Author: Tapiwa Matthew Mutisi

Following the success of its inaugural cohort, the RevUp Women Initiative has officially launched its Nigeria Edition, reaffirming its commitment to empowering women-led businesses across Africa. This expansion aims to provide targeted support to 150 women entrepreneurs in Lagos, Abuja, and Abia, with a strategic focus on agribusiness and e-commerce—two sectors with high potential for scalable…

Swypex, an Egyptian fintech startup offering an all-in-one financial management platform, has unveiled a groundbreaking product: Egypt’s first approval-based limits card. This innovative solution is designed to modernize how businesses manage and control corporate spending, offering a new level of precision, transparency, and operational efficiency. Founded by Ahmad Mokhtar, Tarek Mokhtar, and Sasan Hezarkhani,…

Knife Capital, a leading South African venture capital firm, has marked its 15th anniversary by announcing new Series A investments in two high-growth South African startups: Sticitt, a fintech innovator in school payments, and Optique, a disruptor in the optometry space. Founded in 2010, Knife Capital is a pan-African VC firm with a mission to accelerate the…

Enko Capital, a pan-African investment firm specializing in frontier and emerging markets, has secured a major commitment from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for its newly launched Enko Impact Credit Fund (EICF)—the firm’s first private credit vehicle. The IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has pledged to invest up to $25 million, or 20% of…

Yikodeen, a Nigerian manufacturer specializing in safety footwear, has secured a $1.5 million investment from Aruwa Capital Management, a gender-lens private equity firm focused on West Africa. The funding, drawn from Aruwa Capital Fund II, will be used to significantly expand Yikodeen’s production capacity and deepen its market presence across Nigeria and the broader…

BuuPass, a Kenyan mobility technology startup, has secured a strategic investment from Yango Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of global ride-hailing and tech conglomerate Yango Group. This investment marks one of the first deployments from Yango Ventures’ newly launched $20 million fund, which is focused on supporting early-stage startups across Sub-Saharan Africa.…

Globeleq, a leading independent power producer focused on Africa, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 51% equity stake in Lunsemfwa Hydro Power Company (LHPC), a Zambian renewable energy company. The stake is being sold by Agua Imara, a subsidiary of Norfund, the Norwegian investment fund for developing countries. LHPC, headquartered in Kabwe, Central…

Swedfund, Sweden’s development finance institution, has announced a $10 million commitment to Africa People + Planet Fund III (NVIII), a venture capital fund managed by Novastar Ventures. The fund targets early-stage, high-impact businesses across Africa that are tackling climate change while improving livelihoods for underserved populations. This investment is part of Swedfund’s broader mission…

British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution, has announced a $5 million investment in ARC Ride, a Nairobi-based electric mobility company. The funding is aimed at accelerating the adoption of electric motorbikes, commonly known as boda bodas, across Kenya and the broader East African region. This strategic investment will enable ARC Ride to…

Mediterrania Capital Partners, a private equity firm specializing in growth investments across the African continent, has announced the final close of its latest fund, Mediterrania Capital IV Mid Cap (MC IV), with total commitments reaching €600 million. This marks a major milestone for both the firm and the broader private equity landscape…

Zero Carbon Charge, a pioneering South African startup focused on sustainable mobility, has secured a major equity investment of R100 million (approximately US$5.6 million) from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). This funding marks a significant step forward in the company’s mission to roll out a nationwide network of ultra-fast, solar-powered electric vehicle…

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has announced a landmark $72 million financing package to support Egypt’s transition toward a more sustainable and resilient energy future. This funding will enable the development of the country’s first utility-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), marking a…

Miro, a vertically integrated forestry and plywood manufacturing company with operations in Sierra Leone and Ghana, has successfully closed a new funding round aimed at accelerating its growth and global ambitions. The round is led by Lagata, a specialist forestry investor with a strong focus on sub-Saharan Africa, which is contributing…

Standard Bank has deepened its commitment to South Africa’s energy transformation through a strategic partnership with NOA Group, one of the country’s fastest-growing and most dynamic energy aggregators. Backed by African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), NOA is rapidly emerging as a key player in reshaping the national energy landscape by aggregating renewable energy…

In a landmark move to reshape the continent’s financial landscape, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), and Mercury Payment Services (MPS) have jointly launched PAPSSCARD—the first-ever Pan-African card scheme designed and built entirely on the continent. Unveiled in Abuja, Nigeria, the PAPSSCARD is being hailed as a transformative step toward financial sovereignty, cost-efficient…

Aria Ventures, a specialized venture studio dedicated to building and scaling startups, has announced the launch of a new $1 million (EGP 50 million) investment initiative aimed at supporting high-potential companies in the Deep-Technology sector. This strategic move is designed to bridge the critical gap between cutting-edge scientific research and real-world commercial applications,…

Solar energy financing in Africa has reached a new milestone. d.light, a pioneering solar energy company founded at Stanford University, has significantly expanded its receivables financing facility, unlocking over $300 million in new capital to purchase consumer receivables. This brings the company’s total securitized financing capacity to an impressive $842 million across five…

Global satellite communications provider Intelsat has entered into a transformative partnership with the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI), a nonprofit founded by actor, UNESCO Special Envoy, and humanitarian Forest Whitaker. The collaboration aims to deliver high-speed satellite internet to underserved educational centers in conflict-affected regions of East Africa, specifically…

Pick n Pay, one of South Africa’s largest retail chains, has officially exited the Nigerian market by selling its 51% stake in its local joint venture, Pikwik, to EcoCommerce Nigeria, a private equity firm. While the Pick n Pay brand will continue to operate in the country under a licensing…

South Africa’s state-owned power utility, Eskom, is exploring unconventional avenues to generate revenue, including supporting Bitcoin mining operations and hosting large-scale computing infrastructure such as data centres. This strategic pivot comes as the utility grapples with a steady decline in electricity demand and mounting financial pressure. A Utility in Transition…