Startups are reshaping Africa’s economies, generating opportunities for young people and driving into new markets. Yet their potential is still held back by funding gaps, a shortage of skilled workers and weak infrastructure.
Sub-Saharan Africa faces a spiraling youth employment crisis, with technology startups emerging as a promising, yet geographically concentrated, source of new jobs and innovation.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), approximately 27 million young people in the region were unemployed in 2023, representing a jobless rate of 8.9%. Compounding the issue are 62 million NEETs (Not in Employment, Education, or Training), accounting for about one-quarter of the population aged 15 to 24. With over 30 million new entrants expected to join the labor market annually by 2030, pressure is steadily mounting.
Tech's Real Impact: Job Creation Data Confirmed
Recent data confirms that African startups are increasingly impacting employment figures. The African Tech Startups Funding Report 2022 found that the 633 funded startups across the continent employed 34,201 people at the time of their first capital raise, nearly double the workforce recorded in 2021. On average, funded startups employed 54 people in 2022, up from 32 the previous year, signaling a growth in the ecosystem's robustness and absorption capacity.
Nigeria exemplifies this trend. According to Partech, its startup ecosystem alone generated over 19,000 direct jobs in 2022, with nearly half concentrated in fintechs. Egypt followed closely with 11,153 jobs recorded across 131 funded startups that year, while Kenya and South Africa also showed significant job creation levels. These figures show that startups, particularly in the most dynamic digital hubs, are already absorbing some of the young workforce often marginalized by the formal sector.
Persistent Challenges Hinder Widespread Growth
Despite these advances, significant obstacles remain. Partech’s Africa Tech Venture Capital Report 2023 highlighted that four countries—Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa—captured over 80% of the funding raised on the continent. This concentration excludes many young entrepreneurs in still-emerging ecosystems.
The mismatch between training and market needs is another major concern. The World Bank notes that many African companies identify the digital skills deficit as a constraint on their growth. The Brookings Institution estimates that 230 million jobs will require digital skills by 2030, generating a demand for 650 million training opportunities. Furthermore, the issue of sustainability is critical: startups, dependent on financing and markets, remain fragile and often short-lived.
A less visible but equally crucial challenge is inclusion. Barriers to entry for young people without networks or collateral, particularly regarding gender, locality (rural vs. urban), and access to finance, remain serious. Post-training support, market linkage, and sustained entrepreneurial coaching are often insufficient.
Path Forward Requires Strengthened Strategy
Addressing these limitations requires massive investment in training and support. Initiatives like the Orange Digital Centers, 42 Campuses, and the Andela program seek to close the skills gap by offering practical, accessible curricula aimed at aligning youth competencies with actual business needs.
The focus on inclusion remains central. Young women, rural inhabitants, and those excluded from traditional financing often miss out on entrepreneurial dynamics. Without proactive policies to broaden access to innovation beyond the established hubs, the disparity risk is likely to worsen.
Samira Njoya
He is developing a technological approach to one of the digital world's major challenges: establishing trust and validating identity. His work has gained the backing of several investors.
Shaun Strydom, a South African chartered accountant and technology entrepreneur specializing in digital identity issues, is the founder and Executive Director of Contactable, an integrated digital identity platform.
Founded in 2009, Contactable is a South African technology firm focused on orchestrating identity processes. Its platform centralizes client onboarding, Know Your Customer (KYC) verification, and digital identity proof into a single environment. It offers automated, fully digital workflows that allow for verification to be completed in seconds.
The Integrated Identity Platform (IIP) developed by Contactable aims to streamline compliance and identity management, helping companies avoid multiple licenses, complex integrations, or fragmented software solutions. The model functions like an on-demand service: organizations gain access to full identity and compliance capabilities without owning the underlying technical components, simultaneously reducing friction for the end-user.
The system relies on minimal data, such as a name or identity number, to activate verification checks with trusted third-party providers, bureaus, and agencies. This automation allows for configurable validation based on each company’s specific risk and compliance rules.
