As African content continues to be ramped up globally, more creative collaborations are emerging not just in Nollywood, but East Africa too.



The African film industry is almost synonymous with Nollywood, produced out of Nigeria.



But East Africa is also playing to the gallery more so now, with its own content and collaborations.



A fact reiterated by entities such as D&amp;R Studios, which has created shows such as The Real Housewives of Nairobi, Sol Family, This Love, Being Bahati, and Young Rich, and Rushlake Media, a network that creates, develops, and scales streaming brands worldwide. The two recently announced a partnership to have more Kenyan TV content streamed internationally.



Eugene Mbugua, CEO of D&amp;R studios, tells FORBES AFRICA it is a game-changer for African storytelling, especially for Kenya. “They open doors, not just for distribution, but for collaboration, co-productions and resource sharing that can elevate the quality and reach of our content. For too long, African stories have either been overlooked or told through a foreign lens. Collaborations like this one ensures that we tell our own stories on our own terms, but with infrastructure to compete and appear globally.”



Philipp Hoffmann, founder and CEO of Rushlake Media, corroborates: “[We have always] focused on African storytelling, [for us] it was kind of an obvious thing to try and reach out and work with them.”



“The partnership gives us access to a wider distribution network, but more importantly, it positions Kenyan TV as a serious contender in the global content space.”



In its Africa Entertainment and Media Outlook 2022-2026 report, PricewaterhouseCoopers states that Kenya&#8217;s TV subscription revenue was estimated at around $420 million “recording an all-time high” in 2021. The report further says that the film and TV industry in Kenya experienced significant growth in the past two decades, with a focus on producing high-quality content that appeals to both local and international audiences with the film industry being estimated to be worth KES 5.3 billion ($49 million).



In a 2024 interview with FORBES AFRICA, Kenyan actor Sarah Hassan also agreed about the booming entertainment sector in the East African country.



“I would say the film space in Kenya has really grown. Even if you look at TV, we have a lot of different shows,” says Hassan, who has many shows and accolades under her svelte belt. “Looking at what there is, it’s a testament to the growth of the industry… We still have a long way to go, but we are moving in the right direction.”



“In an ideal world, [Kenyan] films can definitely cross into markets or to audiences which are not necessarily [just] African. This can widen the idea, the picture, the image of the African continent,” Hoffmann says. “Of course, we all know the bad stories from the continent, the cruel things [being said] and the bad things happening. But there&#8217;s so much more. There&#8217;s so much more to be seen and be discovered.”



“We&#8217;ve always believed that Kenyan stories deserve a global stage,” Mbugua adds.

Videographer, camera and man filming in studio for photography, production and media. Behind the scenes, backstage and person with stabilizing equipment on set shooting videos, documentary or film

‘Kenyan TV As A Serious Contender In The Global Content Space’

Accolades aside, Kenyan actor-and-host-turned-producer, Sarah Hassan seems to see no limit as to what she can achieve.



After discovering her love for performing at a very young age, she went on to join the cast of drama, Tahidi High, playing the role of Tanya. It earned her the award for Best Actress at the CHAT Awards in 2010 and 2011.



However, while she truly enjoys acting and hosting, which she had done for several years, there was another passion in her heart that she could only fulfill later on in her career.



“I wanted to go to, specifically, the New York Film Academy [ever] since I was out of high school… but, of course, [there were issues of ] finances and all that. I told myself one day I am going to go. I remember I had a different bank account where I just saved for film school, and I had gotten to a place where I could go, I think a couple of years before I went, but it didn’t feel like it was the right time,” she says.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GI4C0329-2-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-63035" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GI4C0329-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GI4C0329-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GI4C0329-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GI4C0329-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GI4C0329-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Hassen on set (Image supplied)</figcaption></figure></div>


“I remember, two years later, I wasn’t getting auditions at that time. I felt like if I had the necessary skillset and everything, that I could do my own story or do a short film and satisfy that part of my soul. By that time, I felt like this is the time… So I sent in the application.”



Hassan, speaking to us from her home in Kenya, recalls the experience with great enthusiasm, detailing all the skills she had learned, including the basics of editing and lighting, directing, writing and producing. As soon as she had completed her year in Los Angeles, she put the skills she had learned to good use.



“My dream has always been to be able to, first and foremost, have that skillset, and then be able to work as a producer; as an actor, not only in my country, but anywhere else in the world. Before I left, I remember I did a few projects out there. I did my first-ever short film where I wrote, co-directed, produced and acted in. It won about eight film festival awards. So [that] was quite pivotal for me,” she adds.



“I had gotten awards for acting before that, and for hosting, but this, I would say, is a highlight, not because of the awards but because of what it symbolized. I was behind-the-scenes of a project that I had produced. This was the first time ever doing something that was not acting or hosting. It was the first time doing a story from development – taking it from my mind all the way to seeing it completed.” Hassan, who has her own production company, Alfajiri Productions, would go on to work with streaming giant, Netflix.



“For 40 Sticks, I was brought on board as a lead producer. It was so beautiful because I was there from the beginning, from bringing onboard the writers, from the development stage, the pre-development stage, filming stage, the post. Then Just In Time – that was with my company; with my team, and in collaboration with Lola D, who’s a very good friend of mine and a fantastic director. To see it on Netflix worldwide, not just in Africa, was surreal,” Hassan says.



“Now, with Anyango and the Ogre – it was a commission project, because it’s by Netflix and UNESCO – it was amazing to also see that other side, to be able to work with the executive producers in South Africa, you get to learn a lot. We have been doing [this] for a while but not as long, and to see all the different steps… it was absolutely amazing.”



She concludes that collaboration is key, especially between directors and producers on the continent. Not only does it bring in diverse audiences, one also gets to share resources and learn.

Sarah

Kenyan Actor-Producer On Wearing Many Hats And Why Timing Is Everything

Africa’s medal haul at the Paris Olympics was 39, spread across 12 countries, with a concerning curtailing of the continent’s dominance of the middle distance events in athletics and a lack of an impact in boxing.



Kenya, as is custom, led the African medal table with 11 medals, including four golds.



It is one more than in Tokyo but five down on the record 16-medal haul for the Kenyans at the 2008 Beijing Games.



Kenya did again provide some standout athletics performances, led by Faith Kipyegon, who secured her third Olympic gold in the 1,500 meters. Beatrice Chebet also shone, winning gold in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, while David Wanyonyi claimed victory in the men&#8217;s 800 meters.



But in the 3,000m steeplechase, where Kenya had won nine successive golds, it was Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali, who retained his title from Tokyo.



Arguably, Africa’s biggest moment came when Letsile Tebogo won the 200m, beating Noah Lyles in a poignant victory just months after the death of the mother of the Botswana sprinter.



Tebogo added a silver as he anchored his country’s 4x400m relay team to second place behind the United States. They were Botswana’s first-ever medals.



Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegi upgraded his 10,000m silver from Tokyo to gold this time round but then did not defend his 5,000m crown.



There was not a single men’s medal in the field events, although unheralded Jo-Ane van Dyk from South Africa took javelin silver on the last day of the program.



Ethiopia’s single gold came from Tamirat Tola in the women’s marathon, as they are also down on previous Games’ performances while Ghana and Nigeria failed to win a single medal.



“As we go back home, we must do everything to prevent future occurrence of the Paris disaster and if this will entail the review of how people are elected to lead our sporting Federations, it will be done,” warned Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh.



The island nation of Cape Verde celebrated its first-ever medal, with David de Pina bringing home bronze in the men’s 51kg boxing division.



