspiration from the transitional nature of the African Sahel. Founder Ruqayya Tofa-Basheer says her own personal skin challenges led her to this line of work.   



Clean beauty is on the rise. According to researchandmarkets.com, the worldwide clean beauty industry is expected to reach $14.36 billion by 2028. Defined as beauty products that are non-toxic and free of harmful ingredients, clean beauty has gained popularity, especially with Gen Z and millennials. A January 2023 article by The New York Times stated that ‘clean beauty’ had “5.6 million hashtag views on Instagram and 1.2 billion on TikTok”.



For beauty entrepreneur Ruqayya Tofa-Basheer, clean beauty offered a lifesaving solution for her and her daughter’s skin problems, and that led to the creation of one of her luxury botanical, clean beauty brands. RAW Beauty Africa focuses on sourcing and using African ingredients as its base for products.



“We use plants like moringa, baobab, hibiscus, and we use water melon seed oil, pumpkin seed oil and extracts from different plants in Africa that have high anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. We started with body products but now, we deal with face products for acne, and hyperpigmentation also came into play where a lot of people had scars from eczema that they couldn’t get rid of easily,” says Tofa-Basheer.



Her original career dream was architecture. After studying at the University of East London’s School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, Tofa-Basheer worked with Barron and Smith Architects in Islington, London, from 2005 to 2007, before returning to Nigeria.



Over the years, she had been plagued with a skin condition which proved too difficult to handle.



“Going into beauty was really about my own personal journey with my skin. Having suffered from eczema as a baby, I had a very bad skin condition. I remember in boarding school, I was really not confident at all. During summertime, we were all going for a swim and I wanted to get out of that because I used to have a lot of boils on my body, especially during the rainy season,” Tofa-Basheer recalls.



“I remember my parents taking me to different dermatologists and I never really got a product that worked for me. When I was 19, I came across an aesthetician and she prescribed something that was way too harsh because I had sensitive skin as well, and it ended up really drying up my skin. That is really when I started trying to educate myself about clean ingredients and clean beauty.”



During her first pregnancy, Tofa-Basheer decided to take a beauty and skincare course in hopes of creating her own solution for her skin. However, it was after her pregnancy that her eureka moment happened.



“When I gave birth to my daughter, I found out she had the same skin condition as me. And I sought out companies in the US to help… I was like with all the courses I have done, I need to just order products and get to work. And that is when I created my skin butter and literally, within a week, her skin cleared,” she adds.



And Tofa-Basheer has never looked back. She started researching about the healing properties of local plants as well as different oils and began mixing clean concoctions in her kitchen before expanding to a factory in Kano and, most recently, another location in Abuja.



The brand has experienced organic growth for the past two years with its unique luxury packaging as well as brand proposition which seeks to also educate its customers about the negative impact of skin bleaching, amongst others.



For African beauty entrepreneurs that would like to tap into this billion-dollar clean beauty industry, Tofa-Basheer believes the focus should be on looking inwards first.



“Try to spread out and delve more into our natural plant resources and don’t get pigeonholed into just using shea oil and coconut oil but rather spread out and use research to process and manufacture ingredients, rather than just making products,” she says.



“Look locally for your solutions and try to solve a problem that is personal to you and your community.”

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The Nigerian Beauty Entrepreneur With A Clean Business Idea

Female writing new ideas on sticky note

Accelerating Startup Growth: Nigeria’s Incubators

Deborah Okenla, founder of Your Startup, Your Story, has made it her mission to build and guide a diverse range of entrepreneurs in the United Kingdom. That has transformed to over 17,000 members in six years and she has helped raise over £5 million.



Your Startup, Your Story (YSYS) founder and CEO, Deborah Okenla and her team provide access and opportunities for founders and investors. But, in truth, Okenla’s transition to becoming an advocate for black founders in tech was triggered by four life-changing experiences.



Like many African families, Okenla’s parents wanted her to study law and that is exactly what she did. After graduating, she landed a job in Manchester with Ernst &amp; Young.



“They had this thing called Entrepreneur of the Year Awards and the guy that won it that year had a fitness space – I was a member and said ‘I can’t believe this man built this amazing business’. I think that is when I began to understand that there are people behind these businesses and the things we use every day,” says Okenla. At the time, she was also beginning to feel like she might be outgrowing her organization. That was when she had her first triggering experience.



“We were working on process that was long and tedious and I wanted to improve it. I was credited for it but was told I should not waste my time doing things that made the work better. I did it on non-billable hours and on the weekends. That’s when I got this massive shock. I realized if you are an intrapreneur or an entrepreneur, make sure you have an environment that nourishes it and supports it rather than stifling it,” says Okenla.



The next experience was when her hiring manager, who had worked for the company for 25 years, was laid off, and Okenla’s third experience was when she lost a close friend to suicide.



With the combination of these experiences, Okenla felt as though she was just sitting in the office mourning and absentmindedly watching her time go.



That is until she stumbled on a platform called Eventbrite. She registered for a hackathon event and in three days was able to learn how to build a business from ideation to execution. With no



experience in tech before the event, Okenla immediately fell in love with the ecosystem.



“I just loved the environment those event organizers were able to create and the engagement from people all over the world was incredible. I felt empowered. Afterwards, I went to the event organizers and said ‘I would love to be a volunteer and help’ and they literally laughed at me. I said ‘If you are not going to let me do this, then I would create my own ecosystem’, ” recalls Okenla.



She quit her job and joined an accelerator program where she specialized in designing programs that would recruit startups and introduce them to investors. The only problem was there was an increasingly disproportionate number of black founders receiving investment compared to their white counterparts. Okenla made the decision to harness her own skills and create her own community.



That was when YSYS was conceived. Her initial group consisted of people she connected with on Twitter and soon, through word- of-mouth, the business grew to host restaurant meetings and a large community on Slack.



“We have had individuals join our community and go ahead to raise a Series A round and we have also had individuals who have not worked for a long time land their first role and those are the stories that have kept us going.”



In the past six years, she says YSYS has raised over £5 million ($6.2 million) and supported over 3,000 diverse founders in the UK. Some of their partners include the Mayor of London, Financial Times, LinkedIn, Google, Spotify and many others. But there are still hurdles and barriers to overcome.



In addition to designing education initiatives and programs, Okenla also knocks on doors that would encourage the UK ecosystem to pay attention to people from diverse backgrounds.



“I wrote an open letter [to the government] and that led to a meeting with British Business Bank and they said they will track the diversity data to see who is applying for the fund and if it’s not as diverse as possible, ‘We will see more of what we can do’.”



Okenla’s mission is to help over 100,000 people excel in tech by the end of this year and the organization is well on its way to achieving it. When she looks back, it still amazes her that a simple WhatsApp group – starting with 30 people – is now an organization with over 17,000 members in six years, and one that has completely changed the course of her own life.

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Diverse Pursuits: Guiding Entrepreneurs In The UK

Growing up poor in Ghana, Kwaku Boateng Brommon had to sell water to make ends meet. The handmade bespoke suits he now designs for the country’s affluent and powerful tell a tale of hardship and tenacity.



Not many can go from selling sachets of water in a remote village in Ghana at the age of nine to having a private audience with the president of their country in the same lifetime. But that is exactly what happened to Kwaku Boateng Brommon.



He vividly remembers the day he walked into what is essentially Ghana’s Oval Office at the presidential residence in Accra, with a handful of bespoke suits made specifically for President Nana Akufo-Addo.



The moment, forever etched in his memory, was a turning point for the young entrepreneur whose trajectory to the top of the Ghanaian fashion industry has been all but conventional.



“Sitting in his office I had a flashback to when I was a kid standing in the market selling my pure water and I was like ‘How did I get here?’ A village boy sitting in the office of the president was impossible and the story played like a movie in my mind,” recalls Brommon.



And like all great dreams, Brommon faced impossible odds. The first roadblock he had to overcome was poverty.



“I grew up with my grandparents and as far as I can remember, I never met my mum until I was in my teens because she had left for London. My dad was a teacher in Nigeria and he came back to Ghana when I was nine. Growing up was tough because I was poor and I had to fend for anything I needed. After school, I would go home, go to the fridge, pack my water and travel to the markets to sell.



“I would do two trips before I [returned] home in the evening and the cash I got selling water is what I would use as pocket money at school. I did that for six years and I also went to the farm with my dad to plant crops and we would harvest the food and take it to the local market to sell. It was tough and I felt like living in Ghana was torture,” says Brommon.



