Riding through its past grandeur, this writer photographed several monumental buildings but missed the city as it appears in old wood prints and paintings.



Leaving Dakar, Senegal’s capital and largest city, by taxi, I was excited to visit the World Heritage City of Saint-Louis four hours away. The city sits on an island at the mouth of the Senegal River. By 1817, it became



the administrative center of the colony of Senegal thus becoming the focal point of French commercial and political activities in the region, gradually built up with military buildings and public and religious institutions such as hospitals, schools and a cathedral. In 1895, it became the capital of the four initial territorial colonies of French West Africa.



Today, Senegal is one of the most stable electoral democracies in Africa that has also undergone two peaceful transfers of power since 2000.



I had come to Senegal during its national elections and reported about it in this magazine in 2019. On that trip, I had visited the slave trade island of Gorée, which was active until 1848, just outside of Dakar, and also Saint-Louis, giving me an opportunity to see two different sides of French colonial governance.



Arriving on a very hot day, I chose a horse and buggy ride to slowly meander through the streets and the waterfront of the once magnificent city.



UNESCO had designated it a World Heritage City citing its importance for “exhibiting its influence on the development of education, culture, architecture, craftsmanship and services in West Africa”.



By the late 18th century, history says it had grown into an important commercial hub of the trade in enslaved captives.



Crucial to the conduct of trade and the running of the island were the group of women called signares, many of whom were married to French or British traders and their descendants, who came to be called habitants.



As the slave trade was replaced by the trading of gum and groundnuts, the habitants managed to position themselves as middlemen between the hinterland production and French traders.



<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="20" height="20" src="">Habitants had participated in the partial governance of the colony, with the first habitant mayor of Saint-Louis elected in 1778. However, history was made in 1914 when the first African, Blaise Diagne, won a seat in the French National Assembly.



By 1946, all the African colonial subjects of Senegal gained voting rights previously reserved for the habitants.



However, after 1957, when the country became independent and the island of Saint-Louis lost its privileged capital position to Dakar, it lost its French population and the military departed, diminishing its capability to maintain the historic buildings in the absence of a robust economy.



Riding through its past grandeur on my trip, I photographed several monumental buildings, including the Governor’s palace, the Cathedral and many of the crumbling French colonial villas from the 19th century. Despite funding from UNESCO, I personally observed a lack of effort to restore this beautiful city.



Corruption, I was told, was diluting the funds available for that purpose.



Crossing the famous over 1,000ft-long Faidherbe iron bridge (opened in 1897) to the African mainland, I visited a local establishment to taste a native meal – the Yassa poulet-Senegalese- braised chicken with caramelized onions.



While very pleased to have visited this historic city, I left with an empty feeling that it is far from how it appears in old wood prints and paintings. Like the many colonial cities I have visited in Africa and Asia, population increase, poverty and a reported anti-colonial bent slowly seem to be dissolving these places into oblivion.

somewhere in afrca

The Democratic Heritage Of Saint-Louis In Senegal

Nigeria&#8217;s economic growth has faced a significant slowdown, with its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growing at just 2.51% year-on-year in the second quarter of the year.



This rate is notably lower than the 3.54% recorded during the same period in 2022.



As the country grapples with challenging economic conditions, concerns are rising about the possibility of entering a recession.



The recently published GDP report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) highlights the various contributing factors to this decline in economic growth.



In the second quarter of the year, the services sector emerged as the primary driver of growth, experiencing a 4.42% expansion and contributing a substantial 58.42% to the overall GDP.



Additionally, the agriculture sector displayed improved performance, with a growth rate of 1.50%, compared to 1.20% in the same quarter of 2022.



Conversely, the industry sector faced a significant setback, with a growth rate of -1.94% in the reported period, compared to -2.30% in the previous year.



In terms of their contribution to the GDP, both the agriculture and industry sectors played smaller roles in the period compared to the same period in 2022.



The aggregate GDP reached N52.1 trillion ($66.5 billion) in nominal terms, marking a notable increase from the N45 trillion ($57.6 billion) recorded in the second quarter of 2022.



This signifies a year-on-year nominal growth rate of 15.77%.



Economist Kelvin Emmanuel offers insight into the economic slowdown, stating to FORBES AFRICA: &#8220;The slowdown in the GDP growth rate to 2.51% reflects the capital squeeze resulting from various factors. Not only are foreign investments affected by a weak balance of payment position, but the government&#8217;s inability to clear outstanding FX forwards has also had an impact. Moreover, the high inflation and high-interest rate environment has reduced corporate incentives to borrow from the banking system. As capital per unit of labor decreases and employment growth stagnates, the GDP growth rate is inevitably impacted.&#8221;



Emmanuel further raises concerns, saying, &#8220;Nigeria has now reported a GDP growth rate lower than its population growth rate of 3% for two consecutive quarters. If this trend persists into Q3, the nation&#8217;s economy could officially enter a recession, signifying the need for immediate corrective measures.&#8221;

Graph Falling Down in Front Of Nigeria Flag. Crisis Concept

Nigeria’s Slowing Growth And Recession Concerns

Albert Einstein once said, “We cannot despair of humanity, since we ourselves are human beings.”



Einstein’s words deeply resonated with me as I pondered Africa’s human capacity.



The continent’s population, particularly its youth, are arguably a vital but often untapped resource in Africa’s story.



Africa’s population is growing at an astounding rate. The African Development Bank estimates that it has increased by 2.42% per year for the past 30 years. By 2050, it is projected to grow to 2.4 billion and is expected to expand to 4.2 billion in the next century. Currently, of the more than 1 billion people who live in Africa, half are under the age of 20. As the bank declared: “Human capital promises to be the key driver of African growth.”



Alongside this promise, there are expectations of access. Yet, a growing population presents its own risks. For example, access to healthcare, education, employment and sustainable development are fundamentally challenged. How do we begin to address these growing challenges? 



The African Union (AU) has outlined a human capacity development plan based on six key factors: transformative leadership, citizen empowerment, tapping into Africa’s potential, skills and resources, evidence-based knowledge and innovation, capacity developers and integrated planning.



Yet, a key question is how do we begin to implement this plan when the continent is demonstrably lagging behind in science, technology and innovation – prerequisites for global competitiveness? Our burgeoning youth population is not enough – we need to begin reframing our understanding of human capacity development to leverage it as a resource effectively. 



In recent months, I have argued that our adaptation to the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), which refers to rapid changes to technology, industries, societal patterns, and processes, needs to be accompanied by societal impact. In other words, as we embrace intelligent technologies, we must remain human-centric in our approach. This entails ensuring that this technology complements our human capacity.



It calls for the application of technology to ameliorate some of our most pressing humanistic challenges. Necessary in this process is an investment in education that equips the youth with the necessary skills, fostering ethical, technological development, promoting localized research and development, promoting human and intelligent technology collaboration, addressing disparities, and facilitating responsible technological adoption. This ensures that we tap into the potential of the 4IR while prioritizing the wellbeing and empowerment of humans.



As Africa continues to grapple with developmental challenges, merely embracing the 4IR is not enough. Policymakers and institutions must ensure that the shift is mindful of the knock-on effect on society. This calls for an ubuntu approach to leadership. In the African Journal of Social Work in 2020, Jacob Rugare Mugumbate and Admire Chereni defined ubuntu as: “A collection of values and practices that people of Africa or of African origin view as making people authentic human beings. While the nuances of these values and practices vary across different ethnic groups, they all point to one thing – an authentic individual human being is part of a larger and more significant relational, communal, societal, environmental and spiritual world.”



An ubuntu leadership style goes beyond the traditional hierarchical notions of leadership and focuses on building strong relationships, fostering social cohesion, creating purpose, and encouraging environments that promote collective well-being. Ubuntu offers an alternative approach to current leadership models in that it prioritizes interconnectedness and seeks to build bridges between different communities and groups. There is an argument to be made that this is the very lens we should be viewing the 4IR through. This is how we ensure that our approach emphasizes humanity and allows for a more just and equitable world to emerge. Critical in this process is seeing the continent’s growing youth population as a tool for 4IR with societal impact. Africa’s youth have the potential to become active participants and beneficiaries of technological advancements. We have to begin investing in our youth to realize this potential fully.



As the founder and chairman of the World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab, phrased it: “The Fourth Industrial Revolution has the potential to empower individuals and communities, as it creates new opportunities for economic, social, and personal development. But it also could lead to the marginalization of some groups, exacerbate inequality, create new security risks, and undermine human relationships.” 



