Today Africa Weekly: Tech news recap | August 4–10, 2025
Last week, August 4–10, 2025, the African startup ecosystem recorded modest but meaningful activity, driven by fresh capital inflows and infrastructure investments. Key themes included targeted infrastructure plays—particularly in payments and merchant tooling—and sustained investor interest in pragmatic, revenue-focused startups. In this edition of Today Africa Weekly, we round up
Investors cheer as Jumia Q2 2025 stock surges
Jumia Q2 2025 stock surges by 27% in early Thursday trading following the release of its earnings, as investors cheered results that signaled steady progress in the e-commerce company’s turnaround strategy. Shares rose from $4.58 to $5.82, lifting the company’s market capitalisation by roughly $150 million in a single session.
Kenya’s central bank to licence non-bank lenders exceeding $155,000
Kenya’s central bank to licence non-bank lenders with loan books exceeding $155,000, which will set for its biggest shake-up in Kenya’s credit market. Preparing rules that would bring every non-deposit-taking lender under its direct control for the first time. The proposed regulations will require any credit-only provider with at least KES
How Mobile Money is Changing Business Across Africa
Access to traditional banking services has historically been low in Africa. For decades, vast rural areas lacked physical bank branches, and even in urban centers, opening a bank account could be costly and time-consuming. But the rapid growth in communication technology—particularly mobile phone penetration—has created a leapfrog moment for African
Top 5 Crypto OTC Trading Platforms in Nigeria This Year
If you’ve ever tried converting a large amount of crypto to cash in Nigeria, you already know how difficult it can be, considering the frequent bans and exchange restrictions. Between unstable P2P markets, delayed transactions, and rising fraud risks, many crypto users now turn to crypto OTC trading platforms for
How Victor Ogunbiyi is Using AI to Help Kids with Dyslexia, ADHD & Autism
What happens when a neuroscientist refuses to accept the status quo in education? Meet Victor Ogunbiyi, a tech futurist and the founder/CEO of DAWN AI Study — a deep-tech startup revolutionizing education for neurodivergent children across Africa. From being a seasoned Chief Marketing Officer with over a decade of experience
Ethiopian birr hits record low against the dollar
The Ethiopian birr hits record low of 174 to the dollar on the parallel market, widening the gap with the official exchange rate to nearly 40% and raising questions about the country’s attempts to liberalise its economy. The widening spread could further pressure financial institutions and import-reliant businesses struggling to
Fintech in Africa: Trends to Watch in 2025
In 2025, fintech in Africa is no longer an emerging story—it’s a continental force. In the first half of the year alone, startups raised $1.42 billion, nearly half of all African tech funding, as investors bet big on the sector’s ability to bank the unbanked and fuel economic growth. Mobile‑money networks
Tanzania’s digital payments hit $11.6 billion as real-time system adoption rises
Tanzania’s digital payments more than doubled in value in 2024, with the country’s national switch processing TSh29.9 trillion ($11.6 billion) in transactions by December, up from TSh12.5 trillion ($4.9 billion) in the previous year, according to the Bank of Tanzania’s (BoT) latest financial stability report. The Tanzania Instant Payment System (TIPS),
Inside 54gene’s Journey: The Startup That Tried to Rewrite Africa’s Genetic Future
In 2019, Nigerian scientist Dr. Abasi Ene-Obong founded 54gene to tackle a glaring global health inequity: Africa’s vast genetic diversity was barely represented in global research, with less than 3% of genomic data coming from the continent. The mission was clear — build Africa’s first large-scale genomic database, revolutionize drug