The first chance he got to beat poverty came when he moved to London, United Kingdom (UK), at the age of 14 to live with his mother; and the whole world opened up to Brommon.



Wanting to put to good use the hard work and tenacity he had learned in Ghana, he decided to drop out of college and pursue his passion – fashion.



“From an early age, I always liked to look good and keep my clothes clean. I remember asking myself ‘What is the closest area of work [that would] pull me into this passion of mine?’ I thought I should find a job in a clothing store, which I did.”



By 18, he was working for a retail shop in London, staying on in the industry for about 12 years. 



Every time he would get a break from work, he would roam the West End in London, a popular cultural hub with retail stores, restaurants and a theater district, for hours, window-shopping and studying the impeccable materials used for crafting high-end wear. After stints with luxury brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Hackett London, Paul Smith and Alexander McQueen, Brommon realized that he had reached a glass ceiling in the UK and needed a change.



“I had become a father and had two kids to take care of so just looking at them and looking at where I was at the time, I knew there was more to me than what I was doing; I had to find my purpose. I didn’t want a hand-to-mouth lifestyle anymore and seeing my kids running around in the tiny



apartment we lived in at the time – I was married – and I just thought this can’t be it,” says Brommon.



He decided to forge a new path for his future and returned to Ghana.



The Ghana that he found torturous was gone and here was this buzzing, upwardly-mobile and cosmopolitan city Accra firmly asserting itself as the latest destination for those brave enough to follow their dreams.



That is exactly what Brommon needed.



“Accra was new to me because I had lived in a village. The place was buzzing with new ideas and people were starting new businesses. I met a friend who was into finance and every time I visited Ghana, I would see him and we would hang out. This was a well-to-do individual and he used to advise that whatever I do, I must make sure Ghana is part of the plan, and 



I could see it myself,” says Brommon.



The trips to Accra became more frequent and on those times, he received consistent orders from professionals in Ghana for quality suits and clothing from London, primarily because they couldn’t find top brands in Accra in keeping with their aspirations.



“They said that if they [could find] one supplier who had great quality [brands], they would buy it locally but it just didn’t exist,” recalls Brommon. That was all he needed to hear.



“I said ‘They want quality and easy access, so what if I am able to start my own brand.’ I was done with the UK. I told my wife that I needed to move back alone and have that freedom to move around and hustle and so, I asked her to take care of the kids whilst I managed. I felt I needed to follow this vision.” Even when people discouraged his ideas, Brommon believed differently. The desire to create a luxury bespoke suit line in Ghana had been birthed and there was no turning back.



His research took him to Italy, Amsterdam and Spain in search of the best manufacturers of suits and he struck deals with them. It felt good to start a journey on his own.



“I said if it doesn’t work, at least I would have tried. I remember the factory [I had approached] told me I needed about £20,000 and I didn’t have a penny. So, I said to [them], ‘Sign me up and agree to the terms



and give me six months and if I don’t pay that money back to you, we can cancel’, ” says Brommon.



His pitch worked and with the necessary tools that he needed and £50 to his name, he returned to Accra and started knocking on every door he could find to tell people about his bespoke suits.



His biggest hurdle was trying to convince professional,



well-heeled Ghanaians to fork out $1,200-$1,400-a-piece for an unknown designer. But Brommon was convinced all he needed was one client and the rest would be history.



“This was 2014 and everyone [asked] ‘Why should I buy from you when I can spend the same amount of money on a Gucci or Tom Ford suit?’ I was on the street pitching for business for three months before one person known to be a fashionable lawyer decided to give my brand a try,” says Brommon.



After four weeks, the suit was delivered from Italy and the feedback was a resounding success. One order turned to multiple requests and Brommon was able to repay his manufacturer in three months.



As he helped the President of Ghana try on his sleek, sharp suit, it was clear to Brommon that his vision was slowly taking shape. As a recognizable force in the luxury suit and menswear market in West Africa and as founder of Brommon and Laxiri with a flagship store in Accra, he now has his eyes set on the rest of the continent.

bespoke

The Right Fit: Designing Bespoke Suits For Ghana’s Affluent

A look at some of South Africa’s quintessential micro-businesses producing artisanal, farm-fresh food and drink that make them big on flavor – and success.



Despite South Africa’s challenging economy, there is a thriving industry of micro-businesses focused on producing artisanal foods and drinks. What they lack in size and budget, they make up for in tenacity and a dedication to traditional, sustainable production methods. Froma dairy in Piketberg to a micro-farm in Hout Bay, from a tiny brewery in Noordhoek to an independent distillery in Cape Town, these stories highlight the essence of micro-businesses and the dedication to the process and finished product, regardless of how difficult the operating conditions might be. 



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‘Creating Food Sovereignty’ Cream of the Crop Founder: Maria van Zyl


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_8577-2-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-59999" style="aspect-ratio:1.3333333333333333;width:576px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_8577-2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_8577-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_8577-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_8577-2-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_8577-2-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo by Maria van Zyl</figcaption></figure></div>


In the heart of South Africa’s Western Cape province, drawing on tradition, is Cream of the Crop, a micro- dairy founded by Maria van Zyl. Inspired by her studies in Italy and respect for time-honored practices, Cream of the Crop is a testament to sustainability and authenticity.



It was during van Zyl&#8217;s studies at the Italian University of Gastronomic Sciences that she first discovered cultured butter. &#8220;I used to be an olive oil over butter person, and then I had cultured butter, and it changed my life!” she says. Using a traditional method, she uses a kefir made from raw milk to culture the butter. Then, it ferments slowly in the fridge, before being churned. 



“This is the traditional way, using ancient methods,” says van Zyl. “Traditional methods are the most successful way to harness flavor.” 



The resulting flavor is uniquely creamy, with a delicate tang from the cultures. In addition to butter, she sells farm-fresh milk and double-thick yoghurt, and is experimenting with hard-style cheeses, all from her own farm in Piketberg in the Western Cape.



The quality of her product, while supporting the surrounding community is a top priority for van Zyl. “Farming commercially at a massive scale, especially with animals, is so damaging to the environment, the humans working on the farm and the people eating the food,” she says. 



“Consumers see the price of dairy on the shelf and think that it is cheaper but somewhere down the line, somebody is paying and almost always it&#8217;s the actual farmer or the soil!” 



Cream of the Crop aims to create a connection between consumers and the land, honoring the seasonality, the animals, and the local community. 



“I think we produce the way we do because we believe it is good for us and for our customers,” she adds. Van Zyl also believes in the transformative power of &#8220;kilometer zero&#8221; practices, minimizing the distance food travels to reach the plate. 



“I would love to see micro-dairies popping up all over the country supplying communities in their area and creating food sovereignty.” 



Operating a micro-dairy comes with its share of challenges, from fluctuating milk yields to logistical hurdles. 



“We rely on nature for a successful season and the cows will produce more or less milk based on the time of year,” she says. Adding to this, the farm employs organic and biodynamic practices, nurturing nutrient-rich soil and minimizing ecological impact.



The dairy uses glass jars, refilled with each purchase, in an attempt to reduce packaging waste.



&#8220;We don&#8217;t use any synthetic fertilizers or pesticides and focus on building the farm&#8217;s fertility and resilience.&#8221; And while many customers resonate with her artisanal goods, there are always sceptics, particularly when seeing the price. “A lot of people are shocked at the price of my butter and I love giving them the example that it takes 7 liters of milk to make 1 liter of cream and from 1 liter of cream, we get approximately 300g of butter,” she says. 



There’s a fair bit of education required in selling her dairy, but through offering workshops, she is able to give consumers a newfound appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into each product. “They’re often surprised at how long it takes to make butter and cheese,” she says. “I think South Africans are understandably very price-motivated, however, I think once people taste my products they understand the flavor and quality difference,” she explains.



Van Zyl’s future plans stay true to her business. “We will grow slowly as our herd expands, this way we can iron out any challenges we face while the business grows. We are so governed by our core values that it&#8217;ll be hard to abandon them as they will also dictate the size of our business,” she explains. By allowing the land’s capacity to guide them, the micro-dairy ensures a connection to nature and community remains intact.



