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These Kenyan startups raised millions before shutting down. What happened?
Kenya's startup market has produced some big funding rounds. It has also produced some expensive failures. Sendy, Copia, Gro Intelligence, KOKO Networks, MarketForce, Lipa Later, iProcure, Kune, Bonto, Mobius Motors and Notify Logistics all raised significant amounts of money before shutting down, entering administration or going through liquidation. Together, the companies raised more than $500
Volkswagen's Kariega plant sets a new production record
Volkswagen's Kariega plant built 17,009 vehicles in July, its highest monthly production figure so far. The plant's previous record was 16,670 vehicles, set in July 2025. The latest figure puts production 339 vehicles above that mark. Most of the July output was made up of Polos. The plant produced 13,490 Polos for the South African
African content has found a global market. Now comes the fight over the money
Sello Maake Ka-Ncube got a reminder of how far African television has travelled while passing through an airport in Ethiopia. People recognised the South African actor from Blood & Water. Later, in Europe, a group of Spaniards recognised him too. For Maake Ka-Ncube, those moments were about more than personal recognition. They showed that a
African businesses may find a more practical use for stablecoins
Bitcoin is still the first thing that comes to mind when crypto is mentioned. But for an African business that needs to pay a supplier in another country, receive money from an overseas customer or move dollars between markets, Bitcoin is not always the obvious choice. Stablecoins could be more useful. Dollar backed stablecoins are
Chery’s latest move shows how much South Africa’s car market has changed
Chery is putting more resources into Europe, opening a research and development centre in Britain as it continues to grow its business outside China. The centre will open at UTAC Millbrook in Bedfordshire later this year. Chery says its engineers will initially work on chassis, driver-assistance systems and vehicle tuning for British roads, with plans
Dunlop’s R1.7 billion investment could open more work for Ladysmith SMEs
Dunlop Tyres South Africa has completed a R1.7 billion investment in its uMnambithi manufacturing plant in KwaZulu-Natal, upgrading equipment and increasing the factory’s production capacity. For Ladysmith, the investment is about more than the number of tyres coming off the production line. The factory already supports a large workforce, but it also relies on businesses
MTN Nigeria’s latest dividend puts $41 million in government revenue
MTN Nigeria is set to pay shareholders ₦545.89 billion ($406.37 million) in dividends, with the Nigerian government due to collect about ₦54.59 billion ($40.64 million) from the payout. The dividend of ₦26 per share was approved by MTN Nigeria’s board in July, with payment scheduled for September 7. The government’s share comes through the 10%
South Africa's coal producers are benefiting from higher global energy prices
South Africa's coal miners are having a better run after a difficult few years. Coal prices have picked up as the conflict involving Iran puts pressure on global energy markets. At the same time, South African miners are moving more coal by rail. That combination is showing up in company results. Thungela Resources reported a
Kenya's higher electricity charges put more pressure on small businesses
Electricity is becoming another cost for Kenyan businesses to watch closely. The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has added KSh4.70 per kWh to electricity charges for August. The adjustment includes a KSh3.51 fuel energy charge, a KSh1.1777 foreign exchange adjustment and a KSh0.015 water resource management levy. For a small business, the impact depends
Egypt tests 6GHz mobile spectrum in an African first
Egypt is testing whether the 6GHz band can help its mobile networks handle more traffic. The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA), Telecom Egypt and Huawei carried out the trial. The regulator says it is the first mobile trial of the band in Africa. The test used a 6GHz mobile base station. It reached speeds of
How Uganda’s SMEs can register a business
Starting a business in Uganda can begin with something as simple as selling a product to a few customers. The paperwork often comes later. But as the business grows, being formally registered can become important. Bigger customers may ask for company documents. Banks may want to see formal business information when an owner applies for
Tunisia’s Souha Bejaoui is building a climate-tech business while learning the startup game
Souha Bejaoui knew the corporate world before she started a company. She had spent more than 10 years working in risk, compliance and sustainable transformation. In 2024, she decided to take that experience into a different direction and co-founded ProVerdy with Rahma Abida and Hamza Bêjaoui. ProVerdy helps businesses measure their carbon emissions and keep
Sloom’s founder on building a mattress business from scratch
Rudo Kemp already knew the mattress business when he decided to start Sloom. He had worked in bed retail and later spent time at a foam factory. That experience showed him how mattresses moved through the industry, how companies made them and where customers struggled when choosing one. One problem stood out to Kemp. People
Kuda is moving on from the ‘bank of the free’ pitch
When Kuda launched in Nigeria in 2019, it did not need a complicated pitch. Bank from your phone. Send money without the usual fees. Forget the queues and branch visits. The company called itself the “bank of the free”, and the message stuck. So did the purple branding and the standalone “K”. Seven years later,
Ridima and Chowdeck turn food delivery bags into a new way to reach customers
A food delivery bag does not normally have much to do with fintech. For Ridima, it became another way to get its name in front of potential customers. On 28 April 2026, Ridima and Chowdeck announced a marketing partnership that put both brands on delivery bags used for Chowdeck orders. The companies printed 10,000 co-branded
Nigeria expands AI training as businesses look for people with new skills
Nigeria is putting more focus on AI training, with Meta joining the government and local technology groups on a new programme aimed at building more technical skills. Meta has partnered with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the 3 Million Technical Talent programme (3MTT), the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
Ethiopia’s $12.5 billion airport could give SMEs more room to grow
When a country spends $12.5 billion on an airport, most of the attention goes to the companies building it. Ethiopia’s Bishoftu International Airport is attracting some of the biggest construction companies from China, Europe, the Middle East, Türkiye, India and Russia. But there is another part of the project that is easier to overlook. The
Where AI can actually help South African SMEs
AI is becoming easier for small businesses to access. The problem is working out where it is actually useful. For a small business owner, there are already enough things to deal with. Customers are sending WhatsApp messages. Suppliers need to be paid. Staff need to be managed. Sales leads need follow-ups. Then there is the
Pouchers raises $500,000 as it exits beta
Nigerian fintech Pouchers has raised $500,000 in pre seed funding as it moves out of beta and prepares to expand its financial services. Stack Directory LLC led the round. The funding comes as Pouchers starts scaling beyond its early users. Pouchers is building financial products around dollar-denominated payments. Users can hold and move value in
Chocolate City opens $1 million fund for creative startups
Chocolate City is putting $1 million into startups working in Africa’s creative industries. The Nigerian entertainment company has opened applications for the first cohort of its Founders Fund Africa Creative Economy Accelerator, with 10 startups set to receive between $20,000 and $50,000 each. Applications close on 28 August 2026. The programme is aimed at businesses