Africa Tech Digest — Week of May 31, 2026
This week's top 12 stories from across the African tech ecosystem.
🔦 Startup Spotlight Startup Spotlight: Manga Global🔦 Weekly Startup Spotlight africa‑dev.io 🧘🏾 This week's spotlight Manga Global Manga Global is a Washington D.C.-based strategic advisory firm founded in 2024 by Anthony Manga, connecting companies, investors, and governments across the U.S., Africa, and Europe. The firm specialises in market entry, cross-border partnership development, and institutional engagement — helping clients who see opportunity in emerging markets find the right partners and decision-makers to act on it. With engagements spanning mining in the DRC, African policymaker introductions, and healthcare advisory for family offices, Manga Global operates at the intersection of diplomacy and deal-making, with D.C. as its anchor and the African continent as its focus |
This week's top 12 stories from across the African tech ecosystem. Summaries generated by AI — review before sending.
1. Nigeria added 65 healthtech startups after COVID-19, says report
TechCabal · Nigeria · West Africa
Nigeria's healthtech sector accelerated dramatically post-pandemic, with 65 new startups launching between 2020-2025—exceeding the 103 founded in the entire 15-year pre-COVID period. The surge reflects both crisis-driven demand for remote healthcare solutions and growing investor interest in Africa's largest economy's health challenges.
2. SA’s Gigster relaunches as tech-driven marketplace for event industry
Disrupt Africa (Southern Africa) · South Africa · South Africa
South African startup Gigster has relaunched as a tech-enabled events marketplace, moving beyond its original focus as a live entertainment booking platform since 2015. The rebuilt platform now connects event organizers with service providers across the events industry, expanding its addressable market beyond live music bookings. The pivot positions Gigster to compete in the broader African events management space.
3. Savant opens applications for Build Cohort 4, an investment readiness accelerator offering up to €80,000 (R1.6 million) for Africa’s hardware and deep-tech founders
Techpoint Africa · Nigeria · West Africa
# Summary for Newsletter Savant is accepting applications for its Build Cohort 4, an investment readiness accelerator targeting African hardware and deep-tech founders with funding up to €80,000 (R1.6 million) per participant. The program aims to prepare early-stage startups for investment through structured mentorship and capital access. Applications are now open through the accelerator's website.
4. Afolabi Oyebiyi on learning how to code what he cannot see
TechCabal · Nigeria · West Africa
Afolabi Oyebiyi, a software engineer at Nigerian consulting firm Cyclone, discusses his approach to coding while visually impaired, sharing practical strategies for navigating development work and the tech industry. The profile examines how accessibility challenges in software development can be addressed through adaptive techniques and workplace support. Oyebiyi's experience highlights both barriers and solutions for disabled professionals in Africa's growing tech sector.
5. Moonshot by TechCabal unveils 2026 theme, “Courage & Conviction — Building for a New World”
TechCabal · Nigeria · West Africa
TechCabal's Moonshot conference returns to Lagos's National Theatre on October 28-29, 2026, with the theme "Courage & Conviction — Building for a New World." The fourth edition will focus on the boldness required to build transformative tech solutions across Africa. Early details remain sparse, but the event continues positioning itself as a flagship gathering for the continent's startup ecosystem.
6. MTN Nigeria Sets Telecom Sector Benchmark for Sustainability Reporting
TechEconomy.ng · Nigeria · West Africa
MTN Nigeria published its 2025 Sustainability Report in alignment with global disclosure standards, reinforcing its position as the telecom sector's sustainability reporting leader ahead of increasing regulatory pressure on African corporations. The carrier released its first sustainability report in 2018, establishing early compliance with climate and transparency standards that are now becoming mandatory across capital markets.
7. Best Laptop for School Work in Nigeria? What to Consider before Buying Chromebook or Windows
TechEconomy.ng · Nigeria · West Africa
# Newsletter Summary Nigerian students and parents face growing pressure to choose between Chromebooks and Windows laptops as schoolwork increasingly moves to cloud-based tools and internet-dependent platforms. The shift toward online assignment submission and cloud storage—now standard even at primary school level—has made reliable internet connectivity a critical consideration alongside device choice. Key factors like budget, offline functionality needs, and software compatibility now determine which device type works best for Nigeria's educational environment.
8. NALA Secures $50 Million Facility to Scale Global Stablecoin Payments Infrastructure
TechMoran · Kenya · East Africa
NALA has secured a $50 million financing facility from Liquidity and Mars Growth Capital (backed by MUFG) to expand its stablecoin-based cross-border payments platform. The funding reflects growing market demand for faster, cheaper international remittances and payments compliant with regulatory standards. The Kenyan fintech plans to use the capital to scale its infrastructure across African markets and beyond.
9. Arctic Wolf takes aim at South Africa’s security blind spots
TechCentral · South Africa · South Africa
Arctic Wolf has launched a platform targeting South Africa's cybersecurity gaps, designed to help organizations manage increasingly complex digital infrastructures. The offering addresses a critical need in the region where enterprises struggle with visibility across fragmented IT environments.
10. Applications open for Africa-EU Space Partnership Programme
Disrupt Africa (Southern Africa) · South Africa · South Africa
Applications are now open for the Africa-EU Space Partnership Programme's Business Innovation Programme, targeting entrepreneurs developing Earth Observation solutions for agricultural, climate, water, energy, or infrastructure challenges across Africa. Selected startups will gain access to satellite data, technical expertise, and funding to scale their EO-based innovations. The initiative represents a significant opportunity for African founders to commercialize space technology applications addressing the continent's critical development sectors.
11. The Trajectory Africa Distilled #04: Cross-Border Payments—Stablecoins vs. Instant Payment Systems
African Tech Roundup · Pan-Africa · All Africa
# Cross-Border Payments—Stablecoins vs. Instant Payment Systems PAPSS and other central bank-backed instant payment systems offer regulatory legitimacy for cross-border African payments but are fundamentally constrained by political barriers rather than technical limitations. Stablecoins provide faster settlement and fewer intermediaries, yet lack the institutional backing that makes PAPSS attractive to regulators and traditional financial institutions. The choice between them hinges less on technological capability and more on whether African governments prioritize financial inclusion speed or monetary control.
12. POD - Nikolai Barnwell on building PawaPay without the VC machine, and why mobile money beats cards
African Tech Roundup · Pan-Africa · All Africa
PawaPay CEO Nikolai Barnwell argues that solving payments infrastructure—rather than chasing "fintech" trends—is the core opportunity across Africa, and advocates for mobile money over card-based systems as the continent's preferred rails. Drawing from a decade at 88mph, Barnwell discusses his approach to building PawaPay outside traditional VC structures and the lessons that shaped his funding philosophy.
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