Africa’s startups raised $2.2 billion in equity, grants, and debt (excluding exits). While this is an impressive figure, it highlights a 25% decrease compared to last year, when startups in Africa secured $2.9 billion, according to ‘Africa: The Big Deal.’ Who were the major key players? The total of $2.2 billion was primarily driven by two significant deals by Nigeria’s Moniepoint and South Africa’s Tyme Group. A gross of 188 ventures secured $1 million or greater (excluding exits) in funding, 10% less given in 2023 despite the 25% dip in
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has lodged criminal complaints in France and Belgium against Apple and its local subsidiaries, accusing the tech giant of benefiting from conflict minerals in its supply chain. In a statement, lawyers for the Congolese government allege that these “blood minerals” fuel violent conflict in the region, including atrocities committed by armed groups. Apple has denied the claims. Apple Accused of Covering Up War Crimes Eastern Congo is a major source of tin, tantalum and tungsten—the 3T minerals—which are widely used in electronics like computers
South Africa’s digital lender Tyme Group has raised $250 million in a Series D funding round, pushing its valuation to $1.5 billion and securing its place as Africa’s ninth unicorn. Nu Holdings Backs Tyme’s Global Ambitions The round was led by Nu Holdings, Latin America’s largest fintech company. Nu Holdings, the parent company of Nubank, invested $150 million for a 10% stake, marking its first major bet outside of Latin America. M&G Catalyst Fund contributed an additional $50 million, while existing investors, including Tencent and Gokongwei Group, also participated. Tyme’s
Nigerian fintech startup Billboxx has raised $1.6 million in a pre-seed funding round, aiming to empower African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with cash flow management solutions. The funding, a combination of debt and equity, was led by Norrsken Accelerator, Kaleo Ventures, 54 Collective, P2Vest, and Afrinovation Ventures. Addressing SME Cash Flow Issues Founded in 2023 by Justus Obaoye and Abdulazeez Ogunjobi, Billboxx offers invoice financing and payment processing services to help SMEs combat cash flow challenges caused by delayed payments from enterprise clients. The platform facilitates upfront payments for
South Africa’s Black Business Council has called for McKinsey & Company to be banned and blacklisted following the consultancy firm’s $122 million settlement with South African and US authorities. McKinsey’s payment addresses allegations of bribery and corruption involving former South African president Jacob Zuma and has sparked debate over accountability and fairness. McKinsey Bribery Settlement Sparks Outrage McKinsey’s settlement stems from McKinsey’s involvement in corrupt dealings with South African state-owned enterprises Eskom and Transnet between 2012 and 2016. While the firm has fired implicated employees and returned over R4.1 billion
Moove, the Nigerian mobility solutions pioneer, has announced a partnership with Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous vehicle division. This marks the first time an African startup has collaborated with a global leader in self-driving technology to manage fully autonomous fleets in the United States. Launching Autonomous Fleets in Phoenix and Miami The partnership will see Moove overseeing the fleet operations, charging infrastructure, and facilities for Waymo’s all-electric autonomous vehicles (AVs), starting in Phoenix in 2025 and expanding to Miami in 2026. Waymo will continue to provide its Waymo Driver technology through the
Netflix has denied rumors of its withdrawal from Nigeria, emphasizing its ongoing dedication to the Nigerian entertainment industry and local subscribers. Speculation Over Netflix Leaving Nigeria Speculation about Netflix’s future in Nigeria has grown following comments from filmmaker Kunle Afolayan, who revealed that Netflix had canceled some commissioned films by unnamed filmmakers. Although Afolayan did not explicitly state that Netflix was leaving the Nigerian market, his remarks sparked widespread concern on social media. In response, a Netflix spokesperson clarified to TechCabal: “We are not exiting Nigeria. We will continue to
LeapFrog Investments, a private equity firm with a focus on impact-driven investments, has closed its fourth fund, raising $1.15 billion to fuel financial services and healthcare in emerging markets. The milestone includes $808 million in primary commitments and $210 million allocated for co-investments. This fund aims to reach millions of underserved consumers in Africa and Asia with transformative services. Expanding the Reach of Impact Investing The Fund IV investor lineup includes leading global institutions like Temasek, Prudential Financial, and AIA, alongside development finance powerhouses such as the European Investment Bank
Google’s Black Founders Fund (BFF) has helped startups across Africa and Europe raise $379 million in funding and create over 6,000 jobs collectively. This marks a turning point for Black-led startups, which have historically faced limited access to capital and support, attracting less than 1% of global venture capital. Non-Dilutive Funding Accelerates Growth Established in 2020, the BFF addresses systemic racial inequities in venture capital. The program offers equity-free funding, mentorship, and resources tailored to Black entrepreneurs. So far, over 220 African startups have benefited, with their growth rates surpassing
Techstars-backed edtech startup Lingawa has raised $1.1 million in pre-seed funding to expand its mission of promoting African languages. Formerly known as TopSet, the company has pivoted from academic tutoring to African language learning, starting with Yoruba and Igbo. This pivot aims to address the growing demand for preserving indigenous languages among Africans and the diaspora. Tackling Language Extinction With Tech Africa is home to over 2,000 languages, but approximately 12% are at risk of extinction, with colonialism and globalization cited as key contributors. Lingawa’s mission aligns with efforts to
