Search Results for: SMEs
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BUSINESS
Mastercard opens nominations for its Women SME Leaders Awards 2022
Mastercard has announced the inaugural Women SME Leaders Awards 2022, to recognize and further empower women-owned and run SMEs in the…
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News
Logistics startup Truck It raises $13 million seed round, largest in MENAP trucking space
Pakistan’s logistics tech startup Truck It In has closed a $13 million seed round jointly led by venture capital firms…
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Startups
Kenyan fintech startup Zanifu raises $1M funding, eyes Ghana and Uganda expansion
Kenyan fintech startup Zanifu has closed a $ 1 million seed round to scale its business and improve on its…
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BUSINESS
PayPal withdrawals via Equity Bank will now take 24 hours
Equity Bank has reduced the duration it takes to settle PayPal withdrawals from 3 Business days to just 24 hours.…
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BUSINESS
MTN Uganda partners with NCBA to launch an overdraft facility
MTN Uganda has launched a new overdraft service that will enable MTN MoMo customers to access advance Mobile Money funds…
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News
The Tony Elumelu Foundation opens applications for its $5000 2022 Entrepreneurship Programme
The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) has opened applications for the 2022 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme. The programme is open to African…
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News
FSD Africa announces a £3m investment in Kenyan fintech firm MFact
FSD Africa Investments (FSDAi), the investing arm of FSD Africa, has today announced a £3m investment in Kenyan fintech firm…
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BUSINESS
Telkom, Britam partner on mobile and insurance product
Telkom Kenya, and the financial services group Britam Holding, have partnered to launch a mobile-based insurance product. Known as Life…
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News
Kenyan startup Wowzi raises $3.2 million seed funding to expand across Africa
Kenyan startup Wowzi has raised $2 million in seed funding to expand its digital marketplace across Africa. The round was…
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News
Middle East and Africa is a fertile ground for the growth of super-apps, report
From ride-hailing services to grocery delivery, and financial services such as buy-now-pay-later to microfinancing, super-apps development in the Middle East…
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Startups
Kwara partners with Workpay to offer HR and Payroll services to SACCOs in Kenya
Kenyan fintech startup Kwara has partnered with Workpay to offer SACCOs in Kenya with human resource management and payroll processing solutions. The partnership…
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Startups
Kenyan fintech startup Asilimia raises $2 million in pre-seed funding
Kenyan fintech startup Asilimia has raised $2 million in pre-seed funding to expand its operations to new markets in East Africa.…
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New Appointments
Wael Elkabbany to head Microsoft’s newly established Africa Transformation Office
Microsoft has appointed Wael Elkabbany to lead its newly established Africa Transformation Office (ATO). Under Elkabbany’s leadership, the ATO will…
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BUSINESS
Safaricom launches new promotion for its M-Pesa business users
Safaricom has today launched a promotion that will reward business owners on its Lipa Na M-PESA and Pochi La Biashara…
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News
Nigerian Lending Startup Payhippo Raises $3 Million in Seed Funding
Payhippo, a lending startup that is widening credit access for small businesses in Nigeria, has raised $3 million in seed…
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News
Standard Bank partners with Flutterwave to build digital payments solutions in Africa
Standard Bank has partnered with African fintech company Flutterwave to build digital payments solutions for the different markets the bank…
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BUSINESS
Social media main enabler for growth among women-owned businesses, Mastercard report
95% of women SMEs in the region identify social media channels as the top tool to drive their business ventures.…
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News
MFS Africa signs agreement to acquire Nigerian fintech startup Baxi
Pan-African digital payments hub MFS Africa signed an agreement to acquire Baxi, one of Nigeria’s super-agent networks. The deal, which is…
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News
[This Week in Tech] Wapi Pay founders step down from their roles
This has been quite an interesting week in tech in Africa. We covered a number of great announcements here at…
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Startups
Nigerian Fintech Startup Brass Secures $1.7M Financing Round
Nigerian fintech startup Brass has secured $1.7mn in funding to address the heavily underserved banking needs of local entrepreneurs, traders and…
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Startups
Nigeria’s e-commerce startup Sendbox raises $1.8 million
Sendbox has announced the completion of a $1.8 million seed round from investors including 4DX Ventures, Enza Capital, FJLabs, and…
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News
These are the 9 Kenyan startups selected to receive equity-free funding from Google
Google recently announced that it will be investing up to $50 million in African early- and growth-stage startups via its…
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News
Sendy acquires a significant stake in West African logistics startup Kamtar
Kenyan tech-logistics startup Sendy has completed a strategic equity investment in West African logistics platform Kamtar. On the heels of…
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News
PETER KIRONJI: The Future of Social Commerce in Kenya; A Case of The Kenyan Influencer Marketing Hub
