Author: Elan

The death of Google Glass in 2013 was a victory for social etiquette. We dubbed the wearers ‘Glassholes’, barred them from sensitive places, and collectively decided that a cyborg-eye aesthetic was a bridge too far. But a decade later, the surveillance state didn’t go away; it just learned how to dress better and rebranded as Ray-Ban. In 2025 alone, Meta sold 7 million Ray-Ban smart glasses, tripling 2023 and 2024 combined. By blending high-tech optics into the world’s most iconic frames, Meta solved the social friction of wearable tech. In doing so, they created a massive, decentralised surveillance network where…

Wi-Fi networks in many homes are strained by bandwidth, interference, and range limits. Theoretically, modern wireless networking standards like Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 can match wired Ethernet speeds, but those theoretical ratings are almost impossible to replicate in the real world. That’s why, with tens of Wi-Fi devices connected to my home network at any given time, I’ve gone all-in on wired networking wherever possible. The biggest bandwidth hog might be your smart TV, and I took mine out of the mix by adding an Ethernet connection. You could use the Ethernet port on your smart TV, but I’ve…

** For the best experience, download the free Africa Private Equity News app Android | iOS **British International Investment (BII), and ILX, the Amsterdam-based emerging market private debt asset manager, have completed their first joint transaction to expand financing for SMEs and agricultural businesses in East Africa.The $15 million transaction marks ILX’s first sub-participation in a BII investment, since the two institutions formalised their partnership to increase institutional capital flowing into high-impact opportunities in emerging markets.This investment will support an East African financial institution to scale its lending to MSMEs and agribusinesses.Holger Rothenbusch, managing director and head of infrastructure and…

Adnane Filali, managing partner at Azur Innovation Fund** For the best experience, download the free Africa Private Equity News app Android | iOS **Moroccan-Senegalese startup Weego, founded by Saad Jittou and Mor Niane, has closed a $1.1 million funding round with Azur Innovation Fund. This round aims to accelerate the deployment of its multimodal transport platform in Morocco, both for the general public and for businesses, and to initiate its expansion across Africa, Europe and the Middle East.Urban congestion is one of the main economic obstacles in major African cities. Weego positions itself as the digital link between the different…

The applause inside Nairobi’s Sarit Centre last week was not just for the five enterprises crowned at the 13th Sankalp Africa Summit. It was the sound of a maturing ecosystem. When three of the five top honours at a pan-African summit are scooped up by local founders, it signals a shift. Kenya is no longer just hosting the conversation on African innovation; it is dictating the terms.Yet, beyond the polished pitches and the celebratory press releases of February 25th, a more complex narrative is unfolding. The victories of Rio Fish, M-Taka, and Malaica represent a fascinating intersection: the maturation of…

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Zap Africa, a Nigerian cryptocurrency startup, cut 44% of its workforce in February 2026, cutting staff across its design, operations, marketing, and support teams as the company pivots to a leaner, automation-driven model. The Lagos-based company, founded in 2023, said the layoffs were part of a broader restructuring aimed at aligning operating costs with revenue-generating activities.  The job cuts began in December 2025, with at least five roles eliminated before the latest layoffs in February, which affected eight roles, according to former employees. The startup says it does not plan further layoffs. “Zap Africa implemented a limited restructuring affecting a…

Namaste, Victoria from Techpoint here, Here’s what I’ve got for you today: Chowdeck rolls out insurance for 20,000 riders Can scan-and-go win outside Nigeria? MTN Ghana profit jumps 56% Chowdeck rolls out insurance for 20,000 riders Source: Supplied Food delivery riders in Nigeria just got a rare win. In a gig economy where most workers hustle without safety nets, Chowdeck has rolled out personal accident insurance for more than 20,000 of its riders. The company has partnered with MyCoverGenius to provide automatic accident coverage for all active riders on its platform. Effective since November 2024, the plan covers accident-related medical…

When we talk about Windows app compatibilty, we usually think of Linux running some sort of WINE configuration. That’s not all the wonderful world of open-source has to offer though. Some really talented developers have managed to reverse engineer the Windows NT architecture. They’ve been working on it for almost 30 years. The project is called ReactOS, and it’s directly compatible with Windows software and drivers (no compatibility layers or emulation required). What is ReactOS? ReactOS is a free and open-source operating system that natively supports Windows apps and Windows drivers. When you download a .exe file on ReactOS, you…

-As Supreme Court Reviews Judge’s Actions Temple of Justice, Monrovia, Liberia, March 2, 2026: Supreme Court Chamber Justice, Associate Justice Yussif D. Kabah, has placed an immediate halt and freeze on the ongoing Capitol Building arson trial before Criminal Court “A” judge, Roosevelt Z. Willie. The court’s decisive action follows a writ of prohibition filed by former Speaker Koffa and co-defendants. They are seeking clarification and a review of Judge Willie’s prior decision, which they assert is both illegal and inconsistent with established law. The petitioners further contend that the judge’s actions were irregular, disruptive, and potentially detrimental to the…