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Africa's Big Switch (ABS)Bonus: Sit Down with Your Hosts 3.0Send us a textOn this episode of Africa's Big Switch Podcast, hosts Celine, Lys, Bolaji and Hassana reflect on the 10 episodes released in 2024. They discuss their favourite episodes, progress and give insights into the future direction of the podcast. The conversation takes on a more casual and chat-like tone rather than a formal interview. Special thanks to Atim and Adeoti for the marketing, and the hosts would like take the opportunity to wish the listeners a Happy New Year!Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn 2024-12-3116 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)E32 Duara Education: Women-Led Schools, Community-Led ChangeSend us a textOn this episode of ABS, we sat down with Victoria Peill, founder of Duara Education, a social enterprise that is empowering female teachers to create community-based micro schools.Victoria's background spans, education, entrepreneurship and strategy, including roles with African leadership, group posting, consulting group and teaching in Peru.Duara Education makes high quality school education accessible for millions of families in Africa, starting in Kenya. They empower female teachers to start their own community-based microschool, leveraging the power of innovations and decentral networks.On this episode, we...2024-11-2039 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)E31: Angel Investing with Innovate Africa FundSend us a textOn this episode of ABS, we sat down with Kristin Wilson. Kristen currently works for the Innovate Africa Fund as the Managing Partner and Bold Angel Network, she crafts innovative solutions that combine human operations, data analytics, and software to drive growth for SMEs and start-ups in sub-Saharan Africa.The Innovate Africa Fund is a founder-first catalyst fund dedicated to accelerating the journey to product-market fit for African entrepreneurs.Kristin has over a decade of management consulting experience in technology strategy, product development, and business planning, Kristin specialises in...2024-10-2440 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)E30 Sierra Leone's Path to Digital Learning and Education ReformSend us a textOn this episode of ABS, we sat down with Modupe Poku. Modupe currently works for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change as the Education Advisor to the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education focusing specifically on digital learning.The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change partners with political leaders to drive meaningful change by offering strategy, policy, and delivery support, with a focus on harnessing technology to improve governance. By working closely with governments, they aim to create more inclusive, open, and prosperous societies through practical solutions and lasting...2024-10-1050 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)E29 Navigating Corporate Finance and Venture Capital in Emerging MarketsSend us a textOn this episode of ABS, we sat down with Toni Sanni, Head Corporate Finance and Venture Capital at the Emerging Africa Group. The Emerging Africa Group is an ESG-focused organization that partners with investors to bridge Africa's financial gap and support sustainable development. With over $1 billion raised, it offers financing and advisory services across sectors like investment banking, fintech, and infrastructure.Toni Sanni is an accomplished financial services expert with experience in Private Equity, Venture Capital, and Investment Banking. At Emerging Africa Group, Toni leads a team of experts a...2024-09-2659 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)E28 Unleashing Potential: How Opportunity International Empowers FarmersSend us a textOn this episode of ABS, we sat down with Richard Chongo, the Country Director of Opportunity International Malawai. Opportunity International is a global network of over 40 organizations, primarily microfinance institutions, helping millions of families in over 20 countries across Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America to lift themselves out of poverty. Funded by support members in countries like Australia, Canada, Germany, and the USA, these organizations provide small loans and financial aid to those in need. A leadership forum fosters collaboration and innovation across the network to maximize their impact worldwide....2024-09-1144 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E27 Agrify: Improving Yield & Carbon Income for FarmersSend us a textOn this episode of ABS, we sat down with Delz Erinle, the Founder and Product Lead of Agrify. Agrify focuses on decarbonizing the agricultural value chain through regenerative intelligence and carbon microfinance, aiming to improve farmer resilience and farmer incomes. Delz is an innovator with expertise in Economics and Product Design as well as master’s degrees in Marketing Management, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He also founded and leads Astra, which pioneers a new way to design clothes using AI and discover them in virtual reality.On this episode, we...2024-08-2828 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E26 Unlocking Capital: Liquify's Mission to Finance African SMEsSend us a textOn this episode of ABS, we sit down with Alberta Asafo-Asamoah, the Co-Founder of Liquify, an invoice financing platform connecting African SME's to global capital markets. Alberta started in corporate banking in Europe before moving to impact investing and entrepreneurship. In 2018, she founded AlgebraInTheCity, an educational support organization to provide quality education to underserved communities. Alberta completed her MBA at Imperial College Business School and has obtained the 2021 Edie Hunt inspiration Award, and was a nominee for the Women of the Future award.We cover the following topics on t...2024-08-1446 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E25 PLTFM: Connecting the Diaspora to African InvestmentSend