Ubuntu, and by implication, investment in human capacity, I would argue, emerges as the great divider between these realities.

Real estate agent on a meeting with customer at home – wearing face mask

Developing Human Capacity Should Prioritize The Continent’s Growing Youth Population

The electric vehicle industry in South Africa refuses to be a laggard and moves ahead as top brands plan roll-out.



South Africa’s ‘Auto Green Paper On The Advancement Of New Energy Vehicles (NEVs)’ was meant to be finalized in October 2021. Despite being more than half- way into 2023 with no updates from government and frustrations from the automotive sector, the industry seems to be moving ahead.



The body that represents the industry, the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), is holding events every quarter in 2023 to address concerns and offer solutions.



In a statement to FORBES AFRICA, Naamsa CEO Mikel Mabasa says the global transition towards NEVs is a critical step to secure the future of the automotive industry in South Africa, and our rapid adoption to newer technologies is critical for the domestic automotive industry’s long-term success and growth.



“The South African automotive industry cannot be running on one development technology track whilst the rest of the world is way ahead on the same track. If we want to remain globally competitive, we have no option but to play with the big global players who are leading the NEV charge,” says Mabasa.



Ravin Sanjith, Auto Sector Leader at Deloitte Africa, corroborates to FORBES AFRICA that the objectives outlined in the Auto Green Paper will, at best, be delayed or worse, never materialize.



“The global market is not standing still, and laggards will be burdened with having to accept, rather than shape their future. We are currently in a ‘no-incentives’ situation for manufacturers and buyers. From a buyer perspective, the price of the electric vehicles (EV) is still extremely high in comparison to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, and consumer affordability,” says Sanjith.



“The impact to South Africa in the long term is that the overall cost of mobility will be higher than it would have been had incentives been introduced,” adds Sanjith.



“The full manufacture of EVs will require substantial investment in completely new tooling for at least the drive- train, and various changes to components such as braking and electrical harnesses, not to mention the uber-cool mobile-tech being released with NEVs,” he says.



With South Africa not building EVs and ICE manufacturing dying out – due to the United Kingdom and European Union switching to EVs by 2030 and 2035 respectively – it could result in us becoming an import-only market, adds Sanjith. “An even darker future is if South Africa becomes a destination for used vehicles, like those 10+ year old ones being supplied into the pan-African region; and in future, NEVs that have exceeded their optimal economic life. This will also create a disposal and recycling issue for South Africa,” says Sanjith. 



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:37% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="683" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Ravin-Sanjith-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-59517 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Ravin-Sanjith-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Ravin-Sanjith-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Ravin-Sanjith-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Ravin-Sanjith-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Ravin-Sanjith-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Ravin-Sanjith-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
“WE ARE CURRENTLY IN A ‘NO- INCENTIVES’ SITUATION FOR MANUFACTURERS AND BUYERS. FROM A BUYER PERSPECTIVE, THE PRICE OF THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES IS STILL EXTREMELY HIGH IN COMPARISON TO INTER- NAL COMBUSTION ENGINE (ICE) VEHICLES&#8230;”
<cite>— Ravin Sanjith</cite></blockquote>
</div></div>



Despite a bleak outlook, there is some hope in the journey 



towards building EVs in South Africa. Late in June, BMW South Africa announced a R4.2 billion ($222.7 million) investment to electrify its Rosslyn plant in Pretoria, the country’s capital.



Now 50 years old, the Rosslyn plant was BMW’s first one outside of Germany. Chairman of the board of management for BMW Group South Africa, Dr Milan Nedeljković, says in the global press release: “From 2024, we will produce the BMW X3 in South Africa as a plug-in hybrid and export it to the world.”



Hailey Philander, spokesperson at BMW South Africa, tells FORBES AFRICA that the investment is important to future-proof the plant and its business in South Africa.



“The plant will need to be retooled for production of the fourth generation of the X3; hybrid production requires adjustments to body shop and assembly halls, new workstations, and upgrades to our logistics processes,” says Philander.



A plant-wide training program will follow with over 300 associates undergoing specialized plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) model training, she says.



“Suppliers, dealers, and other key stakeholders will need to be upskilled and equipped for the BMW X3 PHEV as an important step towards battery electric car production,” says Philander.



Time will tell what these locally-built PHEVs will cost, but almost every other imported EV in South Africa comes in upwards of R1 million ($53,000), save for the electric Mini at around R750,000 ($40,000).


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/BYD-Atto-3-inside-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-59514" style="width:546px;height:364px" width="546" height="364" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/BYD-Atto-3-inside-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/BYD-Atto-3-inside-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/BYD-Atto-3-inside-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/BYD-Atto-3-inside-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/BYD-Atto-3-inside-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 546px) 100vw, 546px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Inside the BYD Atto 3, South Africa’s first EV-only car brand</figcaption></figure></div>


There’s been a slight shift in the landscape with some newer EV models coming in at under R800,000 ($42,400) despite no reductions on import duties. Volvo’s EX30, revealed globally in June, included South Africa in its launch markets for delivery in Q1 2024, it has pre-orders starting at R775,900 ($41,200).



There will be two other Chinese EV brands available in South Africa in 2023: Great Wall Motors (GWM) who operate under HAVAL Motors South Africa, and Build Your Dreams (BYD), the country’s first EV-only brand.



GWM revealed pricing for the Ora, its hatchback EV that will start at R716,900 ($38,000), which is set to be South Africa’s cheapest EV; and new entrant BYD will sell its Atto 3 SUV starting at R768,000 ($41,000).



Conrad Groenewald, Chief Operations Officer of HAVAL Motors South Africa, tells FORBES AFRICA: “With load- shedding being so topical resulting in consumer confidence being such an issue, we deliberately delayed the launch of the Ora otherwise it would have been a dismal failure.”



Groenewald says it will launch Ora with charging solutions for customers from SVOLT, a GWM-backed battery production company that is being tested in South Africa.



“We are already talking to the banks about financing it; there will be a vehicle finance component with charging the vehicle, and another on your bond. We want to offer SVOLT together with the car as a packaged solution.”



Another advantage to the delay, says Groenewald, is: “If we see the battery cost of vehicles coming down, we can come into the market at a suitable price to really challenge the market.&#8221;

Volvo EX30 exterior

What’s Down The Road For The EV Market In South Africa

Global rating agency Moody’s has upgraded Rwanda’s outlook to stable from negative, citing its positive assessment that the country’s effective institutions and credible policies have preserved and will continue to anchor the government&#8217;s credit profile in response to shocks.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Moody&#8217;s expects the government&#8217;s commitment to fiscal consolidation and revenue enhancement to keep its debt burden on a stable to declining path,” the agency said in a statement released on September 8.&nbsp;



Moody’s expects Rwanda’s economic growth to remain strong and support debt sustainability, driven by large infrastructure investments such as the construction of Bugesera International Airport and robust activity in the tourism sector that is likely to continue.&nbsp;



Rwanda’s economy has been on a recovery path. The economy grew by 9.2% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2023, following&nbsp;8.2% growth in 2022. The Composite Index of Economic Activity (CIEA), which signals where the economy is headed, grew by 6.3% in the second quarter of 2023.&nbsp;



Recovery is being driven by services and industry, which grew 13% and 9% in quarter one, respectively. In particular, transport, financial, and telecommunications services saw improved growth with air transport and telecommunications increasing 28% and 43%, respectively during the same period.&nbsp;Manufacturing and mining activities grew 16% and 15%, respectively.&nbsp;



On the other hand, the agriculture sector growth declined by 1% in Q1 2023 due to climate shocks such as floods the country has experienced, which has reduced agriculture output&nbsp;significantly&nbsp;and consequently increased food inflation in the country.&nbsp;



Moody’s, however, expressed confidence in its assessment that growing investments in infrastructure and a thriving tourism sector – tourism receipts increased 56% in the first half of 2023 to $247 million – will offset risks from climate shocks.&nbsp;&nbsp;



According to Moody’s, Rwanda’s&nbsp;effective institutions and credible policies, as demonstrated by the government&#8217;s management of successive shocks, have preserved and will continue to support fiscal and debt metrics and economic growth model, despite downside risks stemming from climate events.&nbsp;&nbsp;



As such, the credit rating agency expects the government&#8217;s fiscal deficit by the end of June 2024 to remain at similar levels to fiscal 2023, at around 6.5% of GDP, and narrowing slightly over the next few fiscal years largely consistent with the International Monetary Fund policy targets.&nbsp;



Moody’s affirms B2 rating&nbsp;&nbsp;



Moody’s also maintained its previous rating position of Rwanda’s creditworthiness, assigning the country B2, which implies that although the country has capacity to meet its financial and debt obligations, risks remain.&nbsp;



“The rating affirmation at B2 reflects Rwanda&#8217;s small and low-income economy that limits its shock absorption capacity, the government&#8217;s still high debt burden for the size of the economy and its income levels, and challenging regional geopolitics that can threaten longer-term development,&#8221; Moody&#8217;s said in a statement.&nbsp;



In Moody&#8217;s rating scale for sovereign debt, B2 falls within the &#8220;highly speculative&#8221; or &#8220;junk&#8221; category.&nbsp;&nbsp;



However, Moody’s said the credit challenges are balanced against Rwanda&#8217;s high growth potential, the country&#8217;s relatively solid institutions and governance compared to peers, and continued strong development partner support that maintains its access to external concessional financing.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rwanda – Economy – Urban Development in Kigali

Moody’s Upgrades Rwanda’s Outlook To Stable, Economy On Recovery Path   

In a significant development for Africa&#8217;s digital landscape, Lagos-based Itana, formerly known as Talent City, has announced that it secured $2 million in pre-seed funding.