In September 2025, Contactable announced a funding round of $13.5 million USD. The round was led by Venture Capitalworks, with participation from Fireball Capital, Ke Nako Capital, and MAVOVO.
"This partnership with Venture Capitalworks will allow us to deepen our customer partnerships, extend our reach into underserved markets and enhance our ability to deliver secure, trusted digital identity solutions where they are needed most," Strydom said following the announcement.
In addition to Contactable, Strydom co-founded BOUNCE Inc Sub-Saharan Africa in 2011, a company specializing in indoor action and adventure entertainment, where he remains a shareholder and founding member.
Strydom is a qualified accountant. He earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Pretoria in 1993, followed by a bachelor's degree in accounting theory (1994) and a post-graduate diploma in strategic management and corporate governance (2000) from the University of South Africa.
His professional career began at Deloitte in 2002, where he held a partner-level position. In 2003, he joined Blue Financial Services, first as Chief Financial Officer and later as Director of Strategic Projects. In 2006, he became Executive Director of Group Business Development and Taxation at Absa Bank.
Melchior Koba
He leverages technology to broaden access to financial services. This initiative demonstrates that innovation can become a direct driver of development for small businesses and their communities.
South African engineer, finance specialist, and technology entrepreneur Gregory Andrews is the co-founder and CEO of the fintech startup Tata iMali.
Founded in 2023 by Andrews and Donel Chihoma, Tata iMali develops card payment acceptance solutions specifically designed for micro, small, and medium enterprises. Its goal is to drive financial inclusion within low- and middle-income communities.
The company offers an Android application that converts a smartphone into a payment terminal or digital wallet, allowing merchants to accept payments via QR code. Its services primarily target neighborhood businesses, emphasizing rapid transactions and offering customer support via WhatsApp and telephone. It's leveraging technology to broaden access to financial services. This initiative demonstrates that innovation can become a direct driver of development for small businesses and their communities.
In April 2025, Tata iMali raised $150,000 USD from Stefan Thomas, the former Chief Technology Officer of Ripple and a digital payments specialist. The funding is intended to accelerate the company’s expansion and support the launch of a new rewards program to enhance its market differentiation.
Andrews holds a diverse academic background, earning a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pretoria in 2021. In 2023, he completed a blockchain training program at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, and he obtained a master’s degree in Financial Technology from the University of Cape Town in January 2025.
His professional career began in 2020 at MathU Teaching Emporium, an artificial intelligence and software engineering firm, where he worked as a content developer. In 2022, he joined Mesh.trade, a South African financial markets platform, as a business analyst before launching Tata iMali.
Melchior Koba
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Blademy partnered with FasterCapital under its EquityPilot program to scale Bluetooth-enabled health devices for chronic disease management in West Africa.
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The partnership will provide capital, mentorship, commercialization support, and fundraising assistance to accelerate deployment.
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Pilots will launch in Ghana and Senegal within 6–18 months before scaling to Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso.
The World Health Organization warned that Africa could face a shortage of 6.1 million health workers by 2030 if urgent action is not taken. Digital health is emerging as a key lever to close the gap and expand care access across the region.
Blademy, an initiative of Côte d’Ivoire’s Agence Digitale N’zassa (ADN), signed a strategic partnership with global incubator FasterCapital through its EquityPilot program. The agreement seeks to strengthen digital health in West Africa with locally adapted and affordable solutions.
“Blademy illustrates the kind of pragmatic, high-impact innovation we seek: simple hardware, smart software, and a business model tailored to underserved markets. Our EquityPilot program will provide the capital, network, and technical guidance required to transform demonstrable pilots into scalable impact on health systems,” said FasterCapital founder and CEO Hesham Zreik.
The collaboration will give Blademy growth capital, international mentorship, commercialization support, and fundraising assistance. These resources aim to accelerate the rollout of its offline, Bluetooth-enabled health platform designed to manage diabetes, hypertension, and gout.
Blademy’s solution combines low-cost Bluetooth glucometers, blood pressure monitors, and uric acid testers with an Android/iOS application that functions offline. Data is stored locally and later shared with clinicians, enabling patient monitoring in rural and peri-urban areas while reducing chronic care costs.
The initiative comes as digital health grows rapidly in West Africa but remains hindered by weak connectivity and reliance on imported equipment. Millions in the region suffer from chronic diseases, while shortages of health professionals add pressure to fragile systems. Blademy’s model addresses these local realities by focusing on affordability and offline functionality.
With FasterCapital’s support, Blademy will implement a 6–18 month roadmap starting with pilot projects in Ghana and Senegal. Expansion is planned for Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso. Long term, the company aims to become a leading digital health player in West Africa, strengthening prevention and reducing the economic burden of chronic illnesses.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
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Egypt unveiled a national strategy to modernize existing cities and build new smart cities.
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The plan addresses rapid urbanization, climate pressures, and aims to foster economic growth and social inclusion.
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The government seeks to position Egypt as a regional hub for smart cities in North Africa and the Middle East.
Egypt launched a National Smart Cities Strategy on Sept. 30 to integrate advanced technologies, sustainability, and citizen-centered governance into urban planning. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Communities said the strategy will apply to both existing and new cities across the country.
Local Development Minister and acting Environment Minister Manal Awad said the initiative represents “a transformative shift in Egypt’s urban agenda. It responds to rapid urbanization, climate pressures, and spatial justice while opening new opportunities for economic growth and social inclusion. Citizens remain at the center of this approach.”
The plan aims to modernize current cities by upgrading infrastructure, improving services, and restructuring informal areas. In parallel, the government will create new smart cities to manage population growth and promote innovation.
Authorities said the new cities will combine connected infrastructure, intelligent transport, optimized energy and water management, and digital public services.
The initiative comes as African cities face rapid urbanization and growing digital challenges. UN-Habitat projects Africa’s urban population will double by 2050, underscoring the urgency of adopting smart technologies to manage mobility, energy, and public services.
Egypt, the third most populous country in Africa with over 110 million people, is confronting similar pressures. The government seeks to establish itself as a North African and Middle Eastern hub for smart cities.
If fully implemented, the strategy could ease congestion, improve access to services, create jobs in digital and smart urban development sectors, and strengthen resilience to climate challenges. Officials said the plan is designed to make cities more efficient, safe, and inclusive for residents.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
West Africa faces persistent challenges in managing medical emergencies, with delayed ambulance responses often linked to preventable deaths. Nigerian physician and entrepreneur Nana Aisha Onisarotu is developing digital solutions to improve efficiency and coordination across the sector.
She founded ResQCore in 2023 as a platform dedicated to emergency healthcare management. The system connects ambulance operators, hospitals, insurers, and individuals through a digital infrastructure that integrates vehicle tracking, hospital capacity monitoring, and centralized service requests.
ResQCore deploys automation to manage ambulance allocation and leverages artificial intelligence to reduce intervention delays. The approach enhances coordination between stakeholders and improves the traceability of emergency responses.
Before ResQCore, Onisarotu co-founded The Ambulance Company in Nigeria in 2020. The firm manages both urgent and non-urgent transport for patients, schools, companies, and events in Lagos and surrounding areas. Its fleet includes ambulances equipped with monitoring devices, advanced medical equipment, and communication systems.
Onisarotu earned her medical degree in 2017 from Danylo Halytsky National Medical University in Lviv, Ukraine. She completed a master’s in global health at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in 2019 and is currently pursuing healthcare management studies at Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos.
Her professional experience includes serving as a program director at Nigeria’s Ministry of Health in 2021 and working as a physician at Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn in the United Kingdom in 2023.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
He is transforming how investors access the African real estate market. His initiatives are introducing new practices that completely rethink property ownership and investment.
Trevor Kimani is a Kenyan entrepreneur active in the fintech and real estate sectors, serving as the co-founder and CEO of alphabloQ, a platform designed to facilitate real estate innovation in Africa.
