Friday, FEBRUARY 15, 2019

SPECIAL PANEL SESSION ON INNOVATION

A conversation with the authors of The Prosperity Paradox: How Innovation Can Lift Nations Out of Poverty (January, 2019)

Join Harvard Business School professor, Clayton Christensen, and his co-authors, Efosa Ojomo and Karen Dillon for this special session on innovation. The co-authors will discuss key themes from their upcoming book and will highlight the power of market-creating innovation, a critical driver in creating and sustaining economic prosperity. They will explain the central role of the entrepreneur in fostering sustainable development.

Saturday, FEBRUARY 16, 2019

The role of Real estate IN African development

Real estate and property markets have remained a prime interest for investors on the continent. As major African cities continue to grow and develop, demand for high-quality commercial and residential real estate is growing as well. The rise of the urban middle class in Africa are driving retail property development, as well as retail centers and shopping malls. What challenges are African property developers currently experiencing and what are the solutions? What role do African entrepreneurs play in future development?

PANELISTS

• Emmanuel Kojo Jones Mensah, CEO Empire Concrete

• Nana Kwame Bediako, CEO Kwarleyz Group, Petronia, Wonda World Estates

• Mustapha Njie, CEO TAF Africa Global

• Zoyo Zhao, CEO Global Mainland

• Saul Frazer, CEO of Global Properties Group

The Role of the Private Sector in Improving Healthcare Quality and Achieving Universal Health Coverage in Africa

Quality healthcare is an imperative for reaching the ambitious target of Universal Health Coverage by the 2030 deadline agreed to by all UN member states. A systems approach, which rallies all levels of a country’s health system, including the private sector, has been advocated to improve healthcare quality. What leverage points and innovations can the private sector harness to improve the quality of healthcare in Africa? How can effective public-private partnerships be built to facilitate the delivery of quality care? Does the private sector have the capacity to propel Africa to achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030?

PANELISTS

• Nwando Olayiwola, MD, MPH, FAAFP (RubiconMD)

• Prof. Ndubuisi Ekekwe (Co-founder, Medcera)

• Bright Simons (Founder, mPedigree)

• Prof. Rifat Atun (Health Systems Specialist, HSPS)

• Daisy Udenyi (President, Access, Support and Advocates for Health Foundation; Partner and COO, Siloan Medical Centre)

The Growth of the Music Business in Africa

African music continues to generate international interest fueled by a creative boom in the continent. Has the economic attractiveness of the African music business grown accordingly with the surge in quality and demand? Which income generation sources (streaming royalties, album/single sales, concerts/tours, endorsements) are driving revenues, and which are under-performing? How can the economics be improved to sustain growth and attract the next generation of talent? What roles can key stakeholders (regulators, distributors and consumers) play in driving the industry’s attractiveness? Finally, with ever-increasing internet penetration on the continent, how are music labels adapting their distribution strategies to reach music fans on the continent?

PANELISTS

• Davido, Recording Artist

• Abdoul, CEO of Afrochella

• Michael Ugwu, Sony Music West Africa Head

• Juls, DJ and Producer

PANEL MODERATOR:

• Abiola Oke, CEO OkayAfrica

Innovations for impact in education

This panel highlights cutting-edge approaches to improving education quality in Africa from the perspective of NGOs, private sector actors, investors, and government partners. From privatizing primary schools to re-designing systems of higher education, this panel explores how new models and technology-based solutions can be utilized to transform the delivery of education across the continent.

PANELISTS

• Audrey Cheng, Founder and CEO of Moringa Schools

• Chinezi Chijioke, Founder and CEO of Nova Pioneer

The Global Adoption of African Fashion

From modern native wears and traditional garb to sold out World Cup football jerseys, African fashion is taking off on a global scale. As the industry is growing with interest in Afro-centric style spreading worldwide, more Africans on the continent and in the diaspora are exploring the fashion business. What different roles can African entrepreneurs play as the industry moves forward?

PANELISTS

• Ugo Mozie, CEO WANA & Designer/Stylist for Wizkid, Davido, Beyonce, Travis Scott, Naomi Campbell

• Diarra Gueye, CEO Diarrablu and Dakar Boutique

• Mai Atafo

PANEL MODERATOR

• Jake Bediako

The Role of Social Entrepreneurship in Africa's Development

Four of the eleven social ventures honored with the Social Entrepreneurship of the year award at the World Economic Forum in 2018 were focused on Africa. Social ventures have a unique opportunity to help close the socio-economic gap in African countries. This panel will explore the potential for social innovation to drive large-scale societal gains in Africa.

PANELISTS

• Ryan Phillips-Page (Operation Water)

• Abisola Tolu-Odutola (Mumspring)

Lighting up Africa: The Broken Energy Chain

New York City, with a population of 9 million, has more grid connected electricity than Sub Saharan Africa with a population of nearly 1 billion. Why has the power industry failed, especially when access to electricity is critical for industrialization and economic development? Has the private sector responded with innovative solutions to balance this supply-demand gap? Can renewable mini-grids leapfrog the the traditional large power plants that require distribution and transmission infrastructure? The panel will focus largely on Nigeria, Africa's largest economy, and a country heavily reliant on private, polluting diesel generators for power.

PANELISTS

• Dimitri Papaefstratiou, Partner DLA Piper

• Sumeet Singh, Commerical Director, Powergas Africa Ltd

What's the Future of Fintech in Africa Beyond Payments and Money?

The rate of future growth in Africa will be governed by its physical and digital infrastructures. What role do fintech startups have in creating the necessary digital infrastructure to accelerate growth and financial inclusion on the continent? What role can digital currencies play? Can fintech players help the continent leap forward in the same way that mobile penetration did in the past decade?

Panel will explore the current applications of Fintech in Africa and the great potential for the future as well as potential challenges.

PANELISTS

• Tunde Ladipo, Director, Interstellar

• Ahmed Razaq, Founder, CowryWise

Africa’s Infrastructure: A Springboard for -- or a Brake on -- growing economies?

PANELISTS

• Rahul Srinivasan (IFC World Bank)

• Zoyo Zhao, CEO Global Mainland

• Jake Cusack, Managing Partner at CrossBoundary

• Tariye Gbadegesin, Head, Heavy Industry and Telecoms - Africa Finance Corporation

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT

Over the past twenty years, FDI levels in Africa have risen and fallen by mainly mirroring commodity price movements. Given the decline in FDI levels in recent years from US$58.1bn in 2008 to US$ 41.7bn in 2017, is it wise for Africa’s economic transformation to rely on FDI? In which sectors and instances should FDI be weighed against domestic investments? How do you assess China’s role in Africa now and how can the continent appropriate more value from FDI in general and more specifically from its relationship with China, especially in light of the seemingly changing nature of China’s involvement from that of an equity provider to that of a debt provider?

PANELISTS

• Rahul Srinivasan (IFC World Bank)

• Guy Baron (Chief Investment Officer, Rwanda Development Board)

• Dr. Mima S. Nedelcovych (CEO AfricaGlobal Partners)

• Kemi Arosanyin, Director, Africa Trade Expansion Prog., Miami World Trade Center

PANEL MODERATOR

• Mark Doumba, MPA, Harvard Kennedy School

Investing for the Future of Africa - the role of private equity

African private equity has witnessed significant swings over the last decade. The Afrian Rising narrative attracted interest from large local and foreign LPs, leading to record level of fund raising and investing activity. However, the commodity-price driven macro slow down and currency devaluations caused many to wonder whether the traditional PE model is suitable for the continent. What are the key challenges facing PE firms in Africa? Are these challenges transient or fundamental? Does this call for a change in strategy? What key lessons have been learnt by firms?

The Role of Social Entrepreneurship in Africa's Development

Four of the eleven social ventures honored with the Social Entrepreneurship of the year award at the World Economic Forum in 2018 were focused on Africa. Social ventures have a unique opportunity to help close the socio-economic gap in African countries. This panel will explore the potential for social innovation to drive large-scale societal gains in Africa.

Blockchain in Africa's Frontier Markets

Blockchain technology promises to radically alter the way the world exchanges value by combining cryptography, a secure form of communication, with the economics of decentralization. This could lead to a world without financial intermediaries meaning faster, lower cost, transactions without compromising on security. Blockchain provides Africa with another chance to leapfrog technologies, changing the lives of millions who currently lack access to the modern financial system. The policy and business world are enthusiastic about the future of Blockchain and related innovations but what does it mean for Africa in terms of risks and opportunities? What are the promising business use cases of Blockchain and how can African entrepreneurs and governments innovate?

ADDITIONAL PANELS TO BE ANNOUNCED