Tag Archives: Catalyst

AMA, Business, Environment

Nigeria’s Heat Crisis Is Fueling a New Wave of Startups

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LAGOS, Nigeria, 29 April 2026 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/ – As heat intensifies across Nigeria, a new cohort of ventures is developing solutions to protect crops, reduce food spoilage and livestock losses, and equip hospitals and outdoor workers to anticipate and withstand extreme conditions.

BFA Global, FSD Africa, ClimateWorks Foundation, and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Nigeria have selected 10 early-stage ventures to join the inaugural cohort of the TECA Heat Action Wave (THAW) program focused on accelerating solutions to extreme heat.

The 10 selected ventures are:

  • Ofemini Global Limited provides a heat-resilient logistics platform that helps farmers transport perishable goods efficiently, reducing spoilage caused by extreme temperatures through optimized routing and heat monitoring.
  • Agiletech Operations Consulting Limited provides a hyperlocal early-warning system that delivers climate and heat alerts through accessible channels, enabling farmers and micro-entrepreneurs to anticipate risks and take preventive action.
  • Emplaris develops a predictive energy and heat-risk intelligence system for healthcare facilities, helping hospitals anticipate outages and manage equipment stress during extreme heat events.
  • Doorcas Africa delivers an AI-powered livestock health and co-ownership platform that enables early disease detection and prevention, helping farmers reduce heat-related livestock mortality and improve productivity.
  • Farmxic offers an AI-driven soil and crop diagnostics platform that helps farmers adapt to heat-induced soil degradation and crop stress through real-time insights and personalized recommendations.
  • Farm Fresh Grocery Ltd. builds a climate-resilient agricultural system combining heat-adaptive beekeeping, herb production, and consumer products to stabilize yields and supply under rising temperatures.
  • Farmslate Technologies Limited provides a climate intelligence platform that translates satellite and weather data into actionable insights, enabling farmers and financial institutions to manage heat-related risks and improve decision-making.
  • Let-It-Cold offers a solar-powered, portable cooling solution that helps small businesses and households preserve perishable goods during extreme heat and power outages.
  • Pod develops a climate-resilient sanitation system that prevents failure and contamination in heat- and flood-prone environments through on-site treatment and water reuse.
  • TheHyWing Ltd provides a climate-smart digital health platform that combines heat alerts, AI diagnostics, and telemedicine to prevent heat-related health risks among outdoor workers and vulnerable populations.

Together, the ventures address some of the most immediate and under-addressed impacts of extreme heat across Nigeria, including food spoilage and cold chain gaps, heat-induced soil degradation and crop stress, livestock disease and productivity loss, health risks for outdoor workers, and system failures in energy, healthcare, and sanitation infrastructure. They range from early-stage concepts to minimum viable products, reflecting both the urgency of the problem and the early development of solutions in this emerging space.

The cohort reflects a growing innovation ecosystem across Nigeria, with ventures operating in multiple regions. The companies are based in Lagos, Kaduna, and Edo States. This geographic spread underscores the breadth of climate innovation emerging across the country and reinforces TECA’s commitment to supporting founders building locally relevant solutions nationwide.

Selected from a competitive pool, the ventures will each receive $56,000 in funding along with hands-on venture-acceleration support, including user validation, product development, business model design, and investor readiness. Each team will work with embedded venture builders and technical experts to accelerate their path to scale. Six of the ten selected ventures have a female co-founder.

“Extreme heat is rapidly becoming one of the biggest operational risks facing African economies, yet it remains dramatically underinvested,” said Tyler Ferdinand, TECA Director at BFA Global. “Through TECA’s Heat Action Wave, we’re backing entrepreneurs building the tools, services, and financial products that will allow people, businesses, and cities to function in a hotter world. Our goal is not only to support these ventures but to prove that climate adaptation can become a powerful new investment frontier.”

Juliet Munro, Director, Early Stage Finance, at FSD Africa, said: “If climate adaptation finance is going to scale in Africa, it has to be grounded in real, investable solutions. This group of innovators tackling extreme heat is important because it shows what those solutions look like in practice, and that’s what gives markets the confidence to follow. At FSD Africa, our role is to help turn early innovation like this into something markets can actually back.”

“The cost of inaction on climate change is growing, as over 70% of workers around the world are at risk from deadly extreme heat. At the same time, momentum for adaptation is growing, as we see both more funding and more innovation. These new business ventures are strong, community-led solutions that can accelerate resilience in Nigeria and more broadly in the West African region,” said Jessica Brown, Senior Director of Adaptation and Resilience at ClimateWorks Foundation.

“Responding to climate change is central to Nigeria’s future growth and resilience. The UK is excited to support this cohort of ambitious Nigerian businesses developing transformative solutions to extreme heat. TECA’s Heat Action Wave is part of a broader UK partnership with Nigeria that backs private sector–led innovation, creates jobs, and drives shared prosperity for both our countries as we transition to a greener economy,” said Temi Akinrinade, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Nigeria.

