Episode 5, published December 17, 2025
Why Amazon & Best Buy Are Missing Out on Africa (The "Invisible" Market)
What would you do if your own bank told you to go to the black market? That's what Akinsola Jegede heard when he tried to swap naira for dollars before moving to the US. Now he's founder and CEO of VitalSwap. In our conversation, he explains: • Pay Local, Get Dollars: VitalSwap's checkout lets African customers pay in local currency while US businesses get US dollars in real time. • AI for Big Transfers: AI collects and checks the due diligence for high-value transfers on the fly. • Trust Over Price: A pitch from a new trash company taught him buyers care more about reliability than price. • Be Teachable: His top advice is "don't do it." If you go ahead anyway, network and be teachable.
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