Blessed Frank

Exploring Africa's Tech Frontier | Unearthing Startup Gold 💰 | Decoding Crypto & Web3 | Your Guide to Emerging Markets #TechJournalist

Funding

Kenya's CrossBoundary Energy Receives $50M to Accelerate Solar Energy Adoption in Africa

CrossBoundary Energy which has already delivered a portfolio of over $285 million worth of solar and renewable energy assets for its clients, has raised $50 million to expand its portfolio across Africa.

Daily

Again Nigerian Startups Dominate Google’s 25 African Startups Black Founders Fund 2023

Nigerian startups, which dominated the previous year's cohort with 23 spots, still lead the pack in this year's selection, although with a reduced number of 10.

Members only

News Analysis

The Alarming Trend Of Cyber Attacks On Nigerian Fintechs: Unveiling The Culture Of Silence

News Analysis

How Malawi’s Yellow Africa Plans To Utilise Its $14M Series B Round

Yellow Africa raises a $14 million Series B funding round from Convergence Partners, the Energy Entrepreneurs Growth Fund and Platform Investment Partners to expand its coverage in select Sub-Saharan African markets.

Features

How BoxCommerce Is Revolutionising East Africa's E-commerce Landscape

BoxCommerce is now the largest B2B e-commerce startup in Kenya, with a merchant base 16 times larger than Shopify's. Its rapid growth trajectory positions it to surpass Shopify not only in Kenya but also in Africa and Southeast Asia within the next year.

News Analysis

Why FSD Africa Backs Africa Climate Ventures with $1.2M

FSD Africa Investments (FSDAi) has invested $1.2 million in Africa Climate Ventures (ACV), a visionary venture builder dedicated to combating climate change while tapping into the continent's immense potential for carbon markets. This investment sets the stage for ACV to build a $45 million portfolio of climate-positive

Daily

LemFi Partners Pesa Swap to Boost Kenya's Remittance Volume

Kenya has long been a hub for remittances, with its citizens residing overseas sending substantial amounts of money back home. Giving Egypt and Nigeria a hot pursuit for the number one spot. To further strengthen this vital source of income, LemFi, an African cross-border money transfer platform, has partnered with

Features

African Startups Still in Existential Battle as Mara, Chipper Lays Off Again

In the constantly evolving landscape of African startups, two prominent players, Mara and Chipper Cash, have recently faced tumultuous times marked by multiple rounds of layoffs. These layoffs have raised concerns and cast doubt on the future of these once-promising tech startups. As the African startup ecosystem matures, the challenges

Funding

Helium Health Raises $30M Series B Round To Scale Its HeliumCredit

Helium Health has raised $30 million in a Series B funding round led by AXA IM Alts, in a ground-breaking development for Nigerian health tech. This investment will accelerate the growth and reach of their fintech product, HeliumCredit, as well as cement their position as trailblazers in advancing universal health

Daily

London-based Unlimit Enters Another African Market, Receives Kenyan Payments Licence

Unlimit, one of the leading global fintech companies has received a license from the Central Bank of Kenya to roll out its payments services in the country. This comes barely a week after the payment giant which recently rebranded from “Unlimint” to Unlimit received a similar license from the Central

Features

How East African Startups Snatches 64.6% of Africa's VCs Funding in May

Over the past few years, East Africa has emerged as a formidable contender for the title of Africa's technology headquarters. With Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, often referred to as the African Silicon Valley, the region's tech ecosystem has been thriving. The numbers speak for themselves,

Daily

Nigeria’s Nearpays Wins Big at Gitex Africa Tech Conference

Nigerian fintech startup, Nearpays has emerged as the overall winner of the highly coveted Fintech and Blockchain Technology category at the Gitex Africa tech conference. The startup, which provides a comprehensive financial payment platform, clinched the $10,000 prize by outperforming the fierce competition in the Supernova Challenge held in

Features

Impacts of Fuel Subsidy Removal on the Nigerian Tech Startups

Nigeria, a country known for its thriving tech ecosystem and the growing number of startups, is currently facing a major challenge. The government’s recent removal of fuel subsidy has resulted in soaring fuel prices from the official pump price of $0.40 (185 naira) to $1.18 (550 naira)