&#8220;They say I&#8217;m the hero because I give them one thing they never had before,&#8221; he told reporters.



&#8220;I put the name of the country around the world. They might think we don&#8217;t have the strength to win a medal, but we showed them that it’s possible.”

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Africa At The Paris Olympics: Kenya Leads Medals Tally While Nigeria And Ghana Return Home Empty-Handed

Kenya&#8217;s President William Ruto has withdrawn the controversial Finance Bill 2024 in response to public outrage and mass demonstrations in the East African nation. In a statement this afternoon, President Ruto acknowledged the people&#8217;s concerns and emphasized the importance of addressing them to inform policy in the nation.



He stated, &#8220;I concede, I will not sign the 2024 Finance Bill.&#8221;



His speech began with gratitude to the MPs who voted in favor of the bill and an explanation of how the proposed taxes were designed to prevent debt distress.


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<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2158704269.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62259" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2158704269.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2158704269-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2158704269-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Photo by Gerald Anderson/Anadolu via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


&#8220;For every Sh100 we collect as taxes, we spend Sh61 servicing debt,&#8221; said President Ruto.



The decision follows a crisis that engulfed the nation on June 25, when protests against the new tax bill turned violent and demonstrators stormed Parliament and set it on fire, prompting the president to declare a state of emergency.



In a press statement on Tuesday, the President said: “Today’s events mark a critical turning point in how we respond to grave threats to our national security. I assure the nation that the Government has mobilized all resources to ensure that a situation of this nature will not recur at whatever cost.&#8221;



Facts on the bill



In June last year, Kenya’s government had proposed a Finance Bill aimed at increasing Value Added Tax (VAT) and income tax, as well as introducing new taxes on previously exempt goods and services.



The bill seeks to raise an additional KSh346.7 billion ($2.7 billion) in revenue for the 2024/25 financial year, a 13% increase from the initial projection of KSh2.54 trillion ($19.6 billion) to KSh2.88 trillion ($22.3 billion) by broadening the tax base. This sparked widespread criticism, with many arguing that the tax hikes would harm several citizens and hurt the economy.



A year later, with the second review meeting a week away, the criticism escalated into mass demonstrations with thousands taking to the streets of Nairobi, disrupting traffic, vandalizing public property, and being tear-gassed by law enforcement.



In response, the government removed several contentious tax proposals from the bill, such as the VAT on bread, excise duty on vegetable oil, and taxes on sugar transportation and small businesses.



Additionally, VAT on financial services and foreign exchange transactions was removed, and the threshold for VAT registration was increased to exempt many small businesses, providing some relief to protesters.



However, to compensate for the lost revenue, new taxes were introduced. Excise duty was imposed on imported table eggs, onions, and potatoes to protect local farmers, while the cap on mobile money transfers remained unchanged. The fuel levy was significantly increased, along with the Import Declaration Levy and the Railway Development Levy on imports.



These changes were planned to generate substantial tax revenue, aiming to meet the targets set by Ruto&#8217;s administration to address sovereign debt and expenditure needs in line with the latest budget.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2158704197.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62260" style="width:579px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2158704197.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2158704197-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2158704197-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Photo by Gerald Anderson/Anadolu via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Harriet Afandi, a certified human rights consultant at USIDHR, criticizes the bill, stating, &#8220;The Finance Bill fails to support affordable maternal healthcare and ignores sexual and reproductive health rights, which will harm women and girls, particularly adolescent mothers; and lead to maternal deaths and complications.&#8221;



Synthia Asienwa, a Kenyan change leader, added, &#8220;The Finance Bill&#8217;s taxation of sanitary towels and potential scrapping of school feeding programs will harm Kenyan learners, especially girls and those with special needs, and is unacceptable.&#8221;



Amid ongoing protests, Kenya&#8217;s controversial Finance Bill 2024/25 had been passed by the National Assembly yesterday, garnering 195 votes in favor and 106 against, with three abstentions.



The announcement of lawmakers clearing the controversial bill further enraged protesters, leading to an attack on the Parliament with protesters trespassing the premises and setting part of it on fire. MPs and staff were evacuated under heavy security, allegedly through underground tunnels. The police opened fire; reports and videos of injuries and deaths have surfaced online and were acknowledged by the president in his statement, calling it a regrettable attack on the constitution.



Following the violence, the president was airlifted out of the statehouse to a more secure location due to rising security threats. The Kenya Defence Forces was deployed at the Parliament Avenue, and the nationwide emergency was declared.



Amidst this tension, various leaders continued to voice their opinions on the bill.



Billow Kerrow, the former chair of Kenya&#8217;s Finance &amp; Budget Committee at the Senate, remarked, &#8220;So far, today&#8217;s demonstrations against the bill do not seem to bother the Government. However, it is likely they will adopt some changes and introduce new ones.&#8221;



Deborah Monari, a Kenyan change leader at the forefront of the protests, asserted, &#8220;The Finance Bill&#8217;s harsh taxes on essential goods will harm families and communities, and the government should prioritize the people&#8217;s needs.&#8221;



In less than 24 hours, a presidential address was organized and the news was circulated.



In the afternoon of June 26, in an unprecedented development, the Kenyan government bowed to public demands, with President Ruto withdrawing the Finance Bill 2024. Additionally, he has vowed to engage the public on their views and concerns to inform public policy as well as introduce cuts in government expenditure to re-align with the country’s tax policy.



“Going forward, how do we manage the affairs of the country together how do we manage our debt situation together work on the budget and deficits that now exists together, and as I committed last Sunday – I will be proposing an engagement with the young people of our nation, for us to listen to them, their ideas and concerns and what they think we should better as we go further. I also propose that equally president’s office and presidency, the parliament, judiciary and county governments working national treasury also undertake budget cuts and austerity to ensure that we do live within our means, reflecting the very loud message coming from the people of Kenya”

Protest against tax hike in Kenya

Kenya’s President Sends Back Controversial Tax Hike Bill That Sparked Widespread Deadly Protests

The milestone speaks for itself: it’s the 10th anniversary of FORBES AFRICA’S 30 under 30 list, and just like the honorees who have come before them, the class of 2024 too are driven by impact. Profits aside, it’s about achieving success with innovation, influence and individuality. They aren’t looking to fill big shoes but rather lace up their own and forge ahead with giant strides, leading by example and leaving an indelible path for the changemakers to come.



Words and Curation:&nbsp;Chanel Retief Additional research and reporting:&nbsp;Nicole Pillay&nbsp;With inputs from:&nbsp;Oluwatomisin Amokeoja Art Direction and Layout: Lucy Nkosi |&nbsp;Photography:&nbsp;Katlego Mokubyane |&nbsp;Photography Assistant:&nbsp;Sbusiso Sigidi |&nbsp;Studio:&nbsp;NewKatz Studio, Johannesburg |&nbsp;Styling: Deneal Van Wyk |&nbsp;Outfits supplied by: B Mashilo Designs, DFLO, Franc Elis, Ephymol and Preview Accessories |&nbsp;Hair &amp; Makeup:&nbsp;SnehhOnline Beauty



From East Africa’s largest economy to England, Alex Mativo dared to dream. In 2014, at just 19 years old, he founded E-LAB, a startup aimed at eradicating electronic waste in Africa and transforming it into products used in the fashion and interior design industries.



For Mativo, it wasn’t just about eliminating 4,000 tons of waste from Africa’s communities but also creating thousands of jobs for artisans in the process. 



