Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, has received a delegation from the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), The Peace Institute (TPI), and other collaborating organizations at the Government House in Dutse, as the state hosts a groundbreaking Digital Literacy Training Camp in Hadejia.
The three-week program, announced July 29, aims to train 1,050 primary school pupils and enhance the digital capacity of 30 teachers. The initiative is designed to equip the next generation with essential skills to thrive in the digital era and meet the demands of a rapidly evolving knowledge economy.
The training program in Hadejia signals a crucial step in expanding digital inclusion in underserved areas and creating pathways for young learners to become digitally fluent, globally competitive citizens.
The Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) renewed a partnership agreement with Huawei on 17 July 2025. The collaboration, anchored within TUT’s Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), signals a shared commitment to fostering innovation, expanding access, and enhancing South Africa’s digital capabilities.
A key highlight of the agreement was Huawei’s awarding of R2 million in bursaries to high-performing ICT students. The latest agreement builds on nearly a decade of collaboration between the two institutions.
Since the establishment of the TUT-Huawei ICT Academy in 2016, over 1,000 students have received training and certification in advanced technologies such as 5G, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
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Many African countries still lack standardized digital address systems.
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This gap limits access to essential services, especially in rural areas.
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Governments are launching reforms to support digital inclusion and growth.
Across Africa, the absence of reliable digital address systems remains a major barrier to accessing essential services and advancing economic development. As digital economies grow rapidly, several countries are stepping up efforts to map their territories and build more connected and inclusive governance systems.
In many regions, assigning precise and standardized digital addresses to homes, businesses, and infrastructure is still a structural challenge. Without these systems, citizens face hurdles in everyday services such as package delivery, healthcare, emergency response, and administrative processes.
Large parts of rural Africa, as well as informal urban areas, remain without formal addresses. This weakens logistical networks, disrupts territorial planning, and limits delivery of basic services. For millions, not having an address means being left out of economic systems and public support.
Governments launch national reforms to modernize address systems
Several African countries have begun tackling the issue. Nigeria, for instance, launched a national program to overhaul its address system using GPS technology, mobile apps, and centralized digital databases. The project aims to improve location identification, public service delivery, and support the digital economy’s expansion.
Other countries such as Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, and Senegal are moving in a similar direction, often through public-private partnerships focused on digitizing physical territory. In Cameroon and Guinea, governments are working with the startup FindMe to pilot digital addressing solutions, particularly to upgrade postal services and improve territorial connectivity.
This growing mobilization follows a broader international push. In 2009, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) issued a resolution urging all member states to implement national addressing systems. This prompted many African governments to see digital addresses as essential infrastructure for public policy, urban development, and digital transition.
A tool to unlock e-commerce, fintech, and modern services
Digital address systems could be a turning point for African economies. They provide a precise geographic framework that supports the rise of services in e-commerce, financial technology, transport, and healthcare.
In online retail, for example, address reliability is key to customer satisfaction. Africa’s e-commerce market is growing fast, with projected revenues surpassing $45 billion by 2028, according to Lithuanian fintech firm Nikulipe. But poor address systems make delivery more complex, expensive, and less dependable, limiting this growth.
A driver of better governance and broader inclusion
Beyond economic benefits, digital addresses also improve public governance. Local governments can plan infrastructure more effectively, manage services like waste collection or emergency response, and respond faster during health or environmental crises.
Address systems also improve access to financial and social services. Having a formal address can make it easier to open a bank account, register a business, or receive public assistance, key steps toward broader social and economic inclusion.
By upgrading their address systems, African countries are laying the foundation for lasting digital transformation. More than just a mapping tool, digital addressing is becoming a strategic asset for organizing territory, streamlining services, and building an inclusive digital economy.
In short, digital address infrastructure is not just a technical fix, it is a vital step toward better governance, deeper integration, and a more forward-looking Africa.
Samira Njoya
The solution embraces a straightforward, inclusive approach to make e-commerce widely accessible in Kenya. It uses WhatsApp as its primary sales channel.
Flowcart, a digital solution developed by a young Kenyan startup, enables businesses to manage their entire sales process via WhatsApp. The startup, originally founded as Sukhiba in 2021 by Ananth Raj Gudipati and Abhinav Reddy, successfully raised $1.55 million in 2024 to support its expansion across the continent.
