Author: Kaluka wanjala

Egyptian agri-fintech startup AgriCash has announced the close of a seed funding round led by Alex Angels. The startup has not disclosed the amount raised but said it will be used to scale operations across Egypt and beyond. The startup will also use the funding to further develop its digital and AI-driven infrastructure.  AgriCash’s platform provides financing as well as offering AI-powered agronomic insights, zero-cost crop insurance, and digital tools to help farmers access local and global markets. AgriCash was founded by Dr. Diaa Youssef and Dr. Mostafa El-Sehli. It seeks to solve the funding gap problem faced by millions…

TikTok hosted its inaugural Digital Well-being Summit in Johannesburg, bringing together policymakers, mental health experts, NGOs, and industry leaders across Sub-Saharan Africa. Delegates from South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and beyond gathered to further strengthen efforts to support and protect community well-being on the platform. The summit provided a platform for open dialogue on enhancing online safety tools, promoting digital literacy and access to experts, fostering a balanced online environment. A comprehensive suite of new tools and partnerships were introduced, including the expansion of TikTok’s global $2.3 million mental health fund to Sub-Saharan Africa, expanded local in- app…

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has released the latest Sector Statistics Report for Q1 2025 (January–March). Total mobile (SIM) subscriptions reached a record 76.16 million. This is a 6.7% rise from the previous quarter. This brings the mobile penetration rate to 145.3%. This shows the prevalence of multiple SIM ownership across the country. Machine-to-machine (M2M) subscriptions, vital for Internet of Things (IoT) solutions such as smart meters and vehicle tracking, also saw a healthy rise of 3.5%, reaching nearly 2 million. The number of mobile money subscriptions grew by 7.2% to 45.36 million. At the same time, the number…

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) and Mercury Payment Services (MPS) have announced the launch of PAPSSCARD, the continent’s first Pan-African card scheme.  This new card represents a major leap in Africa’s efforts to achieve financial sovereignty by building independent payment systems, easing people’s travel and boosting trade integration. “For too long, Africa’s reliance on external payment systems has impeded trade, increased costs, and compromised control over our financial data. PAPSSCARD changes that. It empowers us to move money swiftly, securely, and affordably across our borders. It is a transformative step towards strengthening intra-African…

Pesalink has signed an MOU with the Fintech Alliance to enhance collaboration between Kenya’s banking and fintech sectors. The aim of this is to accelerate fast payments and foster network interoperability. The MoU outlines joint efforts to ease fintech-bank integrations, promote the adoption of instant account-to-account payments, and support a more inclusive, interoperable digital payments ecosystem. “Pesalink has always believed in the power of ecosystem partnerships,” said Gituku Kirika, CEO of IPSL. Some of the key initiative will include awareness campaigns focused on efficient payment systems, fraud prevention, and security standards, as well as the development of an online collaboration…

Intron’s Sahara suite is setting a new global standard in voice AI technology. This voice platform is reshaping how African institutions capture, process, and respond to voice data. Unlike global tools that stumble over local accents, Sahara is tuned for Africa. Originally launched to serve hospitals in 2022, Intron’s Sahara platform has since expanded into legal, customer service, and government use cases. Built on over 3.5 million audio clips from 18,000+ speakers in more than 30 African countries, Sahara’s models outperform global giants like OpenAI, Google, AWS, and Azure when it comes to understanding African voices. “Africa building for itself,…

Nigerian HR tech startup PaidHR is tackling Africa’s HR automation gap with all-in-one HR software, cross-border payroll, and financial wellness tools tailored to small and medium-sized enterprises across the continent. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Launched in 2020 by Seye Bandele and Lekan Omotosho, PaidHR set out to solve a simple but far-reaching problem: most African SMEs still manage HR manually, which slows them down and affects employee productivity. “Africa is the world’s youngest, fastest-growing workforce,” PaidHR CEO Seye Bandele told TechArena in an interview. “Yet most small…

Stanbic Holdings facilitated KSh. 76 billion of trade in 2024 and provide over KShs 500 million in loans to support the transition to green energy as part of its quest to become the most sustainable financial services player in the region. The figures are contained in the listed company’s latest sustainability report. The 2024 report, themed “Deepening Impact while Building a Sustainable Future”, reflects Stanbic Holdings Plc’s commitment to leveraging its financial expertise to support initiatives that address climate change, impact investing, and empower communities. Speaking during the launch of the report, the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Investment, Trade and…

Vertiv has announced that its AI Solutions Innovation Roadshow will make its next stop, this time in Casablanca, Morocco on Wednesday 02 July, 2025. The roadshow, with a visit scheduled to take place at Le Casablanca Hotel, is part of a global series of events designed to educate and equip customers and consultants with essential expertise for deploying high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. Vertiv experts will introduce the key infrastructure imperatives to enable AI, sharing insights on key challenges and opportunities and providing participants with a deep understanding of the latest innovations supporting HPC infrastructure, as well as the impact on data…

Google today announced the selection of 15 promising tech startups for its Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa Class 9 program. These innovative startups, hailing from Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa, are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to address significant challenges across diverse sectors, including fintech, agritech, healthtech, and professional services. In an era where startups are at the forefront of solving critical challenges across Africa, these innovators often face significant hurdles to scale their operations, particularly in securing essential support, mentorship, and funding. Programs like the Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa play a crucial role in providing…