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Mobile technologies and services generated $240 billion in economic value in Africa in 2025, equivalent to 7.8% of the continent’s GDP.
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The sector supported around 13 million jobs and contributed $45 billion in public revenues, according to the GSMA.
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Mobile operators are expected to invest more than $76 billion in network infrastructure between 2024 and 2030 to expand 5G coverage and accelerate digital adoption.
Mobile technologies and services generated $240 billion in economic value across Africa in 2025, representing 7.8% of the continent’s gross domestic product, according to a report published by the GSMA on June 16. The sector also supported approximately 13 million jobs and contributed $45 billion in government revenues, underscoring its growing role in Africa’s economic development.
In its report, The Mobile Economy Africa 2026, the GSMA said the sector’s performance reflects a broader transformation of the mobile industry beyond traditional connectivity services. Mobile operators increasingly position themselves as digital transformation partners by integrating artificial intelligence, digital services and open application programming interfaces (APIs) designed for developers. As a result, operators are expanding their role within the digital economy and supporting innovation across multiple sectors. Despite significant progress in network deployment, digital adoption continues to lag behind connectivity availability.
The GSMA reported that approximately 63% of Africans who live within mobile broadband coverage areas do not use mobile internet services. The report identified device affordability, data costs and limited digital skills as the primary barriers to adoption. Consequently, affordability remains the biggest obstacle to achieving broader digital inclusion across the continent.
The report also highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in the mobile sector. Operators increasingly use AI technologies to improve network performance, optimize customer experiences and develop new digital services.
However, the GSMA noted that existing AI models remain insufficiently adapted to Africa’s linguistic diversity and local market realities. As a result, the industry continues to face challenges in developing AI solutions tailored to the continent’s specific needs. Meanwhile, mobile operators are expected to invest more than $76 billion in network infrastructure between 2024 and 2030. The investments will support 5G expansion, improve service quality and accommodate rising digital usage across Africa.
The GSMA said these investments will play a critical role in converting existing connectivity into tangible economic gains. Moreover, the organization said stronger infrastructure investment will help narrow Africa’s digital adoption gap and unlock additional value from the continent’s expanding mobile ecosystem.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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South African entrepreneur Thabo Leotlela founded Synapes AI in 2024 to automate customer communication through AI-powered omnichannel chatbots.
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The platform centralizes conversations, generates sales leads and automates repetitive customer service tasks across multiple channels.
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Leotlela leverages a background in accounting and financial management to build technology solutions that improve business efficiency.
South African entrepreneur Thabo Leotlela, a trained accountant and business founder, serves as the chief executive officer and founder of Synapes AI, a technology start-up that helps organizations automate customer interactions and optimize digital communications.
Founded in 2024, Synapes AI builds its offering around intelligent omnichannel chatbots designed to streamline customer experiences. The company aims to deliver instant responses while automating repetitive interactions that frequently burden customer support and after-sales teams. By centralizing communication flows on a single interface, the platform provides continuous and consistent engagement around the clock. As a result, customers can interact with brands at any time without experiencing service interruptions.
Synapes AI positions its technology as more than a customer service solution. The platform actively supports lead generation by engaging website visitors, identifying customer needs and collecting strategic information during initial interactions. Consequently, businesses can accelerate sales prospecting efforts while improving customer engagement processes.
The company also differentiates itself through its omnichannel architecture. The platform enables conversations to move seamlessly between communication channels, such as websites and messaging applications, without losing contextual information. As a result, users maintain continuity throughout the customer journey regardless of the channel they choose.
Synapes AI automates time-consuming activities such as answering frequently asked questions, scheduling appointments and collecting basic customer information. The platform allows employees to focus on higher-value tasks by reducing administrative workloads and repetitive interactions. Consequently, organizations can improve productivity while maintaining consistent customer engagement.
Leotlela draws on extensive experience in finance and business management to develop operational efficiency solutions. He holds a professional accounting qualification from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). He began his career in 2013 with the City Lodge Hotel Group in South Africa.
He subsequently expanded his financial management experience across several organizations, including mining-sector company AMIS. He later transitioned into technology entrepreneurship, where he combined his financial expertise with emerging technologies to build digital solutions for businesses.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J. A de Berry Quenum
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Guinea has launched a $393,333 Japanese-funded digital health pilot to improve maternal and neonatal healthcare access in remote areas.
