WBN Africa connects entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and changemakers across the continent through smart business journalism, empowering local voices and spotlighting innovation with global impact.
Kakuma, once solely a refugee camp, is evolving into a dynamic urban center with a burgeoning informal economy exceeding KSh 6 billion, or USD 500 million annually. Amidst this transformation, one of many unique opportunities is arising...
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is opening a new frontier for Nigeria’s digital economy. With digital trade protocols in place, Nigerian businesses can now more easily scale their e-commerce platforms beyond national borders into a wider African market.
Today’s trade is no longer bound by ships and shipping lanes. Digital trade and e-commerce are reshaping how countries engage globally, and Nigeria stands poised to lead in Africa. With a tech-savvy youth population, a surging fintech sector, and rising internet access
In 2017, The Guardian profiled Mesfin Getahun, a refugee from Ethiopia who arrived in Kakuma with nothing but built one of the region’s top wholesale businesses. Rather than resettle in the U.S. when his family was finally selected to do so, Getahun refused to go
Once known as a temporary refuge for the displaced, Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp is undergoing a transformation that could redefine how the world views refugee economies. Founded in 1992 to house people fleeing conflict...
Since its launch in 2007, Safaricom’s M-Pesa has transformed Kenya’s financial landscape. Initially designed to facilitate microfinance loan repayments, M-Pesa quickly evolved into a comprehensive mobile money platform
Kakuma, once a remote refugee camp in Kenya’s northwest, is entering a historic new phase. Established in 1992 during the civil wars in South Sudan and the Horn of Africa and built for 70,000, the camp now houses over 300,000 people.
In 2023, Sub-Saharan Africa received $54 billion in remittances, surpassing foreign direct investment in the region. In countries like The Gambia, remittances account for over 26% of GDP .
