Author: Elan

Microsoft rolled out several Copilot Studio updates in November 2025, largely shaped by announcements at Microsoft Ignite. The changes reinforce a clear direction: Copilot Studio is evolving from a workflow automation tool into a platform for building and governing AI agents inside organizations. One of the most notable updates is the general availability of GPT-5 Chat in both the US and the EU. This removes a regional limitation that previously affected enterprise deployments and allows organizations to standardize agent behavior across markets. Another key change is the introduction of human-in-the-loop (HITL) controls, now available in preview. HITL allows organizations to…

A MESSAGE FROM OUR SUPPORTERSStandard Bank facilitates largest fibre deal on the continentStandard Bank acts as advisor and facilitates funding for fibre deal of the decade in Vodacom-Maziv joint venture. Read moreHere are summaries of the five most widely read stories the past week on Africa Private Equity News.1. European LP commits $20m to Helios fundSwedfund has revealed a $20 million investment in the Helios Climate, Energy, Adaptation and Resilience (CLEAR) Fund.The fund backs African companies that drive low-carbon growth in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable transport, climate-smart farming, efficient use of resources and digital climate solutions. Read the…

2025 was a watershed year for marketers in South Africa. Consumer behaviour shifted, technology accelerated and brands that once relied on traditional media rhythms found themselves needing to rethink everything from strategy to storytelling to speed.   According to Ryan Nofal, Co-Managing Director at Penquin, the industry didn’t just change, it matured. “This year forced marketers to get real about what drives results,” he says. “2025 wasn’t about trends for trends’ sake. It was about clarity, precision and meeting South Africans where they actually are.”  From AI to the rise of hyper-local content, here’s his breakdown of the six marketing forces that…

Image Credit: Pixabay To read this article, you must be a paid subscription member. (Current members login here)   Reserve your digital subscription today Join now for $38 per month Join now for $435 per year for access to: Weekly newsletter with original and curated news, analysis, and perspective Africa’s private capital deals, fundraises, and the investment firms and executives involved Portfolio company news that impacts value and stakeholder participation Job moves and partnerships between leading market participants Exclusive access to Africa Capital Digest’s full content archive If you’d like more information on exceptional value group subscriptions for your colleagues…

In brief Solana had an up and down year, highlighted by early all-time highs followed by relative underperformance. Highlights include the launch of President Trump’s meme coin, formation of Solana digital asset treasuries, and the rollout of SOL ETFs. The network is expected to get faster and cheaper with the implementation of Alpenglow. Solana’s native token surged to a new all-time high shortly after the year began, but the 2025 story of the speedy layer-1 network was not all up and to the right: SOL has finished the year in a serious slump, down substantially since this time last year.Nevertheless,…

Nigerian banks and fintech companies have been quietly mandated to automatically generate and update tax IDs for their customers, a move that will affect millions of account holders across the country without requiring any action on their part. An insider with direct knowledge of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) integration revealed that the tax authority has created API services specifically for financial institutions, enabling them to retrieve tax IDs in bulk using the National Identification Numbers (NIN) already stored in customer databases. “A bank has 20 million people. They cannot be waiting for all 20 million to go and…

A Windows PC comes with a surprising number of apps. Some of these are absolutely essential, like Photos, File Explorer, Media Player, and so on. But among them, you’ll also find a mix of apps from Microsoft, your PC manufacturer, and various third-party partners. Of course, most of these apps are not critical to Windows at all. Even if you don’t touch these apps, they can cause more problems than you realize. They can slow down your system, annoy you with pop-ups, and even pose a security risk. All of this makes removing bloatware the smartest thing you can do…

The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has issued a stern warning to traditional leaders, cautioning them against using culture and tradition as tools of intimidation, harassment, or political mobilization. The warning comes amid growing concerns over the politicization of traditional authority and its impact on peace, social cohesion, and democratic governance at the local level. The caution was delivered in an unusually firm tone by William Jallah, Assistant Minister for Cultural, speaking on behalf of Internal Affairs Minister Francis Sakila Nyumali, during an official honoring program organized by the Margibi County Administration. The event, held on Friday, December 19, 2025,…

** For the best experience, download the free Africa Private Equity News app Android | iOS **The SDG Namibia One Fund, managed by Climate Fund Managers, announced the signing of a development funding agreement with Zhero Europe, to advance the Zhero Molecules Walvis Bay Project, an industrial-scale green ammonia facility. The fund has committed up to $5.15 million to enable Zhero to complete the development and feasibility activities required to progress the project toward a final investment decision, targeted for 2027. Commercial operation is expected in 2030.Darron Johnson, regional head for Africa at Climate Fund Managers, said: “Zhero’s project aligns…

…As deals jump 44% Corporate venture capital (CVC) investments in African startups have surged to their highest level in three years, marking a renewed and deeper engagement by global and local corporate investors in the continent’s innovation ecosystem. According to GCV’s Corporate venture capital funding round data, African startups secured 26 corporate-backed funding deals in the first half (H1) of 2025, a 44 percent increase from the previous peak of 18 deals recorded in half-year periods over recent years. …As deals jump 44% Corporate venture capital (CVC) investments in African startups have surged to their highest level in three…