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The late Queen Elizabeth II celebrated Mativo for his work with E-LAB, presenting him with one of the Queen’s Young Leader Awards in 2016. 



“Starting E-LAB at 19 without capital and business experience was my most challenging endeavor,” Mativo tells FORBES AFRICA. 



“While my peers were joining university, I was fighting an environmental hazard in my hometown of Athi River (a town outside Nairobi). Electronic waste was unregulated, which led to factories discarding mountains of e-waste in my backyard.” 



His innovative nature didn’t stop there.Mativo’s latest venture, Duck, is a natural evolution of another one of his businesses – Nanasi, an operating system that helps restaurants seamlessly manage online and offline orders, payments, and operations. Duck expands its reach by tackling a notable challenge: data scarcity in Africa’s vast informal retail sector.



“As a FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 honoree, I would gain a platform to amplify my message and inspire the next wave of changemakers to build ventures that solve real African problems,” Mativo adds. 



As a judge of the Business and Technology categories of the 30 Under 30 list, Amini founder Kate Kallot comments on him: “[Alex is] showing quite a lot of resilience, which is the single-most important attribute in business.”

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Under 30: Kenyan Founder On Building Ventures To Solve Africa’s Problems

The CEO ofKenya’s Private Sector Alliance speaks to FORBES AFRICA about the country’s growth prospects on the back of its 60 years of independence celebrations.



Kenya is, arguably, East Africa’s most robust economy, with the country putting in the yards to better itself in several sectors. With 2023 marking a watershed moment for the country, it celebrated key achievements over the past 60 years as well as its impact on business in Africa through the creation of opportunities for investment.



“Kenya has a diverse and resilient economy, with sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, services, tourism, and energy offering opportunities for investment,” says KEPSA CEO, Carole Kariuki.



She adds that a systematic urge to position the country as a key investment hub is paying off.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Some of the opportunities for investments in Kenya include being the leading producer and exporter of agricultural products such as tea, coffee, flowers, fruits and vegetables. There is potential for value addition, agro-processing, irrigation, and mechanization in the sector.” &nbsp;



Kenya is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, with an average annual growth rate of 4.8% between 2015 and 2019 and an expected 5% growth in 2023. The country has reduced poverty from 36.5% in 2005 to 27.2% in 2019 and has improved its global ranking in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index from 136th in 2015 to 56th in 2020.



As a leader in innovation and technology in on the continent, with a vibrant startup ecosystem and a strong digital infrastructure, Kenya is home to some of the most successful African tech companies, such as Safaricom, M-PESA and BRCK, among others.



However, there are challenges. High power costs have not been good for the economy and the country witnessed the exit of a large number of companies in December due to high operational expenses.



“Manufacturing has a well-developed industrial base that Kenya boasts of. The sector produces a variety of goods such as textiles, leather, food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and metal products. The government has identified manufacturing as one of the key pillars of its Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda,” admits Kariuki.



Despite the nation’s ambitious plans to increase the sector’s contribution to GDP, some heavy-lifting is necessary to tackle the high-power costs. Going into the next 10 years of growth, Kariuki says accelerated economic growth will be driven by increased investment in trade, transport, communication and innovation.



“The country has a well-developed infrastructure network, a skilled labor force, and a conducive regulatory framework for doing business. Kenya is well-positioned for take-off in the next decade, as it has many strengths and opportunities to leverage,” she says. &nbsp;



With a median age of almost 20 years, and a literacy rate of 81.5%, as reported in 2018, the country has all the necessary ingredients to chart out a new and prosperous future.&nbsp;But despite Kenya being a regional hub, weak governance could dampen the country’s prospects.&nbsp;



“My administration will be stepping up the war on graft. Any public servant found to be engaging in corruption will be subjected to face the full wrath of the law,” said President William Ruto, when the nation marked its Mashujaa Day celebrations in October last year. &nbsp;



Kenya has primed itself as a gateway to the East African trade corridor, a bloc that boasts a market of over 300 million people (about a quarter of Africa’s population) and a reported combined GDP of $305.3 billion.



According to Kariuki, the roll-out of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provides preferential access for Kenyan products and services to these markets.



“A visionary and ambitious development agenda that aims to transform Kenya into a middle-income country by 2030 needs a renewed focus on delivering food security, affordable housing, universal health coverage, manufacturing, and SME development. That require[s] massive investment outlays and will put Kenya on the pedestal for industrialization,” she says. &nbsp;



Having being at the helm of&nbsp;KEPSA&nbsp;for a decade and counting, Kariuki believes that with democracy being the cradle of hope for a better Kenya, the private sector must also be an active player in the country.



“KEPSA&nbsp;continues to play an important role in achieving a better and prosperous Kenya by representing the voice of the private sector in Kenya and engaging with the government, development partners, and other stakeholders on cross-cutting policy issues and programs for social and economic development of the country.”



Kenya has transformed from a lacking and divided colony to a stable and prosperous nation with a vibrant democracy, a diversified economy, and a leading role in regional and global affairs.

Carole Kariuki of KEPSA; image supplied

Manufacturing, Energy And Agriculture Among Sectors Bound For Development In East African Economy

A Brazilian producer and a Kenyan singer came together to create a song last year that soared up music charts globally, and collaborating with an India-born director for the video, it is now a milestone for African sound.



A decade ago, who knew Africa would boast a full-fledged creative economy?



The continent is front and center on the global stage today especially when it comes to its music, which has seen rapid strides with collaborations between homegrown artists, producers, and directors and creative talent from across the world.



Into this mix, we are now seeing one of the biggest cross- cultural collaborations in the Electronic Dance Music (EDM) genre yet, described by critics as “a song that will give you an undeniable earworm” (catchy piece of music that sticks).



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Brazilian music producer Matheus Zerbini Massa, popularly known as Zerb, released the single Mwaki in October last year. The song, featuring Kenyan singer Sofiya Nzau, has been globally soaring up charts such as Shazam TOP 200 GLOBAL Popular Songs and Spotify Global Viral 50.



Its success has come as no surprise for the team’s creators. “To be honest, [I am not surprised at how big the song has become], not really,” Massa says to FORBES AFRICA. “It’s very unique. Every person I have [passed on] the song to has said it’s one of their favorites on the EP. Usually, when we are not doing music that is in English, we think it’s harder to break barriers. And this song [has been] the opposite. Because it has connected with people from all over the world.”



Mwaki, which predominantly features Nzau’s vocals, is in Kenya’s Kikuyu language. Nzau knew the song would go viral but was not sure about the extent of it.



“I’m just grateful that it’s still doing [well],” Nzau says. “We are in a season where Africans are accepting that we don’t have to [sing in] English to be heard outside of Africa. And the fact [is] that even audiences outside of Africa are willing to listen to our music… I am glad to be part of a campaign like this.”Mwaki paints a colorful picture with a strong African narrative 


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Literally, Mwaki means fire but at its core, it’s a song of longing.



Nzau shares that it’s about fighting for something you love and not being afraid. “It’s the story of a woman who is in love with a man her parents are not in approval of, but she’s willing to fight for him, she’s willing to cover him. Just so she can be with him. Just so she can experience love.”



Following the song’srelease, therewasacollectiveneed to prolong the cultural and creative celebrations commemorating the diverse and enriching elements conveyed in the song and bringing them to life visually.



How can a collaborative depiction of culture, creativity and achievements be effectively portrayed? That is where director Mikhail Mehra comes in, literally.



