David Adeleke
Abuja, Africa, Emea, Nigeria
As seen in:
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Covers:
Media, business, tech, and the creative economy in Africa.
Saved. Building @Communique_HQ. Obsessing over excellence.
Articles by David Adeleke
Macrophage signaling associates with fibrogenic program activation in periductal fibroblasts in pediatric primary sclerosing cholangitis
ResearchGastroenterology Open Access | 10.1172/jci.insight.199226 JCI Insight. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.199226. Copyright © 2026, Wang et al. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Communiqué announces advisory board to strengthen its global vision
We’re excited to announce the formation of Communiqué’s inaugural Advisory Board. This is a group of distinguished leaders with combined decades of experience building globally relevant media, technology, and creative businesses. Their insights will help sharpen our approach as we scale and build a world-class company, sharing Africa’s cultural intelligence with a global market.
Inside Spotify’s Africa machine
Source: Spotify Presented by 1. A fresh pair of eyes Late one Saturday evening in January, Miche Atagana, Spotify’s Sub-Saharan Africa communications and PR lead, stood before a group of young Nigerian musicians and producers, taking them through slide after slide of a media training masterclass.
Communiqué 48: Stears’ pivot left a massive gap in Africa’s new media. Who can fill it?
In February 2023, Nigeria headed to the polls for the sixth time since the country’s return to democratic governance. But unlike the previous five elections, this one had an extra layer of complexity. For the first time in Nigerian history, there was a credible third contender, the usual two-legged race was now three-legged.
Communique 47: How fintech became the poster child of African tech
Presented by Moniepoint In October, Nigerian fintech Moniepoint became the latest African tech company to cross the billion-dollar valuation mark, a feat that only eight others have ever accomplished. Venture capital funding into Africa’s tech ecosystem has slowed down over the last two years, with several startups shutting up shop, laying off staff, or pivoting into nearly unrelated industries.
Culture in a box — David I. Adeleke
In 1986, UNESCO introduced a “cultural statistics” framework designed to systematically understand the “production, distribution, consumption of, and demand for cultural goods and services.” The framework was redesigned in 2009, and it covers six domains: Cultural and national heritage (museums, tourist attractions, historical landmarks) Performance and celebration (festivals, theater, dance) Visual arts and crafts (paintings, sculptures, handcrafted objects and other artifacts) Books and...
The role of trust in building fintech for Africa
Yanmo Omorogbe is the co-founder and chief operating officer of Bamboo, a Nigerian digital wealth management platform. The startup has raised funding from investors like Tiger Global, Gerloft, and Y Combinator’s Michael Seibel. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Trust starts the second you start interacting with our brand, even before you become a user. Our social media is aesthetically pleasing. We give people news, and we don’t sell them dreams.
Why Africa’s tech talent makes it an attractive investment destination
Joseph Nsengimana is the director of the Mastercard Foundation’s Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning. The center works with tech hubs, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to integrate technology into education across the continent. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. There is enormous talent in young ed-tech entrepreneurs on the continent and that’s one of the things that people have a misconception about.
A little-known AI startup is behind Nigeria’s first government-backed LLM
Earlier this year, when Nigeria’s technology minister, Bosun Tijani, announced that the country would build its own large language model, he said the government was partnering with a local startup called Awarri, among other institutions, for this project. Awarri, along with nonprofit Data.org and two government bodies, will build an LLM trained in five low-resource languages and accented English, the minister said.
What’s trending on Spotify in Africa?
Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy is Spotify’s managing director for Sub-Saharan Africa. The music streaming platform has played a significant role in the global growth of Afrobeats, Africa’s biggest music genre. In May, Spotify’s Africa revenue grew by 24.7% year on year, according to company data. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. The thing that fascinates me is the rise of gospel music.
What it takes to raise a $300 million VC fund for Africa
Tidjane Deme is a general partner at Partech, a global tech investment firm. He co-leads the firm’s Africa fund, which raised over $300 million in February. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. You need to partner with a host of institutions to make this happen. Firstly, you need to work with development finance institutions, which are the biggest drivers of the African investment ecosystem. You need to prove to them that you have the infrastructure to manage the fund.
The tech executive who believes AI needs more voice-based learning systems
Bayo Adekanmbi is the founder and CEO of Data Scientists Network (DSNai), an organization that has trained over 500,000 people in artificial intelligence and data science. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. Talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t. Before we talk about great products, we need people. Ideas live in people’s minds and must be trained, supported, and inspired.
Nigerian businesses increasingly skip traditional banks and turn to Moniepoint
Chidi Ebule keeps at least 10 payment machines on the check-out counter of his grocery store in Lagos, so his customers can use cards from any bank or fintech company they prefer. But in recent months, he has needed to use only one machine for most transactions: the one provided by local fintech major Moniepoint. “I try to use another POS [point of sales] machine, [but customers] will say, ‘Please don’t put my card in that. Use Moniepoint,’” Ebule told Rest of World.
