Innovation Village Newsletter
Posts
💵PowerLabs Raises Pre-Seed to Scale AI Energy Platform

💵PowerLabs Raises Pre-Seed to Scale AI Energy Platform

Plus: 📱ChatGPT Introduces $100 Pro Plan for Power Users

Innovation Village
April 13, 2026

In partnership with

LLM traffic converts 3× better than Google search

58% of buyers now start their research in ChatGPT or Gemini, not Google. Most startups aren't showing up there yet.

The ones that are get cited by the AI tools their buyers, investors, and future hires already use. And they convert at 3×.

Download the free AEO Playbook for Startups from HubSpot and get the exact steps to start showing up. Five minutes to read.

Get the free playbook

Happy New Week Valued Subscribers👋

Fresh capital, policy reforms, and product innovation are converging to shape the next phase of Africa’s digital and economic landscape. From PowerLabs raising pre-seed funding to scale its AI-driven energy platform to Nigeria’s federal government approving biometric passenger verification at airports, technology is increasingly being embedded into critical infrastructure and services.

On the financial front, the Central Bank of Nigeria is mandating a single provider for PoS agents, while GIP Ghana secures $20 million in funding to support investment growth. Cross-border partnerships are also gaining momentum, with Zazu and Visa launching digital SME accounts in Morocco. Meanwhile, global platforms continue to evolve, as OpenAI introduces a $100 Pro plan for ChatGPT, reflecting growing demand for advanced AI capabilities.

Together, these developments highlight a landscape where funding, regulation, and innovation are advancing in tandem—reshaping how businesses operate, how services are delivered, and how technology is consumed across markets.

Let’s dive in👇

Today’s Menu ☕️

💵PowerLabs Raises Pre-Seed to Scale AI Energy Platform
👤FG Approves Biometric Passenger Verification for Airports
💰GIP Ghana Secures $20M from Axis Pension Trust and Norfund
💵CBN Mandates Single Provider for PoS Agents
🤝Zazu, Visa Launch Digital SME Accounts in Morocco
🤖ChatGPT Introduces $100 Pro Plan for Power Users

💵FUNDING

PowerLabs Raises Pre-Seed to Scale AI Energy Platform

Nigeria-based PowerLabs has secured pre-seed funding (amount undisclosed) to expand its AI-powered energy orchestration platform, Pai Enterprise, targeting commercial and industrial users. Backed by investors including Breega, Catalyst Fund, Mercy Corps Ventures, and Kaleo Ventures, the startup aims to tackle unreliable power and high energy costs by combining AI with distributed energy sources like solar, batteries, and generators.

The platform acts as a real-time intelligence layer, enabling businesses to run optimized microgrids that reduce fuel costs, ensure uninterrupted power, and lower carbon emissions. The funding will support deployment across Nigeria and lay the groundwork for expansion into other West African markets, positioning PowerLabs as a key player in solving Africa’s energy reliability challenges through smart, decentralized systems.......….continue reading

Great ideas fail every day not from lack of potential, but lack of structure.

If you’ve ever struggled with turning ideas into products that actually work, this is for you.

Learn practical product thinking in 2 days:
• Strategy & validation
• Pricing & positioning
• Development & launch

📅 April 15-16, 2026
📍 Canton Concourse, Oniru, Lagos
💰 ₦150,000 (VAT excl.)

👤IDENTITY MANAGEMENT

FG Approves Biometric Passenger Verification for Airports

The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the rollout of VPASS, a contactless biometric passenger verification system, across domestic airports to improve security, identification, and operational efficiency. Announced by Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, the initiative aims to eliminate weaknesses in manual identity checks and align domestic travel with international standards.

The system, to be deployed by VERXID Technologies Limited in collaboration with Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), will use facial recognition technology for seamless passenger processing......….continue reading

💰INVESTMENTS

GIP Ghana Secures $20M from Axis Pension Trust and Norfund

Growth Investment Partners (GIP) Ghana, backed by British International Investment (BII), has secured a $20 million investment from Axis Pension Trust and Norfund.

The funding strengthens GIP’s capacity to support underserved small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana, bridging the gap between traditional bank loans and private equity. Since launching in 2023, GIP has deployed over $40 million across 16 companies in sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and financial services.

The platform focuses on providing flexible, long-term, local-currency financing to help businesses scale sustainably without foreign exchange risk.........….continue reading

💵FINANCIAL SERVICES

CBN Mandates Single Provider for PoS Agents

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced new regulations requiring PoS agents to operate with only one financial service provider, eliminating the previous practice of using multiple terminals. The move is aimed at reducing fraud, improving transaction traceability, and standardising operations across the sector.

While the policy strengthens accountability and compliance, it removes the flexibility agents relied on to manage network failures and maximise income. Agents now face increased operational risk, as downtime from a single provider directly impacts earnings.

The regulation is expected to favour dominant fintech players like OPay and Moniepoint, potentially leading to market consolidation.....….continue reading

🤝PARTNERSHIPS

Zazu, Visa Launch Digital SME Accounts in Morocco

Zazu has partnered with Visa and Moroccan fintech Chari to launch fully digital business accounts tailored for SMEs in Morocco. The platform simplifies banking by offering fast onboarding, integrated invoicing, payment links, expense management, and real-time cash flow tracking within a single dashboard.

Backed by recent funding, Zazu aims to address inefficiencies in traditional banking, where account setup is slow and fragmented. Visa enables secure payments and card issuance, while Chari ensures local regulatory compliance.

With early traction from over 300 businesses, the launch marks a key step in Zazu’s pan-African expansion, positioning it as a modern financial operating platform for SMEs and advancing digital banking adoption in Morocco.........….continue reading