Temu is now including VAT and import duties at checkout for South African shoppers, ditching the post-shipping payment scramble. Prices may look ~20% higher, but the total cost stays the same, just upfront. The shift also cuts down fraud risks tied to dodgy payment links.

Konversations, a Nairobi-based AI platform built for African enterprises, has launched with a pitch that's less "customer support tool" and more "your call center fixes itself." Its AI-Driven Agent Learning Loop automatically detects skill gaps and generates targeted training modules from a company's own SOPs, no manual intervention needed. Built on Google Cloud and pulling data from 9 channels, including WhatsApp and Voice, it's already live across telecom, banking, and retail.

MTN has awarded about R160 million ($9.5 million) in shares to its top executives under its Performance Share Plan. The shares vest in 2028 if targets are met. It’s a long-term bet on performance, not a quick cash-out. Incentives, but make them patient.

After 17 years running Paga Nigeria, Tayo Oviosu is moving up to Group CEO, handing day-to-day control to an acting CEO. The shift comes as Paga scales quickly, processing $12 billion in 2025, and eyes expansion into new African markets, while also betting on AI and stablecoins. It’s the first time Oviosu won’t run its core market directly. Call it a founder stepping back to think bigger.

Safaricom is folding its M-PESA app into a new super app, My OneApp, aiming to bring over 10 million users into a single ecosystem. The move simplifies its tech stack, but more importantly, keeps users transacting, saving, and spending without leaving. With banks catching up, Safaricom is doubling down on stickiness, not just scale. One app to rule them all.

Zazu has partnered with Visa to launch digital business accounts in Morocco, bundling banking, payments, and expense management into one system. SMEs can open accounts, issue cards, and track spending in real time, no patchwork tools needed. It’s banking as a dashboard. And fewer headaches for founders.

GTCO’s payments unit HabariPay more than doubled profit to ₦9.74 billion ($7.2 million) in 2025, showing bank-owned fintechs aren’t just side projects anymore. Access Bank’s Hydrogen is also in the mix, adding billions in revenue, even if growth is uneven. The takeaway: banks are quietly building fintechs that can compete with the fast guys.

M-KOPA’s South Africa push is putting smartphones (and credit) into more hands, with women at the center of both sides. Women make up 49% of customers and 84% of its sales agents, with many earning their first income through the platform. Over 100,000 customers have accessed financing, and a third got their first-ever smartphone.

Kenya’s draft rules would force stablecoin issuers to fully back tokens, hold at least 30% of reserves in local banks, and ban yield altogether. The goal is to keep money, control, and risk firmly onshore. And there’s a ~$3.8 million capital requirement that could push smaller players out. 

Nigeria’s PowerLabs has raised pre-seed funding to scale its AI-powered energy platform, Pai Enterprise. The system orchestrates grid, diesel, solar, and batteries in real time, turning energy management from reactive to predictive. Target users are factories, hospitals, and data centres.

SMC DAO has acquired Nigeria’s Bread Africa in a six-figure deal, just a year after it launched. The three-person team processed $1.8 million in volume with its no-KYC crypto-to-naira swaps before the exit. Now, the buyer wants to turn it into a “swap everything” platform.

Egyptian biotech Reme-D has raised $500,000 to scale its PCR diagnostic kits that don’t require refrigeration. The kits address a major infrastructure gap in markets with limited cold-chain access, while cutting costs by up to 40% without compromising accuracy. The startup already serves 92 hospitals and tests around 50,000 patients monthly.

Madica has deployed $600,000 into three African startups across agritech, legal AI, and health data, backing founders often outside traditional VC circles. Each gets up to $200,000 plus an 18-month support program. It also dropped a 75-page fundraising guide for first-time founders.

South Africa’s OneBio Venture Studio has secured a $1.16 million grant to spin up more biotech startups across Africa. Since 2018, it’s backed 16 ventures, with a mix of exits and shutdowns that highlight just how risky deep tech can be. 

Egypt’s MNT-Halan has raised $41.3 million through another securitisation, its fifth under a larger $213 million programme. It bundles loans into bonds, sells them to investors, and recycles the capital into more lending. It’s how the fintech scaled to unicorn status without giving up equity. Debt, but make it a growth engine.

Angola Rising Forum is bringing together leaders, founders, investors, and diaspora professionals in Luanda for two days of conversations on the country’s economic direction. Taking place July 15–16, 2026, the forum focuses on investment opportunities, entrepreneurship, and the industries shaping Angola’s next growth cycle. Get more details here.

Africa Fintech Summit returns as one of the continent’s largest convenings for fintech stakeholders, bringing together 4,000+ participants from 100+ countries. The event spans panels, startup showcases, and policy discussions, drawing founders, investors, and regulators shaping Africa’s financial infrastructure. Reserve your spot here. 

Google has opened applications for the 2026 Hustle Academy, a free training program helping African SMEs scale using digital tools and AI. The format has been streamlined into 60-minute expert webinars followed by 1-day bootcamps designed to be practical, fast, and easy to attend. Find out more here.

UNICEF is offering up to $100,000 in equity-free funding through its 2026 Venture Fund, targeting startups building climate-tech solutions that improve children’s health. The focus is on open-source, frontier technologies like AI and blockchain designed for low-resource and emergency settings. Get more details.

THRIVE is launching its 2026 Global Impact Challenge, offering up to $1 million in investment to agrifood startups tackling everything from regenerative agriculture to food security and AI-driven farming systems. Finalists will pitch live at the THRIVE Global Impact Summit in Silicon Valley. Register here.