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Nigeria: Entrepreneur turns 960 naira (less than $1) into national food business

Changing how Zambia cooks – and building a business around it

A business approach to healthcare delivery in Nigeria

The man behind Nigeria’s answer to the UFC – meet ‘Dana Black’

Businessman sees global opportunity for Nigeria’s cassava

Zambia: How this entrepreneur built an instant noodles business

Botswana: Doctor-turned-entrepreneur eyes stock exchange listing

Building an African meat empire from Rwanda

Entrepreneur interviews

Tanzania: From rejections to $40m – an entrepreneur’s rocky road to success

Published by Jaco Maritz on 14 May 2025

How Benjamin Fernandes, founder of Nala, survived early challenges to build a global money transfer player.

Ghana: Profiting from local rice production

Published by Sefakor Fekpe on 14 May 2025

Young entrepreneurs in Ghana are building businesses around local rice production.

Sierra Leone: Seeing an opportunity in onion farming

Published by Caitriona Palmer and Birom Seck on 12 May 2025

In Sierra Leone, a first-of-its-kind farm is helping make the country self-sufficient in onion production.

Nigeria: Entrepreneur turns 960 naira (less than $1) into national food business

Published by Jaco Maritz on 7 May 2025

Fastizers, a Nigerian snack food company best known for its cookies, was founded in 2010 by Debby Lawson. She started the business with just 960 naira – about 60 US cents at today’s exchange rate.

A business approach to healthcare delivery in Nigeria

Published by Staff Writer on 6 May 2025

Mobolaji Ajayi identified a gap in Nigeria’s healthcare market, envisioning a pharmacy that offers both medication and primary care services.

Changing how Zambia cooks – and building a business around it

Published by Jaco Maritz on 1 May 2025

SupaMoto provides a cleaner, cheaper alternative to charcoal, the main cooking fuel in many Zambian homes despite its environmental and health risks.

The man behind Nigeria’s answer to the UFC – meet ‘Dana Black’

Published by Jaco Maritz on 15 April 2025

Founder of African Warriors Fighting Championship wants to transform a traditional Nigerian boxing style into a global business.

Businessman sees global opportunity for Nigeria’s cassava

Published by Jaco Maritz on 1 April 2025

Tony Bello, who helped develop Baked Lay’s and Lay’s Stax at Frito-Lay, now aims to use Nigerian-grown cassava to create products for international and African markets.

Investor interviews

Investing in African agribusiness, Warren Buffett style

Published by Jaco Maritz on 2 January 2025

Luni Libes, founder and CEO of Africa Eats, discusses investment opportunities in Africa’s agribusiness sector.

How this African-focused investor made her millions

Published by Sanja Gohre on 6 October 2024

Before Sarah Dusek began investing in African startups, she and her husband built Under Canvas, a luxury camping business in the US, which they eventually sold for $100 million. Here is her story.

From Kenya to Ghana: Where this investor sees Africa’s best opportunities

Published by Jaco Maritz on 4 September 2024

Nimrod Gerber is the managing partner at Vital Capital. The firm invests in sectors including food, healthcare, infrastructure, and water.

Why Angola is on the radar of this investor

Published by Jaco Maritz on 16 July 2024

‘Luanda is a city where you can feel an energy, an excitement about the future,’ says investor Isaac Marshall.

Lessons from nearly two decades of investing in East Africa

Published by Jaco Maritz on 1 July 2024

DOB Equity has backed well-known companies like M-Kopa, Twiga Foods, and Victory Farms. Former co-CEO Saskia van der Mast shares the investment lessons she has learned and her insights on the region’s business environment.

Investment adventures in Africa’s frontier markets

Published by Jaco Maritz on 14 May 2024

Dutch investor Barthout van Slingelandt, managing partner of XSML Capital, shares his experiences of backing companies in the DRC, Uganda, and Angola.

The Nigerian investor behind some of Africa’s biggest deals

Published by Jaco Maritz on 3 May 2024

An interview with Tope Lawani, the co-founder and managing partner of Helios Investment Partners, an Africa-focused private equity firm.