“I feel like I’m the chaos guy,” Mehra jokes, speaking with FORBES AFRICA on a Zoom call from his home in Los Angeles. “People call me when it’s like chaotic and insane and they’re like ‘can you pull this off’?”



Mehra,born and raised in Mumbai, India, remembers that first call with Jake Udell, the American music manager and founder of TH3RD BRAIN, the independent record label that Massa is signed up with.



“Jake called me a couple of weeks before Christmas and he’s like ‘listen, man, I got this amazing song, do you think you can pull off this music video [during] this timeline, and can you deliver it to us in the second week of January?’&#8221; 


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="684" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-94__-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-61094" style="width:608px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-94__-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-94__-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-94__-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-94__-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-94__.jpg 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Image supplied)</figcaption></figure></div>


And Mehra responded: “Uh, yes.” It was to be shot in Kenya.



Alec Udell, Co-CEO of TH3RD BRAIN, says that it was about more than just filming in Kenya, it was about contributing to the country, especially since most of the crew was from the country.



“For the music video, we asked ‘where do we shoot’?” Alec says. “It wasn’t a business decision; it was more of a creative decision. How can a music video feel authentic for the song if it’s not shot in Kenya? It didn’t feel like there was anywhere else in the world that made sense to shoot it and get the authenticity of it, which I think was important.”


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="684" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-250__-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-61092" style="width:664px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-250__-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-250__-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-250__-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-250__-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-250__.jpg 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Hell’s Gate National Park in Nairobi (Image supplied)</figcaption></figure></div>


Africa’s creative economy is growing, generating billions but in comparison with the rest of the world, the uptake is slower. The continent’s share remains significantly low, accounting for only around 2.9% of global creative goods exports, representing $58.4 billion and less than 1% of the African GDP, according to the United Nations Development Programme report on Accelerating Creativity and Innovation in Africa. And when projects do emerge, their coverage demonstrates that notonly is Africa misrepresented, it is underrepresented. Furthermore, negative stereotypes, poor narratives, and mystifying clichés continue to be propagated in the stories that come out of the continent.



Although Mwaki has a strong narrative, Mehra did away with a storyline for the music video and worked stylistically to ensure there would be no clichés.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="684" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-84___-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-61096" style="width:405px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-84___-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-84___-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-84___-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-84___-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mwaki-Video-Shoot-behind-the-scenes-PMG-2023-84___.jpg 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Image supplied)</figcaption></figure></div>


Filming was at Hell’s Gate National Park in Nairobi amidst its cliffs, gorges, rock towers, volcanoes and plumes of geothermal steam. “I wanted it to be a visual treat. So, colors and textures [were] important. We knew we wanted dance [incorporated heavily] and I wanted a lot of dancers… I knew I wanted it to be big.”



“The director’s vision was to give the music video a sense of grandeur,” Kenyan producer Fuad Mbigi chips in.



“To film in a big, beautiful location with a gorgeous African savannah backdrop with as many dancers as possible… The song is a global hit so it only makes sense that the video too is grand.”



“I see African influence everywhere in the West,” Mehra concurs. “…So, it just feels natural. And it feels very obvious to me why [the continent] could be having a moment. And one could argue that this is one moment in a long series of moments.”



“The song has proven that music is a universal language,” Massa adds.



“And it proves that with music, we can combine different cultures and different sounds from different parts of the world. I’m a Brazilian producer, with a Kenyan singer and we got one of the biggest songs in the world right now.”



Nzau adds that collaborations like this have allowed her to see the doors of opportunity open wider and that Africa can “be viewed as big as other countries or other continents”.



“I want African artists to believe that whatever we have here, languages, culture, traditions, instruments, or anything African is good enough to be used and to represent us. Other than us just trying to copy and fit in, we just [continue] to create our own because everything we do here is all beautiful.”

Mwaki Video Shoot behind the scenes PMG 2023 109___

FOR THE RECORD: An African Song Soaring Up Charts Filmed In Kenya

Wandia Gichuru cannot wait for the day that AfCFTA becomes a reality, especially in the textiles and fashion space.



Most people start young. But while in her 40s, Wandia Gichuru’s journey into entrepreneurship was serendipitous and unexpected. Creating a truly Kenyan fashion brand, she now epitomizes a new generation of fearless entrepreneurs in the East African nation.



Before venturing into the fashion world, Gichuru spent over 15 years as an international development advisor, working for the government of the United Kingdom, the United Nations and the World Bank. But she always knew that she wanted to make a difference back home.



Into fitness in a big way and also a salsa dancer, she set up Vivo Activewear with a friend, Anne-Marie Burugu, in Nairobi in 2011, with a vision to create a Made in Kenya brand catering to women embracing wellness as a lifestyle. She went on to also set up an e-commerce platform onboarding Made in Kenya beauty and fashion brands.



From a single store in Nairobi, Vivo Activewear grew to include Vivo Woman, Safari and Zoya, curated to resonate with the contemporary African renowned for fusing style, comfort, functionality, and affordability.



“Our vision at Vivo Fashion Group is to see Africa dress herself, as well as Africa dress the world. We believe that in addition to being great producers and ardent consumers of fashion, the time has come that we are also creators of strong African fashion brands,” says Gichuru.



The fashion label recently joined the&nbsp;Nairobi Securities&nbsp;Exchange’s Ibuka incubation and acceleration program.



“We want as many people as possible to join us on this journey. So, listing on the Nairobi Securities Exchange would be one way to do this, by allowing anyone who wishes to become a shareholder of the group.”



Expanding its footprint across East Africa and beyond is a pivotal component of Vivo&#8217;s strategy. Unlike merely exporting Kenyan styles, the approach involves tailoring offerings to suit each unique market it enters.



Gichuru emphasizes the importance of establishing partnerships with creators, designers, suppliers, and manufacturers in these regions, thus nurturing the industry ecosystem.



“Over 200 million East Africans get up and get dressed every day. It is hard to get accurate data, but in our estimation, less than 5% of East Africans wear any clothes that were produced in East Africa. So, the opportunities in the fashion sector are huge, and we are only scratching the surface,” says Gichuru.



As Africa prepares for a single trading bloc under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Gichuru says this presents an exciting opportunity, especially in the textiles and fashion sector. She envisions the removal of barriers that currently impede sourcing and distribution across African countries, potentially opening doors to new African brands entering the Kenyan market.



“We cannot wait for the day that AfCFTA becomes a reality, especially in the textiles and fashion space. This will open doors for everyone in the sector in such powerful ways. We are desperate, for example, to make clothing using Kitenge fabric from Ghana. However, under the current tax environment, we would have to pay 50% duty on Ghanaian fabric, which makes it impossible to create a competitively priced product from it.”



For entrepreneurs like Gichuru, this impending reality holds the promise of uncharted growth. However, alongside this anticipation come the pressing concerns regarding the key challenges that must be addressed to facilitate the scaling of businesses like hers on the African stage.



“Hopefully, AfCFTA will address these kinds of challenges and we will be able to start sourcing from and distributing to countries across Africa. And vice versa, we will see all kinds of African brands enter the Kenyan market,” she says.



Gichuru’s venture, Shop Zetu, is also making strides in Kenya’s fast-growing e-commerce space. The platform is a one-stop shop for all things fashion, beauty, and accessories.



Her current focus is the East African and COMESA markets, where products can be more efficiently moved to and from Kenya.



The Vivo Fashion Group also places strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion. Over 70% of its 450 employees are women. Gichuru is also keen on promoting female entrepreneurs.