The program will run through 2026, culminating in demo days and investor engagement opportunities, with follow-on support available for top-performing ventures.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of BFA Global

About BFA Global
BFA Global is an impact innovation firm that combines research, advisory, venture building, and investment expertise to build a more inclusive, equitable, and resilient future for underserved people and the planet. We partner with leading public, private and philanthropic organisations, global and local, to catalyse innovation ecosystems for impact across emerging markets. Since 2006, we have completed 646 projects completed in over 107 countries, supported 250+ ventures in Africa, Latin America, and Asia, who have collectively raised $1B+ in follow-on funding, and have a survival rate above 80% (global average is ~20%), and built a network of 100+ global and African investors, innovators, and funders. Learn more at https://bfaglobal.com/.

About FSD Africa
FSD Africa is a specialist development agency funded through UK Development operating in more than 30 countries working to help make finance work for Africa’s future. Based in Nairobi, FSD Africa’s team of financial sector experts work alongside governments, business leaders, regulators, and policymakers to achieve policy and regulatory reform, capacity strengthening, and improving financial infrastructure, to address systemic challenges in Africa’s financial markets. Since 2017, the organisation’s strategy has evolved to prioritise solutions to Africa’s most critical challenges: economic, social, and environmental. The organisation has worked to promote investment into the continent’s green economy, as well as its rates of financial inclusion and gender equality. FSD Africa – previously known as Financial Sector Deepening Africa – was founded in 2012 and is based in Nairobi, Kenya. For more information, please visit:https://www.fsdafrica.org

About ClimateWorks Foundation
ClimateWorks Foundation is a catalyst for accelerating climate progress, driving bold solutions that benefit people and the planet. We connect funders and implementing organizations worldwide to create and scale transformative solutions across sectors and geographies, achieving faster, greater impact together. Since 2008, ClimateWorks has granted over $2 billion to more than 850 grantees across 50 countries, working alongside 80 funders.

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AMA, Business

Industry leaders meet to discuss impact of compliance pressures on HR priorities in South Africa

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Nazia Pillay, Managing Director for Southern Africa at SAP

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 23rd, 2026-/African Media Agency(AMA)/ – Business leaders, HR professionals and technology experts gathered in Johannesburg today to explore how organisations can navigate rising regulatory complexity while building more connected, high-performing workforces.

SAP HR Connect brought together a community of HR leaders to discuss how digital technologies are helping organisations reduce compliance risk, streamline operations, and unlock more strategic value from their people functions.

Nazia Pillay, Managing Director for Southern Africa at SAP, says the South African employment landscape is at a critical point. “Public and private sector companies are racing to unlock the power of AI and cloud technologies to improve their competitiveness and build capacity for future innovation. Every organisation needs an active, motivated and fully enabled workforce to realise full value from business transformation initiatives. At a time when demand for certain skills is at an all-time high, companies are increasingly leveraging powerful human capital management technologies to attract, retain and empower their employees.”

South Africa’s employment landscape is undergoing significant change, with new and proposed legislation introducing greater complexity into HR operations. Recent developments include the overhaul of parental leave following a landmark Constitutional Court ruling, proposed increases to statutory severance pay, and new regulations governing unpredictable and on-call work.

Together, these changes are increasing the administrative burden on HR teams and raising the stakes for compliance. Organisations must now manage more complex policies, maintain accurate and defensible records, and ensure consistent application of rules across increasingly diverse and dynamic workforces.

“HR teams are operating in a fundamentally different environment today,” said Manishwar Tiwary, Head of SAP HCM for MEA South. “Compliance is no longer a periodic exercise but a continuous, data-driven discipline. Organisations that continue to rely on spreadsheets and fragmented systems without leveraging the power of AI-driven innovations are exposing themselves to unnecessary risk and inefficiency.”

Many organisations continue to rely on manual processes such as spreadsheets and disconnected systems to manage HR activities. However, these approaches are increasingly unsustainable in a fast-changing regulatory environment.

Tiwary says manual systems make it difficult to maintain accurate, up-to-date employee records, track compliance requirements, and produce reliable audit trails. “They also consume a significant portion of HR capacity, limiting the ability of teams to focus on higher-value activities such as talent development, workforce planning, and employee experience. As compliance requirements grow more complex, the need for integrated, digital HR systems is becoming more urgent.”

A 2025 PwC global study found that 82% of companies are planning to invest more in technology to drive compliance activities in a clear signal that the limitations of manual approaches have reached a tipping point. The study identified faster identification of compliance issues (53%), better risk visibility (64%), and increased productivity (43%) as the leading drivers of compliance technology adoption.

