- Burundi introduced BurundiPay, enabling real-time 24/7 payments across banks and mobile wallets.
- The platform ensures full interoperability between financial institutions and payment providers.
- The World Bank-backed system positions Burundi among 22 African countries with instant payment infrastructure.
Banque de la République du Burundi launched the national instant payment system “BurundiPay” on April 23 in Bujumbura, aiming to modernize financial transactions, expand financial inclusion and reduce cash reliance.
The bank designed BurundiPay to streamline transactions and strengthen financial inclusion. The system enables users to transfer money and make payments in real time, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, from both bank accounts and mobile wallets.
BurundiPay introduces full interoperability across the financial ecosystem. The platform connects commercial banks, microfinance institutions and payment service providers within a single network, allowing seamless transactions across previously siloed systems.
As a result, the system eliminates constraints such as the need to withdraw cash before transferring funds between different institutions. This shift simplifies user experience and improves transaction efficiency across the market. The platform relies on international standards, including ISO 20022, ensuring high security levels and compatibility with global financial systems.
Moreover, BurundiPay integrates with existing national infrastructure, including real-time gross settlement systems and automated clearing houses. This integration strengthens the overall payment architecture and enhances system reliability.
BurundiPay emphasizes accessibility to support mass adoption. The platform operates on both smartphones and basic mobile phones via USSD codes, addressing limited internet penetration, which official data places at around 30%. This inclusive approach aims to extend financial services to underserved populations, particularly in rural areas where banking access remains low.
World Bank supported the project through the Digital Economy Foundations Support Project (PAFEN). This backing places Burundi among 22 African countries that have deployed instant payment infrastructure.
Consequently, the initiative aligns with broader continental trends, where financial digitalization acts as a key driver of economic transformation. The success of BurundiPay will depend on adoption by market participants and end users. Its rollout could accelerate financial integration, support digital commerce growth and improve transparency of financial flows.
Therefore, the system could play a central role in advancing Burundi’s economic modernization and growth ambitions.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Algeria has launched a national artificial intelligence training program to develop local skills and support start-ups.
- Authorities aim to train up to 500,000 ICT specialists under a broader digital transformation strategy.
- The program combines intensive training with practical projects and incubation support.
Algeria has stepped up efforts to build skills in emerging technologies as artificial intelligence expands across industries. Nacima Arhab and Noureddine Ouadah launched the national artificial intelligence training program on April 26 at the El Rahmania National Specialized Vocational Training Institute in Algiers.
Authorities said the initiative aims to position local skills as a central driver of adaptation to technological change and development of the knowledge economy. The program seeks to train, within short timeframes, professionals who can integrate into the digital environment and design solutions tailored to business and domestic market needs.
Intensive, Practice-Oriented Training
Moreover, the program relies on a practice-based learning model. The training cycle lasts 12 weeks, including eight weeks of intensive coursework and four weeks dedicated to real-world projects. Authorities launched a train-the-trainers program on January 15, 2026 to ensure instructional quality.
This approach aims to align training with market realities and accelerate workforce readiness. Participants work on real use cases, often in collaboration with start-ups, while using the latest artificial intelligence tools and models.
National Strategy to Accelerate Digital Skills
Furthermore, the initiative forms part of a forthcoming national digital transformation strategy that authorities plan to roll out in the near term. The strategy targets the training of up to 500,000 ICT specialists and aims to significantly reduce brain drain among qualified talent.
In this context, Algeria seeks to strengthen its technological sovereignty and capture a larger share of value generated by artificial intelligence. Authorities target AI contributions of up to nearly 7% of GDP by 2027. To support this ambition, they are deploying multiple levers, including dedicated financing mechanisms, the development of centers of excellence and broader access to digital technologies.
Beyond training, the program fits into a broader strategy to structure an innovation ecosystem. In this regard, authorities have inaugurated a business incubator within the institute to support project holders and foster the creation of technology start-ups.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Winich Farms links farmers directly with buyers, eliminating intermediaries in the supply chain.
- The platform combines logistics, aggregation, and secure digital payments for producers.
- The company provides financing, inputs, and storage solutions to boost agricultural productivity.
