Author: Victor Olayiwola

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…

NBA Africa (www.NBA.com) today announced the five prize-winning startup companies from the second edition of NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator (https://TripleDoubleAccelerator.NBA.com), which the league launched last year to support the continent’s technology ecosystem and the next generation of African entrepreneurs. The five winning companies – 1) Reborn (Morocco), 2) Fitclan (Egypt), 3) Athlon Technology (Egypt), 4) Atsur (Nigeria) and 5) Songdis (Nigeria) – were awarded financial support and the opportunity to join Carnegie Mellon University Africa’s (CMU-Africa) 12-month Business Incubation Program as part of its Innovation Hub, which helps African tech startups transform proof-of-concept prototypes and preliminary market assessments into scalable,…

The Republic of Congo is entering a period of rapid growth, with upstream expansion across both the oil and natural gas industries positioning the country as a strategic anchor for Central Africa’s energy development. With the start of operations at Congo LNG Phase 2, goals to reach 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) in oil production and bold reforms across its regulatory landscape, the Republic of Congo is sending a strong message to foreign investors: Central Africa is open for business and committed to realizing large-scale projects. Natural Gas: A Cornerstone of Congo’s Energy Strategy Natural gas has emerged as a…

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-IDB.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, and the Trade and Development Bank Group (TDB Group) have been collaborating for several years financing the trade of commodities which are critical to the food and energy security of TDB Group Member States. Building on more than US$ 800 million in TDB participation in ITFC syndicated facilities, the multilateral financial institutions have committed to further expand their cooperation in 2026 and beyond.  Toward this end, the partners just signed, in Abuja, a framework agreement to grow an existing ITFC Murahaba facility to…

Africa’s Green Economy Summit (AGES 2026) is set to host an unparalleled showcase of investment-ready green economy projects from across the continent. With over 100 applications meticulously vetted by its expert investors committee, nearly 30 pioneering Pan-African initiatives have been selected to present their transformative solutions. This curated pipeline, spanning crucial sectors from clean energy to climate-smart agriculture, underscores Africa’s pivotal role in the global green transition and AGES 2026’s commitment to connecting global capital with impactful African ventures. Elodie Delagneau, Investment Project Lead at VUKA Group, emphasised the significance of this year’s selection: “The overwhelming response and the exceptional…

Mauritania has advanced its clean energy agenda with the August 2025 unveiling of a 160 MW solar plant, 60 MW wind farm and large-scale battery storage systems – all to be developed under a new public-private partnership framework. The announcement comes as the MSGBC basin undergoes rapid transformation in its energy sector, following the start of LNG production at the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project earlier this year – a milestone set to reshape regional power generation, industrial expansion and export potential. Amid this progress, the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2025 conference and exhibition – taking place in Dakar from…

Major milestones across the MSGBC basin are accelerating the region’s rise as a leading African energy hub, with the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) LNG project commencing commercial operations and Senegal’s Sangomar oilfield coming online. These achievements mark a decisive shift in the basin’s capabilities, positioning the MSGBC region as a growing exporter of both gas and liquids while attracting new waves of international investment. Yet as production scales upward, the region’s long-term competitiveness will hinge not only on what is produced, but on how efficiently those resources can reach global markets. The upcoming MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2025 conference…

Vodacom Group (www.Vodacom.com), a leading pan-African telecommunications group, today announced a transaction that would significantly increase its ownership in Safaricom, reinforcing its commitment to the East African markets of Kenya and Ethiopia. Under the terms of this transaction, Vodacom has entered into an agreement with the Government of Kenya to acquire 15% of Safaricom PLC and an additional 5% from Vodafone at KES34 per share, valuing the deal at $2.1 billion (R36 billion). Should the transaction receive requisite approvals from regulatory and governmental authorities in Kenya, Ethiopia and South Africa, this will see Vodacom’s stake in Safaricom – which will remain…

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has approved a €17.71 million loan to support the second phase of Cabo Verde’s E-Governance and Public Financial Management Reform Programme. The Bank’s Board of Directors approved the financing on Monday, continuing support that began last year as the island nation seeks to leverage technology for economic growth and administrative efficiency. “The aim of this budgetary support, building on the assistance provided last year, is to stimulate economic growth through digitisation and private-sector competitiveness, while advancing e-governance reforms to modernise public administration and consolidate public finances,” said Abdoulaye Coulibaly,…

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.…