us a textOn this episode of ABS, we sit down with Joe Kinvi, the Founder of PLTFM, a multi-asset investment platform for Africa and Africans in the Diaspora. He also leads HoaQ, an investor community with over 100 investments across Africa and its Diaspora. Before embarking on his entrepreneurial journey, Joe was an experienced operator with a background in finance, mergers and acquisitions, business development, and partnerships. Joe has held key positions such as Head of Finance at Touchtech Payments (acquired by Stripe), Growth Lead at Stripe, and Partnerships Lead at Paystack.I...2024-07-3149 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E24 From Marginalisation to Empowerment: EDF's Commitment to Education and Problem SolvingSend us a textOn this episode of ABS, we sit down with Abiola Adebiyi, the Founder of Elevate Development Foundation (EDF). EDF is a youth-led NGO focused on educating, enlightening, and empowering vulnerable Nigerians in underserved communities.Abiola, a forensic accountant with a master's degree in sustainable development from the University of Sussex, advocates for public policies grounded in equity and justice to transform Nigeria, especially for its underserved populations. Through social impact initiatives, leadership, mentorship, and public speaking, she empowers the youth to become agents of community change. At just 16, she founded EDF...2024-07-1739 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E23 LISA: Increasing Access to Education for the Underprivileged in LagosSend us a textOn this episode of ABS, we sat down with Dammy Feyide, the Founder of Theo by LISA, a digital learning solution for children in public primary schools and remote areas.Dammy is also the Team Lead of Strategic Partnerships & Business Development at ProvidusBank, the Founder & CEO of Let it Shine Academy, and the Proprietress & Executive Director of Let it Shine Secondary School.Since graduating with an economics and business management degree from Sheffield University, Dammy has devoted her life to addressing educational access...2024-07-031h 03Africa's Big Switch (ABS)Bonus: Sit Down with Your Hosts 2.0Send us a textOn this episode of Africa's Big Switch Podcast, hosts Hassana, Joshua, Beatrice, and Bolaji reflect on the 14 episodes released so far. They discuss the progress that has been made and give insights into the future direction of the podcast. The conversation takes on a more casual and chat-like tone rather than a formal interview. The hosts also take the opportunity to wish the listeners a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn 2023-12-0651 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E22 Sawa Energy: Providing C&I Solar Solutions to Rwandan BusinessesSend us a textOn this episode of ABS, we sat down with Eder Munyampenda, the Rwanda Country Manager at Sawa Energy, a startup that empowers East Africa’s small and medium businesses by reducing electricity pricing and volatility. Sawa Energy was founded by three environmentally and socially conscious entrepreneurs, who bring significant experience in solar, finance and business. Sawa Energy aims to become the largest private provider of solar power and seeks to deploy 50MW by 2030, supporting 1,000 clients.Starting his career as a technical sales manager, Eder has since transitioned to...2023-11-0839 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E21: Understanding the Effect of Fuel Subsidy Removal in NigeriaSend us a textWe had a conversation with Noelle Okwedy, the Energy Insights Lead at Stears, a startup focused on providing data and insights to professionals interested in the African continent. Having worked in the Nigerian power sector after studying financial economics with econometrics at the University of Kent. Noelle is passionate about improving energy access in Africa.We cover the following themes on this episode: The history and initial intention of the Nigerian government for providing fuel subsidy. The impact of fuel subsidy removal to the gove...2023-10-2536 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E20 Funnelling Investments into the African Energy SectorSend us a textOn this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Kelly-Ann Mealia, Chairperson and Co-Founder of Energy Capital & Power. Kelly-Ann brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in facilitating financial investments in Africa, shedding light on the significant impact these gatherings have on promoting investment and forging strategic alliances in Africa's energy industry.Since its conception in 2016, Energy Capital & Power has organised over twenty events around the world including in Houston, Washington D.C., London, Tripoli, Cape Town and Riyadh, working with the largest energy...2023-10-1140 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E19 Uwana Energy: Creating an Online Solar MarketplaceSend us a textWe had a conversation with Natasha Ibori, the Co-founder of Uwana Energy, a clean energy management platform and marketplace, to help people seamlessly transition to clean, affordable energy.Uwana Energy is an impact-driven entrepreneur committed to giving more people the freedom to do whatever they want. Having worked in climate and finance across 4 continents, she is experienced in building holistic solutions. Natasha has assisted Growald Climate Fund in allocating $1bn in aligned funding for energy transition projects globally and has executed award-winning development initiatives with A...2023-09-2743 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E18 The Electricity Market in Nigeria: A Legal PerspectiveSend us a textWe had a conversation with Chinenye Ajayi, an energy professional and commercial lawyer with over a decade worth of experience. Chinenye is currently the Team Lead of the Power and Infrastructure Practice at Olaniwun Ajayi LP where she provides legal and business advisory services to clients within the energy sector, particularly in the renewable energy space. Amongst other volunteer activities, Chinenye also serves as a co-ordinator of the African