“Women in particular are sometimes afraid to come across as too ambitious or too confident. Which can work against us, especially when trying to raise capital. We must be clear about our goals and learn how to articulate them in a way that convinces people that we know where we are going, we know how to get there, and that they should join us on the journey.”



She advises aspiring entrepreneurs to be true to themselves and not let perfectionism or fear hinder their ambitions. She also emphasizes the importance of action.



“I have an incredibly strong bias for action. The advice I mostly give to younger entrepreneurs is to just get started! Don’t let ideas just sit in your head. Start! Execute! Put something in front of potential customers and get a reaction. You’ll either make a sale or you’ll get some feedback – or hopefully both. But it will get you one step further on your way to building a real business”.



As Kenya celebrates 60 years of independence, Gichuru believes that determination and resilience are central to keeping the country’s entrepreneurial spirit alive.



“We have a way of picking ourselves up and keeping ourselves going. And we are also lucky that we live in such a beautiful country, and have a great sense of humor – so no matter how difficult things are, the sun will still be bright and shining, and someone next to you is going to crack a joke and make you laugh!

Wandia Gichuru; image supplied

‘To See Africa Dress The World’: A Kenyan Fashion Entrepreneur On The Industry’s Promising Future  

Zuri obtains fabrics and designs from Kenya and other African countries, creating jobs.



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African style is making its way to New York City. In June this year, the Brooklyn Museum hosted Africa Fashion, one of North America’s largest exhibits celebrating African clothing and craftsmanship. From being highlighted on fashion runways to new stores popping up around the city, fashion from the continent is creeping into the wardrobes of many New Yorkers.



One fast-growing store is Zuri, which opened a few years ago in downtown Manhattan. The brand prides itself on obtaining fabrics and designs from Kenya and other African countries.



“We are hiring different artists from there, who then produce the pieces,” Tiffany Collins, an employee at Zuri, tells FORBES AFRICA. “Then it’s shipped. So you kind of create this ecosystem that continuously flows. You’re creating jobs, and you’re paying people fair, livable wages.”



Workers at Zuri hope their efforts will make African clothes a staple in wardrobes.



“More celebration and understanding of the textile and the process and what really goes into producing those beautiful pieces,” is what Collins wishes for. “So many hands have touched them prior to them even getting here.”

Screen Shot 2023-12-19 at 15.09.04

Rocking African Style In Manhattan

<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-text-align-center is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“We are not merely making policy, but are nurturing a legacy of boundless growth and shared prosperity under BeTA (Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda),” says Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary For Foreign Diaspora Affairs, Dr Musalia Mudavadi.
</blockquote>



Kenya, the largest economy in East Africa, celebrated 60 years of independence on December 12, 2023.



In June, during the country’s Madaraka Day celebrations, which commemorate the day Kenya attained self-rule in 1963 – a day that would prove pivotal in its pursuit of independence, President William Samoei Ruto stated that “every Kenya African understood [the first Madaraka Day] to be the beginning of the hard and noble work of securing and enhancing social and economic freedom as well.”



“For six decades now, the people of Kenya have worked hard, with admirable diligence and unwavering determination, to perfect the political freedom of their nation through sustained socioeconomic progress,” he added.



The country, in which GDP is projected to grow 5.6% in 2023 and 6.0% in 2024, according to an economic outlook published by the African Development Bank (AfDB) earlier this year, is considered “a powerhouse within the East African community”.



This was the sentiment from Dr Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Diaspora Affairs.



“On the global stage, Kenya’s influence has soared, expanding its footprint in international trade, becoming a key member of regional bodies such as the East African Community (EAC), the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and forging essential economic partnerships like AGOA with the United States and having an Economic Partnership Arrangement with the European Union (EU),” he tells FORBES AFRICA.



Furthermore, the country is committed to global harmony, underscored by its active participation in the United Nations peacekeeping framework.



“As we celebrate 60 years of independence, these achievements and challenges serve as stepping stones toward a future of even greater promise,” Mudavadi adds.



Solidifying Kenya’s commitment to economic development, in 2022, it exported a total of $7.4 billion, globally.



Approximately, $767 million of this revenue came directly from the country’s 89 Export Processing Zones (EPZs). This year, President Ruto announced new plans to expand this number with an additional five new zones to complement this growth and encourage more foreign investment in the country.



The East African nation’s technology ecosystem also holds immense potential, according to Endeavor Kenya Managing Director, Maryanne Ochola.



“The Kenyan startup ecosystem is nascent and full of promise,” she says, adding, “A number of important events saw Kenya turn the tide. These were the laying of the first undersea internet cable, the launch of M-PESA and the establishment of innovation hubs such as iLab at Strathmore University. These



developments underscore the importance of two key assets – enabling infrastructure and physical spaces for like-minded innovators to convene and exchange ideas.”



Mudavadi also emphasizes “Kenya’s pioneering role in the mobile banking revolution” and concludes: “Our legacy, we hope, will be woven from the threads of unity, determination, the resilient spirit of the African, and a relentless pursuit of a better tomorrow for every African.”



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Aerial view of illuminated city buildings against sky at night,Nairobi,Kenya

Leading With A Legacy Of Economic Transformation: Kenya Celebrates 60 Years Of Independence

The man behind the success of the The Real Housewives of Nairobi has an equally interesting story.



Amidst the ever-changing landscape of entrepreneurship, Eugene Mbugua is a role model in Kenya, embarking on a journey that found its roots in the most unexpected of places — a high school canteen. Nestled within the hallowed halls of Nairobi&#8217;s Upper Hill Boys High School, Mbugua took his first steps into the world of business by joining a student-owned canteen that offered break snacks. This early foray ignited the flames of entrepreneurship within him, leading him to become a shareholder in the venture and explore unique avenues, such as selling creatively-adorned envelopes to fellow students, designed for penning letters to girlfriends in other boarding schools, whose letters were sent via post.



When he moved on to university, he continued his quest to explore the world of business. He dabbled in various enterprises, from a shop selling bootleg DVDs to a haven for video game enthusiasts between classes. “I also tried my hand in different businesses varying from event management to a tour company; they all failed,” says Mbugua.



It was during his last year of university that the tide turned. A chance encounter with the world of film-making after high school, courtesy of a cousin who brought him to a film set, ignited a passion that would change his life&#8217;s course. This newfound love led him to pursue a course in television production at university, while concurrently managing his small businesses and exploring various job opportunities in the field.



Throughout this tumultuous journey, Mbugua held onto a dream – the dream of creating his own TV show.



“This whole time I pitched to quite a number of different TV stations. Eventually about a month prior to my graduation, our first show Young Rich was bought by a local station”. It focused on young entrepreneurs and quickly became a top-ranking, award-winning TV show. “That was our first milestone, the premiere of our first TV show Young Rich in 2013. It’s what set the ground for everything else that came”.



Mbugua and his team at D&amp;R Studios went on to produce more than 20 television shows, establishing a prominent presence in Kenya&#8217;s media landscape. Their latest sensation, The Real Housewives of Nairobi, is capturing audiences&#8217; attention not just in Kenya but on an international scale, thanks to collaborations with platforms like Showmax and NBCUniversal.



After a successful run of their reality show Kyallo Kulture, Mbugua got into the beauty space, forging partnerships with entities and personalities that allow the studio to not only take advantage of their clientele base but also tap into their huge following to provide value for audiences and broadcasters.



He recently launched a cosmetic line called Unapologetic in partnership with media personality and entrepreneur Betty Kyallo.



