The TechCrunch Global Affairs Project examines the increasingly intertwined relationship between the tech sector and global politics.
Punches thrown in Ghana parliament over electronic payments tax
Proposed levy has been challenged by opposition since it was first proposed last monthA fight has broken out between lawmakers in Ghana’s parliament during a debate over a proposed tax on electronic transactions that has divided the house for weeks.The…
Nigerian mobility-tech startup MAX bags $31 million in Series B round, set to expand across Africa, build EV infrastructure
Nigerian mobility tech startup Metro Africa Xpress Inc. (MAX) is planning to enter more markets across Africa as it races towards formalizing the continent’s transportation sector after securing $31 million in Series B funding. The startup told TechCrunch that it will use the funding to enter Ghana and Egypt by the end of the first […]
Sudan: on revolution’s third anniversary, protesters vow not to be silenced
Millions are still fighting for a democratic government, three years after their protests beganAmany Galal lost her right eye to a tear gas canister fired by security forces as they tried to break up a demonstration in early 2019, making her one of the…
Enterprise escalator Impact Rooms rises to prepare African startups for growth and investment
A few years ago, at the start of the fintech services boom in Africa, Oliver Blantern got an opportunity to work in the continent offering advisory services to high-growth startups. For slightly over three years his company, Riverhouse Technology, helped the emerging tech firms in talent sourcing and acquisition. The trained lawyer did all this […]
‘If you run, you will die’: fear stalks Nigerian state as jihadists gain foothold
Niger state has been wracked by banditry for years. Now jihadists have moved in to communities just a few hundred miles from the capital, Abuja“They ordered everyone to come around, saying if you run, if you cry, you will die,” said Bala Pada, recallin…
MainOne CEO Funke Opeke says Equinix is buying her company for the right price
The African tech scene woke up today to exciting news about the landmark acquisition of MainOne, one of the region’s most important and pivotal tech companies in the past decade, by Equinix, a U.S. multinational specializing in internet connection data centers. The story of MainOne starts with founder and CEO Funke Opeke moving back to […]
衛星データが、雑草の“侵略”からアフリカを救う
西アフリカの国・ベナンでは、湖面にはびこる水草に対処するために衛星データを活用する試みが始まっている。このプロジェクトを支えるのは、発展途上国が衛星データを活用しやすくすることを目指す米航空宇宙局（NASA）のプログラムだ。
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TradeDepot raises $110M from IFC, Novastar to extend BNPL service to merchants across Africa
Startups digitizing B2B e-commerce and retail in Africa continue to grab the headlines after the pandemic paved the way for widespread offline retail and commerce disruption. TradeDepot, a Nigeria- and U.S.-based company that connects consumer goods brands to thousands of retailers and help out with distribution, has raised $110 million in new equity and debt […]
Kenya’s Pariti raises $2.85M led by Harlem Capital to develop startup ecosystems in emerging markets
Pariti, the Kenya-based community-led marketplace building the digital infrastructure for startup ecosystems in emerging markets, has raised $2.85 million seed, the company confirmed to TechCrunch today. The round was led by U.S.-based Harlem Capital. In Africa, it’s the first deal of the diversity-focused fund that secured $134 million for its second fund earlier this year. […]