Tech In Africa

6 Oct 2023 - Funding Overview: Q3 Witnesses the Year’s Most Modest Funding In September 2023, 22 African tech startups secured $116.7 million in funding over 22 fully disclosed rounds. This starkly contrasts the $243.7 million amassed in August 2023, marking a 52.11% decline. On a YoY basis, there’s a notable…

6 Oct 2023 - Ahead of the Africa Bitcoin Conference (ABC), a preliminary gathering tailored for developers and Bitcoin community members was conducted in Lagos, Nigeria, on September 29, 2023. This occasion brought together developers, reporters, program coordinators, marketing professionals, students, and…

6 Oct 2023 - SpaceX’s satellite internet service, Starlink, is reducing its prices in Nigeria to attract more customers. The cost of its kit has been cut by 20%, dropping from ₦378,000 ($378) to ₦299,000 ($299). Additionally, the company has collaborated with Jumia, the leading e-commerce platform in Nigeria.…

4 Oct 2023 - In a time where the spotlight is increasingly shone on African startups, the complexities of scaling beyond national borders cannot be overstated. While local ingenuity is rife, the challenge lies in translating this into a global vision.  African startups are not short on creativity and…

3 Oct 2023 - Tanzania and Uganda have signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate their national information and communication technology (ICT) networks in a deal worth $28.8 million. The 15-year agreement will connect Tanzania’s National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) with Uganda’s…

2 Oct 2023 - Enza Capital, an Africa-focused venture capital firm supporting startups across the continent, has closed two new funds totalling $58 million. The capital targets companies bridging offline and online experiences while digitising key African industries. Enza embarked on its VC journey in 2019 by…

2 Oct 2023 - South African mobility startup Loop has collaborated with Visa to introduce instant Tap-to-Phone payments for minibus taxi commuters and operators. The service is now live on Loop’s digitally-enabled taxis on the Mitchells Plain to Bellville route in Cape Town. Riders can simply tap to pay, enabled…

2 Oct 2023 - Leading African payments company Interswitch has unveiled support for Google Pay on its payment gateway in Nigeria. This collaboration brings together Interswitch’s extensive merchant network and the user-friendly efficiency of Google Pay’s digital wallet platform. Google Pay provides seamless and…

2 Oct 2023 - Global logistics company Maersk has opened an advanced warehousing and distribution (W&D) facility in Douala, Cameroon. The technology-driven facility provides efficient cargo handling in one of Central Africa’s most vital ports. Douala serves as a major gateway to surrounding markets, making…

2 Oct 2023 - Femconnect is a South Africa-based femtech startup seeking to enhance women’s access to reproductive health products and services through its digital platform. Founder Anosele Kotu launched Femconnect in 2020 to tackle gaps in reproductive care she observed firsthand growing up. Limited clinic…

2 Oct 2023 - Nigerian fintech startup Risevest recently acquired digital trading platform Chaka, continuing the trend of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in Africa’s fintech space. The deal was confirmed this week by both companies’ founders after months of discussions. For Chaka, the acquisition provides a…

2 Oct 2023 - Renowned startup accelerator Techstars Toronto has chosen 10 African companies among 24 total for its highly competitive 2023 summer program. The inclusion of these African innovators highlights Techstars’ ongoing commitment to developing entrepreneurship and technology ecosystems across the…

2 Oct 2023 - Something big happened in digital healthcare promotion – Kenya secured exclusive approval from Google to run pharmaceutical advertisements across the tech giant’s far-reaching platforms. This makes Kenya the only country in Africa given the go-ahead to advertise prescription medicine and related…

2 Oct 2023 - Amidst the UNGA Climate Week, Beyond Capital Ventures has revealed a fresh investment in Ampersand E-Mobility, an African company specializing in electric motorcycles and transport energy solutions. Ampersand has notably progressed in providing East Africa’s significant taxi motorcyclist community…

2 Oct 2023 - The Bank of Mauritius has reported significant progress in its plans to unveil a central bank digital currency, with a pilot project set to commence in the coming months. Harvesh Seegolam, the Governor of the Central Bank of Mauritius, highlighted that the work is already advanced, and the…

2 Oct 2023 - South African financial technology innovator Ukheshe has announced a notable update within its Scan to Pay application. This advance stirs the financial world by incorporating cryptocurrency payments into its offerings. Previously known as Masterpass, the Scan to Pay app by Ukheshe holds a vast…

30 Sep 2023 - Revio, a South African startup specializing in payment API, has garnered seed funding of $5.2 million to expand its reach throughout the continent. The company, committed to assisting merchants in enhancing their order-to-cash lifecycle, has declared a $5.2 million seed investment. This new funding…