Founded in 2022 by Kimani and John Mbui, alphabloQ is a Kenyan-based platform that enables investment in digital assets, including real estate, bonds, and gold. It lowers traditional financial barriers to property investment by allowing users to acquire fractional ownership in income-generating properties.
Users can purchase digital tokens representing shares of physical assets. Investors receive monthly income from rental payments and can benefit from capital gains if the assets appreciate. The startup converts physical properties into digital tokens via blockchain technology, which enables fractional ownership and increases asset liquidity. These tokens can also be used as collateral to obtain loans, providing investors with financial flexibility.
Kimani also serves as the Vice President of Anvil Shield Group, a financial firm, and as a Director at Saladin Properties, a real estate company specializing in the purchase and development of land and residential units.
Kimani holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Kent in England, obtained in 2012, and a Master of Business Administration from the United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa) in Nairobi, obtained in 2018.
His professional career began in 2010 as a Sales Executive at Anglian Windows, a British residential renovation company. Between 2012 and 2017, he worked for Ngao Credit, a Kenyan fintech firm, where he held successive roles as Administrative Assistant, Nairobi Branch Deputy Manager, Mombasa Branch Manager, and Deputy General Manager.
Melchior Koba
Innovation is central to transforming business services across Africa. This Ugandan's journey illustrates how technological solutions are becoming essential for economic activity.
Francis Nkurunungi is a Ugandan technology entrepreneur and the Chief Executive Officer of Xente, a financial technology company he co-founded in 2014 with Allan Rwakatungu and Kenneth Legesi.
Xente was established to simplify and digitize financial operations within the business-to-business (B2B) segment. The company targets small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large corporations, and institutions seeking to centralize and automate their transactions amid the continent's accelerating digitalization.
The Xente platform manages a company's entire payment chain. Its integrated features include settling payments with vendors and partners, collecting funds from clients, secure storage of financial documents, issuing and controlling virtual payment cards in partnership with VISA, and managing regulatory compliance using automation tools. The platform connects and harmonizes mobile, banking, and digital payments.
Prior to Xente, Nkurunungi founded Francom Solutions in 2009, a software and web solutions development company, which he led until 2018. In 2019, he established Cognative Insights, a software development firm serving organizations and corporations.
Nkurunungi holds a Master of Business Administration from the Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland. His career started in 2012 at BetPawa, a Ugandan betting company, where he served as Head of Customer Development before becoming Chief Technical Officer in 2014.
Melchior Koba
• Algérie Télécom opens Sétif Skills Center to youth innovators
• Facility offers free AI lab, ICT training, expert workshops
• Part of nationwide plan to boost youth skills, digital strategy
Algeria's state-owned telecommunications company, Algérie Télécom, signed a framework agreement on Saturday, September 27, with the Directorate of Youth and Sports for the Sétif region. The national operator has committed to making its "Skills Center" available to young people, students, innovators, and emerging project developers in the region, which has an official population of 2.1 million.
"This creative structure will provide collaborative spaces, training workshops supervised by national and international experts, and an artificial intelligence laboratory free of charge, giving young people the opportunity to acquire skills and materialize their innovative ideas," the historical operator said in a statement on its Facebook page.
The Sétif Skills Center, inaugurated last February, is the first in a series of similar centers the government plans to open across several provinces to provide young people with free training in advanced technologies. Other centers have already opened in Annaba and Oran. These hubs offer training in fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity, and other information and communication technology (ICT) specialties.
This announcement follows a meeting approximately two weeks ago between Minister of Post and Telecommunications Sid Ali Zerrouki and Youth Minister Mustapha Hidaoui on strengthening cooperation between their departments. The ministers stressed the authorities' commitment to placing youth at the core of the national digital strategy by developing programs to enhance young people's skills, stimulate their creativity, and encourage their innovation capacity. They also underscored the importance of implementing concrete projects that leverage the technological expertise of the telecommunications sector while building on initiatives driven by youth establishments.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
• Paga Group launched Doroki, an all-in-one business suite helping Nigerian SMEs manage sales, payments, and customer relations.