What makes Mbugua’s journey particularly fascinating is his ability to adapt and innovate. One major pivot came in 2020-2021 when D&amp;R Studios attracted investment and established a governing board.



“We took in investment and set up a board which now governs the company and to which I answer to as CEO. The board’s input has often helped us expand our view of what our business is capable of and has also helped us put together governing structures needed to scale new heights,” says Mbugua.



This strategic move allowed him to expand the company&#8217;s horizons and put in place the structures needed for scaling greater heights. As an avid reader now learning to play the saxophone, he finds inspiration in books.



Challenges abound in the film and television industry, with the rapid growth of digital media and technological advancements like AI rendering some job roles obsolete. However, Mbugua and D&amp;R Studios seem to have met these challenges with a proactive attitude. Mbugua predicts that streaming services will continue to thrive, offering on-demand content to an audience reluctant to return to traditional TV schedules. Self-publishing through platforms like TikTok and YouTube will also gain momentum, providing fame and fortune for emerging talent.



“What I think will provide the most disruption however is artificial intelligence. If one is able to use these tools well, it is possible to generate very good content very quickly and this might build some new fortunes and destroy others.”



For aspiring entrepreneurs entering the industry, Mbugua, an alum of the FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 list, offers an essential piece of advice: “Start where you are with what you have and embrace new technology quickly. In a rapidly-changing media landscape, early adopters are handsomely rewarded.”

Eugene Mbugua; image supplied

Kenya’s Early Adopter In Showbiz On The Next Big Disruption

Agriculture represents one of Kenya’s largest industries. Over the decades, the mega-sector has shaped and formed to include some of the continent&#8217;s highest export volumes, with major crops making a name for the country in the global market. FORBES AFRICA takes a closer look as the country celebrates its 60th birthday.



Agriculture in Kenya is big business. According to the latest Central Bank data, this national industry is responsible for at least 20% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It’s also a top income earner, accounting for 65% of national export earnings, and employs over 40% of the working population; a majority of which (approximately 70%) lives outside the cities. Additionally, the industry is directly and indirectly responsible for the livelihoods of an estimated 80% of the Kenyan population.



The productivity of this industry is expected to have a major impact on the economic growth of the country. Hence, it has become a cornerstone pillar in President William Ruto’s strategic economic plan known as the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).



Among six pillars, Agriculture cuts across several objectives intended to boost resilience and recovery in the country’s national economy. Among the key directives is a paradigm shift, challenging previous policy approaches in force within the industry.



A focus on entrepreneurship, across the value chain, including at farm-level as well as a move towards unit productivity rather than production marks the shift. Adding to this, agricultural resources, such as land and livestock, are now treated as national assets, elevating these factors of production to crucial levers in prevailing food security and export mandates. Overall, BETA seeks to address major economic challenges including poverty reduction through the creation of employment opportunities, particularly for the country’s large youth population, as well as boosting foreign exchange earnings, among others.



Organizations, in both the public and private sectors as well as civil society, have stepped in to shore up targets. Among them is the Centre for African Bio-Entrepreneurship (CABE), which supports stakeholders across the agricultural value chain in Kenya including farmers and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).



“We do market linkages. We gather market information, share the current state of market, in terms of agricultural produce [and] what is trending [in the marketplace]. This is to create value so that they have a targeted market and whenever they engage in business, it is demand-driven,” explains Lucy Adoyo, who leads Research at CABE’s Nairobi headquarters, to FORBES AFRICA.



MSMEs represent an important layer of the sectoral value chain and within the BETA framework. One of the pillars of the economic agenda, these enterprises are poised to drive job creation and stimulate trade and market activities across the national economy. Within agriculture, they provide a crucial pipeline for the youth population to enter the industry while employing the majority of Kenyans who depend on subsistence farming for both food and finance.



“These are the enterprises that produce the food which we consume in the country. They are the people you’d find in the domestic market and those are the people who even drive the local economy beyond the export [market]. The current discussions we’re having right now are around sustainable food systems coupled with climate action,” adds Adoyo.



These agribusinesses range from specialization to size and focus on direct food production to value addition such as agro-processing. The development of these businesses is a core national objective and a target of the BETA plan.



Last year, Strathmore University Business School, one of the most respected tertiary institutions in the country, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and the Kenya Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) announced a program to support MSMEs within the industry. The partnership is intended to commercialize sectoral value chains across the country’s major counties; each of them home to a bulk of the farming population in Kenya.



While these businesses form a crucible within Kenyan agriculture, MSMEs in the country remain arrested in development. Barriers to growth such as lack of access to financing and markets are consistent stumbling blocks for entrepreneurs across all sectors as well as inflexible policy environments. The hopes for the BETA interventions frame this context with its promises for improved trading conditions, greater access to funding, and much needed business development support.



The Strathmore Business School program for agricultural MSMEs sharpens its focus on addressing gaps in the industrial value chain; beyond direct business support. Data, for improved policy-making and for tracking sectoral growth and impact, is lacking at both local and international levels. The program launched with an intention to address these challenges.



“There is a need to map out the value chains and integrate them under one platform to inform decision-making and areas of intervention,’’ noted Dr. George Njenga, Programs Manager at the Kenya Small Business Development Centers, during the announcement.



In Kenya, these enterprises currently employ close to 15 million people and hold the key for further job creation within the agricultural industry, particularly for the growing youth population.



“Youth are mobile, youth transition very fast, [they] are also innovative in nature and if we understand those aspects about youth, [then] creating sustainability [in] the businesses they establish and also tracking them to ensure that they are creating employment opportunities for themselves and others; looking at the multiplier effect of the initial seed [investment] is most important to us,” says Adoyo of CABE.



Kenyan youth are becoming prolific players within agriculture than in previous decades thanks to recent policy efforts, namely the national Kenya Youth Agribusiness Strategy that ran from 2018 to 2022. However, like other entrepreneurs in the MSME space, young agri-preneurs face similar challenges to scale such as limited market information, lack of credit, and competition from imported agricultural produce, which is often cheaper and floods the market during peak seasons.



Nevertheless, they remain a crucial demographic for BETA’s interventions, across the board. The country’s young people not only represent major human capital potential at the national level, they are also potential food producers for Kenya&#8217;s local and export markets. However, to keep them in the industry, relevant support systems need to be put in place, explains Adoyo.



“They are looking for livelihoods. If they are unable to sustain themselves, they might even sell their infrastructure and move on to the next thing. Sustainability of initial efforts is what is key in making sure that youth are able to earn meaningful employment or income.”



Like its youth population, agriculture remains one of Kenya’s most vibrant and promising industries. With output set to grow over the coming decades and its current export earning prowess, the industry is poised to drive the country into a new era of development and economic growth – financing the futures and fortunes – of the next generation.

Vegetable farmer

Kenya@60: Driving Agribusiness As A Core Imperative In The East African Country 

The Nairobi-based co-founder of Craydel, an online career guidance platform, speaks to FORBES AFRICA about its ambitions to democratize higher education and scale across Africa. But first, more on what sparked his entrepreneurial journey.



Manish Sardana is in the midst of a busy day, opening yet another office, a bigger one, in Nairobi’s upscale Westlands area when we catch up for a conversation on Craydel, the edtech startup he successfully co-founded in Kenya in 2021, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.



“Right now, we have five offices – three in Nigeria and two in Kenya – and about 70-odd employees and we are growing rapidly,” the platform’s 43-year-old CEO says about the growth of what was once “just an idea in his head”.