Communiqué 39: Notes from my first year as Rest of World’s Africa Editor
It’s been a year since I last sent an edition of this newsletter. A year (and two months) since I joined Rest of World as the Africa Editor. I needed time to settle into my role, and I hope you can understand. I’m glad that I can write this newsletter again. So, today, I want to take some time to share a few lessons I’ve learned and trends I’ve noticed in the last year about Africa’s tech media and how it covers the ecosystem. I also want to share some thoughts about its evolution.
Why African startups must invest in tech policy conversations
Oswald Osaretin Guobadia is the managing partner at DigitA, a digital advisory firm in Lagos, Nigeria. In 2022, Guobadia helped create the Nigeria Startup Act while working as the president’s senior special assistant on digital transformation. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. One of the valuable lessons is that getting things done in government is indeed possible.
Running a food-delivery service in Nigeria is hard; Chowdeck makes it look easy
For the past six months, Allen Idoko, a 28-year-old food delivery worker in Lagos, has been earning up to 400,000 naira ($497) per month — nearly 12 times the minimum wage in Nigeria. While he has been a food delivery worker for more than two years now, Idoko’s fortunes changed around May when he stopped working for Bolt Food and Glovo, and joined local startup ChowdeckiChowdeckChowdeck is a food delivery startup based in Lagos and is backed by Y Combinator.READ MORE, he told Rest of World.
How regulation and consumer behavior drives fintech growth in Africa
Wiza Jalakasi is the director of Africa market development at Ebanx, a payment company headquartered in Brazil and focused on emerging markets. Ebanx grew fast in Latin America and has now expanded into Africa. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Each market has unique regulatory dynamics and changing consumer behavior that favors certain local payment methods over others.
Why African governments must prioritize affordable internet and smartphones
Lacina Koné is the director general and CEO of Smart Africa, an alliance backed by African heads of state and governments to facilitate technological and digital innovation on the continent. In a conversation with Rest of World, Koné shared what he has learned about the digital capabilities of African countries so far and what they must prioritize in the future. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
How this startup bounced back from a crisis
Uka Eje is the co-founder and CEO of ThriveAgric, a Nigerian fintech providing smallholder farmers access to finance, agricultural insights, and distribution assistance. In 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the company sank into a crisis and was unable to pay out investments that users had made on its platform. Three years on, ThriveAgric has pivoted its business model and turned its fortunes around. Now, the company provides tech and value-chain support for farmers.
Moniepoint CEO Tosin Eniolorunda on Africa’s fintech future
Tosin Eniolorunda is the founder and CEO of Moniepoint, Africa’s second-fastest-growing company in 2023. He spoke to Rest of World about the impact of Nigeria’s recent cash crisis on the company, and the future of Africa’s fintech ecosystem. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. Recently, there was a cash crunch that threatened the informal economy in Nigeria. How did this impact Moniepoint?
AI models can be a force to reduce bias, not reinforce it, Sam Altman says
Last week, Sam Altman, the founder and CEO of OpenAI, spoke at an event in Lagos, Nigeria. During his trip, he met with members of the tech community and talked about the prospects for artificial intelligence. Rest of World spoke to Altman after the event. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. When a new technological revolution comes along, many people pay attention and say we can now build amazing new tools.
Africa’s role in the global AI race is more prominent than you know
Fatima Tambajang is the Africa head of developer relations, startups, and venture capital at Nvidia, one of the world’s largest suppliers of artificial intelligence hardware and software. Tambajang spoke to Rest of World about the impact of AI on work and business in Africa, and criticized the notion that the continent is behind in the AI race. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. How would you respond to the idea that Africa is behind in the AI race?
A guide to growth and collaboration on Substack Notes
Notes is a new space where writers can publish short-form posts and share ideas with each other and their readers. Through Notes, writers and readers can recommend posts, links, images, and quotes, leave comments, and more. Some writers are already seeing subscriber growth from Notes.
African startups need more than just funds from their investors
While funding is crucial to any startup’s success, Anne-Marie Chidzero knows it’s not the only challenge facing young companies in Africa. Entrepreneurs on the continent navigate problems around policies and regulations and need the backing of investors who can do more than what regular venture capitalists would. Chidzero, the chief investment officer of FSD Africa Investments, has spent over 20 years in finance and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Jumia’s new CEO has a “radical” plan for Africa’s struggling e-commerce leader
In February 2023, Francis Dufay was appointed as the new CEO of Jumia, one of Africa’s most prominent e-commerce companies. He has a mammoth task ahead of him: turning around the company’s fortunes, and reversing a history of consistent quarterly losses and an underperforming stock price. But Dufay says the company is ready to make “radical changes” and will continue to adapt its cost structure for profitability. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Why Crocs and MAC want to work with this Nigerian influencer
Enioluwa Adeoluwa is the very model of an influencer: nearly 3 million followers on social media, deals with cosmetics brands like MAC, and partnerships with leading labels — he is the first Nigerian to secure a brand partnership with Crocs footwear. His sassy videos showcase the latest fashion and beauty products with such ease that you’d think he’s been an influencer for a while. As recently as 2020, though, Adeoluwa worked as a growth analyst at a Nigerian fintech.