‘Build Our Brand Directly With The Consumer’ Aegir Project Founders: Rory and Carey Lancellas


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<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="428" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/image6.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-59985" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/image6.jpeg 640w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/image6-300x201.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image Supplied</figcaption></figure></div>


If there’s one segment of the micro- industry that is relatively well-populated in South Africa, it’s the craft beer scene. And in the heart of this is Aegir Project, a microbrewery in Noordhoek that produces artisanal small-batch beer. Founded by Rory Lancellas and his wife Carey, Aegir Project tells a story of commitment to craft beers. Aegir&#8217;s story began in 2011 at Speight’s Brewery, a massive operation in Dunedin, New Zealand. After stints in smaller Scottish breweries, Rory returned to Cape Town to launch his own venture. Now, his small brewery produces a wide array of traditional unpasteurized and unfiltered beers, only available for sale on-site. “We still use a wooden paddle made by my father and mash every beer in by hand,” says Rory. “We focus on flavor and strive to play on a global level of beer.”



Navigating growth whilst preserving their artisanal essence is a challenge Aegir tackles head-on. “Big or small, businesses have different hurdles,” he says. The larger producers have more control over the finished product, whereas the smaller guys don’t. “The upside to this is you have the opportunity to continuously recreate and develop your products,” Rory says. Beer is a great example of an economy of scale. 



“Our costs are huge per liter of beer produced,” he says, but he doesn’t compromise on innovation. 



“We release a new beer almost every week keeping it fresh for the regular customers.”



When it comes to finding their place in the market, Aegir took a strategic approach by going straight to consumers. 



“Trying to make a product properly, ethically, with quality ingredients and getting this to the consumer through other avenues felt near impossible on our scale of production,” Rory explains. Natural, unpasteurized beer requires a consistent cold chain and if it perishes or sours, their reputation is on the line. 



“Our only way to survive was to try and build our brand directly with the consumer together, building our taproom and restaurant around the beer.” This direct engagement is another way Aegir differentiates itself from the more commercial players.



“This allows us to talk beer styles with customers, invite them to try something new and offer a different experience,” says Rory.



And as Aegir charts its course for the future, growth, innovation, and preserving their artisanal spirit remain key. “We have pretty big ambitions,” says Rory. “We love to keep pushing our boundaries and adapting to who we have become.” 



Another core value is hiring the best people. “We have found investing in people has been essential to our growth,” Rory explains. “So having the right humans is the most important element to us.”



‘Great Flavor Starts With Great Seed, Great Soil…’ Meuse Farms Founder: Iming Lin


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="684" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Copy-of-Copy-of-Claire-Gunn-Farm-pics-12-684x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-59989" style="aspect-ratio:0.66796875;width:472px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Copy-of-Copy-of-Claire-Gunn-Farm-pics-12-684x1024.jpg 684w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Copy-of-Copy-of-Claire-Gunn-Farm-pics-12-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Copy-of-Copy-of-Claire-Gunn-Farm-pics-12-768x1150.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Copy-of-Copy-of-Claire-Gunn-Farm-pics-12-1026x1536.jpg 1026w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Copy-of-Copy-of-Claire-Gunn-Farm-pics-12-1367x2048.jpg 1367w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Copy-of-Copy-of-Claire-Gunn-Farm-pics-12-scaled.jpg 1709w" sizes="(max-width: 684px) 100vw, 684px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo by Claire Gunn</figcaption></figure></div>


In coastal Hout Bay, South Africa, is the Meuse micro-farm. Drawing on a unique blend of backgrounds – from infectious diseases in public health to social enterprise development – founder Iming Lin’s passion for farming soon took root.



Upon realizing that farming was her true calling, Lin opened Meuse Farms in 2017, after months of volunteering on farms in the Hudson River Valley and a season-long apprenticeship at Stone Barns Center in New York. “We knew that we wanted the farm to be semi-public and that we didn&#8217;t want a long commute,” she says. “Hout Bay made sense as it&#8217;s our home village.”



Meuse Farms takes a regenerative approach to agriculture, integrating indigenous crops with modern techniques for efficient, environmentally- sound practices. The micro-farm&#8217;s success hinges on a meticulous process: &#8220;Great flavor starts with great seed, great soil, and harvesting when ripe,&#8221; says Lin. Cover crops, compost tea, and minimal tillage all contribute to building soil health. Unlike conventional farming, Meuse Farms doesn’t use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, to further preserve this delicate balance.



Lin&#8217;s conviction that good farming practices should make business sense led to a unique strategy. “Early on, we identified high-end restaurants as ideal customers,” she says. “They are willing to pay good prices and they are interested in seasonal and unique produce.” 



Focusing on rare, flavorful varieties, difficult to find elsewhere, boosted the farm&#8217;s economic viability and allowed her to shape the market. One of Lin’s core principles is that sustainable farming practices must align with profitability to drive change in the industry. “I don&#8217;t think we will shift how the world farms unless good farming practices make business sense,” she adds.



However, the road to sustainable success isn&#8217;t without its bumps. Limited suppliers and intricate supply chains mean Lin has to import some key farming tools, but she seeks out local experts where she can. “Making our own compost was impractical,” she says. “Relying on experts is a more logical way to build the ecosystem.” Further challenges arise from the cost of producing these kinds of vegetation. Food subsidies often don’t cover the cost of production and Lin knows not everyone will pay their prices. 



“To control this, I choose crops that aren’t easily available or varieties with a noticeable flavor difference,” she says. Yet, navigating responsible farming with profitability is difficult. Meuse capitalizes on selling crops that other producers might disregard while keeping crop rotation in mind. 



“There are some crops on our list that are not very profitable but round out our crop rotation and our availability list,” she says. Catering to a broader audience can be a challenge, but she believes that flavor is the most convincing argument, especially when trying to engage people who might not have an initial interest in sustainable farming. &#8220;Most of the time, they just have to taste something we grow!&#8221; she says.



Looking ahead, Lin’s plan for the farm is continued evolution. “Each season we get better at honing in on a profitable and delicious crop selection,” she says. She also has a vision beyond the farm, contemplating an NGO that aims to address social aspects of food systems in innovative ways. Powered by thoughtful techniques, a focus on quality, and a desire to inspire change, Meuse is only just getting started.



&#8216;Reward Customer Support With An Impeccable Product’ Pienaar &amp; Son Distilling Co. Co-founder: Andre Pienaar


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/5D4_8819-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-59990" style="aspect-ratio:1.499267935578331;width:640px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/5D4_8819-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/5D4_8819-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/5D4_8819-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/5D4_8819-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/5D4_8819-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo by Tremayne Ward Smith</figcaption></figure></div>


Cape Town’s Pienaar &amp; Son was born in 2015 from a blend of passion, science, and creativity. Founded by Andre Pienaar with his father, the distillery started as a hobby when Andre acquired a small still to explore distillation. Today, Pienaar &amp; Son far surpasses hobby status, as that single still has given rise to custom-built equipment producing over six small-batch spirits, including gin, vodka, vermouth, whiskey, and brandy.



Despite Pienaar &amp; Son’s success, there is a constant battle to balance innovation with a sustainable business, compounded by South Africa’s challenging economy. To set them apart, the distillery focuses on creating interest and flavor. “I operate under two questions which have to have a resounding ‘yes’ as an answer. One, is it interesting, and two, does it taste great.” By following these, Andre ensures each product reflects value and quality. Instead of sticking to strict routines, this method promotes innovation that focuses on connecting with consumers. 



“If you are able to create interesting products that taste great, the rest will take care of itself,” says Andre. “Convince your customers that what you are doing is worthy of their time and money, and then, reward their support with an impeccable product.” 



When crafting the perfect spirit, Pienaar &amp; Son&#8217;s craftsmanship starts with the meticulous design of their equipment. “We use a bespoke continuous still, designed and built by my father,” explains Andre. Marrying traditional craft with modern innovation, Andre likens his role to that of a chef using the stove (or still) that his father built. “It&#8217;s really special to be able to work on equipment we started drawing on paper and then manufactured ourselves right here in the Western Cape.&#8221;



There is no denying that Pienaar &amp; Son embodies authenticity – even when competing in a saturated market against larger brands with financial clout that affords them more influence.



“They have marketing budgets that force their products to the front of the shelf and to the top of the menu,” says Andre. These budgets also allow them 



to reduce costs during the production and sourcing process, meaning a lower retail price. “This cost advantage makes their retail price so much lower than we could ever dream of selling our products,” says Andre. Despite their small size, prioritizing innovation is a cornerstone of their philosophy. From packaging to flavor combinations to collaborations, Andre is always looking for new ways to shake things up. 



&#8220;A lot of the alcohol industry is filled with people just repeating successful brands or recipes and, to be honest, I just think it is so boring.&#8221; But balancing growth with integrity isn’t easy. Pienaar &amp; Son&#8217;s recent launch of small-batch and rare releases aligns with their artisanal essence, but larger growth would rely on external investment, potentially altering the dynamic that’s been at their core. 



