Author: Staff Writer

YouTube has unveiled a new mobile app called YouTube Create to make Shorts or longer videos, allowing creators to edit, soundtrack, add captions and more — all from their mobile phones. YouTube Create, currently in beta on Android in eight specific countries, is a cost-free platform created to streamline and…

Drugstoc has emerged the winner of the 2023 Visa Everywhere Initiative (VEI) Global Finals and the Audience Favorite Award taking home the grand prize of $50,000 and $10,000 respectively. The Nigerian startup represented by co-founder and CEO, Chibuzor Opara, beat four other underlisted finalists to win the grand prize at…

Flapmax, a prominent data and AI technology firm, has unveiled the twelve startups chosen for the second cohort of the FAST Accelerator program, a collaborative initiative with Microsoft aimed at bolstering and expanding Africa’s digital landscape. After the successful completion of its 2-week Online Bootcamp, which featured over 60 tech…

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), announced that Nigeria’s Fixed-Lines Numbering Format has changed from 8 digits to 10 digits by just adding “02” prefix before existing fixed number. The telecoms regulatory body stated that the change was in keeping with its responsibilities under the enabling law, the Nigerian Communications Act…

Fixit45, a leader in the Africa’s automotive technology aftermarket sector, announced that it has secured $1.9 million in equity and working capital in a pre-seed funding round. The round was led by Launch Africa Ventures, Africa’s most active VC investment firm, with participation from prominent investors such as Soumobroto Ganguly…

Complete Farmer, an end-to-end agricultural marketplace, has raised $10.4 million ($7 million equity and $3.4 million debt) in a  million pre-Series A funding round to consolidate its efforts in the agricultural space. The equity part of the funding round was co-led by The Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund (ARAF) and Alitheia…

In a significant milestone, Neuralink has received the green light from an independent institutional review board and its first hospital site to kickstart recruitment for its groundbreaking first-in-human clinical trial. This pivotal trial, known as the PRIME Study (Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface), marks a revolutionary endeavor in the realm…

Google’s Bard has rolled out its most advanced model yet, packed with intuitive, imaginative, and responsive capabilities, all thanks to user feedback. This update aims to elevate collaboration, support multi-language conversations, provide coding assistance, and facilitate diverse learning experiences. With Bard’s latest features, users can access real-time information from various…

ANKA, an Ivorian SaaS e-commerce platform for African businesses formerly known as Afrikrea, announced that it has raised $5 million in a pre-Series A extension round led by International Finance Corporation (IFC). Other participants in the funding round include development finance institution Proparco and the French investment bank Bpifrance. This…

Today, Panos Panay the former EVP & Chief Product Officer at Microsoft, announced his departure from the tech giant after nearly 20 years. Panay played a pivotal role in the development of Microsoft’s Surface tablet and took on the position of Chief Product Officer responsible for the Windows business in…

Dr. Abasi Ene-Obong, the former CEO of 54Gene, has resurfaced as the CEO of a new company, Syndicate Bio. He went quiet after he resigned as the CEO of 54Gene about a year ago. According to Ene-Obong in a LinkedIn post, “Today, after a few months in stealth mode, I…

Running a restaurant successfully can be extremely challenging. You must attract customers, serve them appropriately, and leave them with good experiences. You can generate much revenue only after doing all these correctly. One thing that can help here is technology, a restaurant management app, to be specific. A restaurant management…

Technology Investor Prosus and its parent body, Naspers announced that Bob van Dijk is stepping down as CEO and Board member after 10 successful years of leadership with immediate effect. Bob van Dijk has led Naspers since 2014 and Prosus since 2019. Though it is not clear why he is…

Nigerian fintech company, Flutterwave, has unveiled ambitious plans to invest $50 million in Kenya, signaling its strong optimism regarding the issuance of its operating license in the country. The announcement was made by Flutterwave’s Chief Executive and Co-founder, Olugbenga Agboola, during a recent media interview held in Nairobi. Agboola also…

Nigerian cloud infrastructure company, WhoGoHost, has completed the full acquisition of SendChamp, a cloud communications startup specializing in online messaging solutions for African businesses. The acquisition, which encompasses both cash and equity components, represents a strategic move by WhoGoHost to enhance its value proposition to its customer base. Established in…

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has launched a self-service solution that allows Nigerians to easily register for their National Identification Number (NIN) using their smartphones. The platform’s launch coincided with the commemoration of the 5th Identity Day by the Commission and the Ministry of Interior in Abuja. During the…

Walmart has reaffirmed its dedication to the African market by intensifying its online initiatives with South African retailer Massmart. Over a decade ago, Walmart acquired a controlling stake in Massmart with the aim of tapping into Africa’s burgeoning consumer market. However, a series of challenges, including a commodities crash, pandemic-related…

In a recent development, TikTok has incurred a hefty fine of 345 million euros ($370 million) for violating privacy regulations concerning the handling of children’s personal data within the European Union, as announced by the bloc’s primary regulatory authority on Friday. Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) disclosed that the Chinese-owned…

Mecho Autotech, a pioneering automotive technology platform, announced that it has successfully raised $2.4 million in a pre-Series A funding round. Global Brain Corporation, Ventures Platform, and Uncovered Fund participated in this funding round. Last year, the Y Combinator-backed Nigerian vehicle repair and maintenance startup, closed a $2.15 million seed…

Emata – the agricultural finance solution for East African farmers – announced that it has successfully completed a $2.4 million seed fund raise, comprising $800,000 in equity and $1.6 million in on-lending capital. The fund raise was led by African Renaissance Partners – the VC firm investing in entrepreneurs in…