French-speaking West Africa: Big opportunities to invest in small businesses

Published by Betsy G Henderson on 15 April 2024

Evelyne Dioh Simpa, the managing director of WIC Capital, discusses investment prospects in Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire.

Takeaways

It’s tough out there: Nigerian entrepreneur adapting to a difficult business environment

Published by Jaco Maritz on 4 May 2025

Nigeria’s difficult economic environment is forcing snack food manufacturer Fastizers to rethink aspects of its operations – from shrinking pack sizes to launching new product lines such as bread.

Nigeria: How to sell cookies in Lagos

Published by Staff Writer on 28 April 2025

While Nigeria has witnessed growth in modern shopping malls and air-conditioned supermarkets, an estimated 90% of shopping still takes place through informal retail channels.

Zambia: Three entrepreneurs building agriculture and food businesses

Published by Jaco Maritz on 17 April 2025

From producing instant noodles to exporting honey to the United States, these three entrepreneurs are building ventures in Zambia’s agribusiness and food sector.

Nigeria: Entrepreneur aims to take traditional combat sport global

Published by Jaco Maritz on 16 April 2025

Dambe is a traditional boxing style that originated in northern Nigeria. The sport draws inspiration from spear and shield warfare.

Rwanda: Entrepreneur bounces back after bank seizes family home

Published by Staff Writer on 9 April 2025

Herve Tuyishime’s dream of starting his own business came at a heavy cost: his family’s home was repossessed by the bank.

What it’s like working for Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote

Published by Jaco Maritz on 28 March 2025

What’s it like working for Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest person, with an estimated wealth of over $23 billion?

Botswana – a medical tourism hub?

Published by Jaco Maritz on 21 March 2025

Botswana has the potential to establish itself as a regional hub for medical tourism.

Nigeria: Entrepreneurs unlocking opportunities in agribusiness

Published by Staff Writer on 14 March 2025

In Nigeria’s evolving agri-processing sector, entrepreneurs are building businesses that not only serve local demand but also tap into export markets.

HWMIIA Classics

Nigeria’s craft beer pioneer eyes $65m empire

Published by Jaco Maritz on 17 June 2024

We speak with Kevin Conroy, founder and CEO of Lagos-based Bature Brewery, about his journey in establishing a craft beer business in Nigeria.

Investment adventures in Africa’s frontier markets

Published by Jaco Maritz on 14 May 2024

Dutch investor Barthout van Slingelandt, managing partner of XSML Capital, shares his experiences of backing companies in the DRC, Uganda, and Angola.

Nigeria: CEO grows dried fruit company from idea to modern factory

Published by Jaco Maritz on 29 March 2024

Last month, Nigerian dried fruit snacks company ReelFruit commissioned its new 800-tonne-per-annum processing facility in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

How a South African chilli sauce company broke into the American market

Published by Jaco Maritz on 17 March 2024

Fynbos Fine Foods started in the kitchen of co-owner Rozelle Abramson. Today, the company produces a range of hot sauces, pestos, chef salts, and jams that are sold worldwide.

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Resilience: A winning strategy for legacy-building

The Olu of Warri and Olori Atuwatse III

The Olu of Warri and Olori Atuwatse III: Nigeria’s Modern Royal Power Duo Redefining Leadership

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Tanzania: From rejections to $40m – an entrepreneur’s rocky road to success

Published by Jaco Maritz on 14 May 2025

Ghana: Profiting from local rice production

Published by Sefakor Fekpe on 14 May 2025

Sierra Leone: Seeing an opportunity in onion farming

Published by Caitriona Palmer and Birom Seck on 12 May 2025

Nigeria: Entrepreneur turns 960 naira (less than $1) into national food business

Published by Jaco Maritz on 7 May 2025

A business approach to healthcare delivery in Nigeria

Published by Staff Writer on 6 May 2025

It’s tough out there: Nigerian entrepreneur adapting to a difficult business environment

Published by Jaco Maritz on 4 May 2025

Changing how Zambia cooks – and building a business around it

Published by Jaco Maritz on 1 May 2025

Nigeria: How to sell cookies in Lagos

Published by Staff Writer on 28 April 2025
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