Tage Kene-Okafor, one of the most prominent global voices covering Africa’s technology and venture capital ecosystem, has announced his departure from TechCrunch after five years. The announcement, shared via LinkedIn, marks the end of a defining chapter in how African innovation has been reported to international audiences.
“After five incredible years at TechCrunch, I’m signing off,” Kene-Okafor wrote, reflecting on a period in which he helped shape global understanding of Africa’s startups, fintech companies, investors, and policy shifts. His work consistently placed African innovation within broader global technology and capital markets, moving the conversation beyond hype to structure, context, and long-term implications.
A Global Lens on African Technology
Since joining TechCrunch in January 2021, Kene-Okafor became one of the most consistent and trusted reporters covering Africa’s tech ecosystem for a global readership. His reporting spanned early-stage startups, billion-dollar fintech companies, cross-border payments, venture capital flows, and the regulatory realities shaping African innovation.
Unlike surface-level coverage that focused primarily on funding announcements, his work examined deeper questions: fragmented markets, infrastructure gaps, capital constraints, and the policy environments founders must navigate. This approach helped international investors, operators, and policymakers better understand both the promise and complexity of building technology companies on the continent.
Beyond Fintech: A Shift in Perspective
In his farewell message, Kene-Okafor also hinted at the thinking shaping his next chapter. While acknowledging the transformative role of fintech in Africa’s growth story, he argued that software alone cannot deliver broad-based prosperity for the continent’s rapidly growing and youthful population.
“If we want to build truly thriving economies for the world’s youngest population, we must invest in infrastructure, industrial capacity, and the physical systems that drive economic growth,” he noted. He added that this shift will become increasingly important as artificial intelligence and automation reshape global industries, elevating the strategic importance of Africa’s energy systems, physical resources, and production capacity.
Although he did not disclose details of his next role, Kene-Okafor said he is “excited to join a young company working at the centre of this shift,” signalling a possible move from journalism into operating or investing within the technology ecosystem.
From Engineering to Global Tech Journalism
Kene-Okafor began his journalism career at Techpoint Africa, where he built a reputation for data-driven reporting on startups and funding trends. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka — a background that gave his reporting a technical depth often missing in startup coverage.
In April 2025, he expanded his influence further as a co-host of The Upside Podcast, where he explores technology, markets, and emerging economies, reinforcing his role as both journalist and public intellectual.
Why This Moment Matters
Industry observers see Kene-Okafor’s departure as more than a career move. It reflects a broader transition in Africa’s technology narrative — from digital experimentation and fintech dominance to deeper questions around infrastructure, industrialisation, and sustainable economic growth.
Above all, his career underscores a critical truth: storytelling is infrastructure too. Without credible, contextual reporting, capital, talent, and policy struggle to align. Kene-Okafor helped build that infrastructure — and his next chapter will be closely watched across Africa’s tech ecosystem.
