Madam President👩🦰
#151: ... If you educate a woman, you educate a nation.
Hello Venturer,
On March 8, during the last International Women's Day, there was a global call for gender equality. Women, along with the men who support them, participated in the #EmbraceEquality campaign on social media, emphasizing the message by tightly hugging their bodies. Unfortunately, this message has been ignored for centuries.
In light of this, it is crucial for Africa's male-dominated governments to prioritize gender parity now more than ever. It is evident from history that women in leadership roles have proven to be highly effective. Therefore, it is imperative that more women are given a seat at the table where critical decisions are made.
A compelling example is Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan. President Hassan is implementing strategic investment measures to revive Tanzania’s economy. Just two years under her administration, more than 150,000 Tanzanians have secured employment in over 100 local firms. This week, we discuss how President Hassan is building a stronger economy for Tanzania.
Ishioma Imokhia-Bello
Ventures Africa
Building a Stronger Tanzania: President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s strategic investment moves
President Samia Suluhu Hassan is implementing strategic investment measures to revive Tanzania’s economy. Her efforts to improve the business and investment climate have led to increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), especially in the mining and hydrocarbon industries. Read more.
Why African fintechs are struggling with virtual dollar cards
A curious tale is unfolding in Nigeria’s fintech scene. It all began on an eventful Friday, April 28, 2023, when Payday, a well-known startup offering virtual card services, sent out an email to its users. The message carried a mix of reassurance and caution, informing customers of upcoming changes to their card services. Meanwhile, Chipper Cash, another prominent player in the Nigerian fintech arena, is making a similar move. Read more.
My Pivot Journal: How Akpapka Aghogho reconnected with her childhood passion through data analysis
Akpapka Aghogho and her circle of friends were raised in an oil-rich state in Nigeria, where their collective aspiration was to work for big oil corporations like Exxon Mobil or Shell. Their conviction dictated that Engineering was the definitive path, thus they honed their calculation skills and excelled in Mathematics. However, fate had a different plan in store for Aghogho. Read her pivot journal here.
Zimbabwe is up for economic growth with the latest Helium gas discovery.
Invictus Energy, an A-listed company from Australia has recently confirmed the presence of light oil, gas condensate, and helium at its Cabora Bassa project in Zimbabwe. The company has provided assurances that helium gas is present in commercially viable concentrations, comparable to helium-producing fields around the world. Read more.
Weekly Economic Index: Nigeria’s debt reduction plan, a new blockchain policy, and Kenya’s crypto tax.
Last week, Nigeria agreed to convert $4.9 billion of debt owed to the central bank into bonds as part of its plan to reduce the country’s debt burden. The move is expected to free up funds for infrastructure investment and help lower the government’s borrowing costs. Meanwhile, Kenya is making plans to implement a 3% tax on digital assets revenue. Read more.
Twitter Space
Nigerian tech workers are struggling to find new jobs after being laid off due to the global tech downturn. The flood of talent in the job market and Nigeria's precarious economy have made it difficult for people to find new roles, forcing many to adjust to lower-paying jobs and make painful lifestyle changes. Nigeria's startup ecosystem has also slowed down, with venture funding decline of $886 million in 2021 and $563 million in 2022. Despite the increasing demand for tech talent, there are limited jobs available, leaving many unemployed. Tech training academies like AltSchool Africa are churning out thousands of graduates, along with other universities, but the job market remains tight.
Join us on May 31st, at 4 pm WAT, @Ventures Africa's Twitter Space to discuss “Navigating Nigeria's Job Market"
Holiday Jollof
Read our special holiday issue on the events, businesses, people, and policies that impacted Africa in 2022. Read here.
Our weekly collectibles
How did you decide to have/not have kids? Find out what other people have to say about parenting.
Uncover the transatlantic slave trade route from West Africa to the US, Brazil, and the Caribbean in Bigger than Africa. What have you heard about Nigeria?
Follow Matt Lakeman, as he spends 12 days in Nigeria taking Notes on Nigeria.
In some Indian cities, monkeys and humans are fighting for space. Find out what's going down in this unlikely war in Troops.
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