Valerie Eguavoen’s Post

📢 As I conclude my one-year fellowship at Search for Common Ground, I want to reflect on the diverse experiences and contributions I made during this time. In my role as a Global Policy Fellow, I worked on various thematic and geographic areas, including digital peacebuilding, urban violence, youth and women in peace and security, natural resources and human rights, and atrocity prevention. My work encompassed critical issues across Africa, particularly in the Sahel, Nigeria, DRC, CAR, and Sudan, as well as the Middle East. 💡 A significant accomplishment during my fellowship was conducting in-depth research on the potential of prosocial financial technology (fintech) in Nigeria. I am pleased to share my report, which examines the expansion of fintech initiatives and how they can contribute to Nigerian social cohesion and enhance community trust by adopting a conflict-sensitive approach that fosters interactions and collaboration among diverse communities. The report provides specific and actionable recommendations for the Nigerian government, tech entrepreneurs, and investors to harness Nigeria's potential of fintech for social cohesion. 📱This fellowship has been instrumental in shaping my career trajectory. Moving forward, I will be pursuing further education in international development, concentrating on economics and technology. My goal is to continue promoting tech for good and exploring its potential for sustainable development. The full report is available here: https://lnkd.in/eesjeA_8 I welcome any thoughts or discussions on this crucial topic as we work towards leveraging technology for a more cohesive and resilient future! #FinTechForGood #DigitalPeacebuilding #SocialCohesion #TechForDevelopment

The integration of Africa's technological systems with the rest of the world is a pertinent topic. This is evident in the growing wave of digitalisation sweeping across the region. Like it or not, Africa is not an island hence the continent's digital economy is closely intertwined with the global ecosystem. Yet, beneath the surface of this seemingly seamless integration lies a crucial question begging for exploration: What critical inquiries are we neglecting in our quest to align Africa's digital economy with the global ecosystem, and how might addressing these queries profoundly shape the continent's technological trajectory? Is there a reason why certain African nations, esteemed as top players within the continent, find themselves conspicuously sidelined on prominent global digital transaction platforms? What impediments lie at the heart of this disparity? Is it an issue of insufficient infrastructure in Africa, a mere mindset dilemma on the part of these global entities, or perhaps a combination of both? During the "International Technology Panel" which Derrydean Dadzie had the privilege to moderate at the recent 3i Africa Summit, the Co-Founder and President of Chipper Cash, Maijid Moujaled shared insights on the perception of these global entities and the critical question we need to answer for Africa's integration with global systems. What do you also think? #3iafricasummit2024 #3iafricasummit #fintech #innovation #impact #investment #accra #ghana #africa #heritorslabs #linkedin

Thinking about investing in Africa? Here's a few reasons why now is the perfect time: 1. Booming Youth Population: Africa boasts the world's youngest demographic, creating a massive consumer base and skilled workforce. 2. Tech on the Rise: Rapid internet and mobile adoption fuels tech innovation across various sectors, from FinTech to AgriTech. 3. Entrepreneurial Spirit: Thriving tech ecosystems support innovative startups tackling local challenges with global solutions. 4. Beyond FinTech: Africa's tech revolution goes beyond FinTech, offering a diverse landscape of investment opportunities. 5. Untapped Potential: Unique market opportunities await investors who can recognise and capitalise on Africa's specific needs. 6. Government Support: Many African governments are actively creating policies that encourage and support foreign investment. Africa is brimming with potential. Are you ready to be a part of its growth story? #africarising #investmentopportunity

#Day30 The future of investment in Africa: challenges and opportunities Africa is at a pivotal moment for investment, where unique challenges intersect with unprecedented opportunities. With the continent’s 55 countries, each possessing distinct political, economic, and cultural landscapes, investors must navigate a complex environment. However, the growing economies, young population, and expanding digital infrastructure across Africa are attracting increasing interest. Understanding both the obstacles and possibilities in each specific context is essential for creating impactful, sustainable investments. 👉#Challenges: Africa faces several investment challenges that demand adaptation and local expertise. Political instability in certain regions, regulatory uncertainty, and infrastructure gaps can hinder projects and raise the cost of doing business. Moreover, currency volatility and limited access to skilled labor in emerging industries add complexity for foreign investors. Because the challenges encountered in one country may differ significantly from those in another, it is vital for investors to leverage local knowledge. By forming partnerships with local companies and governments, they can deepen their market understanding and align their initiatives with regional needs. 👉 #Opportunities in key sectors: Despite these challenges, opportunities abound in sectors such as renewable energy, agriculture, healthcare, and digital finance. For example, Africa’s need for energy solutions has spurred a green tech revolution, with investments in solar, wind, and off-grid power systems growing at record rates. Agriculture also presents vast potential, with innovative approaches in agritech helping to improve crop yields, food security, and supply chain resilience. Additionally, the continent’s fintech sector is booming, with companies pioneering mobile money solutions that are expanding financial inclusion and transforming economies. 👉 #Role of technology and youth: Africa has the youngest population in the world, a demographic asset fueling innovation. Young entrepreneurs are leveraging technology to build solutions that address local problems, from mobile health apps to e-commerce platforms. Investments in tech hubs and incubators across Africa are supporting this wave of innovation, making it a fertile ground for venture capital and private equity looking to back transformative startups. 📒 For investors, Africa offers unparalleled growth opportunities, but success depends on adaptability, cultural insight, and commitment to local development. By focusing on Africa’s high-potential sectors and fostering homegrown talent, investors can drive both profit and positive change in one of the world’s most dynamic regions.📒#FutureOfInvestment #Africa #ChallengesAndOpportunities #SustainableDevelopment #EmergingMarkets #LocalPartnerships

