May 03, 2017

Africapitalism is the ultimate answer to homegrown problems

located:	Nigeria
editor:	Bob Koigi

A new wave of empowered Africans is fast shaping up and relegating the long-held aid for Africa to the back seat.

This new philanthropy trend targeting entrepreneurs by teaching them how to fish has birthed an unprecedented entrepreneurial spirit among traditionally disenfranchised African youth who had given up on what they termed as an unfair system.

Credit goes to seasoned entrepreneurs and philanthropists including Tony Elumelu who have chaperoned Africapitalism, inspired by the hope that if they created a conducive environment and ensured that a ballooning number of entrepreneurs have access to vital facilities, they would not only turn them into job creators but also the ideal people to provide homegrown solutions to Africa’s problems. And rightly so. Such acts have lifted thousands of African youth, given them hope and platforms that are now redefining Africa’s approach to Africa’s pressing needs.

From low cost medical innovations that do not require connection to national electricity grid which means they can reach even the population at hinterlands, to easier ways of tackling the traffic jam menace in major African cities, and modern ways of food production that ensures that Africa produces enough for its people and farmers are able to sell the surplus, this new crop of African inspired entrepreneurs are changing the 21st century way of giving.

While nations of the world have pressing needs of their own and Africa cannot keep hoping for aid, the newfound philanthropy that ensures that they are empowered to find solutions for their problems would be the ultimate answer to global problems. To quote the words of Tony Elumelu, philanthropy can only be sustainable and long if there is an enabling environment for people with ideas but struggling with ways of implementing them.