Building Things People Need

Last year I was told I should not MC these events anymore. Although I did it for the past two years, and feel a bit nostalgic at the moment, I have to say it turned out to be a great recommendation -- thank you MG and Judith for successfully keeping me out of that.

I have never given a speech at events such as these before, or anywhere else my voice was even near as meaningful as on this stage TODAY! As the Founder of CodeXtreme, I realized a speech was long overdue. And today is the due date as it marks a critical turning point into the work we do for you -- so I drafted one.

I was a bit nervous at first, but today I will speak from the heart -- so hear me well.

The reason why we organize these events and anything beyond this intense 4-day sprint is simple: we want you to Learn, Build, Share, and Grow and in the process “Build Things People Need” -- we strongly believe in the power of a supportive community and learning by doing.

CodeXtreme is not just another event. It is a movement. A journey from discovery to impact, where raw talent and grit evolves into transformative ventures. And for you, that journey starts today with this hackathon -- be intentional.

It pains my brain and my heart when I look around and see resources being allocated and great talent invested to solve the same convenient and “fake” problems over and over again with slight rebrands of logos, colors, typographies, names, or how we used a certain technology I will not mention here but somehow you already know.

When, and if you do this, remember you are just another Ponzi scheme with better branding within a system that normalizes and rewards your lack of courage disguised as innovation. If I were to be specific, DO NOT BUILD YET ANOTHER FINTECH APP CLAIMING TO BANK THE UNBANKED, OR ANOTHER USSD UI WRAPPER BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE MARKET REWARDS.

I know it is hard to resist that temptation, and many more, but it is an order of magnitude harder to overlook the fact that your incredible talent and skills could be put to better use working on something else with greater meaning, value, and impact. And yes, you can have all three in one package; that is if you look hard enough with pure intentions. Because comrades, money will come, eventually. Or you can just chase a quick flip. The choice is yours.

A friend of mine once said, the startup game or should I say the builder’s game is not about some of the money now but all of the money later. There is some truth in that.

Serious problems are staring at us everyday from all corners -- the kind we tell ourselves “The government should really fix this” but deep down we know they do not have the agility, capacity, speed, or scale to solve. And it goes beyond that, I promise -- but somehow you already knew that! Pun intended!

We cannot ape Silicon Valley, especially YOU the builders and innovators of tomorrow -- you need to be aggressive. Because if you are solving for Africa, which I assume we all are, you should know deep down that what will make us prosper is solving for our NEEDS problems first and not our WANTS problems.

Not solving WANTS problems is irresponsible--they bring about convenience--but it is 10 if not 100 and in some cases a 1000 times more irresponsible not to solve and prioritize NEEDS problems. The latter should take precedence in your mind since they often bring MEANING, VALUE and IMPACT all in one package.

If something is meaningful, valuable, and impactful enough to truly excite you, chances are it will excite others too — and compel them to join you in building the impossible. Not the kind of excitement that chases a seed fund or the next investor round. I mean the kind that makes you willing to work on it for the next 10 or 20 years.

Because the smartest people around you are not particularly interested in trivial things or shallow pursuits. They want depth. They want value. They want meaning. They want impact.

And if you do not rally them early around something that truly matters, you will not even be able to solve the possible — let alone the impossible.

Someone once said: “The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding” -- that applies individually to each one of us here today as much as it does apply to us as a community, a country, and a continent. If not to greater extents.

So you want to put a dent in and leave your mark on the trajectory of this continent and its journey towards prosperity, innovation, and sustainability, it all starts today by the problems you choose to solve. So choose carefully!

Do not think outside the box! Although that can prove useful in most cases, it is still conservative. I recommend you throw the box away; that is how great things are built into this world anyway! Just do not lose sight of your vision.

As we launch a great pilot of the Ingenious Program this year with the Buildathon track right after this Hackathon, I expect you to show up like you mean it; not just with us, but with everything and everyone you interact and engage with.

And if you keep something with you today, keep this: Be bold, be ambitious. Challenge norms and push boundaries. Throw the box away, build things people need, and be relentlessly resourceful. The future of Africa awaits.

That is our mantra for the next four days and this entire year!

Thank you very much!