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The pan-African neobank Zazu has partnered with Visa to offer entrepreneurs and small businesses in Morocco a 100% online business account. Customers can open an account, send and receive payments, issue multiple cards for their teams, and track expenses in real time from a single dashboard, eliminating the need for multiple tools, saving time and improving cash flow management.
The Moroccan startup z.systems, which specializes in digitizing neighborhood grocery stores, has raised $1.65 million from the Azur Innovation Fund and existing investors. The company aims to build digital infrastructure for the traditional retail sector, which accounts for the vast majority of food spending in Morocco, and plans to connect 50,000 retailers to its platform by 2030, with support from the government.
In Casablanca, the Morocco Accelerator program has launched its second cohort, featuring 19 Moroccan startups, including diaspora founders, specializing in fintech, AI, healthcare, agritech and deeptech. Supported by the Ministry of Digital Transition, in partnership with Technopark and Plug and Play, the program provides mentorship, market access and connections with investors. It aims to help these startups scale beyond Morocco, in line with the Morocco Digital 2030 strategy.
Egyptian startup Lucky has raised $23 million in a funding round to expand its credit offerings and grow across North Africa. The app already allows millions of users to save money, make payments and access flexible lines of credit. The new funding will support its technology, licensing and compliance efforts as it moves toward becoming a digital bank.
Kenyan data protection authorities have launched an investigation into Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses amid concerns they may capture and expose sensitive information. The glasses, which can record video, take photos and respond to voice commands, are reported to capture private content that is then reviewed by human contractors. The case has reignited debate over privacy and consent in the era of wearable technology.
The fintech company Cashi is partnering with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to roll out an interoperable digital payments platform in Central Africa, initially targeting Chad. The platform, accessible via mobile phones, payment terminals and SMS, is designed to facilitate everyday transactions, reduce reliance on cash and broaden access to financial services, particularly for small businesses and underserved populations.
The investment firm Novastar Ventures has closed its third fund, worth $147 million, to back high-impact African startups, particularly in climate, clean energy, mobility, and logistics.
Backed by major Japanese investors and development finance institutions, the fund aims to accelerate the growth of companies delivering both financial returns and social and environmental impact.
South Africa is modernizing its ID card application process by offering it through selected banks. Citizens can either start the process online and complete it at a branch or, at selected banks, complete the entire process on-site using digital services. Applicants must bring their ID documents, proof of address, and pay the required fees; they will receive a text message once their card is ready for collection.
WhatsApp is rolling out new features aimed at improving user experience. Users can now manage storage more easily, transfer chats between iOS and Android, and run two accounts on a single iPhone. The update, being released gradually worldwide, also adds sticker suggestions, photo editing tools and AI writing assistance.
Circle and Sasai Fintech have partnered to integrate USDC (USD Coin), a dollar-pegged digital currency, into Sasai’s payment and mobile wallet services across Africa. The aim is to reduce costs, delays and friction in transfers, particularly cross-border transactions. The partnership also seeks to give African individuals and businesses access to an open, always-on financial infrastructure.
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Kenyan fintech Ndovu Wealth has launched Kibaba, a multi-asset collective investment fund denominated in Kenyan shillings and U.S. dollars. Targeting medium- to long-term investors, it requires a minimum investment of 250,000 shillings ($2,500) and aims to mitigate volatility through diversification across equities, bonds, real estate, index funds and commodities.
The Shell Foundation and Startup Discovery School are launching the West Africa Aggregator Platform, a one-year pilot in Ghana and Senegal to test new delivery models for low-carbon agricultural technologies. The initiative aims to reduce the cost of access for women smallholder farmers, improve crop yields, and increase incomes by at least 20%, with a target of reaching 200,000 women farmers by 2030.
South African fintech Happy Pay has raised $5 million to scale its interest-free installment solution, in which merchants absorb the cost of monthly payments in return for higher conversion rates. The funding will support the expansion of its merchant network, reinforce its online and in-store presence, and improve its risk assessment and fraud detection capabilities.
Namibia has launched a startup accelerator in Windhoek to support the country’s startup ecosystem. Named Accelerate36, the initiative aims to help young companies scale, attract investment, and eventually list on the Namibia Stock Exchange’s SME board. Three local startups have already presented projects focused on education, healthcare, and digital skills.