2024 might have felt like just another year of grappling with the usual challenges of living in Africa where factors like inequality in education, unreliable healthcare and financial exclusion are everyday realities, to name a few.
The odds can feel stacked but behind the scenes, certain techpreneurs and innovators in Africa are rising to the occasion. They’re not waiting for perfect conditions or larger markets; instead, they’re tackling real problems, starting with their own communities.
We’ve identified seven companies at the forefront of this movement in this article.
M-Kopa is financing decarbonisation in 5 African markets
Africa’s reliance on internal combustion motorbikes is both a health and environmental crisis. With over 30 million petrol motorbikes, they emit 60 million tonnes of CO2 annually, contributing significantly to air pollution, which causes 350,000 deaths and $5 billion in GDP losses each year. Petrol bikes also emit 10 times more toxic pollutants than cars, worsening urban air quality.
In Kenya, where transport is the top CO2 emitter, electric motorbikes offer a transformative solution. They cut CO2 and toxic emissions by over 90%, running on a 90% renewable energy grid. M-KOPA, Kenya’s largest financier of electric motorbikes, has financed two-thirds of the country’s e-bikes, enabling affordable adoption through flexible plans. Now, drivers save $3.50 daily on fuel, retain 30% more income, and improve their financial stability.
This shift aligns with the urgency spotlighted at COP29, where major economies pledged unprecedented emission cuts, and the Global South pushed for equitable energy transition funding. M-KOPA’s efforts embody this momentum, showing how cleantech can address emissions and inequality simultaneously.
Beyond mobility, M-KOPA has refurbished over 100,000 phones and solar systems, tackling e-waste while making technology accessible. Partnering with Microsoft Airband, their circular economy model has expanded with a new refurbishment facility in Kenya.
Read also: Kenyan fintech M-KOPA gets $250M+ in debt and equity
Collaborations like the partnership with Bolt accelerate the adoption of e-bikes. Bolt aims to add 1,000 electric motorbikes to its platform this year and 5,000 within two years, reducing urban noise and emissions. With over 3 million customers and 16,000 jobs created, M-KOPA exemplifies cleantech’s potential to drive sustainable progress in Africa.
uLesson’s best-in-class personalised learning technology creates a conducive learning environment for high schoolers in Africa
“At uLesson, we believe that every child deserves access to quality education, regardless of their geographical location or socio-economic status,” says AyoOluwa Nihinlola, CEO of uLesson Education. This guiding principle drives uLesson’s mission to transform education across Africa by using technology to break barriers.
Since 2019, uLesson has been revolutionising education with its personalized learning solutions. The company’s flagship product, the uLesson app, offers high-quality, interactive lessons that cover subjects from STEM to the arts, tailored to the Nigerian curriculum. It has already helped over 2.5 million learners improve their grades and pass exams, making learning more accessible and engaging.
Read also: uLesson is building an online open university named Miva
In 2024 alone, uLesson expanded its impact by partnering with MTN Nigeria to distribute 4,600 educational tablets and with the Niger Delta Development Commission to deploy 45,000 uLesson Education Tabs, for both primary and secondary school students that come preloaded with interactive content and also offer features like personalised learning reports to track progress. This particularly, will help to bridge the learning quality gap for every child, no matter where they are.
Moniepoint is doubling down on financial inclusion
Moniepoint is changing how people and businesses in Africa manage money, tackling a long-standing challenge where around 30-40% of the population still lacks access to formal banking services (World Bank, 2023). Through tools like business accounts, POS terminals, expense cards, and loans, they’re making financial services easier to reach and use.
Last year, the fintech company achieved unicorn status, a testament to its remarkable growth and ability to solve financial challenges using technology. The company has a workforce of over 3,000 employees and remains committed to supporting Nigeria’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy.
In 2024, Moniepoint partnered with the Corporate Affairs Commission to onboard over two million businesses, with a goal of reaching 30 million in the next five years. It also released Nigeria’s Informal Economy Report in collaboration with SMEDAN and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investments, highlighting the significant role of this sector in the country’s GDP.
Moniepoint has shown, since launch that making financial systems work for everyone can bring real change to millions of people and businesses across the continent.
Reliance HMO is integrating telemedicine solutions into managing chronic diseases like diabetes.
Since 2019, Reliance HMO has been changing how Nigerians access healthcare, reaching even the most remote areas. It’s all part of a growing healthtech sector that has attracted $13.5 million in funding, as more people recognize the life-changing impact of affordable health plans.