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The project uses SPAQ technology developed by SOIK Corporation and combines a mobile application with portable ultrasound devices.
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The initiative aims to directly benefit more than 5,000 pregnant women and 5,000 newborns while supporting the digital transformation of Guinea’s healthcare system.
Guinea launched a digital health pilot project in Conakry on Tuesday, June 16, to improve access to maternal and neonatal healthcare services in remote communities. The Government of Japan finances the initiative with $393,333 and implements the project in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The project relies on the Japanese SPAQ technology developed by SOIK Corporation.
“By connecting a dedicated application to a portable ultrasound device, SPAQ enables healthcare providers to optimize and modernize prenatal monitoring, centralize medical results and strengthen monitoring activities in isolated areas,” Japanese Ambassador to Guinea Kato Ryuichi said. He added that the project will also deploy a mobile clinic, equip 10 healthcare facilities and train 20 midwives to use the digital solution.
The initiative aims to bring healthcare services closer to populations living in some of the country’s most remote locations. The combination of a mobile application and a portable ultrasound device will allow healthcare workers to conduct prenatal examinations, identify high-risk pregnancies more quickly and improve monitoring of both patients and newborns.
The project expects to directly benefit more than 5,000 pregnant women and an equal number of infants. The initiative comes as Guinea continues to face significant maternal and neonatal healthcare challenges. According to government authorities, the country has only one midwife for nearly 20,000 inhabitants.
At the same time, recurring floods have increased pressure on healthcare access. Authorities reported that floods affected more than 175,000 people in 2024, further complicating access to health facilities across several regions.
Long travel distances, shortages of medical equipment and limited healthcare coverage in some rural areas continue to constrain maternal healthcare delivery and prenatal monitoring services.
Beyond improving prenatal care, the project seeks to accelerate the digital transformation of Guinea’s healthcare system. Authorities aim to demonstrate the effectiveness of digital tools in expanding access to specialized healthcare services in remote areas. They also expect the initiative to strengthen the resilience of the healthcare system against future health emergencies and climate-related disruptions.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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Paul Mponzi, a Congolese business intelligence consultant and data expert based in the United States, co-founded and leads TCE Global, a digital services company established in 2007.
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TCE Global delivers technology, cybersecurity, cloud computing and digital transformation solutions to clients across the financial, industrial and healthcare sectors.
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The company helps organizations strengthen operational resilience, modernize infrastructure and improve performance through data analytics and technology integration.
Paul Mponzi, a Congolese business intelligence consultant and data specialist based in the United States, has positioned his company in the strategic technology consulting and cybersecurity segment. He serves as co-founder and chief executive officer of TCE Global, a digital services company that provides strategic support to organizations seeking to modernize their technology operations and improve business performance.
Founded in 2007, TCE Global delivers customized solutions that stabilize, secure and optimize clients’ information technology environments. The company specializes in infrastructure management, business continuity planning and the integration of innovative technologies.
At the same time, TCE Global offers services spanning systems management, cloud computing, digital mobility and digital transformation consulting. Through these capabilities, the company aims to enhance corporate performance by streamlining technical ecosystems and improving operational efficiency.
In the financial sector, TCE Global modernizes banking operations, streamlines payroll systems and helps insurance companies extract greater value from their data assets to maintain competitiveness.
The engineering consultancy also serves industrial clients. Through advanced cybersecurity and data analytics solutions, the company enables manufacturers to modernize production processes and strengthen resilience against changing market conditions.
In addition, TCE Global collaborates closely with healthcare organizations, including hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and telemedicine providers. The company aims to modernize information technology infrastructure and accelerate innovation across the healthcare sector.
Paul Mponzi built the foundation of his expertise at West Virginia University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering in 2002. He began his professional career immediately after graduation at Paychex, a major payroll management company, where he worked as a database administrator.
Between 2008 and 2011, he applied his data expertise at the University of North Texas Health Science Center and UNT Health, where he served as a data analyst and contributed to data-driven decision-making initiatives.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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SupraPay provides African freelancers, creators, consultants and businesses with dedicated dollar and euro banking details to facilitate international payments.
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The platform converts incoming funds and transfers them directly to local mobile money wallets, with most withdrawals processed in less than one hour.
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Jonathan Tchuente, a Cameroonian software engineer and DevSecOps specialist, co-founded the fintech platform in 2024.
