Africa Dev Newsletter — Week of September 20, 2026
This week in African tech · Editor's pick · Startup spotlight · Grant opportunities.
Week of September 20, 2026
This Week in African Tech
VENTURE CAPITAL · SOUTH AFRICA
Mamor Capital Raises $18.8M First Close for South Africa Tech Fund
South African venture capital firm Mamor Capital has raised $18.8 million in the first close of its technology fund, creating more investment capacity for African startups building across software, artificial intelligence, fintech and digital infrastructure. The fund highlights the growing role of African investors in supporting founders who understand local markets and are building solutions with regional and global potential.
Read more →ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE · KENYA
Meta and This Is Digital Launch AI Academy Kenya to Train Local Developers
Meta and This Is Digital have launched AI Academy Kenya, a programme designed to train Kenyan students, developers, startups and professionals in practical artificial intelligence skills. The programme includes AI fundamentals, prompt engineering, research, reporting, productivity training and an AI Pitchathon where builders can showcase solutions created with Meta’s AI technologies.
Read more →AGRITECH · SOUTH AFRICA
Divisi Is Helping Farmers Know What to Grow, When and How
South African agritech startup Divisi is using artificial intelligence and agricultural data to help farmers make better decisions around crop selection, timing and farm management. The platform focuses on reducing uncertainty in farming by helping producers access better information for planning and improving productivity.
Read more →Editor's Pick
Kenya Is Building The People Who Will Build With AI
What stands out to me about this initiative is that it focuses on people. AI conversations often focus on access to technology, but access alone is not enough. The real opportunity comes when people have the skills and confidence to use these tools to solve problems around them. Africa’s next phase of technology growth will depend on developers, founders, students and professionals moving from simply using AI products to creating with them. Training programmes like this matter because they help close the gap between global technology and local innovation. The question is not only whether Africa can use AI, but whether Africans will have the skills to shape what gets built with AI.
— Opeyemi Olaniyan, Research & Content Associate
Read the full story →Startup Spotlight
Sankofa Digital OÜ
Building AI-powered consumer software products for African and diaspora communities
Founded by Daniel Duroshola, Sankofa Digital OÜ is a bootstrapped software company creating marketplaces, culturally inspired games and AI-powered creator tools. The company builds digital products designed for African and diaspora communities while using AI coding agents to accelerate development. Its portfolio includes Feira, SankofaChat, MyTwinVoice and other consumer applications. Three products are already available on the iOS App Store, with around 100 new users across its mobile portfolio in the last 28 days.
Grants
NED Grants Programme
Deadline: 15 Sep 2026National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
Supports nonpartisan programmes that strengthen democratic institutions, civic participation, independent media, human rights and accountability worldwide.
Value: Funding varies according to the project and programme
Eligibility: Non-governmental organisations, civil-society groups and independent organisations working on democratic development
Deadline: 21 September 2026
African Plant Nutrition Outreach Fellowship Grant
Deadline: 21 Sep 2026African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI)
Direct project funding for professionals improving plant nutrition and soil-fertility management across African agricultural systems, supporting farmer outreach, training and knowledge synthesis.
Value: US$5,000
Eligibility: Full-time scientists, extension specialists or educators at an African NARES institution, university, nonprofit or private-sector organisation. Students not eligible; women especially encouraged to apply
Deadline: 21 September 2026
AU-EU Youth Action Lab Innovation Grants 2026
Deadline: 23 Sep 2026AU-EU Youth Action Lab
Supports youth-led organisations developing, testing, adapting, improving or scaling solutions to social and development challenges — education, social inclusion, climate resilience, food systems and entrepreneurship.
Value: €42,000 per selected organisation
Eligibility: Formally registered, youth-led organisations in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia/Somaliland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Deadline: 23 September 2026
AU-EU Youth Action Lab Entrepreneurship Grants 2026
Deadline: 23 Sep 2026AU-EU Youth Action Lab
Supports youth-led organisations strengthening economic opportunities for young people — entrepreneurship development, financial literacy, vocational skills and digital tools, particularly for young women.
Value: €31,500 per selected organisation
Eligibility: Youth-led nonprofit organisations registered in an eligible country, with people aged 18–35 holding primary decision-making power
Deadline: 23 September 2026
Africa No Filter Voices for Climate Justice Initiative
Deadline: 25 Sep 2026Africa No Filter, in partnership with Comic Relief
Funds and trains African storytellers producing work on climate justice — exploring climate change, debt, gender and fossil fuels, with mentorship and support to amplify their work.
