Victoria Fakiya, Techpoint Africa
In our interview with Victoria Fakiya, Reporter at Techpoint Africa, she discusses her journey into journalism. She goes further to provide details on how she identifies a good story, the peculiarities of the African business scene, her interests in health and mental health stories and shares her view on how we can get more people to join the writing community.
What led you into journalism, and what would you be doing if you weren’t a journalist?
Short Answer: My love for writing
Long Answer: Writing has been my forte since junior secondary school. In university, it only took one semester for a senior to notice my talent and invite me to join the departmental press, marking the start of my journey into journalism, specifically school journalism.
As time flew, I joined the Union of Campus Journalists, which was a rewarding experience. I’ve always seen writing as a powerful tool for expression, education, transformation, and impact. It’s been a means of creating change throughout my life.
Although I hadn’t originally planned a career in journalism, I frequently took on writing tasks and led teams in various settings, including school and church. After graduation, an acquaintance mentioned an opportunity with Techpoint Africa. Despite some initial hesitation, I decided to give it a try.
Meanwhile, one of my interests has always been mental health and supporting young adults. However, I discovered that Techpoint Africa allowed me to share stories and keep people informed about developments in the African tech sector, which prompted me to stay with the company beyond my initial six-month internship.
Had I not pursued journalism, I would have focused on becoming a mental health counsellor, as I had plans to further my studies in mental health and counselling in graduate school.
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?
In my work, I focus on identifying stories that address key questions: How will this benefit my target audience? Will it help them remain relevant? Will they gain valuable insights? How does it contribute to solving a problem?
Meanwhile, I value timely and accurate information because it’s crucial for making good decisions. It’s like having money in a bank account but not knowing about it while complaining about being broke, or knowing you have funds but only checking a different account. This illustrates how crucial having the right information is.
To stay informed about the latest trends, I curate Techpoint Digest, a weekly newsletter that provides updates on developments in the African tech space. You can subscribe here to stay updated on the most significant trends. Trust me to always plug my baby, yeah, my newsletter. Haha!
Why is African business so unique and what makes it so exciting to report on?
Africa’s business landscape is uniquely exciting for several reasons. With 54 countries, each with distinct market dynamics and consumer behaviours, the continent is full of diverse business stories.
The vibrant entrepreneurial spirit stands out, with many businesses starting from the grassroots level and addressing local needs with innovative solutions.
Reporting on these grassroots initiatives is thrilling because it shows how businesses are built from the ground up with creativity and limited resources.
Additionally, African businesses often navigate challenges like infrastructure gaps and political instability, which provide opportunities for creative problem-solving and resilience.
Which sectors or industries do you like to cover most and why?
Sector: Health.
Why? Short answer: An obvious one, really — My interest in mental health. 😂
Long answer: Firstly, healthtech is a hub of innovation designed to tackle unique health challenges across the continent. Solutions like mobile health apps and telemedicine platforms are specifically tailored to address local needs, providing practical support for remote and underserved areas.
Additionally, Africa often skips outdated technologies and quickly embraces advanced solutions like AI diagnostics and blockchain for health records, setting new industry standards. For instance, Intron Health, an African healthtech startup, recently secured $1.6 million in pre-seed funding to advance its AI technology.
Besides, healthtech plays a pivotal role in improving healthcare access in isolated regions.
Lastly, the sector is drawing substantial investment from local and international sources. Covering the rise of health tech startups and the influx of venture capital reveals the sector’s economic potential and emerging opportunities.
Why is it important that people around the world get to hear about young, growing companies on the continent?
If we don’t share our stories, others will, and they might not capture them well or from an African perspective. Documenting our narratives via text, videos, or audio is crucial for every African nation and the continent.
For startups, watching an idea evolve into something significant is truly inspiring. Sharing these growth stories — from a simple concept to a thriving business—can motivate others to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.
Highlighting young companies from different regions is essential because it showcases their diverse potential and challenges stereotypes. Interestingly, we promote collaboration and investment by amplifying these success stories.
For instance, in July 2024, MyTherapist.ng, a Nigerian mental healthtech startup, partnered with WellaHealth, another Nigerian healthtech, to offer micro-health insurance. This partnership expands MyTherapist.ng’s services to include telemedicine, malaria tests and medication, and diabetes and blood pressure screenings.
What’s more, this exposure supports the growth of these businesses and fosters a sense of global community, where innovative ideas can cross borders and drive progress.
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 interest is essential for success. Without it, tasks may become easily frustrating and challenging. People excel when they are genuinely interested in their work or develop that interest over time. Financial incentives can also be motivating, so we should emphasise the importance of finding and nurturing genuine interest.
To encourage more people to join the writing community, we must continue sharing our stories and demonstrating the significant impact storytelling can have.
Writing is a powerful tool for change, so focusing on accurate and meaningful storytelling is essential. By highlighting this, we can inspire others to recognise the value and importance of storytelling in shaping the world.
We also need to create programmes like bootcamps, internships, and writing workshops to give writers visibility and networking opportunities. These programmes offer practical training and essential skills. For instance, my journey started with Techpoint Africa’s bootcamp, which provided valuable tools for tech journalism. More initiatives like this are needed to ensure our stories are told accurately and effectively.
