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Infinite Partners closes R2.8 billion fund to back South African businesses
South African private equity firm Infinite Partners has raised R2.8 billion ($169.3 million) for its second fund, giving it fresh capital to buy stakes in established businesses and help them expand.
Kenya wants to take control of fintechs that fail to pay customers
A payment company in Kenya that runs into financial trouble could lose control of its business under a proposed law giving the central bank power to step in, replace its management and sell the company.
Amr El Fangary uses AI to build WonderBooks into a library of more than 2,000 stories
Amr El Fangary spent years trying to get WonderBooks off the ground. He launched the digital reading platform in 2016, but it struggled to attract users. When he returned to the project, AI tools gave him a different way to build it.
Your First Hire Should Solve a Business Problem
Before you bring someone into the business, decide which work needs to leave your hands and what it will cost to do that. You can spend an entire day working in your business and still feel as though nothing important has been finished. Customers need answers, suppliers are calling, invoices are waiting to be sent and somebody needs to check the stock.
Zambia is testing AI to help young people find careers that match their skills
Finding a job is not just about having a qualification. Young people also need to know which skills employers are looking for, what opportunities are available and whether they need additional training to qualify for a position.
Starlink is moving closer to mobile networks. African operators should take note
SpaceX has built Starlink into a major satellite internet business. Now, the company is reportedly moving closer to the mobile phone market through an agreement to acquire mobile spectrum licences from Grain Management in the United States.
Shoprite's move into digital services puts small airtime sellers under pressure
Shoprite is making it possible to buy airtime, mobile data and digital vouchers through Sixty60. For customers, it is another way to top up a phone or purchase a voucher.
Timon’s founders built a travel fintech after struggling to pay abroad
In India, Oluwatomi Ayorinde sometimes had to wait for someone travelling from Nigeria to bring him cash. Years later, on a trip to France, his future business partner, Chizaram Ucheaga, had to hand money to another traveller after his bank card failed.
Vertiv and Cybastion explore data-centre opportunities in six African markets
Electrical contractors, equipment suppliers and maintenance companies could find work if plans by Vertiv and Cybastion to develop digital infrastructure in six African countries turn into actual projects.
East Africa Foods raises $40 million to take its produce business into new markets
East Africa Foods has built its business around buying produce from farmers and getting it to shops and other customers in cities.
Ten Meetings, Two Quotes, Zero Sales: Where Is Your Sales Process Going Wrong?
You have made the calls, attended the meetings and sent the quotations. One prospect said your price looked reasonable but needed to speak to a partner. Another promised to respond by Friday. Friday came and went.
Bloccpay wants to make it easier for African workers to receive salaries from abroad
Jennifer Echenim had a job that paid her from abroad, but getting her salary into her bank account in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was a monthly headache.
Moove is giving Nigerian drivers their cars as it exits the market
Moove is leaving Nigeria and handing eligible drivers the cars they have been paying for. The company says the vehicles are worth about ₦35 billion ($26.3 million), and drivers will not have to make further payments from October 1, 2026.
Chinese car brands are now close to Toyota in South Africa
Chinese car brands are no longer a small part of South Africa's new-car market. In September, 10 Chinese brands sold about 9,900 passenger cars between them. Toyota sold 9,964 passenger cars on its own.
Vodacom and partners plan 55,000 vehicles for South Africa’s e-hailing market
Vodacom is working with a group of automotive and financial services companies on a plan to add up to 55,000 vehicles to South Africa's e-hailing market over the next nine to 12 months.
African businesses are finding another way to move dollars across borders
Paying a supplier in another country can become a problem long before the goods leave the warehouse. A business may have enough money in its local account, but still struggle to get the dollars needed to pay a supplier.
Lighthouse Capital raises $50m to back growing businesses in South Africa and Kenya
Lighthouse Capital is raising a $50 million fund to invest in growing businesses in South Africa and Kenya. The fund will invest between $5 million and $10 million in companies working in manufacturing, fintech, agribusiness and technology.
NeoFleet raises $4m to finance taxi fleets in Africa
Buying another car can be difficult for a taxi or ride-hailing operator when the business does not have enough cash and a bank is unwilling to finance the purchase.
M-KOPA buys Finnish device-locking company for $8 million
M-KOPA has bought Finnish software company KilpiTek Oy for $8 million, adding the technology used to lock financed smartphones to its own business.
South African startup builds AI model for 12 African languages
If you use an AI chatbot in South Africa, there is a good chance you are better off asking it a question in English. That is less useful for a country where millions of people use African languages every day.