Cameroonian entrepreneur and technology expert Jonathan Tchuente is the co-founder of SupraPay, an innovative financial platform designed to help freelancers, content creators, consultants and businesses across Africa receive payments from overseas with greater ease and reliability.
Founded in 2024, SupraPay targets professionals who work with international clients or rely on global freelance platforms. The platform supports a wide range of payment flows, including advertising revenue, direct contracts with clients outside Africa and services related to managing remote teams.
To facilitate these transactions, SupraPay assigns dedicated international banking details in U.S. dollars or euros to each user. The system allows African beneficiaries to receive transfers as if they held local bank accounts in those currency zones, removing traditional barriers to cross-border commerce.
Once users receive funds, the platform converts the money and transfers it directly to local mobile money services. SupraPay provides transparent transaction tracking and fast execution. The company says it processes most withdrawals in less than one hour.
Jonathan Tchuente trained as a software engineer at the Institut Universitaire de la Côte in Cameroon. He built extensive technical expertise throughout his career and currently serves as a Development, Security and Operations (DevSecOps) engineer at ZedPay, a technology company based in Niger.
Tchuente began his professional career in 2020 at Jaba Space, a collaborative hub for entrepreneurs, where he worked as a Development and Operations (DevOps) engineer. He subsequently expanded his experience and applied his expertise across several technology-focused organizations.
He later held DevOps engineering roles at financial platform Payunit, software engineering company Zerofiltre and the PKFokam Research Center, a center of excellence focused on technology research and innovation.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J. A de Berry Quenum
The Egyptian startup eYouth has partnered with Syrian startup Doroob to help young Syrians build skills for digital careers, freelancing, and entrepreneurship. The partnership combines eYouth’s extensive online course library with Doroob’s network of in-person training centers across Syria, creating a blended learning model that combines digital education with on-the-ground support. The initiative aims to align learners’ skills with employer needs and labor market demands, helping them make a smoother transition into the workforce.
Thinkroom and The Oracle Group are relaunching the Oracle Innovate Lab program in Eswatini following a successful inaugural edition in 2025.
The incubator is designed for local entrepreneurs with startup and growth-stage businesses. Over a six-month period, selected founders will receive hands-on training and mentoring to help scale their ventures and expand into new markets.
Applications for the new cohort, scheduled to begin on Saturday, August 1, will open online on Sunday, June 28.
Africa’s Business Heroes, a philanthropy-backed entrepreneurship program, has unveiled its list of 100 semifinalists for the 2026 competition, selected from a pool of 24,000 applicants. For the first time, the organization doubled the number of semifinalists to reflect the growing maturity of Africa’s startup ecosystem. Representing 27 countries and operating across sectors ranging from agriculture to artificial intelligence, these businesses collectively generate $170 million in revenue and employ more than 6,000 people.
- Zimbabwe will require cryptocurrency businesses to register annually with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) as part of a new regulatory framework.
- Authorities will charge registration fees of $500 for initial applications and $400 for annual renewals, while unregistered operations will constitute an offense.
- The reform aligns with a broader African trend toward regulating digital assets as cryptocurrency adoption accelerates across the continent.
The Zimbabwean government announced that it will require companies operating in the cryptocurrency sector to register with financial authorities under a framework designed to regulate a market that has until now remained largely informal.
According to regulations issued by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube and reported by Reuters, companies involved in the purchase, sale, transfer or custody of digital assets must register annually with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), an anti-money laundering body housed within the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
Authorities will charge an initial registration fee of $500 and an annual renewal fee of $400. Moreover, authorities will classify any operation conducted without registration as an offense, underscoring the government's determination to place the sector under formal supervision.
The decision follows several years of restrictions on crypto assets in Zimbabwe. Authorities began limiting activities linked to digital currencies in 2018, and those measures pushed a significant share of trading activity toward informal channels and peer-to-peer platforms.
The new framework signals a shift from restricting crypto activity toward regulating and monitoring it within the formal financial system.
Zimbabwe's move comes against the backdrop of rising crypto asset adoption across sub-Saharan Africa. According to a study published in September by blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, cryptocurrency transactions reached $205 billion in sub-Saharan Africa between July 2024 and June 2025.
Users drove much of that activity through cross-border payments and remittance-related transactions. In many African countries, consumers increasingly use cryptocurrencies as an alternative to traditional banking channels, particularly because international money transfer costs remain high. The World Bank reports that remittance fees in sub-Saharan Africa rank among the highest globally and regularly exceed 6% of the amount transferred.
