In the ever-evolving landscape of African entrepreneurship, where the intersection of technology, innovation, and ecosystem building defines the future, few figures stand as prominently as UK-based Sidi Saccoh. His journey—from navigating the informal tech markets of Sierra Leone to becoming one of Africa’s foremost ecosystem builders—is not just a tale of ambition but a blueprint for the continent’s future.
“I don’t believe that I do a lot of things. It looks like I do, but I don’t,” Sidi says, distilling the essence of his career. “My entire career has been focused around building entrepreneurship, building entrepreneurs, supporting ecosystems and scaling ecosystems.” His assertion is more than a statement—the ethos has shaped over a decade of transformative work across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.
Sidi’s entrepreneurial instinct was ignited early. His introduction to technology came unexpectedly when his sister gifted him an early-generation iPhone. “Then on that phone came an app called Picsart, which was like a photo editing app. So, from that app, I just generally got curious about technology,” he recalls. That curiosity soon transformed into action. He began experimenting with different technologies, launching projects ahead of their time, and immersing himself in the mechanics of business.
The foundations of his business acumen were laid in the bustling informal tech markets of Sierra Leone. “I was one of those guys who would walk to Belgium and Swizzy,” Sidi explains, referring to the informal marketplaces where electronics and mobile devices were bought, sold, and repaired. Under the mentorship of his cousin—a skilled phone mechanic and seller—Sidi learned the intricate dance of commerce, negotiation, and technical problem-solving.
His academic journey further shaped his entrepreneurial mindset. With his mother relocating to the UK, Sidi had to navigate university life with a self-reliant spirit. The experience solidified his resolve, and after graduation, an internship with his uncle reinforced his love for entrepreneurship. “Since then, I’ve launched a couple of tech products across the continent,” he states, a testament to his unwavering commitment to driving change.
From Ecosystem Builder to Global Strategist
His impact grew exponentially when he joined Seedstars, one of the world’s largest emerging market accelerators. Initially serving as an ambassador, he quickly ascended to the role of program manager, a position that placed him at the heart of Africa’s startup revolution. “I ran a program to accelerate and incubate entrepreneurs across Africa,” he notes. His ability to identify and nurture high-potential startups led him to the Middle East, where he managed market entry programs initiatives to support South Korean and Italian companies into the MENA region.
Yet, despite his international footprint, his focus remained unwaveringly on Africa. “Today, I am considered one of Africa’s top ecosystem builders,” he asserts. His work now spans advising governments, international development partners, and investors on how to cultivate thriving entrepreneurial landscapes across the continent. “I work with governments, advise international development partners, and investors alike on how to actually look at entrepreneurship in the continent and how to build thriving ecosystems.”
Redefining Entrepreneurship Through Education
A defining pillar of Sidi’s philosophy is student entrepreneurship. “My passion for student entrepreneurship has continuously grown over time,” he explains. He advocates for embedding entrepreneurial thinking within academic institutions to bridge the gap between education and the realities of business. “When you start as a student, it makes a lot more sense because it’s part of your learning journey,” he says. “Even if you don’t want to be an entrepreneur, you still have the entrepreneurship mindset.”
His efforts have culminated in initiatives that emphasize mentorship, real-world business exposure, and curriculum reform aimed at fostering self-sufficiency among young African graduates. The goal is clear: transform universities into incubators of future entrepreneurs rather than factories producing job seekers.
Africa’s Policy Paradox
While the African tech ecosystem has made significant strides, Sidi is candid about the challenges that persist—particularly in policy execution. “Africa doesn’t have a policy problem,” he asserts. “What we have is a lack of intentionality to drive these policies.”
Many African nations have introduced frameworks to support innovation, yet implementation remains sluggish. “We could keep on writing many, many, many policies… but most of these bills are not backed intentionally,” he laments. The result? A landscape where entrepreneurs struggle with bureaucracy and inconsistencies that stifle rather than support innovation.
Despite these hurdles, Sidi remains optimistic. He acknowledges that while Africa lags in infrastructure, mobile and internet penetration have significantly improved, laying the groundwork for further innovation. The challenge now is accelerating progress and ensuring that policies evolve at the pace of technological advancements.