“It’s just a whole other kettle of fish,” says Andre. Even in South Africa, where the artisanal market is smaller than it would be elsewhere, Andre’s entrepreneurial spirit fuels this drive, outweighing the lure of commercial pursuits – despite how attractive they might be.



The future is bright for this small but mighty distillery, where there is ample room for growth. “The distillery is probably only operating at about 60% capacity,” says Andre. “The supply is not the issue, creating the demand is.” 



As they nurture demand, Andre also dreams of expanding internationally. “I would love a small warehouse in Europe to stock and sell online in the next few years!&#8221; Growth, while maintaining his core values, is central to Andre’s plans, but considering their achievements so far, they’re undeniably on the right path.



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So Far(m), So Good: South Africa’s Micro-Businesses Producing Artisanal Food And Drink

When opportunity knocks, one needs to know how to open the door. Entrepreneur Kenny Annan-Jonathan, who has Ghanaian roots, did exactly that, highlighting the necessity for football players to be able to express who they are through fashion.



Kenny Annan-Jonathan recently made history as the first-ever creative director for English Premier League football club, Crystal Palace. Annan-Jonathan, who also doubles as the founder of bespoke sports marketing agency, The Mailroom, has spent the past four years amplifying the human side of athletes by launching them into non-traditional spaces and helping them to connect with traditional and non-traditional audiences.



Born in Battersea, South London, Annan-Jonathan, whose mother emigrated from Ghana to the UK, always had an affinity for the creative industry.



“I knew I was into the creative arts but I didn’t know what space I wanted to go into. I started with graphic design which led into fashion. I don’t have any form of higher education because I left school at sixth form from Southfields Community College, and after that I have been figuring out the world of business from the age of 18,” says Annan-Jonathan.



That learning process included launching a clothing line in the mid-2000s which became one of the most prominent streetwear brands in London, according to Annan-Jonathan.



With the clothing line taking off, Annan-Jonathan’s business amassed a large following and soon started getting patronage from celebrities and athletes. One of those was footballer Wilfred Zaha, who played for Crystal Palace.



“We built a good friendship and after some time of purchasing our clothes, he wanted to create his own brand and they asked me if I could help him to build his own brand, which led me to create a new brand that we would become co-owners in, called Long Live [Studio].”



Very soon that friendship blossomed into a business partnership when Annan-Jonathan noticed a gap in Zaha’s brand.



“I would go with him to his business meetings to leverage the clothing brand that we had. I realized there wasn’t a lot of people around at the time that were helping him within the business space and he was going in on his own. I advised him during those meetings and I earned his trust, and he became my first client,” recalls Annan-Jonathan.



After doing some work with Zaha, word-of-mouth began to spread and very soon, Annan-Jonathan was inundated with enough work that he needed the infrastructure to help him cope with the demand. That was when The Mailroom was established.



The business, which was founded in 2017, has a core goal to increase visibility for brands and talent in sport though creativity and organic partnerships.



The idea was simple. Athletes are more than just sportsmen. They are brands and that generates business. Traditional agents only deal with the sports contracts, which are usually negotiated in one to four-year cycles. The rest of the time, these athletes are left without key support in terms of mentorship, financial literacy or assistance in navigating life, not just sports.



“Naturally that is where The Mailroom came in. We are a boutique agency that works with people to understand the value that we bring for them and also understand how we can help them to navigate things the right way.”



During his time working with Zaha, Annan-Jonathan saw an opportunity, which he then brought to the attention of the owner of Crystal Palace.



“Before I became the creative director for Crystal Palace, I had emails that were sent to the owner of Crystal Palace saying, I believe there was a space for a creative director here and this is before anyone started thinking about it. Especially when it comes to fashion, it’s about having your finger on the pulse and when it comes to a conversation about who the athletes are, naturally fashion comes into that because that is a way of them expressing who they are. So, I just said if these two things are colliding, in the future, you can naturally see a road map to see that fashion is going to be incorporated into sports a lot more,” says Annan-Jonathan.



And he was right. The Cleveland Cavaliers would appoint artist Daniel Arsham as creative director for the team while the New York Knicks hired Kith founder Ronnie Fieg as creative director. Annan-Jonathan, believes that sports brands need to, now more than ever, be creative in their approach towards connecting with wider audiences and building brands.



“My role is to come in look at the company as a whole and say, ‘how do we continue to expand what is going on and where do we miss the mark when it comes to reaching our audiences’. My first point of what I need to do is product and merchandise, so apparel and what they sell in the merch store. The reason I say we need to start there is about building [a] community and apparel is a good way of building [a] community.”



Traditionally, football clubs try to sell training products to people who don’t care about training so day-to-day, the people going to the games, and die-hard fans only wear clothes there and they don’t wear it anywhere else. So, fashion has to transcend the sport because there are many different people that support the game,” says Annan-Jonathan.

Kenny Annan-Jonathan; image supplied2

The Entrepreneur Working With Crystal Palace FC And Building A Brand That Transcends Football

With a female-led workforce at his firm, Akash Ladha is working to address the skills gap in the financial services industry in Rwanda.



In the ever-evolving landscape of global business, tales of success often shine brightest when they originate from humble beginnings. Such is the narrative of Akash Ladha, an entrepreneur who charted a journey from his hometown in India to the heart of Rwanda, transforming not only his own life but also contributing to the growing financial landscape of the country.



In 2016, and as a newly-qualified chartered accounting professional, Ladha arrived in the land of a thousand hills to work for a Rwandan accounting firm. In seven years, he established a company of 30 employees, with an office overlooking the city of Kigali, just one floor above KPMG’s main branch in Rwanda.



While his entrepreneurial journey may have found its foothold in the East African country, Ladha says that he owes his passion for the art of business to Surat, located in west-central India. “I grew up in the city of Surat where I was exposed to a unique blend of traditions and modernity. Deeply influenced by its businessmen and tycoons of textile and diamond industries, [it] shaped my perspective and enriched my understanding of the world around me,” he says.



Originally keen on studying medicine, Surat’s influence steered Ladha away from the sciences and towards a bachelor’s degree in commerce. But he lost interest in the degree very quickly and dropped out of university to pursue chartered accounting (CA), calling it a strategic move.



“My long-term goals – having a work-life balance; being a good son and taking care of my parents; and becoming a globe-trotter (he has been to 23 countries so far). I had realized that CA in India is probably the only course in the world that allows you education and respect to the highest accord in your industry, but also the payback period is so unreal that you pay off your entire CA education fees with the first salary you make (should you qualify with a first attempt),” adds Ladha.



He did indeed qualify on his first attempt, and secured a job in Mumbai. But instead of continuing on in India, he decided to move to Rwanda. “I wanted to move to Africa – adventure and new experiences, and get out of my comfort zone.”



Between 2016 and 2018, Ladha worked for an oil company, but the appeal fizzled out as he grew in his career and as a person.



“It was a great learning experience since the subsidiary of this oil MNC (multinational corporation) had only commenced operations in Rwanda a couple of years back and, as such, there were a lot of things to fix and achieve. But, in 2019, I started experiencing a sense of stagnation, coupled with a growing feeling of guilt over its environmental impact. I was eager to align my professional journey with my values,” says Ladha as he glances at the wall in his office showcasing his finance and accounting certificates.



This change of heart marked the beginning of a promising chapter in Ladha’s story. After serving as a financial consultant throughout 2019 for different business groups to foster sustainable financial practices, in 2020, he launched his own accounting and financial advisory firm called ALCPA.



In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ladha turned a global economic disrupter on its head and into an opportunity.



“Recognizing the unmet need for affordable and quality accounting services in Rwanda, I took a bold step to disrupt the market. Establishing my own company, I positioned it strategically, just a floor above the esteemed KPMG offices. This innovative move allowed us to provide top-notch financial services at significantly lower fees, making quality accounting accessible to a wider range of businesses,” he says with a grin.



Determined to transform the local business landscape from an accounting standpoint, Ladha’s company, ALCPA, kept its focus on empowering startups and NGOs with its expertise. In turn, this helped it to establish credibility and a name for itself in the market, and the results of this initial strategy continue to be beneficial as his company grows every few months, acquiring a fresh list of high-value clients as it does.



“Our actions spoke volumes about the importance of making quality accounting accessible to entities that contribute to the betterment of society,” adds Ladha.



However his aspirations for himself and his company go beyond business. “It&#8217;s not just a business endeavor; it&#8217;s an endeavor to rekindle the torch of knowledge and forge a cadre of professionals that can illuminate this domain,” says Ladha.