Value: Up to US$4,000
Eligibility: African storytellers aged 18+ — journalists, content creators, podcasters, vloggers, muralists, data visualisers — based in Mozambique, Uganda, Nigeria, Angola, Chad, Republic of Congo, Tanzania, South Sudan, Malawi or Zambia
Deadline: 25 September 2026
STISA-2034 SGCI Multilateral Research Call
Deadline: 25 Sep 2026Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), supported by IDRC
Supports African-led, multi-country research addressing the AU's Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy 2034, including AI and digital technologies, health, climate and other strategic areas.
Value: CAD$50,000–300,000 per consortium member
Eligibility: Institutional consortia of a lead institution plus 2–5 co-applicant institutions from different participating SGCI countries
Deadline: 25 September 2026, 23:59 EDT
Funding & Startup Opportunities
CloudVantage Startup Programme
Deadline: 25 Sep 2026CloudVantage
Gives early-stage African startups cloud infrastructure credits so founders can cut hosting costs and focus resources on product development.
Value: Cloud infrastructure credits for 12 weeks
Eligibility: Early-stage African startups that need cloud infrastructure. 10 startups selected; no equity or accelerator participation required
Deadline: 25 September 2026
SWAN Impact Network Funding Application
Deadline: 24 Sep 2026SWAN Impact Network
Funds impact-focused founders building businesses that address serious social or environmental problems. Open to founders seeking first-time funding and to existing SWAN portfolio companies seeking follow-on support.
Value: Funding varies according to the investment decision and applicant's stage
Eligibility: Impact-driven founders and ventures meeting SWAN's investment criteria; first-time applicants should prepare a pitch deck and financial model
Deadline: 24 September 2026
Paystack AI Builder Challenge
Deadline: 24 Sep 2026Paystack, in partnership with Google for Developers
Pairs builders with real operational problems submitted by Paystack businesses, or their own ideas, with API access, partner tools, mentorship and technical support.
Value: Cash prizes, partner credits, mentorship and post-Demo Day support for standout teams
Eligibility: Engineers, technical builders, technical founders, product teams and startups building AI-powered products, individually or in teams of up to three; must attend in-person Lagos sessions in October
Deadline: 24 September 2026
3rd ACT Cohort 3
Deadline: 26 Sep 2026SB3S / Tamwilcom, Morocco
A Moroccan pre-acceleration and financing programme helping early-stage companies structure their businesses, strengthen growth plans and prepare for fundraising while accessing financial support.
Value: Up to MAD 750,000 in support
Eligibility: Innovative Moroccan startups at the pre-seed stage meeting the programme's requirements
Deadline: 26 September 2026
Awards
CANEX Create-Thon 2026
Deadline: 25 Sep 2026CANEX, Gebeya & Afreximbank Innovation Lab
A Pan-African creative technology competition in gaming, video and music. Participants take part in a four-day build sprint using Gebeya's Dala Studio AI technology to turn creative ideas into working projects.
Value: US$50,000 prize pool, with additional recognition for top submissions
Eligibility: African innovators and creators developing projects in gaming, video or music, able to take part in the four-day build sprint
Deadline: 25 September 2026
Broadcast Media Africa Awards 2026
Deadline: 25 Sep 2026Broadcast Media Africa
Recognises people, organisations and innovations contributing to African broadcasting and digital media, across media leadership, content, podcasts, OTT/streaming and broadcast technology.
Value: Industry recognition and visibility across the African broadcasting ecosystem
Eligibility: Broadcasters, producers, creators, platforms, technology partners and media organisations serving an African market, with work delivered between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026
Deadline: 25 September 2026
Africa Pension Technology & Digital Innovation Awards 2026
Nom. deadline: 24 Sep 2026Thinkout Africa
Recognises organisations and professionals using technology, digital transformation and innovation to improve Africa's pension ecosystem, across digital administration, AI, ESG and data governance.
Value: Industry recognition and visibility within Africa's pension and financial-technology ecosystem
Eligibility: Pension funds, financial institutions, technology companies, service providers, innovators and professionals with relevant contributions to Africa's pension sector
Deadline: Nomination deadline 24 September 2026
Quality African Agent Awards 2026
Awards date: 25 Sep 2026Worldview Events
Recognises excellence within the African student-recruitment and international education ecosystem, expanded beyond recruitment agents to universities, institutions and technology providers.