Reliance is addressing these challenges head-on. Their collaboration with Platos Health has launched a pilot program that helps diabetics not only manage their health effectively but also save money in the process.
And the benefits aren’t limited to individuals, businesses are reaping the rewards too. For many founders, the absence of a structured health plan meant unpredictable ad-hoc requests for employee support, adding stress to an already challenging environment of absenteeism and stalled growth.
Now, thanks to Reliance’s health plans and new telemedicine services offering 24/7 consultations, digital prescriptions, medication delivery—all starting at just ₦3,500 ($2)—they’re reducing hospital visits and improving overall health outcomes.
In a region where access to healthcare is often limited, Reliance is proving that it doesn’t have to be.
Farmerline is using SMS to increase crop yields and open up trade networks for farmers
Africa has the potential to not only feed itself but also export surplus food, yet small-scale farmers face challenges like limited market access and financing. In Ghana, where smallholder farms account for 80% of agricultural output, Farmerline has since stepped in to change the narrative. Co-founded by Alloysius Attah and Emmanuel Addai in 2013, the agritech company uses SMS and voice services to provide farmers with real-time updates on market prices, weather forecasts, and farming tips.
This simple yet effective platform bridges the gap between farmers and agribusinesses, opening trade networks and offering access to quality inputs and training. The results actually speak volumes—farmers using Farmerline report income increases of over 50% per acre, all for just $2 to $3 for six months of access.
The company’s innovation extends to its Mergdata platform, which now includes climate-smart farming education and offline capabilities. Recognised globally, Farmerline has won multiple awards, including the King Baudouin African Development Prize. With their latest $1.5 million in funding from Hivos-Triodos Fonds, the company is scaling up its operations, having already reached over 200,000 farmers in more than 10 countries.
OffGridBox is creating jobs with off-grid water purification systems
The race to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for clean water is on, and OffGridBox is stepping up to the challenge. Using compact, solar-powered units, they’re delivering clean water, renewable energy, and new opportunities to communities across Africa.
In Rwanda, where some villages were spending up to 400 francs daily on clean water, OffGridBox’s pay-as-you-go model has drastically reduced costs. The company’s devices have already helped nearly 90,000 families across the country. “We have the potential to put over 1,000 OffGridBoxes in Rwanda,” says founder Emiliano Cecchini, noting the booming “solar-as-you-go” economy.
Each box—roughly the size of a small container—can purify up to 20 litres of water per charge, support 400 households, and power battery packs for lighting and appliances. The impact is far-reaching. Families now experience fewer waterborne diseases, cleaner indoor air, and savings on energy and water expenses.
As mentioned, OffGridBox is empowering people. Local women employed as “box keepers” take on leadership roles, mentoring one another and ensuring the system runs smoothly. The company has already scaled to 30 units in East Africa and is generating nearly $10,000 annually per box.
The vision has caught global attention. After completing the Techstars accelerator, Cecchini described the mentorship as “like waking up in The Matrix with all this knowledge.” The company was later honoured in the 2017 MassChallenge program, and since then it has fueled its mission to bring sustainable solutions to underserved areas.
Pargo Point is addressing a gap in last-mile deliveries for businesses and regions previously left out of the digital economy
According to the International Trade Administration, over 500 million Africans shop online already in 2025, and this number is expected to increase by 17% annually.
Despite e-commerce thriving, delivering to remote areas remains a big challenge. Pargo, fortunately, has entered the market with an impressive click-and-collect model supported by its smart mobile and desktop application and intuitive map. Instead of dealing with the typical logistics headaches, shoppers simply pick up their orders at one of Pargo’s 4,000+ pickup points including township corner shops.
And the business is thriving. In South Africa alone, Pargo has partnered with major retailers, telecoms, and even Amazon, which launched locally last year, cementing its pickup points as a vital part of the delivery process.
Pargo’s success in South Africa has set the stage for its pan-African ambitions. A pilot program in Egypt has already established 150 pickup points, navigating unique challenges like cash-based payments which account for 80% of transactions there. CEO Lars Veul has also hinted at expansion into booming markets like Nigeria.
To conclude
As the tech sector journeys through 2025 and beyond, the progress we’ve seen so far paints a clear picture of Africa’s potential. Thriving in the years to come will mean building on this foundation and the ventures we have highlighted remind us that meaningful change starts with a deep understanding of the challenges they aim to solve.