Ravika Bandyopadhyay, Group Human Capital: Chief Operating Officer, Sanlam, said: “We have adopted an ambidextrous strategy for our digital and data transformation journey, simultaneously exploiting operational excellence, proficiency and efficiency in our current landscape while exploring incremental innovation that enhances and elevates the user experience while driving the longer-term transformation journey focused on leveraging intelligent, transformative technology to drive business value.”

By digitising HR processes and documents, organisations can create a single source of truth for employee and organisational data — including positions, time tracking, and cost centres — ensuring information is accurate, consistent, and always up to date.

Kammy Sing, Chief Operating Officer Discovery People, Discovery Ltd, noted that shared services is a catalyst for reinvention. “When data, technology, and people are fully integrated, organisations don’t just scale but evolve, creating platforms for growth, innovation, and long‑term impact.”

Integrated capabilities across recruiting, onboarding, payroll, and time management further streamline processes and support compliance from hire to retire. In addition, continuous performance management, learning, compensation, and succession planning capabilities help organisations not only remain compliant but also build more engaged and resilient workforces.

“Digitisation should go beyond efficiency to enable HR to play a more strategic role in the business,” says Tiwary. “When compliance is embedded into systems and processes, HR teams are freed up to focus on developing talent, strengthening culture, and driving long-term organisational performance.”

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of SAP

About SAP
As a global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, SAP (NYSE:SAP) stands at the nexus of business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted SAP to bring out their best by uniting business-critical operations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit www.sap.com.

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AMA, Business, Health

As Global Health Faces Its First Reversal in Progress in a Generation, Gates Foundation CEO Details a 20-Year Push to Save and Improve Lives

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Suzman says the setback shouldn’t be permanent and lays out a roadmap to reclaim momentum and accelerate progress through 2045, even amid significant financial constraints globally

SEATTLE, WA, USA, 03 February 2026-/African Media Agency(AMA)/-Today, Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman released his 2026 Annual Letter, The Road to 2045, warning that the recent reversal in global health progress raises urgent moral choices and outlining a 20-year agenda to accelerate impact as the foundation works toward completing its mission.

Suzman’s reflections come at a consequential moment for global health and development and for the foundation itself. After years of stalled progress, foreign aid has fallen sharply by more than 25 percent, with low income countries also facing mounting debt that is constraining investment in their people. Against this backdrop, the Gates Foundation has moved to accelerate its work and sharpen its focus at a moment when global need is growing.

“In 2025, for the first time this century, it’s almost certain that more children died than the year before. That’s a sentence I hoped I’d never have to write,” Suzman says. “It’s not as if the world forgot how to save children’s lives. It just wasn’t prioritized.”

Suzman notes that while recent setbacks driven by declining development assistance and growing debt burdens are serious, they are not permanent and can be addressed through renewed political will, sharper prioritization, and sustained investment.

Reflecting on what is at stake, Suzman writes, “Over the years, I’ve held fast to the conviction that poverty is not a sad inevitability but a solvable problem, one we have a moral obligation to take on.”

Building on Bill Gates’ May 2025 announcement committing the Gates Foundation to spend a total of $200 billion over the next 20 years before closing in 2045, Suzman reaffirms three core goals that will guide the foundation’s work:

  • No mother or child dies of a preventable cause
  • The next generation grows up in a world without deadly infectious diseases
  • Hundreds of millions of people break free from poverty, putting more countries on the path to prosperity

Suzman’s Annual Letter makes the case that achieving these ambitions is possible if resources are focused where they save the most lives. He writes that the foundation will concentrate its accelerated spending on scaling proven interventions such as immunization, nutrition, and maternal health care, while investing in new tools to combat malaria, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases.

Suzman points to the foundation’s recent announcement of a historic $9 billion annual payout as evidence of both urgency and disciplined stewardship. His letter also highlights how responsibly deploying innovation, including generative AI, can help limited resources go farther by strengthening delivery systems, improving decision-making, and expanding access to care.

As one example, Suzman highlights the foundation’s recent investment to expand access to AI tools in global health and development, including new partnerships focused on strengthening primary health care systems in Africa. He emphasizes that technology must be paired with equity, strong public institutions, and local leadership to deliver lasting impact.

Suzman underscores that progress at this scale depends on deep partnerships. “None of the progress of the last 25 years would have been possible without our partners,” he writes. He emphasizes the foundation’s role as a catalyst that takes risks others cannot or will not take and works alongside governments, businesses, and communities to ensure solutions last long after its funding ends.

Looking ahead, Suzman frames the coming years as a pivotal time. “My hope is that future generations will look back on this period as a small spike, an almost forgotten moment when progress hung in the balance before the world got back on track.”

“When the foundation closes its doors,” Suzman adds, “I’m confident that where a child is born will no longer determine whether they live, learn, and thrive.”

