How do you turn "operational hell" into a bankable asset? In this episode, Tobe Duru sits down with Céleste Tchetgen Vogel, Co-founder and CEO of eWAKA Mobility. Céleste brings 20 years of expertise from global financial giants like Swiss Re and Citibank to the front lines of Africa’s electric vehicle revolution.
Moving beyond the typical "green energy" narrative, this conversation focuses on the cold, hard mechanics of infrastructure as a service. Céleste explains why hardware is only a fraction of the puzzle and why building an "Intelligence Layer" is the only way to coordinate a fragmented value chain of riders, capital providers, and vendors.
What We Cover:
The Intelligence Layer: Why eWAKA positions itself as the "rails" for African logistics rather than just a bike seller.
Engineering Bankability: The sophisticated financial framework used to separate operational performance from credit risk.
The Ground-Truth Advantage: Why remote leadership fails in Africa and the necessity of the "Humble Approach" to local operations.
Scaling to 100k: The path to mass-market adoption and why 100,000 vehicles is just the beginning.
Vocational Moats: How local assembly and technical training create long-term defensive advantages.
This is a masterclass in ecosystem orchestration for any operator, investor, or policymaker looking to understand the future of mobility on the continent.
Creators and Guests
Celeste Tchetgen Vogel
Co-Founder and CEO of eWAKA Mobility Limited
What is CONTINENT DNA | African Business Stories?
Every country has a DNA.
CONTINENT DNA analyzes the structural market forces, industrial history, and powerful business stories shaping Africa. Built for anyone wanting to truly understand African business, from senior operators, investors, and policymakers to those curious about foundational corporate histories, the show decodes the realities of corporate finance, supply chains, and strategic execution across the African startup ecosystem and industrial sectors to keep you ahead of where global growth is going.