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Paystack has launched a support program for Nigerian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The initiative provides eligible merchants with significant discounts on accounting, logistics, and communication tools. It also offers personalized mentorship and financial grants to help entrepreneurs address day-to-day business challenges and accelerate their growth.
Senegalese startup Nixacom has launched Auto Apply, a digital platform that automates customer onboarding and identity verification. The solution enables financial institutions to replace lengthy paper-based procedures with a streamlined digital workflow. By centralizing data collection and contract generation, Auto Apply reduces processing times from several days to just a few minutes.
The StartCraft program is now accepting applications from Nigerian entrepreneurs, helping them transform promising ideas into sustainable businesses. This intensive training program offers personalized mentoring, practical business tools, and access to funding opportunities. Designed for startup founders looking to build strong foundations and scale their ventures, the program is accepting applications through its official portal until Tuesday, June 30.
PaidHR has partnered with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund to support Nigerian small businesses. One hundred selected companies will receive free HR and automated payroll software for one year. The program also includes training in financial and operational management to help these businesses scale, strengthen their operations, and sustain employment.
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.
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.
Investment firm Anterra Capital has raised $100 million and is targeting a final close of $200 million to back agricultural and food technology companies. Amid mounting climate challenges and a global slowdown in investment, the firm is focusing on practical, scalable solutions. In particular, it is leveraging artificial intelligence to modernize agricultural supply chains and accelerate biotech research, supporting an industry that employs more than one billion people worldwide.
The XPRIZE Foundation and Google have launched the global “Build with Gemini” competition. With a $2 million prize pool, the hackathon invites developers, creators, and researchers to build practical applications using Google’s Gemini AI. Projects should address real-world challenges in areas such as healthcare, education, and climate change. Applications are open until Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
Private equity firm Holocene has closed its inaugural climate-tech fund focused on Southern Africa. In just 18 months, the fund has backed ten local startups, creating more than 500 jobs. Its portfolio includes circular-fashion ventures and e-mobility companies developing electric motorcycles and battery-swapping stations. In addition to funding, the startups receive hands-on operational support to help them scale.
On Monday, June 8, DevCareer and Nomba launched a five-week competition in Nigeria for teams of software developers. Running through July 18, the challenge invites participants to create innovative payment solutions tailored to the Nigerian market. In addition to cash prizes, top-performing participants will have the opportunity to join a professional development partnership program and gain support in launching their careers.
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On Tuesday, June 9, global financial platform Yuno announced a partnership with pan-African network Onafriq aimed at simplifying e-commerce payments across Africa. Through the partnership, merchants worldwide can accept payments and send funds to one billion mobile wallets and 500 million bank accounts across the continent. This single-system approach eliminates the technical and regulatory hurdles typically caused by Africa's fragmented markets.
On Tuesday, June 9, Nigerian startup Myka announced it has secured seed funding to expand its operations. Founded in 2025, the digital platform allows individuals and small businesses to compare and buy insurance policies in real time. By partnering with major insurers, the startup aims to make insurance products, including health, auto, and home coverage, more accessible in a country where insurance penetration remains very low.
Nigerian fintech startup CreditChek has raised $600,000 to expand its services into Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. Founded in 2022, the company uses AI to help banks and other financial institutions verify borrowers' identities and income. The technology reduces default risk while expanding access to credit for small businesses and individuals.
MassChallenge has selected 193 startups for its accelerator program, including 14 from Africa. Nigeria's Bridge Merchant, Cameroon's CornHouse, and Zambia's Entomo Farm were chosen from a global pool of nearly 2,000 applicants. These agriculture-focused startups will take part in a four-month mentorship program and compete for funding in October to help scale their businesses.