Riches Attai, Winner Attai, and Chichebem Jibunoh founded Winich Farms in 2019. The company operates a digital platform that links farmers with traders, processors, and businesses. This model removes intermediaries, which often drive up prices and reduce farmers’ incomes.
The platform relies on a network of field agents who collect agricultural produce directly from farmers. The company then aggregates these products in dedicated centers, where teams verify quality before delivery to buyers. This process ensures higher product standards and more efficient distribution.
Winich Farms extends its offering beyond logistics by providing practical services that improve farmers’ daily operations. The company delivers direct and secure payments through a dedicated card that also enables crop storage, cash withdrawals, and access to financing solutions.
In addition, the platform supplies essential agricultural inputs, including seeds, fertilizers, crop protection products, and equipment. The company also offers financing options that allow farmers to scale their activities by using their harvests as collateral.
Riches Attai graduated from the University of Benin in Nigeria with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 2016. He served as chief executive officer of Attai’s Consumption from 2016 to 2018, where he focused on repackaging African beans. He later leveraged this experience to build and expand Winich Farms.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- MedSen digitizes and centralizes student health records to replace fragmented paper-based systems.
- The platform enables real-time monitoring of school health data at local, regional, and national levels.
- Founder Ndeye-Talla Dioum brings experience from European tech and financial institutions to scale the solution.
Ndeye-Talla Dioum, a Senegalese computer engineer and entrepreneur, founded and leads MedSen, a company that leverages technology to improve student health monitoring nationwide. She launched the company in 2021 to address persistent inefficiencies in school healthcare delivery.
MedSen offers a digital platform dedicated to school health, with the stated goal of ensuring equitable access to care for every child. The company built its solution on a critical observation: despite the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990, “the school health system remains fragmented, relying largely on manual processes and paper records,” the startup said.
The platform aggregates each student’s health information into a single digital record. It compiles health assessments, vaccination records, medical consultations, and referrals into one system. As a result, stakeholders gain a unified and structured view of each child’s medical history.
In addition, MedSen integrates real-time monitoring tools that provide a comprehensive overview of school health indicators at local, regional, and national levels. These tools allow decision-makers to track trends, allocate resources, and respond more effectively to emerging health needs.
MedSen also supports the planning and monitoring of preventive health initiatives, including vaccination campaigns and screenings for vision, hearing, oral health, and nutrition. The platform strengthens coordination by streamlining communication between schools and school health services through a request and intervention management system.
Consequently, the solution improves both preventive care delivery and operational efficiency within the school health ecosystem.
Ndeye-Talla Dioum earned an engineering degree in information technology from CentraleSupélec in France in 2010. She started her career the same year as a software research and development engineer at Amadeus IT Group.
She later joined Bâloise Assurances Luxembourg in 2016 as a business analyst and developer. In 2017, she moved to Banque Internationale à Luxembourg as an IT business analyst. From 2018 to 2021, she worked as a functional and IT analyst at BNP Paribas Cardif. She subsequently leveraged this international experience to build and scale MedSen.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Safiri offers a mobility marketplace that digitizes ticket booking across multiple transport modes.
- The platform integrates real-time tracking and logistics services, including parcel delivery.
- Founders aim to formalize and modernize a fragmented, largely offline transport sector.
Safiri operates as a digital solution developed by a Tanzanian startup. The platform positions itself as a mobility marketplace that allows travelers to search, compare, and book tickets for multiple transport modes, including buses, trains, boats, and airplanes, directly through a mobile application.
The company aims to simplify a process that physical ticket purchases still dominate, often creating long queues and uncertainty for passengers. The startup, based in Dar es Salaam, was founded in 2020 by Abraham Itule and Justine Nsemwa.
“We enable you to reach your destination by providing real-time information on your means of transport and other transport-related insights. In terms of accessibility, we remove the need for physical travel to ticket offices and allow you to purchase tickets online. No more long queues at the counter,” the startup said.
Safiri provides a mobile application available on iOS and Android platforms. The application has recorded more than 10,000 downloads on Google Play Store, according to platform data. This adoption reflects growing demand for digital mobility solutions in the region.