How the global startup economy is reacting to SVB’s crash
Bengaluru resident Yamini Jain spent several hours last week trying to find a way to move the funds of her startup, Gloroots, out of the California-based Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and into another U.S.-based bank. “One of my angel investors sent the news saying that SVB is heading towards the bank run … that’s when I started to panic,” Jain told Rest of World. Gloroots helps companies employ people across borders, but Jain was having a difficult time navigating the U.S. banking system.
Jumia wants to be the “Amazon of Africa.” But it can’t find the customers
For a subset of Nigerians, shopping on Jumia offers convenience more than anything else. In populous cities like Lagos and Abuja, where traffic can be too heavy or going to the market to buy household items can be an all-day affair, the ability to order something on Monday and receive it by Wednesday is as good as magic.
Recapping Communiqué’s meteoric rise in 2022
This might be the last newsletter you'll get from me in a while. Communiqué isn’t going away. But it will change. This month, I resumed my role as the Africa Editor at Rest of World, a publication covering the impact of tech outside the Western bubble. It will take up most of my time, but I strongly believe in the work we’re doing with this newsletter. I believe in its importance, which is why it must evolve—more on that in the new year. For now, let’s look at what 2022 has been like.
Communiqué 37: Cocomelon meets Omo Berry
In 2021, according to Nielsen, one show was the most streamed in the US within the Black community (6.8 billion minutes), the Hispanic community (8.8 billion minutes), and the Asian (2.1 billion minutes) community. It was also the second most streamed show in the country, with approximately 33.2 billion minutes of viewing. The name of the show? Not Squid Game, not Lucifer, not You. It was Me. It was Cocomelon. A show for toddlers.
Communiqué 36: An African $500-million media exit
Thank you to everyone who’s supported Communiqué so far. Every contribution is valuable. You can still do so today. Support Communiqué In July 2022, Industry Dive, a business media company targeting corporate decision-makers, got acquired by Informa, a UK-based events firm. According to reports, the acquisition cost $525 million, roughly 5x Industry Dive’s annual revenue of $100 million.
Communiqué 35: The creator lifecycle
Not all creators turn out fine. Not all become successful. But as with many things in life, success often fuels the narratives of history and innovation. Few remember the failures. We canonise the success stories because they’re more attractive, but they lure us into confirmation bias. This bias tilts our gaze towards the Mr Beasts and Sisi Yemmies of this world and makes us wonder, what if more people could be like them? We don’t ask ourselves enough, how many people can be like them?
Communiqué 34: Fincra’s media recipe is a centuries-old classic
Steve Dede is Fincra’s editor-in-chief. Fincra is not a newspaper or magazine. It’s not a media company. It’s a payment infrastructure provider. Before joining the company, Dede had spent the last eleven years of his career as a journalist. What then is the rationale behind his hire? Why does a fintech company need an editor-in-chief? And what makes it possible to switch from journalism to content marketing?
Communiqué 33: The product-thinking journalist
Presented by Fincra Fincra makes it easy for fintech companies to integrate seamless payment flows into their web and mobile applications. It also provides easy-to-integrate APIs developed and designed to launch smooth and reliable global payment solutions. Its API infrastructure builds platforms that send and receive frequent payments and require flexibility. Ready to build the best payment solutions?
The product-thinking journalist
Presented by Fincra Fincra makes it easy for fintech companies to integrate seamless payment flows into their web and mobile applications. It also provides easy-to-integrate APIs developed and designed to launch smooth and reliable global payment solutions. Its API infrastructure builds platforms that send and receive frequent payments and require flexibility. Ready to build the best payment solutions? Sign up on Fincra.
What makes South Africa attractive to streaming giants?
Presented by Fincra Fincra makes it easy for fintech companies to integrate seamless payment flows into their web and mobile applications. It also provides easy-to-integrate APIs developed and designed to launch smooth and reliable global payment solutions. Its API infrastructure builds platforms that send and receive frequent payments and require flexibility. Ready to build the best payment solutions? Sign up on Fincra Let’s play a drinking game.
