Tag: strategy

Ghana’s Startup Bill Nears Approval: Lessons from Africa’s Best and Worst Startup Laws

Posted on March 7, 2025March 7, 2025 by ethelcofie

Ghana is on the brink of a potentially transformative moment for its entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Ghana Innovation and Startup Bill, spearheaded by the Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, aims to provide a structured legal framework to formalize support for startups, attract investment, and stimulate innovation. If passed, this bill could significantly improve access to funding, regulatory clarity, tax incentives, and ecosystem collaboration. However, given the experiences of other African nations that have implemented Startup Acts, Ghana must approach this bill with both optimism and caution.

Why Most Corporate-Startup Partnerships Fail—and How to Fix It! (My lessons from judging top corporate startup competitions)

Posted on October 14, 2024October 14, 2024 by ethelcofie

Having had the privilege of judging numerous business pitch competitions across various industries—including the USAID Armyworm Challenge, the MTN Challenge for several years, the Africa Engineering Prize, MIT Solve, the Ghana Government Presidential Pitch, GSMA GLOMO Awards, and most recently the Ecobank Fintech Challenge—I’ve gained deep insights into the intersection of corporate and startup worlds. These competitions are a testament to the corporate sector’s desire to stay attuned to emerging trends in technology and innovation, a vital step in avoiding irrelevance. However, beyond the excitement of the pitch, I’ve observed a consistent gap: many corporates struggle to effectively capitalize on the potential of startup partnerships to truly drive growth.

What If MTN Ghana Became a Bank? Would It Be Bigger Than Your Bank?

Posted on August 27, 2024January 9, 2025 by ethelcofie

I left the conference thinking about what it would look like if telecom companies in Ghana could get banking licenses. I conducted an analysis of the potential effects, focusing on MTN due to its significant market share. It is important to note that MTN has clearly stated it is not seeking a banking license.

My analysis is based on data from the Ghana Banking Industry Report 2023 (A Report by LIMA Partners), the NCA data subscription analysis for December 2022 to January 2023, MTN Ghana’s FY 2023 results, and the BFT Banking Industry’s Performance in 2023 at a glance article, which is based on the summary of macroeconomic and financial data released by the Bank of Ghana (BoG).

AI for Africa: The What’s, How’s and When’s

Posted on July 23, 2024January 9, 2025 by ethelcofie

AI is projected to add a staggering $2.9 trillion to Africa’s economy by 2030, increasing the annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth by three percent. Despite Africa’s immense potential, it currently represents only 2.5% of the global AI market, underscoring the need for increased investment and development in this field.

Reevaluating the European Union’s Influence on Africa’s Tech Policy Landscape

Posted on July 22, 2024January 9, 2025 by ethelcofie

The European Union is significantly influencing Africa’s digital transformation through funding, training, and regulatory support. While beneficial, concerns arise about policy suitability for Africa’s unique context. EU initiatives in infrastructure, skills, and cybersecurity are highlighted, alongside recommendations for Africa to adopt more flexible, locally adapted tech policies and learn from global best practices.

My Comparative Analysis of the Ghana Security Exchange Commission’s 2024 Crowdfunding Guidelines: Lessons from Africa and Emerging Markets

Posted on June 21, 2024January 9, 2025 by ethelcofie

My Comparative Analysis of the Ghana Security Exchange Commission’s 2024 Crowdfunding Guidelines: Lessons from Africa and Emerging Markets The Securities

The Sachetization of Products:The FMCG Way of Serving the Underserved in Emerging Markets , Lessons for Digital Products?

Posted on June 12, 2024June 12, 2024 by ethelcofie

The concept of “sachetization” refers to packaging products in small, affordable quantities to improve access for low-income consumers, particularly in emerging markets. Beyond consumer goods, this strategy can apply to digital products, promoting frugal innovation, digital inclusion, community empowerment, and resilience by making services accessible to marginalized communities.

Innovating Beyond the Product: Lessons from Industry Leaders

Posted on June 4, 2024June 4, 2024 by ethelcofie

Innovating Beyond the Product: Lessons from Industry Leaders In today’s fast-paced market, product innovation isn’t always feasible, especially in industries

Could MTN Offering Cross Border Payments do more for Intra Africa Trade than the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement Payment Platform?

Posted on April 24, 2024January 9, 2025 by ethelcofie

MTN, Africa’s leading mobile telecommunications company, has a significant footprint across the continent, with operations in multiple countries including

Are these Accelerator programs wasting African startups time?

Posted on February 27, 2024January 9, 2025 by ethelcofie

Are these Accelerator programs wasting African startups time?

This article was sparked by a thought-provoking LinkedIn post from Victor Asemota, where he delves into the phenomenon of African startups being caught in a seemingly endless loop of acceleration. It’s like watching a hamster on a wheel, except the hamster is a startup, and the wheel is the myriad of accelerator programs out there. Victor’s musings were in the context Visa acceleration program, where he noted that the startups involved were already so seasoned in the accelerator circuit that another round seemed more like a victory lap than a necessity