Understanding social commerce platform? Access to market continues to be a challenge for many MSMEs in Kenya as they are…
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News
Nigeria’s B2B payments platform Verto secures $10m Series A round for expansion
Nigeria’s B2B payments platform Verto has announced that it has closed $10 million in Series A funding for expansion. The round was led…
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News
Absa partners with Melanin Kapital to launch unsecured lending for women-focused startups in Kenya
Absa Bank Kenya has partnered with Pan African impact investment platform Melanin Kapital, to launch an investor readiness program for…
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News
PATRICK NDEGWA: Growing a successful tech startup in Kenya – 4 key elements
The tech scene in Kenya is thriving. Even amid a global pandemic, economic uncertainty, and election fever, our dynamic African…
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News
Pangea Trust opens applications for its Startup Connect Programme
Pangea Trust has opened applications for its Startup Connect Programme. The programme was launched yesterday at an online event moderated by security…
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News
Google partners with Kenyan women MPs to improve digital skills
Google and the Kenyan Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) have announced a collaboration to improve gender equity, diversity and inclusion within…
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News
TransUnion Africa, and data analytics firm Dun & Bradstreet Partner to Boost SME Sector in South Africa
Information and insights provider TransUnion Africa has partnered with global commercial data company Dun & Bradstreet to help small and…
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BUSINESS
M-PESA is now Africa’s Largest Fintech, Hits 50 Million Active Customers
Safaricom’s mobile money platform M-Pesa has reached 50 million monthly active customers in Africa, making it the continent’s largest fintech.…
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News
Equity Group Appoints Jonas Mushosho New Non – Executive Director to its Board
Equity Group Holdings has announced the appointment of Jonas Mushosho as a Non-Executive Director to its board. His appointment follows…
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BUSINESS
Banking Sector Contributed 27% of All Corporate Taxes Paid in Kenya in 2020 and 2019
The banking industry contributed 27 percent of all corporate taxes paid in Kenya in 2020 and 2019 even as the…
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News
4G Capital Strengthens Leadership Team With New Appointments
4G CAPITAL GROUP has today announced the appointments of Alex Siboe as Chief Operations Officer and Ross Breadmore as Chief Product Officer. Both officers…
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News
West African solar startup MyJouleBox secures €3m Series A round to boost growth in core markets
MyJouleBox, a solar distributor startup has completed a €3 million Series A. The round is aimed at strengthening its position…
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News
UN announces winners of “Good Food for All” competition in Africa
Thirteen small- and medium-sized businesses from Africa and the Middle East have been announced as winners of the “Good Food…
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BUSINESS
Creditinfo launches SME blended scorecard in Kenya
Credit information and decision analytics provider Creditinfo Group has launched a scorecard solution in Kenya tailored for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Through…
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News
HUAWEI launches IdeaHub series of products in Kenya
HUAWEI has today launched the IdeaHub series of products in Kenya—The IdeaHub is a productivity tool for the smart office…
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News
Nigerian fintech startup Lidya raises $8.3m pre-Series B funding round
Nigerian fintech and lending startup Lidya has announced the completion of its $8.3 million pre-Series B funding round. Alitheia Capital…
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News
Kenyan startup MarketForce raises $2m pre-Series A to scale its B2B retail marketplace, RejaReja
MarketForce, the Kenyan-based B2B platform for retail distribution of consumer goods and digital financial services in Africa has raised a…
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News
Kenya Airways Launches Fahari Innovation Hub
Kenya Airways PLC (KQ) has today launched the Fahari Innovation Hub, a centre for innovation that acts as a springboard…
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News
Microsoft launches new app to support Small Businesses in Africa
Microsoft has unveiled a new cloud-based business management solution, Dynamics 365 Business Central, to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs)…
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News
Nigerian fintech startup TeamApt secures Series B funding
Nigerian fintech startup TeamApt has closed its Series B fundraising round, as it looks to expand its financial services beyond Nigeria. The…
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News
Industrialization Ministry launches Startup Savanna, a business acceleration programme for local early-stage startups
The Kenyan Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development (MoITED) has launched Startup Savanna, a business acceleration programme that will…
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News
UN launches hunt for startups and enterprises changing the face of food systems
The UN Food Systems Summit has announced a competition to identify startups and SMEs from across the world who are…
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News
Vista Bank selects Radar Payments to drive its digital payment strategy in West Africa
Vista Bank Group (Vista) has selected its paytech provider Radar Payments to drive its global payment processing activities in West…
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Startups
Applications for 2021 Grindstone Accelerator programme now open
