Unlocking Africa

Terser Adamu
  • 5.0 (14)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
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Terser Adamu, who is an Africa Business Strategist, International Trade Adviser, and Director at ETK Group, hosts the award-nominated Unlocking Africa Podcast. During each episode he shares his thoughts on how to unlock Africa’s economic potential in the 21st century. This is delivered through engaging and thought-provoking discussions with innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and business leaders who are unlocking Africa’s economic potential. Whether you're a business leader, an aspiring entrepreneur, have a comfortable side hustle, or want to take your business to the next level, each episode is jam-packed with information and insight that will enable you to take immediate action and implement key strategies to successfully launch and grow your business in Africa.

  1. 21H AGO

    Building High Performance Teams, Drone Delivery Systems, and Healthcare Logistics with Juliet Oshagbemi

    Episode 221 with Juliet Oshagbemi, Chief People and Culture Officer Africa at Zipline, a global leader in drone delivery, healthcare logistics and supply chain innovation. Zipline has been operating in Africa since 2016 and is now fully integrated into public health systems across Ghana, Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire, delivering blood, vaccines and essential medical supplies on demand at scale. Juliet brings more than 20 years of experience in human capital strategy and organisational development, with senior leadership roles at Dangote Group where she led talent management and learning across 13 countries, as well as earlier experience with the London Metropolitan Police Service. We discuss how to build high performing teams behind critical infrastructure in Africa, where logistics, healthcare delivery and technology intersect. Juliet explains how Zipline aligns people strategy with safety, operational excellence and scale, supporting millions of deliveries across complex and fast changing environments. From managing talent across multiple African markets to embedding a unified culture across different regulatory systems, she shares what it really takes to build organisations that can operate reliably at national scale. We also discuss Zipline’s role in transforming healthcare access across Africa, strengthening supply chains, reducing stockouts and improving outcomes in public health systems. Juliet reflects on why Zipline positions itself as core infrastructure rather than charity, and what that means for leadership, accountability and long term sustainability. She also shares insights on inclusive leadership, local talent development and how organisations can build resilient systems that deliver real impact. What We Discuss With Juliet Building life saving infrastructure where failure is not an option and what that demands from people strategyDesigning teams and systems that can operate at national scale across multiple African markets with different realitiesWhy Zipline positions itself not as charity but as core infrastructure and what that means for leadership and accountabilityThe role of local talent, inclusion and culture in delivering high trust public health systemsWhat traditional African enterprises and emerging tech companies can learn from each other about scaling talent and building resilient institutionsDid you miss my previous episode where I discus Africa’s Payments Problem Is Not What You Think – Inside Mobile Money Infrastructure? Make sure to check it out! Connect with Terser: LinkedIn - Terser Adamu Instagram - unlockingafrica Twitter (X) - @TerserAdamu Connect with Juliet LinkedIn - Juliet Oshagbemi and Zipline Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group: www.etkgroup.co.uk info@etkgroup.co.uk

    28 min

  2. APR 13

    Africa’s Payments Problem Is Not What You Think – Inside Mobile Money Infrastructure with Nikolai Barnwell

    Episode 220 with Nikolai Barnwell, CEO of pawaPay, a leading pan African payments company building the financial rails that connect mobile money wallets across the continent and to the rest of the world.  Nikolai brings over a decade of experience across mobile operating systems, business management, and digital infrastructure to this conversation about how money actually moves across Africa. In addition to leading pawaPay, he serves as a board member at 88mph.ac, an early stage investment fund supporting African startups, and Mdundo, a music streaming platform listed on Nasdaq First North in Copenhagen. In this episode, he shares how pawaPay is enabling businesses to access mobile money across 19 markets through a single integration, facilitating millions of transactions daily and settling billions in payments across Africa. From simplifying collections, disbursements and remittances to enabling real time visibility and consolidated treasury, Nikolai explains how pawaPay is reducing the friction that has historically limited scale across fragmented payment systems.  He explores the deeper structural role of payments as economic infrastructure, not just a financial service, and why the ability to move money efficiently will define the next phase of Africa’s growth. What We Discuss With Nikolai Mobile money as economic infrastructure and whether it can become the dominant settlement layer for African trade and commerceThe reality of cross border payments in Africa and what is slowing down scale from foreign exchange liquidity to regulation and fragmented systemsWhy aggregation remains critical and the hidden complexity of integrating across multiple mobile network operators at continental scaleRegulation as both a constraint and a competitive advantage in African fintech and how it is shaping the next phase of growthThe race to 2030 and what needs to happen for Africa to build interoperable payment rails that unlock intra African trade and capital flowsDid you miss my previous episode where I discuss How School Meals Can Transform Africa’s Economy: Agriculture, Jobs and Growth? Make sure to check it out! Connect with Terser: LinkedIn - Terser Adamu Instagram - unlockingafrica Twitter (X) - @TerserAdamu Connect with Nikolai LinkedIn - Nikolai Barnwell and PawaPay Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group: www.etkgroup.co.uk info@etkgroup.co.uk

