Episode 128 with Ibrahim Toyeeb Ibitade, co-founder and CEO of Leatherback, on his remarkable journey as a fintech founder and entrepreneur and the driving force behind his mission to transform global financial access for individuals and businesses.

Driven by the need to enable global financial access, payments, commerce, and lifestyle opportunities through more equitable financial solutions, Ibrahim started Leatherback in 2019 with an ambition to democratise banking by providing a single access point that empowers individuals and businesses to think and act globally.

Leatherback is a global banking service provider for individuals and businesses, with innovative technology solutions that unlock equal opportunity for borderless global trade and commerce. Users can access more than 15 currencies from 21 countries, including NGN, GBP, INR, EUR, USD, and many other currencies.

What We Discuss With Ibrahim

• How does Leatherback's technology contribute to democratising banking for borderless global trade and commerce?
• What was the process of meeting the regulatory requirements so you could offer a multi-currency wallet in 13+ currencies without a local presence?
• What are some of the unique opportunities you've encountered while expanding to new markets in and outside of Africa?
• What does Leatherback's recent expansion into India through a collaboration with YES BANK mean for users in the India-Africa corridor?
• Is the India-Africa or Asia-Africa corridor an opportunity that is often overlooked when looking at financial transactions to and from Africa?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Building a Long-Term Payment Infrastructure in Africa That Removes Currency Friction and Accelerates Economic Growth? Make sure to check it out!

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Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Ibrahim on LinkedIn at Ibrahim Ibitade, and Twitter (X) @ToyeebIbrahim

Do you want to do business in Africa? Explore the vast business opportunities in African markets and increase your success with ETK Group.

Connect with us at www.etkgroup.co.uk or reach out via email at info@etkgroup.co.uk

Episode 127 with Elizabeth Rossiello, who is the CEO and founder of AZA Finance, an established provider of currency trading solutions that accelerate global access to frontier markets through innovative infrastructure. By leveraging cutting-edge technology in its flagship products, TransferZero and BFX, AZA is able to significantly lower the cost and increase the speed of business payments to and from frontier markets.

AZA is now a market maker in every major African currency and facilitates payments into G20 currencies directly. Elizabeth expanded the company from Nairobi, Kenya, to operations in 20 markets across Africa and Europe.

What We Discuss With Elizabeth

• How has the payment infrastructure in Africa evolved since AZA Finance's inception in 2013?
• What role has technology played in lowering costs and increasing the speed of your payments process?
• Could you elaborate on AZA Finance's role as a market maker in major African currencies and how it impacts the facilitation of business payments to and from these markets?
• How did you navigate the diverse regulatory landscapes across the African continent to establish AZA's presence in 20 markets?
• How important has it been to address talent challenges within the payments space, particularly in retaining top talent in order to grow and expand the company?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss How the Africa Oxford Initiative is Supporting African Research and Innovation Ecosystems? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn at Elizabeth Rossiello, and Twitter (X) @e_rossiello

Do you want to do business in Africa? Explore the vast business opportunities in African markets and increase your success with ETK Group.

Connect with us at www.etkgroup.co.uk or reach out via email at info@etkgroup.co.uk

Episode 126 with Dr. Anne Makena, who is Co-Director of the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx), a cross-university platform for academic and research collaborations between the University of Oxford and African researchers and institutions.

The Initiative aims to support the work of universities and research institutions across Africa and to facilitate the development of equitable and extensive collaborations between Oxford and African institutions.

What We Discuss With Anne

• What are the specific mechanisms AfOx utilises to facilitate collaborations between the University of Oxford and African researchers and institutions?
• What are the challenges faced by African researchers and institutions when cooperating with international initiatives?
• How does AfOx ensure equitable participation and benefit-sharing in collaborative research projects?
• What role can private capital play in advancing research and development efforts in Africa?
• How important are research collaborations in driving economic development in Africa?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Using the Best of Tech and Human Touch to Solve Human Capital Challenges for Businesses in Africa? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Anne on LinkedIn at Anne Makena, and Twitter (X) @Kesh_Anne

Do you want to do business in Africa? Explore the vast business opportunities in African markets and increase your success with ETK Group.

Connect with us at www.etkgroup.co.uk or reach out via email at info@etkgroup.co.uk