Applications for this year’s Grindstone’s accelerator programme are now open. Grindstone Accelerator is an equity-free structured entrepreneurship development programme that…
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BUSINESS
Equity Bank Registers 51% Balance Sheet Growth
Equity Bank has weathered the COVID-19 disruption to register a 51% growth in its balance sheet with total assets growing…
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BUSINESS
Equity Bank, FMO-NASIRA sign guarantee program for COVID-19 support
Equity Bank Kenya has entered into a new partnership with the Netherlands FMO development bank with the signing of a NASIRA…
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News
Nigerian fintech startup ImaliPay Raises Pre-Seed Funding from Australian VC firm TEN13
Nigerian fintech startup ImaliPay has raised an undisclosed amount of pre-seed funding from Australian venture capital firm TEN13. ImaliPay, which…
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News
Government partners with Stanbic and Microsoft to equip enterprises with digital skills
The Kenyan Government through the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development has partnered with Stanbic Kenya Foundation and Microsoft…
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News
[Column] Tolu Oyekan: How to forge an inclusive economic recovery in Africa
The spread of COVID-19 in many African countries has been more contained and the death toll slightly reduced than some…
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Startups
Google to Invest $5 million in Kenyan Start-Ups
American tech giant Google has pledged to invest $10 million in Kenya – about Ksh 1.1 bn – to support…
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News
Echelon Capital to invest $1 million in early-stage tech startups in Nigeria
Venture Capital Echelon Capital has announced plans to inject US$1 million in funding in Nigerian tech startups beginning February 2021.…
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BUSINESS
Economic uncertainty set to shape 2021 cybercrime agenda in Africa
Last year, the number of cybersecurity attacks increased globally, a time when lots were forced to stay at home if…
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News
DPO Group introduces Real-Time Settlements on digital payments for sole trader merchants in Kenya
African payment service provider DPO Group has launched Real-Time Settlements for its SME sole proprietor merchants in Kenya. 86% of SMEs…
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BUSINESS
Equity receives double recognition at the African Bankers Awards 2020
Equity has scooped two awards at this year’s African Banker Awards. The Bank has been awarded the Best Regional Bank…
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Startups
These are the 25 African tech startups that have qualified for Seedstars 2020 regional competition
25 African tech startups have qualified for the Seedstars World Competition 2020. The startups are among the 94 from emerging…
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BUSINESS
Ngao Credit offering 3% discounted interest rate for its loan products during this Black Friday
Ngao Credit Black Friday: This year’s Black Friday is here with us. This is the biggest retail sales day for…
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WomenInTech
Women’s Entrepreneurship Day: The role of women in business is changing
This week, the world has been celebrating Women’s Entrepreneurship Day. This is a day set aside to observe, celebrate, empower…
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BUSINESS
Equity Bank’s Borrowed SME Funds jump to Ksh68.5 billion in Q3
Equity Bank’s borrowed funds for SME s jumped 19.7 per cent to Sh68.5 billion over the three months to September…
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BUSINESS
WorldRemit announces Africa-focused Entrepreneurship Program in Kenya
WorldRemit, a global digital payments company, has launched an Africa-focused entrepreneurship programme in Kenya. The WorldRemit Entrepreneurs Programme will also be…
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News
[Column] Chen Lei: From Survive to Thrive, working together for a better Africa
For most of us, 2020 has been a year of almost dramatic, almost traumatic change. As individuals, our lives have…
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BUSINESS
Safaricom Customers to Get Free Data and Minutes by Enrolling to newly launched Skiza Mobile Advertising Platform
Kenya’s largest telco Safaricom has today announced a new platform to help SMEs advertise their services. The new Skiza Mobile…
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BUSINESS
Safaricom Celebrates 20th Birthday, Launches New Campaign
Kenya’s largest telco, Safaricom, is today celebrating its 20th birthday after officially being launched in the country on 23rd October…
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News
Safaricom to Offer Free Calls and Data to Customers as it Celebrates 20th Birthday
Safaricom turned 20 on Friday 23rd after officially launching in the Kenyan market on 23rd October 2000. The telco celebrated…
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BUSINESS
Airtel Customers Will Soon Acquire Samsung Smartphones Under Flexible Financing Plans
Airtel Africa has partnered with South Korean device maker, Samsung, and Mastercard to provide customers will smartphones on flexible payment…
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News
Ngao Credit opens new branch in Thika town
Financial services provider Ngao Credit has opened a new branch in Thika town. The new branch will serve the entire…
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News
Microsoft partners with AGRA to support digital transformation in agriculture
Microsoft has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to…
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News
African banks must embrace mobile payments to unlock new business prospects
African banks must provide mobile payments and other digital services to remain competitive as well as to unlock new business…
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COLUMNS
[Column] Amrote Abdella: How investing in digital infrastructure can make the difference to Africa’s economic recovery