    40 min

  3. APR 6

    How School Meals Can Transform Africa’s Economy: Agriculture, Jobs and Growth with Mehrdad Ehsani

    Episode 219 with Mehrdad Ehsani, Vice President for Africa at The Rockefeller Foundation, a global institution working at the intersection of food systems, economic development, and climate resilience to improve livelihoods around the world. Mehrdad leads the Foundation’s work across Africa, focusing on building scalable systems that drive long term economic growth, agricultural transformation, and human capital development. In this episode, we explore the launch of the US$80 million School Meals Accelerator, developed in partnership with the World Food Programme, the German Government, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation. This initiative aims to help governments reach an additional 100 million children with nutritious school meals, while strengthening national food systems, supporting local agriculture, and improving education outcomes. Mehrdad breaks down why school meals are rapidly emerging as one of the most powerful and overlooked economic tools in Africa. From creating stable demand for smallholder farmers to unlocking rural market growth and strengthening domestic value chains, he explains how school feeding programmes can move beyond social support and become a core driver of economic transformation. We also examine how governments can integrate school meals into national development strategies, the shift from donor led models to country led systems, and how this approach is reshaping the future of international development. What We Discuss With Mehrdad Why school meals are becoming a powerful driver of economic growth, agricultural productivity, and human capital development in AfricaHow school feeding programmes can evolve into national economic infrastructure that supports food systems, labour productivity, and long term competitivenessThe shift from donor led development to country led systems and what this means for governments, investors, and development partnersHow school meals can be used to build climate resilient food systems and strengthen local agricultural value chainsWhy policymakers, investors, and business leaders should view school meals as a strategic economic lever rather than a social programmeDid you miss my previous episode where I discuss How Crypto and Regulation Are Reshaping Africa’s Financial System: Payments, Remittances and Digital Assets? Make sure to check it out! Connect with Terser: LinkedIn - Terser Adamu Instagram - unlockingafrica Twitter (X) - @TerserAdamu Connect with Mehrdad: LinkedIn - Mehrdad Ehsani or The Rockefeller Foundation Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group: www.etkgroup.co.uk info@etkgroup.co.uk

    40 min

  4. MAR 30

    How Crypto and Regulation Are Reshaping Africa’s Financial System: Payments, Remittances and Digital Assets with Ayotunde Alabi

    Episode 218 with Ayotunde Alabi, CEO of Luno Nigeria, one of Africa’s leading cryptocurrency platforms. Ayotunde brings over a decade of experience across finance and technology, with leadership roles at Spektra, ARM HoldCo, FBNQuest and Heritage Bank. As a SEC Sponsored Individual with certifications from the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers in Nigeria and the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment in the United Kingdom, he sits at the intersection of traditional finance, fintech, and digital assets. In this episode, we explore how cryptocurrency, fintech, and regulation are transforming Africa’s financial system in 2026. With new tax regimes, increased regulatory scrutiny, and rising capital requirements, Ayotunde explains why this moment represents a major turning point for digital assets across the continent. He breaks down Nigeria’s landmark decision to classify cryptocurrencies as financial securities and what this means for crypto adoption, fintech innovation, and investor confidence. We also examine the global forces shaping Africa’s financial future, including the introduction of a new 1% United States remittance tax and its implications for cross border payments, remittances, and financial inclusion. From a strategy and product perspective, we explore how Luno is positioning itself as a key player in Africa’s digital asset ecosystem. From crypto staking and tokenised stocks to integrating cryptocurrency into mainstream banking. What We Discuss With Ayotunde Africa’s financial system in 2026 and why crypto regulation is a turning point for fintech and digital assetsNigeria’s cryptocurrency tax framework and what it means for investors, startups, and financial institutionsThe rise of capital requirements and how regulation could reshape competition in Africa’s crypto and fintech ecosystemThe impact of the United States 1 percent remittance tax on cross border payments and digital financeHow crypto, blockchain, and digital assets are evolving from speculation into infrastructure for trade, remittances, and capital formationDid you miss my previous episode where I discuss How Africa Can Own AI: From Talent to Infrastructure to Global Competitiveness? Make sure to check it out! Connect with Terser: LinkedIn - Terser Adamu Instagram - unlockingafrica Twitter (X) - @TerserAdamu Connect with Ayotunde: LinkedIn - Ayotunde Alabi Website - www.gebeya.com Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group: www.etkgroup.co.uk info@etkgroup.co.uk

    45 min

  5. MAR 23

    How Africa Can Own AI: From Talent to Infrastructure to Global Competitiveness with Amadou Daffe