Value: Industry recognition and visibility within the African education and student-recruitment sector
Eligibility: Local recruitment agents across Africa, universities and institutions recruiting African students, recruitment technology providers and service providers
Deadline: Awards date 25 September 2026
Fellowships
African Philanthropy Media Fellowship Cohort 2
Deadline: 21 Sep 2026Philanthropy Circuit
A six-week virtual fellowship for emerging African journalists, storytellers and media practitioners interested in reporting on African philanthropy and development, with mentorship and editorial support.
Value: Six-week professional development programme, mentorship, editorial support and publication opportunities
Eligibility: Early-career African journalists, media practitioners, storytellers and social-impact content creators
Deadline: 21 September 2026
Safety for Voices Fellowship
Deadline: 24 Sep 2026Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET)
A five-week mentorship programme helping participants strengthen research, risk-management and digital-safety skills, relevant to people working in public communication and advocacy.
Value: Five-week mentorship and capacity-building programme
Eligibility: Applicants interested in strengthening digital safety, research and risk-management capabilities; current call accepts both mentors and mentees
Deadline: 24 September 2026
SDGs Innovations Fellowship 2026
Deadline: 24 Sep 2026Green Africa Associates & Alliances
Supports young Africans developing practical ideas contributing to one or more of the 17 SDGs, with mentorship, capacity building and access to acceleration and incubation support.
Value: Mentorship, training, networking, acceleration and incubation support
Eligibility: Young Africans aged 18–35 with an interest in innovation, green entrepreneurship and sustainable development
Deadline: 24 September 2026
Sydani Fellowship Programme
Deadline: 23 Sep 2026Sydani Group
Gives young professionals hands-on exposure to consulting and real-world problem solving, working alongside Sydani consultants on live projects in Abuja.
Value: Four-to-five-month fellowship, practical project experience and a monthly stipend
Eligibility: Graduates with First Class or Second Class Upper degree (Second Class Lower/Third with a Master's); role is onsite in Abuja, no accommodation or relocation support
Deadline: 23 September 2026
Webinars & Events
Strengthening West Africa's Preparedness: The 2026 El Niño and Climate Risk
22 Sep 2026UNDRR Regional Office for Africa & ECOWAS
Examines the implications of the 2026 El Niño for West Africa — drought in the Sahel and flooding in Gulf of Guinea countries — with early warning, early action and regional coordination.
Format: Online, English with simultaneous interpretation in French and Portuguese
Who should attend: Climate and disaster-risk professionals, policymakers, humanitarian organisations, researchers, development practitioners
Date: 22 September 2026
How Global Power Shifts Reshape Africa's Financial Inflows
22 Sep 2026Institute for Security Studies, Federation of German Industries & Megatrends Afrika
Examines how changing global economic and geopolitical conditions are affecting aid, remittances, foreign investment and portfolio capital flows into Africa.
Format: Online via Zoom, 15:00–16:30 GMT+2
Who should attend: Researchers, policymakers, economists, development professionals and investors working on African finance and economic policy
Date: 22 September 2026
Sustainability Disclosure in Francophone Africa: Building Awareness and Readiness
23 Sep 2026IFRS Foundation
Looks at sustainability disclosure in Francophone African markets, focusing on practical starting points, market readiness and capacity building, part of the Perspectives on Sustainability Disclosure series.
Format: Online, in French, 14:00–15:00 CET / 12:00–13:00 GMT
Who should attend: Companies, finance professionals, sustainability teams, policymakers, investors and auditors
Date: 23 September 2026
Funding the Future of African Education
24 Sep 2026NESA-Africa / EduAid-Africa Webinar Series
Explores structured funding and technology pathways for improving education outcomes across Africa, part of the EduAid-Africa continental webinar series.
Format: Online webinar
Who should attend: Education entrepreneurs, school leaders, policymakers, education nonprofits, funders, technology companies and researchers
Date: 24 September 2026
Virtual Assets: Ensuring AML/CFT Compliance and Risk Management
24 Sep 2026African Center for Governance, Asset Recovery and Sustainable Development
Examines anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing compliance for virtual assets, moving beyond general awareness into practical approaches to compliance and risk management.
Format: Online webinar, 11:00 AM WAT
Who should attend: Compliance professionals, financial institutions, regulators, fintech and crypto professionals, lawyers and investigators
Date: 24 September 2026
Know a founder we should spotlight? Want to share a grant opportunity?
africa-dev.io · @africa_dev.io
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