Tired of shocking data roaming bills after your travels? The eSIM revolution is here to put an end to that. In this episode of the Pure Digital Passion podcast, I sit down with Mandeep Birdi, CEO of RoamBuddy, and Peter Lubia, CEO of Flexicom Enterprises, to unpack how eSIM technology is making global connectivity affordable and seamless for travelers from Kenya and across Africa.We dive deep into their groundbreaking partnership and the landmark deal with Kenya Airways to launch the KQ Safari Data plan. This is a conversation about the end of the physical SIM card and the future of mobile connectivity.In this episode, we cover:(01:53) What is an eSIM? Mandeep Birdi explains the fundamentals of this 100% digital SIM and how it's installed.(03:33) Apple's Big Move: How the new eSIM-only iPhones are accelerating the global shift away from physical SIM cards.(05:55) A Practical Guide: Peter Lubia walks through the simple, step-by-step process of getting an eSIM before you travel.(08:09) The Global-Local Partnership: We break down the innovative model between RoamBuddy and Flexicom that's bringing this technology to Kenya.(11:12) Benefits Beyond Travel: Exploring the enhanced security, flexibility, and environmental advantages of eSIMs.(21:57) Africa's eSIM Opportunity: Why the continent is a fertile ground for this technology, leapfrogging legacy systems.(31:20) The Inside Story: How the landmark partnership with Kenya Airways to launch KQ Safari Data came to be.(35:24) Solving Corporate Travel: A look at the enterprise solutions that eliminate the nightmare of roaming expenses for businesses.(47:24) How to Get Connected: A clear call to action for individual travelers and businesses who want to start using or partnering on eSIMs.(56:18) The Future of Connectivity: Will the physical SIM card become a museum artifact? Our guests share their predictions.Connect with our guests:RoamBuddy: https://www.roambuddy.worldFlexicom Enterprises: https://esim.flexicom.co.keKQ Safari Data: https://www.kqsafaridata.com

In this episode, I sit down with Russell Southwood, CEO of Balancing Act and author of Africa 2.0 and the Africa Interconnection Report 2025, to unpack 20+ years of telecoms, internet, data centres, AI, and policy across the continent. We go from Celtel and M-PESA to today’s cloud & AI wave—and the human and cultural factors that make (or break) adoption.

Chapters
00:00 Intro01:30 Russell’s origin story (SOAS, Kenya at 7, early digital influences)07:18 Founding Balancing Act & the weekly Africa telecoms newsletter10:33 Lessons from the books (Less Walk, More Talk; Africa 2.0)17:53 E-commerce’s long runway & the digital divide (2G ↔ smartphones)21:28 Extending rural coverage (AMN, iSat, Vanu, Neuron & more)27:22 Data centers, cloud & AI — key takeaways from the Interconnection Report33:29 OTT regulation: innovation vs. control, free speech, shutdowns37:26 Broadband today, cable resilience & the rise of home internet40:45 Startups that last: solving real problems, not just raising rounds43:51 Government, talent & delivery (why execution matters)45:23 Looking ahead: energy constraints, AI realism & practical optimism53:20 Closing

What you’ll learn

• • How people—not pipes—ultimately drive tech adoption in Africa

• • Why data centres are reshaping the ecosystem (IXPs, neutrality, sovereignty)

  • How to balance OTT regulation without stifling free speech or innovation

  • The real blockers: literacy, energy, policy capture—and what’s changing

  • How enduring African startups think about users, utility, and scale

  
  

  About Russell Southwood
  CEO, Balancing Act. Veteran analyst of African telecoms, internet & media. Author of Africa 2.0, Less Walk, More Talk, and lead author of the Africa Interconnection Report 2025.

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In this episode of the Pure Digital Passion Podcast, I got an exclusive preview of the landmark 25th Annual PAMRO Media Research Conference, which returns to Nairobi after a 16-year hiatus.

I was joined by two industry titans and key members of the conference organizing committee: Joe Otin (CEO, The Collective & Former PAMRO President) and Maggie Ireri (CEO, TIFA Research). They discussed the critical theme of "Trust and Truth" in today's media landscape, sharing their personal journeys with PAMRO and unpacking why this event is the most important gathering for media owners, marketers, agencies, and researchers in Africa this year.

Key topics include:

• The significance of PAMRO's homecoming to Nairobi.

• Why "Trust and Truth" is the industry's most urgent conversation in the age of AI.

• The direct link between media research, advertising spend, and commercial success.

• The future of media measurement and the challenge of Big Tech.

• An inside look at the high-level speakers, panels, and networking opportunities.

This is your ultimate guide to understanding the challenges and opportunities facing the African media industry today.

Just a few slots remain for the conference! Do not miss the opportunity to join this conversation and enjoy the experience.

