🏢African Startups Raise $346.9M in February 2026

Happy New Week Valued Subscribers👋

This week opened with two powerful reminders of how quickly the world is changing. On one hand, the world marked International Women’s Day, celebrating the growing influence of women shaping industries, economies, and innovation ecosystems across the globe—including here in Africa. From startup founders to investors, policymakers, and technology leaders, African women are increasingly playing a critical role in building the continent’s digital future.

At the same time, global markets were rattled as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East pushed oil prices past $100 per barrel, raising concerns about inflation, fuel costs, and economic stability worldwide. For Africa, the impact is complex: while oil-exporting countries could see higher revenues, many economies face rising transport costs and pressure on already fragile currencies. Yet moments like this also highlight why innovation matters—whether in renewable energy, electric mobility, or digital infrastructure that can reduce the continent’s exposure to global shocks.

In this edition of Innovation Village, we explore the stories shaping Africa’s innovation economy—from startup funding and technology breakthroughs to the entrepreneurs building solutions for a more resilient future.

Let’s dive in👇

Today’s Menu ☕️

🏢 African Startups Raise $346.9M in February 2026
💵 Nomba, Volume Launch UK–Nigeria Payment Corridor
💸 9PSB Launches Nigeria–Ghana Money Transfers
🛢️ Oil Surges Past $100 as Iran–US–Israel Conflict Escalates: What It Means for Africa’s Innovation Economy
💰 Cybervergent Raises $3M Seed
🤖 Nigeria to Train 10,000 AI Experts
☁️ PipeOps Launches BYOS for Flexible Cloud Infrastructure

🏢STARTUPS

African Startups Raise $346.9M in February 2026

African startups secured $346.9 million in funding in February 2026, a sharp increase from the $174 million raised in January. The surge reflects renewed investor confidence and growing interest in sectors such as renewable energy, electric mobility, digital commerce, and financial services across the continent.

Southern Africa led the funding with $127.65 million, largely driven by Solar Africa’s $94 million renewable energy investment in South Africa. West Africa followed with $79.5 million, highlighted by a $45 million round raised by mobility startup GoCab in Côte d’Ivoire, while Nigeria secured $23.5 million, including a $22 million defence technology investment......….continue reading

🏢 FINTECH

Nomba, Volume Launch UK–Nigeria Payment Corridor

Nomba has partnered with UK-based Volume to enable Nigerian merchants to receive direct bank transfers in British Pounds from customers in the United Kingdom. The solution uses Open Banking and the UK’s Faster Payments system to allow shoppers to pay via bank transfer at checkout, with funds settling instantly into a GBP wallet on Nomba’s platform.

The new payment corridor bypasses traditional card networks, significantly reducing cross-border transaction costs for Nigerian businesses from about 6–7% to roughly 1%. Merchants can hold funds in pounds or convert them into other currencies, simplifying international payments and improving financial flexibility.....….continue reading

💸 CROSS-BORDER PAYMENTS

9PSB Launches Nigeria–Ghana Money Transfers

9 Payment Service Bank has introduced a new cross-border transfer feature called “Send to Ghana” on its Bank9ja app, allowing users in Nigeria to send money directly to Ghana. Transfers are made in Nigerian naira, while recipients receive the equivalent amount in Ghanaian cedis, offering a faster and safer way to move money between the two countries.

The move marks 9PSB’s expansion from domestic banking into regional payments. Launched in 2020 under regulations from the Central Bank of Nigeria, the bank focuses on improving financial inclusion through mobile banking, USSD services, and agent networks. Its platform currently serves over 80,000 customers, supports more than 100 merchants, and reports a 97% transaction success rate.........….continue reading

🛢️ OIL & GAS

Oil Surges Past $100 as Iran–US–Israel Conflict Escalates: What It Means for Africa’s Innovation Economy

Global oil prices have surged past $100 per barrel as tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel escalate, triggering fears of supply disruptions in one of the world’s most critical energy regions. Brent crude recently climbed above $107 per barrel, the highest level since 2022, after military strikes and retaliatory attacks raised concerns that oil production and shipping routes in the Middle East could be severely affected.

At the centrr of market anxiety is the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime corridor between Iran and Oman through which roughly 20% of global oil supply moves each day. Any disruption to tanker traffic through this chokepoint can quickly send global energy prices higher.....….continue reading

💰FUNDING

Cybervergent Raises $3M Seed

Cybervergent has secured $3 million in seed funding to scale its digital compliance and data security platform across Africa. The round was co-led by Ventures Platform and Atlantica Ventures, signaling growing investor interest in infrastructure-layer startups supporting Africa’s digital economy.

Originally founded in 2012 by Adetokunbo Omotosho as a cybersecurity consulting firm, the company has evolved into an AI-driven platform that automates governance, risk management, compliance, and data security processes. Instead of relying on periodic audits, Cybervergent’s system continuously monitors regulatory requirements and security risks in real time.....….continue reading

 🤖ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Nigeria to Train 10,000 AI Experts

Nigeria has launched a new initiative to train 10,000 citizens in advanced artificial intelligence skills through a partnership between Microsoft and TeKnowledge. The program represents the second phase of Microsoft’s AI National Skilling Initiative and aims to strengthen Nigeria’s workforce for the global AI-driven economy.

The training will target developers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, youth, and women, focusing on practical skills such as machine learning, generative AI, and cloud-based AI services. Participants will also learn how to apply AI technologies in industries including fintech, telecommunications, and public services. The initiative will include career fairs and partnerships designed to connect trainees with employment opportunities........….continue reading

  ☁️CLOUD

PipeOps Launches BYOS for Flexible Cloud Infrastructure

PipeOps has introduced a new feature called Bring Your Own Server (BYOS), allowing businesses to connect any virtual machine or bare-metal server from different providers into the PipeOps platform. The feature aims to give companies greater control over their cloud infrastructure while reducing operational complexity and cloud costs.

BYOS enables organizations to integrate servers from hyperscale cloud providers, regional cloud platforms, low-cost VPS providers, or on-premise environments into a single standardized interface. Once connected, these resources can be managed through PipeOps using the same deployment pipelines, monitoring tools, and workflows, simplifying multi-cloud and hybrid infrastructure management..................….continue reading

OTHER STORIES

• Steinhoff Scandal: FSCA Imposes One of Its Biggest Penalties on Ex‑Executive………continue reading

• Prescient Group acquires Obsidian Fund Services to expand global footprint…..continue reading

• Athora acquires PIC as Reinet cashes out its 49.5% stake……continue reading

• RH Managers and SEFDA launch R75 million healthcare SME fund in South Africa….continue reading

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