• The Android-only app works offline, synchronizing data when Internet connectivity resumes, and has over 1,000 downloads on Play Store.
• Doroki targets small firms that still operate manually, aiming to boost efficiency, traceability, and competitiveness
Paga Group Ltd, a Nigerian fintech founded in 2009 by Tayo Oviosu, developed Doroki as a digital solution to help businesses modernize operations. The company said the platform acts as an all-in-one suite for shops, restaurants, salons, grocery stores, and other SMEs to manage daily activities.
Doroki provides stock management, invoicing, and payment processing through cards, USSD, QR codes, bank transfers, and Paga’s system. The app also supports customer relationship monitoring, promotions, real-time sales reporting, and cloud backups to prevent data loss.
The platform enables multi-branch management, staff role administration, and bulk data uploads via Excel or CSV for large catalogs. Paga said the app operates offline and synchronizes once Internet access returns, addressing connectivity gaps in Nigeria.
Doroki is currently available only on Android and has been downloaded more than 1,000 times on the Play Store. Paga said the mobile-first approach reflects the dominance of Android in Nigeria’s market.
Paga noted that many small businesses still operate without digital tools, often lacking visibility over sales, stock, and costs. Doroki seeks to centralize these functions, reduce errors, and improve customer service responsiveness.
The company said Doroki could improve efficiency and competitiveness of Nigerian micro and small businesses, particularly those looking to expand or enter more structured markets.
This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
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As talented young Africans struggle to get noticed, new digital initiatives are emerging to help highlight their skills. These solutions are transforming job access and redefining how talent connects with opportunity.
Tamba Emmanuel Millimono, a Guinean entrepreneur and coach, is the founder and CEO of Mansa Talents, a technology startup designed to centralize the showcasing and networking of young African talent. Millimono recently won second prize at the national stage of the 2025 Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) in Guinea.
Founded in 2024, Mansa Talents developed a talent management and recruitment platform that integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based job search tools. Its mission is to certify and support the professional development of Africa's new generation through an intuitive digital space.
The startup offers companies a tool to publish job openings and collaboratively track received applications in an organized manner. The platform also provides a qualified talent database, enabling recruiters to directly identify candidates matching their specific needs. Companies can also showcase their employer brand to attract applicants.
Mansa Talents provides candidates a digital space to create a professional curriculum vitae using several customizable templates. The platform also offers training resources and an AI-powered matching system. Candidates can browse and apply directly to opportunities posted by partner companies.
Prior to the POESAM award, the startup was recognized in the "e-employment" category at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Millimono is also a coach in public speaking and personal development. He graduated from the General Lansana Conté University of Sonfonia in Conakry in 2020 with a bachelor's degree in sociology, community development, and organization.
Melchior Koba
Digital solutions are emerging within Benin's digital ecosystem to meet the needs of the real estate sector. Guerin Agossadou is one of the entrepreneurs developing digital services tailored to local market realities.
Beninese data scientist and mobile application developer Guerin Agossadou is tackling local real estate challenges as the cofounder and CEO of Locapay, a startup dedicated to digitalizing and securing property services in Benin.
Founded in 2024 by Agossadou and Julian Adjibi, Locapay offers a digital solution designed to simplify, automate, and secure rent management and housing searches. The initiative addresses persistent difficulties for tenants, such as fraud, uncertainty about property quality, and payment constraints, as well as problems for landlords, including tedious follow-up, rent collection, and remote management. The startup operates via a mobile platform integrating various management tools.
The platform allows tenants to search for housing, conduct virtual tours, select validated listings, and pay rent via mobile money. Landlords receive a dashboard to register their properties, track payments, store documents, receive notifications, and manage all stages of the rental cycle remotely. Locapay provides them with a monitoring tool to limit late payments and improve investment management.