Flowcart's growth relies on proprietary automation technology, enhanced by messaging data analysis, which allows for personalized service at scale. The platform integrates everything from product catalogs to payments, including orders and customer follow-up, all within a familiar interface.
"We built Sukhiba with a clear goal: to enable commerce on WhatsApp," said Ananth Gudipati, co-founder of Flowcart. "As we grew, we realized that driving revenue requires more than just chat. Businesses need smarter automation, seamless customer journeys, and tools that turn every conversation into a conversion. Flowcart is the evolution of that vision. It is more refined, more powerful, and built for the future of commerce in chat."
This low-tech approach allows small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and informal traders to conduct online sales without friction. It bridges a gap between traditional platforms and actual sales practices across Africa. By relying heavily on WhatsApp, the startup exemplifies a trend in conversational e-commerce on the continent. This agile model, rooted in local habits, could redefine digital commerce in emerging economies.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
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Chad's ADETIC partners with Burkina Faso’s 2iE to train professionals in digital and emerging technologies.
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Agreement includes training, intern exchanges, and joint research on digital governance.
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ENASTIC signs separate protocol with 2iE to boost academic collaboration.
The Chadian Agency for the Development of Information and Communication Technologies (ADETIC) has partnered with the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE), a private training center in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. This initiative aims to train Chadian professionals in digital fields and in advanced and emerging technologies.
The framework agreement rests on three main pillars. It includes training Chadian professionals in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, hosting Burkinabe interns within ADETIC, and developing joint applied research projects. These projects will focus on digital governance, local innovation, and sustainable development. Chad’s National School of ICT (ENASTIC) and 2iE also signed a separate collaboration protocol to facilitate academic exchanges and joint program development.
This initiative unfolds during the official visit by Chadian Minister of Telecommunications, Digital Economy and Digitalization of the Administration, Boukar Michel, to Ouagadougou. The agreement reflects a commitment to building human capital that can support public administration modernization and meet digital economy demands. By partnering with 2iE, Chad aims to accelerate the professional development of its talent, often hindered by a lack of specialized training infrastructure within the country.
This partnership comes as many African countries pursue policies to digitize public services. The success of these reforms largely depends on the availability of local technical expertise. Investing in training qualified professionals is thus a strategic priority for states like Chad, which face both a shortage of specialized human resources and increasing needs in e-government services.
Samira Njoya
Angela Ngo Ndouga has spent over 15 years studying the weaknesses in corporate finance. From Paris to Douala, she followed a clear path: first understanding the systems, then fixing their flaws.
A Cameroonian entrepreneur, Angela specialises in alternative financing and factoring across Africa. She co-founded Yellow Factoring, a fintech company launched in 2021.
Yellow Factoring digitises trade receivables to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) access quick cash. The platform allows companies to upload invoices, which Yellow Factoring reviews to verify and assess risk. It advances up to 80% of the invoice value in under 72 hours. The firm then manages collection and assumes the risk of non-payment.
Beyond cash advances, Yellow Factoring also provides administrative support, receivables management, financial training, and sector-specific tools for retail, import-export, and agri-food businesses.Yellow Factoring prioritizes small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often left out of short-term financing, focusing especially on women-led businesses. The company collaborates with partners such as Afreximbank, the European Union, and the I&P Accélération programme in Africa.
By leveraging digital tools, Yellow Factoring automates processes, ensures operational transparency, and smooths interactions between entrepreneurs and creditors.
Before starting Yellow Factoring, Angela Ngo Ndouga co-founded Lusis & Co, a Cameroonian consultancy focused on operational performance and credit management, where she served as deputy managing director from 2016 to 2021.
She holds a master’s degree in international financial management from the Paris School of Business (2011). Angela began her career in 2008 at Société Générale Factoring in Paris as an international account manager. In 2011, she joined Coface Cameroon, a trade credit risk management firm, progressing from Factoring Account Manager to Head of the Factoring Department in 2014.
Melchior Koba
Daniel Kagame Ndahiro studies the challenges faced by small businesses and designs solutions to address their needs. With Credify Africa, he targets the financing obstacles that limit growth for these enterprises.
As entrepreneur and CEO of Credify Africa, founded in 2015, Ndahiro leads a fintech focused on helping African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The company specialises in SME financing, international trade, and logistics services. It aims to simplify credit access and smooth international transactions for local businesses facing multiple growth barriers.
