Tech In Africa

5 Dec 2024 - According to a report by Africa: The Big Deall, November witnessed a remarkable achievement as 32 African startups collectively secured $180 million in funding, excluding exits. This milestone brings the total funding for 2024 to nearly $2 billion. The funding breakdown revealed $122 million (68%)…

5 Dec 2024 - Enakl, a Moroccan-French mobility startup specializing in bus-sharing services, has successfully secured $1.4 million in a pre-seed funding round. The startup plans to utilize the funds to enhance its technology and expand its operations into additional cities across North Africa and the broader…

5 Dec 2024 - Access Bank, one of Nigeria’s tier-1 commercial banks with operations in 22 countries, is developing a payment rail called Access Africa. This initiative aims to enable seamless money transfers across the continent through Access Bank accounts. “It’s our proprietary rail that connects Africa,” said…

5 Dec 2024 - When Etisalat entered Nigeria’s telecom market in 2008, it brought a fresh perspective to a sector dominated by MTN Nigeria, Zain (now Airtel), and Globacom. Leveraging the young, untapped demographic, the UAE-based company partnered with Banky W to launch the famous “0809ja for Life” campaign,…

4 Dec 2024 - Temu, the Chinese e-commerce platform, is making significant waves in Nigeria’s digital marketplace. Owned by PDD Holdings and founded by former Google employee Colin Huang, the platform has rapidly expanded its global footprint since its 2022 launch. With headquarters in Boston, Temu has…

4 Dec 2024 - Raknida,a Nigerian art-tech platform is set to revolutionize how people experience art through an innovative streaming approach. Raknida, founded by Anthony and Afoma Ezeokoye, aims to make art as accessible as music, challenging traditional art consumption methods. The startup has secured a…

4 Dec 2024 - Paystack, the Nigerian fintech platform owned by Stripe, has unveiled a groundbreaking payment integration with OPay, enabling merchants to accept payments directly from millions of OPay account holders. This strategic move represents a significant advancement in digital payment technologies in…

2 Dec 2024 - In the competitive world of e-commerce, Seller Africa is making waves as a platform uniquely designed for African entrepreneurs. By providing a space where sellers can showcase authentic African products to a global audience, Seller Africa is not only driving economic growth but also redefining the…

30 Nov 2024 - An African fintech that has built its success on a 30,000-strong team of direct salespeople is steadily expanding its profitability across sub-Saharan Africa. Now, M-KOPA, a pay-as-you-go asset financing platform serving 5 million underbanked Africans, is on the verge of reaching a major milestone…

30 Nov 2024 - Bitmama has now joined the growing list of fintech companies pausing or suspending their card services. Back in September, Nigerian investment platform Rise announced the discontinuation of virtual card services on its platform, citing challenges like fluctuating exchange rates and issues with its…

30 Nov 2024 - The Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has instructed Starlink to halt its operations in the country due to a failure to comply with local licensing requirements. CRAN revealed that the SpaceX subsidiary has been providing services in Namibia without obtaining the necessary…

30 Nov 2024 - A hacker group known as “Waste” has successfully stolen $17 million from the Central Bank of Uganda. Initial investigations suggest that the attack may have been an inside job, involving compromised bank employees. However, the transfer of funds to accounts in Japan and the UK points to an…

30 Nov 2024 - Solarbox,a Senegal-based startup operating at the crossroads of renewable energy and electric mobility, has secured $1 million in pre-seed funding. This investment is set to drive the development of its innovative solar-powered e-mobility solutions within Senegal and support its expansion into…

30 Nov 2024 - Kenya’s parliament has introduced the Business Law (Amendment) Bill 2024, aimed at regulating business process outsourcing (BPO) and IT-enabled service (ITES) companies amidst increasing scrutiny over worker conditions. This move comes in the wake of a September 2024 court ruling that permitted BPO…

30 Nov 2024 - Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has granted approval for Safaricom’s second money market product, Ziidi. This new offering, developed in collaboration with Standard Investment Bank, ALA Capital Limited, and Sanlam Investments East Africa Limited, aims to meet Kenya’s growing demand for…

30 Nov 2024 - Before being acquired by Apple in 2011, Siri was a standalone app designed to revolutionise the way users interacted with their iOS devices. Under Apple’s leadership, Siri became a trailblazer in voice assistant technology, setting a standard that inspired competitors like Google Assistant and…

