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Applications Open: African Masterclass Series (AMS) 5.0 for Change-Makers and Leaders

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Applications Open for African Masterclass Series (AMS) 5.0

Africa’s innovation ecosystem is set for a major boost as Ideation Hub Africa announces the launch of the African Masterclass Series (AMS) 5.0—a premier capacity-building initiative designed to equip changemakers with the tools and mindset needed to build bold, scalable, and context-relevant solutions for Africa’s emerging markets.

Now in its fifth edition, the African Masterclass Series has become one of the continent’s most impactful free online bootcamps, connecting thousands of social innovators, entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, and development practitioners to experiential knowledge and practical skills.

About AMS 5.0

Hosted by Ideation Hub Africa, a leading public policy and impact advisory firm, AMS 5.0 is delivered in partnership with the Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation and Access Bank. Together, these partners are providing African changemakers with the mentorship, resources, and community needed to transform ideas into sustainable, impact-driven ventures.

This year’s edition is themed:
“From Concept to Creation: Building Innovative Solutions for Africa’s Emerging Markets.”

The 12-module program will guide participants through critical topics such as:

  • Innovation in low-resource environments

  • Emerging market trends in Africa

  • Human-centered product design & UI/UX

  • Data-driven decision-making

  • Digital marketing for social ventures

  • Gender equity and systems thinking for scale

  • Innovative capital raising & MVP-led iteration

Why Join AMS 5.0?

Participants will:
Master innovation frameworks tailored to Africa’s context
Learn from seasoned African founders, policy leaders & global experts
Join a thriving network of 28,000+ changemakers across 46+ countries
Access mentorship, assignments, and funding opportunities
Build ventures that address real challenges in education, health, agriculture, gender equity, finance, technology, and more

Who Can Apply?

AMS 5.0 is open to:

  • Social entrepreneurs & innovators

  • Nonprofit leaders & development practitioners

  • Policy makers & civic actors

  • CSR leaders & sustainability champions

  • Youth-led organizations & activists

  • Tech-driven startups & founders

  • Donor agencies, advocacy specialists, and social investors

  • Gender advocates, digital transformation leaders, and impact-driven individuals worldwide

About the Program

Launched in 2020, the African Masterclass Series has rapidly grown into a global platform for social innovation and systemic change. While rooted in Africa, it welcomes participants from across the world, ensuring that its lessons and solutions can be replicated, scaled, and adapted globally.

Applications for AMS 5.0 open in September 2025.
Don’t miss this transformative opportunity where bold ideas meet global impact.

Click HERE to Apply

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POS Strategy & Operations Specialist – PalmPay Limited

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PalmPay Limited is a leading Africa-focused fintech company launched in 2019. The platform provides a wide range of mobile payment and financial services to individuals and businesses.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: POS Payment Strategy & Operations
Location: Opebi, Ikeja – Lagos

Job Responsibilities

  • Manage the operations of merchant acquiring businesses focused on POS terminals, including the full merchant lifecycle from onboarding to retention. Collaborate with Product R&D, Marketing, and other departments to resolve issues and enhance the merchant experience.

  • Oversee the operation of various merchant payment products. Build a robust data analysis framework for merchant operations, coordinate resources to address challenges, and continuously refine operational strategies based on market insights.

  • Monitor business costs and returns, optimize resource allocation, and develop operational SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures). Track, analyze, and iterate strategies to drive efficiency and reduce costs.

  • Gather industry and market intelligence, identify merchant needs, and translate them into actionable operational strategies or product requirements. Partner with product teams to drive innovation and enhance efficiency.

Job Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher, with 3–5 years’ experience in POS terminal or merchant acquiring business operations.

  • Strong skills in data analysis, project management, and SOP design, with proven ability to establish and optimize product operation systems.

  • Minimum of 2 years’ experience in a core strategy role within a competitor’s system.

  • Strong business acumen with the ability to assess and interpret merchant needs. Capable of designing and executing operational plans aligned with business goals and merchant characteristics to achieve measurable results.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

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Product Specialist – PalmPay

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PalmPay is a rapidly growing Africa-focused fintech company, launched in 2019. Our platform provides innovative mobile payment solutions and a wide range of financial services, empowering millions of users across the continent.

We are currently hiring for the position below:

Job Title: Product Specialist
Location: Lagos

Core Responsibilities

1. Monitor Existing Process Data

  • Track and analyze process data to identify and resolve anomalies.

