Entrepreneurship in Africa has to be more than a personal pursuit. In a market that is still widely regarded as challenging and volatile, it takes more than just an idea to build in Africa. To be an African entrepreneur, your goal should lie in shifting realities, bridging critical gaps, and building long-term solutions in opportunistic environments. While the rewards can be immense, the true success lies in the lasting impact you create.
As an entrepreneur in Africa, you need to have a vision that makes you see what others overlook. Instead of merely identifying problems, visionary entrepreneurs see the possibilities that lie ahead. It’s this mindset that has powered so much innovation across the continent, from e-commerce to fashion, and even health.
Take, for example, Gregory Rockson, co-founder and CEO of mPharma, who saw the opportunity to improve access to affordable medicine in Ghana, a challenge affecting millions. By transforming this issue into a tech-driven solution, he built mPharma, which now operates in nine African countries. Entrepreneurs like Rockson prove that vision isn’t about waiting for perfect conditions; it’s about acting when others hesitate.
As an entrepreneur, your vision should be about creating impact at scale. The entrepreneurs who stand out are often those who ask, “Who else benefits from what I’m building?”. Africa has benefited largely from the selflessness of entrepreneurs. Recent studies show that small and medium enterprises account for about 80 percent of jobs across the continent, fueling socio-economic growth for individuals on the continent.
Great entrepreneurs know that no one builds alone. African entrepreneurship thrives on collaboration; through co-founders, partnerships, community engagement, or even cross-border cooperation. To move the continent forward, we must unify our efforts and harness our growing workforce. Our strength lies in our diversity, and that requires that we build together.
A powerful example of this is Odunayo Eweniyi, co-founder and COO of PiggyVest, who, alongside two trusted partners, built the platform. Today, with over N2 trillion paid out to users, PiggyVest has fundamentally transformed the savings culture in Nigeria. The most effective entrepreneurs know when to lean in and when to lean on others. They understand that making real progress is rarely a solo act.
True African entrepreneurship is often rooted in service. This building is not just for personal gain, but for the benefit of the community or even the continent at large. It takes a level of selflessness to create something that lifts others first.
Adedipo Adekanbi, CEO and Founder of FootCity, once said, “You need to be a little bit selfless to be an entrepreneur, because 90% of what you do is for other people.”
To be an African entrepreneur is to turn challenges into opportunities, to carry the weight of vision, the strength of collaboration, and a heart of service. Across the continent, individuals are turning local challenges into scalable solutions and building a future shaped by creativity, resilience, and purpose.
Flutterwave is constantly building the African ecosystem, enabling such growth by providing the essential payment infrastructure that allows entrepreneurs to focus on what matters most: their business.
On this day, we celebrate the entrepreneurs who are envisioning, creating, and contributing to Africa’s growth and development.
Happy World Entrepreneurs’ Day!