The full 2026 Annual Letter is available at [LINK].

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Gates Foundation

About Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially those with the fewest resources—has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.

The post As Global Health Faces Its First Reversal in Progress in a Generation, Gates Foundation CEO Details a 20-Year Push to Save and Improve Lives appeared first on African Media Agency.

AMA, Business, Technology

Nigeria to Host 2026 RegTech Africa Conference & Expo Under the Patronage of the Office of the Vice President

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Conference to Convene Global Leaders on Building Trust, Infrastructure, Inclusion, and Policy
for a Borderless Economy

ABUJA, Nigeria, 02 February 2026-/African Media Agency (AMA)/-Preparations are underway for the 2026 RegTech Africa Conference & Expo (RACE 2026), Africa’s flagship platform on regulatory technology, digital innovation, and policy reform, scheduled to hold from 20–22 May 2026 at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Conference will be held under the Patronage of the Office of the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, in partnership with the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI), and in collaboration with the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA)—underscoring its strategic importance to Nigeria’s and Africa’s economic transformation agenda.

Anchored on the theme “Building Trust, Infrastructure, Inclusion, and Policy for a Borderless Economy,” RACE 2026 will convene regulators, policymakers, technology leaders, innovators, investors, and development partners to shape the future of Africa’s digital and regulatory landscape in an era of accelerating cross-border trade and financial integration.

As Africa advances the promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)—a single market of over 1.4 billion people and a projected value of US$3.4 trillion—the Conference will address one of the continent’s most pressing challenges: how to align technology, regulation, and policy to enable seamless, trusted, and inclusive economic activity across borders.

“RACE 2026 is positioned as a strategic policy and innovation platform—where technology-enabled regulation becomes a catalyst for trust, inclusion, and sustainable economic growth across Africa,” Cyril Okoroigwe, Chair Organising Committee.

A Platform for Regulatory Innovation and Economic Empowerment

The Conference will spotlight how RegTech, SupTech, artificial intelligence, digital identity, interoperable payment systems, cybersecurity, and data-driven compliance solutions can reduce friction, lower risk, and unlock opportunities for governments, businesses, startups, and citizens.

Key outcomes will focus on:

  • Building trust through technology-enabled regulation and smarter supervision
  • Strengthening digital infrastructure for interoperable payments, identity, and data exchange
  • Driving inclusion for SMEs, startups, women, and underserved populations
  • Modernising policy frameworks to support innovation while safeguarding financial integrity

High-Level Engagement and Global Participation

RACE 2026 will feature 50+ world-class speakers, 10 thematic tracks, and over 1,000 in-person and virtual participants from across Africa and the global financial and technology ecosystem. The hybrid event will include ministerial dialogues, regulators’ CEO forums, innovation showcases, and curated B2B and B2G networking sessions.

A major highlight will be the Global Startup World Cup – Regional Challenge, positioning Abuja as a launchpad for Africa’s most promising technology startups to compete on the global stage.

Speaking on the partnership, Dr. Nurudeen Abubakar Zauro, Technical Adviser to the President / Executive Secretary, Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI):

“The 2026 RegTech Africa Conference & Expo aligns strongly with Nigeria’s commitment to economic and financial inclusion. By bringing together regulators, innovators, and policymakers, the Conference provides a critical platform to harness technology and smart regulation as tools for trust-building, inclusion, and sustainable economic growth—both within Nigeria and across Africa.”

Call to Action: Registration and Partnerships

Attendance at the 2026 RegTech Africa Conference & Expo is strictly by registration, which is mandatory for all participants. Early registration is strongly encouraged due to limited capacity and high-level security protocols at the venue.

Organizations interested in partnerships, sponsorships, exhibitions, or strategic participation are invited to engage with the Organising Committee.

📩 Partnership & Sponsorship Enquiries:
Email: info@regtechafricaconference.com

🎟 Registration & Event Information:
🌐 Website: www.regtechafricaconference.com

Positioning Africa for a Borderless Future

Through strategic media engagement and the #BorderlessAfriconomy and #RACE2026 campaigns, the Conference aims to reshape global narratives—presenting Africa not as a high-risk market, but as a policy-aware, innovation-ready, and investment-attractive continent.

The 2026 RegTech Africa Conference & Expo is expected to play a defining role in advancing Africa’s journey toward borderless economic empowerment, where trust, technology, and policy work together to deliver shared prosperity.

Event Details:
📍 Venue: State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja
📅 Date: 20–22 May 2026
🌍 Format: Hybrid (In-person & Virtual)
🔗 Website: www.regtechafricaconference.com

Distributed by African Media Agency on behalf of RegTech Africa.

