In the realm of online advertising, visibility is easily achieved, yet the cost can be a barrier for many. Abdou C. Dieng is offering an alternative solution that aims to be accessible to all Africans.
Senegalese entrepreneur Abdou C. Dieng (photo), co-founder and CEO of Adafri, is offering a solution to the challenge of prepaid card restrictions on the Google Ads platform. Dieng, an alumnus of the University of Rouen Normandie, launched the startup in 2020 with Ibrahima Touré.
In 2018, Google Ads ceased accepting prepaid cards, posing a significant hurdle for African advertisers seeking to launch digital campaigns. "To address this issue, we've integrated payment methods that align with the African context, specifically mobile money," Dieng said in 2021.
Adafri, an automated advertising platform, caters to small and medium-sized businesses aiming to enhance their online visibility. The platform allows users to initiate Google ads from a single location and monitor performance and budget in real-time.
The startup has seen swift success, boasting over 600 active advertisers and facilitating more than 10,000 campaigns. Currently operational in several countries, including Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, and Mali, Adafri plans to expand across French-speaking West Africa.
Since 2019, Dieng has served as the President of Sen Startup, a Senegalese startup association. The organization aims to represent, unite, and empower startups, fostering a conducive environment for their growth. The entrepreneur began his digital journey at online retailer Jumia, where he gained comprehensive digital knowledge. He served as the managing director for Jumia Car from 2014 to 2015. In 2016, he established Comparez.co, a price comparison service in nine African countries. He is now a recognized serial entrepreneur in the African tech scene.
Melchior Koba
Africa is witnessing a swift expansion of its digital economy. However, government measures that disrupt internet services and limit access to social media platforms carry significant implications.
Sub-Saharan Africa saw a nearly $1.74 billion loss in 2023 due to internet outages and social network restrictions, a 489.83% increase from the $295 million loss in 2022, according to data from UK specialist platform Top10VPN. Despite a decrease in the number of people affected by these restrictions from 133.1 million in 2022 to almost 84.8 million in 2023, the number of countries imposing restrictions increased from seven to ten.
Top10VPN attributes the rise in financial loss in 2023 to the extended duration of outages, which lasted 30,785 hours compared to 9,532 hours in 2022. Ethiopia, a large country in terms of demographics and economy, accounted for the highest number of hours of internet and social media impairment.
Ethiopian authorities restricted access to Facebook, YouTube, Telegram, and TikTok due to religious tensions, leading to a peak in VPN service demand at 3,651% above average. The blockades, implemented in early February, were not lifted until July. Amid tensions with militias in the northern Amhara region, the internet was cut off in August and partially restored in November. The restrictions, which lasted over 3,414 hours for the internet and over 11,496 hours for social media, resulted in a loss of around $1.59 billion, or 91.37% of the total losses in sub-Saharan Africa.
Two West African countries, Senegal and Guinea, also contributed significantly to the financial losses in 2023. Senegal, due to pro-Sonko political demonstrations, cut the internet for 135 hours and social networks for 3,811 hours, resulting in a loss of $57.4 million. In Guinea, authorities restricted social network use since November 2023 without officially stating the reasons, leading to estimated losses of $47.4 million for the 3,720 hours of social media restriction.
Other countries that resorted to internet or social media restrictions in 2023 include Mauritania ($38.5 million), Kenya ($27 million), Sudan ($12.4 million), Gabon ($5.4 million), Tanzania ($2.8 million), Chad ($800,000), and Zimbabwe ($500,000).
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Through its programs, activities, and events, IncuBooster helps entrepreneurs and project leaders turn their business ideas into successful projects.
Launched in 2022 by entrepreneurs including Khnata El Kadiri, IncuBooster acts as a launchpad for startups in Morocco's bustling Fez region. This incubator and "gas pedal" is dedicated to nurturing the growth and success of young businesses in a competitive market.
At IncuBooster's core are comprehensive programs designed to empower startups. These programs, encompassing learning, skill development, and hands-on sessions, aim to take each venture to a higher level of maturity. The incubator's focus extends beyond individual startups, raising awareness of entrepreneurship, incubation, and the value of coaching and mentorship.
One of IncuBooster's key initiatives is the FEZ STARTUP CHALLENGE, a competition igniting entrepreneurial spirit among young people from the Office of Vocational Training and Work Promotion (OFPPT). The first edition, culminating in April 2023, saw 12 projects compete, several of which have now flourished with the incubator's support.
IncuBooster's commitment to fostering a diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem extends to events like SHE'S A BOSS, empowering women in business, and After Work sessions facilitating discussions on various topics. The incubator's portfolio also includes programs like MRE Business, Innova Green, Social Business Boost, Innov Summet Camp, and Women Positive Impact.
Beyond its programs, IncuBooster provides a dedicated workspace for project teams, training workshops, personalized coaching, networking opportunities, and access to financing options.
