At the BimaLab Africa Insurtech Summit, held on Wednesday, November 26 and Thursday, November 27 in Nairobi, FSD Africa announced the creation of the Inclusive Insurtech Investment Fund. This $30 million venture capital fund is dedicated to supporting early-stage African insurance technology (insurtech) startups. Building on the BimaLab program, this funding vehicle will back solutions designed to improve the accessibility, affordability, and relevance of insurance, particularly in the areas of climate, health, and financial inclusion for underserved populations.
Nigerian entrepreneur Kayode Aladesuyi’s company, MYai Robotics, has unveiled Curation AI, a system that verifies articles, images, videos, audio and social media posts in seconds while also tracking public opinion in real time. Developed by a mostly Nigerian team, the tool is designed to curb misinformation by enabling the public, media outlets and institutions to quickly verify digital content.
Twelve Kenyan startups – including LeadNow by Dignitas, Cloud School System, Elimu Shop, iFunza, M-Lugha Technologies, Nyansapo AI, Zydii and Digifunzi– have completed the third cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship. During the six-month program, they received support to refine their solutions and expand the rollout of digital tools that promote inclusive education.
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Google.org will provide $1.5 million to fund a digital literacy and online-safety programme across four African countries.
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JA Africa aims to train 250,000 children, 6,000 teachers and 8,000 parents and caregivers by 2027.
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The programme will deploy Google’s “Be Internet Awesome” curriculum, including Interland, through schools and community networks.
Children in Africa gain access to digital technology at increasingly early ages as connectivity expands across the continent. This rapid exposure, however, brings major risks such as cyberbullying, harassment and exploitation, which compel governments and organisations to strengthen online-safety protections.
JA Africa, the regional arm of one of the world’s oldest youth-focused economic-education organisations, announced on 26 November the launch of a digital-literacy and online-safety programme in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. The initiative uses $1.5 million in funding from Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, and targets the training of 250,000 children, 6,000 teachers and 8,000 parents and caregivers by 2027 to reinforce child safety in a fast-growing digital ecosystem.
“Digital connectivity now forms the backbone of modern life in Africa, and our children must be equipped not only to participate but also to stay protected,” JA Africa CEO Simi Nwogugu said. “With support from Google.org, we help young people turn access into opportunity by building a generation of smart, safe and respectful digital citizens.”
The programme relies on Google’s “Be Internet Awesome” curriculum, which teaches digital security, privacy protection, anti-cyberbullying practices and responsible online citizenship. The curriculum uses Interland, a game-based platform, to engage young learners. JA Africa will deploy the programme through school workshops, teacher-training sessions and community-based activities, including in underserved rural areas. The initiative aligns with existing national frameworks on child protection and ICT-in-education policies in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya.
The launch comes as minors face rising digital-exposure risks across Africa. GSMA data shows that 18% of children aged 5 to 7 in sub-Saharan Africa already use mobile Internet. The International Telecommunication Union estimates that one child connects to the Internet every half-second worldwide, highlighting the accelerating pace of early digital access. Yet, in 2024, only 39 African countries had completed a national online-child-protection strategy, while 32% were still drafting one and 41% had taken no formal steps.
The project could ultimately support the creation of common continental standards for online child protection through planned collaboration with education, ICT and communications ministries. JA Africa and Google intend to amplify the programme with awareness campaigns, digital-content production and key events, including Safer Internet Day 2026, to broaden public reach.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
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Fadila Ménage provides more than 150 trained domestic employees with a 97% client satisfaction rate and a 24-hour response time.
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The platform, created in 2017 by Loukman Lamany, offers both placement and professional cleaning services for households and companies.
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The company uses a structured recruitment process with training and background checks to guarantee reliability and service quality.
In Togo, Fadila Ménage positions itself as a leading provider connecting households or companies with professional domestic workers. Fadila Group developed this digital solution to specialise in the placement of housekeepers, nannies, cooks, drivers and cleaning agents while also offering professional cleaning services for homes and offices. Loukman Lamany founded the company in 2017.
The company operates a platform accessible through its website that allows clients to request quotes, hire qualified personnel or book one-off cleaning services. It claims to employ more than 150 workers trained according to its methods, to maintain a 97% client satisfaction rate and to provide an average 24-hour response time. These features make the platform a credible and structured alternative to informal solutions that remain widespread in the region.
