So, Twitter (X) is currently debating whether Home Alone is the greatest Christmas movie of all time. (Spoiler: It is). But as I watched the McCallister mansion get rigged with paint cans and blowtorches for the tenth time, I realised something. This isn’t just a holiday movie about a kid…
Author: Smart Megwai
Smart Megwai
Smart is a technology journalist covering innovation, digital culture, and the business of emerging tech. His reporting for Innovation Village explores how technology shapes everyday life in Africa and beyond.
We need to look beyond the headlines. Yes, Dangote Refinery is now selling petrol directly to consumers at lower prices (₦835-₦900). But if you see this as “cheaper fuel,” you may miss the larger picture. Aliko Dangote is applying a classic vertical integration strategy. This is similar to how Amazon…
For years, recruitment in African companies has followed a depressing ritual: HR posts a link on LinkedIn, they “pray” for good candidates, and then they sit alone in a room sorting through 5,000 irrelevant CVs. It is a solitary, exhausting, and often failing process. If you’ve ever tried to build…
In 2025, the average consumer across Africa felt the impact of inflation daily. Food prices soared in Kenya, medicine costs swung with Nigeria’s exchange rate, and housing in Addis Ababa became a luxury reserved for a few. Each of these price hikes is the result of a “broken link” in…
We need to have an honest conversation. Every time I go on X (Twitter) or LinkedIn, I see the same debate. Someone posts about moving to the US, and the comments section becomes highly contentious. One side screams “Japa!” (escaping), and the other side talks about “Brain Drain.” But if…
Ten years ago, if you asked an African tech founder about their biggest challenge, they wouldn’t say “market fit.” Instead, they would point to “infrastructure.” You can’t build a Netflix for Africa if data costs $10 a gigabyte. You can’t build an Amazon if the roads are bad. You can’t…
The South African Information Regulator is currently running a deep investigation into Truecaller, and the allegations are serious. It is not just about a data leak; it is about their entire business model. The investigation was triggered by a flood of complaints in mid-2025, but they didn’t come from regular…
If you look past the $82.7 billion headline that broke the internet on Friday, you’ll see the most ruthless corporate surgery in Hollywood history. Netflix didn’t just buy Warner Bros.; they walked into a burning house, grabbed the jewellery and the family photos, and left the furniture to burn. Here…
For years, the PoS (Point of Sale) business has been the “saviour” of the Nigerian streets. It’s how we get cash when the ATMs are empty (which is always), how we transfer “urgent 2k,” and how millions of young Nigerians found a way to survive the unemployment crisis. But as…
If you live in Lagos, Abuja, or Port Harcourt, you probably don’t think about “network” as a life-or-death issue. You think of it as an annoyance. If your data is slow, you can’t stream Netflix, or your transfer fails. It’s frustrating, but it’s not fatal. But for 23 million Nigerians,…
It’s a Tuesday afternoon, and you receive a call from someone claiming to be from your bank or an investment manager. They have just enough of your details to sound credible. They inform you of a problem with your account or present a “once-in-a-lifetime” investment opportunity that is about to…
If you have tried to order a Starlink kit in Lagos or Abuja recently, you likely hit a “Sold Out” wall. The satellite revolution that Elon Musk brought to Africa has been nothing short of transformative, but it has hit a ceiling: capacity. Enter Amazon LEO. Just weeks ago, on…
The “O-1 is for Geniuses” myth is one of the most costly misunderstandings in the African tech ecosystem right now. The truth many founders overlook is this: the O-1 visa isn’t just about leaving Nigeria; it’s about levelling up your company. If you are a founder, a senior engineer, or…
If you only read the headlines over the past few weeks, you might feel confused. On one hand, Jumia, the “Amazon of Africa”, just posted a stellar Q3 2025 report. Their revenue increased by 25% to $45.6 million, and they are receiving more orders. The dream of becoming the leading…
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has just placed a massive €2 billion bet on Africa’s green future. While the press release is packed with high-level figures and diplomatic jargon, the real story here isn’t just about the euros. It’s about what that money actually buys on the ground. It’s about…
Just when we thought the storm surrounding Paystack’s flamboyant co-founder was settling into a quiet corporate investigation, the situation has exploded into a full-blown legal war. In a move that has stunned the African tech ecosystem, Paystack has officially terminated the appointment of Ezra Olubi. But here is the twist:…
If you follow Nigerian political news, you might have seen a sudden flare-up involving the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. It centers on a company called Xpress Payments Solutions Limited and how your taxes travel from your bank account to the Federal Government’s pocket.…
If you’ve been following the tech scene in Malawi, you know the past few months have felt a bit like a waiting game. While rival network TNM made headlines back in July 2025 by switching on its 5G network in Lilongwe, the market leader, Airtel Malawi, remained relatively quiet. The…
Safaricom, Kenya’s leading telecom company, has made a deal with Starlink, the satellite internet service founded by Elon Musk. To understand this deal, we need to look at the tensions that led up to it. This was not just a disagreement; it was a clash between traditional telecom services and…
In November 2025, a strange rumour spread among mobile phone users in Kenya. People said the government required more than just an ID card to register a SIM card. They claimed the government wanted your blood type, your fingerprints, and even your DNA. This sounded like a scene from a…