Melchior Koba
In line with its digital transformation strategy, Tunisia is set to digitize all citizen services, encompassing even social services. This move is part of the country's broader initiative to dematerialize services.
Tunisia's Minister of Social Affairs, Malek Ezzahi, and Minister of Communication Technologies, Nizar Ben Neji, have inked a cooperation agreement aimed at digitizing access to social services. The agreement, signed in Tunis on January 10, is part of a broader initiative to simplify administrative procedures and enhance services for citizens and businesses alike.
The Ministry of Social Affairs, in a press release, detailed the agreement's provisions, which include the adoption of electronic signatures for online administrative procedures, digital identity, and non-material data exchange. The agreement also facilitates access to the Ministry's sectoral platforms via the citizen portal and introduces citizen mail for detailed notifications, thereby improving communication between the administration and citizens.
The initiative falls under the national digital transformation strategy, set for implementation through 2025. It specifically targets entities under the Ministry of Social Affairs' purview, including the national social security fund, the national pension and social welfare fund, the national health insurance fund, the office for Tunisians abroad, and the general committees for social promotion and labor and professional relations.
To realize the agreement's objectives, the Ministry of Communication Technologies will collaborate with the National Information Center, the National Agency for Electronic Authentication, the National Agency for Cybersecurity, and the Tunisian Post Office.
Plans are also underway to streamline the distribution process for "Labes" and "Aman" healthcare cards. These cards, which will replace paper health insurance booklets and healthcare booklets for low-income individuals, will be used to pay for health services and purchase medicines.
Samira Njoya
Kenyan e-commerce platform Badili announced on Wednesday, January 10, the successful completion of a financing round for an undisclosed amount. The deal was spearheaded by venture capital firm E3 Capital. The funds will be utilized to expand into new markets in East Africa.
With over three decades of experience in IT project management in France and Tunisia, he leads several tech firms, including Keeplyna. This company develops healthtech solutions aimed at promoting medical inclusion in Africa.
Imed Elabed (photo), a Tunisian computer scientist and a graduate of Télécom Paris, is the founder and CEO of Keeplyna, a startup specializing in the creation and development of medical technology solutions. Keeplyna, established in 2018, is the creator of the digital health and remote medical consultation platform Tobba.tn which connects patients worldwide with Tunisian doctors via video calls. The platform handles digital prescription issuance and allows for the secure exchange of documents such as test results and X-rays. It features a private space for managing digital medical records and offers home and office medical analysis. It also hosts a medical social network where patients can post publications and questions and interact with a community. Through its SantéLyna health space, users can access a wealth of health information.
In addition to Keeplyna, Elabed founded in 2008 the startup Weentime, which provides companies with a solution for managing employee leave and activity, including late arrivals, absences, and departures.
Currently, Elabed serves as the Managing Director of IT SERV, a digital group active in software engineering and consulting. He is also the President of INFOTICA, the official representative body for digital service companies in Tunisia, and of Get’IT, an economic interest grouping (EIG) in the digital sector in Africa.
His professional career began in 1989 at the technology company Capgemini, where he served as a project manager. He joined the IT company ST2i in 1994 as an IT project manager and was promoted to Associate Director in 1997. From 2009 to 2011, he served as Deputy Secretary General of ATUGE (Association des Tunisiens des grandes écoles), a network of over 4,000 individuals.
Melchior Koba
In a move to facilitate easier access to service providers for individuals, a tech entrepreneur is launching a bespoke solution.
Togolese startup Trankyl is offering a digital solution to connect users with a wide range of service providers, from home tutors and craftsmen to digital specialists. Launched in 2021 by Sati Sai, the Lomé-based platform aims to bridge the gap between those seeking services and those offering their skills.
"The idea behind Trankyl came from the simple observation that many people struggle to find reliable service providers for their daily needs," explains Sai. "After six months of research and development with my team, we created the Trankyl app to serve as a bridge between service providers like carpenters, plumbers, and vendors, and potential customers."
Trankyl operates through a mobile app available on iOS and Android. Users can create accounts to access the platform's diverse service offerings. They can then select a specific service and choose from a pool of verified providers listed on Trankyl. Payment for services is facilitated via mobile money platforms like Flooz for Moov Africa or T-Money for Togocom. However, Trankyl temporarily holds the funds and confirms with the customer that the work has been completed to their satisfaction before disbursing payment to the provider, deducting a 15% commission.
Service providers can register on Trankyl through a dedicated application and undergo verification checks before being approved. The platform currently operates in Togo, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, boasting over 4,000 registered providers, more than 1,700 available services, and over 500 bookings made through its platforms. Additionally, the Android version of the Trankyl app has surpassed 10,000 downloads on the Play Store, demonstrating its growing user base.