Beyond ticket booking, Safiri integrates real-time tracking features that allow users to monitor their journeys and check transport arrival times. The platform also offers logistics services, including parcel delivery and tracking, thereby expanding its value proposition beyond passenger transport.
Safiri positions itself as a comprehensive management tool for transport operators. The platform enables companies to digitize sales, manage schedules, track vehicles, and centralize operations through a single interface. As a result, operators can improve efficiency and increase revenues in a sector that remains under-digitized.
In a fragmented market where information remains dispersed, Safiri aims to become a single entry point for organizing travel. Over time, the platform seeks to play a central role in modernizing transport across Africa by combining service digitization, supply aggregation, and improved user experience.
This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
From June 17 to 20, Viva Technology marks its 10th anniversary at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, bringing together 180,000 participants, 14,000 startups and 3,600 investors. The event gathers the global tech ecosystem around artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital health and sustainability, aiming to drive innovation, partnerships and investment.
From April 27 to 30, 2026, the Connected Africa Summit is bringing together more than 1,500 policymakers, innovators and tech leaders from 30 countries in Nairobi. This year’s theme — "Shaping The Future of a Connected Africa: Unlocking Growth Beyond Connectivity" — highlights discussions on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital identity and digital public infrastructure, with a focus on turning ideas into concrete action to support economic development across the continent.
On June 29-30, 2026, the Global AI Show will gather more than 10,000 participants in Riyadh under the theme “AI 2030: Accelerating Intelligent Futures.” More than 100 speakers will discuss machine learning, robotics, and sector-specific applications with policymakers, startups, and investors. The event aims to advance artificial intelligence innovation across the region and beyond.
- Wuilt enables users to create fully functional websites and e-commerce stores within minutes without coding skills.
- The platform targets Africa’s fast-growing digital commerce sector with a simplicity-first approach.
- Founder Ahmed Rostom leverages a background in digital marketing to scale an all-in-one online business solution.
Ahmed Rostom, an Egyptian entrepreneur, co-founded and leads Wuilt, an online platform that allows individuals and businesses to build their web presence quickly and easily.
Rostom founded Wuilt in 2019 and designed the platform around an ultra-simple model. Users enter basic information about their activity, and the system generates a ready-to-use website within minutes. The platform requires no programming or design skills.
Wuilt offers two main types of digital products. First, it provides standard websites that showcase a business, services, or personal brand. Second, it delivers online stores that enable users to sell products, manage orders, and process payments. The platform presents all features through an intuitive interface that targets both beginners and experienced users.
Wuilt supplies predefined templates that users can customize by editing text, adding images, and publishing content. The platform also integrates operational tools that help users manage their online activity on a daily basis.
Users can add products, organize collections, track orders, and administer their stores from both computers and smartphones. In addition, Wuilt includes search engine optimization features that enhance online visibility.
The platform also handles hosting, domain names, and data security. As a result, it removes technical constraints and allows users to focus on business operations.
Before launching Wuilt, Rostom co-founded Vertex Advertising in 2013, a company specializing in digital marketing. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from October 6 University in 2008.
Rostom started his career in 2007 as a sales agent at Amecho Tech in Cairo. He later worked as a sales manager between 2010 and 2013 at eRankings and Quad Solutions, two digital marketing firms.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Botswana Tech Fund launched a £50 million ($67.5 million) investment vehicle on April 21, 2026, targeting technology start-ups across Southern Africa.
- The fund, backed by Pula Investments and Stephen Lansdown’s family office, will invest from pre-seed to scale-up stages, including secondary market transactions.
- The initiative aims to strengthen a structurally underfunded Southern African venture capital ecosystem amid broader market normalization in Africa.
The Botswana Tech Fund has launched a £50 million (approximately $67.5 million) investment vehicle to support technology start-ups across Southern Africa, as the region seeks to close a persistent funding gap in venture capital.
The fund, based in Gaborone, announced its launch on Tuesday, April 21. Pula Investments, the family office of Stephen Lansdown, cofounder of UK financial services group Hargreaves Lansdown, backed the vehicle.
The Botswana Tech Fund structured its investment strategy to cover multiple stages of company development. It targeted early-stage start-ups at pre-seed level as well as more advanced scale-ups. It planned to deploy capital through seed investments and growth-stage equity stakes, while it also included secondary market transactions to improve liquidity for investors and founders.