30 Nov 2024 - Africa, covering 20% of Earth’s land area and home to over 2,000 languages, stands as the second most linguistically diverse continent. Yet, despite this rich diversity, the continent often lags behind in the global race to preserve, integrate, or promote its languages within modern services. Only…

30 Nov 2024 - The CBE’s plan to implement card tokenisation by 2025 marks a major advancement in securing Egypt’s digital payment ecosystem. This innovative cybersecurity measure replaces sensitive card information with unique digital tokens during online transactions, effectively reducing fraud risks and…

30 Nov 2024 - Access Bank is driving a groundbreaking economic initiative through its strategic acquisitions across Africa. These recent developments underscore the bank’s dedication to promoting financial inclusion, boosting cross-border trade, and fostering a more unified African economy. With a presence in…

30 Nov 2024 - As the year comes to a close, it’s the ideal moment to acknowledge some of South Africa’s most impressive innovations. These groundbreaking tech startups were celebrated by Startup Club ZA on the evening of 26 November in Cape Town, where the winners of the South African Startup Awards were…

29 Nov 2024 - Africa’s financial landscape is undergoing a seismic transformation, with embedded finance at the heart of this evolution. This innovation is driving financial inclusion, transforming e-commerce, and facilitating cross-border payments across the continent. The potential is immense, with the…

28 Nov 2024 - TikTok has launched the second phase of its #SaferTogether online safety programme, collaborating with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Data Science Nigeria. The initiative aims to create a comprehensive digital safety network across Nigerian communities. First…

28 Nov 2024 - Fɛlei Techcity is excited to partner with Nomadic Minds to host the Startup World Cup Regional Semi-Finals in Sierra Leone. This landmark event will bring top investors and industry leaders to the country, offering valuable networking and investment opportunities for Sierra Leone’s emerging startup…

28 Nov 2024 - Nigeria’s Central Bank has increased its interest rate to 27.5% in its last meeting of the year, following a surge in inflation in October. The Monetary Policy Committee lifted the key interest rate by 25 basis points to tackle the growing inflationary challenges. The meeting was conducted in light…

28 Nov 2024 - A new Bootcamp Series is set to give a major uplift to Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem in Southern Egypt. This initiative marks the launch of the Aswan Bootcamp Series by Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), designed to support tech startups and encourage…

26 Nov 2024 - Breega, known for its five Europe-focused early-stage funds supporting startups like Alice&Bob, Moneybox, and Curve, has secured $52m for its new $75m African fund, with the final close expected by year-end. The firm has expanded its presence by opening offices in Lagos, Nigeria, and Cape Town…

26 Nov 2024 - Roam, a Kenyan electric mobility company, is advancing efforts to make clean transportation more mainstream. With support from ENERGICA, a European Union-funded initiative, the company is establishing 10 new solar-powered Roam Hubs across Nairobi. These hubs will provide battery swaps, charging…

26 Nov 2024 - WhatsApp has launched an exciting new feature: voice message transcripts! Now, instead of listening to every voice note, you can read a text version — perfect for noisy environments or when you prefer not to hit play. To enable it, go to Settings > Chats and toggle on the “Voice message…

26 Nov 2024 - MTN is seeking partnerships with Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite providers to extend its network coverage to Africa’s rural and remote regions. This is a significant step, particularly given that these regions frequently face challenges with limited or no broadband and fiber connectivity. LEO…

25 Nov 2024 - A voice-controlled bank app, smart PoS, and AI-powered lending solution won $9,500 at the Payaza Hackathon 3.0, held from November 20 to 21, 2024. The event focused on AI-powered financial inclusion for MSMEs. Seven teams competed to impress judges with fintech solutions that used AI to support…

25 Nov 2024 - Africa Global Logistics (AGL), formerly known as Bolloré Transport & Logistics, has launched its “Accelerate” program in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, aimed at supporting African startups in the logistics sector. Six startups were selected for the program’s inaugural cohort, including Lomé-based Eazy…

25 Nov 2024 - UAC Nigeria has unveiled the 1879 Tech Hub, a groundbreaking initiative designed to drive digital innovation and integrate technology into the heart of African businesses. The hub, named after UAC’s founding year, reflects the company’s dedication to harnessing technology as a catalyst for growth…

24 Nov 2024 - Ghana and The Gambia have forged a landmark telecommunications agreement to implement the ECOWAS Free Roaming initiative. The partnership, established through Ghana’s Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, Mobile Network Operators, and the National Communications Authority, aims to…