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AMA, Business

Yango Group announces strategic investment in the Kenyan fintech platform Zanifu to boost SME growth in Africa

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NAIROBI, Kenya, 13 October 2025-/African Media Agency (AMA)/-Yango Group, a UAE-based tech company, has announced a new investment in Zanifu, a leading Kenyan fintech platform that provides access to working capital for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In addition to funding, Yango Group will support Zanifu in shaping its long-term business structure and growth strategy — drawing on the Group’s operational experience across more than 30 markets. The investment underscores Yango’s commitment to supporting the growth of high-potential startups in Africa.

Zanifu has established itself as a vital enabler for small businesses by offering embedded lending solutions that help SMEs purchase inventory, manage cash flow, and scale sustainably. The company has already financed 15,000 SMEs, disbursing tens of millions of dollars in loans, and continues to demonstrate the transformative role of fintech in empowering local economies.

“Zanifu is working on exactly what we care about — building tools that help other businesses grow. By giving thousands of SMEs real access to capital, the team is enabling them to expand and succeed. We’re excited to bring our experience and expertise to help scale a business that’s delivering real impact to local communities.” said Daniil Shuleyko, CEO of Yango Group.

The investment was made through Yango Ventures, a corporate venture fund that was launched earlier this year with an initial $20 million fund targeting early-stage startups across Africa, LATAM, and MENAP. The fund focuses on high-growth sectors such as O2O services, B2B SaaS, and FinTech, offering not just investment but also access to Yango’s global expertise, networks, and operational support.

The Zanifu investment marks a significant step for Yango Ventures, strengthening its role as a catalyst for innovation and economic empowerment in Africa’s dynamic startup ecosystem.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Yango Group.

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AMA, Technology

Africa Fintech Summit Accra 2025 Welcomes Africa Finance Corporation As A DFI Sponsor

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ACCRA, Ghana, 15 September 2025/African Media Agency/- Africa Fintech Summit is pleased to welcome Africa’s leading infrastructure solution provider, Africa Finance Corporation as the DFI Sponsor for the 14th edition of Africa Fintech Summit (AFTS) 2025, to be held at the Accra international Conference Center (AICC) in Accra, Ghana, from 8-10 October 2025. This announcement follows the publication of AFC’s recent annual report, which highlights the institution’s transformative impact across Africa, where AFC-financed projects have contributed over $50 billion to regional GDP and enabled the creation of 7 million jobs in 36 countries.

AFC has mobilised US$15 billion to power Africa’s growth, electrifying 4.1 million homes, expanding digital access through supporting initiatives such as M-KOPA that connected 1.7 million first-time internet users, and investing in MTN and Airtel to reach over 100 million people with mobile and broadband services. The Corporation’s innovative exit from the Takoradi Port project in Ghana further demonstrated how private capital can be unlocked without compromising development impact. These achievements highlight AFC’s role in laying the foundations for a more inclusive and digital Africa.

 “It is with great delight & gratitude that we are welcoming AFC as our DFI sponsor and speaker for our 14th edition of AFTS in Accra this October. We have said that Africa’s financial inclusion is spurred, or limited, by the necessary infrastructure of connectivity, energy & data processing capability and AFC has been—and continues to be—an impactful, future-orientated, and innovative infrastructure solution provider that powers Africa’s digital future, We are keen to learn from AFC’s executives and create development bank & industry linkage with our startup ecosystem”” said Zekarias Amsalu, Co-Founder & MD of AFTS. 

“Africa’s digital and financial transformation depends on strong foundations — from reliable power and connectivity to fintech solutions that expand access to essential services,” said Begna Gebreyes, AFC’s Director and Head, Heavy Industries, Telecoms & Technology. “At AFC, we combine critical infrastructure with strategic fintech investments to enable businesses to grow, create jobs, and drive inclusion. In Accra, we are engaging with innovators from across the continent to advance collaborative solutions that deliver lasting impact.”

Since its first summit in 2018, the Africa Fintech Summit has become the largest annual financial technology gathering on the African continent.  #AFTSACCRA2025 will bring Keynote Speeches from the host country government & industry thought leaders, closed door roundtables, bilateral meetings, fire side-chats, a VIP dinner for Speakers and invited guests, excellence in FinTech awards ceremony, workshops, Exhibition Booths, Masterclasses for Startup Founders, Alpha Expo Mini Accelerator & Pitch Competition, Ecosystem tours around Accra for the international delegates and more. The event will conclude with happy-hour receptions for delegates and attendees on each date.

As in the past years, the event will be hybrid, with live streaming provided for remote attendees via our website as well as via partnering educational facilities across Africa as part of our industry-academia partnership initiative. Limited in-person tickets to the 14th Edition summit are now available on our website and delegates can secure their tickets with a 15% discount by using AFC15 at checkout at https://africafintechsummit.com/event/afts-accra-2025/.

