Brief (503)
MYDAWA, a digital health platform in East Africa, has raised new funding to expand its services and improve access to essential medicines across the region. The investment will support regional growth, AI-powered service upgrades, and the scale-up of MYDAWA’s hybrid “Bricks-and-Clicks” model, which combines online health services with physical pharmacy support.
The funding round includes global healthcare investors such as IFU, Alta Semper, AAIC Investment, Creadev, and Ohara Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
The funds will also expand chronic care support, enhance digital tools, and reduce patient costs through smarter logistics and inventory systems. MYDAWA recently strengthened its presence in Uganda through the acquisition of Rocket Health.
African payments company Onafriq has announced a partnership with global financial technology company Circle to improve cross-border payments across the continent.
The collaboration, announced on April 30, will integrate Circle’s USDC-powered settlement solutions into Onafriq’s infrastructure, marking a major leap toward simpler, faster, and more affordable intra-African transactions.
The partnership aims to break down traditional barriers in cross-border finance, including high transaction fees, slow processing, and currency exchange hurdles, by leveraging blockchain-powered stablecoin technology.
Women in Tech 2025 is set to gather Africa’s leading female innovators at Vodacom World, Johannesburg, for a full day of celebration, inspiration, and empowerment on November 16.
The event, "Join the Shevolution," will showcase female tech entrepreneurs, spotlight their achievements, and open doors to new opportunities. It aims to build a future where women lead and power the technology sector. SHEVOLUTION is a call to action for female entrepreneurs to join Africa’s growing tech revolution.
Highlights include celebrating outstanding women from enterprise development programs, networking opportunities, and access to inspiring industry leaders.
Kaduna State, Nigeria, is advancing AI for public good, reinforcing its commitment to digital transformation, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Technology announced on April 29.
As part of the AI Governance Peer Learning Tour in Singapore, the Commissioner of Business Innovation & Technology, Mrs. Patience Fakai, and the SA on IT to the Governor, Musa Bello, visited AI Singapore to explore its National AI Strategy.
Inspired by Singapore’s AI Strategy 2.0, Kaduna is advancing AI adoption by integrating it into vocational training and supporting local researchers through state institutions. As part of this effort, the State is establishing an AI Centre of Excellence to strengthen governance, improve infrastructure planning, enhance national security, and drive AI research.
- Senegal launches six major projects to digitize healthcare system
- Projects include electronic health records, telemedicine development, Hospital Information System (HIS), Health Geographic Information System (HGIS), pharmaceutical management digitization, and digital health governance
Senegal has initiated six major projects to accelerate the digitization of its healthcare system, the director of the Unit for the Health and Social Map, Digital Health, and the Health Observatory (CSSDOS), Ibrahima Khaliloulah Dia, announced on Monday, April 28. The initiative aims to transform the country's health governance through the adoption of cutting-edge technological solutions.
These projects encompass the implementation of electronic health records, the development of telemedicine services, the establishment of a Hospital Information System (HIS), a Health Geographic Information System (HGIS), and the digitization of both pharmaceutical management and community health activities. A sixth component, focusing on digital governance, provides the overarching framework for the entire initiative.
"To date, two hospitals, one health center, and one health post are utilizing the digital patient record system, with over 127,000 patients registered, more than 355,000 financial transactions processed, and over 66,000 medical procedures recorded," Ibrahima Khaliloulah Dia said.
These advancements are part of the Senegal Digital Economy Acceleration Project (PAENS), aligning with the national digital strategy known as the Technological New Deal. Healthcare holds a central position within this strategy, alongside education and public administration. The dual objective is to enhance equitable access to healthcare and to establish Senegal as a regional leader in digital health.
By 2034, the government's key targets include achieving fully digitized health coverage, increasing the use of telemedicine to reduce expensive medical evacuations, and enabling data-driven decision-making based on reliable, real-time information. According to goals set by the CSSDOS, by the end of the current year, 20% of health centers must adopt electronic medical records, 30% of health facilities must have internet connectivity, and 1.5 million Senegalese citizens, with 50% being women, must possess a secure digital health space. Furthermore, 2,000 regulated telemedicine consultations are to be conducted.
Samira Njoya
Aruwa Capital Management, a Lagos-based female-founded and led early-stage growth equity and gender lens fund manager, announced on April 28 that it has secured 90% of its $40 million Fund II target, moving closer to its mission of driving gender-lens investing across Africa.
Key investors include returning anchors Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund and Visa Foundation, along with global institutions like British International Investment (BII) and EDFI Management Company. Nigeria’s Bank of Industry (BOI) also joined as a lead local partner.