30 Sep 2023 - OpenAI, supported by Microsoft (MSFT.O), announced on Wednesday that ChatGPT users will now have the capability to browse the internet. This new update goes beyond the prior limitation of a September 2021 knowledge cutoff. OpenAI, the artificial intelligence startup, shared that the latest browsing…

30 Sep 2023 - Today, Google has declared the commencement of application processes for the Hustle Academy SMB Fund. This is a specific ₦75 Million fund provided without the necessity for equity return. This move underscores Google’s unwavering commitment to fostering entrepreneurial dreams and bolstering the…

28 Sep 2023 - Safaricom, a prominent mobile network operator in Kenya, has revitalized its domestic cloud computing platform and services. This move aims to assist businesses and organizations in digitizing their operations, providing flexibility and resilience in an ever-evolving environment. Empowered by…

28 Sep 2023 - After successfully investing $11 million in 29 initial-stage companies mainly concentrated in e-commerce, fintech, insurtech, health tech, and SaaS sectors, P1 Ventures, a comprehensive African venture capital firm, has achieved the first close of its new $50 million fund at $25 million. What’s…

27 Sep 2023 - AUTO24.africa, a groundbreaking marketplace for pre-owned vehicles, has today declared its growth into four additional African markets: Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa. This development follows an exceptionally prosperous inaugural year in Ivory Coast, setting the platform on a path to…

27 Sep 2023 - First revealed in March 2023, Copilot is now set to launch, marking a significant advancement in user experience for Microsoft users. Microsoft officially introduced Copilot, an AI assistant set to replace Cortana, at its Surface and AI event on Thursday. But its identity is not just in its name;…

27 Sep 2023 - Global audio platform Spotify has introduced an AI-powered voice translation feature for podcasts. This innovative tool seamlessly translates episodes into different languages while retaining the podcaster’s distinctive voice. It represents a pioneering initiative that allows creators to easily…

27 Sep 2023 - OpenAI, the company behind viral AI chatbot ChatGPT, is introducing new voice and image features to enable more natural conversations. Users can now have voice-based dialogues with ChatGPT, making interactions more intuitive. The voice capability is powered by a text-to-speech model that generates…

27 Sep 2023 - Meta has announced that Threads, its photo and video messaging app, will allow users to delete accounts starting in December. Previously, deleting Threads meant losing your connected Instagram account too. Launched in 2019, Threads gained quick adoption, surpassing 100 million signups within 5 days…

27 Sep 2023 - Africa-focused fintech Klasha has acquired a financial services license from regulators in Sierra Leone. This allows Klasha to operate in the country under the central bank’s Regulatory Sandbox Program for innovative startups. The license underscores Klasha’s commitment to developing cutting-edge…

25 Sep 2023 - With a population surpassing 200 million and over 12 million registered vehicles in Nigeria, the demand for efficient vehicle maintenance and repair services is high. Fixit45, a pioneering Nigerian startup in the automotive aftermarket sector, is addressing this need.  Established in 2021, Fixit45…

25 Sep 2023 - Located in Hargeisa, Fikrcamp was inaugurated in Somaliland, focusing on the Somali-speaking populace. Despite garnering a modest $40,000, it has made its presence felt in Ethiopia, extending digital skills education to Amharic-speaking learners. The trend of coding boot camps is on an upward…

25 Sep 2023 - WhatsApp is introducing a major new feature called “Flows” on its Business platform. Flows will enable customers to seamlessly complete activities like booking appointments and purchasing tickets without leaving the app. Head of WhatsApp Will Cathcart announced Flows as part of broader improvements…

25 Sep 2023 - It seemed like a distant memory when a week went by without an African crypto startup announcing a significant achievement. These achievements ranged from funding rounds and market expansion to introducing new products. Yet, for those closely monitoring the budding ecosystem in the past year or so…

25 Sep 2023 - Insurtech Turaco has acquired MicroEnsure Ghana, a pioneering microinsurer, from MIC Global. This expands Turaco’s footprint to 4 African countries, growing its active policies by 25%. MicroEnsure Ghana will rebrand as Turaco Ghana, retaining its team and leadership. Turaco aims to increase…

25 Sep 2023 - The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has signed an agreement with South Korea’s Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute (KEITI) to promote climate-resilient and low-carbon technologies across Africa.  The collaboration aims to support climate change adaptation and mitigation as…