Internet access restrictions have increasingly become a norm in Africa in recent years. A variety of factors contribute to the intentional suspension of the Internet, including limitations on information access, armed conflicts, and coups d'état among others.
In 2023, network outages impacted 84.8 million Internet users in sub-Saharan Africa. These disruptions, which lasted for 30,785 hours, resulted in estimated economic losses of $1.74 billion.
The region ranks second after Europe ($4.02 billion), surpassing Asia and the Middle East and North Africa region ($1.44 billion). A recent report published on Tuesday, January 2, by UK technology firm Top10VPN, sheds light on the restrictions that led to these financial losses. The report indicates that Internet restrictions due to peaceful protests were the most economically damaging in 2023.
Ethiopia experienced an estimated $1.59 billion in lost earnings in 2023 due to the extended suspension of social networks, including Facebook, YouTube, Telegram, and TikTok from February to July. This decision was made by the government in response to religious tensions. Similar restrictions were imposed in the Amhara region in early August due to escalating tensions with local militias, resulting in over 11,496 hours of social media shutdown.
In 2023, two major network outages occurred in Senegal in response to large-scale protests, affecting 8.01 million people. According to data from the Top10VPN platform, the total duration of the blockages is estimated at 135 hours, with financial losses valued at $57.4 million. This led to a surge in demand for VPN services to bypass the imposed restrictions, with an increase of over 60,000%.
Several other countries also experienced blackouts due to public protests, including Guinea, Mauritania, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, Algeria, Chad, and Zimbabwe. The report by digital security and privacy research group Top10VPN also cites other reasons for social network censorship in Africa. These include information control, conflicts, military coups, and electoral interference as additional causes of Internet blocking.
Samira Njoya
Despite a downturn in sector investment, Africa’s tech ecosystem continues to draw interest. The continent is seeing an influx of new investors keen to support innovative start-ups.
BEI Monde, a subsidiary of the European Investment Bank (EIB), has pledged a $30 million investment in the Seedstars Africa Ventures I venture capital fund, as announced on Wednesday, January 10. This initiative is backed by the secretariat of the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) through the Boost Africa program with a contribution of $10 million, and by the European Union via the ACP Trust Fund with a sum of $20 million. The objective is to spur growth and job creation across the continent by investing in businesses that utilize digital technologies to provide essential services and enhance business efficiency.
“Encouraging and promoting innovation and digitalization is crucial to developing strong and sustainable economies. African entrepreneurs hold the key to the continent’s future, creating jobs, reducing inequality, and improving quality of life. The EIB, as part of Team Europe, is committed to supporting African businesses, and we are proud of the success of Boost Africa and the ACP Trust Fund,” stated EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle.
Despite a 36% decrease in fundraising by African startups to $3.2 billion by 2023, as reported by TechCabal Insights, the introduction of a new venture capital entity focused on Africa is a positive development. Startups can now access this fresh funding source to realize their projects and/or initiate their startup’s growth phase.
Most investors active on the continent are drawn to the tech ecosystems of Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, and Nigeria. In 2023, startups from these four countries represented 74.9% of financing rounds on the continent. The first four deals of Seedstars Africa Ventures I affirm this trend, with the fund backing two Kenyan startups (Poa! Internet and Shamba Pride), one Nigerian (Beacon Power Services), and one French (Bizao) startup with a focus on Africa.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Digitization is proving indispensable for Africans, streamlining processes and fostering accessibility, thereby contributing significantly to socio-economic development across various sectors. This technological shift is empowering individuals and communities, paving the way for enhanced efficiency and inclusivity in the digital era.
Nigerian citizens and foreign applicants seeking passports can now submit applications online, as the country launched its new digital platform on Monday, January 8. This marks a significant shift from the previous paper-based system, aiming to ease the process and reduce delays.
The launch was spearheaded by Interior Minister Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who inaugurated the portal following a demonstration session held last Friday. This aligns with the federal government's commitment to full automation of passport applications, announced by the minister in December.
"The new online system represents a significant win for Nigerians seeking passports. No longer will they contend with long queues, cumbersome paperwork, and opaque procedures. Instead, they can expect a faster, more transparent, and more secure path to obtaining travel documents," Tunji-Ojo stated.
The user-friendly platform allows applicants to upload passport photos and supporting documents directly, streamlining the process and eliminating the need for physical visits to immigration offices.
Fees vary depending on nationality and desired passport validity period. Nigerian applicants pay N25,000 for a 32-page passport valid for five years and N70,000 for a 64-page passport valid for ten years. Foreign applicants face a charge of $130 for a five-year, 32-page passport and $230 for a ten-year, 64-page passport.
Hikmatu Bilali
More...
