MEST Africa, in partnership with Absa, has launched the MEST Africa Challenge (MAC) 2025, a Pan-African pitch competition for early-stage technology startups. The programme offers entrepreneurs access to equity funding, strategic networks, and global visibility, with the winner set to receive $50,000 in equity funding.
The 2025 edition focuses on fintech and related value chains, with solutions spanning payments, alternative lending, fraud detection, agri-tech, insurtech, and super-apps. Eligible startups must be less than three years old, generate at least $5,000 in monthly recurring revenue for six months, and have raised no more than $1 million in cumulative funding.
Applicants must operate in Botswana, Uganda, Mauritius, Seychelles, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, or Ghana, with at least two co-founders. Applications close on 26 September 2025.
By establishing a direct payment framework with TikTok, GCB could eliminate inefficiencies, ensure creators keep more of their earnings, and unlock new opportunities in the fast-growing digital economy
Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) has proposed a new payment framework aimed at ensuring Ghanaian TikTok creators receive their earnings seamlessly and securely. The initiative was tabled during a courtesy call on September 2 by a GCB delegation, led by Chief of Staff Abraham Ferguson, to the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George (MP).
The bank positioned itself as a potential official payment gateway for TikTok payouts in Ghana, citing its extensive infrastructure and readiness to support the creative economy. According to Ferguson, GCB’s connectivity with global payment networks such as MasterCard and Visa, alongside its ability to process payouts through MoMo wallets and direct bank accounts, makes it well-placed to manage cash-outs and gift revenues for creators. He noted, “The bank's primary aim is to find a way for Ghanaians to get paid for their content and manage cash-outs for gifts received.”
Hon. Samuel Nartey George strongly endorsed the proposal during the meeting, which also included TikTok’s West Africa representative, Ms. Tokumbo Ibrahim. He argued that routing creator payments through GCB Bank would eliminate reliance on costly third-party intermediaries, allowing Ghanaian talent to retain more of their earnings.
For TikTok, Ms. Ibrahim committed to reviewing the feasibility of the partnership. Should the proposal move forward, GCB Bank said it is prepared to immediately begin technical and regulatory processes to establish a direct connection with TikTok. This would include setting up integration teams and formalising a framework with relevant financial authorities.
The move comes at a time when TikTok is experiencing rapid growth in Africa, becoming a major platform for young creators to build audiences and monetize content. In Ghana, TikTok has not only reshaped entertainment but also created new opportunities in advertising, influencer marketing, and e-commerce. However, one of the biggest challenges remains ensuring creators can access their earnings in a transparent, cost-effective way.
TikTok’s growing influence in West Africa makes the proposed GCB Bank partnership particularly significant. The region now accounts for 41.5 million active TikTok users — 2.6% of the global total, according to Datareportal— making it the second-largest TikTok market in Africa after Northern Africa (5.7%). This underscores the platform’s massive role in shaping digital culture and entrepreneurship across the subregion.
For Ghanaian creators, a localized payment framework could unlock a share of this fast-expanding market, ensuring they are not disadvantaged compared to peers in Nigeria, Kenya, or South Africa who already benefit from more established payout systems. If implemented, the GCB-TikTok collaboration could strengthen Ghana’s position as a hub in the regional digital economy, enabling creators to monetize effectively and tap into the IFC-forecasted $712 billion contribution Africa’s digital economy could add to GDP by 2050.
Hikmatu Bilali
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Nigeria, DLN ink deal to supply 47M laptops, tablets for schools
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Hybrid internet plan: 5G, local telecoms, Starlink satellites
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Success hinges on broadband, funding, and teacher training
Nigeria has signed a landmark agreement to roll out what could become Africa’s largest digital education program, aiming to provide laptops and tablets to nearly 47 million students and teachers.
UBEC and Digital Learning Network (DLN) have signed a landmark MoU to launch the National Digital Education Transformation Project.