The investment is led by backers, including LocalGlobe, Amplo, Pronomos Capital and Future Africa, marking a step toward realizing Africa&#8217;s inaugural Digital Free Zone.



Founded by Luqman Edu, Coco Liu, and Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, this funding is pivotal in realizing their vision to enhance Nigeria&#8217;s ease-of-doing-business index, stimulate foreign direct investment, and catalyze employment opportunities within the nation.



As of early 2022, the self-described charter city, backed by Charter Cities Institute and Pronomos Capital, a Peter Thiel-backed venture fund, had secured over $10 million for the project situated within Alaro City, in the Lekki Free Zone, just outside of Nigeria&#8217;s largest city, Lagos.



&#8220;We are building an online jurisdiction that allows global companies to remotely incorporate and operate in a Nigerian Digital Free Zone in partnership with Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority to develop relevant policies for a groundbreaking &#8216;virtual city.&#8217; Itana Free Zone will be powered by a one-stop-shop platform for business and government services, including taxation, business visas, banking, capital repatriation, and supportive legislation for businesses. We will also be building a business marketplace, working with trusted service providers including legal, tax, banking, and more. We hope to help the businesses in our zone navigate the business landscape and operations with transparency and clarity to enable growth,&#8221; Itana tweeted on the announcement.



Aboyeji, one of the co-founders, emphasizes the importance of creating a conducive environment for Nigerian tech companies to thrive locally.



&#8220;In 2016 when I incorporated @theflutterwave, my first Delaware company, I never imagined incorporating a Delaware company would become the default for Nigerian companies looking to go global. For me, it was just a clever hack. But it became a movement.



&#8220;Post SVB crash crisis, incorporating a Delaware company and getting a bank account from Nigeria has quietly become a little more stressful. With the ascension of one of our own, @bosuntijani, as Minister, it has become imperative to bring our tech companies home. However, to do so, we need the right regulatory environment with the right benefits and opportunities that allow them to compete globally from right here in Nigeria,” tweeted Aboyeji. &#8220;This is why I’m so grateful for @ItanaAfrica and the incredible cast of mentors and investors who have come together to make this possible. If you are a Nigerian company and you want to come home, head on to itana.africa and incorporate your FZE today. Super excited to welcome you home.&#8221;



The announcement of Itana&#8217;s funding has garnered enthusiastic support from the tech community.



Pronomos Capital tweeted: &#8220;We&#8217;ve been working with the @ItanaAfrica team for 3 years now, and we love them, their concept, and its traction. Also big fans of @iaboyeji&#8217;s leadership, and since co-founders Luqman &amp; @cocobliu joined, it&#8217;s been build mode beast time!&#8221; Victor Ndukwe tweeted: &#8220;Super proud to be a part of the dream team. Building the gateway to the digital economy in Africa is audacious, and with the right kind of folks around, it becomes one of the most exciting journeys. Cheers to a prosperous Africa as we build to expand its trillion-dollar economy!&#8221;

Luqman Edu and Iyinoluwa Aboyeji marking a step toward realizing Africa’s inaugural Digital Free Zone; Image supplied

$2 Million Pre-Seed Funding For Africa’s First Digital Free Zone

Kalycia Urquhart was seven when she was diagnosed with an extra vertebra. It all began when she bent over to pick up her baby brother who had just begun to crawl.



Something in her neck tweaked causing an excruciating amount of pain and she couldn’t move. “I first got put into traction in hospital by a specialist,” she says. “They put weights on a pulley system in an attempt to stretch my neck out. I was in hospital for about two weeks in this contraption and it was the worst possible thing that could have been done as they were putting weights on a bone that was fused to other bones.”



Urquhart was in pain, but the doctors didn’t understand exactly what was going on. It was only after Urquhart’s mother found a neurosurgeon, an expert in spinal osteoporosis anomalies, who x-rayed her at a specific angle and exposed an extra vertebra.



It was an extremely rare condition, she was one in the 600,000 people born with a spinal anomaly and at that point, the only person with her condition in the world.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Kalycia-Urquhart-946x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-59399" style="width:375px;height:406px" width="375" height="406" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Kalycia-Urquhart-946x1024.jpg 946w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Kalycia-Urquhart-277x300.jpg 277w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Kalycia-Urquhart-768x832.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Kalycia-Urquhart-1418x1536.jpg 1418w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Kalycia-Urquhart-1891x2048.jpg 1891w" sizes="(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kalycia Urquhart. Image Supplied</figcaption></figure></div>


“It was quite an ordeal. It took us a very long time to get an actual diagnosis because no one could see what was wrong with me or find the issue,” she says. “The neurosurgeon changed my life. He explained that it would be a lifelong issue for me and that there was no potential for surgery. I also have a high chance of paralysis because I am double-jointed.” Urquhart couldn’t play sports. If she got knocked hard enough, she could be paralyzed. 



“My parents freaked out. Their response was ‘oh my God, bubblewrap her’. It was scary. There was not a lot of information or cases to reference,” she adds. Urquhart found herself in medical journals and her case is still the one referenced today.



After being on chronic, schedule five painkillers for over a decade, Urquhart had semi-kidney and liver failure at 19. Even though she was taking anti-inflammatories, painkillers and probiotics to protect her stomach lining, she developed ulcers. “My kidneys and liver were basically shutting down and my doctor said I have to get of everything, I had to detox.



It was terrifying because I didn’t know how I would cope with the level of pain – just carrying a handbag is hard, carrying a laptop bag is a challenge,” she says.



Before the age of 20, Urquhart had to reassess how she would manage pain and began looking into alternative therapies. Cannabidiol (CBD) oil wasn’t as accessible as it is now, but for Urquhart, it was a life-saver. “And it didn’t have the negative side efects of normal medication, it was a sustainable expense,” she says. “The alternative healing world is very cowboy. There’s no regulation and while you can find people who are incredible healers, some are charlatans who are milking vulnerable people for money. When you’re in a horrible state of pain and you’re trying to find help, you’re willing to pay and do anything to find relief.”



At 25, Urquhart hit a financial blocker – taking out her own medical aid as she was too old to be on the family plan. She often had to fork out cash for therapy as she couldn’t aford weekly (sometimes twice-a-week) treatments. Added to that, she was working at an advertising agency, a high-stress job where taking time of or asking to work from home was seen as a weakness.



“You just want to be normal; you want to be considered competent and capable… it becomes tough to open up and share what you’re struggling with,” she says. In order to manage her pain, she’s had to learn a lot of maintenance techniques. While she can drive an automatic car, for example, the condition of South Africa’s roads afects how she lives her life. Hitting a pothole could not only damage her car, but severely impact her condition: “If we go on holiday and I have to go into a dirt road, I know I am going to feel it for a couple of days. I pack a neck pillow, muscle spasm relaxant, heat pad – and that’s just for leisure!”



“I have a lot of medical expenses around



this as my condition is technically considered a disability,” says Urquhart, who adds that one of her biggest expenses has been physiotherapy, finding someone who can help



manage her pain without hurting her. “Physios will also push you to try other techniques, like needling, and some of it has worked, some really hurt me, and others made no diference at all but it has been a massive expense in



my life – you pay, per hour!” After starting psychotherapy at 26, Urquhart found that dealing with emotional issues impacted how she lived with chronic pain. “Pain takes you to the extreme and your mind is a most powerful tool. Intense pain can be transformative but unfortunately, when you grow up with chronic pain, you don’t always develop the mental tools to deal with it,” she adds.