Fadila Ménage builds its strength on a selection process that includes training and background checks to ensure reliable staff. “We recruit judiciously and provide technical training to our agents to offer households and institutions in Togo the best quality services in industrial, commercial and residential cleaning and maintenance,” the startup said.
The company provides modular services, including occasional or regular cleaning, full-time or part-time employment, and related services such as office cleaning. Beyond on-demand services, the company highlights its social commitment by promoting the professional integration of young people, unskilled women, unemployed individuals and seniors, thereby reducing unemployment and supporting economic inclusion.
The solution responds to a growing demand for reliable domestic services. Fadila Ménage delivers a professional, transparent and structured model that has the potential to transform the personal-services market in Togo.
This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
- BankerX uses AI-driven tools and media to expand financial inclusion across emerging markets.
- The company’s podcasts rank highly on Apple Podcasts and Spotify among young professionals.
- BankerX GPT supports financial decision-making with a focus on emerging-market users.
Koshiek Karan develops digital tools to reshape how people learn, use, and move money. He aims to open new paths for understanding, investing, and acting within the modern economy.
Karan, a former South African investment banker, now works as a financial content creator and serial entrepreneur. He founded several companies at the intersection of fintech, media, and wellness. He currently leads BankerX, a media and technology business.
BankerX, founded in 2020, positions itself as a hybrid platform combining financial media and technology. The company seeks to expand access to investing, saving, and money management. It relies on artificial intelligence, digital tools, and cross-border communities to support this goal. BankerX builds its offering around financial education, digital content, investor networks, and learning hubs.
The company defines financial inclusion and long-term wealth creation as its core mission, particularly for global audiences in Africa and other emerging markets. It blends AI, digital media, fintech tools, and human networks to help users understand money, invest, and build wealth over time.
BankerX produces content covering personal finance, markets, business, and macro-economy topics. Its podcasts rank high on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with a strong following among young professionals and entrepreneurs.
BankerX also maintains an active presence on social media and its website. It publishes market news, analysis, and open educational resources on investing. The company designs its content to encourage immediate practical application.
The firm develops several technology projects, including BankerX GPT. The tool guides financial decision-making and supports operational tasks in finance, with a particular focus on emerging markets. It helps users analyse financial products, test scenarios, and clarify choices.
Alongside BankerX, Karan co-founded multiple companies. In 2021, he launched AltVest Capital, where he served as executive chairman until 2023. That same year, he created WealthX, an educational platform; RAX Wealth, a wealth-management technology firm; and Flex Fitness, an international wellness community.
Karan holds a finance degree from the University of Cape Town, awarded in 2012. He began his career in 2013 as an investment banking analyst at Barclays Investment Bank. In 2020, he joined Barloworld as a transaction adviser.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
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Crowdyvest, created in 2019, combines saving, investing and payment management in a single digital platform.
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The platform automates deposits, offers curated investment opportunities and provides a digital wallet for bill settlement and transactions.
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CEO Temitope Omotolani previously helped launch Farmcrowdy and brings a strong background in economics and agribusiness.
Temitope Omotolani, a Nigerian entrepreneur and trained economist, develops a user-centred financial model that creates a new framework for organising personal capital. Her project introduces a notable shift in everyday money management.
Omotolani serves as cofounder and chief executive officer of Crowdyvest, an online platform that provides savings and investment tools to the general public.
Crowdyvest, created in 2019, brings savings, investment and payment management together in one ecosystem. The platform offers interactive products and a catalogue of curated investment opportunities. Users define their financial goals, set their contribution rhythm and manage their budgets through a personal dashboard. The system aims to help individuals progressively strengthen their financial stability and anticipate future uncertainties.
Savings form the core of the platform. Crowdyvest integrates automation and digital tracking to encourage consistent deposits and simplify their management. The company presents its savings products with annual interest rates advertised as attractive. Alongside these options, the Crowdyvest Yield section gives users access to impact-oriented investments across several sectors, with short- or long-term horizons depending on the saver’s profile and objectives.
The platform also includes a bill-payment and transaction service supported by a digital wallet. It enables members to track expenses, meet payment deadlines and conduct routine transactions. Crowdyvest expands this ecosystem through negotiated partner offers that provide discounts and preferential conditions on selected financial products, thereby supporting users beyond simple capital allocation.
Before launching Crowdyvest, Omotolani helped create Farmcrowdy in 2016, a company specialising in technologies applied to agricultural production. She served as vice president of operations and later as chief operating officer until 2019.
