Special Address from Patrick Achi

High interest rate, climate change, debt crisis and geopolitics - African economies are subjected to many complexities in raising capital. We will delve into the strategies for harnessing the power of local capital while attracting foreign investment in a world marked by shifting dynamics. Participants will gain insights into investor engagement, collaboration, regulatory support, and risk management. This session will provide a forward-looking perspective on how African economies can thrive amidst the ever-evolving challenges and opportunities of the complex global landscape. 

In the realm of Africa's mobile money evolution spanning the last seventeen years, telecom companies initially took the lead, steering growth and diversification. Yet, the narrative is shifting with the rise of fintech startups, who are evolving beyond mobile money infrastructure to value-add services like credit, insurance, savings, and connectivity across global borders. This transition has left telecom companies struggling to keep pace, raising questions about the sustainability of their traditional business models. The pivotal query revolves around whether the market's tilt toward these incremental financial services will challenge the established order. Fintech startups, considered catalysts for this transformation, are nudging telecom companies to revamp their mobile money operations into more agile fintech entities.

Over the last decade, widespread debate has occurred over the opportunities and risks of Africa's fast-growing youth population and the implications which this will have on Africa's workforce. How do we unlock Africa's massive workforce talent both for the continent and on the global scale for decades to come? Are there other geographies which African leaders should be drawing inspiration from as they position their nations for a new era in an increasingly globalized workforce? As working populations become older in many Western nations and African nations experience a rise in youth talent, what implications does this have for the dynamic of global talent and migration? Finally, which sectors should Africa be prioritizing its talent development efforts in to ensure a well-balanced skills distribution?

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