    Episode 217 of the Unlocking Africa Podcast with Amadou Daffe, CEO and Co founder of Gebeya, a leading pan African technology company building talent ecosystems, digital marketplaces, and AI powered platforms to unlock Africa’s global competitiveness. As artificial intelligence reshapes the global economy, a critical question is emerging: will Africa simply consume AI tools built elsewhere, or will it build, own, and capture value from AI within the continent? Amadou shares how Gebeya’s latest platform, Gebeya Dala, developed in partnership with Cassava Technologies, is helping African entrepreneurs, creators, and SMEs move from using AI to building AI driven products. From enabling users to turn ideas into fully functional applications in real time to teaching non technical founders how to think in workflows, systems, and logic, this conversation explores how Africa can transition from an AI consumer to an AI creator and exporter. We also explore the concept of sovereign AI infrastructure in Africa, including the importance of local compute, data ownership, and digital infrastructure in shaping long term economic growth. Amadou explains why the future of Africa’s digital economy will depend not just on access to AI tools, but on ownership of the platforms, systems, and infrastructure that power them. What We Discuss With Amadou Why Africa risks exporting the value of its creative and digital economy in the age of AI, and who ultimately captures the revenue, data, and intellectual propertyMoving beyond prompt engineering to structured thinking, and why workflows, logic, and systems are becoming the highest value skills for African foundersHow platforms like Gebeya Dala are enabling non technical entrepreneurs to build real products and scalable businesses, not just prototypesWhat sovereign AI infrastructure means in practice, and why local compute, data ownership, and partnerships like Cassava Technologies are critical for Africa’s competitivenessThe emergence of AI native roles across Africa, and how freelancers, creatives, and SMEs can start capturing income and building globally competitive businesses todayDid you miss my previous episode where I discuss How Precision Medicine and Genomics Could Transform Healthcare in Africa? Make sure to check it out! Connect with Terser: LinkedIn - Terser Adamu Instagram - unlockingafrica Twitter (X) - @TerserAdamu Connect with Amadou: LinkedIn - Amadou አማዱ Daffe and Gebeya Inc Website - www.gebeya.com Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group: www.etkgroup.co.uk info@etkgroup.co.uk

    43 min

  6. MAR 16

    How Precision Medicine and Genomics Could Transform Healthcare in Africa with Derrick Akpalu

    Episode 216 with Derrick Edem Akpalu, Co Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Revna Biosciences, a biotechnology company advancing precision medicine, genomics, and molecular diagnostics across Africa. Derrick is leading a mission to transform healthcare outcomes by building world class diagnostic and research capabilities that address some of the continent’s most pressing medical challenges. Through Revna Biosciences, he is helping bring advanced genomic testing, clinical research partnerships, and personalised treatment selection closer to the patients and healthcare providers who need them most. Derrick explains why precision medicine could play a significant role in the future of healthcare across Africa, and why the continent’s extraordinary genetic diversity presents a powerful opportunity to improve disease diagnosis, treatment, and drug development globally. From oncology and infectious disease genomics to biobanking and translational research, he shares how building local life sciences infrastructure can dramatically improve patient outcomes while enabling Africa to contribute more meaningfully to global biotechnology and medical research. Derrick also discusses the realities of building a deep science biotechnology company in Africa, the importance of international laboratory standards and global research partnerships, and why local diagnostic capacity is essential for strengthening healthcare sovereignty across the continent. More broadly, he explores how investment in health innovation, biotechnology, and medical research can unlock new economic opportunities, create high value scientific jobs, and position Africa as a global hub for life sciences discovery and healthcare innovation. What We Discuss With Derrick The rise of precision medicine in Africa and why the continent’s genetic diversity could reshape global healthcare innovation.Why building local molecular diagnostics and genomics infrastructure is essential for improving patient outcomes and strengthening healthcare sovereignty.How Revna Biosciences is developing biotechnology capability in Africa through genomics, biobanking, and clinical research partnerships.The realities of building a biotechnology and deep science startup in Africa and the challenges founders face beyond raising capital.Why investment in healthcare innovation, biotechnology, and life sciences should be viewed as critical economic infrastructure for Africa’s future growth.Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss How Africa Can Build a Stronger Agribusiness Economy: Patient Capital, Food Security & Investment? Make sure to check it out! Connect with Terser: LinkedIn - Terser Adamu Instagram - unlockingafrica Twitter (X) - @TerserAdamu Connect with Derrick: LinkedIn -  Derrick Edem Akpalu Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group: www.etkgroup.co.uk info@etkgroup.co.uk

    49 min

  7. MAR 9

    How Africa Can Build a Stronger Agribusiness Economy: Patient Capital, Food Security & Investment with Luc-Etienne Dandrieu

