Innovation Village Weekly Roundup: Issue 48/25

In partnership with

Innovation rarely announces itself with noise. More often, it arrives gradually — in strategic deals, subtle policy shifts, maturing products, and the quiet resilience of builders solving very real problems. This week, Africa’s tech and business ecosystem showcased exactly that kind of momentum. Telecom operators are widening connectivity in places long left behind. Banks and fintechs are tightening their grip on digital payments. Mobility players are testing what the future of transport could look like. And AI — once a distant frontier — is steadily embedding itself into the continent’s workflows, devices, and creative industries.

Capital is moving with clearer intent, targeting sectors that strengthen the continent’s backbone: infrastructure, supply chains, energy, and financial rails. Meanwhile, new partnerships are stitching together regional markets, creating broader runways for startups that once had to scale country by country. Even global players are recalibrating their footprint in Africa, divesting in some areas while doubling down in others — a reminder that the landscape is maturing, and that strategic alignment now matters more than sheer presence.

Taken together, these developments paint a picture of a continent that isn’t just chasing the next headline moment. It’s building the scaffolding for long-term technological competitiveness — a future shaped by interoperability, cross-border ecosystems, and smarter, more adaptive products. This week’s stories show a region steadily refining its digital infrastructure, making bolder moves, and laying down the quiet foundations that will define Africa’s next decade of innovation.

🌍The Movers — Who set the agenda this week?

• Truecaller’s Data Crisis in South Africa- Once trusted for blocking scammers, now facing scrutiny over alleged data misuse.

• TikTok Restricts Late-Night LIVE in Nigeria – A safety-driven policy shift impacting creators and engagement patterns.

• SPAR Posts R5 Billion Loss – Major restructuring as European exits overshadow South African performance.

• Mr Price to Acquire NKD Group – Expands retail footprint into Europe amid value-retail consolidation.

• LemFi Launches USD & GBP Global Accounts in Nigeria – Strengthens cross-border financial access for Nigerians.

💰 Recent Funding Highlights

• Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund → Five35 Ventures – A strong signal for women-led venture capital.

• AfricInvest Europe Backs Tecofi – Supporting African industrial and water systems capabilities.

• Carrefour Medical Secures €18M IFC Financing – Fuels clinical expansion in underserved regions.

• Appian Capital Provides $150M for Tongon Mine Deal – Mining sector consolidation continues.

• Boehringer Ingelheim Backs Zuri Health – Expands mobile clinics and virtual care delivery across Africa.

Shoppers are adding to cart for the holidays

Over the next year, Roku predicts that 100% of the streaming audience will see ads. For growth marketers in 2026, CTV will remain an important “safe space” as AI creates widespread disruption in the search and social channels. Plus, easier access to self-serve CTV ad buying tools and targeting options will lead to a surge in locally-targeted streaming campaigns.

Read our guide to find out why growth marketers should make sure CTV is part of their 2026 media mix.

Learn more.

📡 Signals

• NITDA Issues Alert on ChatGPT Vulnerabilities 
  A significant reminder that as AI tools permeate everyday workflows in Nigeria, the security conversation must mature as well.

• Capitec Buys Walletdoc
  Capitec is strengthening its position as one of South Africa’s most digitally-advanced banks. This acquisition shows a deliberate strategy and ownership of more of the payment stack.

• Frigoglass Divests Nigerian Operations
  A sign of how multinationals are re-evaluating their African portfolios. While some exit due to strategic rebalancing, it creates room for local or regional players to take over essential manufacturing assets.

• Standard Bank Backs Safaricom Ethiopia with $138M 
  Ethiopia’s telecom sector is rapidly becoming one of Africa’s most strategic battlegrounds. This financing deepens Safaricom’s expansion and reinforces the country’s potential as a high-growth digital economy.

• Google to Launch First AI Glasses in 2026
  Wearable AI is moving into a practical, commercial phase. Google’s re-entry into smart eyewear signals a market reset, with interfaces becoming more ambient, assistive, and integrated with user context.

🌱Opportunities to watch (and act on)

• Helios & Fipar-Holding Form 3MDC in Morocco
  Morocco’s newly announced 3MDC initiative positions the country as a rising technology and industrial hub. The partnership creates space for high-value collaborations in digital infrastructure, industrial automation, cloud services, and B2B SaaS.

• Ampersand Launches Africa’s First Open EV Battery Swap Network
  Ampersand’s continent-first open battery swap network introduces a new layer of infrastructure for electric mobility. Beyond EV adoption, the move unlocks opportunities for fleet management platforms, embedded insurance, and API-powered mobility services.

• Mastercard & TerraPay Expand Global Wallet Payments
  The partnership extends global wallet interoperability, enabling more seamless cross-border transactions. Fintechs operating in remittances, FX, treasury automation, or global commerce can plug into these expanding rails to build faster, more compliant, and more scalable solutions.

• Springs & Bolts Manufacturing Investment in Ghana
  Ghana’s investment in local industrial manufacturing sets the stage for modernization of SME production and supply chains. It presents opportunities for startups offering automation, ERP systems, quality monitoring tools, procurement platforms, and industrial IoT solutions.

• Safaricom Ethiopia Secures Major Financing
  Safaricom Ethiopia’s new financing round strengthens its expansion efforts in one of Africa’s most promising telecom markets. This opens new opportunities for vendors, digital service providers, fintechs, and platform partners to enter Ethiopia as connectivity improves.

See you next Saturday. 😉

Jessica C. Adiele