By Semafor Africa
Photos: YouTube Screenshots
African startups raised a record sum in debt financing in 2025, as investment in the continent’s maturing tech scene rebounded with growing interest from financiers.
Startups in Africa raised $1.64 billion through debt last year, exceeding the mark in 2024 by more than 60%, according to a report by Dakar-based venture capital firm Partech Africa.
Debt as a share of annual VC investment into African startups reached 40% for the first time since Partech started tracking the data a decade ago.
“It is a sign that African startups are getting more mature and predictable,” Tidjane Deme, Partech Africa’s general partner, told Semafor, noting that there is a higher eligibility bar for startups to raise capital through debt compared to equity.
