Pride Magazine Nigeria’s Woman of the Month for September 2020 is the extraordinary Kagure Wamunyu. Kagure is the Chief Strategy Officer at Kobo360. She leads the strategy and execution for growth for all Kobo360 markets, heads the people function, and also heads the Africa Region markets. Previously, she served as the Kobo360 CEO of the Africa Region, leading the expansion and growth outside the Nigerian market.
Kagure has a passion for transport, which she believes will be an important factor in the economic development of Africa. Previously, Kagure served as the Senior Director of Strategy for Bridge International Academies in East Africa, where she focused on policy and public-private partnerships. Before Bridge, she worked as the country manager for Uber in Kenya where she joined as the first hire in Nairobi at launch and grew Uber to a major transportation option in the city.
She is currently pursuing a part-time PhD at the University of Oxford. She holds a Master of City Planning with a focus on transportation from UC Berkeley, a BSc in Civil Engineering with a focus on transport engineering from North Carolina State and a BA in Mathematics from Meredith College. Kagure seats on the Board of Fuzu and the Somo Project. She is an active alumna of the Zawadi Africa Education Fund.
In this interview, Kagure discusses logistics in Africa and intra-continental trade.
What motivates you – in life and in your career?
I am motivated by powerful female leaders such as Sheryl Sandberg, COO at Facebook who is passionate about technology and helping women to reach greater heights in their chosen careers.
I am also inspired by the tech teams at Kobo360, as they are bright young individuals with a lot of drive and results to back it up.
Kobo360 aims to transform Africa’s logistics industry through tech. From your experience, what challenges do tech startups in Africa face, and how can they overcome these challenges?
Tech startups in Africa are faced with a lot of challenges such as regulatory issues, lack of funding, and lack of adequate infrastructure such as access to affordable internet. I believe that as innovation is on the rise in Africa and continues to be on international radars, African governments are beginning to see the importance of startups for boosting Africa’s economy.
COVID-19 has accelerated digital adoption and once it’s started, it will be difficult to go back, therefore the public and private sectors must work together to invest in digital infrastructure. African governments need to create an enabling environment for startups to thrive and also lead on regulatory reform because it is the private sector that will drive innovation.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is set to increase the continent’s connectivity. What opportunities does AfCFTA present for the logistics industry and Kobo360, and how will it ultimately serve to lift millions of Africans out of poverty?
The AfCFTA provides huge opportunities for not just the logistics industry but also the people and the economy. It provides an opportunity for Africans to trade with each other more frequently. COVID-19 has made it more evident that we are way too dependent on countries like China for our raw materials and produce. When we trade with each other, goods will be cheaper, there will be more employment opportunities and this will cause a growth in our economies.
What advice would you give a young person interested in pursuing a career in the logistics industry?
I think the first and most important thing is to be passionate about the sector you wish to get into. This happens mostly by educating yourself by reading the appropriate books and/or getting trained. Then, make sure you offer top quality service and create an impact so that you can be remembered.
For women in particular, working in both the tech sector and the logistics industry, how far have they come, and what more needs to be done for equal opportunity and fair representation?
We have a few women in the African tech and logistics industry however there’s still a long way to go, as it is still a highly male-dominated sector.
It is extremely important for younger women to see that women are capable of holding positions of authority whether as founders or C-level executives. Companies should take meritocracy more seriously to show that not only men can hold high positions in organizations. It is also important for women in these positions to encourage other aspiring women to be more proactive in order to achieve their goals.
Endeavour read Kagure’s article on Transforming Africa’s Logistics Industry with Tech that featured in our recently published Digital Speaks issue. It could be found on page 41.