Tech entrepreneur and thought leader Charles Awuzie says young African founders are wasting time chasing big funding rounds instead of learning to negotiate creatively. Speaking on the Kaatruths podcast, he described how deals can come from unexpected places—like friends, suppliers, or collaborators willing to let you build on their work at minimal cost. “That’s funding too,” he said. “It’s not always about applying. Sometimes, you negotiate your way in.”
He criticized the obsession with platforms like Y Combinator while founders ignore those closest to them. “If your idea is solid and you trust yourself to manage other people’s money, involve your friends. If you can’t convince them, maybe the idea or the character isn’t right yet.”
On the darker side of Nigeria’s tech landscape, Awuzie addressed the rise of internet fraud, popularly called “Yahoo Yahoo.” While some perpetrators start hungry, many, he said, end up driven by greed. He challenged them directly, not the government: “Would you introduce yourself in a boardroom as a Yahoo boy? Would you proudly tell your future child how you earned your wealth?” He pointed out the hypocrisy of scammers who react violently when friends defraud them, forgetting that they stole the money in the first place.
Asked how tech could help reduce Nigeria’s insecurity, he shared a proposal inspired by the killings in Benue State. After seeing disturbing reports from his boardroom in Johannesburg, Awuzie brainstormed with global partners and suggested a panic button system. Each household could press a button to alert neighbors and the military command during attacks. The system is inexpensive—about ₦12,000 per unit—and scalable. Equipping households statewide would cost less than 5% of the state’s budget, he said. “This isn’t a funding issue. It’s a political will issue.”
When asked about Reno Omokri, Awuzie chose not to name him directly but didn’t hold back. He said the former political aide thrives on attention and stirs division for personal gain. “He doesn’t say what he means, and he doesn’t mean what he says,” Awuzie claimed. He accused him of attacking figures like Peter Obi just to get noticed, predicting that once he’s acknowledged by his targets, he’ll reverse his position. “It’s all about who he sits with. He needs external validation because there’s nothing internal to celebrate.”
Awuzie ended with a call to action: build something real, manage money with integrity, and speak truth—even when it’s uncomfortable.
