Johnstone Kpilaakaa

GetEquity is raising $100K at a valuation of $10M from retail investors

About a year after closing a six-figure pre-seed round led by GreenHouse Capital, GetEquity is raising $100,000 from retail investors on its platform at a $10 million valuation.

1 in 4 Africans was affected by internet shutdowns in 2022

Africa is the second most intensive continent by internet censorship after Asia: in addition to multi-year restrictions, five African countries censored the internet 13 times in 2022.

Mafab launches 5G network in six Nigerian cities

Mcom, formerly Mafab has launched its 5G network across six Nigerian cities but the network is not commercially available yet.

106 digital lenders are now licensed to operate in Nigeria

Following the introduction of the digital lending regulatory framework in August 2022, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has approved the operation of 106 digital lenders in Nigeria.

Understanding the technologies that will power Nigeria’s 2023 general elections

"The system of using the BVAS for the conduct of elections has come to stay. There’s no going back," Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, says.

Kenyan court rules in favour of M-Pesa to Bank transfer charges

Safaricom and Kenyan banks have been allowed to charge for M-Pesa to bank transactions, according to a new court order.

What you need to know about advertising crypto in South Africa

South Africa’s Advertising Regulatory Board has included a new clause for the cryptocurrency industry aimed at protecting consumers from unethical advertising.

Inside VENCO’s efforts to enhance living experiences in African communities

Launched in 2022, VENCO is a Nigerian prop-tech that is enhancing the living experiences of communities in Africa through an all-in-one technology platform.

BD Insider, Letter 146: Nigeria’s card market heats up

The Central Bank of Nigeria has launched Africa’s first central bank-driven domestic card scheme. We covered this and more in this week's letter.

Fincra is now an authorised payment service solution provider in Nigeria

The Central Bank of Nigeria has issued Fincra a commercial licence to operate as a Payment Service Solution Provider (PSSP).

Carry1st secures $27 million pre-series B from top global web3 and gaming VCs

South Africa's Carry1st raised a $27 million pre-Series B from Bitkraft Ventures, a16z and Konvoy Ventures to drive mobile gaming adoption on the continent.

Backed by YC, Shekel Mobility is building a neobank and trading platform for car dealers in Africa

In Africa, small and medium-scale car dealers make up almost 82% of the car dealership market, and most of these dealers sell used cars at high prices due to inadequate financing.