M-KOPA: the phone is a loan that locks itself
Eight years to reach one million customers selling solar kits. Six more years to reach ten million — but only after M-KOPA switched the product to smartphones.
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The tech-investment stories moving Africa's markets — what moved, and why it matters.
Thu, Jul 23
Pepkor FintechCo: the informal economy finally has an owner big enough to matter
R200 billion in annual throughput, 176,000 active traders, 79,000 payment devices — these are not startup numbers. They are the numbers of a platform that already runs a meaningful slice of South Africa's township and rural economy.
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South African AI startup Cue has raised $5 million in a round led by Knife Capital to scale its autonomous customer service platform. The funding round is one of the more significant South African AI deals disclosed in 2026.
World Bank's $1.5bn SA Loan
Additional reporting confirms the $1.5bn World Bank facility targets structural economic reform and is the largest development policy loan yet extended to South Africa.
Eleven African fintech companies, predominantly Nigerian, have been included in CNBC's 2026 list of the world's top 500 fintech firms, with PiggyVest and Moniepoint among the recognised companies. The representation signals sustained international recognition of the depth of Nigeria's fintech sector.
Additional reporting confirms Kenya's Communications Authority enforcement extends to counterfeit phones, routers, and modems under the new mandatory importer licence framework.
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