Africa faces many challenges on its path to becoming a global economic competitor. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on…
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News
[Kenya] Manufactures Urged To Go Digital To Survive COVID-19 Pandemic
Kenyan manufacturers have been urged to embrace and adopt emerging technologies during this Covid- 19 Pandemic to remain in business…
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BUSINESS
Ecobank wins Innovation in Financial Services award at African Banker 2020 Awards
Ecobank has won the Award for Innovation in Financial Services at the 2020 edition of the prestigious African Banker magazine…
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Startups
Ecobank Fintech Challenge 2020 Winners Announced
Ecobank has announced the winners of its 2020 Ecobank Fintech Challenge. The winners were announced after an exciting virtual event…
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COLUMNS
[Column] Soromfe Uzomah: How global disruption can have local implications
The global impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had not only on public health, but on business, cannot be underestimated.…
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BUSINESS
Kenya’s Economy Set to Slow as Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic Take Hold, Report
The Kenyan credit market is coming under severe pressure as the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the Kenyan economy. According to the…
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BUSINESS
Ecobank Named Most Innovative Bank in Africa
Global Finance has named Ecobank as the most innovative bank in Africa. The announcement was made at the eighth Global…
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News
Visa’s Fast Track Program Propels Growth of the Fintech Industry Worldwide
Visa today announced its continued support of the global Fintech community, having grown the Fast Track Program to over 140 Fintechs.…
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CLOUD
Zoho’s software applications now available at a fixed Kenyan Shilling price
Zoho Corporation, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) firm has announced that all its 45+ business software applications are now available at a…
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News
DPO Group and Mastercard launch DPO Store, an e-commerce platform for African businesses
Digital payments company, DPO Group, has launched an e-commerce platform to help merchants across Africa to move their businesses online.…
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BUSINESS
Egypt’s Largest Private Lender Acquires 51% Stake in Kenya’s Mayfair Bank
Egypt’s Commercial International Bank (CIB) is acquiring a 51 percent of the shareholding of Kenya’s Mayfair Bank Limited (MBL). Commercial…
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News
Internet Solutions Enters Home Internet Market in Kenya
Converged ICT Services Provider Internet Solutions (IS) has entered into the home internet market in Kenya. The company has unveiled…
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BUSINESS
Safaricom Doubles Daily M-PESA Transaction Limit To Ksh 150,000
In a meeting held today, Kenya’s largest telco, Safaricom, has scrapped off charges for all transactions below Ksh 1000. Also,…
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BUSINESS
Jumia appeals to local manufacturers with 50% lower commissions
In a move aimed at encouraging more local manufacturers to sell online, e-commerce leader Jumia is now extending a 50%…
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Startups
CDC Group to invest £2 billion in African businesses over the next two years
CDC Group is to commit a further £2bn into African businesses over the next two years, as it looks to…
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Startups
Women-Led Janngo Announces EUR 60 Million Fund To Support African Tech Startups
Janngo has announced a Euro 60 million fund to support African tech startups accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)…
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Startups
Online Travel Agency Timbu Launches New Fund To Invest In Kenyan Travel Startups
Timbu, a Mauritian based online travel agency has launched an investment arm to fund and invest in Kenyan travel and…
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Startups
Here Are The Five Zambian Startups Selected For FinTech4U Accelerator Programme
Five Zambia-based fintech startups have been selected to join the FinTech4U Accelerator Programme in January 2020. The five were selected…
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News
Standard Chartered Bank lends KShs 6.3bn to SME in 9 months
Standard Chartered Bank says injected KShs 6.3 billion in direct and indirect lending to Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (SME)…
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New Appointments
JUMO appoints Buhle Goslar as its Africa CEO
South African fintech company JUMO has appointed Buhle Goslar as its Africa CEO. The company also appointed Ashish Desai as its…
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Startups
FasterCapital seeking to fund startups in Kenya
On the 11th July 2019; more than 20 African countries brought into effect what is going to be the largest…
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BUSINESS
Safaricom’s Masoko Plans Expansion into more Sub-Saharan Countries in 2020
Masoko online retailer by Kenya’s largest telco Safaricom has revealed their expansion plans into more sub- Saharan countries in 2020.…
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Startups
Facebook, MainOne, to grace Nigeria’s #StartupSouth5 conference
Social media giant, Facebook, and West Africa’s largest cable data provider, MainOne is among the top tech companies that will…
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Startups
Google’s Third Launchpad Accelerator Africa Class Graduate in Lagos
12 African startups that that were taking part in Google’s Launchpad Accelerator Africa programme have graduated in Lagos. This third…
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