issatoure.com

I'm Issa

Innovation expert based in West Africa

About

Mission

Hello !

I am a digital transformation expert and entrepreneur with 10+ years leading large-scale initiatives in Africa. Specializing in digital strategy, financial inclusion, and AI solutions

Testimonials

• For over +12 years, Issa Touré has helped build digital bridges between Africa and the rest of the world. Through strategy, execution, and bold creativity, he brings tech, culture, and entrepreneurship together to solve problems that matter. From Dakar to Amsterdam, from local artisans to global organizations — Issa's work is about making things work. Digitally. Inclusively. Sustainably.

• Issa has successfully managed projects and missions in: 🇧🇪 Belgium 🇧🇯 Benin 🇨🇦 Canada 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) 🇪🇹 Ethiopia 🇫🇷 France 🇬🇲 The Gambia 🇮🇹 Italy 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) 🇲🇱 Mali 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇪 Niger 🇸🇳 Senegal 🇹🇬 Togo

• West African Coordinator - Bosch Entrepreneurs Alumnis Network JCI Business Hope - 1rst Entrepreneur Prize World Bank / Adepme BUSINESS ACADEMY AWARDS Netherland Trust Funds NTF4 Top Entrepreneurs - World Entrepreneurship Cup Finalist GEN GLOBAL Top 50 Worldwide Entrepreneur EO GlobalStudent Entrepreneurship International Social ChangeMaker Prize SHOKA and ROBERT BOSCH STIFTUNG MTN / Jumia Entrepreneurship Challenge

Skills

• turning digital dreams into reality across countries because the future of Africa deserves world-class innovation
• deep understanding of African tech ecosystems. successfully scaled platforms like Prilance to thousands of freelancers
• driven by impact and inclusion. expert in designing platforms for employment, digital access, and social change in underserved communities
• strategic leadership in complex multi-stakeholder environments: NGOs, incubators, govs, startups, and international institutions
• builds digital tools that work: freelancing, e-learning, digital governance, cultural heritage, AI, and financial inclusion
• fluent in storytelling, public speaking, and ecosystem building. always clear, always local, always global

Projects

• Deepfakes & Fake news

  Combat the spread of fake news and promote a culture of verified information

  Client

  National Democratic Institute (NDI)

  Design

  • edw

  Project Presentation

  In 2023, I led the implementation of the National Disinformation Challenge in Senegal, in partnership with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and local civic stakeholders. The initiative mobilized youth, civil society, journalists, and digital actors to combat the spread of fake news and promote a culture of verified information—especially during the pre-electoral period.

  Project Details

  Date: 2023

  Scope: National (Senegal)

  Format: Digital competition + in-person training

  Collaborators: NDI, media houses, youth organizations, digital influencers

  Tools Developed: Digital toolkits, media literacy guides, documentary film

  The Problem

  Senegal, like many democracies, faces increasing threats from online misinformation and political manipulation, especially during election seasons. Youth and civil society actors often lack the tools and strategies to effectively counter fake news and build digital resilience.

  Achievements & Impact

  Trained 400+ actors from politics, media, civil society, and religious sectors

  Launched Senegal’s first national competition on counter-disinformation

  Produced a documentary: "Sénégal – Atténuer la Désinformation"

  Strengthened journalist and legal networks for responsible digital communicatio

  Created a youth-led digital task force to monitor misinformation

  Target Audience

  Primary: Young Senegalese leaders, civil society organizations, journalists

  Secondary: General public, online communities, electoral stakeholders

  Client: National Democratic Institute (NDI)

• Financial Inclusion & Digital Access

  upport of key financial partners to promote financial inclusion and entrepreneurship in Senegal

  Client

  Mastercard Foundation

  Project Presentation

  The Suqali Program (2020–2024) is a flagship initiative led by Teranga Gestion with the support of key financial partners to promote financial inclusion and entrepreneurship in Senegal. My role as a digital transformation consultant was to co-design and deploy a comprehensive digital system enabling informal entrepreneurs to access financing, capacity-building, and formal economic participation.

  Project Details

  The initiative targeted underserved populations—particularly women and youth—who often lacked access to traditional financial services due to low digital literacy, limited documentation, and systemic inefficiencies. We developed intuitive digital workflows, user-centered platforms, and scalable processes to ensure rapid onboarding and ease of use.

  The Problem Addressed

  Most entrepreneurs in Senegal operate in the informal sector, disconnected from banks and administrative systems. Without digital tools or simplified interfaces, these individuals face significant barriers to funding, training, and formal market access. Suqali aimed to bridge this gap at scale.

  Achievements & Impact

  16,656 micro-entrepreneurs funded

  1,046 SMEs supported and accelerated

  42,964 jobs created

  70% of beneficiaries were women, 52% were youth
  These results positioned Suqali as one of the most impactful financial inclusion programs in West Africa.

  Client & Target Audience

  Commissioned by Teranga Gestion with support from the Mastercard Foundation, this project targeted informal entrepreneurs, youth, women-led enterprises, and early-stage SMEs throughout Senegal.

• Prilance – Freelance Platform for African Youth Employment

  Freelance platform designed to connect African youth

  Client

  Azerty

  Project Presentation

  Launched in 2021, Prilance is a freelance platform designed to connect African youth with remote, flexible, and dignified job opportunities. As co-founder and CEO, I led the design and growth of the platform to help young talents monetize their skills, while providing businesses with trusted, verified freelancers across the continent. Today, Prilance is a key player in the African freelance ecosystem.

  Project Details

  Start Date: 2021

  Users: 8,000+ registered freelancers (50% women, 70% under 30)

  Clients: 300+ SMEs, NGOs, and institutions

  Countries Active: Senegal, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, and expanding

  Main Features: Job matching engine, secure wallet, client dashboard, training modules

  Business Model: Commission on transactions + SaaS plans for companies

  The Problem

  Many skilled African youth face barriers to employment:

  Lack of access to formal jobs

  Geographic isolation

  Informal work without guarantees

  Limited financial inclusion

  No access to global freelance platforms due to payment or ID constraints

  Achievements & Impact

  Enabled 4,000+ paid freelance contracts in less than 2 years

  Facilitated cross-border payments via mobile money integration

  Created a trusted space for verified skills and secure transactions

  Supported entrepreneurship through training and mentoring tracks

  Recognized by major partners like Orange, Meta, and Enabel

  Target Audience

  Clients: SMEs, NGOs, media agencies, institutions needing digital services

  Freelancers: Young Africans (18–35) in design, marketing, tech, writing, translation

• Digitalization of Cultural Heritage

  preserve, valorize, and digitize key cultural artifacts through immersive technologies

  Client

  French Embassy of Sénégal - Théodore monod Museum

  Design

  • skkks

  • Lien

  Project Presentation

  In 2024, I led the digital transformation project of the Musée Théodore Monod in Dakar, coordinating a consortium of five innovative Senegalese startups. This large-scale initiative aimed to preserve, valorize, and digitize key cultural artifacts through immersive technologies (3D, AR/VR, sound design, storytelling) and make them accessible to a wider audience. The project was carried out in partnership with the Institut Français, Teranga Tech Incub, and the Musée de l’IFAN.

  Project Details

  Start date: October 2024

  Budget: €100,000 (Phase 1)

  Team: 5 startups, 2 cultural institutions, and 1 incubator

  Technologies: 3D scanning, interactive storytelling, AR/VR, spatial sound

  Status: Phase 1 completed (50 artworks digitized); preparation of Phase 2 (300+ additional artworks)

  The Problem

  Senegal’s cultural heritage is rich and underexploited digitally. Many artifacts remain physically confined to museums, inaccessible to the general public—especially youth, schools, or the diaspora. There was also a lack of engaging, immersive content to attract new generations to cultural spaces.

  Achievements & Impact

  Digitized and preserved 50 major artworks (sculptures, textiles, paintings)

  Produced interactive experiences (3D models, immersive audio guides, storytelling)

  Established a replicable methodology for museum digitalization in West Africa

  Enhanced visibility and attractiveness of the museum for youth and international partners

  Initiated a cultural innovation pipeline between tech startups and museums

  Target Audience

  Partners: Institut Français du Sénégal & IFAN

  Beneficiaries: Museum visitors, students, educators, Senegalese diaspora, cultural researchers

• Plastic Odyssey – Digital Strategy & Awareness for Circular Economy

  Capacity-building, and media production to trigger behavioral shifts around waste management.

  Client

  Plastic Odyssey

  Project Presentation

  Plastic Odyssey is a global expedition that promotes low-tech recycling solutions and circular economy education across coastal communities. As digital strategy consultant, I led the design of content, training tools, and digital narratives to localize recycling awareness in West Africa, particularly in Senegal. The project combined field experimentation, capacity-building, and media production to trigger behavioral shifts around waste management.

  Project Details

  The Dakar stage of the expedition involved immersive workshops aboard the ship and on land, technical training for local recyclers, and strategic partnerships with universities and local entrepreneurs. We built iterative digital learning modules, launched public awareness campaigns, and advised on communications during the port stops in Dakar and other African cities.

  The Problem Addressed

  Plastic pollution is a rising crisis in Africa's coastal cities, amplified by lack of infrastructure, public awareness, and digital tools for scalable education. Most populations are disconnected from practical recycling solutions or unaware of the economic potential of plastic waste.

  Achievements & Impact

  Developed multimedia learning content used across 3 countries

  Trained over 120 local youth and recyclers through on-site sessions

  Produced a mobile-first MOOC format, tested and improved iteratively

  Strengthened the digital identity of the program for international donors

  Client & Target Audience

  This mission was led in partnership with Plastic Odyssey, Teranga Tech Incub, and local actors in Dakar. It targeted youth, informal recyclers, engineers, students from the Ecole Polytechnique de Thiès, and civil society members eager to build solutions in waste valorization and sustainability.