Africa Dev Newsletter — Week of September 27, 2026

This Week in African Tech

FINTECH · EGYPT

3 Fintech Companies Join GIZ Backed Venture Debt Programme in Egypt

Three Egyptian fintech companies, AMAN Holding, Bokra and Erada Finance, have joined Scale It Forward, a GIZ backed venture debt programme designed to support growing technology companies in Egypt. The programme provides participating startups with access to alternative financing, helping them grow without relying only on traditional equity investment.

The initiative reflects the growing need for more diverse funding options within Africa's startup ecosystem, especially for companies that have moved beyond the early stage and require capital to expand operations.

Why it matters: Access to growth capital remains one of the biggest challenges for African startups. More flexible financing models can help technology companies scale while maintaining greater ownership and control.

MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY · EAST AFRICA

TechTrends Media Expands Into Rwanda and Uganda

Kenyan technology publication TechTrends Media has announced its expansion into Rwanda and Uganda as it grows its coverage of Africa's technology ecosystem. The expansion aims to strengthen reporting around innovation, startups, digital transformation and emerging technology trends across East Africa.

Why it matters: Strong technology ecosystems need strong storytelling. Expanding African tech media creates more visibility for startups, innovators and digital businesses building across different markets.

CLIMATE TECHNOLOGY · EGYPT

Egypt's Bekia Raises $765K to Scale Recycling Economy Tech

Egyptian startup Bekia has raised $765,000 in seed funding to expand its technology platform digitising waste collection and building a more connected recycling ecosystem. Founded in 2019, Bekia started with a consumer app that allows households to schedule waste pickups, track collections and receive digital payments. The company is now expanding into business solutions through Bekia Next, a platform designed to turn recycling data into useful insights for corporate clients.

The funding round was led by Madica, the Africa focused investment programme affiliated with Flourish Ventures, with participation from Catalyst Fund and Jambaar Capital. The company plans to grow its engineering team, launch its B2B software product and test its model in another African market.

Why it matters: Waste management is often viewed as an environmental challenge, but companies like Bekia show how technology can create new infrastructure around overlooked sectors while generating economic value.

Editor's Pick

Turning Waste Into Data: Why Bekia's Model Matters

Bekia's latest funding round is interesting because it shows how African startups are finding opportunities in places that are often ignored. Recycling is usually discussed as an environmental issue, but Bekia is looking at it as an infrastructure problem.

The company is building the digital layer that connects households, collectors and businesses. By creating records around waste collection, pricing and movement, Bekia is trying to make a fragmented industry easier to understand and operate.

What stands out is that the company is not trying to replace the existing recycling ecosystem. It is creating tools that help organise the people already working within it.

Opeyemi's Take

What I like about Bekia is the simplicity of the problem they are solving. Everyone understands waste, but very few people think about the systems behind it. Who collects it? Where does it go? How is value created?

A lot of Africa's biggest opportunities will come from improving industries that already exist but have never had the right technology behind them. The next generation of African startups may not always create completely new markets. Some will build better systems around the markets we already have.

Bekia shows that technology can create value in unexpected places. Sometimes innovation is not about creating something completely new. Sometimes it is about making an existing system work better.

— Opeyemi Olaniyan, Research & Content Associate

Grants & Funding Opportunities This Week

Global Financing Facility (GFF) × CIVIC VOICES

This funding opportunity supports African civil society organisations and youth led organisations working to strengthen advocacy, accountability and community engagement around health and development priorities. The programme is designed to support locally led initiatives that improve community participation, influence policy discussions and contribute to better health outcomes across African countries.

International AIDS Society (IAS)

The CIPHER Research Grant Programme supports early career researchers conducting innovative HIV related research. The programme focuses on research that can strengthen HIV prevention, treatment approaches and health systems by generating evidence that informs policy and practice.

SHARPER Project

The Epidemic and Pandemic Sciences programme supports initiatives focused on strengthening Africa's preparedness for future health emergencies. The programme encourages research, innovation and collaboration that can improve disease surveillance, outbreak response and health system resilience.

World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO)

The Public Health Research Grants support research projects addressing important health challenges across Africa. The programme aims to generate evidence that can improve healthcare delivery, strengthen health systems and support better public health interventions.

Youth United for Community Development Association

This funding opportunity supports organisations developing programmes that improve economic opportunities for young people in Liberia. Projects may focus on skills development, entrepreneurship support, employment pathways and initiatives that help young people build sustainable livelihoods.