At the heart of every entrepreneurial journey lies a single, defining truth: no one can truly map it out for you. Not a mentor. Not a business guru. Not even the policymakers who draft innovation-friendly policies. As Sidi puts it, “At the end of the day, nobody can give you clarity of what your entrepreneurship journey is.” It is a path only understood by walking it.
Sidi, a seasoned entrepreneur, executive mentor, and tech ecosystem expert, speaks from experience.
Yet, for all his insights, he insists that entrepreneurship remains deeply personal. “The decision to become an entrepreneur is very personal,” he says. “Your journey to success is going to be different from any other person’s journey to success.”
This individuality is precisely what makes entrepreneurship so unpredictable. While collective efforts shape economies and societies, the first step—the commitment to venture into the unknown—must be taken alone. It is a step defined not by guidance but by action. “No matter what your mentor says to you, no matter what I say to you, no matter what the policymakers or all of these other people say to you, nothing will come close to the experience you will have by just starting.”
The Power of Small Wins
For many, the road to success seems like an unending pursuit of the ultimate milestone—the first million, the global expansion, the industry-defining deal. But Sidi warns against this singular obsession. “Sometimes the reason why the journey can be very hard and very frustrating—and I’ve been in this space many times, you know—is that entrepreneurs obsess about the end goal and forget to appreciate the journey.”
The failure to acknowledge small victories can erode motivation and obscure progress. “Entrepreneurs never celebrate when they have their first customer, when they have their first 100 customers, when they get that award, when they meet that new person. We don’t consider those things.” Instead, the focus remains on the next big leap. But Sidi poses a sobering question: “What happens if you never get there? And meanwhile, before you get there, what happened during that entire period?”
The lesson is clear. Celebrate the small wins. They are not distractions but fuel, sustaining the drive to push forward through uncertainty.
Navigating Africa’s Entrepreneurial Landscape
Entrepreneurship is difficult everywhere, but in Africa, the challenges are uniquely complex. “Building in the continent has significant challenges,” Sidi explains. “We are not an ecosystem that is as structured or as powerful as the global south. We are an ecosystem that is still very nascent.”
To illustrate the difference, he draws a stark contrast: “You can’t compare running a startup as an ecosystem to working for big corporations like Goldman Sachs, KPMG or JP Morgan. There’s a structure that sits in there.” In Africa’s emerging markets, however, infrastructure gaps, regulatory inconsistencies, and funding hurdles create an unpredictable environment. “A lot of principles that you think are established, when you get into entrepreneurship, you’re going to realize that they are not as you thought they were before you started.”
The takeaway? The only way to understand these challenges is to face them directly. No amount of research or preparation can substitute for lived experience.
Growth Beyond Business
Entrepreneurship, at its core, is more than a business pursuit. It is a journey of self-transformation. “Start with the intention to be a better person than you were before you got into entrepreneurship,” Sidi advises.
He sees the path not just as a way to build companies but as a process that forges resilience and expands capability. “Over time, you’re going to be exposed to so many experiences that you would never get if you were working within a structured environment.” While corporate experience teaches discipline and systems thinking, entrepreneurship teaches adaptability, tenacity, and leadership in the face of ambiguity.
For those willing to embark on the journey, Sidi offers one final piece of advice: “Embrace that growth, embrace that journey, surround yourself with mentors, surround yourself with coaches. But whatever you do, just start.”
The Next Frontier
Looking ahead, Sidi envisions a future where Africa’s startup ecosystem is globally competitive. “There’s going to continue to be a lot of accelerated growth,” he predicts. His focus remains on scaling entrepreneurs, refining operational efficiencies, and ensuring that Africa’s startup ecosystem is not just surviving but thriving on the global stage.
His influence extends beyond boardrooms and incubators. Through his consultancy firm, Sidi and Co., and his podcast featuring some of Africa’s most influential voices, he continues to shape the narrative of African entrepreneurship. “It seems like I do a lot, but I really don’t,” he says, his humility belying the profound impact of his work. “I have been able to work across multiple layers within the same entrepreneurship ecosystem.”
For Sidi, entrepreneurship is not just about building businesses—it’s about building people, communities, and ecosystems that will define Africa’s economic trajectory for generations to come. And if his journey so far is any indication, the best is yet to come.
