Money before borders 💰
#210: Africa needs not unity but a union - Kwame Nkrumah
Hello Venturer,
Happy democracy week to all our Nigerian Venturers. This week was a powerful reminder of the strength that comes from unity. As we celebrate our nation's progress, it's important to remember the connections that bind us together. But progress isn't just about what happens within our borders, it's also about the connections we build across Africa. Currently, the number of intra-African migrants residing within the continent has passed 20.7 million, more than the combined total of 15 million migrants across the US, UK, Canada, and Europe, the top destinations for Africans leaving the continent.
This week we feature, Blaaiz, a startup that wants to ensure these intra-African connections stay intact. At its core, Blaaiz facilitates remittances, manages foreign accounts, and enables cross-border payments. However, they are building an ecosystem that transcends making intra-African remittances easier and faster. Find out how Blaaiz is achieving this in this week’s newsletter.
Suotunimi Orufa
Features Writer, Ventures Africa.
What’s new?
How Blaaiz is building an ecosystem for intra-African remittances
While many African fintechs struggle to scale, Blaaiz, a cross-border payment and remittance platform, is successfully capitalizing on a promising niche. Read more
How Margaret Prize winner, Damilola Aminat Adeyemi is looking to popularize clean cooking.
Damilola Aminat Adeyemi won this year’s Margaret Entrepreneur Africa winner. The narrative doesn’t end here. Ventures Africa recently sat with Adeyemi, to discuss her contribution to sustainable development in Nigeria and winning the Margaret Award. Read more.
Here are three big stories from Africa’s business and policy landscape you (probably) didn’t miss but should keep in mind this week:
Hotel industry to hit over half-a-trillion dollar value by 2028
Although it took three years for the hotel industry to fully recover after the COVID-19 hit, the entire market has picked up the pace of solid growth and is set to reach a new milestone in the following years. Read more.
Soft power - To attract, persuade, influence, and shape preferences through culture. Nigeria has effectively done this through entertainment. Our music, films, and content transcend borders, commanding global attention. As master storytellers, we leverage new technologies to amplify our cultural influence. Please read our latest magazine issue to learn more.
Our Weekly Collectibles
Many drivers in Nigeria who attempted to win health care still can’t afford treatment. Uncover how Bolt’s drive-to-win insurance scheme is putting drivers’ lives at risk
Find out how the city of Jos’s history of religious and ethnic violence is being addressed by its artistic communities in the songs of Jos
#VANUGGET