Communiqué 30: Journalism in the creator economy
Presented by Fincra With Fincra’s customisable APIs, developers can build quick financial applications; online platforms and fintechs can integrate seamless payment flows into their web and mobile applications with complete SDKs. Fincra has designed its API infrastructure for developers that build platforms that send and receive frequent payments and require flexibility. Ready to build the payment solutions?
Communiqué
Share this publication Communiqué cmqmedia.substack.com Copy link Twitter Facebook Email Creative Capital A deep dive into the creator economy in Africa.
Communiqué 28: Media sachetisation is real, and product pricing in emerging markets shows it
First, a message from our sponsor — Fincra Fincra helps us keep this newsletter free so we can continue bringing you quality insights. If you’re a merchant, try Fincra Checkout today. It makes it easier for you to accept payments from your customers.
How BlackHouse Media is Spearheading the Future of PR and Communications in Africa
By David Adeleke BHM, a global Public Relations and Communications agency based in Nigeria and the UK, is launching the first-ever Africa Public Relations and Communications Report on July 16, 2022.
Analysis: The ‘satchetisation’ of Africa’s largest economy Original
Abuja, Nigeria – In February 2019, Eat’n’Go, the Nigerian franchisee of popular pizza maker Domino’s, introduced a miniature version of the pizza boxes the market was familiar with, for 550 naira ($1.50). Smaller in size and far cheaper than the medium-sized pizza which costs N3,900 ($9), this new version was designed to be affordable for everyone. It was a necessary decision given the economic instability at the time, CEO Patrick Michael told Al Jazeera.
How BlackHouse Media is spearheading the future of PR and communications in Africa
BY DAVID ADELEKE BHM, a global public relations and communications agency based in Nigeria and the UK, is launching the first-ever Africa Public Relations and Communications report on July 16, 2022.
Communiqué 27: Thinking about Big Cabal Media’s $2.3 million raise
Presented by Fincra Payment collection just got a whole lot easier on Fincra with Fincra Checkout! Fincra Checkout enables businesses to accept payments from customers via debit/credit cards or bank transfers. The best part is that you can direct these payments to your Fincra wallet or bank account.
Communiqué 26: The scandal shaking Africa's tech ecosystem
Presented by Fincra Are you a developer building for a fintech, a financial institution, or a global business? Integrate Fincra payment APIs into your web or mobile applications to add reliable payment functions such as accepting payments and transferring funds across 30+ countries. Fincra’s APIs include virtual accounts, payouts and transfers, quote generation, currency conversions, transactions management, and wallet management.
Communiqué 25: How TNC Africa reinvented itself
Presented by Fincra Chargebacks are frustrating, and they make running a global business difficult. But Fincra is here to help. With its streamlined payment collection process, you can make life easier for your customers. No more chargebacks! Learn more On March 19, 2022, Multichoice announced the nominees for the 8th Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards. It’s one of the best-executed and most prestigious awards shows on the continent.
Communique 23: Daily Maverick and the case for a membership model in journalism
Presented by Fincra Fincra provides reliable payments solutions for fintechs, online platforms and global businesses. Their solutions make it super easy for businesses to send and receive local and international payments in EUR, GBP and NGN from/to customers, suppliers and partners seamlessly without the headaches associated with traditional payment methods. You can gain access to Fincra’s platform through a merchant portal or simply integrate their payment API keys into your platform.
I now pronounce you Forbes and Binance
Binance, the world’s biggest crypto exchange, is investing $200 million in Forbes. I saw the news on Thursday and thought it was interesting, primarily because I didn’t see this coming. What fellowship does Forbes have with Binance, I wondered. But upon closer examination, it made sense. Let’s dig in.
Why gamers hate crypto, and music fans don't
(Shubham Dhage / Unsplash) Today, let’s talk about the very different reactions that two different types of fandoms are having to blockchain-based products — and whether that tells us anything about what average people might actually want out of crypto. The fandoms are gaming and music.
Communique 21: How two women built one of Africa’s biggest podcasts
In this edition of the newsletter, we explore: How “I Said What I Said” was created. How it acquired its first few thousand listeners. How it became of Africa’s biggest podcasts. How the podcast makes money. When Jola Ayeye and Feyikemi Abudu conceived “I Said What I Said” (ISWIS) in 2017, they were particular about what they wanted to create: a podcast laced with humour, its finger firmly on the pulse of youth and pop culture, and a platform that freed them up to talk about anything.
Communiqué 21: How two women built one of Africa’s biggest podcasts
When Jola Ayeye and Feyikemi Abudu conceived “I Said What I Said” (ISWIS) in 2017, they were particular about what they wanted to create: a podcast laced with humour, its finger firmly on the pulse of youth and pop culture, and a platform that freed them up to talk about anything. They wanted to host their show without worrying about technicalities. And so began their search for a partner with the resources: a studio, recording equipment, engineers, and editors.
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