Made In Africa Foundation is an organisation established in 2011 to assist development of the African continent by providing first-stage funding for feasibility studies and business development of large-scale infrastructure projects based in the region.

Made in Africa Foundation engaged with governments, multilateral organisations such as the World Bank, financial institutions, and private investors, to advocate for the continent and the foundation's supported projects, and raise awareness of economic changes taking place in Africa. Originally a UK-based foundation, it is now incorporated in Uganda.

History

The foundation was a spin-off of the for-profit Made in Africa, which had been founded by Savile Row tailor Ozwald Boateng, a Ugandan prince Hassan Kimbugwe, and barrister Chris Cleverly in 2005.[1]

In 2007, Made in Africa supported an African Union banquet co-hosted with Ghana's president and AU Chairperson John Kofi Kufor and attended by 53 African heads of state. At the banquet, Rev. Jesse Jackson gave a speech written by Cleverly (a highlight of the speech was later included in a Made in Africa Foundation film The Tipping Point).[2] In 2010, Made in Africa supported a London conference, 'Joining up Africa', hosted by the UK Department for International Development,[3] and organised by the AU commission, African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank and other international agencies. At the event, Boateng urged international governments and agencies to provide more support for African entrepreneurs and investments.[4]

The foundation was established in 2011 (and incorporated in the UK in March 2012[5]) by Boateng, Nigerian businessman Kola Aluko and Nigeria-based oil and gas company Atlantic Energy to support transformational and large scale African developments and infrastructure projects.[6] Cleverly (a cousin of UK Conservative MP and minister James Cleverly) was CEO of the Made in Africa Foundation, and oversaw day-to-day operations; Boateng and Aluko were trustees and Atlantic Energy executive Dayo Okusami was a director of the foundation.[7]

The foundation's mission was based on Boateng's statement: "It’s a well-known statistic that US$400 million of funding for feasibility studies and master plans across sub-Saharan Africa would develop over US$100 billion of infrastructure projects, which in turn would create a trillion dollars of value across Africa. The first step is often the hardest and we have created this Foundation with Atlantic Energy to make that step easier for Africans."[8]

In a January 2013 BBC HARDtalk interview with Zeinab Badawi, Boateng discussed African diaspora returning to develop enterprises in the region, and urged more to do the same.[9] Central to Made in Africa Foundation's objectives was to encourage and provide support for these individuals. The foundation considered African Americans – people of African origin – part of its definition of the African diaspora and central to Africa's growth story. (Made in Africa has previously linked with significant African American figures including Jamie Foxx, Chris Tucker, Mos Def, Isaiah Washington and Herbie Hancock.)[10]

Our Future Made in Africa (2013)

Boateng and the Made in Africa Foundation were guest editors of the May 2013 issue of the pan-African magazine, New African. The issue coincided with the African Union's 50th anniversary, was titled Our Future Made in Africa - What Africans can do in the next 50 years, and included articles assessing Africa's past pitfalls and future possibilities.[11][12] Contributors included Liberian and Gabonese presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Omar Bongo Ondimba, Mo Ibrahim, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Director-General of UNIDO Kandeh Yumkella and British architect David Adjaye.[13]

The New African issue coincided with a gala event, Our Future Made in Africa, in Marrakech, Morocco, organised in collaboration with the African Banker Awards and supported by Atlantic Energy.[14][15][16] The event featured a fashion show, the African banker awards, performances from John Legend, Akon, Youssou N'dour and Mos Def, and the premiere of a Made In Africa Foundation film, Our Future Made in Africa, featuring Boateng,[17] The event was intended to fundraise and get support for the AfDB's programme of infrastructure development projects; as a result, the Made in Africa Foundation signed a co-operation agreement with the Obasanjo Foundation, founded by former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo.[18] AfDB president Donald Kaberuka received an award from the Made in Africa Foundation for his efforts to transform Africa.[19]

Made in Africa Foundation worked with the AfDB on their programme for infrastructure development in Africa (PIDA).[20] The PIDA initiative aimed to further the socio-economic development of Africans, by improving the continent's nascent power, transportation, water, and ICT infrastructure. The programme comprised over 50 projects to be implemented between 2012 and 2040.[21] Made in Africa Foundation aimed to assist in raising foreign investment and greater public awareness, and CEO Chris Cleverly launched the billion dollar Africa50 fund with Emmanuel Mbi, COO of AfDB on 14 June 2013; the fund was then formally launched at Nasdaq on 30 September 2013.[22] The Africa50 fund has launched numerous power projects across Africa.

The foundation was dissolved in the UK in July 2015.[5] It is now incorporated in Uganda where it is focused on agriculture projects.

References

  1. ↑ Ozwald Boateng (10 July 2012) New Statesman, "Britain Needs Africa's Help" Archived 23 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine, June 2012
  2. ↑ Made in Africa Foundation, "The Tipping Point" Archived 4 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine, October 2012
  3. ↑ African Development Bank, "Bank Group President Attends African Regional Integration Conference in London", March 2010
  4. ↑ Overground Online, "Ozwald Boateng Launches £200bn Africa Crossrail" Archived 10 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine, March 2010
  5. 1 2 "Made in Africa Foundation - Company number 07994406". Companies House. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  6. ↑ Made in Africa Foundation, "Made in Africa Foundation" Archived 20 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine, 24 May 2013
  7. ↑ Made in Africa Foundation, "Made in Africa Foundation Team" Archived 23 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine, 24 May 2013
  8. ↑ African Brains, "Atlantic Energy Partners Made in Africa Foundation" Archived 22 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine, November 2011
  9. ↑ BBC Hardtalk, "Ozwald Boateng: Why entrepreneurs are back in Africa", January 2013
  10. ↑ New Statesman, "Top African-American talent plan trip to African Union Summit, Ghana" Archived 10 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine, June 2007
  11. ↑ PR News Wire, "Ozwald Boateng Steps in as Guest Editor for a Leading Issue of New African" Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, May 2013
  12. ↑ New African Magazine, IC Publications, "Table of Contents May 2013 Issue" Archived 9 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine, May 2013
  13. ↑ New African Magazine, IC Publications, "New African Magazine May 2013 Issue" Archived 23 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine, May 2013
  14. ↑ CNN, "Ozwald Boateng: New wind of change is blowing through Africa" Archived 2 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine, 7 June 2013
  15. ↑ The Guardian, "Rebuilding Africa: Ozwald Boateng takes on biggest design project yet" Archived 16 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine, 30 May 2013
  16. ↑ De Charles, "Highlight Projects: Made in Africa Foundation" Archived 19 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine, 20 December 2013
  17. ↑ Made in Africa Foundation, "Our Future Made in Africa" Archived 27 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine, May 2013
  18. ↑ Yahoo Finance, "Made in Africa Foundation Signs Key Co-operation Agreement with Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation to Promote Progress in Africa" Archived 24 June 2013 at archive.today, 3 June 2013
  19. ↑ African Development Bank, "AfDB President Receives Made in Africa Foundation Award for His Efforts to Transform the Continent" Archived 19 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine, 31 May 2013
  20. ↑ African Development Bank, "Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa" Archived 30 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine, May 2013
  21. ↑ African Development Bank, "Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa - Interconnecting, integrating and transforming a continent" Archived 22 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine, November 2012
  22. ↑ "Africa50 Fund aims to catalyse infrastructure development". Infrastructure Consortium for Africa. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
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