With a workforce made up of 90% women in a field traditionally occupied by men, Ladha’s ALCPA has achieved these numbers through a conscious decision. And, while he’s pleased with this narrative, he appears more proud of the growth trajectory of his employees. “These women are the rocks of our work, coming from humble beginnings to now helming managerial roles.”



This approach to create a female-led workforce also encompasses his desire to create a company where a relationship is kindled with every employee from the time they are hired. He refers to this bond as the foundation of what he is attempting to create.



“For each individual we onboard, a commitment is kindled, to cultivate, to empower, to nurture. When one abruptly departs, it&#8217;s akin to removing a foundational brick from an edifice, painstakingly assembled,” Ladha adds, appearing slightly moved by the notion of the departure of an employee.



His description of what he is trying to build far exceeds the goals of his younger self. Rather than seeing the skills gap in Rwanda as a mere opportunity, he takes issue with it, and is working towards doing his fair share to improve the situation. “We&#8217;ve embarked on a journey to address the prevalent skills gap by fostering a culture of nurturing expertise through our bespoke training programs.”



While emulating the values and business models he picked up working as an employee, he has also innovated them to suit his stride. He calls it a ripple that spreads like a symphony of solutions, resonating across the economic spectrum.



“The destination is not just success, but a legacy of wisdom, an imprint that transforms, uplifts, and propels us all toward a future teeming with possibilities.”



It’s these possibilities that led Ladha to narrating his story from a conference room atop a high-rise building with wall-to-ceiling glass windows, flooding the space with sunlight, as the city traffic streams steadily in the background.



He has achieved a remarkable feat in just over two years, with the company progressing enough to support 30 employees, an effective office and his globetrotting lifestyle. To put numbers to his success story, he states, “We did $300,000 last year and now $500,000+ for this year.”



This success has not derailed Ladha’s original life goals. A year ago, he gifted his parents with an apartment in his hometown and seems to be hitting a perfect work-life balance. “I have found inner peace in Kigali, my days end with a perfect cup of coffee with my pups and my cat watching the sun go down,” Ladha says.



And, when asked what’s next, he answers, beaming, “This is only the beginning”.

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Building An Inclusive Financial Future: How This Accounting Entrepreneur In Rwanda Is Doing It

Hayet Rida retails high-end home products and jewelry but her story is of resilience and tenacity.



From motivational advice and founding a high-end candle brand to entrepreneurial endeavors with homeware and jewelry, Ghanaian-born Hayet Rida has a take on her unique selling point – and the answer might surprise you.



“I proudly call myself the pivot queen and I am the chief pivot officer in my life because everything about my business is basically a combination of what other people call failures. But to me, they are all stepping stones of how I got here,” says Rida.



She credits her mother for her unique ability to overcome adversities and turn them into life-changing opportunities where others might simply give up.



“One of my blessings is I got my dad and my mum’s ability to execute [dreams] until [they are] done. My mother has shaped everything I am. She is the chief hustle officer. When I was growing up, there was a school trip [to France] and she was a single mum of five kids and you can’t just pull a $3,000 bill on my mum because that was a lot of money back then.



“She didn’t have the money but she made a plan and said ‘I am going to rent out my car and sell this and that in the house’. She was like, ‘we are going to figure out how to get you on that trip’. This woman was not even ashamed to say ‘I am going to sell some of my prized possessions like pots and art work’ to put me on that trip,” recalls Rida.



That anecdote stuck with Rida well into her adulthood. After spending the past 13 years working in the advertising space with global brands like Meta, Rida recently launched her luxury jewelry line in Chicago called KHOI. She has mastered the skills needed, as both a jewelry designer and creative director.



When it came time to build her store, even though she had no money, Rida would lean on her mother’s advice, to find a way to make her dream a reality.



“I remember we had to do flooring and the first thing I did was go into my closet and say, ‘what am I selling?’ So, everything in the store is me selling my clothes and my bags. I started teaching people classes on creativity and charged $100 per person – I will have 20 people a class. The next week, I am going to do small consultations with brands. If you tell yourself, ‘I can’t do it’, then you are not trying hard enough. You will find a way if you want it; the same way my mum tried to find a way to get me on that school trip.”



The launch of KHOI is testament to Rida’s resilience and tenacity. Her journey towards becoming an influencer was motivated by her desire to share her life experiences in the hope that it would encourage others going through similar trials.



“I am a chronic over-sharer and 10 years ago, I had gone through a really bad breakup so I felt ugly because I was plus-sized. I grew up hating myself and I actually didn’t know I was beautiful until I was 25. I remember coming out of that relationship and saying I am going to learn this confidence thing that I read about on the internet. I am going to figure out how and I am going to document it for myself, and that is the power of influencers who last, because we didn’t start it to make money. I started for myself.”



After amassing a following on her personal blog, where she shares everything, from ‘growing up fat in Ghana’ to ‘how to create boundaries’, Rida says her mother sparked her next eureka moment, which came in the form of candles.



“My mum burns candles the way earth makes oxygen. There is always about 15 candles burning in the house. And I always liked the smell. So, I said let me make my own and I found the right team and I said, ‘let’s make it happen’.”



That gave birth to AÏYA CANDLE CO which took off and soon transitioned into luxury home products. Along the way, Rida got an opportunity to work with a brand to develop her own unique line of jewelry.



“They wanted to collaborate with me because they loved my luxury taste. They said you design a capsule collection with us and the deal was interesting because you almost make your own brand and they are the people behind it. I said to them, ‘I would only do it if you let me do the packaging’ because I didn’t like the packaging. So, we came up with a deal where I would name the brand, call it what I wanted, design the packaging, and they would be the back end of it. I called it the KHOI Studio.”



With the deal closed, Rida ordered 10,000 pieces of packaging in anticipation of the launch. Then disaster struck. The brand decided to pull out of the deal last minute.



“The world did not know about the brand yet so technically I could just cancel the whole thing and move on with my life and continue with AÏYA CANDLE. So, I said I was going to launch regular everyday accessories until I finish with the packaging and move on. A year later, I have a store and that is [why] I call myself the pivot queen because anybody else would cancel the deal and just let everything go. But I trust myself as a person and I always trust that I will always figure it out,” says Rida.



As she has slowly grown in her confidence as a jewelry designer, the vision for KHOI has also become clearer. For Rida, it’s all about having full control of her art and creation, and reliving the remarkable stories of artists her mother told her about as a kid.



“I remember my mum used to collect art pieces and she would say only five of these were made and the next art looks nothing like the other one. I remember the stories my mum used to tell and I felt like that’s what I want as a brand.”



KHOI pieces are one-of-a-kind items that are never restocked. Once a collection is over, Rida creates an entirely new range which means her followers always have unique pieces to select from. And in a world where the customer is king, Rida has managed to find a blend between maintaining artistic control of her creations and keeping her customers eager and excited for more.

Hayet Rida, image supplied

The Ghanaian Entrepreneur Selling Luxury As ‘Chief Pivot Officer’  

Lawyer and Founder of Law City, Dorothy Adu-Mfum tells FORBES AFRICA about what it means to her to be able to help others gain access into what is widely seen as an incredibly exclusive industry. 



There’s an informal but rather well-known term given to the top five prestigious law firms in the United Kingdom (UK). It’s called the Magic Circle. These firms, which all specialize in corporate law, are seen as exemplary, based on their outstanding and distinguished results. Securing a seat at the table with the best of the best would certainly be a tall order. However, Ghanaian-born Dorothy Adu-Mfum has done just that.



She is one of a few black women, bucking a trend in the UK of a white and male-dominated legal sector. As a training solicitor with one of the Magic Circle firms – namely Allen &amp; Overy, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters and Slaughter and May – Adu-Mfum has managed to carve out a niche that many from her background have found impossible to achieve.



The services provided by these legal firms at the highest levels have created a social divide between those privileged enough to attend the best universities and those from low-income backgrounds. This makes the journey towards becoming a lawyer for black Britons extremely difficult.



Not only do you need to get the right A-levels, attend the right universities – which the top law firms recruit from – and secure a first-class degree, you also need to have vacation schemes and internships in order to achieve a training contract with a firm, before finally qualifying as a lawyer. A seemingly arduous task for anybody from a disadvantaged economic background to achieve, this is what led Adu-Mfum to create Law City.