Distributed by African Media Agency in partnership with Africa Fintech Summit.

About Africa Fintech Summit 

AFTS (https://africafintechsummit.com) is the premier global initiative dedicated to the African fintech ecosystem. AFTS is traditionally hosted in Washington, D.C., each April during the World Bank/IFC annual meeting week and in a different African city every October/November. The summit is being held in a hybrid format, in person in the selected Venue and live virtual delegates from around the world. 

So far AFTS has brought its summits to Washington DC (2025), Nairobi, Kenya(2024), Washington DC(2024), Lusaka, Zambia ( 2023), Washington DC & Prosper T4TA Launch(April 2023), Cape Town, South Africa( 2022), Washington DC (2022), Cairo, Egypt (2021), Virtual(2020), Addis Abeba, Ethiopia(2019), Lagos, Nigeria (2018). The 2025 Summit is scheduled for Accra, Ghana on 8-10 October 2025.

Supported by an advisory board of thought leaders and fintech pioneers, AFTS is a unique space where innovative ideas are debated, investments mobilized, partnership deals signed, and collaborations formed across sectors and geographies. AFTS is organized in partnership between Washington, D.C. based firms, strategic advisory group, Dedalus Global, and Pan-African emerging technologies advisory firm, Ibex Frontier.

About AFC

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) was established in 2007 to be the catalyst for pragmatic infrastructure and industrial investments across Africa. AFC’s approach combines specialist industry expertise with a focus on financial and technical advisory, project structuring, project development, and risk capital to address Africa’s infrastructure development needs and drive sustainable economic growth.

Eighteen years on, AFC developed a track record as the partner of choice in Africa for investing and delivering on instrumental, high-quality infrastructure assets that provide essential services in the core infrastructure sectors of power, natural resources, heavy industry, transport, and telecommunications. AFC has 45 member countries and has invested over US$15 billion in 36 African countries since its inception. Read further at www.africafc.org

Media contact:

Africa Fintech Summit

Charles Isidi

Head of Marketing and Communications,

charles@africafintechsummit.com

Africa Finance Corporation

Yewande Thorpe

Email: yewande.thorpe@africafc.org

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Travel & Tourism

Zimbabwe Tourism Investment Forum

Maravi Post Reporter
 

Zimbabwe Tourism Investment Forum

September 10, 2025
The Zimbabwe Tourism Investment Forum kicked off today at Golden Peacock in Mutare as a precursor to the Sanganai/Hlanganani Kumbanayi Tourism Expo 2025, running under the theme “Unlocking Tourism Investment Opportunities for Local Economic Development.” In her keynote address, delivered by the Deputy Minister Hon Tongai M. Mnangagwa, the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Hon. Barbara Rwodzi emphasized tourism as a catalyst for economic diversification, provincial empowerment and national transformation towards Vision 2030.
The event also graced by the Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs & Devolution Hon. Misheck Mugadza brought together Government Leaders, Investors and Industry Experts to discuss tourism funding, the development of Provincial Tourism Master Plans, Branding and Public-Private Partnerships. The forum reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s commitment to attracting investment and unlocking opportunities in Manicaland and beyond.

#Sanganai/HlangananiKumbanayiTourismExpo
#TourismInvestmentForum
#ExperienceZimbabwe
#ZimBho👍

AMA

TECA Heat Action Wave Launches in Nigeria to Tackle Growing Threat from Extreme Heat

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The new TECA Heat Action Wave (THAW) will back 12 early-stage ventures in Nigeria with capital and venture-building support to protect heat-vulnerable communities.

NAIROBI, Kenya, 27th August 2025-/African Media Agency (AMA)/-TECA Heat Action Wave (THAW), a new initiative to address Nigeria’s escalating extreme heat crisis, was launched today by BFA Global, FSD Africa, ClimateWorks Foundation, and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Nigeria. Together, the coalition has committed $1.1 million to support 12 early-stage ventures developing innovative solutions to protect climate-vulnerable communities from the growing impacts of extreme and chronic heat.

Extreme heat events are now at least ten times more likely in West Africa due to human-caused global warming. In Nigeria, millions of jobs and livelihoods are already at risk, with more than 60% of the population regularly exposed to dangerous heatwaves. Urban settlements like Lagos, Kano, and Abuja now experience heat indices above 50°C during peak months.

“Extreme heat represents perhaps the most overlooked consequence of climate change affecting Africa today,” said Juliet Munro, Early-Stage Finance Director at FSD Africa. “It’s not only a public health emergency, but a threat to livelihoods, productivity, and long-term economic resilience. Through this initiative, we’re making a strategic investment in African-led innovation, supporting scalable, context-specific solutions that deliver real impact where it’s needed most.”

