Austin Okere (Tech Entrepreneur): The Harsh Truth About Building in Africa They Won’t Tell You!

Austin Okere, founder of Computer Warehouse Group (CWG), Nigeria’s first indigenous tech company to IPO on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, reveals how he turned $35,000 into a $90 million company while staying true to ethical leadership and shared prosperity. In this exclusive episode of the Afropolitan Podcast, Austin shares the raw truth about building in Africa, raising money without structure, surviving the 2008 global financial crisis, and navigating private equity and IPOs in emerging markets. He explains: - Why building in Africa is harder and more meaningful than anywhere else - How to raise capital ethically and survive multiple rejections - The lessons from rejecting $8M before finally raising $10M - How to build trust, partnerships, and governance investors respect - Why true wealth is about impact, not net worth If you’re an founder, investor, or anyone building in emerging markets, this episode is your blueprint for legacy, leadership, and scale. Follow Austin Okere*LinkedIn –https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinokere Subscribe to Afropolitan Podcast for more unfiltered conversations with the world's most insightful Africans. Book 1:1 with Eche - https://convo.vip/echeemole Book 1:1 with Chika - https://convo.vip/chikauwazie Stay connected with Afropolitan: Twitter: https://x.com/afropolitan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afropolitanpodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/afropolitannation/ Website: https://www.afropolitan.io Join the Network State – https://afropolitan.io/join 🔗 Join our community for exclusive updates: afropolitan.io/community Get email updates: https://www.afropolitan.io/newsletter This episode is sponsored by: Vban, is the borderless banking app built for Africa’s digital workforce. Use the code AFROPOLITAN to sign up: https://vban.com Inverroche Gin, South Africa’s premium craft gin that fuses heritage botanicals with innovation. Discover more: https://www.inverroche Risevest, a digital wealth-manager connecting you to global, dollar-denominated