“In Ghana, I came from a middle-class background so everything was provided for me and I had all the opportunities. Then I came to London and realized that I was from a working-class background. I had to work from the age of 16 which meant I couldn’t go for various internships or vacation schemes or insight days. Although I graduated with a first class, I found it difficult to transfer the theory aspect into the practicality needed for applying to law firms,” says Adu-Mfum.



Despite the fact that she got the first-class degree, Adu-Mfum faced all the disadvantages her socio-economic background presented her. She did not attend the prestigious universities that law firms recruited from and her need to work two jobs to make ends meet meant that she did not have the practical experience that law firms were looking for.



“I decided to no longer focus on law and went into banking for about three years, and I got promoted to the lending services department. So, what I was doing was reviewing mortgage documents and business loans and I found out that I was still interested in law because I spent more time reviewing the legal elements instead of the financial elements,” says Adu-Mfum.



In order to qualify to receive a training contract, one has to first complete a Legal Practice Course (LPC). An LPC is a postgraduate course and the final educational stage for becoming a solicitor. You can only get it in one of two ways – either a law firm recruits you and pays for the program, or you self-fund it.



Adu-Mfum decided to do the latter after a discussion with her father who advocated that she return to her first love, which was law.



“While I was doing my LPC, I was also volunteering in the community. I had a lot of young people coming to me saying I am interested in law and I don’t know how to gain access or I have never been to a law firm before. So, I thought I should build a community of people who also want to gain access and together, we try and gain access.”



“My reason for that was I didn’t really want to go to an event by myself but if I had a group of people who wanted to gain access and were uninformed, and from similar backgrounds, it would be easier for us to achieve what we wanted to achieve together. That is where Law City came from,” recalls Adu-Mfum.



Law City aims to connect aspiring lawyers from low-income socio-economic backgrounds to the legal sector in London. Currently, the platform has over 3,000 aspiring lawyers and legal professionals with over 80% of its network from the aforementioned backgrounds.



Adu-Mfum’s first event was created at a law firm in London and was a resounding success. Two of the attendants secured an internship with a law firm and Adu-Mfum, through that experience, began to bolster her CV. Very soon, with the help of a legal mentor, she managed to improve her application and secure a training contract with a Magic Circle firm.



“I had a black boy who came to me and said, ‘I didn’t think this type of community existed and I didn’t think a legal career was possible for me until today’. We had people who were saying this is the first time they had been to a law firm. Our head of events has secured a training contract with a law firm. Before I started, I wasn’t a lawyer, I was an aspiring lawyer and I am now about to qualify as a lawyer with a Magic Circle firm,” says Adu-Mfum, regarding the milestones of herself and her online legal community.



Through Law City, Adu-Mfum is hoping to continue to create advantages for people from low-income backgrounds, which will hopefully reduce the barriers to entry in the legal profession in the UK.



The platform has expanded globally, due to the pandemic and the increase of virtual events, to include South Africa and Dubai.



Despite breaking numerous glass ceilings and paving the way for others, Adu-Mfum remains resolute in her quest to make it to the top of her profession, and to inspire the Law City community in spite of the insurmountable odds they may face.

instagram daily – 2023-10-01T183433.735

Access Granted: The Legal Professional Cementing Her Place In London

Barely two years after his first sip of wine, Joseph Dhafana was head sommelier at the iconic La Colombe restaurant in Cape Town and began to explore making his own wine. His Mosi Wines and Spirits is a household name today.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“We can’t all be actors or artists to tell our stories but I chose to tell mine by bottling it.”
</blockquote>



With its prolific wine region and world-class restaurants, Cape Town has long been the jewel in South Africa’s tourism crown. Yet the industry isn’t powered by good food and wine alone, but rather, by the dedication of its people. People like Joseph Tongai Dhafana, sommelier, wine judge and founder of Mosi Wines and Spirits. Impressive title aside, it’s Joseph’s story that truly sets him apart.



Dhafana now lives in Cape Town but grew up in Zimbabwe, an entire world away from his current life. He was raised in Chirumhanzu in the Midlands province, by parents who were subsistence farmers.



“I remember waking up as early as 03:00, going to the field to till the land with an ox-drawn plough. Then, when the sun rose I would run back home via the river to take a bath and get ready for a 12km walk to school – sometimes barefoot,” he explains. “These early mornings before school were very tough but they made me who I am today.”



This resilience is what would ultimately change the course of his life forever. In 2008, at the peak of Zimbabwe’s crisis, Dhafana made the difficult decision to leave his home country in search of better opportunities in South Africa. “Leaving was very painful and I had never dreamed of living outside Zimbabwe,” he says.



Initially, he worked as a gardener in Riebeek-Kasteel, a small town 80km outside of Cape Town, which led him to work in the garden for a local bar. Here, he moved to washing dishes and waiting tables and was soon promoted to barman, where life took another fortuitous turn. Here, Dhafana celebrated his 29th birthday and had his first taste of wine – a sparkling wine from nearby Riebeek Valley Wine Co. His first thoughts? “I didn’t like it,” he says simply. “I remember, the wine was quite tart and astringent with cutting acidity and that was very foreign to my palate.” He adds, “Now I can describe it but back then I had no words to explain how I felt. They now call me the ‘wine poet’.” &nbsp;



Despite a rocky start, this taste of wine awakened something in Dhafana, and before long he had enrolled to do a course at the Wine &amp; Spirit Education Trust; he joined the Cape Wine Academy and eventually, the South African Sommeliers Association, the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy and Court of Master Sommeliers Europe. Barely two years after that first sip, Dhafana was head sommelier at the iconic La Colombe restaurant and began to explore making his own wine.



“I had saved money and bought grapes to make a barrel each of Chenin Blanc and Syrah… in Riebeek-Kasteel, where it all started.”



Today, Joseph’s Mosi Wines and Spirits – named after breath-taking Victoria Falls nestled between Zimbabwe and Zambia – is a household name. Regularly appearing on the wine lists of the country’s top restaurants, there is no denying that his hard work and determination have paid off. “Seeing people swirling and sipping my wine just melts my heart,” he says. “I believe wine is a bottled story and this brand has a lot to say.”



Dhafana’s story is nothing short of remarkable, but as he says, there are a lot of stories like his out there. “I am proud of the person I am today but I am thankful to those who helped me.” He doesn’t take this gratitude lightly and now helps others wanting to enter the industry. “The journey has just started because I am already helping young up-and-coming sommeliers and wine stewards to do better than what I did.” And it doesn’t end there. Along with his work as a sommelier and a wine judge, he also helped establish and captain Team Zimbabwe at the World Blind Tasting Championships in 2017 and 2018, documented in the documentary, Blind Ambition. He is a board member of the Black Cellar Club, a non-profit that aims to promote a responsible wine and beverage industry in South Africa and is a judge for the country’s biggest annual restaurant awards, hosted by Eat Out magazine.



Having triumphed over immense challenges, Dhafana’s continued commitment to wine has enriched the industry. “We can’t all be actors or artists to tell our stories but I chose to tell mine by bottling it,” he adds.

Joseph Dhafana image supplied

From Zimbabwean Refugee To ‘Wine Poet’ In South Africa

Nolwazi* lives in a township in South Africa. She works in the informal sector and was recently turned down for a loan of $80,000.



Having heard her story, I can’t understand why she was denied the loan. And I think this is indicative of why African entrepreneurs have more advantages than ever.



If you think you’d have taken the same decision as the bank, I need to add a few more details.



Nolwazi might live in one of the poorer areas of South Africa, but she is certainly not poor. She chooses to live there as she can run a thriving backroom rental business.



She started out renting one room from her formal dwelling but now lives in a property where she can rent out 11 units at a time. She also owns a second property which she rents out to students. Her average backroom income is now approximately $8,000 per month, which is probably substantially more than the bank manager who declined her loan application.



She wanted the loan to build student accommodation on land she already owned next to a major university.



After six weeks of deliberation, the bank turned down her application.



The story doesn’t finish here because Nolwazi decided to run an experiment.



She went to a different branch of the same bank and, applied for a car loan of $80,000 for a new Mercedes. It was approved in 20 minutes.



Why would a bank prefer to lend $80,000 for something that depreciates when they could have taken the safer bet of funding a valid capital-based business enterprise?



It was GG Alcock, best-selling author of Kasinomics, who got me thinking about the answer to this question when he drew my attention to this and other stories from township entrepreneurs.



The backroom rental industry, which Nolwazi forms part of, is estimated to generate over R50 billion ($2.6 billion) per annum, as owners rent out their rooms for accommodation, storage, corner shops (spazas), garages, takeaways, workshops, hair salons, beauty parlors and other services.