New Analysis

WhiteBIT, One of Europe’s Leading Crypto Exhanges Expands to Nigeria

WhiteBIT, one of Europe’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, has made its official debut in Nigeria, marking a significant milestone in its global expansion efforts. With a steadfast commitment to security, liquidity, speed of execution, and user-friendly trading tools, WhiteBIT is poised to revolutionise the cryptocurrency landscape in Nigeria. Also, the

Crypto

Yellow Card Partners Tether to Drive Stablecoin Education, Adoption Among African Youth

Yellow Card and Tether, two prominent players in the cryptocurrency industry, have announced the successful completion of Phase 1 of their partnership in three key African markets. Over a period of two months, the partnership focused on raising awareness, providing education, and driving the adoption of USD₮, Tether’s stablecoin,

AI for Health

Google Startups Growth Academy Invites African Healthtech Startups To AI for Health Programme

Google for Startups Growth Academy has announced the start of its programme, AI for Health. A hybrid programme dedicated to supporting and accelerating the growth of startups, using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technology to develop tech solutions in the healthcare and wellness industry, thereby improving the health

Earned-wage services

Ugandan Zofi Cash Receives $1M Pre-seed Funding to Revolutionise Earned-Wage Access to Africans

Zofi Cash, a Ugandan fintech startup has received $1 million in a Pre-Seed funding round from Advancly to provide earned-wage access to Africans. This not only propels Zofi Cash to new heights but also symbolises the immense potential of earned-wage access platforms in Africa. Founded in 2021 by the duo

Crypto

The Many Troubles of Patricia: Matters Arising

It is widely assumed that most African startup founders regard funding as a means to an end. Rather than investment tied to a specific goal, it is viewed as a reward for their many years of hard work. Many of them migrate to the West and even relocate their companies’

Artificial Intelligence

Unleashing AI Potential for Nigeria's Economic, Technological Development

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a transformative force across the globe, and Nigeria stands out as one of the biggest adopters of AI technology in Africa. A 2022 report by AI Media listed Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, and Kenya as the biggest adopters of Artificial Intelligence technology in Africa. Interestingly,

AWS

Nigerian Fintech Startups Dominates AWS Inaugural Cohort Programme

Nigeria’s fintech startup ecosystem has achieved a remarkable milestone with the inclusion of eleven Nigerian fintech startups in the finals of the AWS Fintech Africa Accelerator cohort. Out of a total of twenty-five fintech startups selected by Amazon Web Services (AWS), these Nigerian startups have secured a coveted spot

E3 Capital

E3LCEF Gets $48.1M to Back Tech-Enabled Low-Carbon Entrepreneurs in Africa

In a pivotal move toward a sustainable future, the E3 Low Carbon Economy Fund for Africa (E3LCEF) has secured an impressive first close at $48.1 million. Also, with E3LCEF’s clear mission to invest in Africa’s next-generation low-carbon entrepreneurs, this fund will play a vital role in scaling

Africa Tech Summit

Africa Tech Summit London Announces 12 African Tech Ventures for Investment Showcase

Africa Tech Summit London (ATSLDN) is set to host an exciting event at the London Stock Exchange on June 23rd, where 12 African tech ventures will present their investment opportunities to a diverse audience of investors, corporates, and industry experts. This marks the 15th live summit organised by the Africa

AXA Group

Unyte Africa Partners AXA Mansard to Provide Innovative Insurance Services to Africans  

The insurance industry is still at various developing stages in many countries across Africa. According to data from Statista, the industry represents less than three per cent of insured catastrophe losses worldwide. Regardless, it is home to almost 18 per cent of the global population.  Despite the low levels of

accelerator programme

ARM Labs Invite Applications for its Innovation Programme 5.0

ARM Labs has announced the commencement of applications for the fifth edition of its Innovation Programme. As a prominent investment firm in Nigeria, ARM is dedicated to bolstering the growth and advancement of the country’s startup ecosystem. Also, the ARM Labs Innovation Programme is an intensive support initiative that

Financial Inclusion

Leveraging African Fintech Growth for Financial Inclusion 

Africa’s fintech sector has held a commanding lead on all fronts in recent years. Despite taking a significant hit from the global VC downturn in 2022, it remains the most backed sector on the continent, receiving 38 per cent of total investment for the year, according to  Briter Bridges.