COVID-19 Africa Watch Interview Series
The COVID-19 Africa Watch Interview Series showcases the voices of African change agents, policymakers, and entrepreneurs, focusing on how the pandemic is affecting African countries and the priorities for the post-pandemic recovery. You can explore all our videos below, as divided into two broad categories:
Follow the links below each video to see interview transcripts and key takeaways. Check back often for additional updates.
Featured Video
COVID-19 Africa Watch talks to Gayle Smith, President and CEO of the ONE Campaign, about the global response to COVID-19, inclusive access to an eventual vaccine, and the role of civil society in responding to the pandemic.
Economic, Market, and Trade Impacts
- Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
- Strive Masiyiwa, African Union Special Envoy for mobilizing the private sector response to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Lionel Zinsou, Founder and Managing Partner of SouthBridge and former Prime Minister of Benin
- Acha Leke, McKinsey’s Chairman for the Africa region
- Dr. K.Y. Amoako, Founder and President, African Center for Economic Transformation
- Oscar N. Onyema, CEO, The Nigeria Stock Exchange
- Zemedeneh Negatu, Global Chairman of the Fairfax Capital Fund
- Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Founder & General Partner, Future Africa
- Okey Umeano, Acting Chief Economist of the Nigeria Securities & Exchange Commission
- Omer Omarabi, General Manager of Electronic Banking Services Sudan
Follow the links below each video to see interview transcripts and key takeaways.
Dr. Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about the future—and renewed importance—of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the role of technology, infrastructure, and governance will play in the recovery from the pandemic, and the global response to the economic crisis.
COVID-19 Africa Watch discusses the launch of the Africa Medical Supplies Platform with Strive Masiyiwa, founder and chairman of Econet Wireless, and African Union Special Envoy for mobilizing the private sector response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lionel Zinsou, Founder and Managing Partner of SouthBridge and former Prime Minister of Benin talks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about opportunities for private sector growth and investment post-COVID-19.
COVID-19 Africa Watch talks to McKinsey’s Chairman for the Africa region, Acha Leke, about government responses to COVID-19, the support needed for SMEs, and debt sustainability.
COVID-19 Africa Watch speaks to K.Y. Amoako, President of the African Center for Economic Transformation, about the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic across the continent.
The CEO of The Nigerian Stock Exchange, Oscar N. Onyema, talks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about how the exchange has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Founder & General Partner of Future Africa, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about how the pandemic has changed the startup investment environment and what the opportunities might be for retail investors.
Zemedeneh Negatu, Global Chairman of the Fairfax Capital Fund, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about how the pandemic has changed the investment environment in Africa, and how the continent and Ethiopia, in particular, have responded.
Okey Umeano, CFA. Ag., Acting Chief Economist of the Nigeria Securities & Exchange Commission, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about Nigeria’s economic policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 Africa Watch speaks to Omer Omarabi, the General Manager of Electronic Banking Services Sudan, about how financial technology has played a role in Sudan’s COVID-19 response initiatives.
- Aya Chebbi, African Union Special Envoy on Youth
- Malado Kaba, former Minister of Economy and Finance, Republic of Guinea
- Tunde Fafunwa, Lead Advisor, UNECA Digital Centre for Excellence
- Gwen K. Young, President, Balance Up Leadership
- Nurse Cherish Samuel, Eti-Osa COVID-19 Isolation and Treatment Centre, Lagos State, Nigeria
- Ethel Mwambazi Kandiwo, Managing Director at BlackDot Media (Zambia)
- Professor Iyeopu Minakiri Siminialayi, Chairman of the University of Port Harcourt COVID-19 Task Force
- Betty Wilkinson, CEO, Financial Sector Deepening Zambia
- Dr. Natasha Kaoma, CEO, Copper Rose Zambia
- Dr. Precious Lunga, CEO and Co-Founder, Baobab Circle
- Prof. Allam Ahmed, Founding President, World Association for Sustainable Development
- Dr. Abasi Ene-Obong, CEO, 54gene
- Dr. Mabouba Diagne, Vice President of Finance and Corporate Services, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development
Follow the links below each video to see interview transcripts and key takeaways.
COVID-19 Africa Watch speaks to Aya Chebbi, African Union Special Envoy on Youth about the impacts of COVID-19 on youth across the continent.
Malado Kaba, former Minister of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Guinea, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about the potential for digital disruption in government and public service in the wake of the current pandemic. The interview is also available in French.
COVID-19 Africa Watch talks to Tunde Fafunwa, Lead Advisor for the UNECA Digital Centre for Excellence, about the importance of digital identity for economic recovery.
Gwen K. Young, President of Balance Up Leadership, talks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on women and what governments and others can do to develop response plans that promote women’s economic and social wellbeing.
COVID-19 Africa Watch discusses the COVID-19 crisis in Nigeria and how people can stay safe with Cherish Samuel, a registered nurse working at a COVID-19 isolation and treatment center in Lagos State.
Ethel Mwambazi Kandiwo, Managing Director at BlackDot Media, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about how the pandemic is affecting the media and advertising world in Zambia.
COVID-19 Africa Watch speaks to Professor Iyeopu Minakiri Siminialayi, Provost, College of Health Sciences & Chairman, University of Port Harcourt COVID-19 Task Force, about mitigation strategies at the local level.
Betty Wilkinson, CEO, Financial Sector Deepening Zambia, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about the economic impacts of the pandemic in Zambia and the way her group and others are responding.
Dr. Natasha Kaoma, CEO of Copper Rose Zambia, an NGO working on issues of adolescent sexual and reproductive health, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted her organization’s work.
Dr. Precious Lunga, CEO and Co-Founder of Baobab Circle, talks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about how closing the healthcare access gap through digitalization.
Prof. Allam Ahmed, founding President of the World Association for Sustainable Development, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about financing the SDGs, human capital, and access to electricity.
COVID-19 Africa Watch talks to Dr. Abasi Ene-Obong, CEO of 54gene, about genomics research and precision medicine in Africa, as well as his company’s response to COVID-19.
Dr. Mabouba Diagne of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development talks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about the lessons of COVID-19 for improving food security in the West Africa region.
Social, Health, and Governance Impacts