Chinese e-commerce mogul Jack Ma tips Kenya's budding entrepreneurs

African entrepreneurs have been told not to be afraid of making mistakes, but instead to see their problems as opportunities.

Jack Ma, a Chinese billionaire, in a public lecture at the University of Nairobi, said Africa's poor infrastructure, social, economic and political situation should be a source of innovation for most entrepreneurs, just as lack of e-commerce in his home country inspired him to start one of the biggest online marketplaces.

"If the Government does not have a solution to any problem, it is an opportunity. If people complain, it is an opportunity," Jack Ma told a room packed with students during his visit to Kenya that also saw him meet President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House and Kenya's private sector under the aegis of Kenya Private Sector Alliance.

It was a talk that was highly anticipated. By around 3pm, the hall at the new University of Nairobi Towers was packed and entrances were jammed as students jostled for an opportunity to share a room with a man who beat all odds to become one of the richest persons in China.

And Jack Ma did not disappoint when he started his talk at around 5pm, encouraging young people to cherish their youth and to keep on trying even when the odds are stacked against them.

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"Poor infrastructure might give you an opportunity you have never seen before," he said.

The man, who had been rejected several times on his way to success, told young people to get used to failure. "You have to get used to failure. Just like boxing, if you cannot get used to being hit, then how can you win?" he asked the attentive crowd.

"I don't want to sell things to you guys, I want to help you sell things to the world," explained Jack Ma. His company has 56,000 employees and has created over 33 million jobs in China.

The e-commerce guru who has neither training in business nor knowledge in computers and coding told a hall packed with enthusiastic students that they should learn to work with people and be respectful rather than being rich.

He also challenged Chinese firms, and other multinationals, to always act local if they want to stay longer and better in foreign companies. That they should recruit locally, pay well and pay taxes if they want a good stay in foreign lands

The founder and executive chairman of Alibaba, the Chinese version of Amazon, said his company started out with only 21 products, which only they (founders) bought, but has since gone on to transact products worth $550 billion (Sh56 trillion). They also deliver over 65 million packages in a day.

He said the future of commerce is in the internet, noting that entrepreneurs will be called net-preneurs.

Universities were also challenged to keep innovating as most of the jobs will disappear. Kenyans were also told not to be afraid of changes that will come from the internet. "Change is the best opportunity," he told the students.

Globalisation

Hundreds of students stayed outside the hall, following the lecture which was beamed from huge TV screens. Jack Ma, who recently met US President Donald Trump, said he was a strong believer in globalisation or the free movement of goods, service and people across borders, especially aided by advancement in telecommunications.

Jack Ma was accompanied by the Secretary General of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Secretary General, Dr Mukhisa Kituyi.

Earlier, Jack Ma held a meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta to discuss ways of empowering the youth through entrepreneurship.

Their talks centred on how to empower the youth through trade and innovation.

They discussed how to co-operate in supporting small businesses and the youth.

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