— AISHA GARBA (@AishaMGarba) September 2, 2025
In line with the Renewed HOPE agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, this pioneering public-private partnership will deliver digital devices,… pic.twitter.com/SY8KjpW4Ep
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and U.S.-based Digital Learning Network (DLN) signed a memorandum of understanding in Abuja on Sept. 1 to launch the “Free Laptops” initiative. The project includes teacher training, regional hubs for device assembly and distribution, and hybrid internet infrastructure combining 5G, local telecoms, and SpaceX’s Starlink satellites. The plan targets minimum speeds of 50 Mbps for schools, even in rural areas.
“This initiative is more than just technology. It is a promise of access, equity, and opportunity for every Nigerian child,” UBEC Executive Secretary Aisha Garba said.
Less than half of Nigeria’s public primary schools currently have digital equipment. The government aims to equip 95% of Nigerians with digital skills by 2030, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda.
While the project underscores Nigeria’s push for digital inclusion and education-led economic growth, success will hinge on overcoming challenges including uneven broadband access, sustainable financing, and adequate teacher training.
Samira Njoya
Global technology group Naspers and its international arm Prosus have announced the launch of the Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge, a competition aimed at backing women-led tech and tech-enabled startups across the continent.
Three outstanding women founders will share US$100,000 in equity-free grants to scale their businesses, while participants also gain access to senior mentors within the Naspers-Prosus ecosystem and networking opportunities. To cap it off, six shortlisted founders will pitch at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on 19 November 2025.
Applications are open. Eligible startups must be focused on technology or tech-enabled products, have at least one woman founder in a leadership role, be at or before the Series B funding stage, and be revenue-generating with proven market traction.
The National Telecommunications Institute (NTI) has signed new cooperation agreements with Pianat.ai, a provider of AI-driven governance, risk and compliance solutions, and Digital Fortress EG, a cybersecurity education company, to advance Egypt’s digital talent pipeline.
The partners will design training content tailored to both local and international market needs. Students and graduates of the Digital Egypt Youth – HireReady initiative will gain hands-on training opportunities within the companies, while NTI trainees will receive professional certification.
The partnerships reflect NTI’s commitment to bridging the skills gap in AI, data analytics, and ICT, while fostering collaboration with the private sector to empower Egyptian youth.
Drawing on more than 15 years of experience in fintech and telecommunications, he is a tech entrepreneur committed to revolutionizing Africa's financial sector.
DRC tech entrepreneur Fabrice Kabongolo Lukumu founded Araka, an electronic payment platform that facilitates online financial transactions with an emphasis on speed, security, and accessibility for both users and merchants.
Launched in 2019, Araka enables individuals to perform various payments and transactions through its digital platform. Users can pay bills, buy phone credit, or transfer money between different mobile money operators and banks.
The platform also offers a payment gateway (API) that merchants can integrate into their e-commerce sites to accept mobile and Visa card payments. Among its features, Araka includes a chatbot that allows all platform operations to be performed directly via WhatsApp, making the service accessible anytime, anywhere.
Lukumu holds a bachelor’s degree in international business and economics from Aston University in England, which he earned in 2008. He began his professional career in 2009 at the sports platform Sportshq as a strategic client manager.
In 2011, he joined the audit and consulting firm PwC as an auditor. Between 2012 and 2014, he worked at Helios Towers Africa, a London-based telecommunications company, where he served as both a financial manager and a senior client manager in Kinshasa. From 2019 to 2023, he was the business and product development manager at Rawbank in Kinshasa.
Melchior Koba
The Egyptian fintech company aims to become a leading platform in the MENA region. Built on blockchain technology, it integrates both business-to-business and business-to-customer approaches.
Munify, a new Egyptian fintech solution, aims to become a leading neobank for diaspora communities and international professionals. Built on blockchain technology, it integrates business-to-business and business-to-customer approaches to offer a comprehensive financial platform.
The company provides a mobile application available on both iOS and Android, which offers a full suite of financial tools. These include multi-currency accounts (USD, with EUR and GBP coming soon), non-custodial wallets, and virtual USDC cards for secure global payments and fund transfers. Users can also issue invoices directly from the platform.
Munify is designed to solve the challenges of expensive, time-consuming, and fragmented cross-border payments. The company builds its own "banking rails," which directly connect financial systems across different countries. This native architecture allows Munify to offer faster transactions with reduced fees, avoiding traditional channels like Western Union or MoneyGram. The solution also provides access to U.S. banking services with a simple local ID.
