Unlocking Africa

Hosted by Terser Adamu

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Episodes

230

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-GB

About the show

Terser Adamu, who is an Africa Business Strategist, International Trade Adviser, and Director at ETK Group, hosts the award-nominated Unlocking Africa Podcast. During each episode he shares his thoughts on how to unlock Africa’s economic potential in the 21st century. This is delivered through engaging and thought-provoking discussions with innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and business leaders who are unlocking Africa’s economic potential. Whether you're a business leader, an aspiring entrepreneur, have a comfortable side hustle, or want to take your business to the next level, each episode is jam-packed with information and insight that will enable you to take immediate action and implement key strategies to successfully launch and grow your business in Africa.

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June 15, 2026Episode 22947 min

The Grandmothers Helping Solve Africa's Mental Health Crisis with Esther Tumbare

Episode 229 with Esther Tumbare, Chief Executive Officer of Friendship Bench, a pioneering Zimbabwean organisation transforming access to mental healthcare through community based solutions that have reached hundreds of thousands of people and expanded across multiple countries.Esther leads Friendship Bench's efforts to scale one of Africa's most recognised healthcare innovations while working closely with governments, public health systems, and community health workers to make mental healthcare more accessible, affordable, and sustainable. In this episode, she shares how Friendship Bench is helping address Africa's mental health crisis by reimagining the delivery of mental healthcare in underserved communities.Drawing on Friendship Bench's experience integrating evidence based mental health services into primary healthcare systems, Esther explains how the organisation has built a scalable model that combines local trust, rigorous research, and community led support to bridge the mental health treatment gap. She discusses the economic impact of depression and anxiety, the relationship between mental health and productivity, and why investing in mental healthcare should be viewed as both a public health priority and an economic development opportunity.What We Discuss With EstherWhy Africa cannot unlock its economic potential without addressing mental health.How a grandmother on a wooden bench is helping solve one of healthcare's biggest workforce challenges.The hidden cost of untreated mental health on productivity, employment, and economic growth.Why government adoption, not donor funding, is the key to scaling social impact.What African innovators can learn from Friendship Bench's journey from local solution to global model.Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Can Financing Unlock Africa's EV Revolution Faster Than Technology? Make sure to check it out!Connect with Terser:LinkedIn - Terser AdamuInstagram - unlockingafricaTwitter (X) - @TerserAdamuConnect with EstherLinkedIn - Esther Tumbare and Friendship Bench ZimbabweMany of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:www.etkgroup.co.ukinfo@etkgroup.co.uk

June 8, 2026Episode 22844 min

Can Financing Unlock Africa's EV Revolution Faster Than Technology? with Nena Sanderson

Episode 228 with Nena Sanderson, Chief Product Officer and Managing Director of Mobility at M-KOPA, a leading African fintech and asset financing company helping millions of people access productive assets, digital financial services, and clean mobility solutions through innovative pay as you go financing.Nena leads product strategy across M-KOPA's business while also overseeing its rapidly growing mobility division, placing her at the centre of one of Africa's most significant transport and energy transitions. In this episode, she shares how M-KOPA is helping make electric mobility accessible to everyday riders through flexible financing models that align with local income realities.Drawing on M-KOPA's experience financing thousands of electric motorcycles in Kenya, Nena explains how affordable financing, supportive government policy, local manufacturing, battery infrastructure, and strategic partnerships are accelerating adoption. She discusses the economic and environmental impact of electrifying Africa's motorcycle sector, the lessons emerging from Kenya's rapidly evolving mobility market, and the opportunities and challenges involved in scaling electric transport across the continent.What We Discuss With NenaWhy no single company can win Africa's electric mobility race alone.The real reason riders are switching from petrol motorcycles to electric bikes.How Kenya became the blueprint for electric mobility adoption in Africa.Can financing unlock Africa's electric vehicle revolution faster than technology?Building the ecosystem needed to electrify transport across the continent.Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss The Battle for Africa's Financial Rails: Stablecoins, Regulators, Cross Border Payments and Trade? Make sure to check it out!Connect with Terser:LinkedIn - Terser AdamuInstagram - unlockingafricaTwitter (X) - @TerserAdamuConnect with Nena LinkedIn - Nena Sanderson and M-KOPAMany of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:www.etkgroup.co.ukinfo@etkgroup.co.uk

June 1, 2026Episode 22752 min

The Battle for Africa's Financial Rails: Stablecoins, Regulators, Cross Border Payments and Trade with Mimi Kufuor