Yousef Alhusaini, co-founder of the Kuwaiti educational platform Baims, recently announced the acquisition of Egyptian edtech company Orcas Tutoring. The financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. This acquisition allows Baims to extend its reach into Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, and to expand its services. The platform will now offer recorded content, live sessions, and personalized one-on-one tutoring for students ranging from kindergarten to grade 12.
Through its programs, ideiaLab offers valuable support to entrepreneurs and contributes to economic growth in Mozambique. It has received several awards and distinctions, proving its impact in Africa.
Established in 2010, ideiaLab is a Mozambican firm dedicated to inspiring entrepreneurs, fostering startups, accelerating small and medium-sized enterprises, and promoting entrepreneurship and innovation. Co-founders Sara Fakir (photo, left) and Tatiana Pereira (photo, right) established the company to harness entrepreneurship for inclusive growth and development. Tatiana Alves Pereira currently serves as its CEO.
ideiaLab operates as an innovative platform that nurtures high-impact ideas, empowers entrepreneurs, and bolsters businesses. It provides entrepreneurs with access to a vibrant community of peers, resources, and support to realize their visions.
The company offers a range of programs to assist entrepreneurs at all stages of their journey. These include Academia Boost, an academy focused on executive training to enhance management and leadership skills and stimulate the growth of executives, entrepreneurs, teams, and companies. Other notable programs include Acredita Emprega, aimed at boosting the productivity and income of young Mozambicans, and Agora Emprega, a national competition for business plans.
ideiaLab has also implemented specific programs to support women entrepreneurs, such as “FemTech”, a business acceleration program for women over 25. Additionally, the company has launched “iCreate”, a business-strengthening program designed to assist SME teams during challenging phases.
Since its inception, ideiaLab has trained 13,500 entrepreneurs, including 3,829 women, strengthened 8,129 business ideas, and supported 4,923 active companies. In recognition of its exceptional work, ideiaLab was awarded Best Workplace and Best Organizational Culture in 2019. It also received the award for Best Acceleration and Incubation Program at the inaugural Innovation Awards in 2022, underscoring ideiaLab’s significant impact on Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Melchior Koba
After several years in the fashion retail industry, she founded a company empowering South Africans to resell their unused clothing.
Phumi Körber (photo), holder of a Higher National Diploma in Somatology from the University of Johannesburg and a Diploma in Communication Management and Brand Communication from the Vega School of Branding, is the founder of the e-commerce platform WiSi-Oi Resell Fashion App. Launched in 2020, WiSi-Oi is a video-based social platform for second-hand clothing resale, providing sellers with real-time analytics to manage their online stores and earn extra income.
WiSi-Oi, an acronym for WEAR IT. SELL IT. OWN IT, offers customers secure and reliable payment systems to purchase their favorite brands at discounted prices. The platform aims to reduce fashion waste by extending the lifespan of garments and promoting sustainable circular fashion. “The aim is to extend the life of clothes that are already in circulation and reduce the need to buy new clothes all the time. The business also offers an empowerment factor, where sellers can generate an income just by selling clothes that are hanging in their closets,” Körber told Disrupt Africa in 2022.
Before founding WiSi-Oi, Körber worked as a category manager for hair care at health, beauty, and wellness retailer Clicks in 2014. She later joined The Foschini Group, a fashion retailer, as an e-commerce and marketing manager in 2018. In 2023, AfricArena accelerator recognized Körber’s startup as the best femtech startup.
Melchior Koba
The United Nations has identified affordable internet access as a key sustainable development goal. However, some leaders, despite their ongoing efforts to develop their countries, are restricting internet access to their populations for various reasons.
Since November 24, 2023, the Guinean government has imposed restrictions on internet access and social media platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. According to the British platform Top10VPN, these measures have cost the country approximately $47.4 million. The Guinean authorities have not yet explained the restrictions.
This blackout, which has lasted over 40 days, is not the first instance of such restrictions. In May 2023, amidst popular protests, the government limited access to social media for three days. According to the 2022 annual report of the local telecom regulator ARPT, Guinean internet users experienced 3,720 hours of internet outages and social media restrictions in 2023, affecting 6.98 million mobile internet subscribers.
Earlier this year, the Guinean tech industry association RESTIC –Rassemblement des entreprises du secteur des technologies de l'information et de la communication– called for the immediate restoration of internet access in the country and appealed to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for assistance in persuading the current regime.
Despite the ongoing digital transformation in Africa, several regimes have used internet restrictions to silence their populations. Senegal and Ethiopia, for instance, lost $57.5 million and $1.59 billion respectively in 2023 due to internet and social media blackouts, according to Top10VPN. Notably, Ethiopia is the second country to incur such significant losses due to internet and social media blackouts. It's worth noting that this practice is not exclusive to African countries. Amidst the war in Ukraine, Russia has resorted to similar measures, as have countries like Iran, Iraq, and Brazil.
Adoni Conrad Quenum