This Week in African Tech 🌍

South Africa gets a Yellow Card 🟨

Author

Caleb Maru
November 24, 2024

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Tech Safari Events This Month

Hey 👋🏽, Caleb here!

Before we dive in, we’ve got some Tech Safari Events coming up! 🥳 

📆 Thursday, Nov 28th @ ASK Dome, Nairobi

We're bringing together 2,000 of East Africa's biggest tech players in one room together for 1 day.

Early bird tickets are gone, but as a member of our community you get a 50% discount when you use this link to get your ticket.

Workshops You Don’t Want to Miss!

This year’s edition is stacked with hands-on workshops designed to inspire, build, and connect.

1️⃣ Female Fundraising Bias Workshop with AWS

📅  Thursday, Nov 28th | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

AWS is hosting a workshop for female founders helping you navigate bias in fundraising.

This event is only open to those who are attending Latitude59 Kenya.

Sign up here once you’ve got your L59 ticket.

2️⃣ E-commerce 101 with ShipShap

📅 Thursday, Nov 28th | 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

ShipShap is hosting a workshop to dive into Africa’s unique e-commerce landscape.

Only for those attending the Latitude59 event.

Sign up here once you have your L59 ticket.

3️⃣ Lunch ‘n’ Build with Sling Money

📅  Friday, Nov 29th | 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Sling Money is hosting a free fireside chat to share ideas on bringing borderless finance to Kenya.

Sign up here and come hang with the Sling team.

FYI: Download the Sling Money App on Apple Store or Play Store as your pass.

Alright. Into the roundup!

Tech Roundup

  • According to a Stears report, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and Egypt dominated private capital deals in Q3 2024, making up 85% of all transactions in the region.

  • Cameroon Telecommunications (Camtel) plans to launch mobile financial services by 2025, taking on market leaders like MTN and Orange. The state-owned telco wants to reach Cameroon’s unbanked population, driving financial inclusion and shaking up the sector.

  • American software giant Salesforce is expanding its presence in Nigeria, with Sandra Adesuwa Ebere joining as the new Business Development Lead.

Sandra Adesuwa Ebere

  • A new TLP Advisory report shows that 49% of Nigerian startups founded in the last decade make less than ₦10 million ($6,000) annually, while only 15% generate over ₦250 million ($149,000).

  • South African telecommunications company Telkom has put the sale of Openserve, its wholesale and network division, on hold. Openserve is a key player in providing broadband infrastructure across South Africa.

  • Nigerian crypto startup Yellow Card has secured a Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) license in South Africa, allowing it to provide cryptocurrency services under the country’s regulations.

Yellow Card’s Justin Poiroux

  • Zimbabwe has launched an AI-driven traffic control system to tackle urban congestion, starting with the capital city, Harare. The system uses real-time data to smooth out traffic flow and cut down on accidents.

  • Ghana and The Gambia are launching a free-roaming plan, letting mobile users in both countries avoid extra charges for calls, texts, and data.

  • Co-founder and former CEO of Kenyan fintech startup Hisa, Eric Jackson, has stepped down less than two months after the company was acquired by Nigerian investment platform Risevest.

Eric Jackson, co-founder/ex-CEO of Hisa

Deal Roundup

Hassan Abouzeed and Khaled Hassan of Qara

  • Still in Egypt, insurtech startup Amenli has secured US$2.3 million in a funding round led by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

  • Early-stage VC fund Launch Africa Ventures has begun its first round of exits, including 3 cash exits through secondaries and 7 stock exits over the past year. The firm is shifting its strategy with Fund II, moving from a fintech focus to a more diversified approach.

  • Nigerian edtech startup Lingawa has raised $1.1 million in pre-seed funding as it shifts focus from academic tutoring to African language learning.

The Lingawa team

Part of Andela’s team

Other Events and Opportunities

  • Are you a growth-stage, edtech startup working to improve education in South Africa? Applications for the 2025 Mastercard Foundation Fellowship are currently open. The six-month fellowship comes with business support, networking opportunities, and equity-free funding of up to R1 million. Apply here by December 8th.

  • Payd is hosting a Founders' Game Night in Nairobi on Friday, November 29th. The event promises a night of fun, games, vibes, and networking, open to all founders, investors, young professionals, and aspiring builders. Get your tickets here.

  • The 2024 Africa Bitcoin Conference is coming to Nairobi from December 9th - 11th, 2024, at the JW Marriott Hotel! This three-day event is all about driving Bitcoin adoption across Africa and building stronger international connections. Don’t miss out – grab your tickets here!

And that's a wrap!

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