Founded in 2024 by Khalid Ashmawy, the fintech startup recently secured $3 million in a funding round to accelerate its engineering efforts, enhance regulatory compliance, and expand regionally. The company is part of the Summer 2025 cohort of the California-based accelerator Y Combinator, which participated in the funding round alongside BYLD and Digital Currency Group.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
He is one of the African entrepreneurs aiming to make a significant impact on the digital sector. His career highlights the rise of local initiatives focused on transforming access to training across the continent.
Chadian tech entrepreneur Valery Kagro (photo) is the co-founder and CEO of PayiSkoul, an education-focused neobank based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, dedicated to financing and digitizing the education sector.
Founded in 2024, PayiSkoul aims to simplify the payment of school and training fees by accommodating the financial constraints of students and their families. The platform offers a digital wallet linked to bank accounts and Visa cards, allowing users to pay for tuition, housing, and educational materials in installments. It also includes services such as educational cashback, micro-savings, and microcredit for student projects.
For partner institutions, PayiSkoul provides an automated dashboard for payment tracking, managing due dates, and sending reminders to streamline the relationship between schools and families.
Before PayiSkoul, Kagro launched Genoskul in 2020, an edtech startup offering remote learning, a tutoring service, and an intelligent assistant to answer user questions.
Kagro holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Ngaoundere in Cameroon, which he earned in 2019. He also holds a certificate in artificial intelligence from the Virtual University of Senegal and a data analysis certificate from OpenClassrooms.
His professional career began in 2019 with an internship in the IT department of Chad’s Public Treasury. In 2022, he joined the United Nations Development Programme in his home country as the technology lead for the Youth Innovation Program.
Between 2022 and 2024, he served as a technical manager at Izipay, a Cameroonian fintech company. Concurrently, he was the technology director for Allô’Bailleurs, an Ivorian platform connecting tenants and landlords, and the technical and coordination manager for Central Africa at DAWN, an edtech company based in Lagos, Nigeria.
Melchior Koba
• Japan to train 30,000 AI experts in Africa by 2028
• Program includes AI courses in universities, $5.5B in development loans
• Strategy targets job creation, green energy, and rivals China’s influence
Japan plans to train 30,000 artificial intelligence (AI) experts in Africa over the next three years to accelerate the continent’s economic digitization and create jobs, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
"Japan's goal is to support the training of 30,000 AI experts over the next three years to promote digitization and create jobs," Ishiba said in a speech opening the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-9), held in Yokohama, 40 kilometers south of Tokyo. The conference runs through Friday, August 22.
Ishiba also stated that Japan would share its digital expertise to "co-create solutions" for challenges facing Africa.
According to government sources cited by Japan’s Kyodo News agency, Tokyo intends to launch courses on AI and data science at African higher education institutions. This effort will be in cooperation with Yutaka Matsuo, a professor at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Engineering and a leading Japanese AI expert.
These courses will be offered at dozens of universities in several countries, including Kenya and Uganda, and will focus primarily on integrating AI into the manufacturing, agriculture, and logistics sectors, the sources said.
In addition to developing AI talent, Ishiba revealed that Japan will train 300,000 people in other fields, including 35,000 in healthcare and medicine, over the next three years. The Japanese prime minister also proposed the creation of an "economic zone" linking the Indian Ocean to Africa, which would "contribute to Africa's integration and industrial development." He pledged to promote free trade and private investment on the continent.
Japan's strategy aims to differentiate itself from China
Ishiba also announced that Japan will provide loans of up to $5.5 billion to several African countries in coordination with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to promote sustainable development and address debt issues. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and private financial institutions also plan to provide $1.5 billion in impact investments to help African nations reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet sustainable development goals.
Unlike previous TICAD conferences, which have been held every three years since 1993, the Japanese government did not announce the total amount of funds it plans to inject into African economies over the next three years.