Episode 227 with Mimi Kufuor, Global COO of KoinKoin, a digital assets exchange and financial infrastructure company focused on solving cross border liquidity and payment challenges across Africa and other emerging markets. Mimi oversees the company's global operations across multiple jurisdictions and works closely with regulators as digital asset frameworks continue to evolve. She also serves as a Strategic Advisor to the Chamber of Digital Assets and Blockchain Innovation in Ghana, contributing to policy development and industry alignment across the region.In this episode, we explore how Africa's financial infrastructure is evolving and why digital assets are increasingly being viewed as more than just investment vehicles. Mimi shares her perspective on the structural challenges that continue to hinder cross border trade and payments across the continent, and explains how emerging technologies such as stablecoins are creating new possibilities for moving value more efficiently between African markets.Drawing on KoinKoin's experience operating across multiple regulatory environments, Mimi discusses the realities of building compliant digital asset infrastructure while engaging directly with policymakers and regulators. She examines the opportunities created by Africa's evolving regulatory landscape, the challenges of balancing innovation with oversight, and the growing debate around the role of governments, central banks, and private operators in shaping the future of financial services.What We Discuss With MimiWhy Africa may have a unique opportunity to build new financial infrastructure rather than retrofit legacy banking systems.How stablecoins and digital assets are evolving from speculative assets into critical infrastructure for payments, liquidity, and trade.The race to regulate digital assets across Africa and whether fragmented national frameworks are slowing innovation and growth.The tension between dollar denominated stablecoins and Africa's ambitions for monetary sovereignty and financial independence.What needs to happen before 2030 to unlock a truly borderless financial system that supports trade and investment across the continent.Did you miss my previous episode where I discus The Untapped Trillion Dollar Opportunity in Africa’s Diaspora Economy? Make sure to check it out!Connect with Terser:LinkedIn - Terser AdamuInstagram - unlockingafricaTwitter (X) - @TerserAdamuConnect with MimiLinkedIn - Mimi Kufuor and KoinKoinMany of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:www.etkgroup.co.ukinfo@etkgroup.co.uk

May 25, 2026Episode 22645 min

The Untapped Trillion Dollar Opportunity in Africa’s Diaspora Economy with Nicholas Bassey

Episode 226 with Nicholas Bassey, Chief Operations and Program Officer at the African Diaspora Network (ADN), an organisation mobilising diaspora investment, entrepreneurship, innovation, and strategic partnerships to accelerate economic growth across Africa. Nicholas joins us to discuss the future of diaspora investment in Africa, how African entrepreneurs can access global capital, and why Africa’s biggest challenge may not be a lack of money, but a lack of investment infrastructure, trust, and coordination.In this episode, Nicholas explains how ADN is connecting African founders, investors, policymakers, and global African talent through initiatives such as the African Diaspora Investment Symposium (ADIS), one of the leading diaspora investment and innovation platforms focused on Africa. He shares how ADN has supported more than 160 entrepreneurs through mentorship, funding opportunities, and strategic partnerships, while building a global network of over 15,000 entrepreneurs, investors, innovators, and changemakers committed to Africa’s long term development.We explore the rapid growth of Africa’s technology ecosystem, including artificial intelligence, fintech, digital health, venture capital, and diaspora led investment vehicles. Nicholas breaks down why Silicon Valley is paying closer attention to Africa’s innovation economy, the rise of African startups attracting international investors, and how diaspora communities can move beyond remittances towards structured investment opportunities that create long term economic value across the continent.What We Discuss With NicholaWhy Africa’s biggest challenge may not be capital, but investment infrastructure, coordination, and trust.How diaspora capital can move beyond remittances into scalable investment opportunities across Africa.The future of African startups, venture capital, fintech, AI, and innovation ecosystems.What Silicon Valley investors still misunderstand about African entrepreneurship and business growth.How the African Diaspora Network is connecting entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and global African talent to shape Africa’s economic future.Did you miss my previous episode where I discus Why Hiring and Paying Employees in Africa Is Harder Than Most Companies Expect? Make sure to check it out!Connect with Terser:LinkedIn - Terser AdamuInstagram - unlockingafricaTwitter (X) - @TerserAdamuConnect with NicholasLinkedIn - Nicholas Bassey and African Diaspora NetworkMany of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:www.etkgroup.co.ukinfo@etkgroup.co.uk

