• Algeria had more than 22 million payment cards in circulation at the end of March 2026, including nearly 18 million Edahabia cards issued by Algérie Poste.
• Electronic payment transactions rose 46% year-on-year in 2025 to 939 billion dinars ($7 billion).
• Authorities continue to expand digital payment infrastructure as part of broader efforts to strengthen financial inclusion and reduce reliance on cash.

Algeria continues to accelerate its transition toward digital payments as authorities push to modernize financial services and expand financial inclusion.

Finance Minister Abdelkrim Bouzred told the Council of the Nation on Thursday, May 14, that the country had more than 22 million payment cards in circulation at the end of March 2026. The total included nearly 18 million Edahabia cards issued by Algérie Poste.

The expansion forms part of the government’s broader digital transformation strategy aimed at modernizing payment services and encouraging wider adoption of electronic transactions.

Official figures highlighted the scale of the expansion. Algeria’s network of automated teller machines reached 4,713 units at the end of March 2026 and processed around 235 million operations.

At the same time, the number of electronic payment terminals exceeded 104,000 units, up sharply from around 68,000 at the end of 2024. The increase reflected faster deployment of payment equipment among merchants across the country.

The use of digital payment methods also expanded significantly in value terms. According to data from GIE Monétique, electronic payments processed through payment terminals, online platforms and mobile services reached 939 billion dinars, or about $7 billion, in 2025. The figure marked a 46% increase from the previous year.

Online payments recorded particularly strong growth, with more than 27 million transactions generating over 145 billion dinars in value.

Mobile money transfers also increased sharply, supported notably by the growing use of applications such as BaridMob and Wimpay.

Several reforms introduced in recent years have supported the sector’s growth.

In 2024, authorities established a National Commission for Electronic Payment Methods to accelerate the development of digital payments and strengthen transaction security.

At the same time, the expansion of digital public services, the rise of e-commerce and the gradual adoption of online payments have started to change consumer habits in a country historically dominated by cash transactions.

Despite rapid growth in payment cards and electronic terminals, cash remains the dominant payment method in the Algerian economy. According to recent data cited by GIE Monétique, fewer than 10% of merchants in the country currently operate electronic payment terminals.

Nevertheless, authorities continue to rely on the digitization of financial services to accelerate adoption of electronic payments.

For the government, the challenge extends beyond transaction modernization. Authorities also aim to reduce the informal economy, improve the traceability of financial flows and strengthen financial inclusion across the country.

This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Debt financing accounted for $305 million of the $600 million raised by African startups in the first quarter of 2026.

• Startups increasingly turned to non-dilutive financing as higher interest rates and investor caution slowed equity funding.

• Early-stage companies faced mounting pressure as the number of small fundraising rounds sharply declined.

Debt financing became the leading source of funding for African startups for the first time during the first quarter of 2026, marking a structural shift in the continent’s technology investment landscape.

Debt represented $305 million of the $600 million raised by African startups during the quarter, compared with just $50 million during the same period in 2025, according to data from Africa: The Big Deal.

The shift extended a trend that has accelerated over recent years. According to Partech’s 2025 annual report, published in January 2026, debt financing in Africa’s startup ecosystem increased from $1.01 billion at the end of 2024 to $1.64 billion at the end of 2025, representing year-on-year growth of 63%.

The number of debt transactions followed the same trajectory. Transactions increased by 40% to a record 108 deals across the continent in 2025.

Debt accounted for 41% of total capital invested in African startups in 2025, compared with 31% in 2024 and 17% in 2019.

“We observed that debt financing represented the most significant structural change of 2025. Although debt financing remained marginal a few years ago, it has become a central pillar of African technology funding,” Partech said in its report.

The investment firm said the increase reflected a lasting transformation rather than a cyclical recovery. A growing number of African startups now generate sufficient cash flow, operational scale and governance standards to access structured and non-dilutive financing instruments.

In April 2026, Togolese mobility startup Gozem secured $24.5 million in debt financing from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to expand its vehicle fleet.

At the same time, Kenyan agritech startup Victory Farms obtained $15 million in financing through AgDevCo.

“The figures appear positive at first glance, but the sharp decline in equity financing and the scarcity of small funding rounds reflect a tougher environment for seed-stage startups,” said Max Cuvellier Giacomelli, co-founder of Africa: The Big Deal.

Geographic distribution data also revealed major disparities across African markets.

Kenya led the continent in debt financing during 2025 with $498 million raised through debt instruments, representing 48% of all capital deployed in the country.

Egypt followed with $246 million in debt financing, up 73% year on year, while Nigeria secured $160 million, up 132%. Senegal attracted $139 million, while South Africa raised $72 million, down 45%.

However, the rapid growth of debt financing coincided with a sharp contraction in overall deal activity.

The total number of startup funding transactions fell by 34% between the first quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, declining from 140 to 92 deals.

Small funding rounds ranging between $100,000 and $500,000 dropped from 73 transactions to 32 over the same period.

As a result, many early-stage startups that lack the scale or revenue growth required to access debt financing increasingly found themselves excluded from parts of the funding market.

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Liberia launched a cybersecurity and digital forensics laboratory to strengthen national cyber defense capabilities.
• The infrastructure includes real-time threat monitoring systems, digital forensic tools, and incident response capabilities.
• Interpol estimates cybercrime losses in Africa exceeded $3 billion between 2019 and 2025.

Liberia has launched a cybersecurity and digital forensics laboratory aimed at reinforcing the country’s ability to respond to growing cyber threats.

A delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) conducted an inspection visit to the facility on Tuesday, May 12. The regional organization evaluated the laboratory’s compliance and performance levels as part of its monitoring framework for cybersecurity initiatives across member states under its regional cybersecurity strategy.

Advanced Infrastructure Dedicated to Cybersecurity

According to Liberia’s Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the laboratory includes next-generation digital forensic tools, real-time threat monitoring systems, advanced incident response capabilities, and specialized training equipment.

“This world-class laboratory significantly strengthens the country’s capacity to investigate cybercrime, recover digital evidence, analyze threats, and defend against emerging cyber risks,” the ministry said in a statement published on Facebook.

A previous ministry statement issued in 2024 during the project launch said the laboratory would operate through two main divisions: a Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) and a digital forensics unit.

The CERT division will respond to digital threats, including cyberattacks and hacking attempts, while also overseeing system monitoring, risk mitigation, and cybersecurity training. Meanwhile, the digital forensics unit will support investigations by enabling law enforcement agencies to collect and analyze digital evidence in cases such as financial fraud and drug trafficking.

A Project Supported by ECOWAS Since 2019

The initiative dates back to 2019, when ECOWAS committed to providing Liberia with approximately $400 million worth of digital forensic equipment, subject to the availability of a suitable site. However, delays linked to securing $100,000 for renovation works slowed implementation for several years. The project nevertheless accelerated in 2024 under the leadership of President Joseph Boakai.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts by Liberian authorities to secure national cyberspace amid rising digital threats. In its “Cybercrime Africa Cyberthreat Assessment 2025,” Interpol said the expansion of digital services, social media, e-commerce, and mobile banking had fueled the growth of cybercrime in Africa. The report said cybercrime accounted for more than 30% of reported offenses in West and East Africa in 2024, while cumulative financial losses across the continent between 2019 and 2025 exceeded $3 billion.

Against that backdrop, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has called on governments to strengthen cybersecurity systems in order to fully benefit from digital opportunities. The ITU currently ranks Liberia at the second-lowest tier of its 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index. The organization acknowledged progress in regulatory frameworks and cooperation while continuing to identify weaknesses in technical capacity, organizational structures, and skills development.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Orange plans to train more than 3 million young people in digital skills across Africa and the Middle East by 2030.
• The telecom operator will open 50 new Orange Digital Centers, increasing its network to 100 facilities in the region.
• Orange aims to support more than 500 start-ups by 2030 while expanding job placement and self-employment programs.

Amid rising demand for qualified workers across Africa, digital skills continue to play an increasingly central role in labor market integration. Against that backdrop, Orange announced new commitments on Tuesday to strengthen youth employability across the continent during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi.

The telecom operator said it will intensify investments in training, entrepreneurship, and professional integration as part of its broader socio-economic transformation strategy focused on Africa’s growing youth population.

Orange said it aims to train more than 3 million young people by 2030 in digital professions including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and entrepreneurship. The group will provide the programs free of charge and deliver certified training through an expanded network of dedicated infrastructure.

To support that target, Orange plans to open 50 additional Orange Digital Centers, raising the total number of facilities to 100 across Africa and the Middle East. The initiative will also rely on partnerships with more than 167 universities as well as international learning platforms such as Coursera. Orange said the strategy seeks to improve access to digital skills while aligning training programs more closely with labor market needs.

Beyond training, the company also plans to accelerate youth employment and entrepreneurship initiatives. Orange said it will support more than 500 start-ups by 2030, building on a program that has already backed more than 400 young businesses across the continent. The company said it wants to convert acquired skills into concrete economic opportunities in sectors including fintech, healthcare, agriculture, and e-commerce.

Orange also highlighted its “Master Repair” initiative, which it developed in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The program operates in Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, and Egypt. The project trains young people in technical professions linked to electronic equipment repair as well as the installation and maintenance of energy and connectivity solutions.

At the midpoint of the program, 285 young people had already acquired operational skills. Orange said women represented 26% of beneficiaries, while nearly one-third of participants were people living with disabilities. The project has now entered a phase focused on professional integration, with reinforced support for salaried employment and self-employment opportunities.

By combining skills training, entrepreneurial support, and job placement initiatives, Orange aims to address one of Africa’s most pressing challenges: job creation for a rapidly growing young population. The company said the strategy forms part of a broader effort to position digital technology as a driver of economic and social inclusion across the continent.

Samira Njoya