African Professionals' Impact on Business Growth

What happens when African fund managers lead the investment strategy? In a recent CNBC Africa interview, DOROTHY NYAMBI, CEO of MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates) shared powerful insights into how the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund is reimagining what it means to put African capital in African hands. The Fund demonstrates that capital can be reimagined and redirected to serve African fund managers, entrepreneurs, and especially women, using a gender-lens and locally led investment model that: 1. Rethinks gender-lens investing • It’s not about ticking diversity boxes- it’s about empowering women with real agency to influence investment decisions and strategy. • The Fund emphasizes patience and local context, shaping investment approaches to suit real-world African realities rather than imposing external templates. 2. Builds local ecosystems • Local leadership matters. The Fund invests in and supports African and female-led managers, ensuring they are not just invited to the table- but leading it. • It enables fund managers to spearhead strategy and draw in other stakeholders, strengthening the investment ecosystem from within. 3. Focuses on returns “on inclusion” • The Fund measures more than financial returns. It prioritizes social impact, like job creation and economic empowerment. • The goal: dignified, sustainable employment, particularly for African youth, moving beyond short-term fixes. 4. Is intentional about youth and women inclusion • The Fund challenges outdated narratives that investing in women is riskier, instead proving the financial viability of women-led enterprises. • It applies a holistic, end-to-end gender lens, supporting women as entrepreneurs, fund managers, and drivers of growth across the value chain. Impact so far: • ~US$150 million deployed across 18 African-led investment vehicles • 49 SMEs supported in 12 countries • 2,500 full-time jobs created, with 1,100 held by women • 75% of supported vehicles are female-led • Honored with the DEI Award at AVCA’s 20th Anniversary Conference In essence, African-led, gender-smart capital flows are delivering equity and economic resilience. Fund managers and entrepreneurs are shaping outcomes with a clear focus on inclusion, impact, and sustainability. This is a transformative model where African and female-led fund managers are no longer just recipients of capital, but drivers of it, reshaping the investment landscape to deliver both financial returns and lasting, meaningful change across the continent. Watch the full interview: https://lnkd.in/d9SuiuSj #Africa #GenderLensInvesting #InclusiveCapital #ImpactInvesting #Leadership #YouthEmployment

This Nigerian founder built a B2B commerce infrastructure company that serves over 300,000 merchants across Africa. She raised $38 million in Series B funding, and her platform surpassed $1 billion in annualized Gross Merchandise Value (GMV). Meet, Anu Adedoyin Adasolum. The Builder. Anu is building the backbone of Africa’s informal trade economy. She’s not just creating a company; she’s creating systems that let small businesses thrive. Born in Nigeria, she grew up seeing the challenges small traders faced from cash flow struggles to managing inventory. From an early age, she was fascinated by systems: how they work, and how they can be fixed. She studied Economics & Politics at SOAS, University of London, then earned a Master’s in Management, Organizations & Governance from LSE. Her journey into entrepreneurship wasn’t accidental. She co-founded Sabi, a platform that empowers small retailers with: 1. Inventory management 2. Payment solutions 3. Logistics support 4. Working capital access Scaling across Africa wasn’t easy. Fragmented markets, unreliable infrastructure, and limited data made every step a challenge. But Anu stayed the course. Her team innovated relentlessly. They built solutions tailored to real problems not just attractive products. Today, Sabi is a game-changer for informal commerce: 1. $1B+ annualized GMV 2. 300,000+ merchants served 3. $38M raised in Series B funding Anu’s work isn’t just business. It’s about enabling Africa’s small businesses to grow sustainably. It’s about building systems where none existed before. Her story reminds us: the real impact is in solving the problems that others overlook. What are your thoughts on Anu’s story?