    Episode 215 with Luc-Etienne Dandrieu, General Manager of AlphaSeeds, a philanthropic investment company supporting sustainable agribusiness SMEs across Africa. In this episode we explore the future of African agribusiness, agricultural investment, and food security, and how patient capital can unlock new opportunities for entrepreneurs across the continent. Luc-Etienne brings more than twenty years of experience across agriculture, food systems, research and development, and sustainability management, with previous roles spanning global food companies and Mercy Ships Switzerland. In this conversation we examine one of the most critical challenges facing African agriculture today: the massive financing gap for agribusiness SMEs and why innovative investment models are needed to support entrepreneurs building the next generation of food and agricultural businesses. Luc-Etienne explains how AlphaSeeds combines the discipline of investment with the long term perspective of philanthropy to support early stage agro processing companies in Africa that create jobs, strengthen food security, and build more resilient local economies. From providing seed equity and strategic expertise to working directly with founders on supply chains, production, and operational challenges, he shares how patient capital and impact investment can help agribusinesses scale sustainably. What We Discuss With Luc-Etienne Why Africa’s agribusiness sector still faces a significant financing gap for agricultural SMEs despite employing a large share of the continent’s workforce.Why agro processing and local value chains may be the real engine for job creation, food security, and economic growth across African economies.How philanthropic investment and patient capital can support agribusiness entrepreneurs in ways traditional venture capital and development finance often cannot.Why building profitable agribusinesses that strengthen communities and supply chains may be more powerful than short term aid driven interventions.What the next generation of African agribusiness models could look like as climate resilience, regional food systems, and local processing become central to economic growth.Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss The Trade That Kills Silently: Falsified Medicines and Pharmaceutical Crime in Africa? Make sure to check it out! Connect with Terser: LinkedIn - Terser Adamu Instagram - unlockingafrica Twitter (X) - @TerserAdamu Connect with Luc-Etienne: LinkedIn - Luc-Etienne Dandrieu and AlphaSeeds Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group: www.etkgroup.co.uk info@etkgroup.co.uk

    27 min

  8. MAR 2

    The Trade That Kills Silently: Falsified Medicines and Pharmaceutical Crime in Africa with Foulo Basse

    Episode 214 with Foulo Basse, President and Chief Executive of The Brazzaville Foundation, an organisation leading Africa’s battle against falsified medicines, counterfeit drugs, and pharmaceutical crime across the continent. Fake and substandard medicines are one of the most urgent yet under reported public health crises in Africa. From ineffective antibiotics and compromised malaria treatments to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, falsified medicines are costing lives, undermining trust in health systems, and fuelling organised criminal networks that exploit regulatory gaps and weak border controls. In this episode, Foulo Basse explains why rising seizures of counterfeit medicines across African countries may reveal the scale of the problem rather than signal victory. He explores how illicit pharmaceutical trade routes operate across borders, why counterfeit drugs in Africa are increasingly linked to transnational organised crime, and how affordability gaps and weak distribution systems allow illegal markets to thrive. We also examine the policy and legal response. Foulo discusses the importance of the Lomé Initiative, the push for African states to ratify the Medicrime Convention, and the need to criminalise falsified medicines with meaningful enforcement and institutional capacity. What We Discuss With Foulo The true scale of the falsified medicines crisis in Africa and why enforcement statistics may only scratch the surface.Why counterfeit medicines should be treated as organised crime and a national security threat, not only a health issue.How weak pharmaceutical supply chains, high drug prices, and limited access to generics create conditions for illegal drug markets.The role of the Lomé Initiative and the Medicrime Convention in strengthening legislation and criminalising pharmaceutical trafficking.What African governments, regulators, and international partners must prioritise to secure medicine supply chains and protect public health.Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Building Sustainable Manufacturing in Africa: Bamboo, Sanitation and Circular Supply Chains? Make sure to check it out! Connect with Terser: LinkedIn - Terser Adamu Instagram - unlockingafrica Twitter (X) - @TerserAdamu Connect with Foulo: Website -  www.brazzavillefoundation.org Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group: www.etkgroup.co.uk info@etkgroup.co.uk

    48 min
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5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Terser Adamu, who is an Africa Business Strategist, International Trade Adviser, and Director at ETK Group, hosts the award-nominated Unlocking Africa Podcast. During each episode he shares his thoughts on how to unlock Africa’s economic potential in the 21st century. This is delivered through engaging and thought-provoking discussions with innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and business leaders who are unlocking Africa’s economic potential. Whether you're a business leader, an aspiring entrepreneur, have a comfortable side hustle, or want to take your business to the next level, each episode is jam-packed with information and insight that will enable you to take immediate action and implement key strategies to successfully launch and grow your business in Africa.

Information

  • Creator
    Terser Adamu
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    222
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Unlocking Africa
  • Show Website
    Unlocking Africa

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