Credify Africa has positioned itself as a key player in supply chain optimisation. It offers integrated services including invoice advances, real-time multi-currency payments, customs assistance, and freight management.The platform automates the entire process from registration to decision-making using scoring tools tailored for the African market. This system shortens disbursement times, eases access to finance, and cuts down on administrative steps.
Thanks to these innovations, Credify Africa lets SMEs complete international payments swiftly, bypassing usual currency conversion hurdles and banking delays. The company also provides tailored support to help clients manage cash flow and organize their finances efficiently. Additionally, it offers training programs to boost entrepreneurs’ skills in using digital tools.
Before launching Credify Africa, Daniel Kagame Ndahiro built strong financial sector experience. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics and finance from the University of Cape Town in 2011. Ndahiro began his career in 2012 as a director at Camouflage Media. In 2015, he co-founded Shaka Capital, a Ugandan microfinance firm focused on asset financing, which he led until 2018.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum
Matt Surkont is a South African technology entrepreneur and investor. He builds digital services, launches innovative businesses, and backs high-impact projects. He holds stakes in multiple South African companies.
As founder and CEO of BlueSky, established in 2017, Surkont drives digital transformation for South African organisations. BlueSky focuses on cloud solutions, artificial intelligence, and integration services.
The company covers the full technology cycle—strategy, deployment, integration, training, and ongoing support. It partners globally with firms like Salesforce, Amazon Web Services, Tableau, Alteryx, Snowflake, and Databricks.
BlueSky offers cloud architecture, data analysis, automation, app development, CRM integration, cybersecurity, customer experience management, and team support.
Matt Surkont co-founded Lodestone, a venture capital company dedicated to developing innovative technology projects. He holds investments in Pandora Health, an AI-based precision medicine platform, and Coot Club, an accommodation venture located in a 464-hectare private nature reserve.
He joined the international YPO network and in 2004 founded Resolve Red, providing Oracle services to clients across public and private sectors.
Surkont earned a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems from the University of Cape Town in 1999 and began his career as a software engineer at the Bank of Ireland. He later invested in multiple South African startups, including Bloomable, an online flowers and gifts platform, and Khonology, a technology services company.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum
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Cape Verde launches BOOST.CV to support 150 young digital entrepreneurs with training, mentoring, and incubation.
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The government offers extensive support including scholarships, funding, tech event participation, and a $24 million Morabeza Fund.
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Despite ranking 75th globally and 2nd in West Africa, Cape Verde faces challenges from infrastructure gaps, investment shortages, and a cautious population favoring public jobs.
Cape Verde aims to make digital technology a core part of its socio-economic growth. The government targets increasing the digital sector’s share of GDP from about 5% in the near future.
On July 28, the Cape Verdean government launched the BOOST.CV programme. It intends to back 150 young entrepreneurs in the digital sector by offering training, mentoring, and project incubation.
Deputy Prime Minister Olavo Correia said, “This is not just a technological tool, but a public policy instrument designed to generate real impact. We firmly believe that Cape Verdean talent, both on the islands and in the diaspora, is our greatest resource. And it is our responsibility as a State to create the conditions for this talent to flourish and innovate.”
BOOST.CV complements earlier measures. In May, Pedro Lopes, Secretary of State for the Digital Economy, told Agence Ecofin that the “Cape Verde Digital” programme is a flagship initiative. “Through digital.cv, you can explore our ecosystem. We support 200 young people annually via scholarships and fund around 100 start-ups with two co-founders receiving six minimum salaries, plus logistical and marketing assistance. The Go Global programme finances participation in international tech events.”
Other programmes include "Reinvent Cape Verde," where start-ups solve challenges set by public and private institutions via hackathons, and the Morabeza Fund, a $24 million fund geared toward growing tech start-ups led by youth and women.
Lopes also highlighted regulatory progress, noting a dedicated start-up law with tax benefits, a special technology economic zone, and modern laws on data protection and digital transactions. The government has simplified business registration, launched visas for digital nomads, and opened a technology park.
Cape Verde’s start-up ecosystem ranks 75th worldwide and 2nd in West Africa, according to StartupBlink’s Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2025. The report notes that start-ups face challenges from poor physical infrastructure and a weak investment climate. Additionally, many citizens prefer stable public sector jobs and view entrepreneurship as risky.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
He designs agricultural tools in Côte d'Ivoire. He works with local producers to develop machinery and create services that structure local value chains.
Daniel Oulai (photo), an Ivorian social entrepreneur, focuses on sustainable agriculture, agroecology, and food sovereignty. Born in Liberia and raised in his father's home country, Côte d'Ivoire, he founded and leads the startup Grainotech.
Launched in 2017, Grainotech is an agri-tech company based in Abidjan. It develops solutions to transform local agricultural practices through innovation and digital technologies. The company aims to sustainably structure plant and animal value chains while integrating biodiversity, economic inclusion, and food autonomy.
Grainotech has established an ecosystem covering the entire agricultural chain, from animal reproduction to feed production. This includes engineering tools to reduce post-harvest losses and digitally assisted distribution systems. The company supports small producers by training them, providing equipment, and facilitating market access. Grainotech aims to reach 60,000 farming families by 2030.
Among its tools, Grainotech uses digital platforms, school farms, and a Fablab. This Fablab is a space for designing and sharing open-source solutions, such as the connected solar incubator. The initiative relies on dialogue between scientific research and farmers’ knowledge to develop tools adapted to local realities.
"We have developed a connected solar incubator that allows any farmer in a rural area without access to electricity to reduce egg hatching losses," said Oulai. "It is made from recycled materials, and it's an open-source technology that any farmer can replicate."
Daniel Oulai earned a master's degree in agricultural development in 2016 from AgroParisTech. He began his career in 2013 as program director at ASBL Kouady, a youth association supporting community development in Côte d'Ivoire. From 2018 to 2025, he worked as a training manager at the International Rescue Committee in Côte d'Ivoire. He also served as a consultant for the International Organization for Migration (IOM–UN Migration) from 2023 to 2025.
In 2017, he received the Initiative Climat Afrique francophone award at COP 22 in Morocco. He won the Orange Social Entrepreneur Prize in Côte d'Ivoire in 2018. He also received the Pierre Castel Prize, awarded by the eponymous fund, which recognizes high-impact agricultural projects led by young African entrepreneurs.
Melchior Koba
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HAVAÍC’s African Innovation Fund reached \$50M after a second close with $25M from Sanlam and others.
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The fund backs high-impact African startups; recent investments include SAPay and Sportable.
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Amid weak VC recovery, HAVAÍC targets scalable tech growth across fintech, healthtech, and more.
South African venture capital firm HAVAÍC announced on Tuesday, July 29, the second close of its African Innovation Fund, which now totals $50 million. This latest phase secured an additional $25 million from Sanlam Multi-Manager and existing investors, including Fireball Capital and the SA SME Fund.
These supports are “testament to our track record for not only delivering leading returns by supporting African-born businesses, but also creating meaningful social and economic change through our investments. Together, we can continue supporting our continent’s dynamic tech entrepreneurs and grow African VC to new heights," said Ian Lessem, managing partner at HAVAÍC.
Launched in August 2024, this third fund targets post-revenue African startups that show high growth potential and measurable impact. The fund recently invested $1 million in SAPay, a South African financial technology firm that digitizes payments in the minibus taxi sector. HAVAÍC also increased its stake in Sportable, a startup developing real-time sports tracking technologies.
A Rebound in African Venture Capital That Remains Fragile
The year 2023 saw a sharp halt in funding for African startups, with a 36% decline and less than $3.2 billion raised overall, down from over $6 billion in 2022, according to Africa: The Big Deal. In 2024, amounts raised remained modest at $2.2 billion, the same sources reported.
HAVAÍC's portfolio includes 22 startups active in 183 countries, with six notable exits. These exits include the sale of RapidDeploy to Motorola Solutions in February 2025 and the merger between hearX and U.S.-based Eargo. HAVAÍC continues to pursue a strategy focused on building globally scalable African tech champions.
Beyond just funding access, the capital raised by HAVAÍC is expected to bolster the African tech ecosystem. It aims to support the scalability of innovative companies in key sectors such as financial technology, agricultural technology, health technology, and education technology. For institutional investors like Sanlam, this move seeks to capture the long-term potential of a developing market by relying on experienced local partners.
The challenge remains substantial. According to the African Private Capital Association, the continent still attracts less than 1% of global venture capital. Initiatives like HAVAÍC's Fund II therefore, act as catalysts to draw both local and international capital towards Africa's most promising companies.
Samira Njoya
Malawian engineer and entrepreneur Sanga Kanthema is reshaping healthcare in southern Africa through biomedical innovation and robotics. Based in Blantyre, he leads Dolphin Health Innovation, a start-up designing smart medical devices for low-resource environments.
