The TechAfrica News Podcast

Fresh from the stage at the Digital Africa Summit in Cape Town, Anthony Mveyange, Director of Programs – Synergy at the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), sat down with TechAfrica News Chief Editor and Founder, Akim Benamara, to explore a defining challenge for Africa: how evidence moves from research into policy and real-world outcomes.
The conversation spanned research, policy, power, AI, and identity, shedding light on the often unseen processes that shape evidence-informed governance across the continent.
About Our Guest
Anthony Mveyange is an award-winning executive leader, development economist, and board director with over 17 years of global experience across Africa, Europe, and the United States. He serves as Director of Programs at APHRC, headquartered in Nairobi with a regional office in Dakar, and is a co-founder of the Network for Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa (NIERA). He is widely recognised for scaling development organisations, mobilising more than $40 million in funding, and building partnerships with governments, multilaterals, and global foundations.
An African Institution Built for African Realities
APHRC is intentionally African-led and African-based, with a pan-African leadership and footprint spanning over 35 countries. This design is deliberate. As Mveyange noted, whose voice is present in policy spaces often determines which problems receive attention and which are sidelined.
The Triangle: Research, Translation, Capacity
APHRC operates across three interconnected pillars: research, policy translation, and capacity strengthening. Its work covers health and wellbeing, human development, population dynamics, urbanisation, and data science, including AI and big data. Yet research alone is not enough. 
Working with Power, Without Being Captured by It
While donor-funded, APHRC works closely with governments, parliaments, civil society, and continental bodies. Its support ranges from Kenya’s sanitation policy to model AI and cybersecurity laws.
Structural Constraints: Funding, Uptake, Capacity
Mveyange outlined three persistent barriers: low R&D investment, the mismatch between political urgency and research timelines, and limited capacity to interpret and apply evidence. 
From Talk to Action: Fixing the Translation Gap
“Stop NATO - No Action, Talk Only. There are different players across the evidence value chain. Some of us generate the evidence, while others take that evidence and implement it. But there is a thin layer in between, and that is where translation becomes critical. Those who can use evidence will only use it to the extent that they understand it. If they do not understand it, however good the evidence is, it will simply not be used.”  - Anthony Mveyange, Director of Programs – Synergy, APHRC. 
AI, Identity and Africa’s Place in the World
AI disruption is inevitable, but exclusion is not. The real risk is Africa’s absence from the data and narratives shaping these systems.

Thank you for listening The TechAfrica News Podcast in Partnership with Smart Africa! For more insights, subscribe to our podcast and visit:
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© 2025 TechAfrica News & The TechAfrica News Podcast. All rights reserved.

In this episode of the TechAfrica News Podcast, host, Chief Editor and Founder, Akim Benamara speaks with Philip Besiimire, CEO of Vodacom Tanzania, about the company’s 25-year journey, digital transformation, financial inclusion, technology innovation, and future opportunities in AI, cloud, fiber, and 5G.
About Our Guest:
Philip Besiimire is Managing Director of Vodacom Tanzania and a member of its Executive Committee. He joined Vodacom in 2022 after holding senior leadership roles at MTN across Africa. With over 15 years of experience in leadership, commercial execution, and mobile financial services, he brings deep expertise in driving growth and innovation in telecom.
 A Twenty-Five Year Journey of Growth and Purpose
Vodacom Tanzania has grown from near-zero connectivity to 22 million users. Besiimire highlights the company’s purpose-driven initiatives, such as M-Mama, a maternal health emergency system, demonstrating technology’s role in addressing societal challenges.
 Financial Inclusion and M-Pesa
M-Pesa has expanded financial access from under 26% to over 76% in five years, serving over 10 million active users. Vodacom now offers credit, micro-loans, and business tools, empowering individuals and SMEs and reducing reliance on informal lenders.
Policy, Regulation, and Digital Skills Empowerment
Besiimire emphasizes balanced taxation and enabling policies to support Tanzania’s Vision 2050. Vodacom also drives digital education programs, including Code Like a Girl and mobile computer labs, equipping youth with skills for STEM and ICT careers.
So I think, for me, it's about harmonization of those policies, harmonization of regulatory demands, and trying to make sure that we find the right balance between the objective to collect revenue to obviously provide services to the citizenry, but also allow the sector and industry to grow in such a way that we all lead up to the 2050 vision that has been articulated.”  -  Philip Besiimire, Chief Executive Officer, Vodacom Tanzania 
AI, Technology Diversification, and Sectoral Impact
AI enhances Vodacom’s customer experience, network monitoring, and enterprise services, while ethical standards safeguard data. Vodacom also expands into IoT, HealthTech, AgriTech, utilities, mining, and smart cities, delivering national-level impact.
Network Modernization, 5G, and the Future of Tanzania’s Digital Landscape
Vodacom is investing $100M in 4G/5G upgrades, fiber expansion, and satellite integration. Looking ahead, Besiimire identified three priorities for Tanzania’s digital future: policy certainty to unlock long-term investment, lower device costs to accelerate smartphone penetration, and sustained investment in digital skills, particularly AI and ICT.
Thank you for listening The TechAfrica News Podcast in Partnership with Smart Africa! For more insights, subscribe to our podcast and visit:
www.techafricanews.com/podcast
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with your network.

© 2025 TechAfrica News & The TechAfrica News Podcast. All rights reserved.

What does it take to turn farming from subsistence into a growth engine for Africa?
In this episode of the TechAfrica News Podcast, Chief Editor and Founder Akim Benamara sits down with Aliou Maïga, IFC’s Regional Director for the Financial Institutions Group (FIG) in Africa, to discuss how AgTech is reshaping agriculture. From boosting yields and incomes for smallholder farmers to de-risking lending and using AI for crop management, the conversation explores how technology, finance, and data can drive food security and jobs across the continent.

About Our Guest
Aliou Maïga is IFC’s Regional Director for the Financial Institutions Group (FIG) in Africa, where he leads investment and advisory operations, sector reforms, and strategy across the region. With over 20 years at IFC, he has held senior roles in Africa and Asia, including Resident Representative in Ethiopia, Regional Manager for East Asia and the Pacific, and Regional Director for West and Central Africa.

Agriculture at the Heart of Development
Agriculture employs up to 80 percent of Africa’s workforce and contributes as much as 40 percent of GDP. “If you want to create jobs in Africa, the biggest employer in Africa is agriculture,” Maïga said.

AgTech’s Promise
AgTech firms act like fintechs for farming—digitising operations, linking farmers to inputs, insurance, and markets, and reducing risk for lenders. As Maïga explained, they are “an ERP behind every farmer.”
“Technology has transformed every sector that it was injected into. You look at finance 50 years ago, and more recently the whole fintech revolution. But for some reason, agriculture has remained out of that movement. What we're trying to do is to inject technology in agriculture to make it efficient and productive as much as technology has done for other sectors.”
- Aliou Maiga, Regional Industry Director for the Financial Institutions Group in Africa, IFC 

Real-World Impact 
Pilots in Morocco raised yields by 30 percent and incomes by more than 50 percent, while Nigeria’s Babban Gona integrates credit, storage, and profit-sharing. Most AgTechs blend digital platforms with local field agents to support farmers directly.

Mindset and Risk Perception
Banks and policymakers remain cautious, often financing only post-harvest activities. IFC is working to shift this view by piloting models and sharing risks to build trust in pre-harvest financing.

Data and Reach
Digitisation makes farmers investable and gives governments tools for better policies. With mobile coverage at about 70 percent, AgTech agents extend services to rural communities, bridging the last mile.

Scaling the Future
IFC aims to reach 5 million farmers by 2030. Maïga called this “very small,” noting the larger opportunity. With AI now able to detect plant disease from simple photos, he believes AgTech is key to self-reliance, food security, and growth.

This episode was recorded on the 30 July 2025 at IFC Johannesburg.
Thank you for listening The TechAfrica News Podcast in Partnership with Smart Africa! For more insights, subscribe to our podcast and visit:
www.techafricanews.com/podcast
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with your network.

© 2025 TechAfrica News & The TechAfrica News Podcast. All rights reserved.

What does it take to move from being a telecom operator to a purpose-led technology company?
In this episode of the TechAfrica News Podcast, Chief Editor and Founder Akim Benamara sits down with Dr. Peter Ndegwa (CBS), CEO of Safaricom Group PLC, to explore the company’s 25-year journey, the evolution of M-Pesa, and its bold expansion into Ethiopia. From tackling Africa’s device gap to harnessing AI and satellite, the conversation reflects on how innovation, inclusion, and investment are shaping the continent’s digital future.

About Our Guest
Dr. Peter Ndegwa (CBS) is the CEO of Safaricom Group PLC, Africa’s leading technology company and pioneer of M-Pesa, serving more than 53 million customers across Kenya and Ethiopia. Since joining in 2020, he has led Safaricom’s shift from telecom to tech company, spearheaded its entry into Ethiopia, and strengthened its social impact through the Safaricom and M-Pesa Foundations.

Safaricom at 25: A Legacy of Transformation
From its start as a Telkom Kenya department to a $2.5B enterprise, Safaricom has grown into one of Africa’s most influential companies. Alongside, M-Pesa—turning 18 this year—has expanded financial access and powered half of Kenya’s GDP flows.

M-Pesa: From Payments to Financial Health
With 36 million monthly users and $800M transacted daily, M-Pesa has moved beyond payments into credit, savings, and insurance. “Accumulating wealth is not about richness; it is just about savings,” Ndegwa noted. AI is now strengthening fraud prevention and personalising services.

Bridging the Device Gap
Safaricom is making 4G phones affordable through local assembly and pay-as-you-go models like Lipa Mdogo Mdogo, aiming to make internet access universal.

Satellites as Partners, Not Rivals
Satellite services will not replace networks but complement them, especially in rural areas, healthcare, and backhaul. Africa, Ndegwa believes, will be the biggest beneficiary.
“The terrestrial network is now established, and there has been a lot of investment that has been put there. Satellite, we see it as an opportunity to come and complement the terrestrial network, especially since there are still so many rural areas. We will see satellite supporting terrestrial networks to ensure that coverage is achieved. Africa will probably be the biggest beneficiary of satellite because it reduces the need for heavy infrastructure investment. This also means the cost of delivering connectivity becomes lower. I fully agree that in Africa, satellite will likely play a bigger role than in the West.”
– Dr. Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom

Ethiopia: Growth Frontier
Safaricom’s $2.3B push into Ethiopia has already brought 10M new users. With 125M people, the market could outgrow Kenya in scale, supported by the newly launched Safaricom Ethiopia Foundation.

Looking Ahead
Africa’s young, digital-first population could unlock a leap in jobs and innovation. “We have shown in mobile money that we can actually do much better than any country in the West,” Ndegwa said, pointing to AI and digital tools as the next accelerators.
This episode was filmed on: 7 July 2025 in Johannesburg
Thank you for listening The TechAfrica News Podcast in Partnership with Smart Africa! For more insights, subscribe to our podcast and visit:
www.techafricanews.com/podcast
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with your network.

© 2025 TechAfrica News & The TechAfrica News Podcast. All rights reserved.

What if Africa’s telecom future isn’t about bigger networks—but smarter, sharper services that actually understand their users?  
In this episode of the TechAfrica News Podcast, Chief Editor and Founder Akim Benamara sits down with Roman Khalenkov, Chief Commercial Officer at PortaOne, for a wide-ranging look at Africa’s evolving telecom space. With over two decades of experience across product strategy, sales, and consulting, Khalenkov brings grounded insight into where the industry is headed—and what’s still holding it back. 
About Our Guest 
Roman Khalenkov is a seasoned executive with over two decades of experience in the telecommunications industry. His career spans leadership roles across sales, organizational management, product development, management consulting, and marketing strategy. As Chief Commercial Officer at PortaOne, he continues to shape the future of digital infrastructure, bringing a rare blend of technical insight and commercial acumen to every conversation.   
Telecom’s Evolution: From Fax Machines to Smart Devices 
Khalenkov opens with a reflection on Africa’s mobile-first development. Unlike markets burdened by outdated systems, many African countries skipped straight to digital, creating space for faster transformation. “We don’t see fax machines here,” he quipped—marking how Africa often bypasses what others must phase out. 
Fragmented Markets, Uneven Regulation 
He quickly adds nuance: Africa isn’t one telecom market—it’s over 50, each with its own rules. South Africa, with minimal licensing barriers, fosters innovation. Nigeria, in contrast, has issued MVNO licenses but lacks a clear business framework, leaving many operators stalled. 
The Three MVNO Models That Work  
Khalenkov outlines three MVNO models gaining traction: 
Franchise Replication across borders (e.g. Lebara). 
High-volume IoT deployments to offset low ARPU. 
Niche, high-margin segments like sea-to-shore connectivity. 
Success, he notes, comes from knowing your market, not just having the tech. 
Smart Software, Smarter Scaling 
For PortaOne, software is what turns ideas into operational scale. Billing, CRM, KYC systems—they all need to work together. With automation and integration tools now more accessible, even smaller providers can deliver a seamless customer experience. 
On AI: A Tool, Not a Revolution—Yet  
While AI dominates headlines, Khalenkov remains cautious. “It’s not a game changer—yet,” he says. For now, AI is best suited to support functions like call centres and technical support, where structure and automation matter more than novelty. 
“I think it's premature today to talk about AI as a game changer, specifically in telecoms. It will come there eventually, and we can speak about how I see where it will come first. But today, I simply don't see that as more than just an additional piece of functionality. 
- Roman Khalenkov, Chief Commercial Officer, PortaOne 

This episode was filmed on: 13 November 2024 in Cape Town
Thank you for listening The TechAfrica News Podcast in Partnership with Smart Africa! For more insights, subscribe to our podcast and visit:
www.techafricanews.com/podcast
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with your network.

© 2025 TechAfrica News & The TechAfrica News Podcast. All rights reserved.