  • Use data-driven insights to optimize workflows and improve efficiency.

  • Prepare and present regular service performance reports.

2. Map and Automate Processes

  • Study customer inquiry trends, pain points, and service bottlenecks to propose optimization strategies.

  • Design, refine, and automate customer service processes to reduce reliance on manual support.

Qualifications & Skills

  • Experience: 1–3 years in fintech or digital operations, preferably with a focus on customer service.

  • Technical Skills:

    • Proficiency in Microsoft Office and related tools.

    • Strong analytical abilities and a keen eye for data.

    • Demonstrated ability to analyze and optimize end-to-end processes.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should:
[Click here to apply]

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Heifer International Urges Stronger Local Partnerships to Drive Agricultural Transformation in Africa

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Heifer International Calls for Stronger Local Partnerships to Transform Agriculture in Africa

At the Africa Food Systems Forum in Dakar, Heifer International urged governments, donors, investors, and development partners to strengthen their commitment to local partnerships as a way to accelerate agricultural transformation across the continent. The organization stressed that collaboration among governments, smallholder farmers, youth innovators, cooperatives, the private sector, and development actors is key to building resilient food systems and sustainable rural prosperity.

Agriculture employs nearly two-thirds of Africa’s workforce, yet the sector receives less than 4% of commercial lending. According to the African Development Bank, the financing gap stands at $80 billion annually. Smallholder farmers and agri-SMEs—who produce up to 70% of Africa’s food—continue to face limited access to credit, weak infrastructure, and high borrowing costs. Bridging this gap, Heifer noted, requires not only new financial resources but also smarter, farmer-centered partnerships.

The organization highlighted the critical role of grants and philanthropic funding in agricultural development. When aligned with local realities and effective partnerships, such funding can catalyze innovation, unlock private investment, and provide flexibility for youth-led enterprises to test and scale solutions in real farming environments.

“The future of African agriculture will be built on strong partnerships and funding that helps innovations move from ideas to scale,” said Surita Sandosham, President and CEO of Heifer International. “Philanthropic support is essential, and by working alongside governments, cooperatives, and the private sector, we can ensure these funds go further in strengthening local food systems.”

Driving Impact Through Innovation

Heifer showcased several initiatives demonstrating how this approach delivers results:

  • AYuTe NextGen (Agriculture, Youth, and Technology Next Generation): A flagship program supporting young innovators and agri-tech solutions that address key challenges for smallholder farmers.

  • Nigeria: Partnership with Hello Tractor has enabled more than 20,000 farmers to access affordable mechanization services, boosting productivity.

  • Uganda: Youth-led start-ups supported under AYuTe NextGen have expanded mobile-based livestock health and crop advisory services, attracting private investment.

  • Kenya and Rwanda: Partnerships with dairy cooperatives have reduced milk spoilage by up to 30%, raising farmer incomes and making the sector more competitive.

According to Adesuwa Ifedi, Senior Vice President for Africa Programs at Heifer International, these successes show the power of locally-led collaboration:

“Farmers must be treated as business partners, young innovators need opportunities to prove their models, and finance must be structured to share risks fairly. Above all, partnerships rooted in local realities create the trust and resilience needed for long-term growth.”

Inclusion at the Core

Heifer emphasized that women and youth—who form a large share of Africa’s farming and agribusiness workforce—must be central to agricultural transformation. With Africa’s median age at 19 and women making up nearly half of the agricultural workforce, inclusive partnerships are crucial to expanding access to land, finance, and markets.

Regional frameworks such as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) call for over $100 billion in agri-food investment, with 30% of opportunities dedicated to women and youth. Heifer’s work illustrates how these commitments can be turned into tangible, community-driven action.

Speaking on behalf of AYuTe NextGen winners, Carolyne Mwangi, CEO of Kenya-based Kimplanter Seedlings and Nurseries, reinforced the message:

“Across Africa, young entrepreneurs are delivering solutions—from mechanization services to cold-chain logistics. What they need are partners who understand farming realities and who can connect them to markets. This is how resilience and growth are built.”

A Call to Action

Heifer concluded that lasting change in African agriculture requires moving beyond fragmented, short-term interventions toward systems that bring farmers, governments, investors, and development partners together. With stronger local partnerships and inclusive support, smallholder farmers can grow their incomes, investors can discover viable opportunities, and countries can strengthen food security for their growing populations.

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