• 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

• 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