Hello '25
Building Africa's Future: The Power of Networks, Collaboration, and Intentional Action
Happy new year!
As 2025 kicks off, weâd like to appreciate everyone whoâs been part of us so far, and welcome to the new ones. We used 2024 to set foundation including hosting our first Mixer.
2025 marks the start of a long adventure, a journey of building a community that brings ambitious peers together,share stories and build a network that aims to play a key role in the development and investment in Africaâs future.
Throughout history, peer networks have been instrumental in shaping civilizations, driving progress, and inspiring collective growth. From the thriving intellectual circles of ancient Greece to the dynastic collaborations of the East, and the innovation hubs of Silicon Valley, ambitious communities have propelled humanity forward. As we step into a new year, the TFC Network seeks to harness this spirit of collaboration, connection and community to redefine the trajectory of its members.
Africa is unique in its promise. By the end of this century, we are projected to have the largest population globally as a continent with over 50% of our population as youths, according to statistica. This data not only offers unparalleled opportunities, but also presents pressing questions, including:
1. How do we channel resources, ideas, and the ambition of a youthful population into transformative action?
2. How do we ensure that Africaâs rise is shaped by and for its people?
Who are at the forefront creating and sustaining the said opportunities?
Economists have argued that radical increase in population will plunge Africa into economic and increased poverty margins & misery if critical infrastructure i.e health, security, and education remain poor over the coming decades. On the other hand, optimists believe this demographic explosion could be propitious for economic growth prospects, such population increase could enable Africa to undergo an industrial revolution, if the continent adapts plans, and implements proper development & economic policies, learning from the examples of China and India. - The Sais Review of International Affairs
History reveals that transformative change requires more than individual effort, vision, or just planning; it demands intentional, individual and collective action. For example, The Roman Empire flourished through a network of leaders, builders, and thinkers working together to create a legacy. A recent example is the Industrial Revolution and the rise of Silicon Valley which were powered by clusters of ambitious individuals pooling resources, sharing knowledge, and solving problems together.
In the case of the excerpt above, Indians have been/are everywhere in YouTube and learning institutions all over the world learning and teaching each other and the world at large thus creating a large workforce, which in turn has them in big Tech company leadership, finance world and anywhere they see opportunities, well it has worked. The other case is china, the country with the largest population in the world, their large population boom has been used to create large local workforce. From interest, I will refer to engineering & manufacturing workforce. Shenzen; a key electronic manufacturing zone has been transformed from being a fishing village some 30 years ago to the biggest electronic manufacturing hub in the world.
In every instance, there is a plan, and work input that birthed change. These ânetworksâ thrived(s) because their leaders and community had(ve) individual goals, a shared common vision & values and on top of that put themselves forward to work and create a path.
While our continent boasts ârichâ histories of innovation and leadershipâfrom the ancient empires of Mali and Ethiopia to the newer intellectual hubs of Nairobi, Lagos, Cape town etcâ the narrative has often been fragmented because, one we have not consistently documented our stories or created lasting frameworks for collaboration in building projects. This gap in storytelling and network-building has left many of our achievements untold, swept under the rag and mostly uncelebrated. One key effect of this is not being able to build on each others ideas or leveraging available resources in growth. This leaves us dependent on the outside world growth and milestones to gauge our own.
Lets use interesting example; Artificial Intelligence(AI) revolution, there has been a lot of development in the AI world; AI bots,AI chips manufacturing, AI agents, AGI with a lot of R & D and investment being undertaken by governments, corporations and key individual in technology.
Recently, President Trump(US President) launched a $500 Billion investment, the Stargate Project led by Open AI a giant AI research company to develop AI infrastructure, on the other end we have seen the rise of DEEPSEEK Research Lab where a Chinese quant hedge fund founder Liang Wenfeng took 10,000 Nvidia chips and assembled a team of young, ambitious talent to build DEEPSEEK an AI rivaling the popular Chatgpt this has raised a lot of headlines and discussions due to the competition. But the reason for bringing this up is to show allocation of resources to development done by other parties in building the future, investing in the ecosystem to build and create solutions.
The question is, do we have research labs and centers investing in our talent and people to build the future? One notable AI invention in Africa is Vambo AI, a language LLM( Building a multilingual African language) which is commendable. Othe that we havenât seen much happening in our continent. And thatâs just one sector example.
Across all the continents, africa has fewest big Tech companies, corporations, Technology infrastructure and development policies.We have been left behind, following, not inventing much, we donât have research centers doing research or building models, nor are we documenting our research we in a structured way. A genuine question, what are we as Africa offering the world?
At TFC Network, not only are we looking to build a network of peers but also document ideas, projects, important topics and personalities from the larger community on this publication.
Founded on the principles of ambition, vision, and passion we bring together some of Africaâs brightest young minds to create a peer-driven renaissance. Inspired by the ALX mantra of âDoing Hard Things,â we aim to sustain and amplify this spirit beyond individual ALX programs. We recognize that amongst us there are individuals who are leaders and entrepreneurs â those who aspire for greatness, who want to go above and beyond, those with grand goals and visions who believe they have much to offer, we leverage this motivation to connect, grow and build a thriving ecosystem.
TFC Network is a peer network where we nurture each other & our dreams, connect with like minded peers who we can share their visions, and find the support we need to thrive.
The power of peer networks lies in their ability to challenge, inspire, and elevate individuals. Leaders do not emerge in isolation; they are cultivated in environments that encourage collaboration, resilience, and innovation. By fostering connections among like-minded individuals, a space is created where ambition is nurtured and ideas are transformed into action.
Our mission goes beyond professional success. We seek to build a culture that values storytelling, collaboration, and long-term impact. From quarterly mixers to bi-monthly hangouts, from written stories & essays to podcast episodes, the TFC Network fosters an ecosystem where members support one another and collectively tackle the challenges facing our continent. We are committed to documenting our journey, sharing our insights, and creating a legacy that will inspire future generations.
Africaâs future is not numbers and talking; it is about intentionality and leveraging the knowledge, skills and brainpower available. It is about building industries, developing infrastructures, and establishing networks that empower people, to create a space where the next generation of leaders can dream boldly,share research findings, act courageously, collaborate effectively and build. The TFC Network seeks to be a catalyst in this transformation, driving a movement that prioritizes ambition, collaboration, and impact.
We invite you to reflect on your journey. What do you want to achieve this year? five years? twenty years?, what opportunities are there? What is your expertise/area of interest? How can you contribute to a community that believes? how can we pour into your cup?
The foundation of collective success lies in individuals. Walking side by side, sharing highs and lows, and supporting one another as we navigate the challenges ahead, create memories have fun while proactively creating a brighter future for ourselves and the continent.
Together, we plant the seeds of change, water them with ambition, and cultivate a future where Africa takes a place on the global stage. Think about it.
Happy new year to you toođ! And welcome to 2025!