Shingai Mutasa, founder and CEO of Masawara Group, emphasized that Africa must take ownership of its problems to achieve scalable growth. Speaking at the In Conversation with Trevor (ICWT) Africa Day Gala Dinner in Harare, Mutasa highlighted the continent’s low participation in the global economy, currently at 2%.
Mutasa stressed that Africa’s challenges are not the responsibility of the West, China, India, or any other nation. “We must be clear. Africa’s problems are not the West’s, Africa’s problems are not China’s, Africa’s problems are not India’s or other nations but ours and ours alone,” he stated. He identified a prevailing mindset as the root cause of these challenges, exacerbated by the legacy of colonization that has kept African countries fragmented and unable to collaborate effectively.
“It is time for us to begin to rebuild our continent…No country or region, society, nation, or community can truly succeed without a clear capacity to believe in itself or have the capacity to self-exalt because the mind is the most powerful instrument that we have and ours requires a reset,” Mutasa said. He called for a collective effort to change this mindset and foster unity among African nations.
Mutasa’s participation in ICWT, a popular podcast hosted by media mogul Trevor Ncube, underscores the significance of platforms that promote thought leadership and innovation. ICWT, which has nearly 10 million lifetime views on YouTube, features weekly interviews with prominent figures in various fields across Africa.
At the gala dinner, Trevor Ncube, founder of Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), shared impressive statistics about ICWT’s reach: 8.9 million views on YouTube, 1.9 million impressions on X (formerly Twitter), 6.7 million views on Instagram, and 1.6 million views on TikTok. Ncube expressed frustration with the economic challenges in Zimbabwe, noting that in a more favorable economic environment, the platform’s success would attract significant advertising revenue.
“Elsewhere in the world, I would be the third richest man in the country after Shumba [Masawara Group owner and chief executive officer, Shingai Mutasa] and Strive Masiyiwa [Econet Group founder and executive chairperson] because executives and brand deals would be rushing to advertise on this platform. But, this ZiG economy makes things a bit tough,” Ncube remarked.
The ICWT’s success led to the creation of the Ideas Festival Conference, inspired by a conversation between Ncube and Sudanese-British billionaire Mo Ibrahim. Ibrahim suggested developing a localized version of the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland. “You are witness to the birth of our own Davos,” Ncube said, describing the event as an ideas festival where participants can share innovative solutions, seek funding, and collaborate on startups.
This year’s Ideas Festival is scheduled to take place from October 29 to November 3 in Nyanga. Ncube credited respected banker Nicholas Vingirai and businessman Shingi Munyeza for their contributions to establishing the conference. “It is not just another conference. It is an ideas festival where we interrogate ideas, where we encourage each other, where people who are starting startups come and say this is what I am banking with, how can you help with funding and all that other stuff,” Ncube explained.
Mutasa’s call for Africa to own its problems and the collaborative efforts highlighted by Ncube at the ICWT Africa Day Gala Dinner underscore the importance of self-reliance, unity, and innovative thinking in driving the continent’s development. As the Ideas Festival approaches, it promises to be a significant platform for fostering these values and advancing Africa’s growth.
Source: Newsday