Zimbabwe's reform reflects a broader effort across Africa to structure and supervise the digital asset sector. In South Africa, authorities regulate crypto service providers through the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA). Meanwhile, in Nigeria, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has introduced a progressive registration framework for cryptocurrency exchanges.
In Kenya, lawmakers have proposed a Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) law that would establish a shared supervisory framework between the Central Bank of Kenya and the country's capital markets regulator, illustrating a hybrid approach to digital asset regulation.
As African governments seek to balance innovation, investor protection and financial integrity, regulators across the continent continue to develop formal frameworks for the rapidly evolving crypto industry.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Egypt’s telecom regulator has awarded a new data center license to Hassan Allam Digital Infrastructure and Data Center Solutions for a project backed by an initial investment of $400 million.
- The license marks the tenth data center authorization issued in Egypt over the past two years, underscoring rapid growth in the sector.
- Egypt aims to strengthen its position as a regional data and cloud services hub while supporting artificial intelligence adoption and digital transformation.
Egypt continues to strengthen its digital infrastructure. The National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) granted a license on Monday, May 15, to Hassan Allam Digital Infrastructure and Data Center Solutions to build and operate a data center in the country. The company is developing the project in partnership with technology firm A15 and plans to invest an initial $400 million during the first phase.
According to the project developers, the investment represents the first stage of a broader expansion program that will continue in the coming years. The facility will comply with international standards and provide data hosting services, cloud computing capabilities and infrastructure designed for artificial intelligence applications. The center will serve government agencies, financial institutions and both local and international businesses.
The announcement comes as Egypt accelerates investment in digital infrastructure. According to the NTRA, the authorization represents the tenth data center license issued during the past two years, highlighting the sector’s rapid expansion.
Egyptian authorities increasingly view data centers as a critical component of digital transformation and national technological sovereignty. As a result, policymakers have intensified efforts to encourage investment in the sector.
At the same time, the government is preparing a national strategy focused on data centers and cloud computing. Egypt plans to leverage its strategic geographic location at the crossroads of Africa, Europe and Asia, alongside its telecommunications infrastructure, to attract additional investment in digital services.
The government aims to strengthen Egypt’s role as a regional platform for data exchange and digital services by expanding infrastructure capacity and enhancing connectivity.
The project also aligns with Egypt’s broader artificial intelligence ambitions. Egypt’s second national AI strategy targets a 7.7% contribution from digital technologies and artificial intelligence to gross domestic product by 2030.
Authorities also estimate that AI could generate up to $42.7 billion in economic value over the coming years through adoption across sectors including public services, finance, healthcare and manufacturing.
Beyond the Egyptian market, the new infrastructure aims to address growing regional demand for data hosting and cloud services. R
apid advances in artificial intelligence, e-commerce and corporate digital transformation continue to increase demand for data storage and computing capacity across Africa and neighboring regions.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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- Djogol Zone launched in 2024 and connects sellers, buyers and delivery agents through a single digital ecosystem.
- The platform has recorded more than 10,000 downloads on Google Play Store and aims to become Niger’s leading e-commerce marketplace.
- The startup addresses key barriers to online commerce, including fragmented retail supply, limited digital visibility and delivery management challenges.
Djogol Zone is an e-commerce platform developed by a Nigerien startup. The company designed the platform to connect sellers, buyers and delivery agents within a single digital ecosystem. The startup operates from Niamey and founder Ibrahim Moussa Almoustapha launched the business in 2024.
The solution operates as an online marketplace that brings together certified local stores. The application is available on both iOS and Android platforms and allows users to browse product catalogs, place orders and receive deliveries without traveling to physical stores. The application has already surpassed 10,000 downloads on Google Play Store. The company aims to establish itself as Niger’s leading e-commerce platform.
Addressing Structural Challenges
Djogol Zone addresses several obstacles that continue to slow the development of e-commerce in Niger. Key challenges include fragmented retail offerings, limited digital visibility for merchants, and difficulties related to order management and delivery logistics.
By bringing multiple retailers together on a single platform, the startup seeks to simplify the shopping experience while creating new commercial opportunities for local merchants.
The company also focuses on trust, a critical factor for the growth of online commerce across Africa. Djogol Zone geolocates and verifies stores before integrating them into its marketplace. The company uses this approach to strengthen consumer confidence and reduce risks associated with digital transactions.
