"You cannot entrepreneur your way out of dysfunction." Join me in my conversation on this episode with Nigerian tech entrepreneur, investor, and thought leader in the African tech ecosystem, Victor Asemota. We discuss new developments in tech and their implications for the future of the continent. Victor emphasizes the need for African entrepreneurs and policymakers to think bigger, address fundamental issues, and build sustainable models. He sees major opportunities in areas like healthcare, but stresses the importance of understanding local needs and sharing knowledge to avoid repeating past mistakes.
Episode Show Notes
Title: African Innovators going beyond 'Coping' and 'Hoping'
Guest: Victor Asemota - Nigerian tech entrepreneur, investor, and thought leader in the African tech ecosystem
Key topical areas we touch on:
1. Victor's journey into tech and entrepreneurship
2. The state of tech innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa
3. Challenges and opportunities in the African tech ecosystem
4. The role of investors and investment in African startups
5. Data, knowledge sharing, and building on past innovations
6. Healthcare innovation opportunities in Africa
7. Education, skills development, and tech in Africa
Key highlights:
- Many African tech innovations are "workarounds" rather than addressing fundamental issues
- There's a need to rethink sustainable business models and what innovation actually means for Africa
- Government policies and infrastructure are still critical for entrepreneurship to thrive
- Education, especially of women, has been key to building Ghana's resilient middle class, there's a lesson there for other African countries
- EdTech in Africa often focuses on the wrong problems instead of addressing core issues like teacher quality
- Healthcare and preventive health tech represent major untapped opportunities in Africa
- There's a lack of data gathering and knowledge sharing between African startups and innovators
- Academia in Africa often serves foreign interests rather than local needs
About Victor Asemota: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asemota/?originalSubdomain=gh
Host: Nachula Wilson
Sound Editor: Cyril Kuornoo