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Water and Energy

This programme supports organisations implementing clean cooking solutions that reduce reliance on traditional fuels and improve access to sustainable energy alternatives. Projects should contribute to climate mitigation while improving health outcomes and energy access for communities.

Africa No Filter in partnership with Comic Relief

The initiative supports African storytellers producing work around climate justice issues. Selected participants receive funding, mentorship and support to create stories exploring topics such as climate change, inequality, environmental justice and community resilience.

Water and sanitation sector funding programme

This opportunity supports initiatives improving access to clean water, sanitation services and sustainable water management. Projects should demonstrate community impact and contribute to improving water security and public health outcomes.

Startup & Accelerator Opportunities This Week

LabStart

LabStart supports climate technology founders building solutions for environmental challenges. The programme combines funding, mentorship and commercialisation support to help founders move their innovations from development into scalable businesses.

Jobtech Alliance

Jobtech Alliance supports startups using technology to improve access to employment and income opportunities across Africa. Selected founders receive support designed to help them grow their businesses, improve products and connect with wider startup ecosystems.

500 Global

The 500 Global Fellowship supports early stage founders through mentorship, startup education, investor exposure and access to a global entrepreneurship network. The programme helps founders refine their business models and prepare for future growth opportunities.

Fellowships This Week

The Global Good Fund

The Global Good Fund Fellowship is a leadership development programme designed for social entrepreneurs building organisations focused on measurable social impact. The fellowship provides participants with executive coaching, mentorship and leadership development support to help them strengthen their organisations and increase their impact.

PeaceJam Foundation

The Billion Acts of Peace Changemakers Fellowship supports young leaders developing initiatives focused on peacebuilding, community development and social change. Participants receive training, mentorship and opportunities to connect with a global network of changemakers working on positive social impact.

Africa Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Robert Koch Institute & Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute

This fellowship develops professionals working in outbreak preparedness, infectious disease response and global health protection. The programme provides specialised training and practical experience to strengthen health security systems and improve responses to emerging health threats.

Princeton in Africa

Princeton in Africa connects talented graduates with organisations working across Africa in sectors including education, health, agriculture, business and development. Fellows spend a year contributing to projects while gaining professional experience working within African organisations and development programmes.

Awards This Week

Organised by: The African Awards

The African Awards recognise individuals, organisations and leaders making contributions across business, technology, culture, leadership and social impact. The platform highlights African excellence across the continent and diaspora while providing visibility for recognised contributors.

Organised by: Worldview Events

The Quality African Agent Awards recognise excellence within Africa's international education and student recruitment ecosystem. The awards celebrate recruitment organisations, universities, technology providers and service organisations supporting student mobility across Africa.

Webinars & Events This Week

Organised by: UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) & Partners

Africa Climate Week brings together governments, businesses, investors, civil society organisations and climate innovators to discuss practical solutions for climate action across Africa. The event focuses on climate finance, adaptation, renewable energy, sustainable development and strategies for building climate resilience across African economies.

Organised by: Africa Fintech Summit

The Africa Fintech Summit brings together fintech founders, investors, regulators and technology leaders to explore the future of digital finance across Africa. The summit covers topics including payments, artificial intelligence, blockchain, digital identity, financial inclusion and the infrastructure needed to scale fintech solutions across African markets.

Organised by: AI Summit Africa

Africa AI Summit explores how artificial intelligence is shaping industries across the continent, bringing together researchers, startups, businesses and policymakers. The discussions focus on AI adoption, responsible innovation, local AI development, data infrastructure and opportunities for African businesses building AI powered solutions.

Organised by: IFRS Foundation

This webinar explores how African organisations can prepare for evolving sustainability disclosure requirements. The session focuses on sustainability reporting frameworks, business readiness, ESG data collection and how organisations can communicate environmental and social impact more effectively.

Organised by: African Development Bank (AfDB)

This session examines how digital infrastructure, innovation and technology adoption can support inclusive economic growth across African countries. Topics include connectivity, digital skills development, entrepreneurship, public digital infrastructure and creating opportunities through technology.

Organised by: Africa Venture Capital Association (AVCA)

This webinar explores how African startups can navigate fundraising, investor relationships and access to growth capital. The session will discuss current investment trends, what investors look for and how founders can better position their companies for sustainable growth.

Organised by: NESA-Africa / EduAid-Africa Webinar Series

This webinar explores how funding, technology and education innovation can work together to improve education outcomes across Africa. The discussion focuses on education financing, digital learning solutions and partnerships that can expand access to quality education.