Fund II builds on the success of Fund I. Aruwa plans to increase Fund II to $50 million this year in response to strong investor demand.
OmniRetail, a unified consumer goods distribution platform, closed its Series A funding round, it announced on April 28.
The funding round strengthens OmniRetail’s commitment to its asset-light, technology-first model - a strategy that has proven resilient even amid economic headwinds across the continent.
The company plans to channel the new capital into inventory financing through debt, strategic acquisitions, and profitable growth initiatives. This Series A success signals investor confidence in OmniRetail’s ability to not just navigate but redefine Africa’s fast-moving consumer goods industry through digital infrastructure and scalable logistics solutions.
Nigeria is set to host the West Africa Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF) 2025, a platform where different groups come together to discuss important issues about how the internet is managed.
The event will convene policymakers, stakeholders, youth leaders, and digital enthusiasts from May 19–23 at The Auditorium, Digital Economy Complex (NCC Annex), Mbora, Abuja.
This year’s forum will feature the West Africa Youth IGF, a multi-stakeholder forum, and a parliamentary track, driving discussions on building a resilient, inclusive, and secure digital future for the region.
Applications are now open for the Futuremakers Women in Tech Uganda program, a six-month accelerator supporting women-led, tech-enabled startups.
Powered by the Standard Chartered Foundation and delivered by Future Lab at The Innovation Village, the program offers funding, mentorship, and ecosystem exposure to help startups scale and grow. Participants will gain business development support, access to industry networks, and investment readiness training.
The accelerator targets visionary women entrepreneurs building innovative solutions that contribute toward at least one Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). Their startups must be based in Uganda and employ fewer than 10 people with an annual turnover of less than USD 100,000.
Applications are open till May 30, 2025
Nigeria will host the AfCFTA Hackathon 2025, which will take place at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos, from May 1–3, 2025. The event will bring together developers, entrepreneurs, and innovators from across Africa to build tech solutions for the continent’s digital trade challenges.
Themed “Empowering Youth for Africa’s Future Trade,” the event aims to drive innovation in areas such as e-commerce, digital payments, logistics, and digital identity. Participants will work on ideas that enhance cross-border trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The hackathon supports AfCFTA’s broader goals of economic integration and trade facilitation, with winning ideas potentially piloted for real-world application.
More...
Tanmeyah, a subsidiary of EFG Holding and a leader in microfinance, has partnered with AMAN Holding, the fintech arm of Raya Holding, to enhance digital financial services for customers across Egypt.
The agreement, announced April 22, will allow Tanmeyah customers to receive financing and make payments digitally, including through AMAN’s retail network, available seven days a week, removing the need for branch visits or limited service hours.
The partnership will advance Egypt’s digital transformation and financial inclusion agenda by offering simplified, tech-enabled solutions to individuals and microenterprises.
Global leaders from government, industry, academia, and civil society will gather in Geneva from 7 to 11 July for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 High-Level Event 2025. The WSIS Forum coordinates action on using digital technologies for development.
Hosted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Swiss Confederation, the event is co-organized with UNESCO, UNDP, UNCTAD, and over 40 UN partners. It will be held at the Palexpo center alongside the AI for Good Global Summit 2025.
This year’s event will review progress, explore challenges like AI, and help shape the WSIS agenda beyond 2025, ahead of a formal UN General Assembly review in September. It will highlight emerging tech trends and foster global cooperation on digital transformation.
The UNICEF StartUp Lab is accepting applications for its next cohort of startups. This six-month accelerator supports innovative solutions tackling key development challenges in health, education, WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), climate action, child protection, finance, agriculture, and emerging digital technologies.
The program provides startups with up to GHS 75,000 in prototyping funds and scale-up grants of GHS 150,000 each for three standout ventures. Startups will also gain access to mentorship from UNICEF program experts and connections to its global network of country offices and partners.
To be eligible, startups must be registered and operational in Ghana for at least one year, with technology as a core component of their business model. Solutions must address at least one Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).
Google has opened applications for the 2025 edition of its Startups Accelerator Africa program, a three-month initiative designed to support early-stage African tech startups leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to address challenges across the continent.
The accelerator offers selected startups equity-free support, up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits, expert mentorship from Googlers and industry leaders, and networking opportunities.
Eligible startups must be headquartered in Africa, have at least one African founder, offer a live product already in the market, and have an AI-first approach or meaningfully integrate AI into their operations. Applications are open until May 9, 2025.