Author: Victor Olayiwola

In early December, a delegation of over 50 Estonian business leaders and representatives from various companies and organisations visited Kenya to explore opportunities and strengthen trade ties. The visit coincided with the regional honorary consuls’ conference and included a business seminar aimed at supporting Estonian enterprises in expanding their footprint across Africa. Many participating firms also took part in the Latitude59 Kenya startup event, which is expected to attract more than 3,000 participants from across the continent. Estonia’s Ambassador to Kenya and South Africa, Daniel Schaer, highlighted the growing importance of Africa as a hub for Estonian entrepreneurship. “Our engagement…

South Africa’s leading mobile network operator, Vodacom Group Ltd., is set to gain majority control of Safaricom Plc, East Africa’s largest telecommunications company, in a landmark $2.4 billion transaction that is poised to reshape the region’s telecom landscape. Under the agreement, Vodacom will purchase a 15% stake in Safaricom from the Kenyan government along with an effective 5% stake from Vodafone International Holdings BV, bringing the total transaction value to $2.1 billion. In addition, Vodacom will make an upfront payment of 5.3 billion rand ($310 million) to secure the right to future Safaricom dividends that would otherwise be payable to…

Just two months after successfully closing its Series C funding round, Moniepoint is making a bold push to strengthen its presence in Nigeria’s business ecosystem with the launch of Moniebook, an integrated inventory-management and point-of-sale (POS) platform. This innovative tool is designed to provide business owners with real-time insights into sales, stock levels, payments, and customer interactions, offering a unified solution to streamline daily operations. Babatunde Olofin, Managing Director of Moniepoint MFB, explained that Moniebook is built to act as a strategic growth partner for entrepreneurs, delivering a single source of truth that empowers them to take full control of…

Junior Achievement (JA) Africa has reaffirmed its dedication to fostering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, emphasizing that the continent’s future relies heavily on equipping young people with the necessary skills, confidence, and opportunities to create innovative, solution-driven businesses. The announcement came during the opening of the 15th Company of the Year (COY) Competition in Abuja on Wednesday, where Asheesh Advani, President & CEO of JA Worldwide, stressed that the organisation’s mission goes beyond preparing youth for the future of work—it empowers them to actively shape it. The three-day event, running from December 3 to 5, 2025, focuses on showcasing…

KwaZulu-Natal is rapidly positioning itself as the new heartbeat of Africa’s business-tourism landscape, strengthened by the confirmation that the province will host Africa’s Travel Indaba (ATI) for the next five years. This long-term commitment transforms ATI from a Durban-focused showcase into a province-spanning economic engine driving year-round business activity. At the centre of this shift is the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (Durban ICC), already globally respected and now further elevated by its newly granted World Trade Centre (WTC) status. While Durban provides global credibility, KwaZulu-Natal is intentionally expanding the experience far beyond the beachfront — integrating destinations such…

A major milestone has been recorded in Africa’s growing fintech landscape as Black Swan, an emerging startup from Mauritius, has taken first place at the 2025 MEST Africa Challenge, one of the continent’s most competitive platforms for early-stage tech innovators. The company’s win was announced during the grand finale held at Innovation City, Cape Town, on November 26, 2025, solidifying its position as a rising force in financial-technology advancement. According to a statement reported on Tuesday by Technext, this year’s challenge placed a strong focus on fintech solutions pushing financial inclusion across Africa. The finals featured ten standout startups, each…

The organisers of the 13th GAH Awards and Business Summit have officially announced key dignitaries and thought leaders who will grace this year’s highly anticipated event. Among the notable personalities expected are Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; renowned human rights advocate, Femi Falana (SAN); and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, reaffirming the summit’s growing influence across the continent. The announcement was made during a press briefing held in Lekki, Lagos, where the convener of the GAH Awards and founder of GMYT Group Limited, Dr. Kelechi Oghene, addressed media representatives alongside distinguished industry professionals.…

The long-anticipated return of the Lagos International Trade Fair has become a defining moment for Nigeria’s commercial landscape, reigniting Lagos’s reputation as a dominant trading centre and gateway for regional commerce across West Africa. Speaking with Business Insider Africa, Barrister Vera Safiya Ndanusa, Executive Director of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board (LITFCMB), described the fair’s comeback as a major victory for the nation’s business community and a catalyst for renewed economic activity. Ndanusa highlighted that the fair acts as a crucial marketplace where entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and innovators can converge under one roof. With exhibition spaces offered at…

For years, discussions around technological innovation in Africa were framed in terms of future potential — possibilities waiting to be unlocked someday. Today, that narrative has shifted dramatically. Innovation on the continent is no longer theoretical; it is actively unfolding, shaped by Africa’s own social dynamics, economic realities, and local challenges. A new generation of founders, investors, and policymakers is building an ecosystem that does not simply borrow dominant global models. Instead, Africa is redefining them, and the world is taking notice at Emerging Valley, where these ideas and innovations converge. During the 9th edition of the event, held on…

Paramount Africa has officially announced that it will cease all operations by the end of December 2025, bringing to a close more than twenty years of broadcasting and media production across South Africa, Nigeria, and the wider continent. For decades, the company served as one of Africa’s most recognisable entertainment brands, reaching over 100 million viewers in 52 territories and offering a diverse catalogue of youth culture, music, comedy, and children’s programming. However, the broadcaster has now become one of the casualties of a major global restructuring effort initiated by its parent company, Paramount Global. The division is well-known for…