Africa on Focus

In this episode of How We Are Making It, we sit down with Giuseppe Baidoo, founder & CEO of Gusto Snacks, a company on a mission to reduce food waste withdelicious air-dried fruit crisps.Born and raised in Italy with Ghanaian roots, Giuseppe later moved to the UK, where he built his brand from the ground up. His journey is a masterclass in resilience, adaptation, and entrepreneurship—from navigating life as a Ghanaian in Italy to overcoming business challenges and scaling his vision internationally.🚀 What you'll learn in this episode:✅ The realities of relocating and starting over✅ Lessons from business failures & bouncing back✅ How to find your entrepreneurial spirit✅ Why the right network can make or break your businessThis conversation is packed with insights for aspiring entrepreneurs—don’t miss it!

In this episode, we’re joined by Mariam Basajja, a dynamic and influential Ugandan entrepreneur and the founder of MB Cosmetics Amsterdam. From creating a global beauty powerhouse offering makeup for all skin tones to launching a new skincare line, Mariam shares her journey of transforming her brand into a force in the beauty industry. 💡 What you’ll learn: • Key entrepreneurial insights for business success • The importance of online visibility and diversifying ventures • Practical tips for aspiring beauty entrepreneurs Whether you’re in the beauty industry or simply looking for inspiration to grow your own business, this episode is packed with valuable advice! 🌍💄

In this episode, Ayotunde Adejana shares his inspiring journey of navigating challenges and discovering his path in the financial sector. You will learn how to tap into international opportunities, network effectively without common expectations, and identify when to add value or make a career shift. Ayotunde candidly discusses the lessons he learned in innovative environments spanning education, health, and tech, and how he redefined his goals after facing setbacks, including being told he wasn't memorable. The episode also delves into investment strategies in Africa, exploring why startups often fail, how to track metrics effectively, and the importance of building the right relationships to scale your business. Gain practical advice and unique insights for navigating your career and breaking barriers in the African business landscape.

In this powerful episode we dive deep into what it takes to build lasting wealth in African communities—starting with a shift in mindset. Our guest, Kwabena Obeng Darko, a serial entrepreneur, engineer and advisor with a remarkable track record in helping businesses raise capital, shares insights on breaking down the barriers that often hold us back. Together, we explore the unique challenges Africans face in wealth-building and how embracing collaboration can open doors. Kwabena sheds light on rethinking traditional fundraising, like moving beyond gatherings for funerals, to raising money for entrepreneurial ventures. We also discuss positioning ourselves within the global financial landscape, harnessing ambition, and self-educating on money management. Join us for an inspiring conversation on celebrating our identity, challenging the norms, and building a financially empowered future.

Today on Africa on Focus, we’re excited to sit down with Nana, a dynamic leader whose expertise spans finance, investment banking, agribusiness, and youth entrepreneurship development. 🌱💼 As the Agric/Agribusiness to Entrepreneurship Coordinator on the GEA/Mastercard Foundation BizBox Project, Nana is driving innovation and growth in Africa's agriculture and entrepreneurship sectors. In this episode, we dive into how businesses can secure funding in challenging times and tap into Nana’s vast knowledge for actionable insights you won’t want to miss! 🔑💡 Tune in for expert advice and strategies to boost your business! 🎙️

Join us for a conversation with Ato Kwamina (KwaminTheMC), Ghanaian broadcaster/radio-personality and all-round media producer visiting the Netherlands for all the right reasons. “Why are you here?”. Tap into this conversation as Ato shares how his initial career as an engineer ended up bringing him to the world of Media as a producer, presenter and all-round creator. Find out how strategic networking can help you to access creative working positions, how to discover your radio voice and how Ghana media holds his impact in the Diaspora world. Watch the episode on our YouTube channel. 

MS.ABA and Donny Addison are joined by Palgrave Boakye, Ghana Government and Security Spokesperson, founding executive director of Kandifo institute, and returning guest on Africa on Focus, to discuss current issues in Ghana and the world. Today we’re touching on the recent e-levy (1,5% tax to electronic payments) that has been put into effect from 1st of May 2022. Tune in and find out why the government put its e-levy into effect and how the government seeks to boost the private sector through its tax system. Listen to some arguments made by our viewers against the E-levy. Watch the video episode on YouTube. 

Time to talk to Trigmatic, multi award-winning Ghanaian music artist and serial entrepreneur from Ghana. The rapper/singer hopped by our Amsterdam studios as part of an impactful networking and recordings tour to talk about creating music and the positioning of African music on global markets. Trigmatic shares his journey on starting out in the Ghana music industry and developing his raw talent, which have helped build a sustainable music career to more than just making music. He grew up truly cherishing his ‘roots’ styles of music. He shares how his starting years dropping mixtapes, collaborating with noted Ghana artists, like Reggie Rockstone, Stonebwoy and creativity helped him to grow his core fanbase. As an ambassador for Ghana music, Trigmatic is determined to help turn Ghana music into cultural capital. Find out how the multi-talent has built a sustainable career In music and the business and how he intends to grow the impact of African music.

Joining us for this episode is Terry Afram, founder and Managing Director of Bridge Partners, a consultancy firm which bridges the gap between the international- and local markets by acting as a local partner and providing market entry and -growth solutions. Having started his career in Ghana as the Country Managing Director for Jumia Food Ghana, the largest online food delivery service on the African continent. Terry was able to significantly grow Jumia Food Ghana into a million-euro business and is passionate about seeing other ventures grow to achieve the same, to the benefit of the local economy. One of his noted initiatives is The Ghanaian Dream Diaspora Investment Forum, an annual investment forum showing what it truly takes to invest in Ghana. For 5 consecutive years he has established this forum in between Amsterdam and Accra. Tap into this episode as we talk with Terry Afram about economic relevance, how to position yourself for international opportunities and investments and what it takes to invest in Ghana.

Time for a chat with Carla Kabamba, political scientist, Amsterdam city councillor, artist and speaker. As a true advocate for diversity, Carla has made it her mission to address issues affecting the African Diaspora living in Amsterdam. Being the first Dutch Congolese-Angolan person to be a part of the 45-member city council in Amsterdam, Carla highlights why she has put a plan of action in place to drive change and encourage multiple black representation in politics. Enjoy! Watch the full interview on YouTube.