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Vale is getting more Nigerians to use its platform for everyday finance
Vale Finance has grown into a much bigger business than the savings and investment platform it started with. The Nigerian fintech says customer placements have grown from ₦100 million in 2022 to more than ₦10 billion in 2026. At the same time, transaction value on the platform has gone from ₦15 billion in 2022 to
Nigeria is putting more advanced AI training into its universities
Nigeria already has a growing number of students using AI tools. The harder part is getting more students to understand what sits behind those tools and giving them the skills to build with the technology themselves. That is what the Africa AI Upskilling Programme (AAUP) is trying to address. The programme launched at the University
Drivva is taking aim at one of Nigeria’s biggest car ownership headaches
Nigeria’s car market is changing, but maintaining a vehicle is still mostly a manual process. When a car develops a problem, most owners still call a mechanic, ask someone for a recommendation or take it to a workshop they have used before. Service records can be just as messy. Owners keep some on paper, others
Spiro’s $100 Million Bet Is on Keeping African Riders Moving
Spiro has raised $100 million in what is being described as Africa’s largest ever investment in electric mobility. The interesting part is not only the size of the investment. It is where Spiro is putting its money.The company is building around electric motorcycles, but more importantly, it is building the infrastructure needed to keep those
Africa is getting more Big Tech investment, but the basics are still holding it back
Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon and Starlink are putting more money into Africa's digital infrastructure. Subsea cables are reaching more parts of the continent, satellite internet is expanding and cloud companies are adding services for African customers. For businesses that have spent years dealing with unreliable connections, that is useful. There is still a problem underneath
China’s 4.3 million-car recall exposes a problem South Africa’s new cars are adopting
China is recalling about 4.3 million vehicles after finding a problem with electronic door handles that could make it harder for people to get out of a car after an accident. The recall affects vehicles from 11 manufacturers, including Tesla and Xiaomi. The issue comes down to what happens when the car loses electrical power.
Egypt Completes Africa’s First 6 GHz Mobile Services Trial
Egypt has completed Africa’s first trial of mobile services using the 6 GHz band, giving the country an opportunity to assess the spectrum for future high-capacity mobile networks. Egypt’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) conducted the trial with Telecom Egypt and Huawei as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s telecommunications infrastructure and digital economy.
Namibia Approves Local Content Policy as Offshore Oil Development Advances
Namibia has approved a National Upstream Petroleum Local Content Policy as major offshore oil discoveries move closer to development, with the government seeking to increase the participation of local businesses and workers in the emerging petroleum industry. The policy focuses on local procurement, employment, skills development and technology transfer, with Namibian companies expected to compete
AMACO’s $1.5bn Kenya AI project puts the power problem in focus
Africa is talking more about AI data centres, but there is a basic question that comes with every large project: where will the electricity come from? AMACO Energy Group, a Greek multinational, is proposing a $1.5 billion data-centre project in Mombasa, Kenya. Its HERCULES system would combine the data centre with electricity generation and cooling,
Founder Fridays : Akani Connect
Some ideas begin in the office. Others begin with a sudden realisation. For Bongani Ntokozo Mbonani, the idea behind Black Apple Investments began on the ground, working with communities affected by mining projects and seeing first-hand how difficult it could be to connect local people and businesses with the opportunities created around them. One of
Nissan’s Rosslyn plant buyer is also building police robots
Chery is taking over Nissan’s former Rosslyn plant in Pretoria, but the company has another business that has little to do with cars. Its robotics division, AiMoga Robotics, is preparing for a possible stock market listing as it looks for more money to develop its humanoid robots and increase production. Zhang Guibing, who heads AiMoga
These Kenyan startups raised millions before shutting down. What happened?
Kenya's startup market has produced some big funding rounds. It has also produced some expensive failures. Sendy, Copia, Gro Intelligence, KOKO Networks, MarketForce, Lipa Later, iProcure, Kune, Bonto, Mobius Motors and Notify Logistics all raised significant amounts of money before shutting down, entering administration or going through liquidation. Together, the companies raised more than $500
No Free Lunch Podcast – The SME Funding Challenge
This episode of No Free Lunch explores the rapid growth of South Africa’s ICT and small business sector, with a particular focus on the funding challenges faced by SMEs working on larger projects. Host Greg Stewart is joined by Andrew Keggie, Chief Information Officer at Lula, a Cape Town-based fintech that provides working capital and
AfriLabs and EYCONET Partner to Expand Startup Investment Access in North Africa
Pan-African innovation hub network AfriLabs has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Algeria-based Algerian Ecosystem Network (EYCONET) to expand its investment deal room and strengthen access to funding for startups in North Africa. The partnership will use the AfriLabs Connect Deal Room, a platform designed to support structured deal sourcing and help startups become
DRC Orders Oil and Gas Sector Review to Unlock Hydrocarbon Potential
President Félix Tshisekedi has directed the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government to conduct a comprehensive review of the country’s oil and gas sector as Kinshasa looks to better understand its hydrocarbon assets and advance new development opportunities. State Minister for Hydrocarbons Acacia Bandubola Mbongo has been tasked with leading the review, which will assess
Volkswagen's Kariega plant sets a new production record
Volkswagen's Kariega plant built 17,009 vehicles in July, its highest monthly production figure so far. The plant's previous record was 16,670 vehicles, set in July 2025. The latest figure puts production 339 vehicles above that mark. Most of the July output was made up of Polos. The plant produced 13,490 Polos for the South African
Breaking News Today – Friday 21 August 2026
African Start-up News Headlines: Business News Today ABSA Share Buyout in Kenya Disappoints The Absa Banking Group will spend around about $50.37 million to increase its stake in Absa Bank Kenya to 71.99%. This is however below the a fraction of the &283.4 million the major banking group had allocated for the share buy scheme
The Mining Wrap
This week’s Mining Wrap covers mining investment, exploration, ESG, equipment, acquisitions and critical-mineral developments across Africa. Highlights include Exxaro’s push to increase the contribution of future-facing metals and energy, new copper exploration in Botswana, Kamoa Copper’s US$16.9 million community investment in the DRC, and South Korea’s US$1 billion financing arrangement with Glencore. Hitachi Construction Machinery
African content has found a global market. Now comes the fight over the money
Sello Maake Ka-Ncube got a reminder of how far African television has travelled while passing through an airport in Ethiopia. People recognised the South African actor from Blood & Water. Later, in Europe, a group of Spaniards recognised him too. For Maake Ka-Ncube, those moments were about more than personal recognition. They showed that a
Complete Farmer Founder Desmond Koney Joins Endeavor Network
Ghanaian agribusiness entrepreneur Desmond Koney, founder and CEO of Complete Farmer, has been selected by Endeavor Nigeria to join the global Endeavor network following a multi-stage evaluation process. Koney was selected at Endeavor’s International Selection Panel in Athens, Greece, alongside 27 other entrepreneurs representing 16 companies from Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the