Living with chronic pain, Urquhart, now 34, works for herself and from home. There’s no tell-tale sign that something is wrong with her or that she has a physical anomaly.

I need medication to get rid of this flu

Chronicling Chronic Pain: ‘I Didn’t Know How I Would Cope With The Level Of Pain – Just Carrying A Handbag Is Hard, Carrying A Laptop Bag Is A Challenge

Kenneth Odoemenam, the founder of KenChu&#8217;s Farm Services, is making an impact in Nigeria’s aquaculture industry by training others in catfish farming.



Kenneth Odoemenam, the founder of KenChu&#8217;s Farm Services, is among the 80% of fish farmers engaged in catfish farming in Nigeria, which is Africa&#8217;s third-largest fish producer, according to data from the World Bank.



With aquaculture production reaching 313,231 metric tons, Nigeria&#8217;s fisheries and aquaculture subsector plays a vital role in the country&#8217;s economy, contributing 5% to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and supporting the livelihoods of approximately 24 million people, as reported by the World Trade Organization (WTO).



Driven by the desire to challenge the notion that farming is exclusive to older individuals, Odoemenam embraced catfish farming and turned it into a thriving venture. With continuous learning and a passion for the craft, he steadily improved and scaled up his operations, establishing himself in the industry.



His journey began with an abandoned pond within his family&#8217;s compound in Port Harcourt, the capital and largest city of Rivers State, located in the southern region of Nigeria.



The catfish farmer tells FORBES AFRICA: &#8220;We had a pond constructed on our family compound by a family friend, initially intended for fish farming but left unused. Recognizing the opportunity, I decided to start my catfish farming journey using that very pond.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG-0898-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-59433" style="width:448px;height:597px" width="448" height="597" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG-0898-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG-0898-225x300.jpg 225w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG-0898-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG-0898-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG-0898-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 448px) 100vw, 448px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image Supplied</figcaption></figure></div>


&#8220;After completing my first degree in Industrial Chemistry from Abia State University in 2017, I attended an enlightening agribusiness seminar that included specialized training in catfish farming. Eager to dive into this promising venture, I began with small-scale experiments, but initial results were not as I had hoped. Undeterred, I remained determined and committed to learning and seeking guidance from experienced individuals.&#8221;



During the early days, he encountered learning curve challenges in understanding the intricacies of proper management, water quality, feeding schedules, disease prevention, and other essential aspects. He overcame with dedication to learning and seeking guidance which has helped him improve the management of the farm and achieve better results.



He also confronted the capital challenge to scale up operations. &#8220;As a young farmer, securing the necessary finances to invest in infrastructure, equipment, and fish stock can be challenging. Although I have been exploring different avenues, such as applying for grants, to secure the required funding.&#8221;



Leveraging his background in data analysis and a master&#8217;s degree in Environmental Chemistry and Pollution Control, he found innovative ways to integrate technology and sustainable practices into his catfish farming enterprise.



&#8220;I began my catfish farming journey while working as a data analyst. As my catfish farming enterprise grew and flourished, I made the decision to transition into full-time catfish farming. I am now fully dedicated to running and managing my catfish farm. Moreover, leveraging my expertise and experience in the field, I have also taken on the role of training and consulting for other catfish farms, sharing my knowledge and insights to contribute to the success of fellow farmers in the industry,&#8221; says Odoemenam.



KenChu&#8217;s Farm Services focuses on providing comprehensive farm consultancy, training, and farm setup services; offerings which its founder notes are essential to support aspiring aquaculture entrepreneurs, existing fish farmers, and investors seeking to venture into the sector.



His three-year old YouTube channel, Catfish Farm Enterprise, has become a valuable platform for sharing his expertise and knowledge, and it has over 5,700 subscribers and 151 videos.



&#8220;YouTube offers the opportunity to collaborate with other young farmers across Africa, by showcasing the work and achievements of young people in the aquaculture sector. My channel acts as a powerful marketing tool for my catfish farming enterprise. As my channel gains subscribers and viewership, it helps build my brand&#8217;s reputation and recognition within the agriculture and aquaculture community. The exposure gained through YouTube has attracted customers interested in my products and services,&#8221; says Odoemenam.



Through KenChu&#8217;s Farm Services, he has achieved milestones, including training over 100 individuals in catfish farming and providing setup services for more than 20 catfish farms across the country, contributing to the growth of the aquaculture sector and generating employment opportunities.



His ebook, Guide to Successful Catfish Farming, and the development of an automated farm record sheet exemplify his dedication to promoting efficiency and sharing valuable insights with aspiring farmers.



Looking ahead, Odoemenam envisions a bright future for KenChu&#8217;s Farm Services and the aquaculture sector as a whole.



&#8220;The aquaculture sector holds immense promise, particularly in Nigeria, where there is vast untapped potential. At KenChu&#8217;s Farm Services, we will capitalize on this opportunity and make a significant impact in the industry,&#8221; says Odoemenam.



He plans to expand his consultancy and training services to support aspiring aquaculture entrepreneurs and existing fish farmers. By embracing technological advancements, promoting sustainable practices, and focusing on capacity building and research, he aims to play a vital role in driving the growth and development of the aquaculture industry in Nigeria.



Odoemenam remains a beacon of hope and inspiration for young farmers and entrepreneurs. With his unwavering passion and determination, he is proving that the agricultural sector holds immense promise, and young people can actively participate and excel in this rewarding field.

Kenneth Odoemenam; image supplied

The Nigerian Data Analyst-Turned-Catfish Farmer Empowering Entrepreneurs In Aquaculture  

Akintola Williams, who celebrated his 104th birthday on August 9, is a trailblazing figure in the Nigerian accounting world. He played a pivotal role in placing Africa on the global accounting map alongside a major South African firm led by Howard Pim. The centenarian explained that several factors, including dedicated teachers and a determination to succeed, contributed to shaping him into the accomplished individual he has become.



Akintola Williams, who turned 104 years old on August 9, is a revolutionary figure in the accounting world, both in Nigeria and on the continent. His role alone in placing Africa on the global accounting map, alongside a South African firm led by Howard Pim, has been pivotal and inspiring.



In a 2011 interview, Williams attributed his longevity to moderation in all aspects of his life. He emphasized the significance of simplicity, avoiding controversies, taking ample rest, and engaging in mental, physical, and spiritual exercises.



“The key to my longevity is moderation. In everything I do, I strive to be moderate – a little of this and a little of that, not too much. Whether it&#8217;s what you eat, what you drink, or whatever you do, just be moderate and you&#8217;ll live a refreshing, strong, and fulfilling life,” he told Vanguard News.



Due to his academic prowess, he received a United African Company (UAC) scholarship from 1939 to 1941 for higher education at Yaba Higher College in Nigeria&#8217;s largest city, Lagos. Here, he earned a diploma in commerce. He furthered his education at the University of London in 1944, focusing on banking and finance, and graduated with a bachelor&#8217;s degree in commerce in 1946.



In 1949, at the age of 30, he became a qualified chartered accountant in England – the first Nigerian to achieve this feat.



Williams has explained that several factors, including the dedication from his teachers and a will to succeed, contributed to shaping him into the person he is now.



In various media, he was quoted to have said: “I would say a number of things made it possible for me. First, [there] were masters in the favorite subjects which eventually was necessary for my profession in accounting, namely, mathematics.”



He returned to Nigeria in 1950, working as an assessment officer at the Inland Revenue until March 1952, when he left to establish his own accounting firm, Akintola Williams and Co.



This firm reportedly became the first indigenous chartered accounting firm in Africa, expanding beyond Nigeria to Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Swaziland as well as Ghana, Egypt, and Kenya. As Nigeria gained independence in 1960, his firm developed relationships with significant clients in insurance, utilities, railways, and ports.



Williams retired in 1983 at the age of 64, but he continued to contribute to humanity through mentoring and supporting the growth of other indigenous chartered accountancy firms.



In 2004, his practice merged with two other accounting firms to form Akintola Williams Deloitte (now Deloitte &amp; Touche), the largest professional services firm in Nigeria. While Williams&#8217; leadership contributed to Deloitte&#8217;s growth across Africa, he also made an impact beyond accounting, including his involvement in promoting arts, culture, and music.



Williams held key positions, including President of the Association of Accountants in Nigeria and founding President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He played a role in establishing the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 1960 and remained an advisor to its operators.