By focusing on investments in human capital, green energy, and improving living conditions, Japan is seeking to distinguish its approach from that of its powerful rival, China. In recent years, China has increased its influence on the continent by providing massive funding, often in the form of loans for infrastructure projects that have contributed to excessive debt in several countries.
According to Ecofin Agency, leaders from about 50 African countries are attending TICAD-9, including Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Kenyan President William Ruto.
• Nigeria, DLN launch national “Free Laptops” program for students
• Plan targets 47M beneficiaries, with devices, training, and 50 Mbps access
• Project aims to bridge digital divide, modernize public education
Nigeria’s Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and U.S. company Digital Learning Network (DLN) signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday in Abuja to launch a national “Free Laptops” program. The initiative aims to provide digital devices to nearly 47 million students and teachers across the country.
“This initiative is more than technology, it is a promise to every Nigerian child: a promise of access, equity, and opportunity,” said Aisha Garba, UBEC’s executive secretary. “By bridging the digital divide, we are unlocking unlimited potential and positioning Nigeria as a leader in educational innovation in Africa.”
The agreement also includes provisions for teacher training, the creation of regional hubs for assembling and distributing the laptops and tablets, and the deployment of a hybrid internet infrastructure. This network will combine 5G, local telecommunication providers, and SpaceX’s Starlink satellite constellation. The goal is to guarantee a minimum speed of 50 Mbps for schools, including those in the most remote rural areas.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy to modernize Nigeria’s public education system, where fewer than half of all public primary schools currently have digital equipment. The government aims to equip 95% of Nigerians with digital skills by 2030, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.
Touted as Africa’s largest digital education project, the program could boost digital inclusion in a country still grappling with a significant digital divide. It could also promote technological self-reliance by developing local infrastructure and serve as a catalyst for educational and economic transformation.
However, its success hinges on the ability to overcome several challenges, including unequal access to high-speed internet, securing sustainable funding, and providing adequate teacher training to ensure effective adoption of the digital tools.
Samira Njoya
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Rwandan entrepreneur Félix Nkundimana is reshaping access to finance through Jali Finance, the Kigali-based fintech he co-founded in 2017. The company specializes in asset financing via leasing, with a strong focus on electric motorcycles, supporting both local production and job creation under the “Made in Rwanda” label.
In February 2025, Jali Finance launched JaliKoi, a multi-service “super app” designed to centralize financial and commercial services for individuals and businesses. The platform offers affordable loans with flexible repayment terms for items such as motorcycles and vehicles. It also integrates a cashback feature, rewarding users for every transaction — from retail purchases to utility bills and mobile services — with credits that can be reused for future payments.
Nkundimana also runs Jali Partners, a professional services firm in Kigali, and serves as president of the Association of Credit Service Providers, which brings together Rwanda’s non-deposit-taking financial institutions.
A graduate of the University of Rwanda with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance (2011), he earned an MBA from the U.S.-based Quantic School of Business and Technology in 2024. His career began at the Rwanda Revenue Authority, where he worked as an auditor from 2010 to 2013.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
- Senegal launches digital plan to revive La Poste.
- Postal bank, e-commerce, fintech upgrades key pillars.
- Africa’s e-commerce seen doubling to $113B by 2029.
Senegal is pushing a sweeping digital transformation of its state-owned postal company in a bid to restore its relevance and position it at the center of the country’s e-commerce and financial inclusion drive.
The government unveiled the plan on Sept. 1 under the leadership of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, highlighting technology as the core lever to modernize postal, financial, and logistics services while expanding access to digital tools for citizens.
The strategy includes rolling out a national certified e-mail service to provide secure official addresses, overhauling Postefinances to improve banking access and transaction reliability, and establishing a postal bank—open to private capital by 2029—to expand digital financial services.
La Poste also plans to partner with small businesses and startups to strengthen delivery services and facilitate cross-border e-commerce, tapping into Africa’s fast-growing online trade. Cooperation with SENUM SA, the state’s digital implementation agency, is expected to accelerate the adoption of new technologies.
The initiative comes as private couriers and fintech players expand rapidly in a region where postal services have lagged technologically. Africa’s e-commerce market is projected to double to $113 billion by 2029 from $55 billion today, according to TechCabal Insights, driven by mobile commerce, super apps, and the African Continental Free Trade Area’s new e-commerce protocol.
