Emerging Businesses in Africa Drive Growth Under New Top Leaders 
The new business is driving a new wave economy dominated by the dynamic top leaders and a growing number of business women in Africa. Nationwide, fintech, agri tech, logistics, and renewable energy startups and SMEs are growing at a rapid pace, driven by the use of digital payments, the development of mobile internet, and regional integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). These are no longer periphery projects; they are transforming the way individuals bank, farm, move goods, and access energy and making local issues solving an exportable business strategy.
Some of the most transformative leaders who have led this change include those like President Alassane Ouattara of Cote d Ivore who has pushed the modernization of cocoa processing plants and digital infrastructure, and business oriented heads of state who focus on private sector alliances and innovation centers. A broad agreement on the long term strategies is emerging between political and corporate leaders to connect infrastructure investment, regulatory reform and youth employment initiatives to support the emerging businesses. Meanwhile, an increasing group of African business women is also top management of major corporations and rapidly emerging startups, including payment platforms, logistics companies, providers of solar power, or even fashion retail brands.
An example is, the emergence of women-led fintech startups that are empowering financial inclusion to millions of unbanked Africans using mobile money rails and alternative credit scoring systems to target small holder farmers and micro entrepreneurs. These firms are also drawing large foreign investments and associated with global banks and development finance entities to develop robust and scalable infrastructure. This has seen the emerging business ecosystem in Africa cease to be commodity centered but rather digital first, service oriented business ventures that are bridging local markets into a pan African and global value chain.