Nolwazi’s story isn’t, therefore, unique. It’s an allegory that showcases how vibrant the informal sector is and why millions of Africans are choosing to stay in townships, either for cheaper rents or to run their own entrepreneurial ventures.



And it’s a story that supports my view that local African entrepreneurs have never had so much opportunity, for two key reasons.



The first is that big businesses will always find it challenging to identify and exploit the informal sector because of a mix of prejudice and ignorance.



I’m speaking from experience here, as in all of my years working in financial services, I can’t remember ever being asked to investigate opportunities in the informal sector. Instead, established businesses are predisposed to focus on improving what they have, whereas entrepreneurs are the only people looking to solve existing problems in new markets.



The second reason entrepreneurs will win in these markets is because of the democratization of virtually everything you now need to run a successful business.



This is a relatively new phenomenon which is being driven by the confluence of improved technologies, more financing options and the ability to access skilled labor from anywhere on the planet.



And if you need a guiding hand that helps you navigate every step from idea to IPO, hundreds of African-based incubators and accelerators are now designed to help you do exactly that.



What was once the preserve of the wealthiest companies in the wealthiest countries is now accessible in virtually every major African city. Simply put, if you identify an opportunity and have enough grit and determination to give it a go, it’s never been easier to convert your dream into reality.



Oh, and if you were wondering what happened to Nolwazi, I’m happy to report she eventually did receive her loan.



And no, it was not provided by one of the large incumbent banks.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="15" height="14" src="">The opportunity for African entrepreneurs has never been so great.



– The writer curates thought leadership events that help executive teams transform their organizations; visit coliniles.com

Suburb in Soweto township

New Advantages And OpportunitiesFor African Entrepreneurs

In a significant development for Africa&#8217;s digital landscape, Lagos-based Itana, formerly known as Talent City, has announced that it secured $2 million in pre-seed funding.



The investment is led by backers, including LocalGlobe, Amplo, Pronomos Capital and Future Africa, marking a step toward realizing Africa&#8217;s inaugural Digital Free Zone.



Founded by Luqman Edu, Coco Liu, and Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, this funding is pivotal in realizing their vision to enhance Nigeria&#8217;s ease-of-doing-business index, stimulate foreign direct investment, and catalyze employment opportunities within the nation.



As of early 2022, the self-described charter city, backed by Charter Cities Institute and Pronomos Capital, a Peter Thiel-backed venture fund, had secured over $10 million for the project situated within Alaro City, in the Lekki Free Zone, just outside of Nigeria&#8217;s largest city, Lagos.



&#8220;We are building an online jurisdiction that allows global companies to remotely incorporate and operate in a Nigerian Digital Free Zone in partnership with Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority to develop relevant policies for a groundbreaking &#8216;virtual city.&#8217; Itana Free Zone will be powered by a one-stop-shop platform for business and government services, including taxation, business visas, banking, capital repatriation, and supportive legislation for businesses. We will also be building a business marketplace, working with trusted service providers including legal, tax, banking, and more. We hope to help the businesses in our zone navigate the business landscape and operations with transparency and clarity to enable growth,&#8221; Itana tweeted on the announcement.



Aboyeji, one of the co-founders, emphasizes the importance of creating a conducive environment for Nigerian tech companies to thrive locally.



&#8220;In 2016 when I incorporated @theflutterwave, my first Delaware company, I never imagined incorporating a Delaware company would become the default for Nigerian companies looking to go global. For me, it was just a clever hack. But it became a movement.



&#8220;Post SVB crash crisis, incorporating a Delaware company and getting a bank account from Nigeria has quietly become a little more stressful. With the ascension of one of our own, @bosuntijani, as Minister, it has become imperative to bring our tech companies home. However, to do so, we need the right regulatory environment with the right benefits and opportunities that allow them to compete globally from right here in Nigeria,” tweeted Aboyeji. &#8220;This is why I’m so grateful for @ItanaAfrica and the incredible cast of mentors and investors who have come together to make this possible. If you are a Nigerian company and you want to come home, head on to itana.africa and incorporate your FZE today. Super excited to welcome you home.&#8221;



The announcement of Itana&#8217;s funding has garnered enthusiastic support from the tech community.



Pronomos Capital tweeted: &#8220;We&#8217;ve been working with the @ItanaAfrica team for 3 years now, and we love them, their concept, and its traction. Also big fans of @iaboyeji&#8217;s leadership, and since co-founders Luqman &amp; @cocobliu joined, it&#8217;s been build mode beast time!&#8221; Victor Ndukwe tweeted: &#8220;Super proud to be a part of the dream team. Building the gateway to the digital economy in Africa is audacious, and with the right kind of folks around, it becomes one of the most exciting journeys. Cheers to a prosperous Africa as we build to expand its trillion-dollar economy!&#8221;

Luqman Edu and Iyinoluwa Aboyeji marking a step toward realizing Africa’s inaugural Digital Free Zone; Image supplied

$2 Million Pre-Seed Funding For Africa’s First Digital Free Zone

Kenneth Odoemenam, the founder of KenChu&#8217;s Farm Services, is making an impact in Nigeria’s aquaculture industry by training others in catfish farming.



Kenneth Odoemenam, the founder of KenChu&#8217;s Farm Services, is among the 80% of fish farmers engaged in catfish farming in Nigeria, which is Africa&#8217;s third-largest fish producer, according to data from the World Bank.



With aquaculture production reaching 313,231 metric tons, Nigeria&#8217;s fisheries and aquaculture subsector plays a vital role in the country&#8217;s economy, contributing 5% to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and supporting the livelihoods of approximately 24 million people, as reported by the World Trade Organization (WTO).



Driven by the desire to challenge the notion that farming is exclusive to older individuals, Odoemenam embraced catfish farming and turned it into a thriving venture. With continuous learning and a passion for the craft, he steadily improved and scaled up his operations, establishing himself in the industry.



His journey began with an abandoned pond within his family&#8217;s compound in Port Harcourt, the capital and largest city of Rivers State, located in the southern region of Nigeria.



The catfish farmer tells FORBES AFRICA: &#8220;We had a pond constructed on our family compound by a family friend, initially intended for fish farming but left unused. Recognizing the opportunity, I decided to start my catfish farming journey using that very pond.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG-0898-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-59433" style="width:448px;height:597px" width="448" height="597" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG-0898-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG-0898-225x300.jpg 225w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG-0898-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG-0898-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG-0898-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 448px) 100vw, 448px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image Supplied</figcaption></figure></div>


&#8220;After completing my first degree in Industrial Chemistry from Abia State University in 2017, I attended an enlightening agribusiness seminar that included specialized training in catfish farming. Eager to dive into this promising venture, I began with small-scale experiments, but initial results were not as I had hoped. Undeterred, I remained determined and committed to learning and seeking guidance from experienced individuals.&#8221;



During the early days, he encountered learning curve challenges in understanding the intricacies of proper management, water quality, feeding schedules, disease prevention, and other essential aspects. He overcame with dedication to learning and seeking guidance which has helped him improve the management of the farm and achieve better results.



He also confronted the capital challenge to scale up operations. &#8220;As a young farmer, securing the necessary finances to invest in infrastructure, equipment, and fish stock can be challenging. Although I have been exploring different avenues, such as applying for grants, to secure the required funding.&#8221;



Leveraging his background in data analysis and a master&#8217;s degree in Environmental Chemistry and Pollution Control, he found innovative ways to integrate technology and sustainable practices into his catfish farming enterprise.



&#8220;I began my catfish farming journey while working as a data analyst. As my catfish farming enterprise grew and flourished, I made the decision to transition into full-time catfish farming. I am now fully dedicated to running and managing my catfish farm. Moreover, leveraging my expertise and experience in the field, I have also taken on the role of training and consulting for other catfish farms, sharing my knowledge and insights to contribute to the success of fellow farmers in the industry,&#8221; says Odoemenam.



KenChu&#8217;s Farm Services focuses on providing comprehensive farm consultancy, training, and farm setup services; offerings which its founder notes are essential to support aspiring aquaculture entrepreneurs, existing fish farmers, and investors seeking to venture into the sector.



His three-year old YouTube channel, Catfish Farm Enterprise, has become a valuable platform for sharing his expertise and knowledge, and it has over 5,700 subscribers and 151 videos.



