Two-week learning tour inspires, develops continent's emerging business lions

Jan de Graaf from Rwanda jumped at the chance to take part in a two-week learning tour in China that started in mid-August.

The trip took him to several major cities, including Shenzhen in Guangdong Province, Hangzhou and Yiwu in Zhejiang Province, and Beijing, where he learned from and interacted with big Chinese companies such as tech giant Tencent and e-commerce heavyweights Alibaba and JD.

Thirteen years ago, Graaf studied for a semester at Tsinghua University under a student exchange program run in conjunction with National University of Singapore. "So, I was curious about how things are now," said Graaf, who co-founded and has run the Rwanda-based clean cooking fuel company BioMassters since 2020.

The company turns biomass waste into pellet fuel and supplies environmentally friendly stoves to help reduce emissions along with the cost of household cooking.

Graaf 's faith in green and renewable energy was reinforced by the transformation he witnessed in Beijing's air quality. "I'm comparing it to 13 years ago, and I see enormous changes, it's almost unbelievable," said Graaf, who is aged in his 30s and was born in Rwanda, and grew up in the Netherlands.

Graaf recalled that when he was a student in Beijing and played football, it was difficult for him to run on some days because of the smog.

"But now it's (the air) perfect. I've seen in the data that there is a huge decline in air pollution, so it gives me hope for the rest of the world; that we can also have a big change very fast," he added.

Indoor air pollution, mainly from cooking with traditional fuels such as wood or charcoal, is a major problem in Rwanda, so Graaf wants to address the issue through his business.

In recent years, BioMassters has made several orders for green cooking stoves from China to supply its 5,000 customers.

During his visit, Graaf met with existing suppliers and explored potential ones with whom he hopes to create partnerships to expand his business.

"I noticed several of the companies that we visited see Africa as an emerging market, with a lot of potential for its big and growing population. And, several of the people that I met are really open for partnerships. They need people with expertise on the market in Africa, the right licenses, the right understanding of the culture," he said.

"Of course, China can bring in a lot of expertise, technology, and resources," he added.

Success Breeds Success

Graaf was among more than 20 young entrepreneurs from 12 countries, including Djibouti, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Kenya, who joined the learning tour that was part of the African Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program (C-STAR) funded by China Merchants Foundation, and established by the State-owned China Merchants Group.

The C-STAR program aims to empower young people from Africa and around the world through innovation and entrepreneurship by leveraging China's industrial incubation and venture capital resources. This enables them to work together to promote the high-quality co-construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, according to the Hong Kong-based merchants group.

In September, the nonprofit program was included in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan (2025-27).

The program has been held for two years as part of efforts to carry out the Belt and Road Initiative, said Li Yao, Deputy General Manager of the overseas development division of China Merchants Shekou Industrial Zone Holdings, the CMG's urban development operation in Shenzhen.

By participating in the program, young entrepreneurs have not only gained in-depth knowledge about China's advanced technologies and experience, but also accumulated valuable resources and networks.

"They have actively engaged with potential investors, partners, and suppliers seeking opportunities to localize China's successful models," Li said.

"These entrepreneurs understand that the African market presents unique development opportunities and challenges, requiring a deep understanding of local needs, culture, and business models. They hope to learn from China's success, and explore innovative paths that suit the local market," he added.

To date, more than 500 young people from Africa have joined the program and received leadership and entrepreneurship training in Djibouti. Candidates who performed strongly were then chosen to visit well-known enterprises and higher learning institutions in China to exchange ideas and explore business opportunities.

"In the global wave of innovation and entrepreneurship, African youth are demonstrating unprecedented enthusiasm and vitality, and they seek self-fulfillment and social change through entrepreneurship," Li noted.

"Despite challenges such as limited experience, scarce resources, and an underdeveloped support system, their entrepreneurial spirit and determination are commendable and deserve support," he added.

The educational backgrounds of the participants are diverse. Some were educated at community schools in Djibouti, a few pursued further studies in China, while others are graduates of top universities like Harvard University in the United States, and Cambridge University in the United Kingdom.

"Their entrepreneurial journeys also vary. Some are refining their first business plans with the help of the C-STAR program, while others are seasoned serial entrepreneurs who have built unicorn companies in Africa," Li said.

He admires the courage of some of the young entrepreneurs who left high-paying positions at Wall Street investment banks or internet giants to follow their business dreams. Others have embarked on their entrepreneurial path by chance, whether it was due to a family matter, the challenges of motherhood, or witnessing the hardships of visually impaired people in their communities.