Rejection of African Talent in the UAE — A Costly Mistake by Many Hiring Managers I’ve personally recommended and successfully placed over 100 African professionals in senior roles across the UAE. Yet, over 90 of them were rejected immediately after I shared their profiles. Why? Not because they weren’t qualified. In fact, most of them were overqualified. I had to go the extra mile—convincing hiring managers to just give them a chance. Sometimes, I even had to bet on them, promising they’d be a perfect fit if only given an interview. And guess what? They got selected. They performed. A few months in, the same hiring managers came back asking me: “Can you recommend more like them?” “What is it about you people that makes everyone love working with them?” One manager even asked: “Is there something special about your nationality? Everyone I’ve hired from your country is tough!” My answer? It’s not just my country. That’s Africa. Many African economies didn’t invest much in practical, hands-on training. Our education systems are theory-heavy, with very little follow-up. So, we grow up figuring things out on our own. That’s where our resilience, adaptability, and resourcefulness come from. We’ve been wired to survive, to self-train, and to rise above challenges—long before entering the workforce. Put us in tough conditions? We’ll figure it out. Drop us in a new job? Give us a week—we’ll deliver like we’ve been there for years. Yes, there are gaps. Our systems don’t always teach soft skills like communication or emotional intelligence. But that’s where a good workplace culture and mentorship come in. If you have the right training programs and work culture—hire them. They’ll bring technical strength, a strong work ethic, and unmatched adaptability. Rejecting them by default? That’s not just bias—it’s a missed opportunity.

Let us look at business models evolving out of Nigeria where the economic landscape is in constant flux, and companies must innovate to remain relevant and competitive. Nigeria is a nation blessed with a vibrant youth demographic and ever-expanding pool of English-speaking graduates. The implication is that we have latent “talent gold” and that means we must transcend the traditional export of raw materials and physical products to embrace the burgeoning market of talent export. This is not merely an economic strategy; it is a profound societal transformation when you see the demographic changes in America and Europe. The case study today is All Talentz which has demonstrated a viable pathway for equipping Nigerian teams for the demands of global markets and, in so doing, transforming hundreds of lives. Their model is elegantly simple yet powerfully effective: they bridge the geographical divide, connecting global businesses with high-calibre remote talent from Nigeria. What they have done, fundamentally, is to de-risk the outsourcing equation for international clients. By handling the intricacies of employment – from payroll and benefits to overhead costs – All Talentz allows companies to tap into a skilled workforce, reportedly saving up to 70% on staffing expenses, without the typical administrative burdens. Their commitment to quality, underscored by a 30-day replacement guarantee, ensures that the talent deployed is not just affordable but also proficient and aligned with client needs. For global companies, the strategic opportunities in outsourcing to and partnering with Nigerian talent are immense and, frankly, under-tapped. Beyond the compelling cost savings, there is access to a diverse, adaptable, and highly motivated workforce. Nigeria's status as a major English-speaking nation, coupled with its large and youthful population, presents a unique demographic dividend. This enables the seamless integration of Nigerian professionals into global remote teams, fostering diverse perspectives and enhancing innovation. Good People, the journey of All Talentz is more than a business success story; it is a template for national economic diversification and empowerment. By strategically leveraging Nigeria's human capital, we can build formidable global remote talent communities. This paradigm shift, from exporting commodities to exporting competence, holds the key to transforming countless lives, creating sustainable wealth, and firmly positioning Nigeria as a critical hub in the global digital economy.  At Tekedia Institute, we study business models, and All Talentz, with hundreds of young people working across Nigeria for companies in US and Europe, has shown that markets exist outside Nigeria, for Nigerian talent. Indeed, what can the Nigerian talented young people do for the world?

The numbers don't lie: • 1.4 billion people • 60% under age 25 • Fastest-growing middle class globally • Highest rate of entrepreneurship in the world • Quickest technology adoption rate Yet I still walk into rooms where investors view African startups as "impact investments" rather than what they really are: massive commercial opportunities. Let me share something from our portfolio: One of our fintech companies processed more transactions in Nigeria last month than most European startups do in a quarter. They're not solving problems for charity - they're building a billion-dollar business. This is what people miss about Africa: We're not playing catch-up. We're leapfrogging. While others debate web3, African founders are already building the future of finance, commerce, and tech. The next decade belongs to builders who see Africa clearly: Not as a charity case. Not as a "frontier market." But as the biggest business opportunity of our lifetime. Are you paying attention yet? #AfricanTech #VentureCapital #Innovation #FutureOfTech