Omotolani holds a bachelor’s degree in economics earned in 2017 from the University of Lagos. She also completed training in agricultural business and management at the Lagos Business School of the Pan-Atlantic University.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
Nigeria’s Task Systems Limited has won the Microsoft Partner of the Year Award, beating more than 4,000 candidates from over 100 countries. The award highlights decades of expertise in deploying digital solutions for major African enterprises and reinforces Task Systems’ position as a key driver of digital transformation on the continent.
Proparco is investing in Kenyan e-mobility startup BasiGo, which assembles electric buses locally and finances them through a pay-as-you-drive model. The funding will help the company expand its operations in Kenya and Rwanda, strengthen its charging network, and move closer to its goal of deploying 1,000 buses.
South Africa’s Competition Tribunal has approved Lesaka Technologies’ acquisition of digital-only bank Bank Zero for about $63.8 million. The deal still requires sign-off from prudential regulators. The acquisition will enable Lesaka to strengthen its financial services platform, expand its digital banking offering, and fund its growth more effectively through customer deposits.
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Trenderz connects African brands with influencers and creators through a mobile app launched in 2023 by Koami Rummenigge Aziabou and Kim Tran.
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The platform uses a pay-for-performance model that tracks reservations via personalised links or codes, allowing creators to earn commissions.
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Trenderz operates in Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Senegal and Cameroon and targets micro-influencers to democratise digital marketing.
Ivorian start-up Trenderz aims to establish itself as a key enabler of influence marketing on the continent as demand rises for local digital-engagement tools.
The company developed a mobile solution that connects brands, restaurants, hotels and leisure venues with influencers and content creators. Its goal is to boost business visibility while enabling creators to monetise their audiences. Founders Koami Rummenigge Aziabou and Kim Tran launched the platform in 2023.
The solution runs through a mobile app available on iOS and Android. According to Play Store data, the app has already recorded over 1,000 downloads. Businesses can create establishment pages, publish offers or services and receive applications from creators interested in promoting them.
Trenderz tracks reservations generated through personalised links or booking codes shared by influencers. Establishments pay only when performance is delivered, with no fixed fees.
The start-up does not require large follower counts from creators and welcomes micro-influencers. Registration is free. Each collaboration gives creators access to an experience — such as a night stay, a meal or an activity — and a commission on reservations produced.
Trenderz currently operates in Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Senegal and Cameroon. It markets itself as an accessible digital-marketing tool that helps African businesses reach local audiences through authentic, market-relevant content.
With Africa’s young and increasingly connected population, the company positions itself as a bridge between brands and consumers through creative content and measurable performance.
This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
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Benin set a 2026 digital budget of CFA27.2 billion ($48 million), down 6.32% from 2025 due to a 12.22% drop in external financing.
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The government will still fund major initiatives, in cluding AI integration in public services, nationwide high-speed coverage, and the launch of a national digital-skills school.
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The GSMA estimates that Benin’s digital economy could add CFA1,200 billion to GDP by 2028 and create over 300,000 jobs.
Benin reduced its 2026 digital budget despite expanding ambitions for nationwide digital transformation. The government attributes the decline mainly to a 12.22% drop in external financing, even as it seeks to widen access to digital services and strengthen inclusion across the country.
Digital and Digitalisation Minister Aurélie Adam Soulé Zoumarou presented on 25 November a planned allocation of CFA27.2 billion (US$48 million) to the National Assembly’s budget commission. The figure marks a 6.32% decrease from the CFA29.034 billion approved for 2025.
The 2026 proposal includes CFA9.7 billion in operating expenses and CFA17.4 billion in capital spending.
The budget distributes resources across three main programmes. Piloting and Support receives CFA2.1 billion to improve ministry performance and provide backing to the digital, digitisation and media sectors. The Digital Programme, allocated CFA12.3 billion, aims to promote nationwide digital transformation.The Media Programme, with CFA12.6 billion, targets audiovisual modernisation, improved access to quality information, upgrades to public media and continued deployment of digital terrestrial television (DTT).
The ministry highlights several strategic priorities, including the progressive integration of artificial intelligence into public administration and priority sectors. It also positions digital-divide reduction as a central goal through extended high-speed connectivity initiatives.
Authorities expect additional investments to improve access to digital equipment and strengthen the population’s digital skills.
The project outlines the development of an École des métiers du numérique, which will train specialised talent such as developers, network administrators, cybersecurity experts and data analysts. The facility aims to support a competitive, skilled digital workforce.
