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✈️ UK to Launch Digital eVisas for Nigerians

✈️ UK to Launch Digital eVisas for Nigerians

Plus: 📶 MTN to Acquire IHS Towers in $6.2B Deal

Innovation Village
February 18, 2026

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Good Morning Valued Subscribers👋

The United Kingdom is set to introduce digital eVisas for Nigerian travellers, marking a significant shift in how visa documentation is issued and managed. The move is part of the UK’s broader transition toward a fully digital immigration system designed to streamline processing, enhance border security, and reduce reliance on physical visa stickers and paperwork.

For Nigerians — one of the largest groups of UK visa applicants globally — the rollout could reshape the travel and migration experience, making verification processes faster and more efficient. The development also reflects a growing global trend toward digitized identity systems, as governments modernize immigration infrastructure to improve transparency, efficiency, and data management.

Let’s dive in👇

Today’s Menu ☕️

✈️ UK to Launch Digital eVisas for Nigerians
📶 MTN to Acquire IHS Towers in $6.2B Deal
💰Arc Ride Secures $5M IFC Investment
💵 TLG Capital Backs Kandara Immo with $10M
🩺 Axmed Secures $6M Gates Foundation Grant
📱TikTok Removes 580,000 Videos in Kenya

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✈️TRAVEL

UK to Launch Digital eVisas for Nigerians

The UK government will begin issuing fully digital eVisas to Nigerian visitor visa applicants starting February 25, 2026. Physical visa stickers will no longer be placed in passports, as immigration status will instead be stored electronically and linked to applicants’ passports through a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) online account.

The shift is part of the UK’s broader move toward a fully digital border system aimed at improving processing speed, enhancing security, and reducing fraud. Passports will be returned faster since they no longer require visa endorsements, and travellers will be able to access and share their immigration status online...........continue reading

📶TELECOMS

MTN to Acquire IHS Towers in $6.2B Deal

MTN Group has agreed to acquire IHS Holding Limited in a $6.2 billion all-cash transaction, marking one of Africa’s largest digital infrastructure deals and reversing the continent’s long-standing tower divestment trend. IHS shareholders will receive $8.50 per share, with the deal already securing over 40% shareholder backing. Once completed in 2026, IHS will delist from the NYSE and become a wholly owned MTN subsidiary.

The move represents a strategic shift from the asset-light model adopted by African telecom operators over the past decade. By bringing nearly 40,000 tower assets back under direct control, MTN strengthens vertical integration, enhances network planning efficiency, and gains tighter control over 5G expansion and rural connectivity.............….continue reading

💰INVESTMENTS

Arc Ride Secures $5M IFC Investment

Kenyan e-mobility startup Arc Ride has secured a $5 million equity investment from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), anchoring its Series A round and strengthening institutional backing for electric transport in Africa. The funding will support expansion of its battery-swapping network across Kenya, regional growth into East African commuter hubs, and upgrades to meet international technical and ESG standards.

Arc Ride operates a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model that lowers the upfront cost of electric motorcycles by separating battery ownership from the vehicle. Riders swap depleted batteries in under 60 seconds at automated stations, reducing downtime and cutting fuel and maintenance costs by up to 40% for boda boda operators...........….continue reading

💵FUNDING

TLG Capital Backs Kandara Immo with $10M

TLG Capital, through its Africa Growth Impact Fund II, has provided a $10 million facility to Kandara Immo, the real estate arm of Guinea’s GPC Groupe, to support commercial property development in Conakry. The financing marks TLG’s first transaction in Guinea and signals rising institutional confidence in the country’s real estate and infrastructure sector.

The deal was structured in collaboration with NSIA, a regional banking and insurance group, highlighting growing demand for professionally arranged credit solutions in Francophone West Africa. Kandara Immo will use the funding to expand its commercial real estate portfolio as Guinea seeks to modernize its urban infrastructure..........….continue reading

🩺HEALTHTECH

Axmed Secures $6M Gates Foundation Grant

Axmed, a Switzerland-headquartered healthtech firm with a regional hub in Nairobi, has secured a $6 million non-dilutive grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, bringing its total funding to $13 million. The capital will scale its technology-driven medicine procurement and logistics platform across low- and middle-income countries, with a focus on improving access to affordable, quality-assured drugs.

Axmed operates a B2B marketplace that aggregates demand from healthcare providers, enabling direct manufacturer negotiations, regulatory coordination, and end-to-end international logistics. In 2025, the platform delivered over 1,800 metric tonnes of medical products to more than 4.2 million patients, achieving 12x revenue growth and generating 30–35% cost savings for customers..........….continue reading

📱SOCIAL MEDIA

TikTok Removes 580,000 Videos in Kenya

TikTok removed over 580,000 videos and disrupted 90,000 live streams in Kenya between July and September 2025 for violating its Community Guidelines, according to its Q3 2025 enforcement report. The majority of the content—99.7%—was taken down proactively before user reports, with nearly 95% removed within 24 hours, reflecting heavy reliance on AI-driven moderation systems.

The removals targeted violations such as hate speech, misinformation, harassment, explicit content, and dangerous challenges. Globally, TikTok deleted 204 million videos and millions of fake or underage accounts during the same period, underscoring a broader push toward stricter platform governance............….continue reading