THAW will support 12 early-stage ventures developing market-driven early warning tools, innovative financial instruments such as parametric heat insurance, emergency-centric finance tech, and ecosystem enablers and builders — tools and services that help individuals and small businesses operate more safely and efficiently in rising heat, preferably integrating early warning systems or fintech solutions.

Selected entrepreneurs will receive seed capital, venture-building support, and expert-led sprints on user research, product design, business modeling, and fundraising. Each startup will be matched with an embedded venture builder who will join their team to accelerate execution and strategy. Entrepreneurs will also gain access to a suite of technical specialists, female-focused mentorship, and local consultants to support prototyping and market testing. 

“Addressing the impacts of extreme heat requires bold, market-led innovation, and that’s exactly what this initiative delivers. By supporting local entrepreneurs to develop viable, scalable solutions, we’re strengthening the role of the private sector in driving climate resilience. FCDO is proud to back this partnership, which puts Nigerian-led innovation at the centre of solving one of the region’s most pressing climate adaptation challenges,” said Temi Akinrinade, Private Sector Development Advisor at FCDO Nigeria.

“Extreme heat is silently eroding lives, productivity, and economic opportunity,” said Tyler Ferdinand, TECA Director at BFA Global. “Through TECA, we’re not only funding ventures, we’re embedding the strategic support, networks, and capital they need to transform survival into resilience.”

“The world is racing against a closing window of time for investing in the ability of communities to withstand and recover from climate shocks. Adaptation is not only a response, but also a strategy for economic security, market stability, and shared prosperity in a warming world,” said Jessica Brown, Senior Director of Adaptation and Resilience at ClimateWorks Foundation.

The program will run through mid-2026, culminating in demo days and investor events. High-performing ventures may qualify for reinvestment and tailored follow-on support through 2027.

Implemented by BFA Global in partnership with FSD Africa, TECA is a venture-building program designed to spark exponential climate action by sourcing and accelerating bold, locally grounded solutions to emerging climate threats. This new heat-focused initiative reinforces TECA’s commitment to inclusive entrepreneurship, gender-intentional design, and transformational funding, positioning Nigeria as a hub for scalable, investable climate innovations. Entrepreneurs are invited to apply to join the Heat Action Wave.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of BFA Global

About BFA Global

BFA Global is an impact innovation firm that combines research, advisory, venture building, and investment expertise to build a more inclusive, equitable, and resilient future for underserved people and the planet. We partner with leading public, private and philanthropic organizations, global and local, to catalyze innovation ecosystems for impact across emerging markets. Since 2006, we have completed 646 projects completed in over 104 countries, supported 118+ ventures in Africa, Latin America, and Asia, who have collectively raised $815M+ in follow-on funding, and have a survival rate above 80% (global average is ~20%), and built a network of 100+ global and African investors, innovators, and funders focused on climate resilience. Learn more at https://bfaglobal.com/ 

About FSD Africa 

FSD Africa is a specialist development agency funded through UK Development operating in more than 30 countries working to help make finance work for Africa’s future. Based in Nairobi, FSD Africa’s team of financial sector experts work alongside governments, business leaders, regulators, and policymakers to achieve policy and regulatory reform, capacity strengthening, and improving financial infrastructure, to address systemic challenges in Africa’s financial markets. Since 2017, the organisation’s strategy has evolved to prioritise solutions to Africa’s most critical challenges: economic, social, and environmental. The organisation has worked to promote investment into the continent’s green economy, as well as its rates of financial inclusion and gender equality. FSD Africa – previously known as Financial Sector Deepening Africa – was founded in 2012 and is based in Nairobi, Kenya. For more information, please visit: https://www.fsdafrica.org  

About ClimateWorks Foundation 

ClimateWorks Foundation is a catalyst for accelerating climate progress, driving bold solutions that benefit people and the planet. We connect funders and implementing partners worldwide to co-create and scale transformative solutions across sectors and geographies, achieving faster, greater impact together. Since 2008, ClimateWorks has granted over $2 billion to 850+ partners in more than 50 countries and in collaboration with 80+ funders.

Media Contact:

Carmen Merab cmerab@bfaglobal.com

The post TECA Heat Action Wave Launches in Nigeria to Tackle Growing Threat from Extreme Heat appeared first on African Media Agency.

AMA

TGP International joins forces with renowned Chef Kiran Jethwa to shape the future of hospitality in Africa

Maravi Post Reporter
Chef Kiran Jethwa at Seven Seafood & Grill

NAIROBI, Kenya, 28 April 2025-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- TGP International, a global 360° hospitality agency, has announced a strategic partnership with renowned celebrity chef and entrepreneur Kiran Jethwa, reinforcing its long-term commitment to Africa’s fast-growing hospitality sector.

The collaboration positions Kiran as a key ambassador for TGP International’s initiatives in Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda and across the broader African continent, bringing together deep local insight and international expertise to support a new wave of culinary innovation and F&B-driven placemaking across the region.

