Author: Elan
What if the next global voices shaping culture didn’t come from Hollywood or London but from Lagos, Nairobi and Cape Town? In 2026, African content creators are no longer just participating in global digital culture; they are actively shaping it. On Thursday, TikTok recognised five creators from Sub-Saharan Africa on its annual global Discover List 2026 — a curated spotlight of 50 creators shaping culture across industries and borders. Their inclusion marks a defining moment for the continent’s growing footprint in the global creator economy. According to the list, the African honourees include Olawale Ogunlana, a Nigerian medical doctor and…
There are few investments more treacherous than buying land in Nigeria. In 2017, Ndifreke Ikpoku paid ₦23 million ($13,000) for what appeared to be a legitimate plot on the outskirts of Port Harcourt, a growing urban city in the country. The documents checked out—until they didn’t. On closer inspection, the “asset” he believed would cement his place in Nigeria’s aspirational middle-class was little more than paperwork for land that had already been sold multiple times over. He lost the money—and the pride that comes with being a landowner in Nigeria—but not his resolve. That loss would become the foundation of…
It’s finally happened: ChatGPT has adverts. OpenAI is displaying adverts on ChatGPT’s free and Go tiers, and at the time of writing, they’re only being forced upon US subscribers. That’s the case for now, but it won’t be long until adverts are rolled out to more countries and more users—not forgetting that ChatGPT Go subscribers are still forking out a subscription fee. Thankfully, there are still numerous excellent ChatGPT alternatives out there that don’t splash adverts in your chat, and better still, deliver arguably better AI experiences than ChatGPT anyway. Confer Super-secret AI chatbot experience Confer is one of the…
Crypto, and especially stablecoins, will rapidly move from early experimentation towards mainstream for African merchants over the next two to three years. As the regulatory fog lifts, customer familiarity with stablecoins is set to accelerate as banks and major platforms roll them out, normalising crypto payments. Africa experiences a jump in crypto growth Between July 2024 and June 2025, Sub-Saharan Africa saw a 52% year-on-year growth, recording over $205 billion in on-chain value, making it the world’s third fastest growing crypto market. South Africa contributed an estimated $35 to 40 billion of that total, driven by strong stablecoin usage and a…
Ethiopia looks to multi-billion dollar airport to revolutionise aviation – African Business Ethiopia looks to multi-billion dollar airport to revolutionise aviation – African Business
Quidax, a Nigerian cryptocurrency startup, has partnered with the Swiss blockchain platform, Lisk, to enable its users to buy USDT, USDC, Ether (ETH), and Lisk coin (LSK) on its platform. Quidax, which secured a provisional crypto licence from Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in August 2024, will now provide an infrastructure for users to move between crypto and local fiat currency. This means retailers can now buy, sell, and swap cryptocurrencies on Lisk’s layer-2 network with low fees, to drive the blockchain’s expansion in Africa. The partnership allows builders on the Lisk network to plug into Quidax’s liquidity and…
Smartphone shipments into Africa hit 84.4 million for the entire 2025, representing 13% year-on-year growth and outperforming global market trends. The performance represents Africa’s strongest recovery since 2021. According to the report by OMDIA, smartphones accounted for approximately 55% of total mobile handset shipments in 2025, highlighting the region’s transition from feature phones to entry-level and mid-tier smartphones. The significant increase is also attributed to the continued rise of 4G networks on the continent, coupled with the increasing penetration of 5G. However, infrastructure upgrades are still delaying the rise of 5G networks. “The year (2025) marked the strongest recovery phase…
Sedans used to be the budget-friendly safe bet, but that’s getting harder to say with a straight face. Prices keep climbing, and even longtime affordability champs aren’t as cheap as they once were thanks to inflation, pricier materials, and more standard tech baked into every trim. Sticker shock may be unavoidable, but ownership costs are where smart buyers can still win. That’s exactly where the 2026 Toyota Corolla sedan earns its keep, delivering the kind of long-haul durability and fuel efficiency that actually saves you money over time. This latest Corolla isn’t reinventing the formula—it’s refining it. It builds on…
By PwCWest Africa GDP growth was estimated to reach 4.4% in 2025 driven by new oil and gas production from Senegal and Niger. Larger economies such as Nigeria and Ghana both recorded growth in Q3 2025 with Nigeria’s GDP growth at 3.98% driven by improvements in domestic reforms and growth in the services sector (finance and insurance, mining and quarrying and ICT), while Ghana recorded a 5.5% growth within the same period, driven by strong performances in agriculture and services, as it continues its recovery from previous downturns.Looking ahead, economic growth across West Africa is expected to reach 4.2% in…
** For the best experience, download the free Africa Private Equity News app Android | iOS **Platinum Credit Uganda (PCU), a subsidiary of The Platcorp Group, has secured $4 million in investment from Swiss asset manager Symbiotics. The funding will be used to expand its financing for low-income households and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across Uganda.MSMEs are the backbone of Uganda’s economy, accounting for over 90% of private sector firms. However, MSMEs and low-income households face a considerable financing gap and are regularly blocked from accessing critical investment due to historic financial barriers. The $4 million investment, provided…