African Tech Roundup

Dec 05 2024 349 ep. 31 mins 486
African Tech Roundup Podcast artwork

Africa-focused technology, digital and innovation ecosystem insight and commentary.

  Technology
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Why Carbon CEO Chijioke Dozie Is Ditching Nigeria's Free Banking Playbook

Dec 05 2024 19 mins  
Meet Chijioke Dozie, the co-founder steering Carbon through Nigeria's increasingly noisy neobank scene. In this candid chat with Andile Masuku, Dozie makes a case for zigging while others zag—specifically, charging for value while competitors burn cash on free services. It's a stance that might raise eyebrows in Nigeria's price-sensitive market, but as you'll hear, it's backed

Ambar Van Der Wath Unpacks Baobab Network's $20K Toe-Dipping Investment Proposition

Nov 28 2024 15 mins  
Ambar van der Wath—who leads investor relations at one of Africa's leading accelerator slash VC firms, Baobab Network—discusses with Andile Masuku how the firm is creating accessible entry points for cautious investors interested in early-stage African tech startups. Episode Overview: Picture this: You're an international investor curious about African tech, but you're not qu

Koltronics Nigeria's Lanre Kolade and the inside story of Google's Equiano cable landing in Togo

Nov 21 2024 19 mins  
This episode features an illuminating dialogue with Lanre Kolade, Chairman of ConnectedCompute, CEO of Koltronics Nigeria and former CEO of CSquared, exploring the intricate dynamics of infrastructure development and digital transformation across Africa. Episode overview: Andile Masuku engages with Kolade to unpack his 26-year journey in African broadband connectivity, examining t

This Is Connectivity a la VC With Accion Venture Lab's Jasiel Martin-Odoom

Nov 14 2024 33 mins  
This episode features a candid conversation with Jasiel Martin-Odoom, Africa Investment Officer at Accion Venture Lab, exploring the intersection of venture capital and connectivity-focused content creation and ecosystem building in African tech. Episode overview: Andile Masuku sits down with Jasiel Martin-Odoom to unpack his unique approach to ecosystem engagement, scaling person

Victor Mapunga On Building From First Principles In Africa's 'Tech Graveyard'

Nov 07 2024 60 mins  
In a landscape where African tech startups often chase buzzwords and quick wins, some founders are taking a more fundamental approach to innovation. This episode explores how one Zimbabwean entrepreneur is building sustainable tech ventures by focusing on first principles. Episode overview: In this deeply candid conversation, Andile Masuku sits down with Victor Mapunga, the widely

Britam Director Shares Strategy on Modernising Insurance for Africa's Digital Age

Oct 31 2024 30 mins  
In a rapidly evolving financial services landscape, traditional African insurers are racing to modernise their operations and product offerings to meet changing consumer needs. This episode explores how one of East Africa's largest insurance providers is navigating this transformation. Episode overview: In this first instalment of a special two-part miniseries on digital transform

Safaricom Ethiopia's Network Chief on Building Network Infrastructure From Scratch

Oct 17 2024 18 mins  
In October 2022, Safaricom launched its telecommunications services in Ethiopia, marking a major milestone as the first private operator to enter the Ethiopian telecom market. This move broke the long-standing monopoly of state-owned Ethio Telecom and was seen by many as a significant step towards liberalising the country’s telecom sector. The company had officially been licens

Future in the Humanities EP 1/3: Touching Brains

Sep 25 2024 26 mins  
In the opening episode of the Future in the Humanities podcast mini-series, titled "Touching Brains", Wits University research collaborators Sahba Besharati and Victoria Williams let us in on their multidisciplinary exploration of the complex impact of COVID-19 on human interaction and touch. Featuring insights from various studies and discussions around the experiences of parent

Future in the Humanities EP 2/3: Everybody Gets a Conspiracy

Sep 25 2024 17 mins  
In this episode, Wits University media researchers Samuel Olaniran and Iginio Gagliardone guide an audio tour into the complex world of conspiracy theories in the era of social media and global crises. Drawing from multiple research findings and expert dialogues, Andile Masuku (host) grapples with the complex function of conspiracy theories in our society. Rather than dismissing t

Future in the Humanities EP 3/3: Slave Ride

Sep 25 2024 25 mins  
In the third and final episode of the Future in the Humanities podcast mini-series, titled "The Gig Economy's Hidden Costs", Wits social scientist and researcher Fikile Masikane guides an exploration of the complex realities facing gig workers in the Global South, particularly food courier riders in Africa. Featuring insights from a study conducted with Edward Webster, Andile Masu