Fellowship of Young Energy Leaders (AFYEL), an education venture designed to invest into the ne...2023-09-1345 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E17: Providing Auxiliary Services to Oil and Gas Companies in GhanaSend us a textWe spoke with Edma Lawer, the founder and CEO of ELO Petroleum, an Oil and Gas service company that specialises is providing manpower and materials in the upstream sector in Ghana.Edma also runs Youth Empowerment Wave Global (YEWGlobal), a Youth NGO that engages and inspires young people to use their skills to establish businesses for themselves.After completing undergraduate and masters degrees in Oil and Gas Management and International Relations and Democratic Politics respectively, Edma relocated to Ghana to chase her dreams 5 yea...2023-08-3051 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E16: Sustainable Development in BurundiSend us a textA conversation with Hubert Waterinckx, a Social Development Specialist at the World Bank Group. We unravel Hubert's journey – from working as a Tax Lawyer, to being a reservist in the Belgian army, to a visionary in social development, all fueled by his unwavering passion to spread prosperity across Africa! Since then, Hubert has worked on multiple large-scale infrastructure projects across Africa, from the West to the East of Africa. These projects span the health, education and of course energy sectors. When not at...2023-08-1638 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E15: The Energy Transition in GhanaSend us a textAn exciting conversation with Bradley K. Poku-Amankwah , the acting Principal Coordinator at the Ghana Energy Transition Office. The Ghana Energy Transition Office is a collaboration between the United Nations Sustainable Energy for All and the Government of Ghana based at the office of the President in Accra. Prior to this, Bradley served as the Senior Technical Assistant to Ghana’s Minister for Energy, and was secretary to the country’s National Energy Transition Committee. He is also Ghana’s youngest Board Member of State E...2023-06-2840 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E14: Empowering Communities in Malawi for a Sustainable FutureSend us a textWe had a great conversation with Pam Haigh, who is the UK General Manager at Ripple Africa.Ripple Africa is a UK registered charity working to improve local environment, education and healthcare in Malawi, Africa. Operating at the grassroots level, involving the community in all aspects of its activity, Ripple Africa has over 690 staff and 12,000 people in Malawi working on projects on a part time, or voluntary basis. These projects include fish conservation, fuel-efficient cookstoves, tree-planting and forest conservation, running and assisting eight pre-schools, supporting a...2023-06-1439 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E13 Sustainable & Impact Investing in NigeriaSend us a textWe had a great conversation with Nana Skari Maidugu, who is the Head of Sustainability and ESG at the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA). At NSIA, Nana is responsible for developing and driving sustainability strategy & climate initiatives, as well as the implementation of its ESG framework across the Authority, its investments and partnerships.With extensive experience in infrastructure investment, Nana shares her perspective on sustainable and impact investment in NigeriaThe key themes we explore on this episode include:The challenges of f...2023-05-3155 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E12 Arone: Manufacturing Batteries to Power Middle-income HouseholdsSend us a textWe sat down with Emmanuel Ezenwere the CEO of Arone, a company whose mission is to pioneer technologies that democratize access to basic amenities required to live a better life. Emmanuel is an entrepreneur with 8 years of experience building technologies that focus on the development of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and clean energy technologies. Arone looks to solve issues around access to electricity and healthcare within Nigeria, with a potential to scale to other developing economies.Emmanuel’s work has been recognized and published nationally & internationally by the likes of Tot...2023-05-1743 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E11 Vula: Helping African Startups Raise FundingSend us a textWe had a conversation with Nicholas Rawhani, the CEO of Vula, a company whose mission is to help African entrepreneurs secure funding for their business. Born and raised in South Africa, Nic tells us about his experience transitioning from the corporate world with McKinsey, where he worked to support green scale-ups in Africa, to leading a venture backed start up. The key themes we explore on this episode include:The challenges faced by African entrepreneurs in raising funding?Some tips that entrepreneurs can use to secure funding for th...2023-05-0343 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E10: Building an Educational Botanical GardenSend us a textWe had a conversation with Maryam Abdulkadir, an environmentalist who works with rural communities in Nigerian to reintroduce cultural medicinal practices. She is the founder of Plant Revival Enterprise, a social enterprise that replants native medicinal fruit trees and crops which have become endangered in specific communities in Nigeria. Plant Revival is known for creating the first botanical garden in northeastern Nigeria, on a hectare of land donated by Modibbo Adama University in Yola, Adamawa state.The key themes we explore on this episode include:Environmentalism...2023-04-1930 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E9: Powering Health Centres in AfricaSend us a textWe had a conversation with Rahul Srinivasan, a Senior Energy Specialist at Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll), to explore the nexus between energy and healthcare in Africa. SEforAll is a United Nations partner organization that strives to accelerate access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy in developing countries, particularly in Africa and Asia. The key themes we explore on this episode include:The interdependencies between energy and healthcare in sub-saharan Africa.Around 15% of health facilities in sub-saharan Africa have no access to power. Why...2023-04-0551 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS TrailerSend us a textFollow us on Instagram and LinkedIn 2023-02-1301 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)Bonus: Sit down with your hostsSend us a textAs the name suggests, your hosts Hassana, Joshua and Bolaji, reflected on the 8 episodes released so far. We highlighted where progress has been made and hinted on the direction of the podcast going forward. The nature of the conversation was more of a chat than a formal interview.Finally, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn 2022-12-2615 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E8: Can Solar Power My Business?Send us a textCan I use solar energy to power my business? On this episode of Africa's Big Switch we had a conversation with Victor Tobenna Ezenwoko, the Chief Commercial Officer of Daystar Power, to explore commercial and industrial clean energy solutions in Africa. From steel manufacturers in Ghana to commercial banks in Nigeria, Daystar Power is committed to helping African businesses grow and develop by taking care of their power needs. In doing so, it aims to contribute to the clean and sustainable growth of African countries. 2022-11-2333 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E7: Does Nuclear Have a Role to Play in the Energy Transition?Send us a textStill on Nuclear Energy! But this time we take a deeper dive into the technology.Have you heard of the Pebble Small Modular Reactor (PSMR)? We spoke to Dr Trevor Dudley, the CEO of Mozweli Nuclear Engineering Limited on the role of nuclear energy in diversifying Africa's energy mix. Dr Trevor holds over 26 years of experience in the nuclear engineering and he is particularly involved in the development of nuclear pebble technology. He is also a member of the South African advisory committee that works with the IAEA and...2022-11-0942 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E6: Demystifying the Nuclear Industry in AfricaSend us a textThere is often this mysterious cloud surrounding the nuclear industry with a lot of false perceptions on its safety and role in contributing towards a sustainable energy future. On this episode of Africa's Big Switch, we had a conversation with Princess Mthombeni, a nuclear communication specialist with over 10 years experience, to help us demystify some of the myths surrounding the nuclear industry in Africa. Some of the questions we explored include: The safety of nuclear energy. Is it actually safe?What is the key to widespread adoption of nu...2022-10-2637 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E5: Does Oil & Gas Have a Role to Play in Africa’s Future?Send us a textThe Oil and Gas industry has been a notorious contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, which has contributed to climate change. But does oil & gas have a role to play in the energy transition in Africa? If so, how? To explore this, we sat down with James Makinde, the General Manager of Ardova Plc. With over 15 years experience in oil and gas industry, James now leads business development into sustainable energy solutions in areas of clean mobility and renewables amongst others.Please have a listen!2022-10-1948 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E4: The Largely Unspoken Truths About Clean CookingSend us a textDid you know?Over 3 billion people live without access to clean cooking facilities in the world today.According to the IEA, sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 490,000 premature deaths per year linked to household air pollution from the lack of access to clean cooking facilities, with women and children being the worst affected. The unsustainable harvesting of fuelwood also contributes to deforestation.Africa's Big Switch podcast has so far focused on rural electrification for its first season. However we believe that it is also important to spread awareness on...2022-06-1533 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E3: Financing Rural Electrification in AfricaSend us a textWe spoke to Collins Kuindwa, an investment officer at SunFunder in Nairobi, to understand how rural electrification is financed in Africa. We explored the methods of financing, their associated risks and ways to overcome them. SunFunder is a mission-driven solar finance business based in Nairobi unlocking debt capital for solar energy in emerging markets, where over 2.2 billion people live without access to reliable energy.SunFunder has helped over 10 million people gain access to clean, reliable energy through its blended debt funds.Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn 2022-05-2239 minAfrica's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E1: Electrifying Rural Communities in NigeriaSend us a textUsing Nigeria as a case study, I had a conversation with Bolaji Onalaja, an energy and technology consultant, to understand the current situation in Nigeria, challenges and available opportunities for renewable energy in ensuring access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy for all by 2030. This episode was hosted by Bolaji Akinola-AlliCo-hosted by Demilade Adeyemi and Daniel OgbonnaFollow us on Instagram and LinkedIn 2022-04-1839 min
Africa's Big Switch (ABS)ABS E2: Lessons Learnt from India's Approach to Rural ElectrificationSend us a textOn this episode, I had a conversation with Amit Saraogi and Anshuman Lath to learn how India was able to grow its electricity access from 60% to almost 100% of its population in two decades.What can African leaders learn from this? What roles do the private sector and public sector play in providing clean, affordable and sustainable electricity access for all? Please have a listen.Amit Saraogi is the Co-founder and CEO of Oorja Development Solutions Limited, a mission-driven company working at t...2022-04-1845 min