#Innovation : Optimistic outlook despite the challenges: Summary of the Africa Tech Summit 2024 🌍 The founder and director of the Africa Tech Summit, Andrew Fassnidge, organized the sixth edition of the annual convention in Nairobi on 14 and 15 February. Despite a drop in funding for #African start-ups in 2023, #Fassnidge remains optimistic, comparing the situation to the bursting of the internet bubble in the United States. He attributes the current difficulties in the African #tech #ecosystem to US interest rates and the depreciation of local currencies, but remains confident in the sector's ability to bounce back, pointing to continued strong investor interest. 📈 The record participation of more than 140 investor companies at the 2024 edition of the summit bears witness to this confidence in the growth potential of the African technology market. 💬 Interested in the future of technology investment in Africa ? Please contact us, we will be glad to guide you in terms of investment and advisory. 📩 info@hamilcarcapital.com #Advisory #Investment #research #HamilcarCapital #Economy #Africa #AfricaTechSummit2024 #AndrewFassnidge #Nairobi #Technology #Market

As Africa continues to evolve as a hub of innovation and economic opportunity, the potential for ecosystem-led growth is unparalleled. This transformation is not just about individual businesses thriving but about interconnected sectors and industries creating a robust, self-sustaining economic landscape. In an ecosystem-led growth model, businesses, governments, and other stakeholders collaborate to create a network that fosters innovation, efficiency, and scalability. To truly capitalize on Africa's potential, a unified vision where public and private sectors collaborate is essential. Governments can create favorable policies and infrastructure, while private equity firms and businesses drive innovation and market expansion. Several success stories across the continent highlight the power of this approach: Fintech Revolution: African fintech startups have disrupted traditional banking, improving financial inclusion. Agricultural Innovations: Ecosystem-led initiatives have modernized agriculture, increasing productivity and sustainability. Healthcare Advancements: Collaboration between governments, private equity, and tech companies has enhanced healthcare delivery. As we look to the future, the integration of ecosystem-led growth with strategic investments from private equity firms can unlock unprecedented opportunities for the continent. Together, we can drive a wave of prosperity that benefits all. 🚀 Join the conversation! How do you see ecosystem-led growth transforming Africa? What role do you think private equity firms will play in this journey? Share your thoughts below! #AfricaRising #EcosystemGrowth #PrivateEquity #Innovation #SustainableDevelopment #EconomicGrowth

Why Africa Is on a Positive Growth Trajectory. 👉 Africa is experiencing a transformative era characterized by robust economic development, technological advancement, and a burgeoning creative industry. 👉 Many African countries are now experiencing rapid economic expansion, driven by a combination of factors including improved governance, increased foreign direct investment, and a growing middle class. 👉 Rapid adoption of mobile technology has transformed the continent, providing unprecedented access to financial services through mobile money platforms like M-Pesa, improving healthcare delivery, and enhancing agricultural productivity. Learn more 👉 https://cutt.ly/XwVcfrwg #Africa #growth #technology #creativity #economy #investment

## Africa: The Investment Frontier You Can't Ignore Africa is experiencing a growth surge, driven by innovation, a booming population, and vast resource wealth. For investors, this translates to exciting opportunities across all sectors. Here's why Africa should be on your radar. * **High-Return Potential:** African economies are growing faster than anywhere else in the world. This translates to strong returns for investors willing to embrace the opportunities. * **Diverse Landscape:** There's something for everyone. From tech startups in Kenya to infrastructure projects in Nigeria, Africa offers a wide range of investment options. * **Untapped Potential:** A young and growing population creates a massive consumer base, ripe for investment in retail, consumer goods, and entertainment. **Considering dipping your toes in? Here are some resources to get you started:** * **Prosper Africa:** U.S. government initiative supporting investment in Africa [https://lnkd.in/gDscqE3k) * **Invest Africa:** Pan-African platform connecting businesses and investors [https://lnkd.in/g2_n65Zs) * **Investopedia:** Guide to investing in Africa's emerging markets [https://lnkd.in/g_Wr_Mbh) **#Africa #Investment #EmergingMarkets #Opportunity** **Let's discuss the future of African investment in the comments!**