At a time when most startups are battling to survive and retrenching staff, Craydel is hiring rapidly and on its way to profitability in 2024, he adds. On the cards: expansion to more markets such as Ghana, Uganda and South Africa. The investors are keen and Sardana is optimistic.



“When you are building something that has a real vision trying to solve a real problem, you get people gravitating towards you,” says Sardana of his platform that dispels misinformation and biases for students and guides decisions on college and course selection.&nbsp;Craydel is building the tech infrastructure to empower African learners to search, match and apply to their best-fit higher education institutions.



In 2021, Sardana, along with his co-founders <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-nguru-38677638/?originalSubdomain=ke" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">John Nguru</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayne-aman-premji/?originalSubdomain=ke" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shayne Aman Premji</a>, secured $1 million for Craydel in a pre-seed round led by Enza Capital, a private venture fund that invests in early-stage tech startups across Africa. Subsequently, they secured another $1.5 million to grow the platform.



Craydel – a play on the word ‘cradle’ – &nbsp;hand-holds students wanting to pursue higher education – from graduation to post-graduation to PhD – at any point in their student or professional career. In fact, 50% of their postgraduate enrolments are working professionals looking for a career change, says Sardana.



The tech startup has 380 direct partnerships with universities so far and seeks to democratize access to tertiary education, in turn, addressing the low gross enrolment rate, of about 9%, in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This includes working professionals who have not been to college before, for want of access to capital and resources.



Two years in, Sardana says they have figured out the formula for success.



“We know that if you do X, Y and Z, you are going to be successful. That equation is very clear to us now.



We want to show that we can build a real unicorn out of Africa, creating real impact.”



But there’s a reason why Craydel may as well be on its way to savoring billion-dollar success in the future. Sardana has a track-record of building and scaling successful businesses from the ground-up.



His penchant for entrepreneurship had its humble beginnings in India, and followed him to Africa, a continent that he now calls home and one that has “given so much” to him.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“I owe it to Africa,” he explains of his mission to expand opportunities in education.



“One of the things I realized early on in life is to observe things around me… What I love is looking at ecosystems and how things work, and understand how it is broken, and use technology to disrupt that ecosystem. There&#8217;s also a theory I use, which is called ‘perpetuators versus agitators’; wherein perpetuators perpetuate an ecosystem because it benefits them, while an agitator can really shake this up from the outside and create a better, more efficient ecosystem,” says Sardana.



‘Serial entrepreneur’



His first tryst with entrepreneurship was at the age of 10. From a middle class home in Delhi – with three rooms and 16 family members – Sardana was born to parents who worked in the government and instilled in him a love for reading.



He engaged this by creating “a sharing concept or library with a common pool of books and comics from everyone in one place”, renting books out to friends and relatives. The venture failed, but not without him realizing how much he enjoyed the process of creating it. All through school and college, he found enterprising ways to make pocket money, becoming “a serial entrepreneur more out of necessity than anything else”.



His parents allowed him these entrepreneurial bouts, so long as he was going to top his class, study economics and go on to become a civil services officer. Whilst studying for an economics degree in Delhi University’s Hansraj College, Sardana was also teaching students. But disillusionment set in.



“I mean 90% of what I studied two years ago, I had no recollection of, and I could not see how that education was going to ever help me in life. And especially because I had kind of exposed myself to building businesses, I did not see any practical application of what I was studying.”



Along with a couple of friends, he soon set up his own publishing business – a college magazine in Delhi University that proved to be very popular on campus. He hustled, spending nights at the printing press and knocking on advertisers’ doors during the day, thumbing through the Yellow Pages directories and traveling across Delhi on his dad’s scooter. This was in the year 2000.



“My parents said I have got to stop this and do my master’s degree,” says Sardana. His mom filled out a form to the prestigious Delhi School of Economics. Some of India’s greatest economists such as Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and former Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh have taught at the institution. &nbsp;



Sardana cleared the entrance exam, quite by default. “I really did not study for it. The only way I cleared the exam was because I was teaching my classmates and charging them money for it. So I would [conduct] private tuitions for my own classmates, and in the process of teaching them, I would kind of learn myself.”



Very soon, he realized it was all theoretical economics and he had no passion for it. It didn’t challenge him enough, so three months into the course, he quit.



After that, he tried to rekindle the magazine business but had to close it down. He also authored an economics textbook for class 12 students. A year on, he went on to do his MBA at the FORE School of Management and was subsequently hired by advertising agency FCB Ulka. Before long, he felt “jaded” in the industry doing marketing campaigns. But Sardana was also closely watching from the sidelines the big renaissance unraveling in India’s technology sector.



“That was in 2004-2005, the internet was coming up, Amazon was becoming a big thing and Google had come up. I saw the power of technology really changing and transforming ecosystems and got really excited about it,” he recalls.



After that, he worked four years in a successful edtech startup called Vriti, and the company managed to raise a total funding of $35 million.



“It was a lot of money at the time… Eventually, I sliced the part of the company I was running and set up as a separate company. I sold my company to a financial investor. So that was my first successful exit, which I was really happy about.



“And then, after seven years, I needed a break, I was very much done. Startups can also be an emotionally-draining experience, you know, especially when you are just married and have kids.”



A six-month break ensued, during which time he also helped his wife set up her bakery business, delivering her cakes door-to-door in their black Maruti Esteem car.



That was in 2014 when Sardana’s Africa rendezvous was just about to begin.



‘Owe it to Africa’



One of his former bosses who had been following his journey in the technology space told him about an opportunity in Africa with multinational communications company, WPP to focus on the digital marketing side of the business.



Within 10 days of receiving the offer, Sardana was on a plane to Kenya, his first trip outside of India. It took him three years to settle down, to understand the market and the consumers, and he was promoted to Managing Director for WPP-Scangroup in SSA.&nbsp; &nbsp;



He won a lot of business for the company but the entrepreneur in him was beginning to surface, again. He built a marketing automation platform called Optimus for the company, which is when he met and worked with his current co-founder and CTO, Nguru.



He presented the product to the board but it didn’t work. He presented it to one of their clients, Barclays in Kenya, and thereby to the bank’s leadership in South Africa, who were very impressed and gave him a chance to deploy it across their markets, which he calls his “first lucky break”.



“Once Barclays happened, you know, success creates more success. Suddenly, at WPP, the guys woke up!”



Sardana says Optimus was also deployed by leading African entities such as Kenya Commercial Bank, Equity Bank, the Old Mutual Group and Airtel.



The epiphany after that was inspired by his wife, whose bakery business was also doing well.



“She said to me ‘you know, you guys keep building all this sophisticated technology for large blue chip companies, but what about building something to help small businesses like us scale’?



“That was my first moment in Africa when I said, ‘okay, I&#8217;m making a lot of money for myself, am building a lot of wealth for my organization and for my clients, who are very rich people to start with, but we are really not doing anything of any significance, of impact, using our skill sets, and our insights for the large masses, the small business sector. If you understand Africa, it&#8217;s really run on the back of very micro SMEs.”



This led to the creation of Optimus Mini for small businesses. Eventually, that platform was called Goby – “the smallest fish in the world”. He explains the philosophy behind it.



“The big fish eat the small fish. So we wanted to empower the small fish to fight and compete with the big fish, by giving them access to all the technology and resources they needed. It was essentially e-commerce-as-a-service platform, allowing small entrepreneurs to upload their product pictures and prices, and it will set up an entire e-commerce shop for them online, integrated with payment gateways and logistics partners to deliver the products.”


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="682" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Manish-Sardana-image-supplied-682x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-60328" style="width:335px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Manish-Sardana-image-supplied-682x1024.jpeg 682w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Manish-Sardana-image-supplied-200x300.jpeg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Manish-Sardana-image-supplied-768x1153.jpeg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Manish-Sardana-image-supplied-1023x1536.jpeg 1023w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Manish-Sardana-image-supplied-1364x2048.jpeg 1364w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Manish-Sardana-image-supplied-scaled.jpeg 1705w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Manish Sardana; image supplied</figcaption></figure></div>


It really was just Nguru and Sardana developing it at that point.



“John is an exceptional technology guy, he&#8217;s amazing. I would come up with a product design, the user experience, the strategy, the business side of things and he would build the technology. Technology was always my handicap – I always regret not learning to code. I have all the stuff in my head but can’t build. I tell John he completes my handicap,” says Sardana.



In three months, they had 3,000 merchants signing up, deeming the platform a success. This was while they were still with WPP-Scangroup, when they had the reach, the capital and client access afforded by the company.



When Covid-19 struck in 2020, e-commerce took off and so did Goby. Leading brewer AB InBev approached them to sign on for “a B2B version of the product” to take orders online and deliver alcohol. Diageo, too, came along.



But the time had come for Sardana to go on his own, even if it meant giving up a lucrative salary and the comfort of a full-time job at WPP.



“Working with Manish was always magical, a journey into the future,” remembers Serah Katusya of that time, when she was the Managing Director at Mediacom, a sister agency at WPP-Scangroup; she is now the CEO of Belva and founder of WildMango.&nbsp;“He challenged and inspired with the same energy. He paved the way for many of us into tech, into thinking and building business solutions.&nbsp;He was definitely an agency leader decades ahead of his time.”



By the time he left WPP, Sardana had enough confidence in his abilities to build and scale real businesses. He wanted to build something in a very different space, specifically, in education.



“I think that was a very big inflection point in my life… that I was wasting all my knowledge, talent and experience building things for big companies, and I wanted to solve real problems on the ground. So that kind of gave me an exceptional amount of clarity… seeing the lives of ordinary Kenyans, doing fascinating things with very little resources and transforming their lives became a real thing.”



‘A cradle for young students’



Sardana’s research showed that there were government subsidies and funding for primary education but there was not a lot of momentum in higher education.



“The higher education infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa is extremely weak. The problem is that in most schools, the career counselor is essentially a teacher with the least amount of workload…. This entire industry is run by agents who don&#8217;t understand career counseling; they essentially push students to universities, and make money.”



According to Craydel, more than 16 million African students spend $30 billion on higher education each year.



As a continent with the youngest population in the world, Africa presents tremendous opportunities in this regard, and Sardana was quick.



“We wanted to build a cradle for young students in Africa, for them to get all the nourishment in terms of the right advice, the career counseling, the psychometric assessment, and the right technology to get them off on their own feet.”



Whilst they were setting up the company, and during the pandemic, Sardana met Premji, the third co-founder, who is now Craydel’s CFO.



“Shayne is Canadian, but like me, stayed in Africa for 10 years. We stayed on the same street in Kenya but never knew each other. During the pandemic, he was changing houses, and walked into our apartment building. That&#8217;s how we met. He had a lot of experience in investment banking, and was doing extremely well in his career…



He is also impact-driven, so said he wanted to quit his job and join us full-time… he was extremely instrumental in raising our first round of a million dollars,” says Sardana.



For now, the trio is looking forward to what lies ahead. Their “vision and impact story” is shaping up.



“We&#8217;re in a good space now, and really excited about building this journey,” concludes Sardana, as he sets off to launch the company’s brand-new office, surely, one of many more to come.

Craydel co-founders John Nguru, Manish Sardana and Shayne Aman Premji; image supplied

‘We Can Build A Real Unicorn Out Of Africa, Creating Impact’: Kenya Co-Founder On Building An Edtech Startup 

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 loading="lazy" decoding="async" 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="auto, (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 loading="lazy" decoding="async" 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="auto, (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

Kenya is among several African countries that have experienced a decline in the local value of currencies.



By Terryanne Chebet



Kenya has had a tough few months: ballooning debt, an enormous wage bill, and a depreciating shilling exacerbated by global conditions. Now, the government is unable to pay its salaries. An increased import bill, investment portfolio outflows, and servicing of existing foreign debt have also resulted in the reserves falling below the statutory minimum of four months of imports, with the Kenya shilling depreciating to an all-time low of KES130 to the US dollar.



So, how did Kenya get here?&nbsp;



“It was a matter of &#8216;when&#8217; and not &#8216;if&#8217; KES would weaken to reflect its fundamentals. There have been successive external shocks since 2020, but the currency remained relatively stable relative to its peers. In this light, it is not surprising the sharp adjustment we have seen this year and which we see bringing it closer to its fundamental value,” explains Churchill Ogutu, an economist with IC Africa.&nbsp;



Kenya is among several African countries that have experienced a decline in the local value of currencies, with a 25% decline in value since 2020, to a large extent caused by the rising interest rate environment in the United States (US), which has witnessed a very aggressive rate tightening by the US Federal Reserve.&nbsp;



&nbsp;Kenya’s borrowing for the financial year 2022-2023 is also substantially behind target.



“Given the continued uncertainty in the global financial markets, it appears that [the government] will have no choice but to borrow at higher rates from the domestic markets,” adds Sunil Sanger, CEO of Orion Advisory.&nbsp;



Kenya is also looking to offload its parastatals to reduce pressure on funding and to raise capital.



Despite fears that Kenya could default on its external loans, experts say it is unlikely.&nbsp;



Ogutu notes that Kenya’s position may be fragile, but a default seems remote. “With FX reserves at multi-year low levels, it is higher than upcoming short-term external debt servicing costs. Thus, I see a muddling through regarding external debt servicing costs.”



He adds that a default on&nbsp;domestic borrowing seems to be more likely due to its outsized domestic debt servicing costs compared to external debt servicing costs.&nbsp;



The outflow of portfolio investments in equity and bond markets and higher import prices for commodities, particularly petroleum products has seen Kenya’s government importing petroleum products on a deferred payment basis. The government is pursuing the government-to-government oil importation deal with Gulf countries to alleviate pressure on the&nbsp;shilling.&nbsp;



The reduction in oil demand will also help to reduce the depreciation of the shilling though analysts argue that Kenya could have used the opportunity to build reserves and maybe even consider using those to start buying back its 2023 eurobond maturity, an action that could help to calm down the market nerves.



Ogutu argues that is short-term thinking. “At some point in time, the supply and demand in the FX market will still reflect the mandated OMC coming to the market sourcing dollars. Kenya may get a bit of reprieve in the short-term but ultimately, the supply-demand dynamics will come to play.”



Both analysts agree that the revival of the interbank market in the last few weeks is a positive sign and has helped to reduce some of the uncertainty in the exchange rate. However, given the economic environment both locally and internationally, it is difficult to see circumstances under which the Kenya shilling would appreciate from current levels. &nbsp;



However, Ogutu holds that the shilling isn’t out of the woods yet.



“I have the sense that the initial sugar rush in the FX interbank market has ebbed away, and the next FX guidance will be delivered with the imminent changes at the helm of CBK. That said, my base case is a continued further weakness with 140 on sight.”

Tag: Kenya

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