Author: John Nyabuto

NCBA Bank has entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Salvador Caetano Kenya Limited to roll out a new Asset Financing Scheme aimed at expanding access to both internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs) in Kenya. Under the new scheme, customers will get up to 100% financing for personal vehicles,. They will also get up to 95% financing for commercial vehicles with repayment periods of up to 84 months and discounted processing fees. For electric vehicles, the financing terms include: Through the partnership, customers purchasing vehicles from Salvador Caetano Kenya will gain access to financing…

TECNO announced the release of a strategic research report by Omdia, “AI Roadmap for Smartphone Vendors in Africa’s Emerging Markets”. Rooted in a commitment to local relevance, this milestone publication moves beyond generic global tech to celebrate intelligence specifically designed to understand the African user’s unique environment. Through deep engineering analysis and consumer insights, the Omdia report shifts the narrative from “budget” hardware to sophisticated, localized AI solutions. The research highlights how TECNO’s “Localized Pragmatism” approach solves unique regional pain points, ranging from linguistic fragmentation to inclusive imaging. “TECNO AI is a localized ecosystem designed to bridge the digital divide…

JuiceMe has announced the acquisition of Ajiraworks, a compliance-focused employment company operating across the UK and Kenya. As part of the deal, Ajiraworks founder Catherine Ochako joins JuiceMe as Global Director of Employer of Record (EOR), as well as a board member and shareholder. The acquisition brings with it tested compliance systems, operational infrastructure and cross-border employment intellectual property directly into JuiceMe’s core operations. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. The company gains immediate access to infrastructure that typically takes years to develop just by integrating Ajiraworks’ existing systems and partnerships. …

Proparco and Ecobank Group have announced an expanded phase of their long-standing partnership. This is aimed at mobilising up to €300 million to support agriculture and women-led businesses across Africa. The renewed collaboration builds on a relationship dating back to 2012, during which Proparco has supported Ecobank with more than $400 million in financing. This includes senior loans, capital market transactions, trade finance guarantees and SME-focused risk-sharing mechanisms across multiple African markets. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. The new agreement reflects a shared push to deliver scalable, high-impact financing solutions…

Airtel Africa’s group revenue rose by 29.5% in reported currency to $6.4 billion for the year ended March 31, 2026. On a constant currency basis, revenue grew by 24.0%. The gap between reported and constant currency growth was largely attributed to currency appreciation in several African markets. The company’s growth was led by Nigeria. In this market, constant currency revenue grew by 47.5%. East Africa and Francophone Africa recorded growth of 17.8% and 17.1% respectively. In East Africa, revenue increased by 18.9% in reported currency to $2.19 billion and by 13.8% in constant currency. This growth was supported by both…

Access Holdings Plc has reported audited results for the financial year ended December 31, 2025, which marks a significant turning point in its corporate journey as it shifts from a growth model defined by scale to one increasingly anchored on value creation, efficiency, and earnings quality. The Group delivered a resilient performance during the year, navigating a transitional operating environment while demonstrating the strength of its franchise and the robustness of the governance structures it has built over time. Profit before tax crossed the ₦1 trillion mark for the first time, rising to ₦1.01 trillion, a 16.2 per cent increase…

Bolt has invested R3 billion (€150 million) into South Africa over the past decade, underscoring the country’s importance as one of its largest and fastest-growing shared mobility markets globally and signalling further expansion through new funding and safety investments. Simo Kalajdzic, Senior Operations Manager at Bolt, said “South Africa has been one of Bolt’s most important markets globally over the past decade. Our R3 billion investment reflects not just our growth, but our belief in the role that platform-based mobility plays in driving economic participation. The milestone highlights both the scale of the business and its role in supporting economic…

Botswana has launched the Botswana Tech Fund (BTF), a £50 million venture fund aimed at supporting startups across Southern Africa. Launch Africa Ventures has been appointed as the investment advisor for Phase One of the fund, marking an expansion of its role beyond deploying its own capital into managing third-party investment mandates. The Botswana Tech Fund is designed to back startups from pre-seed through to growth stages. The fund targets total commitments of £50 million. This initial phase includes £1 million allocated to a pre-seed accelerator cohort. Startups in the accelerator programme will receive between £25,000 and £100,000 in funding,…

Young sustainability innovators have secured institutional backing from Strathmore University and Absa Kenya Foundation to scale their innovations beyond creations at the Grand Finale of the 2025/2026 #MyLittleBigThing Sustainability Innovation Challenge.  This collaboration will see them explore a structured program to enable the 16 finalists of the challenge become investor-ready by addressing critical administrative, legal, and intellectual property (IP) protection needs. Speaking during the finale, CEO of the National Youth Council (NYC), Gloria Wawira, emphasized that the future of the African continent rests on the shoulders of those who dare to innovate with purpose. “We are no longer in an era where youth…

NTT DATA has announced it has become the first network operator in Africa to establish active 400 Gbps peering at the Johannesburg Internet Exchange (JINX). Africa remains one of the fastest-growing digital markets globally, driven by increasing Internet penetration, expanding submarine cable capacity and the rapid adoption of digital services. In this context, continued investment in high-performance exchange infrastructure is essential to support economic growth, innovation, and digital inclusion on the continent. This milestone marks a significant advancement in both NTT DATA’s network capability and the broader evolution of Africa’s Internet peering ecosystem. It signals that South Africa’s Internet exchange…