The initiative came as Southern Africa continued to develop its venture capital ecosystem, which remained constrained by structural funding shortages, particularly in application technologies and digital infrastructure. The region still relied heavily on foreign capital despite the gradual emergence of local investment initiatives.
The fund positioned Botswana as a strategic entry point for technology investment, citing an internet penetration rate of approximately 80% and a relatively stable governance environment. It also highlighted the broader Southern African Development Community (SADC) market, which represented a population of more than 370 million people.
Market data from Partech Africa and Briter Bridges showed that African start-ups raised between $3 billion and $4 billion in 2025, down from a peak above $6 billion in 2022. The data indicated a normalization of venture capital flows, characterized by stricter investor selection and concentration of funding in more mature markets such as Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt.
The Botswana Tech Fund stated that it aimed to reposition Southern Africa within the African venture capital landscape by structuring more tailored financing solutions and improving access to capital for founders.
Samira Njoya
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- Burkina Faso received a delegation of Italian investors on April 22, 2026, to explore opportunities in digital health, drones, agriculture, and energy.
- Authorities prioritized public-private partnerships that ensure technology transfer, local training, and digital sovereignty.
- The government targeted universal digital coverage by 2030, with a focus on eliminating rural connectivity gaps through solar-powered infrastructure.
Burkina Faso has opened discussions with foreign investors as it accelerates its digital transformation agenda and seeks to attract capital into strategic technology sectors, including artificial intelligence, healthcare, and drone applications.
The Ministry of Digital Transition hosted an Italian investor delegation on Wednesday, April 22, led by Burkina Faso’s ambassador to Italy, Cyrille Ganou/Badolo, and received by Secretary General Borlli Michel Some. The meeting marked a step in the country’s strategy to connect public administration systems and eliminate remaining “white zones” in digital coverage.
The delegation presented several technology proposals tailored to local needs. It proposed drone-based solutions to improve healthcare delivery and vaccination campaigns in rural areas. It also introduced digital medical data management systems designed to strengthen health infrastructure. Investors from technology, agriculture, and energy sectors participated and expressed interest in public-private partnerships.
Burkina Faso’s authorities emphasized that they structured cooperation around digital sovereignty principles. They stated that they prioritized partnerships that included training programs, co-development frameworks, and local ownership of technologies. The government aimed to build domestic capacity to manage digital infrastructure and sensitive data.
The discussions also addressed energy constraints linked to digital expansion. The government set a target to eliminate all connectivity gaps by 2030 and promoted the use of solar energy solutions to power telecommunications infrastructure in rural regions. Authorities encouraged investors to propose sustainable technologies capable of supporting long-term network expansion.
The meeting took place as Burkina Faso accelerated multiple digital initiatives, including digital identity systems and the adoption of emerging technologies to improve public service efficiency.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Nafsia Clinic offers remote psychological consultations via a digital platform founded in 2023 by Mohammed Lamine Ouahabi.
- The service targets Algeria first and plans expansion into the broader Arab world, emphasizing accessibility, discretion, and no-travel consultations.
- The platform provides certified therapists, secure video sessions, and corporate mental health programs funded by employers or associations.
Mohammed Lamine Ouahabi, an Algerian software engineer and entrepreneur, founded Nafsia Clinic in 2023. He positioned the platform to serve initially the Algerian market before expanding to other Arab countries, with a focus on accessibility, confidentiality, and ease of use.
“Users select a specialist, book a session, and interact remotely, usually via video,” the company said. The platform secured communications and ensured strict confidentiality, and it avoided recording consultations while retaining only essential scheduling data.
Nafsia Clinic built its service around certified mental health professionals, and it implemented selection and monitoring processes to ensure service quality. The platform emphasized user experience, transparency in practitioner profiles, and simplified access to care.
The company expanded its offering beyond individual users and developed dedicated solutions for companies, associations, and organizations. It enabled employers to finance therapy sessions for employees under confidential conditions, while it allowed associations to allocate session credits through flexible funding systems.
Ouahabi graduated in computer science from Djillali Liabes University in Sidi Bel Abbes in 2007. He launched AL3akar.com, a real estate listings platform, in 2022 before founding Nafsia Clinic.
He started his professional career in 2008 as a software engineer at Algeria’s regional budget directorate. He later joined Naftal Spa, a subsidiary of Sonatrach, in 2010, where he worked in petroleum distribution systems. From 2011 to 2025, he served as IT manager at Algeria’s National Social Security Fund for Non-Salaried Workers (CASNOS).
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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- PayChangu operates as a fintech payment aggregator that connects mobile money, cards, and bank transfers through a single integration.
- The platform targets SMEs with low-cost, developer-friendly tools, including APIs, plugins, and payment links for e-commerce integration.
- The company aims to accelerate digital commerce in Africa by reducing payment fragmentation and improving transaction efficiency.
PayChangu, a Malawi-based fintech startup, has developed a unified payment infrastructure to address fragmentation in Africa’s digital payments market and support the expansion of e-commerce across the continent.
The company, founded in 2021 by Morgan Tembo and headquartered in Lilongwe, operates as a payment aggregator. It connects multiple payment channels into a single interface and enables businesses to manage transactions without integrating separate systems.
“PayChangu is a leading financial technology company in Malawi that revolutionizes payments for local businesses to make online transactions simple, transparent and secure, thereby improving the customer experience,” the startup said.
PayChangu enables businesses to accept payments through mobile money, bank cards, and instant bank transfers via a single integration. The company addresses a structural challenge in African digital commerce, where fragmented payment systems often complicate user experience and reduce online conversion rates.
The platform extends beyond payment processing. It provides a broader ecosystem that includes payment link generation, invoicing tools, and analytics dashboards that allow merchants to track sales performance in real time. It also offers application programming interfaces (APIs) and plugins compatible with platforms such as Shopify and WooCommerce, which facilitates adoption among developers and small and medium-sized enterprises.
The startup has positioned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at the center of its strategy. It offers competitive transaction fees and low-code integration tools, which it says allow businesses to adopt digital payments without advanced technical expertise.
As Africa’s digital economy expands, driven by the rapid growth of mobile money and online commerce, PayChangu aligns itself with a broader trend of building localized payment infrastructure. The company aims to connect more African businesses to the global digital economy by streamlining transactions and reducing entry barriers for online trade.
This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Posta Uganda launches PostCom, a national e-commerce marketplace integrating logistics and digital transactions.
- The platform leverages the postal network to expand access, especially for SMEs and rural users.
- Uganda positions e-commerce as a growth driver within a market projected to exceed $110 billion in Africa by 2029.
Uganda’s State Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Godfrey Baluku Kabbyanga, officially launched the PostCom e-commerce platform on April 21 in Kampala. Public postal operator Posta Uganda developed the platform to expand its role beyond traditional logistics services into a fully integrated online commerce ecosystem.
PostCom operates as a national marketplace that allows individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises to buy and sell products online. The platform relies on Posta Uganda’s physical network to manage logistics and ensure nationwide delivery.
At the same time, the platform provides a secure digital interface that facilitates transactions and connects local sellers to a broader customer base, including international markets.
E-commerce continues to expand rapidly across Africa, and initiatives like PostCom target a fast-growing market. Analysts estimate that Africa’s e-commerce sector will reach about $55 billion in 2024 and could exceed $110 billion by 2029, driven by mobile money adoption, urbanization, and broader internet access.
Ugandan authorities are betting on digital transformation to stimulate economic growth. They expect digital services and online commerce to contribute several billion dollars to the economy by 2030.
PostCom differentiates itself from international private platforms through its public-sector foundation and integrated logistics model. Unlike traditional marketplaces, the platform combines e-commerce capabilities with existing postal infrastructure.
This model reduces delivery costs and expands access to e-commerce in rural areas. It also supports local SMEs by providing a structured national distribution channel in a market where logistics remain a major constraint.
Ugandan authorities aim to position PostCom as a central pillar of the national digital economy. The initiative forms part of a broader strategy to enhance economic inclusion, modernize trade, and strengthen Uganda’s role in East Africa’s digital commerce landscape.
The platform also gives sellers access to international markets. It enables them to reach customers in nearly 192 countries through the global postal network.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum