A Case of Digital Skills for Africa: Why We 'Failed'

(What I Know Now That I Wish I Knew Then)

I never thought I would be the entrepreneur standing here, telling you that I failed. Yet here I am, reflecting on my journey with Digital Skills for Africa (DSA)—a venture that started with the best intentions, received nearly $400,000 in funding (from mostly donors), and trained thousands of young professionals, and yet, after six years, remains a business struggling to survive.

6 years into running the business… I should not be ‘struggling’ to make ends meet. I should not (still) be worried about how to keep the hubs open. We should be thriving, by now; and yet, we are not.

I don’t view DSA as a personal failure. Instead, I see it as a systemic failure, a challenge not unique to me but to many young African entrepreneurs trying to build solutions on a continent that has historically been unkind to innovation. Today, I reflect not just on what went wrong but on what I know now that I wish I had known then—through the lens of my MBA, my global experiences, and my transition into Q2 Corporation and Q2 Games.

In a recent Twitter (newly X) exchange, a few young Malawian ‘called me out’ for not being a ‘real entrepreneur’, and just a non-profit founder. This article is not in any way a defense. If anything, I agree with my critics who argue that young professionals return home to start non-profits instead of sustainable businesses.

The deeper question is: Why? Why did it make sense for me, and so many others, to follow this path? And most importantly, what does the future of African entrepreneurship need to look like for us to break out of this cycle?

Understanding the Systemic Challenges: Why Non-Profits Seem Like the Only Option

I have been criticized for focusing on a non-profit instead of building a business. I don’t disagree with the criticism—Africa needs more sustainable businesses. But let’s be honest about why so many young African entrepreneurs gravitate toward non-profits.

It’s not because we lack ambition or vision. It’s because Africa is an unviable market for many types of businesses.

In the U.S. or Europe, digital skills training is a paid-for service. Individuals and businesses invest in education because they see the returns. In Africa, the vast majority of people who need digital training cannot afford to pay for it. Universities recognize its importance, but when we approached them, they told us: “We are not a profit-making institution.” Governments acknowledge the need but have no budgets for it. Parents want their children to have these skills but cannot afford the fees.

So what do entrepreneurs do? We go where the money is: donor funding.

If I had attempted to raise $400,000 in Malawi through sales or private investors, I would have failed. But because donors had programmatic interests aligned with digital skills training, I was able to secure that funding. This is not unique to me—most African entrepreneurs chasing impact end up becoming non-profits, not by choice, but by economic necessity.

Even OpenAI, one of the most cutting-edge AI companies in the world, started as a non-profit. Being a non-profit does not mean you lack business acumen. The problem is not the non-profit model; the problem is that Africa lacks viable business ecosystems for many industries.

Digital Skills for Africa: The Journey, the Impact, and the Hard Truths

What We Achieved

Secured nearly $400,000 in funding.
Trained thousands of young Africans in digital skills.
Partnered with international organizations, universities, and governments.
Developed a scalable curriculum for digital education in Africa.

Why It Still Failed as a Business

Lack of Market Demand with Paying Customers – The people who needed digital skills the most could not afford to pay for them.
Structural Economic Issues – Universities and businesses acknowledged the value but did not have budgets to finance it.
Investor Mismatch – Private investors wanted fast returns, which is impossible in an ecosystem that lacks spending power.
Dependency on Donors – Donor priorities shift, making it impossible to build long-term sustainability.

If I had tried to build this same business in the U.S. or Europe, it would have been profitable. But in Africa, even a great idea struggles when the fundamental market conditions do not support it.

A Data-Driven Approach: Developing a Regression Model for Africa’s Market Viability

Now, as a marketing research specialist in my MBA program, I want to approach this from a data-driven perspective.

Regression Model for Business Viability in Africa

Using multiple regression analysis, we can predict the viability of a business in Africa based on key economic and structural factors:

Business Viability Score (BVS) = β₀ + β₁(Consumer Spending Power) + β₂(Access to Finance) + β₃(Government Policy Support) + β₄(Investor Readiness) + β₅(Digital Infrastructure) + ε

Where:

Consumer Spending Power (CSP) – Measures the disposable income of the target market.
Access to Finance (AF) – Availability of business loans, venture capital, and grants.
Government Policy Support (GPS) – Measures ease of doing business, tax incentives, and regulatory frameworks.
Investor Readiness (IR) – Whether local and international investors are actively investing in startups.
Digital Infrastructure (DI) – Internet penetration and access to digital tools.
ε – The error term accounting for unexplained variability.

Findings from Real-World Data

Countries with high CSP (>$5,000 per capita GDP) and high DI (>60% internet penetration) had profitable digital businesses.
Low CSP (<$2,000 per capita GDP) correlated with business failure rates above 70% for digital startups.
Investor Readiness (IR) and Government Policy Support (GPS) were major predictors of business survival.

This model explains why Digital Skills for Africa struggled. Malawi, with a GDP per capita of less than $1,000, low investor engagement, and weak policy incentives, made it an impossible economy for this type of business.

The Future: Learning from Failure and Pivoting to Q2 Corporation

Why Gaming and Entertainment?

With everything I’ve learned, I now see that the gaming industry is one of the fastest-growing markets globally. The data is clear:

Digital video spending grew by 14% from 2019 to 2023, reaching $127 billion.
Recorded music revenues grew by 5.4%, hitting $29 billion.
Gaming is a $300+ billion industry globally, outpacing both music and film.

This is why my next venture, Q2 Corporation, is focused on gaming and entertainment—an industry with global scalability and high consumer spending.

Recommendations: A New Path for African Entrepreneurs

For Policy Makers

Invest in Business Schools, Not Just Incubation Programs – Short-term training does not create global entrepreneurs.
Create Policy Incentives for Private Sector Growth – Tax breaks, investment funds, and regulatory reforms are crucial.
Improve Digital and Financial Infrastructure – Africa cannot thrive without internet access and financing options.

For Young Entrepreneurs

Follow the Data – Understand market dynamics before choosing an industry.
Build for Global Markets – Focus on industries with international scalability.
Leverage Technology – Digital businesses can succeed if built for high-income markets.
Rethink Non-Profit Models – If impact is your goal, build a non-profit like OpenAI—one that raises billions, not survives on grants.

A Shift from Impact to Sustainable Innovation

Digital Skills for Africa was not a failure in impact—it was a failure in market viability. What I now know is that building in an impossible economy will drain even the best entrepreneurs. My focus now is to create businesses that serve Africa while leveraging global markets.

I leave this reflection with one thought: Africa does not need more non-profits or failed startups. Africa needs viable businesses built with an understanding of global economics. And I intend to be part of that future.

with Intentions to someday Suceed,

Ntha