I recently had the honor of being invited to speak at 3i Africa Summit to represent Cambridge SupTech Lab in discussing "Africa’s Technology Integration with Global Systems" with my fellow panelists Lebo, Maijid, and Michael. Together, through the lens of Derrydean's expert moderation, we examined Africa's rapidly evolving tech and financial sectors, opportunities and challenges for interoperability and investment, and strategies to boost Africa's role in the global digital landscape. I'll share more in the coming days about the wonderful overall Summit experience. For now, my part in this panel focused on the potential for financial authorities' voices and actions to play a role in the integration of Africa's financial systems across the continent and globe. Namely: 🚀 The marketplace of payments and financial service providers working together with #DigitalPublicInfrastructure will undoubtedly produce the technical innovations required for efficient and effective payments 👥 Beyond that technical functionality and commercial viability, it's imperative to also consider inclusivity and trust, both for consumers as well as other stakeholders like financial authorities. Technical integrations necessarily imply process and even cultural integrations. 🗣 Studies on consumer perception of inclusiveness factors [1] have shown reliability (trust + security + recourse) to be at the top of the list, followed by value, accessibility, and affordability in order of priority. 🏦 Financial authorities – and in particular their supervisory functions – play a key role in fostering that reliability. For example, the mandate of prudential supervision focuses on economic stability, while consumer protection and market conduct supervision serve to engender trust and provide recourse mechanisms. 💻 The digital transformation of current payments processes will produce additional data that can integrate with #suptech solutions to empower supervisors in these areas to monitor and enforce such reliability 🤓 All of this will benefit from capacity building [2] to develop a baseline level of tech and data competenecy for financial authorities and industry, offering common taxonomies and technological ingredients through which to foster collaboration Excited to have been a part of this conversation that spawned many chats since – and very eager continue the convo well beyond the formal 3i Africa event! #3iAfricaSummit #3iAfricaSummit2024 #AfricaTech #GlobalSystems #DigitalEconomy #SocioeconomicDevelopment Kwame Oppong Bank of Ghana Development Bank Ghana Emmanuel Kpikpi Juliet Ongwae, PhD Elevandi Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, Cambridge Judge Business School [1] e.g., work led by Shirley Mburu and I at BFA Global https://lnkd.in/euiR3xuX [2] e.g., the Cambridge SupTech Lab's Innovation Leadership offerings here: https://lnkd.in/ehqYDHU3

What Role Does Policy Play in Moving Africa's Tech Landscape Towards Global Competitiveness? A pivotal avenue for Africa's ascent to prominence in the global technology sphere lies in the realm of policy development. Across the continent, policymakers hold the reins to drive strategic interventions, narrowing the chasm that impedes Africa's seamless integration into global systems and propelling it towards a position of competitiveness. Take a breather to imagine a continent where thoroughly crafted inclusive, robust and responsive regulations empower both nascent startups and established tech giants to innovate with audacity. Envision a landscape where localised solutions are engineered to uplift marginalised communities and bolster the informal sector, turning unique challenges into fertile ground for revolutionary advancements. This is the trajectory we must chart as a collective. During the dynamic "International Technology Panel" I had the privilege to moderate at the recent 3i Africa Summit, a pivotal inquiry directed to Matt Grasser, Co-Founder and Co-Head of Cambridge SupTech Lab, was: "How can Africa's policymakers and regulators collaborate to harmonise and streamline regulations, for a unified digital marketplace?" Derek B. Laryea Samuel Tettey Amanor Papa Arkhurst Clara Arthur Ophelia Ama Oni Fintech Association Of Kenya Ghana Fintech and Payments Association Martin Kwame Awagah 🇬🇭🌍 Cristina Swan-Awagah (MBA, BSc.) Kwame Oppong Bank of Ghana Development Bank Ghana Anita Erskine, MCM Matt Grasser Michael Wallis-Brown Lebo Mokgabudi 🌍 (MBA) Adoma Owusu Ali Hussein Kassim Hicham El Achgar stephen moore Maijid Moujaled #3iafricasummit2024 #3iafricasummit #fintech #innovation #impact