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Breaking News Today – Wednesday 19 August 2026
African Start-up News Headlines: Business News Today Electricity Price Reforms Proposed By South Africa South Africa proposed sweeping changes to its electricity-tariff framework, that will be the biggest reform of its pricing policy in almost two decades. The plan is set to be published in the government gazette for public comment on Friday, 21 August.
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
Sierra Leone Begins Grid Work for 108.4 MW NANT Power Plant
Sierra Leone has started grid work for the 108.4 MW NANT power plant under construction at Kissy in eastern Freetown. The project is expected to start supplying electricity in the third quarter of 2027 and will add significant generation capacity to a system with just over 140 MW currently available. The Electricity Distribution and Supply
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
Rwandan Startup Wekraft Connects Learning With Careers
Rwandan technology entrepreneur Staphord Nkumbuye is working to make learning more practical for children through Wekraft, an education technology company he co-founded in 2022. Wekraft develops learning tools that allow children to apply classroom concepts through hands-on activities. Its educational kits cover areas such as science and introduce students to different careers through practical exercises.
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
Sungrow Breaks Ground on $50 Million Energy Storage Plant in Egypt
Sungrow Power Supply has broken ground on a $50 million energy storage systems plant in Egypt, adding local manufacturing capacity for battery storage equipment as the country expands its renewable energy sector. The project was launched on 17 August 2026 in the China-Egypt TEDA industrial zone within the Suez Canal Economic Zone. Egyptian officials described
NiYA and Cascador Partner to Launch Programme to Support 20 Nigerian Founders
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD), through the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), has partnered with entrepreneurship platform Cascador. The partnership will provide early-stage Nigerian founders with business training, mentorship and access to non-dilutive funding. The NiYA × Cascador Founders Program will run for four weeks and target 20 young Nigerian entrepreneurs. Founders who have
Breaking News Today – Tuesday 18 August 2026
African Start-up News Headlines: Business News Today Airtel Africa Launches Africa’s First Commercial Starlink Mobile Service African Telecoms group Airtel Africa, has become the first operator on the continent to commercially launch Starlink’s satellite-to-mobile service, starting in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Compatible smartphones can now connect directly to Starlink satellites for SMS and light
ABH Selects Top 20 African Entrepreneurs for 2026 Semi-Final
Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) has selected its 2026 Top 20 entrepreneurs from an expanded Top 100 cohort, following more than 24,000 applications from all 54 African countries. The entrepreneurs will now compete for 10 places in the ABH semi-final after going through three-person judging-panel interviews that assessed leadership, innovation, impact, scalability and commercial strength. ABH
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
Nigerian defence-tech startup expands drone production into Ghana
Nigerian defence-tech startup Terra Industries is expanding into Ghana with a new manufacturing facility for drones and other autonomous systems. The company has raised $34 million in funding so far, with the latest $22 million extension led by US venture capital firm Lux Capital. Its previous $11.75 million round was led by 8VC. Terra develops
Tanzania’s $2.9 billion power project could give businesses more room to grow
Tanzania has spent about $2.9 billion on the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project. With a capacity of 2,115MW, the dam gives the country a much bigger power supply to work with. It was fully commissioned in March 2025, while President Samia Suluhu Hassan is expected to officially inaugurate it on 22 August 2026. The interesting part
Startup Mondays : Transitioning from Informal to Formal Business
Many small businesses start informally. At some point, the way the business has been run starts to become challenging. The business may be getting work and making money, but without the right structure, taking on bigger opportunities can become more challenging over time. As the business grows, putting a formal structure in place can make
Why is South Africa’s Zero-Rating Mobile Data Obligation Still Stuck in Neutral?
Key Points Summary Deadlines Loom – Little Action Taken South Africa’s major mobile network operators have just over four months left to meet a binding legal obligation that could meaningfully expand access to education, health and social services for millions of people. Yet, with the 15 January 2027 deadline fast approaching, only a handful of
Kenyan Startup JentaHub Launches Verified Talent Marketplace
Kenyan startup JentaHub has launched a verified talent marketplace connecting businesses and organisations worldwide with African professionals. Founded in 2026 by Joseph Ongachi, the platform is focused on helping qualified professionals access international freelance and remote work opportunities. JentaHub was created around what Ongachi describes as a gap between Africa’s growing pool of skilled professionals
Should Small Businesses Hire for Skills or Experience?
When a small business needs to hire someone, there is usually a simple problem behind it. The work needs to get done, but there is only so much money available to bring someone in. That is why experience can look like the obvious choice. If one candidate has eight years of experience and another has