“As the hospitality landscape across Africa evolves, we’re seeing a real appetite for tailored, experience-led F&B solutions,” says Simon Wright, Founder and Chairman of TGP International. “Kiran’s expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and cultural connection will be instrumental in shaping how we serve this exciting and diverse market.”

TGP International is globally recognised for its award-winning F&B solutions with a growing portfolio of projects that demonstrate the power of F&B to drive community development and placemaking. By collaborating with stakeholders across the hospitality industry, property sector, and commercial real estate, TGP helps create environments where dining becomes a catalyst for community, culture and economic growth.

Seven Seafood & Grill at Alkebulan

Kiran Jethwa is well known for his entrepreneurial ventures such as Seven Seafood & Grill, Rahisi Foods, and The Kenyan Good Food Company, as well as for his acclaimed appearances on shows like Chef vs Wild (Disney+), The Great Kenyan Bake Off (BBC Lifestyle), and The Fearless Chef (National Geographic). His longstanding collaboration with TGP includes the launch of Seven Seafood & Grill at Alkebulan, the world’s first African dining hall, conceptualised in partnership with Chef Alexander Smalls and debuted at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Speaking on the partnership, Jethwa said: “Africa has some of the most exciting food stories to tell. Working with TGP gives me a platform to help shape the next generation of African hospitality experiences, while bringing greater visibility to the continent’s cuisine and culinary talent.”

This announcement further builds on TGP International’s active presence in the region, including its work with Q Coffee in partnership between Bloomberg Philanthropies and Sustainable Growers to provide benefit to women farmers in Rwanda.

Founded in 2002, TGP International delivers 360° hospitality services across food & beverage advisory, concept development, interior design, franchising, asset management, operations and marketing. With more than 700 successful projects across 25 countries, its portfolio includes work with major hospitality and real estate players such as Marriott, Accor, Hilton, IHG, St. Regis, W Hotels, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria and Expo City Dubai.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of TGP International

About TGP International

TGP International is a global 360° hospitality agency specialising in the creation of world-class consumer experiences, innovative food retail destinations, and distinguished F&B brands. The company offers comprehensive services across F&B masterplanning, market research, concept development, interior design, operations and asset management, franchising and licensing, and strategic marketing.

With an award-winning team of designers, brand strategists, and industry experts, TGP International has delivered some of the region’s most transformative food hall projects. The company is dedicated to harnessing the power of clustered F&B to shape vibrant, socially connected, and commercially sustainable urban communities.

Founded in London in 2002, TGP International brings over 22 years of experience at the forefront of the hospitality sector. With a portfolio spanning more than 700 projects across 25 countries and a team boasting over 300 years of collective expertise, the company has collaborated with leading names in hospitality, real estate, and development worldwide.

Website: tgpinternational.com.

Media Contact:

Jim Kersey

Senior Marketing & Communications Manager

jim@tgpinternational.com

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

Religion

Malawi to Again Host a Premium Leadership Conference Dubbed Catalyst

MaraviPost

Pastor Jerry Zimba
Pastor Jerry Zimba said this year’s conference is special and unique considering that 2019 Malawi will have general elections

BY: Phillip Dzikanyanga

As the count down to the tripartite elections scheduled for May 21 this year continues, the International Christian Assembly has organized a leadership conference dubbed Catalyst 2019 to drill and equip leaders with leadership skills and knowledge.

The conference which among others wants to increase leaders influence and teach them how to translate the theoretical knowledge into practice is expected on 8th and 9th February at the newly built ICA youth Auditorium in Lilongwe under the theme Innovative leadership.

Speaking in an interview, one of the organizers Pastor Jerry Zimba said this year’s conference is special and unique considering that 2019 Malawi will have general elections and people are due to learn what leadership is all about.

“Leadership is one key area that affects the progress of any community. We need leaders that are truly leaders, not just leaders because they are in positions. Innovative leadership is therefore a must for people to increase their influence, one of the ways to sharpen these leadership skills is through such conferences” He said.

The conference targets people from all sectors that includes creative, political, cooperate, religious among others.

“People should be assured of a holistic coverage to issues to do with innovative leadership because we have roped in wonderful speakers from the church and also public and private sector” He said.

Among the facilitators in this year’s conference include Dr Enson Lwesya, Dr Matthews Mtumbuka, Justice Dr Chifundo Kachale, Dr Candida Nankhumwa, Mrs Sikhu Nkhoma, Bishop Solomon Adebayo and Dr Andrew Mkwaila.

Catalyst which is an annual premium leadership conference is a brain child of the International Christian Assembly, a local church of the Malawi Assemblies of God. Tickets for this year’s conference are being sold at K12,000 and K15,000 at the door.