As a Southern African journalist, being at Moonshot by TechCabal felt like stepping into a different kind of future, one that is being imagined and built right here, by Africans for Africa. It was not just the setting that made it special. It was the people. Everywhere I turned, I met dreamers, builders, and believers, all fired up about what this continent can become. The energy was magnetic, and the conversations were bold and full of vision.

Akeem Lawal, managing director of payment processing and switching at Interswitch Purepay, opened the day with a keynote that shifted my perspective. We often talk about capital as the fuel for progress, but he reminded us that trust is the real foundation. 

“When you build the infrastructure, you create a community of partnerships,” he said. Africa’s next big leap will not come from outside. It will come from within, from African-led solutions, smart investments, and tapping into trillions of domestic capital waiting to be unlocked.

The creative sessions had a whole vibe. Games, film, digital storytelling, and a billion-dollar industry, but there is more to be done to remain sustainable. Odile Limpach and Eyram Tawia spoke with clarity and passion about what it takes to remain sustainable in the creative economy: visionary leadership, flexible thinking, and serious investment in talent and infrastructure. If Africa wants to compete globally, it must embrace creativity as a serious economic force.

But what really stayed with me was the crowd. Founders, investors, artists, and engineers, all deeply committed to building for Africa. You could feel the urgency, but also the optimism. Africa is, indeed, building momentum.

If you missed Moonshot (we’re not sure why, but we’ll let it slide), you can catch up on all our session highlights here.