Senegal’s plan aims not only to boost trade flows and restore public trust in the postal system, but also to generate skilled jobs and support broader economic growth. Its success will hinge on execution, stakeholder buy-in, and the ability to adapt to Africa’s evolving digital landscape.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
• Mobile money and online banking are driving digital finance growth across Africa.
• Interoperable systems in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya show strong adoption and economic impact.
• Challenges remain with digital access, cybersecurity, and regulatory harmonization.
Africa’s financial sector is undergoing rapid change with the rise of mobile money and digital banking. At the center of this shift, interoperable instant payments -systems that enable transactions across banks and mobile operators- are emerging as a key driver of financial inclusion and regional trade.
According to the World Bank, about 350 million adults in sub-Saharan Africa remain unbanked. Mobile money has helped bridge part of this gap, with 44% of adults holding an account in 2024, compared with the global average of 29%, the latest Global Findex 2025 report shows.
Several countries have taken major steps to build interoperable payment systems. In Ghana, the GhIPSS platform connects banks and mobile operators, handling an average of 17.9 million instant transactions per month since December 2022, involving more than 55 financial institutions.
In Nigeria, the NIBSS platform processed interbank instant payments worth 600,360 billion nairas (around $390 billion) in 2023. In Kenya, M-Pesa continues to dominate, accounting for nearly 55% of GDP, according to the Fintech Association of Kenya.
More recently, Sierra Leone, the Comoros, Somalia, and Algeria have announced national interoperable payment systems, adding to the continent’s growing financial infrastructure.
These efforts also support the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by making cross-border transactions cheaper and faster. The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) reflects this trend, enabling central banks and financial institutions to make real-time payments in local currencies, lowering costs and delays while deepening integration. According to the GSMA, mobile money transactions in sub-Saharan Africa reached $190 billion in 2023, or 4.5% of regional GDP, up from $150 billion in 2022.
Challenges ahead
Interoperable instant payment systems are boosting financial inclusion, lowering transfer costs, encouraging fintech and e-commerce innovation, and strengthening regional integration. They also help states track financial flows and secure transactions, reinforcing digital sovereignty.
But hurdles remain. The digital divide is still wide, especially in rural areas with weak Internet coverage. Cybersecurity risks such as fraud, hacking, and data theft continue to undermine trust. And the lack of harmonized regulations slows the rollout of cross-border solutions.
To unlock the full potential, African countries need to expand digital infrastructure, step up cybersecurity, train populations in digital finance, and move toward unified regulation. With smartphone penetration in sub-Saharan Africa projected to reach 87% by 2030, these initiatives could bring millions into the financial system, support intra-African trade, and speed the transition toward an integrated digital economy.
- Alexander Hizikias co-founded eQub, a fintech digitizing Ethiopia’s traditional equb savings circles.
- The mobile app secures transactions, integrates mobile money, and offers access to extra financial services.
- Hizikias, an Addis Ababa University economics graduate, previously launched ventures in textiles and coffee.
Alexander Hizikias, an Ethiopian economist and entrepreneur, is co-founder and chief executive of eQub, a fintech launched in 2020 that brings the country’s traditional savings groups into the digital era. Known as “equb” in Amharic, these rotating savings circles are a long-established form of community finance in Ethiopia.
The eQub mobile app allows users to organize savings groups, secure their transactions, and reduce the risks linked to cash handling. It helps participants manage their finances more effectively and extends access to services for people outside the formal banking system.
The app integrates mobile money payments, automates contributions, and provides transparent tracking of group activities, strengthening trust among members. It also includes a points-based system that unlocks additional financial services such as credit or payment facilities.
According to the company, the eQub app is the first platform that helps people draw on their future savings. It allows users to set up and manage their personal groups in just a few clicks, while making it easier to interact with fellow eQubers.
Hizikias graduated in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Addis Ababa University. Before launching eQub, he created Alexander Hizikias Couture, a textile design and manufacturing company active from 2016 to 2019. In the same year, he co-founded The Goat Cafe, a coffee business.