24 Nov 2024 - Egyptian home furnishing company Ariika has secured $3 million in Series A extension funding from Beltone Venture Capital and Citadel International Holdings. The investment positions the company to expand its presence across the Middle East and North Africa’s $20 billion home and décor market. The…

24 Nov 2024 - Global technology leader Salesforce has unveiled its strategic entry into Nigeria, marking a significant expansion of its African footprint. The company, renowned for its customer relationship management (CRM) solutions, is taking an unconventional approach by prioritizing talent development over…

22 Nov 2024 - South African fintech company Mama Money unveils an innovative banking solution through strategic partnerships with Pick n Pay and Access Bank. The collaboration introduces a WhatsApp-powered bank card designed to transform financial services accessibility across the country. The new banking…

22 Nov 2024 - Yellow Card reaches a significant milestone with its newly acquired Crypto Asset Service Provider license in South Africa. The cryptocurrency platform strengthens its position in Africa’s financial technology sector through this regulatory achievement, following successful partnerships with global…

22 Nov 2024 - Zimbabwe launches its most ambitious urban development project with an artificial intelligence-powered traffic management system in Harare. The sophisticated technology aims to tackle the capital’s persistent congestion issues while enhancing road safety through smart monitoring and control systems…

22 Nov 2024 - Egypt’s financial landscape is set to transform as the Central Bank of Egypt announces its plans to implement card tokenisation technology by 2025. This advanced security measure represents a crucial step in protecting the nation’s rapidly expanding digital payment ecosystem. The technology works…

21 Nov 2024 - Vodacom Group has launched an ambitious digital education initiative targeting one million young Africans across eight countries by 2027. The telecommunications company has partnered with industry leaders Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Skillsoft to deliver comprehensive digital training…

21 Nov 2024 - A strategic partnership between Swedish technology provider Telness Tech, VAS2Nets, and Lebara heralds the introduction of a new Mobile Virtual Network Operator in Nigeria. The collaboration merges international expertise with local market knowledge to deliver enhanced telecommunication services to…

21 Nov 2024 - VistaJet has launched an ambitious expansion of its premium aviation services into East and Southern Africa, following successful operations in West Africa. The global business aviation company has initiated promotional activities in major urban centers including Nairobi, Johannesburg, and Cape…

21 Nov 2024 - Orange Egypt has committed $52.7 million to accelerate technology innovation among African youth, marking a significant development in the continent’s startup landscape. The investment coincides with the telecommunications company’s recent agreement with Egyptian authorities for the second phase of…

21 Nov 2024 - Africa’s linguistic landscape faces a critical challenge with approximately 12% of its 2,000 languages at risk of disappearing. This crisis stems from colonial legacies and globalization’s push toward English dominance in international commerce. UNESCO’s prediction that 40% of global languages face…

20 Nov 2024 - Zenith Bank has unveiled the fourth edition of Zecathon, its flagship startup competition and incubation program. The initiative targets early-stage Nigerian startups developing solutions across multiple sectors, including embedded finance, cybersecurity, fintech, healthtech, agritech, and e-…

20 Nov 2024 - The Bank of Zambia has licensed DigMo, a new financial services company offering gamified wealth-building tools targeting low and middle-income earners. The platform introduces innovative savings products with incentives designed for previously underserved customers. James Chona, former Chief…

20 Nov 2024 - Nigerian healthcare technology company MDaaS has launched operations in Cameroon, marking its first expansion into Francophone Africa. The diagnostic health tech startup seeks to replicate its successful Nigerian model in Cameroon’s growing healthcare market. Founded in 2017 by Oluwasoga Oni and…

20 Nov 2024 - Chad has granted approval for Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite Internet provider, to operate within its borders. The decision follows negotiations that started in 2021 and addresses a critical need in the central African nation, where Internet access reached only 12% of the population in 2022.…

20 Nov 2024 - Embedded finance is changing the payment landscape in Africa. The question now is: what will it take for embedded finance to truly scale across Africa? The global embedded finance market is projected to surpass $228 billion by 2028, according to Juniper Research. As this sector evolves and consumer…

20 Nov 2024 - Today, Pretoria transforms into the heart of blockchain innovation as the highly anticipated Blockchain Africa Conference 2024 kicks off at the prestigious CSIR International Convention Centre. With over 500 participants from more than 50 countries, this event marks a defining moment in the journey…