&#8220;YouTube offers the opportunity to collaborate with other young farmers across Africa, by showcasing the work and achievements of young people in the aquaculture sector. My channel acts as a powerful marketing tool for my catfish farming enterprise. As my channel gains subscribers and viewership, it helps build my brand&#8217;s reputation and recognition within the agriculture and aquaculture community. The exposure gained through YouTube has attracted customers interested in my products and services,&#8221; says Odoemenam.



Through KenChu&#8217;s Farm Services, he has achieved milestones, including training over 100 individuals in catfish farming and providing setup services for more than 20 catfish farms across the country, contributing to the growth of the aquaculture sector and generating employment opportunities.



His ebook, Guide to Successful Catfish Farming, and the development of an automated farm record sheet exemplify his dedication to promoting efficiency and sharing valuable insights with aspiring farmers.



Looking ahead, Odoemenam envisions a bright future for KenChu&#8217;s Farm Services and the aquaculture sector as a whole.



&#8220;The aquaculture sector holds immense promise, particularly in Nigeria, where there is vast untapped potential. At KenChu&#8217;s Farm Services, we will capitalize on this opportunity and make a significant impact in the industry,&#8221; says Odoemenam.



He plans to expand his consultancy and training services to support aspiring aquaculture entrepreneurs and existing fish farmers. By embracing technological advancements, promoting sustainable practices, and focusing on capacity building and research, he aims to play a vital role in driving the growth and development of the aquaculture industry in Nigeria.



Odoemenam remains a beacon of hope and inspiration for young farmers and entrepreneurs. With his unwavering passion and determination, he is proving that the agricultural sector holds immense promise, and young people can actively participate and excel in this rewarding field.

Kenneth Odoemenam; image supplied

The Nigerian Data Analyst-Turned-Catfish Farmer Empowering Entrepreneurs In Aquaculture  

Opportunity abounds for retailers giving used clothing a second lease on life, but while some are reveling in the country’s current economic climate and contributing to the circular economy, the high-end designers are finding it difficult to compete and cope.



In an open-air market in Yaba, Lagos, Tobi Iddrisu, is getting ready to open her boutique and welcome the day’s first customers. She opened the store almost a decade ago with the goal of selling second-hand clothes from China.



Since that time, the store, as well as Iddrisu, have gone through several iterations. For the former, life began as a second-hand children clothing store before moving to incorporate toys and finally transitioning to focus on second-hand fast fashion goods for Gen Z and millennial women.



These days, her suppliers come from places like London, Germany and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) but China still leads the pack. Lately, her brother in Germany has begun sending her some electronic devices like old iPads, laptops and LED television sets which, according to Iddrisu, are beginning to sell rapidly.



For Iddrisu, the shift from her nine-to-five job as a customer service clerk at First Bank Nigeria to a second-hand market trader, has proven to be one of the best decisions of her life, for a number of reasons.



In those days, she took home a meager N250,000 ($330) and struggled to make that stretch to cover her monthly expenses, which included fending for her two boys.



Today, her sons are in one of the top private schools in Lagos and Iddrisu has also ventured into the real estate market with two rental units in her name. Moreover, she is now able to provide employment opportunities to five disadvantaged individuals who Iddrisu employs as sales assistants.



“Things were very good when we started but now there is a lot of competition. Those who supply quality second-hand goods are still thriving because the economy is very difficult,” says Iddrisu.



For her and many other second-hand merchants, business is booming. Cash-strapped Nigerians who cannot pay the prices in high-end retail outlets are flooding to markets in Yaba, Katangua and Asuwani to make their naira stretch as far as possible.



“We sell goods at least 200% or cheaper than those sold in boutiques on the island and for people who are already struggling to make ends meet, how can they buy brand-new items? This goes for all items like hair, cosmetics and electronics. It is simply not affordable buying these things brand new,” says Iddrisu.



The World Poverty Clock, a tool which provides up-to-the-minute poverty data across the world, puts Nigeria as the country with the second highest level of poor people at 71 million after India.



These are people who live below the poverty line of $2. The problem is further exacerbated when you consider the rate of inflation which, according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS), stood at an all-time high of 22.41% in May 2023.



This report also estimates that the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a measure of the monthly changes in the price of goods and services paid by Nigerians, rose to 24.82% in May. The NBS further cites that about 133 million Nigerians are living in multi-dimensional poverty.



From a lack of forex which has brought trade to almost a complete standstill since the beginning of the year, a devaluation of the naira coupled with challenges in swapping old naira notes for new ones, to the recent fuel subsidy crisis, the country’s economic woes seem far from over.



The report by the NBS shows that the inflationary rise was attributed to food and non-beverage products, electricity, gas and other fuel as well as clothing and footwear. Several initiatives that should have offered advantages to Africa’s largest economy, have also, unfortunately, been met with barriers to entry by Nigeria.



The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), for example, was supposed to provide regional integration of goods and services between African countries. However, Nigeria’s food import substitution policy is not favorable with the goals of the AfCFTA, according to a report by the World Bank.



This was further buttressed when, in August 2019, Nigeria’s former president, Muhammadu Buhari, closed Nigeria’s borders, effectively blocking trade between the country and its neighbors for about a year. The move was an attempt to stop neighboring Benin from re-exporting rice to Nigeria for a significantly higher margin, thereby reducing dumping of the product.



That closure has also led to an increase in the prices of clothes in the second-hand market.



“We get some items from neighboring countries like Benin and Ghana, and when the government shut down the border, a lot of vendors who were relying on their supply from these countries were affected. The lack of supply has increased the cost of some items in the second-hand market and they keep rising even today,” says Iddrisu.



According to American news platform, CBS, the global second-hand market is estimated to hit $350 billion by 2025 and for personal shopper, Bobby Smith, the surge in demand for second-hand products is great for business.



“I usually deal with high-end clients who want exclusive designer wear at affordable prices. For example, most of my clients are interested in second-hand exclusive designer bags which tend to have amazing resale value. I have seen a trend in clients opting for quality, used designer items instead of those brand-new ones from stores because they want to be economical with their spending, given the current economic climate,” says Smith.



The current economic state has actually led to sales orders from individuals with a higher disposable income opting for fairly-used designer items than brand-new ones.



“I am a club promoter in Ikoyi and that means I have to look my best every night. Most of my business comes from meeting [with] new venues and offering my services to the owners, which includes bringing in a crowd that would patronize their goods and keep the club buzzing. My appearance is extremely important so I need to keep up with the trends. I shop second-hand designer wear because there is a lot of originality especially if you know the right stores, because most designers never repeat their styles so you get one-of-a-kind pieces,” says Tola T.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



But not everyone is happy about the boom in second-hand clothing. For Lola Amusan, a fashion designer in Lagos, who makes her money designing customized, ready-to-wear clothes, it is a major issue.



“We actually create bespoke clothes for our customers and so the current state of the economy is having a big impact on our bottom line. You cannot comfortably cost how much an item is because every day you go to the market, fabric prices are changing. The unstable power supply means I am running my business on [a] generator 24/7, which means I am spending a lot of money on fuel,” she says.



About 25% of the Nigerian population are considered to be Gen Z and have an insatiable appetite for fashion pieces, according to Iddrisu.



“The young ladies of today want trendy items that no one has and they want items that are not too expensive so they can change them regularly without breaking the bank. Some of our tops sell for as low as N2,000 ($2) to N5,000 ($6),” she says.



Another contributing factor to the growth in the second-hand market relates to the volume of charitable clothing donations from the West. There are various news articles on how Africa has become fast fashion’s dumping ground, a trend which is leading to significant climate change issues for the continent.



As much as the second-hand market is great for cash-strapped Nigerians, there is also a detrimental effect on the local textile and garment industries.



“We simply cannot compete with the second-hand market and I feel the current state of the economy is going to drive a lot of designers, like myself, out of business. Something has to be done,” says Amusan.



One solution that has been suggested by experts is to perhaps transform the fashion economy into a circular one. A circular economy is one where waste is minimized by reusing and upcycling as well as leasing garments. Some have also advocated for an import ban of used clothing into Africa.



But the problem with that is it leaves millions of impoverished people in Africa’s most populous economy without the means to purchase affordable clothing. As it stands, Nigeria’s inflationary problems seem to have a long way to go before subsiding and the current President Bola Tinubu has his work cut out for him.



For people like Iddrisu, times are great and the boom in second-hand clothing is now birthing yet a new opportunity for her in the consumer electronics sector, in which she has opened a brand-new store in Ikeja, as well as provided employment to a further 10 individuals. It’s just another way that she has used the current economic climate to give herself and her employees a second chance at happiness and fulfilment.

Category: Entrepreneurs