Author: Tapiwa Matthew Mutisi

Huawei Cloud has initiated a program in Nigeria with a commitment to invest $10 million in providing cloud credits for 100 Nigerian startups over the subsequent two years. Huawei announced this initiative at the Huawei Cloud Startup Summit that took place in Lagos on April 3, 2024. The event witnessed…

The Global Startup Awards Africa is encouraging African innovators and entrepreneurs to submit their entries for the 2024 edition of the competition, with the deadline set for 5th May 2024. The award categories are focused on providing solutions for major global issues aligned with both the United Nations’ Sustainable Development…

The inaugural program of the RevUp Women Initiative concluded with a grand business showcase, where 10 female entrepreneurs hailing from various African nations were each awarded a grant of US$10,000, summing up to a total of US$100,000. RevUp Women is an initiative which aims to uplift women entrepreneurs across Africa…

Officials in Cameroon have voiced concerns about the potential damaging impact to the country’s national telecommunications and internet service provider, Camtel, due to Starlink’s introduction to the market. The issues were raised by Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Minette Libom Li Likeng at the recent unveiling of the Industry Maker…

Panache Ventures, the Canadian pre-seed venture fund, has formed a strategic partnership with Kora, the Africa-focused fintech firm, intending to help African tech founders secure venture capital funding. The collaboration was announced at a recently concluded event in Lagos, Nigeria, jointly hosted by Panache Ventures and Kora, in a response…

The government of Kenya and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH are partnering up to launch a project focused on devising a National Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy. This initiative is being supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union and…

Affinity Ghana, a burgeoning digital bank, has successfully secured funding from Renew Capital, an investment firm with a keen focus on African ventures. The primary objective of Affinity is to tackle a persistent issue across Africa – the lack of bank accounts among 350 million adults. Their mission lies in…

Procera Group, a business process outsourcing (BPO) services firm based in South Africa, has secured R346 million (equivalent to $18.8 million) in investment from Vantage Capital, an investment manager with a primary interest in Africa. The investment will be utilized to enable future acquisitions by Procera, while Vantage Capital will…

During the FINCA Ventures Prize Competition, twelve African entrepreneurs each received a share of US$400,000 in grant funds designed to support the organization’s comprehensive strategy to eradicate poverty. The competition was funded by donors and acted as a platform to reward innovators focused on making a difference in Sub-Saharan Africa.…

South African supermarket chain Pick n Pay has introduced a new domestic money transfer service, known as Pick n Pay Money Transfer. This innovative facility allows customers to conveniently transfer money from one Pick n Pay store to another across its extensive network of 1,400 stores throughout South Africa. If…

In a nostalgic update, Nintendo has turned off the online servers for both the Wii U and 3DS consoles. As a result, online multiplayer gaming has ended for both platforms, and popular games like Mario Kart 7 for 3DS and the original Splatoon for the Wii U are now limited…

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, being the nation’s financial authority, shared in a recent press release that they anticipate online payment platforms to resume smooth processing of transactions by Friday, April 12, 2024. This comes as the country is transitioning to a new currency, the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG). In addition,…

After six months of litigation, Kenyan fintech company Pezesha and B2B eCommerce platform MarketForce arrived at an out-of-court settlement. MarketForce will use its own intangible assets, which have been given a monetary value by Pezesha, to clear the debt. This resolution follows a liquidation petition filed by Pezesha against MarketForce…

In a fraudulent currency exchange transaction, MultiChoice Nigeria allegedly incurred a loss of ₦7.9 billion which was about $16.23 million in 2021, as revealed by a legal document. It is stated that MultiChoice will recoup the aforementioned sum inclusive of interest. As reported by Premium Times, the dubious transaction involved…

Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan, was detained and faced charges of money laundering presented to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He declared himself not guilty in response to these allegations. In the four-count charge put forward by the court in Abuja, Gambaryan is accused of tax evasion…

Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, began offering users free premium features, including “blue checks” or verification badges, this past Wednesday. The aim is to recognize “influential” individuals on the platform. X Premium is generally a paid subscription service that users can choose to enroll in. According to the X…

Zuri, a Pan-African beauty startup, has received its initial institutional tech investment from Launch Africa Ventures. The investment follows a period of notable growth for Zuri, driven by the company’s vision and leadership. Zuri, a Black-owned enterprise, focuses on the design, manufacture, and distribution of hair products, cosmetics, and services…

MultiChoice Group has notified its shareholders of a “cooperation agreement” with French media powerhouse Canal+. This collaboration is centred on a mandatory offer that Canal+ is required to make under regulations following its acquisition of over 35% equity in MultiChoice in 2024. The latest news indicates Canal+, owned by Vivendi,…

The “funding winter” that has been impacting tech startups in Africa and worldwide shows no signs of easing up. Funding in the first quarter fell by over 50% to $310 million, compared to $650 million in the same quarter of the previous year. The ninth edition of the African Tech…

Applications are now open for the Africa Tech Startup Forum, an acceleration programme aimed at equipping tech startups with the essential skills, exposure, and opportunities needed for growth. The programme is funded by the Korea Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Trust Fund via the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Innovation and Entrepreneurship…