Zimbabwe has scrapped its longstanding requirement for foreign telecom investors to cede 75% ownership to local partners. The policy shift opens the door for greater foreign investment as the country looks to modernise its telecom sector.

Kenya is handing its central bank new powers to rescue struggling banks before they collapse. Regulators hope the reforms will strengthen financial stability and reduce the risk of taxpayer-funded bailouts during future banking crises.

GTCO is taking on fintechs with hardware. The banking giant plans to deploy 200,000 payment terminals across Nigeria as it doubles down on merchant payments and the growing battle for offline commerce.

Starlink has stopped accepting new residential orders in parts of Kenya after reaching network capacity. Existing customers remain connected, while prospective users in affected areas will have to wait until additional capacity becomes available.

Administrators have started selling off KOKO Networks’ assets after the clean cooking startup entered administration. Once one of Africa's best-funded climate startups, the company expanded rapidly before running into financial trouble.

BNPL startup Float has expanded into the UK, marking its first market outside Africa. The move gives the company access to one of the world's largest fintech markets while broadening its corporate card and expense management business.

Refiant AI unveiled a 10-million-token context window AI model, allowing users to process far larger documents than most mainstream models. It's positioning the startup to compete in enterprise AI workloads where context size matters.

The Bank of Central African States (BEAC) joined the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), bringing Central Africa closer to the continent's cross-border payments network. The move promises faster and cheaper regional trade by reducing reliance on foreign currencies.

Nigerian fintech Gigbanc is winding down operations after struggling to secure additional funding. Customers have been advised to withdraw their funds as the startup joins a growing list of African fintechs unable to weather the tougher funding climate.

 Flutterwave secured investment from Circle Ventures to expand USDC-powered payments and settlement across Africa. The partnership strengthens Flutterwave's stablecoin ambitions as blockchain-based payment rails gain traction for cross-border commerce.

Kenyan career platform Fuzu and B2B commerce startup Kyosk have secured investment from the Jobtech Alliance to expand digital employment opportunities.

Timon secured strategic investment from global accelerator, Alliance, to scale its stablecoin-powered payments platform. The Travel payments startup, currently present in over 16 African countries is expanding to Kenya after gaining over 100,000 users.

Ethiopian-founded authentication startup Better Auth has been acquired by Vercel for an undisclosed sum. Founder Bereket Engida and his team will continue building open-source authentication tools while helping Vercel develop secure infrastructure for AI agents.

AI coding startup HyperDev raised a $1 million pre-seed round to build tools that help developers create software faster with AI. Fresh funding will go toward product development and growing the platform's engineering team.

South African fintech Bridgement raised $20.3 million to scale its AI-powered lending platform for small businesses. The company uses real-time business data instead of traditional collateral to make credit decisions, reflecting the growing role of AI in SME finance.

Join us live on Ag Safari for Financing the Women Who Feed Africa, a conversation on what profitable, dignified farming for women actually takes, and who pays for it. We're bringing together Hafsah Jumare, Founder and CEO of Coamana, and Fisayo Ojo of Farmties Capital, a builder and an investor, moderated by Ag Safari's Hannatu Asheolge. It's live online on July 16 at 10 AM WAT. Save your spot here.

Capital meets impact at the Africa Social Impact Summit, taking place in Lagos from July 22–24. The three-day event brings together leaders across business, government, and development to explore how investment, innovation, and partnerships can drive Africa's next chapter of growth. Register here.

Founders Connect Live returns to Lagos on July 18 with a lineup of founders, operators, investors, and creatives for a day of live interviews and unfiltered conversations. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, hard-earned lessons, and the kind of discussions usually reserved for private dinners. Get your tickets.

Nairobi takes center stage from July 22–24 as the Africa Technology Show Kenya 2026 showcases the latest in AI, fintech, cybersecurity, cloud, and digital infrastructure. Across three days, startups, investors, corporates, and policymakers will explore new technologies through exhibitions, live demos, and networking sessions. Register here.

The Nigeria Fintech Forum 2026 returns to Lagos on July 30, convening founders, financial institutions, investors, and regulators to explore what's next for fintech, payments, and banking. More than 1,700 industry professionals are expected to attend.

Borderless Experience 2026 convenes fintech founders, operators, investors, and ecosystem leaders in Lagos on August 21 for a deep dive into the future of cross-border payments, commerce, and financial infrastructure in Africa. Register your interest here.

The Milken-Motsepe Prize is offering $2 million in total prizes for African startups building tech-enabled circular economy solutions. Beyond a $1 million grand prize, finalists gain access to investors, mentors, and global industry leaders as they compete to scale businesses that turn waste into value. 

Applications are now open for the ECOWAS Regional Business Incubation Programme, a founder-support initiative for young entrepreneurs across West Africa. Selected participants will receive business training, mentorship, incubation support, and regional networking opportunities designed to help early-stage ventures grow beyond their home markets.

Google Play is putting $1 million behind Africa's gaming industry by backing 10 game studios. Selected developers will receive funding, mentorship, and support to bring new titles to market. Get more details here.

Wema Bank has opened applications for Hackaholics 7.0, its flagship innovation programme for African founders and startups. Participants can compete across startup, hackathon, and social impact tracks for funding, mentorship, and strategic partnerships.

Accelerate Africa is writing some unusually founder-friendly checks. The programme is investing $250,000–$500,000 in early-stage African startups, with no application fees and no upfront equity commitments required. Applications close July 25.