Author: Elan

African entrepreneurs from across the continent have taken center stage at a high-profile business competition hosted in Rwanda, highlighting innovation, resilience and the growing influence of African-led enterprises. The event brought together startups, investors, policymakers and industry leaders, providing a powerful platform for emerging businesses to showcase ideas that address local and global challenges. Rwanda’s role as host reflects its growing reputation as a hub for entrepreneurship and innovation in Africa. Innovative Business Ideas Reflect Africa’s Dynamic Markets Participants presented solutions spanning technology, agriculture, healthcare, fintech and renewable energy, demonstrating the diversity of Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape. Many ventures focused on…

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Promising Nigerian startups took to the stage to showcase their innovations at the iHatch National Demo Day (4th Cohort). This initiative was organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). According to the organisers, the showcase, held on Thursday, brought together investors, policy makers and hosts to witness startup founders pitch their ideas. The event also marked the culmination of months of hard work, state-level selections, and regional competitions. Launched in 2021, iHatch is a 5-month free intensive incubation program designed to help Nigerian entrepreneurs refine their business ideas through a series…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a one‑month deadline for all banks, financial institutions, acquirers and payment service providers to overhaul how Point‑of‑Sale (PoS) transactions are routed, in a major push to reduce system downtime and strengthen Nigeria’s digital payments infrastructure. The circular (PDF), dated December 11, 2025, and signed by Rakiya Yusuf, Director of the Payments System Supervision Department, updates earlier guidance and compels industry players to adopt dual connectivity to the nation’s two licensed Payment Terminal Service Aggregators (PTSAs): the Nigeria Inter‑Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) and Unified Payment Services Limited (UPSL). Under the new directive, all…

We’ve got exciting news! eBook versions of “Accessible UX Research,” a new Smashing Book by Michele A. Williams, are now available for download! Which means soon the book will go to the printer. Order the eBook for instant download now or reserve your print copy at the presale price.Smashing Library expands again! We’re so happy to announce our newest book, Accessible UX Research, is now available for download in eBook formats. Michele A. Williams takes us for a deep dive into the real world of UX testing, and provides a road map for including users with different abilities and needs…

A police warrant issued by the Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate Court, now in the possession of Nyasatimes, reveals that the arrest of former Minister of Trade and MCP presidential running mate Vitumbiko Mumba stems from remarks he made during a joint press briefing with Jessie Kabwila — a briefing in which they raised concerns of possible electoral fraud by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The affidavit supporting the warrant, sworn by Superintendent Isaac Mndala of the Criminal Investigations Department, claims that the statements made at the press briefing amounted to “publication of false news likely to cause fear and alarm…

Lungi Gwente** For the best experience, download the free Africa Private Equity News app Android | iOS **By Lungi Gwente, corporate finance and mezzanine debt associate at TamelaAs South Africa’s private credit and mid-market investment ecosystem matures, investors are increasingly asking a fundamental question: “Does fund structure meaningfully influence performance, exit discipline, and long-term value?” The answer is yes, but not in a one-size-fits-all way. Both open-ended and closed-ended funds carry strengths and trade-offs, and the right choice depends squarely on an investor’s liquidity needs, return expectations, and risk appetite.Closed-ended funds are structured with fixed life cycles, typically seven to…

Ade Sun-Basorun, CEO of FoodCo Ade Sun-Basorun is the chief executive of FoodCo, a Nigerian retailer and consumer goods company. In this interview, he talks about the company’s growth, the challenges of operating in Nigeria, and the lessons he has learnt in the retail industry. FoodCo was recently ranked by the Financial Times as one of Africa’s fastest-growing companies. When we last spoke in 2020, the company had 11 stores. How has your store footprint evolved since then? The recognition by The Financial Times of London is a testament to the hard work and strategic expansion we’ve undertaken. When we…

Africa’s trade ambitions hinge on a simple truth often obscured by headlines about ports, power and tariffs. Trade expands rapidly when exporters, financiers and insurers have frameworks to identify, price and transfer the underlying risks. Specialty insurance – the bespoke, technically sophisticated cover that protects complex, high-value and high-frequency commercial activity – is not a nice-to-have. It is the plumbing of modern commerce. It prevents revenue leakage, underwrites bankable investments, and turns projects that would otherwise be “too risky” into creditworthy opportunities. As Africa expands its intra-regional value chains, scales energy projects, and expands logistics corridors, bespoke specialized insurance programs…

Storing digital assets (read: cryptocurrencies) demands the same level of security-consciousness as traditional finance. Yet crypto’s promise of “sovereignty” places the burden of protection squarely on users, turning them into sole guardians of their own purses.  The digital asset industry began with non-custodial wallets, which gave users total control over their holdings without third-party interference. They simply had to hold onto their “private keys,” a string of 12–24 random words that only the user is privy to. Once they lose access to, forget, or if those keys get into the wrong hands, their crypto assets could get lost forever or…