The Akintola Williams Arboretum at the Nigerian Conservation Foundation headquarters in Lagos and other honors such as the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 1982 and Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2001, recognize his outstanding achievements.



In April 1997, Williams was appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for his services to the accountancy profession and his promotion of arts, culture, and music through the Musical Society of Nigeria.



On May 8, 2011, the Nigeria-Britain Association awarded him for his contributions to democracy and development.



As a pioneer and pacesetter, Williams laid the foundation for numerous institutions in Nigeria. He served on various boards, including the Federal Income Tax Appeal Commissioners, the Coker Commission of Inquiry, and the Commonwealth Foundation.



His contributions have left a lasting legacy, and it’s been said that, even to this day, Deloitte Africa continues to uphold his values and positive impact across the continent.

Akintola Williams, an icon in Nigeria’s accounting world; image supplied

The 104-Year-Old Pioneering Nigerian Chartered Accountant Still Inspiring Many  

According to MedicineNet, at least 10% of the world’s population is affected by chronic pain. Eight out of those 10 patients are affected by depression, and lower back pain is the most common chronic condition, globally. It’s no wonder that pain clinics are popping up everywhere, some of them being called ‘pill mills’, one-stop shops for the medicine that specialists are becoming cautious of prescribing.



“Are they really clinics? My answer is no,” says Dr Marnin Romm, a specialist interdisciplinary pain management clinician and assistant and associate professor based in Boston, United States (US), but born in South Africa.



“A true pain clinic, by definition, is interdisciplinary.”



For Romm, one of the biggest problems with pain management is the commercial side of the business. “It’s ludicrous. Where’s the sustainability of the practitioner?” he asks. “Pain is more complex than just cracking your back, or going to a physiotherapist and feeling okay for a day or two until the pain comes back with a vengeance and you have to go back. That tells me you’re not managing the patient properly, you’re not doing the right treatment and if you keep doing the same thing day in and day out, where’s the ethics?”



Based on his training, clinical experience and work as an academic, Romm believes that pain management is about self-management.



His goal is to help his patients, many of whom have gone down the Dr Google rabbit hole, to stop relying on healthcare providers – including himself.



“It’s for the greater purpose of the good of the patient,” he explains. “I’m not here to fix them. I’m here to guide and navigate in terms of their self-management to different modalities, different tools, and a mixture of different tools, a mix of pharmacology.”



According to Romm, there has been a shift in terms of understanding the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying chronic pain. Instead of understanding the pathophysiology underlying chronic pain, healthcare providers use pharmacological agents and invasive interventions.



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:33% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="681" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Dr-Marnin-Romm-681x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-59398 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Dr-Marnin-Romm-681x1024.jpeg 681w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Dr-Marnin-Romm-200x300.jpeg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Dr-Marnin-Romm-768x1154.jpeg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Dr-Marnin-Romm-1022x1536.jpeg 1022w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Dr-Marnin-Romm-1363x2048.jpeg 1363w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Dr-Marnin-Romm-scaled.jpeg 1703w" sizes="(max-width: 681px) 100vw, 681px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
“IN MEDICAL SCHOOL, THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT TRAINING DOCTORS OR PHYSIOTHERAPISTS (OR ANYONE INVOLVED IN PAIN) OVER THE SPAN OF SEVEN YEARS IS FOUR HOURS… FOUR HOURS. FOR A PANDEMIC. SO, YOU’RE SAYING YOU CAN LEARN EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PAIN MECHANISM IN FOUR HOURS? THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE.”
<cite>—Dr Marnin Romm</cite></blockquote>
</div></div>



“And it’s not their fault. The reason for this is that in medical school, the average amount of time spent training doctors or physiotherapists (or anyone involved in pain) over the span of seven years is four hours,” he says. “Four hours. For a pandemic. So, you’re saying you can learn everything you need to know about pain mechanism in four hours? That’s impossible.”



Romm, who spent two years in London doing a master’s degree in pain neuroscience, says that the reason healthcare practitioners find it difficult to treat chronic pain is because they’re unable to identify what mechanisms are at play.



“In my assessments, I find out what is going on in the body and then target those mechanisms. Whether the treatment is pharmacological, more invasive, or psychological to reduce stress and anxiety or even exercise-based, but one of the biggest problems in pain management now is that’s still not the case,” adds Romm.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center" id="h-making-money-off-pain">MAKING MONEY OFF PAIN</h4>



There’s no question that opioids are both oversupplied and overprescribed in high-income countries. Patrick Radden Keefe’s 2021 exposé about Purdue Pharma and the opioid epidemic, Empire of Pain, pinpointed the Sackler family’s marketing strategy to generate billions of dollars – which resulted in millions of addicts.



In sub-Saharan Africa, there has been a sharp increase in treatment admission trends for opioids and opioid-related disorders. A BBC investigative documentary called Sweet Sweet Codeine uncovered corruption at major pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria with staff running drug syndicates to meet the high demands of the black market. A few years after banning cough syrup containing codeine, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) reportedly shut down three pharmaceutical firms. Whether used to combat pain or recreationally, the United Nations (UN) put in a report that west, north and central Africa jointly account for 87% of all pharmaceutical opiates seized globally.



Another problem sub-Saharan Africa faces is the use of fake or substandard medications. Drugs are big business which means counterfeits and poorly-made medication benefits the pharmaceutical company that doesn’t know these products are infiltrating their supply chain and the street vendors who knowingly peddle these drugs.



A report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime showed that 267,000 deaths in Sahel countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and the Niger) were linked to fake or below-par antimalarial medication. Just under 170,000 deaths have been linked to falsified antibiotics used to treat severe pneumonia in children. Sahel countries rely on imports of medical products due to their own pharmaceutical industries being in the earlier stages of development.



It is believed the counterfeit drugs are imported from pharmaceutical exporters (like Belgium, France, China and India), and diverted from the legal supply chain, or manufactured in neighboring countries.



An alternative to opioids is cannabidiol, or CBD. Different to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which also comes from cannabis plants, CBD is non-intoxicating in its pure form. While regulations around the world differ due to the insufficiency of solid evidence to establish its benefit versus the risks, there are many countries that have approved its use for pain. A Forbes Health survey found that 60% of the adults who use CBD in America do so for its pain relief effects. When it comes to cancer pain, Canada has given the thumbs up for CBD and so has the UK to treat the pain that comes with multiple sclerosis stiffness and spasms. In Lesotho, marijuana has become a cash crop as the small landlocked country grows and exports medical cannabis to Europe. In South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address, he said that the legal hemp and cannabis sector has the potential to create over 130,000 new jobs in the country – the pharmaceutical market has been estimated at over R100 billion ($53 million) a year. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center" id="h-brain-training-and-tech-to-track-and-treat-pain">BRAIN TRAINING AND TECH TO TRACK AND TREAT PAIN</h3>



There’s more to the business of pain management than drugs, pharmaceuticals and otherwise. Exciting technology such as AI tools to monitor and track pain with big data to non-invasive devices that stimulate nerve fibers are being researched. Telemedicine has also become a big part of chronic pain care as some patients cannot travel to see specialists but still need to consult a doctor.



Another type of technology that’s up-and-coming in the pain space is virtual reality (VR) distraction therapy for pain relief. Dr David Binder, the director of innovation at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston, US, has been studying VR for a number of years. He explains that stimuli can distract the brain from receiving pain signals. In a paper for Harvard Health Publishing, he writes: “We already take advantage of this wiring all the time. For example, if you hit your elbow by accident, and it hurts, you rub the elbow and it feels better. You’re tricking the brain by producing the sensory reaction of touching the elbow, which cancels some pain signals.”



Dr Todd Maddox is part of AppliedVR, a company in Texas in the US that makes prescription VR-based therapeutics for chronic pain management. “One of the ways people learn to deal with chronic pain is with breathing mechanisms – this deals with a part of the brain that learns behavior and the goal is to engage those centers in the brain,” he explains.



Maddox explains chronic pain (and where technology fits in) as something that gets worse over time because the brain gets you into a habit that you cannot break out of. Chronic pain is not only about issues with the tissues as muscles, as one example, usually heal within six to 12 weeks, it’s how your brain processes information.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/AppliedVR-1024x576.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-59396" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/AppliedVR-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/AppliedVR-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/AppliedVR-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/AppliedVR-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/AppliedVR-2048x1152.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">AppliedVR makes prescription VR-based therapeutics for chronic pain management</figcaption></figure></div>


“So much of how we approach chronic pain is cognitive… but the behavior centers in the brain don’t listen to the cognitive centers very well,” says Maddox. This is why talking to someone and telling them what to do with chronic pain doesn’t always work – someone may do the exercises recommended by a physiotherapist but they also might not.



“Here’s what VR does: it broadly engages the brain. It engages your sensory and perception centers – the parts of the brain that say you’re there. It engages cognitive centers, emotional centers, you get motivated, excited and are poised for behavior change…” The research behind this non-pharmacologic form of chronic relief is exciting but it’s something that depends on good content which costs money to create. There’s also the fact that at this point, VR for pain isn’t covered by insurance unless you’re in a nursing home in America and on a CareWell plan. The alternative to what a company like AppliedVR offers is a patient buying their own VR headset and downloading a meditation app like TRIPP which combines tried- and-tested relaxation techniques with binaural audio – it just won’t be supervised by a specialist and the content won’t be specifically designed around pain relief.



Smartphones have given rise to numerous apps to track pain and others that take a more multidisciplinary approach, pairing users with a health coach who can create customized care plans. 



One piece of wearable tech that is making the rounds on social media is Healy, an expensive, palm-sized device which delivers mild electrical currents to the wearer. Robyn Gilbert, a mom of two, discovered Healy from a friend. “I have pain from an autoimmune condition and Healy can mitigate it almost completely,” she says. “It has also improved my sleep, my overall energy levels, and my general sense of emotional wellbeing.” While Gilbert doesn’t feel the current – in fact, it is recommended to keep the stimulation levels low so the user doesn’t feel it – she says she felt a mental shift straight away. “People experience profound changes in many different ways, from the cessation of pain to an overall sense of wellbeing on an emotional and mental level,” she adds. Healy was invented by Marcus Schmieke, founder of the Existential Consciousness Research Institute. It isn’t approved by the FDA but that hasn’t stopped over 300,000 people from buying a device.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">‘IT’S ALL IN YOUR… GUT?’</h3>



Chronic pain may be common but it’s complex and the idea that it’s all ‘in your head’ is something not every doctor agrees on.



Dr Sarette Zecharia is a clinical psychologist who works with alternative forms of pain management, including traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, and is on the board of the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology. “Medication is a quick fix but the issue is that it’s foreign to the body and you end up taking more medication to cover up the side effects,” she says. “What I recently heard is that for each decade you’re in, you have to be on two medications and if 



you’re not, it’s mind-boggling. It’s no longer normal to not be on medication.”



<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="20" height="20" src="">Zecharia has seen incredible (and less expensive) results with her pain patients by simply managing diet, using food as fuel. “In modern science, it’s very easy to find the one thing that’s the cause of everything – and medicate. Pain is in every single system, the energetic system, the physical system, the mental system, the emotional system, the spiritual system, and it has to be dealt with on all of those levels,” she adds.



New research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has shown that there is a connection between the gut and chronic pain because the bacteria living



in our gut can influence some neurological diseases – when the microbiome is disrupted, the communication between the gut and brain is disrupted. There is also research in the Nature science journal which validates that an out-of-balance microbiome can lead to chronic inflammatory disease. “If you think about all these psychotropic medications that people are given, it disrupts the gut and the gut is where you make the majority of your neurotransmitters. That’s where your mood comes from and that’s why food is so important,” she adds.



“Food is not important to people whose mood is regulated, but the moment your mood isn’t regulated, you start to realize the importance of food.”



The connection between pain, food and diet culture is complicated and can be attributed to various factors, including societal pressure, media influence and individual experiences. Living a ‘healthy lifestyle’ comes at a cost and the diet industry globally is worth billions ($282.53 billion by 2028 per GlobeNewswire), profiting off those who struggle with their relationship with food and body image.



While Zecharia does believe food is fuel and has seen regenerative diets work for those in pain, she says making money off pain is easy because you can charge people a fortune and “keep giving them stuff that’s just knocking them more off their center line”.



Where does the spend stop and relief begin? For those dealing with pain, chronic or acute, finding a quick fix can take a dark turn but as the field expands and researchers across different disciplines collaborate, there is hope. Says Zecharia: “I’m not saying don’t take psychotropic medication if you need it. The problem is when someone gets medication from a healthcare provider who doesn’t really know what they have. And if it doesn’t work, you keep upping the dosage, messing up your gut biome…”

Closeup female hand neatly placing medicament at domestic first aid kit top view. Storage organization in transparent plastic box drug, pill, syringe, bandage. Fast health help safety emergency supply

The Business Of Pain Management: Expert-Speak From Africa

Nigeria, Algeria, and Egypt are anticipated to be the primary drivers of a gas supply surge, collectively contributing around 80% of the total African gas production. Experts respond to the development, highlighting both opportunities and obstacles on the horizon.



According to the State of African Energy report in August by the African Energy Chamber, Nigeria, Algeria and Egypt are anticipated to be the primary drivers of a gas supply surge, collectively contributing around 80% of the total African gas production.



The report forecasts short-term natural gas supply in Africa poised for growth, projecting an increase from this year&#8217;s supply levels of 25.5 Bcf/d to slightly over 27 Bcf/d in 2024, maintaining this level until 2027.



It indicates, &#8220;Algeria is expected to experience growth from 10 Bcf/d in 2023 to 11 Bcf/d by 2027. Egypt&#8217;s production is expected to remain steady at 6.25 Bcf/d. Nigeria&#8217;s output is expected to fluctuate marginally between 4.5 Bcf/d and 5.5 Bcf/d.&#8221;



Reacting to this development, Kelvin Emmanuel, an economist, highlights that one of the key challenges impacting the African gas landscape is the ongoing diplomatic impasse in the Sahel region.



Emmanuel explains to FORBES AFRICA: &#8220;The 4,128-km gas pipeline linking the AKK pipeline from Kano through Niger Republic to Algeria was intended to supply the trans-Mediterranean pipeline. The inability of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) to find a diplomatic solution to the Sahel impasse jeopardizes this vital project, as well as the capacity of Nigeria, Algeria, and Egypt to surpass other producers like Tanzania and Mozambique.&#8221;



He further underscores Russia&#8217;s influence on gas dynamics, pointing out that the embargo on Russian gas and the inability to secure letters of credit (LC) for gas exports from Nord Stream I and II have led to a demand-supply gap in the African gas market.



Emmanuel elaborates that while the Nigeria Morocco Gas Pipeline and the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline were initially designed to address Europe&#8217;s energy needs, complex strategic considerations and the global competition for influence have complicated the situation.



&#8220;Understanding the geopolitical forces at play and the interplay of economic interests with the Sahel&#8217;s unfolding events is of utmost importance for achieving success,&#8221; says Emmanuel.



For Iheakanwah Felix Arinzeh, a financial expert and doctor of business administration, this &#8220;advantageous position&#8221; offers multiple benefits for the leading countries&#8217; economies and the broader African energy landscape.



Arinzeh shares with FORBES AFRICA that the countries&#8217; dominance &#8220;will streamline their ability to meet their domestic gas demand. In Nigeria, energy constitutes a significant production cost, particularly in the manufacturing sector. I anticipate that this cost component will experience a positive impact, potentially translating to more affordable products and services in Nigeria.&#8221;



He believes the increased prominence in the African gas market could lead to enhanced energy security.



&#8220;The countries will attain a more secure energy supply by relying less on imported gas. Consequently, their susceptibility to supply disruptions and price volatility will decrease. The increased use of gas will



contribute to reduced greenhouse gas emissions, given that gas burns cleaner than coal or oil. This will improve air quality and mitigate climate change,&#8221; says Arinzeh.



Arinzeh also identifies this development as a magnet for foreign investment that could further stimulate growth in their respective gas sectors, benefiting not only their economies but also their foreign exchange earnings.



However, he acknowledges potential challenges: &#8220;There are also potential challenges associated with these countries dominating Africa&#8217;s gas supply market. If not properly managed, these countries may become overly reliant on gas exports, rendering their economies vulnerable to fluctuations in the global gas market. To maximize benefits and minimize risks, I strongly recommend that each of these countries diligently manage these challenges.&#8221;

Oil Refinery And Pipeline In Desert During Sunset

African Gas Supply Landscape: The Dominance Of Nigeria, Algeria And Egypt

Kenyan fashion entrepreneur Ruth Abade uses upcycled materials to create vibrant clothes and accessories with sustainability sewn into them.



&#8220;It was something I’ve never seen. I was like, ‘maybe this is what they mean by the end of the world?’ The sky looked orange. And then it just went really, really dark.”



In June, the New York skies were flooded with apocalyptic color, as Canadian wildfires moved south and the smoke transformed the global center of fashion into a burned sienna hellscape.



Kenyan fashion entrepreneur Ruth Abade is in the city for trade shows, describing by video call this ominous reminder of the consequences of unfettered consumption: the world’s most charismatic metropolis reduced in minutes to incandescent shadows.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/P1000315-Photo-credit-Lars-Johansson-1024x768.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-59362" style="width:388px;height:291px" width="388" height="291" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/P1000315-Photo-credit-Lars-Johansson-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/P1000315-Photo-credit-Lars-Johansson-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/P1000315-Photo-credit-Lars-Johansson-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/P1000315-Photo-credit-Lars-Johansson-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/P1000315-Photo-credit-Lars-Johansson-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 388px) 100vw, 388px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photos by Lars Johansson</figcaption></figure></div>


She is the owner of Blackfly Designs, an apparel, jewelry and textile company with practical sustainability embedded in its seams.



Abade and her dozen-strong team, based in Kibera’s Toi Market in Nairobi, use upcycled materials to create one-of-a-kind clothes and accessories buzzing with quirky innovation.



Blackfly’s bomber jackets pop with the vibrancy of re-purposed Indian saris; its shoulder bags are clever, jazzy patchworks of African fabric off-cuts, finished with expertly curated scraps of leather and salvaged metal fittings. The jewelry pieces are geometric alignments of the rough and the smooth, metallic juxtapositions of the polished and the well-traveled.



An industrial designer by training, Abade spent a year in Florence learning leather bag design before her skills coalesced into a business in 2012.



“So I took my industrial know-how into fashion, because I needed to survive! And then when your clientele grows, you harness all these scrap pieces as off-cuts, so I needed to develop another prototype. You have to embody the whole thing as one 



item. So we decided that if you’re going to use scrap pieces, you’re going to use them all the way. You have to always be diverse when it comes to creation, because it never stops.”



The brand grew so fast that the company began buying off-cuts from other tailors, generating a business model that initially presented challenges in how it would grow and become accessible to a wider market.



“When you’re doing one-offs, it’s difficult to sell to big retailers,” Abade says. “It’s also very difficult to sell to small stores, because they need to make a mark-up. And I wanted to create a product anybody can afford. So I had to make a decision. Either I build my own store – or people just come to the workshop.”



The brand now sells directly to its Nairobi base and from its website; it eschews the influencer and social- media-driven demand for the latest must-have, a wasteful production cycle which floods the market with cheap copycats that often end their short lives in African landfill.



“It doesn’t matter to me whether the business expands tremendously or not,” she says. “You have to stay true to the reason why you do it. We started this because of the overflow we had, but it’s also the joy of working with the suppliers who have always had our back, where the person is willing to sacrifice anything for you – because you’ve been with them for 10 years, and never gone away.”


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/P1000384-Photo-credit-Lars-Johansson-1024x768.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-59363" style="width:534px;height:401px" width="534" height="401" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/P1000384-Photo-credit-Lars-Johansson-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/P1000384-Photo-credit-Lars-Johansson-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/P1000384-Photo-credit-Lars-Johansson-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/P1000384-Photo-credit-Lars-Johansson-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/P1000384-Photo-credit-Lars-Johansson-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 534px) 100vw, 534px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photos by Lars Johansson</figcaption></figure></div>


Abade has also been careful to shun the economic thirst-trap of the easy business loan, and has instead instituted a solidarity fund within the company to allow employees to contribute to a monthly kitty accessible when any of the team need to borrow without risk. Staff are able to access these contributions when they leave, a structure that encourages an understanding of fiscal responsibility based on mutuality and trust.



“You have to sit down with your people and be candid,” she says. “I run my business like a family, so they see the struggles.



When you have a conversation like that with people, they understand where you’re coming from.”



Mindful of the steady international growth in upcycling, and the resultant price increase in scrap material and off-cuts, Abade is now gradually shifting her focus towards printed textile production, using quality cotton fabric made by women and sourced from Tanzania. She believes her prints will open up a new niche demand for a local twist on an African fashion stalwart, with Blackfly aiming to become the leading Kenyan producer of the traditional Indonesian batik prints embraced with such joyful ubiquity in the west of the continent.



“I have a big responsibility to produce a technique that when seen anywhere in the world, people will say, ‘This is Kenyan batik, without a doubt’. Because you can’t train people if you don’t have a specific technique,” she explains.



“I’m experimenting in order to find something uniquely Kenyan – painting more than stamping; using pastel and muted colors, but in very strong combinations. I think the market is hungry for something new. And big brands are starting to really think about organic cottons, so everybody’s giving themselves a timeline to work with. We have to be ready for that timeline.”



As the North American skies clear, Abade looks ahead with hope, the creative fire still burning in her belly. “I have to remember that regardless, I’m an artist, before a businessperson. And working with artists, I think, is a nightmare,” she laughs. “But as long as it feels good – that’s what we’re going to do.”

P1000559 Photo credit Lars Johansson

Upcycling On The Fly: Fashion Forward In Kenya

On a recent working tour of the TechQuest Hub in Lagos, Nigeria, recently, Digital and Innovation Fellows from the African Union (AU) engaged with Charles Emembolu, the Founder and Director of TechQuest STEM Academy who spoke about how innovators organized as one body for the Innovation Support Network (ISN).



Emembolu, speaking in his capacity as the director of ISN, explains: “We have shifted our focus from merely complaining about lack of government support to proactively engaging with them. This shift has led to increased interactions with both federal and state governments.



“Currently, our office is located alongside the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). As a result, we actively participate in any engagement or activities organized by NITDA,” he says.



According to the organizers, the fellowship program, which started accepting applications in 2021, aims to identify and deploy skilled tech innovators within the African continent to various AU headquarters and departments as ‘resident fellows’. Their role is to understand the system within those departments, identify challenges, and propose solutions.



They note the goal is to tackle African challenges by fostering co-creation and building innovative tailor-made products and services by startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the continent.



According to a recent global startup ecosystem report by Startup Genome, Lagos became the regional leader in ecosystem values and early-stage funding in 2022.



It is home to over 400 startups, representing about 88% of the total number of startups in the country. Lagos led these regions with a total ecosystem value of $8.43 billion, while Nairobi, Johannesburg, Dakar, and Accra received $7 billion, $3 billion, $2 billion, and $1 billion, respectively.



Obi Asika, convener of The Omniverse, a technology and innovation ecosystem platform, emphasizes the need for collaboration across the board to deliver and scale.



Asika, a member of the ISN, highlights: “Digital sovereignty is a significant concern that Africa must address. Omniverse believes that technology can provide the wings needed for everyone to soar. These innovations emerge from the ecosystem, and we anticipate witnessing further developments.”



The Lagos ecosystem visit allowed for interaction with founders and the AU and AfriLabs contingent, and was an opportunity for key stakeholders with aligned interests to engage. It also offered showcasing opportunities for founders.



Founders from across Nigeria who showcased their innovations included Aminu Ibrahim Hashim (Kamel), Christiana Okere (MyStash), Hafsat Sahabi Dange (EasyComply), Dirug Samuel (NorthWave), Joseph Orjinta (EvriSale), Soji Akinlabi (Centre for Digitization of Indigenous African Languages—CDIAL), Osasumwen Asoro (Asoro Automotives), Siro Collins (Advanced Engineering Centre), Ahmed Idris (Adashi), and Michael Osumune (Moon Innovations).



Osumune, Founder of Moon Innovations, shared his experience at the Lagos ecosystem visit and expressed the need for more support from the local community to thrive in the Nigerian startup ecosystem.



He tells FORBES AFRICA: “It&#8217;s been an exciting experience showcasing at the Lagos ecosystem visit, connecting with people and sharing our mission to accelerate digital transformation in Nigeria using solar technology.



“The Nigerian startup ecosystem shows promise with its abundance of bright young minds. However, to thrive, we require more support from the local community, just like the support offered by Lagos ecosystem.”



Similarly, Orjinta, Founder of Blualpha’s EvriSale, pointed out the need for increased funding to assist tech startups in the sales and marketing of their solutions.



“More funding should be provided for most tech startups to support them in sales and marketing of their ready-to-market solutions to their target audience,” he says.



He also laments the fact that “Nigerians are not quick to adopt technologies that they can benefit from”.