May 18, 2026Episode 22536 min

Why Hiring and Paying Employees in Africa Is Harder Than Most Companies Expect with Ernestine Van Rappard

Episode 225 with Ernestine Van Rappard, CCO at Workpay, a Kenyan founded, Y Combinator backed payroll, HR, and Employer of Record platform helping companies hire, pay, and manage employees across Africa without setting up local entities. Ernestine joins us to unpack one of the biggest hidden barriers to doing business in Africa: compliant hiring, payroll, and workforce management across multiple African countries.In this episode, we explore how global companies are expanding into Africa faster by using Employer of Record (EOR) solutions to hire employees legally and compliantly without establishing subsidiaries. Ernestine explains why setting up entities across Africa can take months, the complexity of navigating labour laws and payroll regulations across different jurisdictions, and why payroll infrastructure is becoming a critical part of Africa’s digital economy.We also discuss the rise of remote work and distributed teams across Africa, the growing global demand for African talent, and why international businesses are increasingly looking towards African markets for both expansion and recruitment. Ernestine shares how Workpay evolved from a HR software platform into one of Africa’s leading payroll and EOR providers, now supporting companies hiring across multiple African markets.What We Discuss With ErnestineWhy hiring and payroll compliance remain major barriers to business expansion across Africa.How Employer of Record (EOR) services allow companies to hire in Africa without setting up local entities.The realities of managing payroll, tax, and labour law compliance across multiple African countries.Why global companies are increasingly hiring African talent and building distributed teams across the continent.How Workpay is helping businesses scale faster across Africa through payroll technology, HR management, and compliant workforce solutions.Did you miss my previous episode where I discus The Future of Ecommerce in Africa and Why Speed and Reliability Is Everything? Make sure to check it out!Connect with Terser:LinkedIn - Terser AdamuInstagram - unlockingafricaTwitter (X) - @TerserAdamuConnect with ErnestineLinkedIn - Ernestine Catz - van Rappard and WorkpayMany of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:www.etkgroup.co.ukinfo@etkgroup.co.uk

May 11, 2026Episode 22439 min

The Future of Ecommerce in Africa and Why Speed and Reliability Is Everything with Dima Rasnovsky

Episode 224 with Dima Rasnovsky, General Manager for Africa at Glovo, one of the world’s leading quick commerce and on demand delivery platforms transforming how consumers access food, groceries, retail products, and everyday essentials across cities. Dima leads Glovo’s growth and operations across African markets, helping drive the expansion of digital commerce, last mile delivery, and retail technology across some of the continent’s fastest growing economies.In this episode, we explore the future of ecommerce in Africa and how quick commerce is reshaping consumer behaviour across major urban centres including Lagos, Nairobi, Kampala, and Abidjan. Dima explains how rising smartphone adoption, mobile money, digital payments, and rapid urbanisation are accelerating the growth of on demand delivery and creating new opportunities for African retailers, restaurants, supermarkets, and small businesses.From ultra fast grocery delivery and digital retail infrastructure to logistics networks and last mile delivery systems, Dima shares how Glovo is building the technology and operational systems required to support the next generation of commerce in Africa. He discusses the rise of convenience driven consumer behaviour, why African consumers increasingly expect same day or instant delivery, and how local businesses are using digital platforms to expand their reach and compete in a changing retail environment.What We Discuss With DimaThe future of ecommerce and quick commerce across Africa.How Glovo is transforming food delivery, grocery delivery, and digital retail in African cities.Building last mile logistics and delivery infrastructure in Lagos, Nairobi, Kampala, and Abidjan.Helping neighbourhood stores, restaurants, and SMEs participate in the digital economy.Why mobile money, fintech, and digital payments are critical to Africa’s commerce ecosystem.Whether Africa could leapfrog traditional retail systems and shape the future of global commerce.Did you miss my previous episode where I discus The Nigerian Entrepreneur Building Africa’s Sports Economy Through Boxing, Events and Entertainment? Make sure to check it out!Connect with Terser:LinkedIn - Terser AdamuInstagram - unlockingafricaTwitter (X) - @TerserAdamuConnect with DimaLinkedIn - Dima Rasnovsky and GlovoMany of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:www.etkgroup.co.ukinfo@etkgroup.co.uk

May 4, 2026Episode 22327 min

The Nigerian Entrepreneur Building Africa’s Sports Economy Through Boxing, Events and Entertainment with Ezekiel Adamu

Episode 223 with Ezekiel Adamu, entrepreneur, change agent, and Group CEO of Balmoral Group, one of West Africa’s leading event and experiential companies. In this conversation, we explore how Africa can build globally competitive sports and entertainment industries that drive economic growth, create jobs, and position cities like Lagos as international event destinations.Ezekiel shares how his journey from the United Kingdom back to Nigeria shaped his ambition to bring structure, scale, and global standards into Africa’s events industry. Through Balmoral Group and platforms like Chaos in the Ring and Friday Fight Night, he is redefining sports entertainment in Africa by creating world class boxing events, building sustainable ecosystems for athletes, and attracting global attention to the continent.From delivering internationally broadcast boxing events to partnering with global stakeholders, he explains how Africa can shift from exporting talent to hosting major sporting events. We discuss the importance of structured systems, commercial strategy, and institutional quality platforms in unlocking investment and scaling Africa’s creative economy.We also explores the business of sport in Africa, including how events and entertainment act as economic multipliers across tourism, hospitality, media, and youth employment. Ezekiel shares insights on building premium experiences in emerging markets, overcoming early stage challenges, and why perception plays a critical role in attracting capital to African industries.What We Discuss With EzekielHow to build globally competitive sports industries in Africa and why structure matters more than talentHow Chaos in the Ring is positioning Lagos as a global boxing and sports destinationThe business of sports in Africa and how events drive tourism, jobs, and investmentThe realities of building premium event platforms in emerging marketsHow sport can unlock youth opportunity and long term economic growth across the continentDid you miss my previous episode where I discus Building Kenya’s Luxury Hospitality Industry, Nairobi’s Creative Economy, and the Future of Tourism? Make sure to check it out!Connect with Terser:LinkedIn - Terser AdamuInstagram - unlockingafricaTwitter (X) - @TerserAdamuConnect with Ezekiel LinkedIn - Balmoral GroupInstagram - eazy_adamuMany of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:www.etkgroup.co.ukinfo@etkgroup.co.uk

April 27, 2026Episode 22230 min

Building Kenya’s Luxury Hospitality Industry, Nairobi’s Creative Economy, and the Future of Tourism with Shamim Ehsani

Episode 222 with Shamim Ehsani, Co Founder of Tribe Hotels Group, a hospitality and lifestyle company redefining modern African luxury through the integration of culture, art, and experience led design. Shamim has built a portfolio that includes Tribe Hotel in Nairobi, Hero Bar, named The Best Bar in Africa, and the upcoming Tribe Beach House in Kilifi, while continuing a family legacy that has helped shape Kenya’s real estate, tourism, and food and beverage industry for over three decades.Shamim shares how the hospitality industry in Africa can function as economic infrastructure, shaping cities, driving employment, and influencing global perception of markets like Kenya. From launching a five star hotel in Nairobi’s diplomatic and commercial hub to embedding over 900 works of African art into a scalable business model, Shamim explains how culture, creativity, and local identity can be translated into commercially viable and globally competitive African businesses.We explore the rapid growth of Nairobi as a leading business, lifestyle, and tourism destination, and what the rise of food, nightlife, and the creative economy reveals about income growth, urbanisation, and shifting consumer behaviour across Africa. The conversation also unpacks how local supply chains, artists, and entrepreneurs play a critical role in building sustainable tourism value chains and long term economic development.Looking ahead, Shamim reflects on investment opportunities in Kenya’s coastline, the future of African tourism beyond safaris, and how to build Africa facing brands that compete globally without losing authenticity. This episode is a deep dive into the intersection of hospitality, investment, culture, and economic growth in Africa.What We Discuss With ShamimHospitality as economic infrastructure and its role in shaping cities, jobs, and global perception in Kenya.Why Nairobi’s rise as a food, culture, and lifestyle hub signals deeper shifts in income, urbanisation, and the tourism economy beyond safaris.Turning African art, culture, and identity into commercially viable, globally competitive businesses without losing authenticity.How nightlife, bars, and creative industries are driving tourism value chains and positioning Kenya on the global stage.Building Africa facing brands with global relevance and avoiding extractive tourism models as new destinations like the Kenyan coast emerge.Did you miss my previous episode where I discus Africa’s Payments Problem Is Not What You Think – Inside Mobile Money Infrastructure? Make sure to check it out!Connect with Terser:LinkedIn - Terser AdamuInstagram - unlockingafricaTwitter (X) - @TerserAdamuConnect with ShamimLinkedIn - Shamim EhsaniInstagram - tribehotelMany of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:www.etkgroup.co.ukinfo@etkgroup.co.uk

April 20, 2026Episode 22127 min

Building High Performance Teams, Drone Delivery Systems, and Healthcare Logistics with Juliet Oshagbemi

Episode 221 with Juliet Oshagbemi, Chief People and Culture Officer Africa at Zipline, a global leader in drone delivery, healthcare logistics and supply chain innovation. Zipline has been operating in Africa since 2016 and is now fully integrated into public health systems across Ghana, Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire, delivering blood, vaccines and essential medical supplies on demand at scale.Juliet brings more than 20 years of experience in human capital strategy and organisational development, with senior leadership roles at Dangote Group where she led talent management and learning across 13 countries, as well as earlier experience with the London Metropolitan Police Service.We discuss how to build high performing teams behind critical infrastructure in Africa, where logistics, healthcare delivery and technology intersect. Juliet explains how Zipline aligns people strategy with safety, operational excellence and scale, supporting millions of deliveries across complex and fast changing environments. From managing talent across multiple African markets to embedding a unified culture across different regulatory systems, she shares what it really takes to build organisations that can operate reliably at national scale.We also discuss Zipline’s role in transforming healthcare access across Africa, strengthening supply chains, reducing stockouts and improving outcomes in public health systems. Juliet reflects on why Zipline positions itself as core infrastructure rather than charity, and what that means for leadership, accountability and long term sustainability. She also shares insights on inclusive leadership, local talent development and how organisations can build resilient systems that deliver real impact.What We Discuss With JulietBuilding life saving infrastructure where failure is not an option and what that demands from people strategyDesigning teams and systems that can operate at national scale across multiple African markets with different realitiesWhy Zipline positions itself not as charity but as core infrastructure and what that means for leadership and accountabilityThe role of local talent, inclusion and culture in delivering high trust public health systemsWhat traditional African enterprises and emerging tech companies can learn from each other about scaling talent and building resilient institutionsDid you miss my previous episode where I discus Africa’s Payments Problem Is Not What You Think – Inside Mobile Money Infrastructure? Make sure to check it out!Connect with Terser:LinkedIn - Terser AdamuInstagram - unlockingafricaTwitter (X) - @TerserAdamuConnect with JulietLinkedIn - Juliet Oshagbemi and ZiplineMany of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:www.etkgroup.co.ukinfo@etkgroup.co.uk

April 13, 2026Episode 22039 min

Africa’s Payments Problem Is Not What You Think – Inside Mobile Money Infrastructure with Nikolai Barnwell

Episode 220 with Nikolai Barnwell, CEO of pawaPay, a leading pan African payments company building the financial rails that connect mobile money wallets across the continent and to the rest of the world. Nikolai brings over a decade of experience across mobile operating systems, business management, and digital infrastructure to this conversation about how money actually moves across Africa. In addition to leading pawaPay, he serves as a board member at 88mph.ac, an early stage investment fund supporting African startups, and Mdundo, a music streaming platform listed on Nasdaq First North in Copenhagen.In this episode, he shares how pawaPay is enabling businesses to access mobile money across 19 markets through a single integration, facilitating millions of transactions daily and settling billions in payments across Africa. From simplifying collections, disbursements and remittances to enabling real time visibility and consolidated treasury, Nikolai explains how pawaPay is reducing the friction that has historically limited scale across fragmented payment systems. He explores the deeper structural role of payments as economic infrastructure, not just a financial service, and why the ability to move money efficiently will define the next phase of Africa’s growth.What We Discuss With NikolaiMobile money as economic infrastructure and whether it can become the dominant settlement layer for African trade and commerceThe reality of cross border payments in Africa and what is slowing down scale from foreign exchange liquidity to regulation and fragmented systemsWhy aggregation remains critical and the hidden complexity of integrating across multiple mobile network operators at continental scaleRegulation as both a constraint and a competitive advantage in African fintech and how it is shaping the next phase of growthThe race to 2030 and what needs to happen for Africa to build interoperable payment rails that unlock intra African trade and capital flowsDid you miss my previous episode where I discuss How School Meals Can Transform Africa’s Economy: Agriculture, Jobs and Growth? Make sure to check it out!Connect with Terser:LinkedIn - Terser AdamuInstagram - unlockingafricaTwitter (X) - @TerserAdamuConnect with NikolaiLinkedIn - Nikolai Barnwell and PawaPayMany of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:www.etkgroup.co.ukinfo@etkgroup.co.uk