25 Sep 2023 - The African fintech space continues expanding with entrants like GoFree, a neobank launched in April 2023 that aspires to become Africa’s version of China’s WeChat super app. GoFree seeks to differentiate itself in the crowded financial services field by going beyond basic offerings like transfers…

23 Sep 2023 - Morocco is striving to become a major global player in the electric vehicle (EV) battery production industry. The country’s latest move comes through a newly announced partnership between Moroccan investment fund Al Mada and Chinese battery component manufacturer CNGR Advanced Material Co. The two…

23 Sep 2023 - Johannesburg-based startup FinanceGPT is using artificial intelligence to make financial analysis and reporting more accessible, with plans to offer services in African languages. Founded in 2020, FinanceGPT leverages proprietary AI models and tools like GPT-4 to generate financial ratios,…

23 Sep 2023 - Interest in artificial intelligence (AI) has surged in Kenya, with Google searches up 400% over five years. Many Kenyans are seeking to understand this emerging technology, asking questions like “What is AI?” and “How does it work?” have spiked.  The proliferation of new generative AI models has…

23 Sep 2023 - Financial services company Watu Credit has announced a new partnership with battery swap startup ARC Ride, aimed at accelerating electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Kenya. Together, the companies plan to manufacture 1,000 EVs and establish over 300 battery swap stations in Nairobi by the end of 2024…

23 Sep 2023 - Telecom giant MTN is expanding its Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities in South Africa through a new partnership while addressing electronic waste in Benin. MTN South Africa recently announced an agreement with Eseye, a global IoT services provider. This will enhance MTN’s infrastructure by…

23 Sep 2023 - A new report reveals social media’s expanding role across Africa, with Facebook still the dominant platform despite TikTok’s rising popularity. The study by GeoPoll found over 384 million active social media users now exist on the continent. Facebook leads with 170 million users, comprising 44% of…

23 Sep 2023 - Kenya has achieved a major tech milestone with the rollout of its first smartphones assembled locally within the country. Techweez can confirm the made-in-Kenya phones are now in pilot production ahead of an October market launch. Earlier this year, President Ruto announced a public-private…

23 Sep 2023 - The Egyptian government is considering selling an additional 10-15% stake in Telecom Egypt after offloading 9.5% in May 2023 worth $121.6 million. The previous sale on the Egyptian Stock Exchange involved 162.2 million shares at 23.11 Egyptian pounds each, reducing the state’s ownership to 70%. An…

23 Sep 2023 - Pan-African technology company Liquid Intelligent Technologies has launched two new terrestrial fibre links across Africa – connecting Kenya with Ethiopia and linking Zambia to Malawi. The over 1,000-kilometer Kenya-Ethiopia route provides Ethiopian businesses cloud access in Kenya, enabling…

23 Sep 2023 - In today’s digital age, Nigerian dating and matchmaking app Trueflutter aims to help singles find compatible partners who share their values and aspirations for love. With over 2 million successful matches and 27 weddings facilitated last year alone, Trueflutter has impacted a society where…

23 Sep 2023 - Blockchain software leader Consensys has announced the public launch of MetaMask Snaps, a new feature allowing unprecedented customisation of the popular MetaMask cryptocurrency wallet. Snaps are add-on tools and features developed by third-party creators that MetaMask users can install directly in…

23 Sep 2023 - With TikTok Shop’s recent U.S. launch, the popular short-form video app is making a big move into e-commerce. This has significant implications not just in the U.S. but also in emerging markets like Nigeria, where online shopping is booming. TikTok Shop allows direct in-app purchasing from brands…

23 Sep 2023 - The Kenyan government is poised to introduce a new national digital ID system called the Maisha Card. These unique personal identifiers (UPIs) will replace traditional physical identity cards in a major digital transition. The government has budgeted 1 billion Kenyan shillings for the Maisha Card…

23 Sep 2023 - Bluesky, a new invite-only social media platform, has achieved 1 million users, an impressive feat given its exclusive membership model. Unlike mainstream social sites, Bluesky requires an invite code to join. This creates an air of exclusivity that has fueled intense demand – invite codes have…

23 Sep 2023 - A recent hackathon in Lagos demonstrated the power of technology and collaboration to address challenges facing Nigeria’s tourism sector. Organised by the Bedouin Group, the second Tourism Hackathon Nigeria convened young innovators aged 18-30 to develop solutions for industry issues. The hackathon…

23 Sep 2023 - WhoGoHost, a Nigerian company that provides web hosting and other digital services has acquired SendChamp, a startup offering cloud-based business communications solutions. The acquisition aims to expand WhoGoHost’s offerings to better serve African entrepreneurs and companies looking to establish…