Beyond online retail, Djogol Zone reflects the emergence of a new generation of African startups that develop solutions tailored to local market realities.
As digital transformation gradually advances in Niger, the initiative could help further structure the country’s e-commerce market and accelerate the adoption of digital services among both businesses and consumers.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
- Kenyan entrepreneur Cherotich Rutto founded agritech startup Tawi in 2023 to connect farmers directly with institutional buyers and reduce reliance on intermediaries.
- The platform serves hotels, restaurants, schools, hospitals and food retailers through a transparent online procurement system.
- Tawi combines digital commerce, logistics support and farmer advisory services to improve incomes, boost productivity and reduce post-harvest losses.
Kenyan entrepreneur Cherotich Rutto, a data science specialist, is transforming agricultural supply chains across East Africa. She founded Tawi in 2023 and currently serves as the company's chief executive officer. The startup specializes in the marketing and distribution of fresh agricultural products.
Tawi reduces the role of intermediaries by connecting local farmers directly with institutional buyers. Its client base includes hotels, restaurants, schools, hospitals, catering companies and food retailers. Through the platform, Rutto aims to make agricultural trade more efficient, transparent and equitable for all participants.
For institutional buyers, Tawi offers an online ordering system that simplifies inventory management. The platform displays prices transparently and provides rapid delivery services across several regions of Kenya.
The system allows food service operators to save time while securing reliable sources of supply. As a result, buyers gain greater visibility over procurement costs and product availability. For farmers, the digital platform creates a consistent commercial outlet and improves earning opportunities. Beyond matching buyers and sellers, Tawi provides technical guidance and digital tools that help producers optimize agricultural output. The company uses this comprehensive support model to increase productivity sustainably and significantly reduce post-harvest waste.
Before launching her agritech venture, Cherotich Rutto built a strong academic background. She earned a bachelor's degree in economics, commerce and English from University of Delhi in 2005. She later obtained a Master of Business Administration from United States International University-Africa in 2014. She also completed a diploma in data science at London School of Economics and Political Science in 2020.
Rutto began her professional career in 2001 at the Kenyan subsidiary of Barclays. In 2006, she joined Standard Chartered Bank, where she served as a sales representative and later as a product manager. She expanded her pan-African experience in 2015 when she moved to Ghana to lead commercial operations and sales at financial services company afb.
One year later, she returned to Standard Chartered Bank in Kenya. She continued to serve as a product manager until 2020, building expertise in financial services, commercial operations and business development before transitioning into entrepreneurship.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J. A de Berry Quenum
- Kidus Yared founded Hasab AI in 2024 to provide integrated artificial intelligence tools for text, voice and communication processing.
- The platform offers transcription, translation, conversational AI and text-to-speech services for both individuals and enterprises.
- Yared draws on experience in software engineering and fintech to build enterprise-grade communication solutions in Ethiopia.
Ethiopian entrepreneur Kidus Yared, a software engineer and technology founder, created Hasab AI, a platform designed to simplify how users process speech and written communication. He serves as chief executive officer of the company, which he launched in 2024.
Hasab AI targets both individuals and corporate clients. The platform provides a unified interface that integrates a full suite of tools for speech processing, writing assistance and digital communication management.
Hasab AI converts audio recordings into written text. The system processes interviews, meetings, conferences and podcasts and produces structured written documents ready for use. To further reduce language barriers, the platform integrates translation services and an AI-powered conversational assistant. In addition, Hasab AI offers text-to-speech functionality that converts written content into natural-sounding voice output.
Yared graduated in computer science from the Addis Ababa University Institute of Technology, where he built his foundational expertise in software engineering. He began his career in 2020 as an intern at Adika Taxi Services, where he gained initial experience in applied software development.
In 2021, he joined Chapa, where he worked as a software engineer and later managed engineering and technical operations. He strengthened his expertise in financial technology systems and digital infrastructure during this period. Between 2024 and 2025, Yared expanded his experience internationally as a software development consultant for the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), which focuses on improving livelihoods through livestock innovation.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J. A de Berry Quenum
Nigeria will host the Africa Technology Expo on June 26-27, 2026, in Lagos. This major event will bring together companies, startups, developers, and media representatives from across Africa and around the world. The program will feature cutting-edge digital innovations, live demonstrations of business solutions, and networking opportunities designed to foster strategic partnerships and accelerate the growth of Africa's digital ecosystem.