"These experiences fueled their determination and drove them to change the status quo," he added.

Building Bridges

Kelvin Umechukwu from Nigeria joined this year's learning tour with the aim of building more bridges between China and Africa.

With a mechanical and programming background, Umechukwu set up Bumpa in 2021. The company helps small African businesses run and expand their operations through a business-focused app and e-commerce services. "My parents used to run a small business, which had extremely low efficiency," he said.

During the pandemic, Bumpa received an increasing number of requests for assistance from local companies unable to directly do business.

Umechukwu said a key issue his company is now trying to address is trade fragmentation.

"As a business owner in Nigeria and Africa, you are likely using multiple sales channels. The problem with this approach is that you don't have a centralized place to manage all your inventory, orders, and customers, so, we want to bring everything together in one place," he explained.

"On the other hand, many local businesses still do not use any digital tools today, and Bumpa tries to leverage technology to manage and grow businesses, and enhance business efficiency," he said.

Umechukwu said he was inspired by Tencent's development of payment systems and cloud infrastructure.

"We are currently exploring the cloud for retail. What I have learned from Tencent is that there are already tools specifically designed for my industry, such as using artificial intelligence for fraud detection and various available payment methods," he said.

Umechukwu was particularly impressed by the sheer volume of orders he saw at JD.

"They have this board that shows you how many orders have been received in real time. When we got there at 10 in the morning the number had gotten to 9.1 million," he said.

"I think it has given me a glimpse into how enterprise and trade can help a country build prosperity," he added.

Umechukwu said he wants to keep in touch with personnel from Chinese companies like Alibaba.

"I know that many of my clients, such as those in Nigeria, have sourced their goods from China, and there is significant trade between China and Africa, with considerable development in logistics. My goal is to engage with and learn from Chinese companies in the fields of communication and e-commerce, while also seeking partnerships to fundamentally help more Nigerian clients," he said.

"China has shown me that many things are possible, and I hope to lead this transformation and innovation, and drive it in my own country and continent."

Rich in Resources

Xu Huiying, Executive Vice President of the Shenzhen Electronic Chamber of Commerce, said she was deeply impressed by the strong drive she saw in the young African entrepreneurs, as well as their innovative thinking, resilience, and desire to change their continent.

"Africa boasts rich cultural diversity and abundant natural resources, and it's remarkable that these young entrepreneurs can transform these advantages into innovative business models," she said.

Xu was "blown away" by Nigerian entrepreneur Amanda Etuk during the learning tour. Etuk Co-founded Messenger, which is building a "last-mile logistics" platform in Africa and has been labeled a game-changer in Nigeria.

"It not only solves the last-mile delivery issue and creates more job opportunities locally, but also offers motorcycle loans to riders. It's a great example of synergy and a bold initiative — this is how business works," Xu said.

Dozens of members from the Shenzhen chamber established connections with the African participants during the tour, she said.

"In the future, our chamber and the C-STAR project team could regularly organize online exchange meetings, giving member companies and C-STAR participants the opportunities to exchange ideas and share experiences on a regular basis. This would help C-STAR participants enter the Chinese market and would also benefit the chamber's member companies looking to enter the African market, fostering potential collaborations," she said.

Xu said the program is a big platform that offers comprehensive support for young African entrepreneurs in commerce, culture, education and international cooperation.

"This is of great significance for their future in seeking partners, expanding business, and accessing resources," Xu said. "At the same time, by participating in such international innovation and entrepreneurship programs, young entrepreneurs can feel our support and recognition, which helps boost their confidence and motivation to pursue their entrepreneurial endeavors," she added.

Babagana Wakil, Charge d'Affaires Ad Interim of Nigeria's Embassy in China, spoke of the profound influence of the C-STAR program. He believes the current era is being shaped by the creativity, resilience, and the ambition of young people. Fostering and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship among young people is essential for national economic growth, job creation, and addressing social challenges, he said.

Wakil believes young people will have a profound impact on future industrial innovation and business strategies.

Graaf from Rwanda said his biggest takeaway from the learning trip is that he can achieve big things with his Chinese counterparts.

He met with a Chinese delegation during the August trip, which he hopes will help him materialize an even bigger dream. "Originally, my goal was to build four clean fuel and stove factories, but the delegation is willing to help with related machines, technology and other resources," he said.

As a result, Graaf has set his sights on building 10 factories in Rwanda and other African countries.

"The way China has managed to get rid of the air pollution, that's what I want to achieve in the kitchens in Africa," he said.

(Source: China Daily Global)

Editor: Wang Shasha