Kanthema, who works at the intersection of electronic engineering and equipment manufacturing, focuses on building tools that meet the realities of rural Africa. Since founding Dolphin Health Innovation in 2018, he has pushed to equip healthcare systems with telehealth technologies tailored for areas with weak infrastructure.
His company develops real-time ECG sensors that can transmit cardiac signals remotely, even in zones with limited connectivity. These devices rely on algorithmic data compression and intuitive mobile interfaces, allowing for continuous monitoring, early diagnosis, and remote intervention.
Kanthema also founded Qubix Robotics in 2022 to drive local manufacturing. The company builds CNC machines, 3D printers, and robotic systems to automate industrial production across healthcare, transport, and telecom sectors. Its mission: to strengthen Africa’s industrial independence.
Beyond entrepreneurship, Kanthema champions tech education. As a TME Education ambassador, he promotes electronics training in underserved regions. He also represents IdeaXme, a global network supporting socially-driven science and innovation.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum
Ebrima Fatty, a Gambian entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in finance and technology, is connecting local producers, retailers, and consumers through a digital platform he created.
Fatty is the founder and CEO of AfricaSokoni, a London-based e-commerce company launched in 2017. The platform targets African markets, with a strong focus on Kenya.
AfricaSokoni, which means "market" in Swahili, links local businesses, producers, and artisans to regional demand. It also gives individuals easy access to a broad range of goods through its user-friendly online interface.
The platform supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), farmers, and artisans with tools for supply chain management, financing, and digital promotion. For everyday consumers, AfricaSokoni offers products in electronics, fashion, beauty, home appliances, and telecommunications.
AfricaSokoni integrates services like inventory management, stock tracking, automated orders, and supplier relationship management. The company also builds partnerships to help small businesses manage cash flow and access services like marketing, content creation, packaging, and logistics—even paving the way to international markets.
"AfricaSokoni is a comprehensive platform dedicated to empowering the MSME sector in Africa and helping businesses grow and thrive. If you are a small or medium-sized business looking to succeed in Africa, we invite you to join our platform and discover the many ways we can support you," the company says.
Alongside his entrepreneurial work, Fatty serves as a product manager at the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) in Saudi Arabia.
He earned his Master's degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria, in 2000.
Fatty began his career the same year at Deloitte as a senior auditor. In 2001, he joined the Gambia Capacity Building for Economic Management Project as financial controller. There, he worked on strengthening government capacity in economic policy, judicial reforms, and private sector development until 2005.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum
Gabon is deepening international partnerships to fast-track its digital transformation. After recent discussions with Botswana, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema has now turned to Turkey for support.
On July 29, Mark Alexandre Doumba, Gabon's Minister of the Digital Economy, met with Can İncesu, Turkey's Ambassador to Gabon, to discuss expanding digital cooperation.
During the meeting, Doumba presented Gabon’s digital roadmap. He emphasized four key priorities: modernizing public administration, expanding digital infrastructure, ensuring data governance and technological sovereignty, and training young digital talent.
Ambassador İncesu expressed Turkey’s interest in supporting Gabon’s efforts. He highlighted potential cooperation in e-government systems, electronic signatures, remote payment solutions for public services, and telecom infrastructure development in underserved areas.
Turkey ranks 27th out of 193 countries on the UN E-Government Development Index (EGDI), with a score of 0.8913, well above the global average of 0.6382. It scores 0.9225 in online services, 0.9192 in human capital, and 0.8322 in telecom infrastructure.
In 2024, Turkey reported 87.3% internet penetration and 96% mobile coverage, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). On the 2025 ICT Development Index, Turkey scored 88.5 out of 100.
Gabon currently ranks 121st globally on the EGDI, with a score of 0.5741. The country performs strongly in telecom infrastructure (0.8263) but lags in online services (0.3188) and human capital (0.5772).
Despite these gaps, Gabon aims to boost the digital sector’s share of GDP to 10–12% by end-2025, up from around 5%. The government also wants to diversify the economy and reduce reliance on extractive industries by investing in digital tools and services.
While both sides expressed strong intent, the partnership remains at an early stage. So far, no official agreement has been signed. The two parties agreed to continue technical discussions to identify high-impact projects for Gabonese citizens.
The road to a full partnership still needs building. Future meetings will determine the real scope and effectiveness of this cooperation.
This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum