Unlocking Africa The Economic Importance of the African Diaspora Reclaiming Native Language and Identity with Andrew Osayemi
Episode 204 with Andrew Osayemi, Founder of YapTime and co creator of Meet the Adebanjos, the hit British Nigerian sitcom now streaming on Netflix.
Andrew Osayemi is a diaspora entrepreneur whose career spans FX derivatives trading in London and New York, African diaspora television production, and now language learning and education technology. In this episode of the Unlocking Africa Podcast, Andrew shares how a deeply personal challenge losing connection to his parents’ native Yoruba language inspired the creation of YapTime, a language learning platform helping busy adults reconnect with African heritage languages through short daily WhatsApp conversations.
The conversation explores how YapTime is redefining language education for professionals with limited time, why consistency matters more than intensity when learning a language, and how African languages like Yoruba play a critical role in strengthening cultural identity across the global African diaspora. Andrew also explains how YapTime is creating new economic opportunities for native language tutors in Nigeria while building stronger cultural and economic bridges between Africa and its diaspora.
Drawing on his experience as co creator of Meet the Adebanjos, Andrew reflects on the power of authentic African diaspora storytelling, the business of creating culturally resonant content, and what it takes to build African led ventures that scale globally.
What We Discuss With Andrew
- Andrew Osayemi’s journey from finance to African diaspora media and founding YapTime, driven by a personal mission to reconnect with his Yoruba heritage
- How YapTime is transforming African language learning through short daily WhatsApp lessons designed for busy professionals
- Creating economic opportunities for native language tutors in Nigeria while strengthening diaspora engagement with Africa
- Lessons from building and licensing Meet the Adebanjos and the role of authentic African storytelling in reaching global audiences
- The role of language culture and diaspora led entrepreneurship in unlocking Africa’s economic and creative potential in the 21st century
Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Building Africa’s Global Cultural Influence and Creative Economy Through Film? Make sure to check it out!
Connect with Terser:
LinkedIn - Terser Adamu
Instagram - unlockingafrica
Twitter (X) - @TerserAdamu
Connect with Andrew:
LinkedIn - Andrew Osayemi
Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group: