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⚖️ FCCPC Sets January 2026 Deadline for Digital Lenders

⚖️ FCCPC Sets January 2026 Deadline for Digital Lenders

Plus: 💵 Dangote’s $1bn Zimbabwe Plan

Innovation Village
November 14, 2025

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TGIF☀️

Africa’s business and regulatory landscape is shifting fast — and this week brings two major signals of where the continent is heading. In Zimbabwe, Aliko Dangote is making a bold comeback with a $1 billion investment plan spanning cement, energy and fuel infrastructure, marking one of the country’s biggest industrial commitments in years. Meanwhile in Nigeria, regulators are tightening the screws on digital lending as the FCCPC sets a hard January 2026 deadline for all online lenders to comply with new consumer protection rules.

From billion-dollar bets shaping southern Africa’s industrial future to sweeping reforms reshaping fintech operations in West Africa, the continent is entering a new phase of growth, accountability, and regional integration.

Dive into today’s top stories shaping the pulse of African innovation and policy.👇

Today’s Menu ☕️

⚖️ FCCPC Gives Digital Lenders Until January 2026 to Comply With New Regulations
💵 Aliko Dangote plans $1 billion investment in Zimbabwe
💵 Kenya’s Big M-Pesa Dilemma: Why the Government Wants to Split Safaricom
🏦 TymeBank Goes Global: South Africa’s Digital Star Takes on the World
💰Norfund Pumps $75M into Mulilo to Power South Africa’s Green Future
💼 Genesis BBQ Kicks Off African Expansion
📶 Cell C to Raise R6.5 Billion Ahead of JSE Debut

⚖️ REGULATION

FCCPC Gives Digital Lenders Until January 2026 to Comply With New Regulations

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has ordered all digital lending operators in Nigeria to fully comply with the Digital, Electronic, Online and Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025 by January 5, 2026. The rules, effective since July 2025, aim to bring fairness and transparency to a sector long plagued by data breaches, harassment, and unauthorized deductions.

The FCCPC also released new Guidelines and updated Forms 1 and 3 to clarify documentation and compliance steps. Operators with pending applications must submit additional information without delay.

Executive Vice Chairman Tunji Bello emphasized that compliance is mandatory and warned that enforcement will begin immediately after the deadline, with non-compliant lenders facing suspension, platform restrictions, or other sanctions.

Nigeria’s digital lending industry—now 425 approved operators as of May 2025—continues to grow rapidly, increasing the need for stronger consumer protection........…continue reading

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💵 INVESTMENTS

Aliko Dangote plans $1 billion investment in Zimbabwe

Aliko Dangote

Dangote Group has confirmed plans to invest $1 billion in Zimbabwe, marking one of the country’s most significant industrial commitments in recent years. During a visit to Harare, Chairman Aliko Dangote met President Emmerson Mnangagwa to revive and expand earlier proposals stalled since 2015.

The investment will focus on three key sectors: a large-scale cement manufacturing plant, power generation infrastructure, and a strategic fuel pipeline project aimed at reducing Zimbabwe’s reliance on imported energy. Dangote said Zimbabwe’s improved investment climate and government reforms have renewed the company’s confidence in the market.

The initiative is expected to boost jobs, cut production costs, and improve national energy security. Government officials described the move as a major vote of confidence in Zimbabwe’s economic revival........…continue reading

💵 FINANCIAL SERVICES

Kenya’s Big M-Pesa Dilemma: Why the Government Wants to Split Safaricom

If you live in Kenya, you probably use M-Pesa for almost everything — paying school fees, buying groceries, even sending money to your mum. It’s basically the heartbeat of the Kenyan economy. But now, the government wants to separate M-Pesa from Safaricom, the company that owns and runs it.

Here’s the drama: regulators think Safaricom has become too powerful. It controls over 90% of mobile money transactions and 65% of mobile subscribers in the country. The government says that’s unfair — and risky. What happens if Safaricom’s network crashes? Kenya’s entire payment system could go dark. So, the Central Bank wants M-Pesa to stand alone as a fully regulated financial company, separate from the telecom giant.

Safaricom and its shareholder Vodacom aren’t having it. They argue that M-Pesa and Safaricom are like conjoined twins — same systems, same agents, same brand. Splitting them, they say, would be like “trying to un-scramble an egg.” It could make M-Pesa slower, more expensive, and less efficient.............…continue reading

🏦BANKING

TymeBank Goes Global: South Africa’s Digital Star Takes on the World

South Africa’s homegrown digital bank, TymeBank, is leveling up — and it’s no longer just playing local. Backed by billionaire Patrice Motsepe, the bank is rebranding under the global name GoTyme and expanding its footprint across Asia, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore.

Founded in 2012 as a mobile money idea inside Deloitte, TymeBank officially launched in 2019 and quickly hit unicorn status. Now, with leadership shifts paving the way for a new era — including Cheslyn Jacobs taking over as CEO in 2026 — Tyme is setting its sights on becoming a global digital banking powerhouse.…..…continue reading

💰ACQUISITIONS

Norfund Pumps $75M into Mulilo to Power South Africa’s Green Future

Norway’s state-owned investor Norfund just dropped a massive $75 million (about R1.3 billion) into Mulilo Energy Holdings, one of South Africa’s leading renewable energy developers.

Mulilo — chaired by former Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer — already runs close to 450 MW of solar and wind projects, with 765 MW under construction and a 30 GW pipeline in the works. The investment will supercharge South Africa’s clean energy transition, helping Mulilo expand its footprint in renewables and battery storage...........…..…continue reading

💼BUSINESS

Genesis BBQ Kicks Off African Expansion

South Korea’s fried chicken giant Genesis BBQ Chicken is officially coming to South Africa — and it’s not stopping there. The brand just signed a master franchise deal with Good Tree South Africa, setting the stage for a continent-wide rollout.

The first outlets will open in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Bloemfontein, tapping into South Africa’s booming chicken-loving market — where the average person eats a whopping 36kg of chicken per year.

Known for its signature olive oil-fried chicken, Genesis BBQ already has 3,000+ outlets across 57 countries, including the U.S., Canada, and Japan. Now, it’s using South Africa as the launchpad for its African adventure — bringing a crispy taste of K-food culture to local streets.............…..…continue reading

📶TELECOMS

Cell C to Raise R6.5 Billion Ahead of JSE Debut

South Africa’s Cell C is gearing up for a major capital raise of up to R6.5 billion as it prepares to list on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).

Partnering with The Prepaid Company (TPC) — a unit of Blue Label Telecoms, which already owns a majority stake — Cell C plans to offer over 173 million shares, priced between R29.50 and R35.50 each.

The company is also setting aside R2.4 billion worth of shares for a broad-based empowerment structure, signaling a push for greater local ownership as it heads into this next growth phase............…continue reading