Africa’s technology startup ecosystem has crossed a significant funding milestone, with startups raising approximately $2.10 billion across 275 tracked deals between January and August 2026, according to TechCabal Insights. The figure represents a modest increase from the $2.07 billion raised during the corresponding eight-month period in
MTN Group is stepping deeper into South Africa’s artificial intelligence infrastructure market with plans to develop AI-ready data-centre capacity as demand for cloud computing, enterprise technology and data-intensive services accelerates. The telecommunications group has entered into a strategic partnership with a UAE-based data-centre investment
Innovation
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for a faster, more coordinated approach to infrastructure development, highlighting digital connectivity, data centres and technology-enabled infrastructure as increasingly important to South Africa’s economic growth and regional integration. Addressing the sixth Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium of South Africa on Tuesday, 25 August 2026,
Technology
Standard Chartered Foundation has launched the second edition of its Women in Tech Accelerator in Egypt, targeting 12 women-led technology startups with business development, mentorship, investment-readiness support and access to entrepreneurial networks. The 2026 programme is being delivered in partnership with entrepreneurship platform Entlaq and impact investor Village
FinTech
Africa’s financial markets are approaching a significant milestone as the Absa Africa Financial Markets Index (AFMI) 2026 prepares to mark its 10th edition, with digital innovation emerging as one of the key themes shaping the continent’s next phase of financial-market development. The 2026 edition will be launched
News
Zimbabwe’s Econet Wireless is planning to appoint 15,000 new EcoCash agents by Christmas, in a major expansion of its mobile-money network aimed at creating income opportunities for citizens returning from South Africa. The initiative follows a directive from Econet founder and Group Chairman Strive Masiyiwa, who has
AI
Microsoft South Africa and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) are using the broadcaster’s SABC Plus streaming platform to widen access to artificial intelligence (AI) and digital-skills education, creating a new digital learning channel aimed at millions of South Africans. The partnership, announced at the Microsoft AI Tour
Bridging Boundaries, Unveiling Innovations.
Amazon is preparing to take its satellite internet ambitions deeper into Africa, with its Amazon Leo low-Earth-orbit (LEO) network expected to connect residential customers in South Africa through a new service called evry from 2027. The service is being developed through a partnership between Amazon Leo and South
Vodacom Group’s decision to take control of Kenya’s Safaricom is more than a change in shareholding. It marks a significant shift in the competitive landscape of African telecommunications and fintech, bringing one of the continent’s most successful mobile-money businesses deeper into Vodacom’s regional growth strategy.
Botswana is set to become a focal point for Africa’s rapidly evolving digital gaming economy when it hosts the Pan-African Gaming Taxation & Revenue Summit (PAGTR) 2026, bringing together regulators, tax authorities, policymakers, technology companies and gaming-industry executives to examine how governments can modernise taxation and oversight
The scale of illegal streaming during the 2026 FIFA World Cup has highlighted a growing connection between digital piracy and unregulated online gambling, with Gaming Compliance International (GCI) estimating 174.3 billion qualifying illegal stream views globally across the tournament. GCI’s first complete global measurement of illegal World Cup
NAIROBI, Kenya — African iGaming Alliance (AiA) Chief Executive Officer Peter Emolemo Kesitilwe has held a high-level engagement with Peter Maina Karimi, Director General of Kenya’s Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA), with discussions centred on responsible gambling, consumer protection and the fight against illegal gambling. The meeting, held in Nairobi,
How drones, artificial intelligence and agricultural data are transforming the way South African farmers monitor crops and make decisions For generations, farming has depended on the farmer's experience, eyesight and knowledge of the land. But increasingly, another set of eyes is watching the fields — drones and satellites, backed
South African agritech company Khula is positioning itself for a bigger role in the future of African agriculture, with artificial intelligence, digital finance, market access and smart farming increasingly becoming central to its strategy. The company's latest direction suggests that the next phase of Khula's growth
Johannesburg-South African ICT and telecommunications company Telcolink is entering a potentially important new phase as its established focus on connectivity and network infrastructure increasingly intersects with cloud networking, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. Founded in 2013, the wholly black-owned company has built its business around telecommunications, network connectivity, IT
Gaborone launch gives Wallet customers a new way to pay for everyday goods and services without a traditional bank account GABORONE, Botswana — Mukuru has expanded its financial-services offering in Botswana with the launch of a Visa-branded Companion Card linked directly to the Mukuru Wallet, giving customers a new
By Tsaone Segaetsho Somu Papanna, founder, CEO and managing director of InfyStrat Software Services, is positioning the South African technology company as a strategic partner to African businesses navigating the rapid convergence of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity and digital transformation. Papanna’s strategy, profiled by Tech Insights Africa magazine,
By Tsaone Segaetsho Artificial intelligence by Macrocomm s moving beyond experimentation in Africa’s electricity sector, with utilities and technology companies showcasing deployments of smart metering, predictive analytics, intelligent substations and real-time grid monitoring at Enlit Africa 2026 in Cape Town. The conference highlighted how AI is increasingly being
South African betting operator Hollywoodbets is stepping up its promotional activity in August, rolling out campaigns across online gaming, sports betting and live sporting events as competition for customers intensifies in the country's gambling market. The operator's August programme spans its Spina Zonke gaming platform, casino