You may not know it yet, but Africa is a true land of innovation. Although the economy is currently being impacted by COVID-19, some regions are doing well, as in West Africa. It is precisely in this part of the old continent that countries like Senegal stand out, with real economic dynamism and an ability to bring out young entrepreneurs.
To illustrate this, here are the portraits of three personalities you must reach out to if you want to start a successful project in West Africa:
Fati Niang, PDG de Black Spoon
Among the successful entrepreneurs who have succeeded abroad without losing any of their culture of origin, we can highlight the case of Fati Niang. This promising, young French entrepreneur of Senegalese origin was the first to inaugurate the concept of a food truck offering African dishes on the European continent.
The very concept of the ‘food truck’ is, of course, not new and comes directly from the United States, which has a long historical relationship with this concept. But what makes the Black-Spoon original is its desire to democratise African culture and flavours, first in the Paris region (notably at the Esplanade and in La Défense district), then gradually in other border countries such as Belgium.
The young woman’s career path, nevertheless, is significant: after obtaining a BTS in commercial action under a work-study programme, Fati Niang joined an architecture firm as a business manager for a period of 10 years. It was only in 2013 that she decided to literally change her professional life by embarking on the adventure of an African food truck. The result has been a great success, with plans for international development.
Khadim Bâ, Managing Director of Locafrique
Senegalese people are familiar with this local entrepreneur, who does not hesitate to help those in need. He donated almost USD$2,000,000 of his own money in January 2021 at an event organised by the African Union in order to actively tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Dakar-based businessman received his training at the most prestigious international schools before returning to his home country to develop the hydrocarbon economy. He is credited with the recovery of the Locafrique company from 2017 onwards, a structure that is actively involved in the development of the region’s oil and gas industries.
The African entrepreneur’s educational background bears witness to this: after studying Business Administration in Paris, he moved to Montreal for several years, where he majored in Hydrocarbon Management. It is this skill that he is now applying to Locafrique. Formerly specialised in agricultural leasing, the company is now diversifying its activities.
In merely 24 months, Khadim Bâ has continued to launch new projects for his country. The modernisation of fishing, Senegal’s energy autonomy, the training of young Senegalese in the fields of health, safety, and the environment, the creation of a hospital specialised in high-tech oncology. These are just some of the issues that Mr. Bâ has been working on from scratch over the past two years.
Janngo founder, Fatoumata Bâ
If you haven’t heard of Fatoumata Bâ yet, you should know that she is already a member of the very select club of Africa’s most dynamic entrepreneurs. She is not related to Khadim Bâ, but her ambition is just as great.
Fatoumata juggles several hats: she is not only an entrepreneur with a passion for technology, but also a venture capitalist through the company she co-founded: Janngo. In addition to her activities, she also sits on the board of the Southbridge Investment Bank, as well as on the investment committee of CreadevAfrica.
It is safe to say that Fatoumata Bâ’s main concern is the empowerment of women in Africa. Therefore, through the development of medical and educational technologies on the old continent, the young woman wishes first and foremost to rebalance opportunities and support a new form of social entrepreneurship.
Let us recall in this respect that Africa has an extremely young population (70% of the population is under 25 years old), with a strong attraction for the digital universe. Alongside these figures, it is estimated that only 25% of women start their own business.
Although this rate is better than anywhere else in the world, 70% of them still express difficulties in terms of access to finance. This is where Fatoumata Bâ is directly involved, with initiatives such as the Projet54 which supports businesses created by women.
Fatoumata Bâ’s commitment to this noble cause has earned her several awards and recognitions, including from prestigious institutes such as the Choiseul 100 Africa and Forbes Africa. Her Janngo platform is now receiving massive support from African and international strategic and financial investors. These include the Mulliez family, but also other investment bodies such as Clipperton Finance and African HNWI.
With the presentation of these three personalities from the world of entrepreneurship and business, we can affirm the existence in Africa of a dynamic and ambitious new generation that will be able to respond to the colossal challenges that await the old continent. Indeed, following the Covid19 epidemic, all economic activities have been slowed down. A situation that can be fully taken care of by young entrepreneurs, all concerned and involved in different areas such as education, health, technology or infrastructure.