Register for the PAMRO 2025 Conference (Sept 14th to 16th, Nairobi): https://pamro.org/pamro-25th-annual-conference/

For Further Information:Contact PAMRO 2025 on +254 722 675 908

In this episode of Pure Digital Passion, I speak with Fahrettin Oylum, the Co-Founder of Teknopalas and senior executive at Doğuş Teknoloji—two technology leaders from Turkey that are bringing their bold, future-focused vision of IoT and RFID transformation to Kenya and the wider African region.

Teknopalas has been at the cutting edge of UHF RFID and IoT since 2005. Fahrettin walks us through their innovation journey, including:

✅ Being one of the first 50 IoT companies globally, and the first in Turkey

✅ Launching patented solutions like the UHF RFID library system and real-time IoT vehicle protocols

✅ Building RFIDMarket.com, the largest IoT hardware marketplace globally

✅ Developing their unified, cloud-native IoT platform integrating RFID, Bluetooth, Lora, and more

But this is more than just a technology story. It’s about digital transformation with impact. Teknopalas and Doğuş Teknoloji, in partnership with Techmind Global, are setting their sights on Kenya as a strategic hub for deploying industry-ready IoT solutions—backed by 20+ years of engineering, R&D, and real-world execution.

We also preview what’s coming at the IoT Summit Nairobi on 19th June 2025, including:

✅ Real-world IoT use cases in healthcare, logistics, and agriculture

✅ A live virtual tour of the RFID IoT Experience Center

✅ Demonstrations of data-driven platforms powered by AI & machine learning

✅ A vision for Africa-Turkey technology collaboration focused on sustainability and ecosystem growth

If you're in business, government, or technology — and want to understand how IoT will reshape Kenya's and Africa’s industries—this is your front-row seat to the future of IoT.

In this episode, I take you through my latest experiment with NotebookLM, converting my recent blog post, An In-Depth Analysis of Safaricom Kenya’s FY25 Business Performance, into a Kiswahili audio overview.

This podcast delves into Safaricom’s financial highlights, strategic initiatives, and market performance over the past year, offering insights into the company’s growth trajectory and its impact on the broader digital economy in Kenya.

This experiment demonstrates how AI can make complex financial data more accessible to Kiswahili-speaking audiences, reflecting the potential for AI tools like NotebookLM to bridge language gaps and expand the reach of digital content.

In this episode, I share my first experiment using NotebookLM, Google’s AI-powered research and note-taking tool, to create a Kiswahili audio overview of my blog post, 30 Key Takeaways from Kenya’s Just Released National AI Strategy 2025-2030.

This podcast explores the key takeaways from the Kenyan government’s ambitious AI strategy, including its KES 152 billion investment plan, and why this matters for the country’s digital future.

By converting the original English text into Kiswahili, this overview aims to make the insights more accessible to a broader audience, particularly in East, Central, and Southern Africa where Kiswahili is widely spoken.

On the sidelines of the Zaumu launch yesterday, I finally met Anne Muhia in person — someone I had been introduced to virtually through a mutual friend a year or two ago. Life and packed schedules meant we never got to collaborate but meeting Anne was everything I expected — and more!

For context, Zaumu is a newly launched Pan-African, creator-first digital marketplace designed to transform how brands and content creators collaborate. True to its Kiswahili name meaning "for the people," Zaumu puts creators at the centre, offering transparent job listings, milestone-based payments, enforceable contracts, direct brand communication, and AI-powered campaign management.

Naturally, I couldn’t let the moment with Anne slip away. I did what I call a 'gangster podcast' — pulling out my phone and recording a raw, authentic conversation for my podcast, Pure Digital Passion. No studio, no fancy gear — just two creators talking entrepreneurship and digital storytelling.

Anne’s Journey: From The C-Suite To TikTok

Anne’s story is both improbable and inspiring. A former Group Head of Finance, she left corporate life in 2016 to build her own business. Like many entrepreneurs, she expected the transition to be relatively smooth. Reality hit differently!

Building a business was far tougher than anticipated. Anne struggled with finding the right product-market fit, redefining her identity beyond accounting, and navigating self-doubt.

Then in 2022, stuck in traffic, Anne recorded her first TikTok video — a candid story about dealing with employee theft. She posted it and switched off her phone. When she checked later, she found thousands of views and overwhelming engagement.

Building a Community One Authentic (and Often Hilarious) TikTok at a Time!

From that first post, Anne committed to posting at least one TikTok video a week. Often, she recorded and edited late into the night after work and family duties.

Her real magic? Her storytelling style:

Her videos are anecdotal, humorous, and profoundly relatable. Anne doesn’t preach — she shares, often using self-deprecating humour and everyday experiences to deliver deep entrepreneurial lessons.

In a space often dominated by polished, jargon-heavy content, Anne’s refreshing, light-hearted yet insightful approach has built a loyal community.

Today, her TikTok account "Unprepared to Entrepreneur" has grown to over 35,000 highly engaged followers.

Beyond regular videos, Anne hosts "Friday Night Live" sessions every Friday at 8:30 PM, tackling practical entrepreneurship topics, often with guest entrepreneurs joining live.

She’s also expanded to YouTube, hosting rich conversations with entrepreneurs like Sam Wanyoike from All My Laundry — stories that have led to real-world mentorship and business results.

The Business of Content Creation

Anne’s content isn’t just about building influence — it’s about creating real impact.

Through TikTok and YouTube, Anne now supports paid consulting work, online training programs, and her broader entrepreneurial ventures.

As we discussed during the podcast, content has become the lifeblood of business growth. Without her consistent storytelling, Anne notes many of her best opportunities wouldn’t exist.

It’s a model that extends beyond TikTok: Authentic storytelling, delivered consistently and with real value, builds trust, opens doors, and drives sustainable success.

As many still dismiss TikTok as a dance-and-meme platform, Anne’s success — and Zaumu’s numbers (TikTok now has over 5.6 million monthly active users in Kenya and over 10 million users overall) — proves there’s a massive, hungry audience for serious, thought-provoking content.

Why Anne’s Story Matters

Anne’s improbable journey from CFO to TikTok business content creator is a testament to one thing: authenticity wins.

Her success isn’t built on gimmicks or overnight fame. It’s built on showing up consistently, sharing the real, messy parts of entrepreneurship, and connecting through humor and humanity.

Yesterday, I attended the launch of Zaumu — a digital platform designed to reshape how content creators and brands collaborate, starting from Kenya but built for a Pan-African future.

The event, hosted in Nairobi, featured a keynote by Cedric Nzomo, Zaumu’s Co-Founder, that felt more like an open letter to creators — a powerful and candid reflection on the challenges creators face and why Zaumu could mark a critical turning point.

The Persistent Struggle of Being a Creator

Cedric shared his journey from 2006, running one of the world’s largest Hip Hop blogs yet earning under US$1,000 over two years. Despite achieving global impact, brands offered "exposure," "access," or commissions — rarely real income. Even today, creators remain undervalued, despite better platforms and a booming digital culture across Africa.

As Cedric said, "First, for us, is not a sales gimmick. It’s been our mission for over 20 years."

What Makes Zaumu Different?

While the creator marketplace space is crowded, Zaumu’s creator-first approach stands out.

Zaumu, meaning "for the people" in Kiswahili, reframes the creator-brand relationship:

• Transparent Job Listings: Budgets are visible upfront.
• Milestone-Based Payments: Funds are deposited before work starts and released as creators achieve milestones.
• Contract Protection: No hidden perpetual image rights clauses.
• Direct Client Communication: Secure, encrypted chats for direct negotiation.
• Automated Reporting: Insights automatically shared; no tedious screenshots.
• Reviews and Accountability: Brands and creators rate each other to build trust.

Zaumu also integrates AI tools for matchmaking, moderation, and campaign insights — bringing a much-needed data-driven approach to a space still dominated by sentiment and manual workflows.

The Harsh Metrics Behind the Opportunity

Africa’s creators operate in a deeply skewed ecosystem:

• Kenya’s influencer marketing spend in 2024 was just $2.5 million (approx. Ksh 320M).
• In contrast, billboard advertising generated over Ksh 55 billion during the same period.
• The 200 billboards between Waiyaki Way and Nairobi CBD alone made more money than all content creators combined in Kenya.
• Despite influencing over 50% of Millennials and Gen Z purchasing decisions, creators capture less than 10% of available marketing budgets.
• Worse still, only 1 in 10 proposals submitted by creators today converts into paid work.

Zaumu aims to close this gap — putting creators at the center of the value they generate.

The Real Test Ahead

Zaumu’s success hinges on two factors:

1. Creator Adoption: Will creators find enough meaningful, paying opportunities after signing up?
2. Brand and Agency Buy-In: Will brands shift from traditional, manual methods to embrace Zaumu’s transparent, structured approach?

To succeed, Zaumu must prove it offers better efficiency, accountability, and ROI compared to entrenched systems.

The opportunity is massive. By professionalizing workflows and realigning incentives, Zaumu could unlock huge latent value for creators and brands alike.

A Creator-First Platform — And A Movement

Zaumu isn’t just launching an app — it’s trying to build a movement.

As Cedric emphasized, "This is not a launch. This is a long game. Our success is tied directly to your success. We only get paid when you get paid."

By putting creators first, Zaumu could disrupt how digital campaigns are executed — in Kenya, across Africa, and possibly globally — setting a new standard for valuing Africa’s creative economy.