Locapay also includes ancillary services, allowing artisans and maintenance professionals to directly offer their services to tenants and landlords, facilitating connections for property upkeep and renovation.
Agossadou holds an engineering degree in mathematics and modeling from École Nationale Supérieure de Génie en Mathématique et Modélisation in Abomey, Benin. He is currently pursuing a Master's degree in data science with a specialization in insurance at the University of Évry Paris-Saclay in France.
Melchior Koba
- Côte d'Ivoire launches government data-sharing interoperability platform
- Estonian-developed UXP enables secure, real-time exchange across agencies
- Pilot covers 12 institutions, supporting 2030 "zero paper" ambition
Côte d'Ivoire's Minister of Digital Transition and Digitalization, Ibrahim Kalil Konaté, launched a public administration interoperability platform on Thursday, Sept. 25, in Abidjan. The tool is designed to enable the secure, real-time exchange of data between the information systems of various state entities.
According to the Minister, the platform is intended to break down the siloed operation of government agencies, which causes delays and increases costs for both the state and citizens. It is seen as a central lever for simplifying procedures, improving service quality, enhancing transparency, and supporting the Ivorian ambition to achieve "zero paper" by 2030.
The chosen solution, named UXP, was developed by Estonian company Cybernetica. The open-source and adaptable system allows information systems to communicate and securely exchange data in real-time. Practically, citizens will no longer need to provide the same documents multiple times to different administrations. Data recorded by one service can be automatically shared with another, with the user's consent.
The pilot phase involves 12 public institutions, including the Directorate General of Taxes, the National Office of Civil Status and Identification (ONECI), the National Social Security Fund (CNPS), and the Abidjan Commercial Court. The project is led by the National Computer Development Company (SNDI), as part of the digital roadmap adopted in 2022 with support from the Estonian firm Digital Nation.
The initiative is central to the Côte d’Ivoire 2030 Strategic Plan, which places digitalization at the core of modernization and inclusion efforts. Ultimately, the platform is expected to significantly reduce processing times for administrative procedures, limit costs related to administrative duplication, and strengthen user trust in public administration. However, it must address several challenges, including its adoption by all administrations, data security, and its gradual extension to all public structures.
Samira Njoya
- Guinea-Bissau launches national pharmaceutical traceability system with AVG
- Mandate requires full drug tracking; regulations effective March 2026
- Initiative targets counterfeits, strengthens healthcare and patient access
Guinea-Bissau last week enacted a national pharmaceutical traceability mandate, a regulatory system that requires the tracking and authentication of every medicine throughout the supply chain. Officially announced on Friday, Sept. 26, the initiative, undertaken in partnership with Italy's Antares Vision Group (AVG), aims to secure patient access to treatments and modernize the management of the pharmaceutical sector.
"Pharmaceutical safety and transparency are the foundation of a modern healthcare system. With the National Drug Catalogue at the center of ARFAME’s oversight role, Guinea-Bissau is creating a model that ensures compliance, protects patients and provides sustainable access to medicines," said Gianluca Mazzantini, CEO of Antares Vision Group.
The system relies on several key tools, including the National Catalogue of Medicines, a centralized platform for all health product data. Beginning in October 2025, this will be supplemented by the AVGroupHub, a digital interface accessible to manufacturers, importers, distributors, and dispensers. This system will mandate product registration, complying with regulations set to take effect in March 2026, ensuring complete traceability and strengthening the fight against illegal distribution channels.
This initiative addresses Guinea-Bissau’s significant challenges in pharmaceutical regulation, which include parallel distribution circuits, a lack of centralized control, and an absence of reliable data on drug availability. It is part of the country’s National Digital Health Strategy, launched in January 2025, which aims to modernize data management, improve coordination between health facilities, and enhance the supervision of pharmaceutical supply chains.
Ultimately, the program is expected to boost sector transparency, combat counterfeiting, secure access to essential treatments for the population, and lay the groundwork for modern, sustainable digital healthcare in Guinea-Bissau.
Samira Njoya