Nigeria

Nigeria’s Gokada raises $5.3m Series-A round led by Rise Capital

On-demand motorcyle ride-hailing startup Gokada has announced that it has raised a $5.3-million Series-A round led by San Francisco-based Rise Capital. The Lagos-based startup…

Mastercard expands its Engage programme to include Kenyan, Nigerian fintechs

Global payments tech firm Mastercard has expanded its Mastercard Engage programme to target Kenyan and Nigerian fintechs. The platform, which was launched in 2017,…

SA still Africa’s top startup ecosystem but has fallen 13 places, shows new ranking

South Africa may still have the highest ranked startup ecosystem for an African country, but it is no longer in the top 50 club,…

Up to $175k in total prize money up for grabs in 2019 Bell Labs Prize

Three innovators from around the world stand to win a share of $175 000 in the 2019 Bell Labs Prize. The competition is aimed at proposals that “change the game” in the ICT sector by a factor of 10.

Applications open for Founders Institute Lagos 2019 programme

Silicon Valley-based pre-seed startup accelerator Founder Institute has opened applications for the Lagos 2019 programme.

Two top Nigerian fintechs can win 1m naira in FCMB Tech Pitch Perfect competition

Nigeria’s First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has partnered with Passion Incubator in a search for innovative solutions around e-payment, e-collection and e-savings solutions through the FCMB Tech Pitch Perfect competition.

African tech startups raised over $1.2bn in funding in 2018 – Partech report

A report by French venture capital (VC) firm Partech Africa has found that 146 African tech startups raised $1.163-billion in equity funding last year…

Lagos-based Itanna accelerator opens applications for 2019 programme

The Itanna accelerator, a Lagos-based initiative that invests in tech startups, has opened applications for its 2019 programme. The accelerator, which was launched by…

Nigerian fintech TeamApt raises $5.5m in round led by Quantum Capital Partners

Nigerian fintech startup TeamApt has raised $5.5-million in investment in a Series-A round led by Nigerian venture capital (VC) company Quantum Capital Partners. This,…

‘Real projects will get African regulators to shift stance on crypto, blockchain’

Entrepreneurs who help develop real projects on the blockchain is what is likely to drive African regulators to begin regulating cryptocurrency and blockchain. So,…

Accion Venture Lab launches second edition of Company Builder programme

Accion Venture Lab, the seed-stage investment initiative of global non-profit Accion, has launched the second edition of its Company Builder programme, applications for which…

MMH Accelerator to offer up to €50k in funding to African healthtech startups

Selected Ghanaian, Kenyan and Nigerian late stage healthtech firms — including those solving for animal health — stand to benefit from up to €50 000 in funding from this year’s Making More Health (MMH) Accelerator programme.

Nigeria’s Wakanow secures $40m investment from The Carlyle Group

In what is one of the biggest disclosed deals this year, Lagos-based online travel company Wakanow.com has secured a $40-million equity investment from US alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group.

Kobo360 lands $6-million equity investment from World Bank’s IFC

The IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has announced a $6-million equity investment in Nigerian tech startup Kobo360. The startup’s e-logistics platform helps…

Nigerian startup Edves secures $120k funding from Chinook Capital, CcHub fund

Lagos-based edtech startup Edves has announced that it has secured a $120 000 seed round from two Nigerian investors: Chinook Capital and Co-creation Hub’s…

Fintech platform Mines raises $13m in Series-A round led by The Rise Fund

US-based fintech Mines — which was founded by a Nigerian team — has raised $13-million in a Series-A round led by US impact investor The Rise…

Lessons from a business sale that didn’t quite go right – Farmcrowdy founder

His business may have raised a $1-million round from Silicon Valley investors in December last year. But Farmcrowdy founder Onyeka Akumah says he learnt how…

Andela’s VP global operations on why Kigali is strategic location for tech hub

US software training organisation Andela is betting on East Africa as a strategic location from which to recruit and train software developers for top employers around the world….

How football helped kick off Nigerian agritech startup Farmcrowdy

In just 18 months Nigerian agritech platform Farmcrowdy has grown to helping 7000 farmers on farm land across nine states in Nigeria to help fund the purchase…

DEMO Ventures reveals five countries its new $100m fund for startups will target

Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. These are the five countries that a new $100-million fund — to be launched in October by DEMO Ventures…

Nigerian startups dominate lineup in edtech incubator Injini’s second cohort

After receiving over 800 applications from 36 countries across Africa, Cape Town based edtech incubator Injini today (11 July) unveiled the eight startups that will…

Vice-president in meeting with Google head to showcase Nigeria’s tech sector [Updated]

Nigeria’s vice-president Yemi Osinbajo, who is leading a three-day US roadshow to showcase the growth of Nigeria’s tech and entertainment sectors, yesterday met with Google CEO…

Nigerian logistics startup Kobo360 closes $1.2m seed round

Nigerian logistics startup Kobo360 has raised $1.2-million in a seed round led by US venture capital firm Western Technology Investment. The startup, which was…

WhatsApp will take legal action against spammers, starting December

Showmax rolls out new sports streaming feature to all customers

New AfDB fund to help grow electronic financial services for low-income communities

Top startup events in South Africa, Africa you should know about this week [14/6/2019]

Six Nigerian fintech startups to keep an eye on

Google’s new Game Builder lets you make 3D games on Steam

Huawei users are getting Booking.com ads on their lock screens

The 5 games that totally won E3 2019, according to social media data

Audi’s new cars in Germany will count you down, pace you to green lights

Two Ford Focus trim levels also found to have lock issues

South Africa’s govt ministers really love German cars and big Toyotas report reveals