Author: Insider Editor

it was first pitched as a cornerstone of Kenya’s industrial transformation, a long-stalled tech hub in Nairobi is getting another lifeline new funding, a new contractor, and yet another extended deadline. The Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI) techno-centre was conceived in 2013 as a flagship innovation campus, designed to host advanced laboratories, testing facilities, and commercial spaces. But years of funding shortfalls, contractor disputes, and shifting timelines have left the project stuck in limbo. Now, the government is making a fresh push. An additional KES 3.4 billion ($26.1 million) has been injected into the project, raising its total…

Top Fintech Startups in Nigeria (2026): The Companies Powering Africa’s Digital Economy Nigeria has emerged as Africa’s fintech powerhouse, with startups transforming how millions of people send, receive, and manage money. From payments and lending to digital banking and financial infrastructure, Nigerian fintech companies are redefining financial services not only locally but across the continent. Driven by a large unbanked population, rapid mobile adoption, and a vibrant startup ecosystem, fintech innovation in Nigeria continues to attract global attention and investment. In this article, we explore the top fintech startups in Nigeria in 2026 — the companies building the infrastructure, products,…

Scale, a South African card-issuing startup, has partnered with Mastercard to make it easier for businesses to launch card products across five African markets Senegal, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. For many companies on the continent, issuing payment cards is still a complicated process. It often requires coordinating with multiple players issuing banks, payment networks, and BIN sponsors creating bottlenecks that slow down launches and increase operational strain. Scale and Mastercard say their partnership is designed to remove that friction. At the centre of the collaboration is a “one-integration” model that brings onboarding, processing, and compliance into a single…

MTN Group has completed the separation of its mobile money business in Ghana, marking a significant step in its broader push to position fintech as a standalone growth engine. In a regulatory filing , the telecoms giant said its Ghanaian subsidiary, Scancom PLC, has finalised the merger of MobileMoney Ltd with a newly established entity, MobileMoney Fintech Ltd (MMFL). The restructuring took effect on March 31, 2026, following all required regulatory approvals. The newly formed MMFL will now house MTN Ghana’s mobile money operations. Ownership of the entity is split between MTN Dutch Holdings B.V. and the MTN Ghana Fintech…

Nigeria is putting fresh money behind its digital ambitions, committing $9 million (₦12 billion) to a new national research programme designed to strengthen policymaking and fast-track its shift to a knowledge-driven economy. The initiative, called the National Digital Economy Research Clusters Initiative, was launched on April 1, 2026, in Abuja through a joint effort between the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and the Federal Ministry of Education. Backed by Project BRIDGE, it reflects a growing focus on aligning research, innovation, and talent development with the country’s broader digital transformation goals. At the heart of the programme is…

Flutterwave has secured a full Nigerian banking license, marking a significant shift in Nigeria’s fintech landscape as the company moves deeper into regulated financial infrastructure and digital banking services. The approval allows Flutterwave to hold customer deposits directly—unlocking a new layer of control over how money moves within its ecosystem and significantly reducing its reliance on partner banks. From payments processor to financial backbone For nearly a decade, Flutterwave has operated as the connective tissue of Africa’s digital payments landscape, enabling businesses to accept and process payments across borders. But behind the scenes, core banking functions—like holding funds and managing…

Kechi Adolphus didn’t set out to build a startup. He set out to build a business people could trust—one that could eventually be scaled with technology. That business became Fixr Technologies, the Lagos-based engineering services company he co-founded with Olamide Akangbe. From the outset, Adolphus was clear: Fixr is not a marketplace, nor just a platform connecting customers with technicians. Since pivoting to a technology-driven model in early 2023, Fixr has expanded across multiple Nigerian states and has a presence in Ghana and Nairobi. It employs roughly 400 technicians most on full-time salaries, manages five to six dark stores for…

Novastar Ventures has officially closed its third fund, the Novastar Ventures Africa People and Planet Fund III (NVIII), securing $147 million to accelerate investments in climate-focused and impact-driven startups across Africa. The fund attracted a mix of returning and new limited partners, with strong backing from Japanese investors, including SBI Holdings, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Development finance institutions such as Norfund, Swedfund, Proparco, and British International Investment (BII) also participated, underscoring continued confidence in Novastar’s long-standing impact-focused investment thesis. With NVIII, Novastar is broadening both its geographic…

Cascador, a Nigeria-based entrepreneur support organisation, has opened applications for its 2026 ScaleUp Programme, targeting growth-stage founders across both the tech ecosystem and the broader real economy. The 12-week programme will admit 12 founders, offering them the tools, insights, and networks needed to scale sustainably. At a time when African startups are grappling with tighter funding conditions and shifting investor priorities, initiatives like this are increasingly positioned as a bridge between early traction and long-term growth. “Entrepreneurs are the engines of change. At Cascador, our goal is to accelerate growth-stage founders. Those we see as multipliers, building businesses that transform…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is stepping up oversight of the country’s fast-growing virtual asset space, launching a pilot programme focused on anti-money laundering and financial crime compliance among selected industry players. In a directive issued on March 31, the apex bank announced the commencement of an Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Financing of Terrorism, and Counter-Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) supervision pilot. The initiative, it said, is part of a broader risk-based supervisory approach aimed at strengthening financial system stability and improving oversight of virtual asset activities within its remit. The CBN was clear that the pilot does not replace or override existing…