Implemented through the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Commission’s Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) DataCipation program, the fellowship has already produced 13 fellows. It also supports the AU and its branches in enhancing citizens’ engagement.



In appreciation of the GIZ, the Digital Transformation Center (DTC) Nigeria, and TechQuest STEM Academy, Orjinta considers the meet-up an opportunity to gather tremendous insights from the fellows. He also believes the insights demonstrate the potential for his app to scale and be utilized in AU member countries.

Digital And Innovation Fellows From The African Union Explore Nigeria’s Startup Ecosystem

‘Wings To Soar’:Co-Creation And Collaboration From Nigeria’s Startup Ecosystem

Dangote Cement Plc, a prominent player in the cement industry, has reported a profit of N178.6 billion ($234.8 million) in the first half of the year, with a net profit increase of 3.8%. In an exclusive interview with FORBES AFRICA, the Group Managing Director, Arvind Pathak, attributes this to several key factors.



Dangote Cement Plc, a prominent player in the cement industry, has reported a profit of N178.6 billion ($234.8 million) in the first half of the year, with a net profit increase of 3.8% propeled by a host of measures aimed at enhancing profitability.



Dangote Cement Plc operates as a subsidiary of Dangote Industries, a venture established by Aliko Dangote back in 1981, initially rooted in importing commodities like bagged cement, rice, sugar, flour, salt, and fish. The entity now stands as one of the foremost cement companies in sub-Saharan Africa, boasting an annual production capacity of 51.6 million tonnes across 10 nations.



In an exclusive interview with FORBES AFRICA, Dangote Cement Plc&#8217;s Group Managing Director, Arvind Pathak, attributes the performance in the first half of the year to several key factors.



&#8220;The growth in revenue was due to few reasons. Firstly, we delivered double digit volume growth in our pan-Africa business. Secondly, we realized some price increases in line with inflationary realities, especially in some of our pan-Africa operations. Thirdly, there was an improvement in our product and location mix, thereby optimizing our sales for better economic value.&#8221;


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Arvind-Pathak-Group-MD-of-Dangore-Cement-in-Nigeria-803x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-59298" style="width:404px;height:515px" width="404" height="515" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Arvind-Pathak-Group-MD-of-Dangore-Cement-in-Nigeria-803x1024.jpg 803w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Arvind-Pathak-Group-MD-of-Dangore-Cement-in-Nigeria-235x300.jpg 235w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Arvind-Pathak-Group-MD-of-Dangore-Cement-in-Nigeria-768x980.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Arvind-Pathak-Group-MD-of-Dangore-Cement-in-Nigeria-1204x1536.jpg 1204w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Arvind-Pathak-Group-MD-of-Dangore-Cement-in-Nigeria-1605x2048.jpg 1605w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Arvind-Pathak-Group-MD-of-Dangore-Cement-in-Nigeria-scaled.jpg 2007w" sizes="(max-width: 404px) 100vw, 404px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Arvind Pathak, Group MD of Dangote Cement in Nigeria</figcaption></figure></div>


He notes maintaining profitability alongside sales surge required diligent attention to operational efficiencies and sustainability.



&#8220;Dangote Cement was able to maintain profitability and sales growth by focusing on operational efficiencies (cost optimization) and customer needs. We continue to build on our robust cost reduction strategy, amid the high operating cost environment. We achieved giant strides in transitioning to cleaner energy, with our cost containment initiative propelling the use of alternative fuel to replace more expensive fossil fuels, such as coal and gas.



&#8220;We also increased the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for our trucks due to the rising diesel cost environment. These efforts enabled us to enhance our competitiveness while maintaining high levels of quality and customer service,&#8221; says Pathak.



In a fiercely competitive market, Dangote Cement prioritizes customer-centric strategies.



&#8220;We support customers through various measures such as trainings on best practices in cement application, continued customer engagement and truck empowerment scheme, etc. In addition, the National Consumer Promotion &#8216;Bag of Goodies&#8217; is another way we reward our loyal customers and increase customer awareness of our products.&#8221;



Dangote Cement&#8217;s pursuit of growth has led to forays into new markets and regions. The commencement of operations at the Takoradi grinding plant in Ghana expanded the company&#8217;s installed capacity to 52.0Mta. Additionally, the company explored export opportunities, sending Clinker from Congo to Cameroon, Zambia to Zimbabwe, and Nigeria to Ghana, contributing to the growth momentum.



Unveiling profit-boosting measures, Pathak narrates: &#8220;We streamlined our core focus into optimizing the efficiency of our existing assets, increasing output, and containing cost. Under our &#8216;Build Momentum&#8217; program, we initiated various fuel and power efficiency improvement measures.&#8221;



According to Pathak, the company&#8217;s export strategy fortified by foreign currency revenue enabled effective handling of foreign obligations. Also, the diversification of geographic portfolios mitigated isolated risks, while Pan-Africa investments generated robust cash flows, achieving a record earnings before Interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) margin of 28%.

Dangote Cement

Dangote Cement Plc’s Profits Surge In The First Half Of The Year Driven By Strategic Innovations And Operational Excellence, Says Group Managing Director

The couple bringing cashew butter to store shelves and healthy eating plans in Tanzania.



When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Mohamedhussein and Sabiha Rashid were left with a large shipment of cashews they were expecting to export from Tanzania to the United Arab Emirates, as part of their maiden entrepreneurial venture together as husband and wife. Airports shut down cargo operations, and for weeks, the cashews had to be stored in their apartment in Dar es Salaam.



Sabiha had to find something to do with them.



Having watched numerous episodes of Shark Tank and attuned to entrepreneurial thinking, it struck her that she could convert them to cashew butter. Sabiha had gone vegan for a year while at university in England and had experienced first-hand the benefit of switching her food choices.



“I used to eat cashew butter, but I never thought of why nobody was making these things in Tanzania, although the country is one of the largest producers or growers of cashews globally,” she says.



So, out of her home kitchen, she started making the butter, as well as conceptualizing the product and packaging.



“I was experimenting and made lots of different flavors, made people taste it, but from day one, I said that if I’m starting a business, even if it’s a home business or just online, I need to make sure that what I’m putting out there is really amazing.”



She was pleasantly surprised by the response she received for the Instagram page she started on her product.



“It really caught on… it was the start of a small revolution, a healthy revolution.”



For three months, the small venture operated out of the couple’s apartment – it even blew up several food processors – but the demand grew and they had to soon find a dedicated space to enable production.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
&#8220;PEOPLE DIDN’T UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF CASHEW BUTTER – IT’S FOREIGN TO THEM… ALTHOUGH THE RAW MATERIALS ARE THERE, I THINK IT’S AN UNORGANIZED SECTOR THAT NEEDS A LOT OF WORK.”
</blockquote>



Farmers’ markets helped gauge the public need, and it was time to formalize the business.



Three years down, and produced out of three factories, their product, ’rosho, a catchphrase derived from the Swahili word korosho for cashews, has grown.



But it wasn’t easy to get here. ’rosho only uses organic cashews, so processing has been expensive. Additionally, as food production is



largely underdeveloped in Tanzania, as in other parts of Africa, prices are high.



“We’ve really struggled with getting hold of good food technicians, microbiologists and all of these [professionals in different fields] that we require and also expertise in terms of machinery for production, packaging, etc…” rues Mohamedhussein.



’rosho’s conscious consumers have stayed supportive though. Says Sabiha: “There are tons of options imported [to Tanzania], but prices are very high and a lot of times, we get the leftovers, so they’re close to expiry. People are not happy with the quality they’re getting from the imported stuff… We are a better and local option.”



They have also had to ride out the initial skepticism. “People didn’t understand the concept of cashew butter – it’s foreign to them… So, although the raw materials are there, I think it’s an unorganized sector that needs a lot of work,” adds Mohamedhussein.



“I think as a company, for us, there has been so much problem- solving, so much innovation that we’ve had to do,” says Sabiha, “so much independent research, because there aren’t any bodies by the local government that you can reach out to for advice, although the government has been supportive. There have been



a number of trials and working with local engineers to innovate and be more efficient.” ’rosho also exports and within Tanzania, is popular among tourists for its local appeal. The company hopes to have a better impact on smallholder farmers. The founders say the factories currently employ only women and pay them 80% more than the minimum wage.



“That’s what we’ve tried to do, to give our customers a different sense of fulfillment when they’re buying from us,” says Mohamedhussein. “And to also sort of pave the path for other organizations and companies to come and do something more innovative

Author: Forbes Africa

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA