African startups raise $2.49B in 9 months as Q3 rebounds
African startups raised $2.49B across 315 deals in the first 9 months of 2026. Discover Q3 funding trends, top markets, and major fund closes.
Tech
👨🏿‍🚀TechCabal Daily – Dangote IPO heads south
In today's edition: Dangote IPO gets SADC vote || Quickmart IPO to cost owners $4.5m || Kenya nears FATF greylist exit || Tanzania wants to prevent telecom damages
Nigeria’s identity agency says its database is locally hosted and managed by staff
NIMC says Nigeria’s national identity database is hosted locally and managed by its employees. But as more agencies connect to the system, protecting Nigerians’ personal information depends on access controls and accountability—not just where the data is stored.
Why Emmanuel Obiechina ditched dedicated apps to build a bank inside your DMs
Building Y-Queue took Emmanuel Obiechina and his co-founders just three weeks. Convincing people to use it proved to be an entirely different education. Long before he conceived Kira AI—his WhatsApp-based banking and payments platform—Obiechina saw a clean engineering solution to a persistent campus
OPay’s $1.28 lending problem in Nigeria
Every $10 (₦13,329.7) borrowed from OPay generated $2.55 (₦3,399.07) in loan-financing revenue in H1 2026. The figure includes late-payment penalties, not just interest, and offers a glimpse into the revenue lenders need to cover the risk of borrower defaults.
The fierce fintech race for financial loyalty in South Africa goes beyond payments
South Africa’s fintechs are moving beyond customer acquisition to capture everyday spending, build lasting financial relationships and turn digital payments into sustainable revenue.
iPhone Duo pre-order opens Friday, October 16: What you should know
Apple's first foldable iPhone starts at $1,999 in the US, and the first buyers get their phones on Friday, October 23.
Cascador and Sterling launch $200 million fund to derisk startup loans
Cascador and Sterling Bank have set up a $200 million fund to help Nigerian startups get bank loans by sharing the risk of borrowers defaulting.
The Next Wave: The unfinished business of a startup’s collapse
Copia and Koko expose distinct weaknesses in businesses built to solve costly problems, from Copia's need for sufficient margins and working capital to Koko's dependence on carbon-credit revenue and regulatory approval.
👨🏿‍🚀TechCabal Daily – Microsoft closes a Window in Nairobi
In today's edition: Microsoft shuts down Nairobi hub || UK fintech Wise receives licence confirmation || iOCO profit jumps 39% || CashAfrica, Chicken Republic partner