Bolu Abiodun, Techpoint Africa
This week, we interview Bolu Abiodun, Senior Reporter at Techpoint Africa. Bolu discusses his journey into journalism, starting in university due to friends’ influence. He talks about his story preferences, which tend to be audience-driven, and his passion for businesses particularly in the blockchain and crypto industry. He also reaffirms his belief that showcasing Africa’s innovation and resilience helps boost investment and shift global perceptions. To encourage more people to join the community, Bolu suggests there needs to be incentives, with journalists and media houses playing a role in fostering new voices in African tech. Have a read!
What led you into journalism, and what would you be doing if you weren’t a journalist?
I started journalism at university, and I got into it because of friends. It was the only experience I had and it just made sense that I continued after school. If I was not a journalist I honestly don’t know what I’d be. I like gaming so I’d probably be a professional gamer.
When you’re researching stories, what compels you to work on sharing a particular story with your audience? Any hot trends we should look out for in the coming months?
When researching stories, I think about what will resonate with my audience. Whether it is a problem they are facing or something they’re curious about. I’m basically driven by what I think will interest my audience and occasionally by stories I feel need to be told for posterity’s sake.
Why is African business so unique and what makes it so exciting to report on?
Africa is not an easy place to do business so reporting on the successes, failures and attempts being made by entrepreneurs can be interesting.
Technology is also very young on the continent and it is a privilege to be one of the people journaling its constant improvement.
Which sectors or industries do you like to cover most and why?
I like to cover the blockchain/crypto industry. I’ve used many products from the industry and I’m intrigued by how much ingenuity was put into creating them. It is just sheer brilliance.
However, there isn’t enough innovation happening in the space as regards Africa due to multiple factors but I hope something changes soon.
Why is it important that people around the world get to hear about young, growing companies on the continent?
Sharing the innovation and resilience of African founders is important for different reasons. But some of the most important reasons are that it highlights investment potential on the continent, influences the perception the world has of Africa, and documents the growth of businesses in Africa.
How can we encourage more people to join the writing community and dedicate their energy to telling stories about African tech and business?
I think that is already being done to an extent. But to encourage more people to dedicate their energies to writing African tech stories there has to be an incentive for them. Journalists who already do, get paid for it. Maybe it is the job of journalists and media houses to encourage more people to become journalists or create a platform where people can share their stories either to get paid or for publicity.
