Author: Elan

Fresh from securing a $11.75 million seed round, Terra Industries is urging African startups to prioritise real revenue and problem-solving over headline valuations, warning that sustainable businesses are built on cash flow, not hype. The Abuja-based defence technology startup, founded by brothers Nathaniel Sengu and Maxwell Sengu, shared this advice during an X Space organised by Tech This Week, where they reflected on Terra’s journey from bootstrapping to one of Africa’s largest seed raises. “Valuation is a consequence, not a strategy. If you are not solving a real problem and getting paid for it, the numbers on paper won’t save…

Why Africa must prioritise foundational education – African Business Why Africa must prioritise foundational education – African Business

OpenAI’s ChatGPT topped the overall most downloaded app by global smartphone users in 2025, followed by TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp Messenger. More than 60% of total time spent across mobile apps in 2025 occurred within social media and messaging apps. Digital Wallets & P2P Payments app edges Cryptocurrency apps to dominate the top 10 most downloaded Finance apps in 2025. Retail apps saw a decline in downloads after Temu and SHEIN suffered market shocks due to U.S. tariffs. AI apps witnessed a sharp rise in time spent on their platforms, witnessing a +240% surge to 48.1 billion hours. OpenAI’s…

GetEquity, a Nigerian fintech platform that functions as a digital marketplace for private capital, began in the venture capital boom in 2021. Its mission to democratise venture capital for everyday Nigerians felt not just timely, but inevitable. Retail investors filled a $50,000 startup round in an hour, and growth charts climbed.  But by 2023, the narrative had fractured. A historic naira devaluation and a continent-wide venture capital freeze threatened to erase the blueprint. GetEquity’s startup journey would not be about scaling a dream, but engineering a survival, one that would force it to abandon its original thesis and discover a…

iOS 26 Focuses On Practical Improvements iOS 26 delivers the usual long list of refinements, but only a handful of additions meaningfully change how the iPhone is used day to day. Several of the update’s smaller features improve core apps rather than introducing flashy new modes. These four additions stand out for their frequency of use rather than their novelty. 1. Adaptive Toolbar Makes Notes Easier To Use Context-Aware Editing Controls Apple Notes gains an Adaptive Toolbar in iOS 26 that changes based on what you are doing inside a note. When editing text, formatting tools such as bold, italics,…

Anne-Marie Chidzero, chief investment officer, FSD Africa Investments** For the best experience, download the free Africa Private Equity News app Android | iOS **FSD Africa Investments (FSDAi) has committed $7.5 million to the Ci-Gaba (Progress) Fund, supporting its $75 million first close.Ci Gaba is a Ghanian-domiciled fund of funds channeling pension capital into private equity and private debt. Its first close surpassed the $30 million target, anchored by domestic pension funds, signalling strong market confidence in locally structured private market vehicles.“Ci Gaba Venture Capital bridges the gap between Ghana’s long-term savings and high-growth enterprises. By strengthening market infrastructure, backing fund…

By Intercontinental Trust LtdWe are excited to share that ITL has successfully assisted a client in securing the first Robotic and Artificial Intelligence Enabled Advisory Services (RAIEAS) Licence in Mauritius, a significant achievement in the evolution of AI in the advisory sector.Read more about the RAIEAS license and its impact here.If you are interested in learning more about AI-powered advisory solutions or seeking assistance with regulatory licensing, our team is here to help.Contact us at bd@intercontinentaltrust.com for further information.

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Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission has raised the minimum capital requirements (MCR) across the capital market ecosystem, doubling down on its push to strengthen oversight of fintechs and digital asset firms, months after the country formally legalised cryptocurrencies. In a circular dated January 16, 2026, and titled “Circular No. 26-1: Revised Minimum Capital for Regulated Capital Market Entities,” the SEC said the new thresholds apply to all categories of regulated operators, spanning traditional capital market intermediaries, fintechs, virtual asset service providers, and commodity market players. Under the new framework, Digital Assets Exchanges (DAXs) and Digital Assets Custodians, which operate trading…

Zenith Bank Nigeria PLC has finally received regulatory clearance from the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) to acquire a 100% shareholding in Paramount Bank Limited, a mid-tier lender in Kenya. This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday through CAK’s official X (formerly Twitter) page, stating that the approval is subject to conditions aimed at safeguarding employment. “The approval is conditional, where Zenith must retain all 78 Paramount employees for at least 12 months after the deal is completed, with CAK framing employment as the key public-interest issue rather than competition risk,” the regulator said in a statement. This measure…