Africa Finance Corporation | presentation and networking

Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) is emerging as a compelling pathway for entrepreneurs seeking to own and operate businesses in Africa. While startups often capture the entrepreneurial spotlight, acquiring and scaling existing businesses presents a high-impact alternative for driving economic growth, preserving jobs, and creating value. This fireside chat will explore the real-world journey of acquiring and managing businesses in Africa.

Panelists will share insights on sourcing opportunities, financing acquisitions, operational considerations, and opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs illustrated through case studies. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the ETA model and the practicalities of executing acquisitions in diverse African markets.

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Thematic Networking Lunches offer a dynamic space for professionals to connect, exchange ideas, and build meaningful relationships over a shared meal. Each gathering is centered around a specific theme, sparking insightful discussions and fostering collaboration among like-minded individuals. Whether you're looking to gain fresh perspectives, explore new opportunities, or simply expand your network in a relaxed yet purposeful setting, these lunches provide the perfect opportunity to engage, learn, and grow.

Building a fintech company that reshapes how money moves across Africa—and beyond—is no easy feat. The challenges go far beyond the headlines. Few succeed in this market. To scale, you need more than a great idea—you need resilience, sacrifice, and relentless determination.

How do you convince Silicon Valley investors to back an African startup? What does it take to challenge the status quo in the global financial system? And what are the real, behind-the-scenes battles of building something that truly lasts?

Benjamin Fernandes, Founder & CEO of NALA, has lived it all—and he’s here to tell the unfiltered truth.

Born and raised in Tanzania, Benjamin first made his mark as a national television personality. But he had bigger ambitions. Earning scholarships that took him to the U.S., he became the youngest African ever admitted to the MBA program at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Yet instead of climbing the corporate ladder or staying in Silicon Valley, he took the harder road—building a company that would transform how Africans send and receive money across borders.

That company is NALA. What started as a simple remittance app has grown into one of Africa’s most ambitious fintech ventures. Today, NALA powers seamless, low-cost payments from the U.S. and Europe into Africa, cutting through the inefficiencies of the global financial system. Now, with a $40 million oversubscribed Series A funding round, and a Forbes cover story to match, NALA is expanding beyond remittances—building its own payment rails, launching a B2B platform (Rafiki), and setting its sights on global markets, including Asia and Latin America.

In this rare, behind-the-scenes conversation, Benjamin will pull back the curtain on the real journey—the wins, the losses, the breakthroughs, and the breakdowns. No filters. No fluff. Just the raw truth of what it takes to build and scale a fintech company in Africa.

If you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or believer in bold ideas and Africa’s unstoppable rise, you won’t want to miss this.

Come for the insights. Stay for the inspiration.

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