The 2026 programmes complement several projects already launched, including Phase 2 of the nationwide high- and ultra-high-speed broadband rollout, the SMART GOUV initiative to digitalise public administration, and the digital transformation of local governments.
The GSMA reports that Benin’s digital economy—supported by mobile connectivity and digital services—could generate CFA1,200 billion in additional GDP by 2028, create over 300,000 jobs and raise CFA150 billion in extra fiscal revenue.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
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Mauritania joined 20 other countries in Doha for the first Arab cybersecurity exercise, aiming to boost regional coordination and crisis-response capabilities.
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The country has accelerated reforms, including the creation of a National Cybersecurity and Electronic Certification Agency (ANCCE) in 2024 and a national strategy running through 2026.
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The ITU’s 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index ranks Mauritania in the fourth and second-to-last tier, calling for stronger technical and organizational investments.
As digital transformation accelerates, African nations continue to scale up investments in cybersecurity. Twenty-one African countries are now among the 72 signatories to the UN Convention on Cybercrime.
Mauritania participated last week in the first Arab cybersecurity exercise held in Doha, Qatar, an initiative that gathered 21 participating countries. The exercise supports the government’s effort to reinforce national digital security.
The Ministry of Digital Transition said in a 25 November statement: “This exercise aims to strengthen Arab cooperation in cybersecurity, develop the technical and administrative readiness of participating countries to respond to cyberattacks and manage digital crises. It also represents an important step toward building a safer and more efficient Arab digital space.”
Cybersecurity has become a key pillar of Mauritania’s international cooperation agenda, notably with the United States. The government has adopted a 2022-2026 National Digital Security Strategy, which outlines six strategic goals covering governance, protection of critical infrastructure, anti-cybercrime measures, awareness and skills development, and both national and international cooperation.
In April 2024, authorities created the National Cybersecurity and Electronic Certification Agency (ANCCE) by decree. The institution aims to protect the national cyberspace and strengthen cybersecurity governance. The move builds on prior progress, including the country’s 2023 ratification of the African Union’s Malabo Convention on cybersecurity and data protection.
Mauritania’s initiatives reflect a continental and global environment marked by rapid digitalisation and rising cyber threats. In January, the government launched Digital-Y, a €4 million ($4.6 million) project funded through a partnership with the German cooperation agency. The initiative plans to expand digital tools across public administration, modernise services, improve transparency and support economic and social development.
Several public services have already been digitised since early 2025, especially in education and justice.
Despite progress, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) reports that countries must increase cybersecurity investment to fully benefit from ICT adoption. In its 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index, the ITU places Mauritania in the fourth and second-to-last tier. The organisation highlights strong performance in legislative frameworks but says the country must step up efforts in organizational, technical, capacity-building and cooperation pillars.
This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
- Skynesys, founded in 2023, centralises and automates the management of corporate bank accounts in a single AI-supported interface.
- The platform consolidates balances, transactions and operations from multiple banks to improve treasury visibility and reduce manual workloads.
- Co-founder Jalil Ketou also works as a support engineer at ALFYNS Group and holds a software engineering degree from the National Advanced School of Engineering of Douala.
Jalil Ketou introduces a new way of managing corporate banking operations through his digital solution, which improves access to financial information and the way firms use it daily.
Ketou, a Cameroonian tech entrepreneur and software engineer, is the co-founder of Skynesys, a digital-banking platform that applies artificial intelligence to corporate financial management by centralising and automating the oversight of bank accounts.
Skynesys, founded in 2023, presents itself as a platform for financial directors and executives who want to consolidate all their bank accounts in a single interface. The solution organises and analyses banking flows to simplify daily treasury monitoring and strengthen the quality of decisions linked to financial operations.
The platform aggregates balances, movements and operations from various banks into a unified dashboard. It integrates automation functions for control and analysis, which reduces manual tasks and limits risks associated with dispersed data processing.
For companies, Skynesys provides continuous visibility on cash positions, which helps them anticipate financing or investment needs more easily. The use of AI accelerates the identification of trends, irregularities and sensitive signals within the flows and supports banking and financial-risk management.
Alongside his entrepreneurial work, Ketou holds a support-engineer position at ALFYNS Group, a company active in IT training, digital financial services and IT services. He graduated from the National Advanced School of Engineering of Douala with a bachelor’s degree in software engineering.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum