Starlink resumes direct shipments to Lagos, opens new office
Starlink has resumed direct shipments of residential kits to Lagos and other Nigerian cities, ending a seven-month suspension that began in November 2024. The company also announced the opening of a new walk-in office in Victoria Island, Lagos. The move marks a renewed push to expand its presence in its largest market by subscriber base in Africa. The reinstatement of direct hardware shipments began on Sunday, June 29, 2025, and means customers can now place orders for setup kits via Starlink’s official website or through approved third-party retailers within the country. Before now, customers faced delays and limited access due to regulatory reviews and pending approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over pricing adjustments. According to a Starlink representative, users in high-demand areas such as Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt will now pay an additional ₦80,000 ($52.24) activation fee, bringing the total cost of the residential kit to ₦690,000 (approximately $455). This fee, the company explained, is to manage congestion in densely populated zones. Cities outside Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt are exempt from paying the activation fee. The standard monthly subscription remains at ₦57,000 (about $38), while the Starlink mini kit—a smaller, more portable device—retails for ₦318,000 (around $210). The launch of a physical office marks a strategic shift for Starlink in Nigeria. With over 64,000 active users, it ranks as the country’s second-largest internet service provider (ISP) by subscriber base. Starlink entered the Nigerian market in early 2023, initially operating out of Ivie House on Ajose Adeogun Street in Lagos. Since then, adoption has grown steadily, especially in rural and peri-urban areas where traditional broadband infrastructure is limited or unreliable. The service’s ability to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet to remote regions has made it a vital tool in bridging Nigeria’s digital divide. The country’s connectivity challenges—worsened by fiber vandalism, inconsistent power supply, and poor legacy infrastructure—make satellite internet an attractive alternative. With regulatory bottlenecks now easing and local operations expanding, Starlink appears poised to deepen its footprint across Nigeria and use it as a launchpad for wider African expansion. While the walk-in center on Victoria Island will primarily serve as an information and support hub, hardware purchases will continue to be processed through the website and approved retailers. Mark your calendars! Moonshot by TechCabal is back in Lagos on October 15–16! Join Africa’s top founders, creatives & tech leaders for 2 days of keynotes, mixers & future-forward ideas. Early bird tickets now 20% off—don’t snooze! moonshot.techcabal.com
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“Uganda isn’t our side bet”: How Greenhouse Capital is rewriting its rules for Africa
On most maps of African venture capital, Uganda does not even make the key. Investors, accelerators, tech reporters—almost everyone has their gaze fixed on the so-called “Big Four”: Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt. These markets attract the headlines, the mega-funding rounds, the social media buzz. Kampala? Not on the radar. Bunmi Akinyemiju thinks that is a mistake. “Everyone else [is] looking west,” says the managing partner of Greenhouse Capital. “But the signal [is] coming from the east.” The firm has made Uganda one of its most active markets in the last four years. The VC fund, once synonymous with fintech in Nigeria, is writing early-stage cheques of $250,000 to $500,000 into Ugandan startups—seven of them so far. But the money is only part of the story. Greenhouse is not just betting on Ugandan founders. It’s betting on Uganda’s ambition to become the continent’s proving ground for deep tech, industrial infrastructure, and science-led innovation. While most investors chase markets with high-growth and billion-dollar valuation potential, Greenhouse is doing something less glamorous but potentially significant. In Uganda, the firm sees a chance to prove that African venture capital funding can build long-term value in manufacturing and help align policies and public institutions. Akinyemiju says it’s not another fast-money bet but a deliberate, thesis-driven experiment to create the conditions for innovation to root and endure, one that could redefine how Africa builds. The move is bold and a little unorthodox. Most African VCs still default to big population centres, large GDPs, and markets with short-term exit potential. Uganda, by contrast, is smaller, quieter, and not yet on the unicorn scoreboard. But that, Akinyemiju says, is precisely the point. “Uganda is one of the most underrated markets in Africa right now,” he says. “It’s politically stable, centrally located, and quietly laying the groundwork for science, technology, and innovation. We didn’t come because it was easy. We came because it was serious.” A different signal in Uganda Greenhouse’s bet on Uganda began with a policy redirection. Akinyemiju recalls watching closely when the Ugandan government, through its Ministry of Energy, announced a ban on the export of raw minerals, mandating local processing. “It told us Uganda was ready to build from first principles, not just import startup theatre,” he says. 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Instead of waiting for the market to mature on its own, the firm is working hand-in-glove with government actors like the Science, Technology and Innovation Secretariat (STI-OP) to co-create the infrastructure that startups will need to thrive, talent pipelines, shared back offices, and co-founder matchmaking services. This policy alignment runs deep. Greenhouse has secured formal cooperation with government-backed agencies to co-host pitch days, co-fund technical feasibility studies, and even co-create startup governance frameworks to reduce regulatory friction. Greenhouse calls this the “Capital Plus” model: money plus market-shaping. “Investors often look for obvious traction metrics but miss structural tailwinds like science funding, policy reform, and national IP pipelines,” Akinyemiju says. “We’re showing that Uganda isn’t behind, it’s just building differently.” From fintech to first-mile infrastructure You must understand Greenhouse’s roots to understand just how significant this shift is. The firm made its name during the fintech boom of the 2010s, backing early winners like Flutterwave and Paystack. It built infrastructure funds. It moved quickly. It made money.
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SIM registration halted as NIMC migrates to new identity platform
Nigeria’s telecom operators have temporarily suspended SIM-related services, including new registrations, SIM swaps, National Identification Number registration (NIN), and mobile number portability, after the National Identity Management Commission’s (NIMC) migration to a new identity verification platform. The disruption, confirmed by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), has left millions unable to access essential mobile services. NIMC is moving to a new platform developed by Blusalt Financial Services, a Nigerian fintech specialising in embedded financial services and digital infrastructure. While officials say the system will enhance the speed and accuracy of identity verification in the long term, the immediate fallout threatens to delay digital inclusion and SIM compliance targets crucial to telecom coverage and financial access. NIMC did not respond to requests for comments on why it is moving to a new vendor. ALTON, which represents Nigeria’s mobile operators, advised subscribers to postpone all SIM-related transactions until further notice. “We understand the inconvenience this may cause to millions of subscribers who depend on these services for communication, business, and daily activities,” the statement read. “We sincerely apologise for the disruption.” NIMC, which has registered over 120 million Nigerians to date, is targeting 100 million more enrollees by year-end to meet its 95% national coverage target. To stay on track, authorities are under pressure to complete the migration and restore service functionality quickly. For now, Nigerians are being urged to remain patient as authorities race to restore SIM registration and identity verification services. Mark your calendars! Moonshot by TechCabal is back in Lagos on October 15–16! Join Africa’s top founders, creatives & tech leaders for 2 days of keynotes, mixers & future-forward ideas. Early bird tickets now 20% off—don’t snooze! moonshot.techcabal.com
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Stanbic Kenya to raise $100 million to back startups in rare VC-style move
Stanbic Bank Kenya, the country’s sixth biggest bank by assets, plans to raise $100 million (KES12.9 billion) to finance startups across East Africa, a rare move for a commercial bank in a sector dominated by venture capital and development finance institutions (DFIs). Through its Catalytic Fund, the bank plans to back startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in agritech, the creative economy, healthtech, and manufacturing sectors that typically struggle to raise capital. Stanbic’s move signals a shift in Kenya’s banking sector, which has kept its distance from founders struggling to raise funds for government equities. By raising capital for onward lending to startups in the region, the bank could test whether commercial banks can support ventures requiring patience and local insights to grow. “We are in the market for $100 million (KES12.9 billion),” Stanbic Bank CEO Joshua Oigara told TechCabal. “We have learnt that if you keep just focusing on the businesses that are ready now, you are leaving 80% of the clients in the industry. We have to continue expanding the continuum by bringing such in.” Stanbic launched the Catalytic Fund in 2020 as part of its social impact strategy. Unlike conventional lending, the fund offers grant-like patient capital designed to de-risk early-stage ventures and help them scale sustainably. As of December 2024, the bank had disbursed KES182.4 million ($1.4 million) through the fund, with KES 63 million ($487,616) issued in 2024 alone, according to its disclosures. While the funding is modest in absolute terms, it targets non-traditional sectors where access to credit is scarce or expensive. Stanbic now hopes to raise ten times that amount to amplify its impact. “Energy projects tend to have the longest lead time from what we have seen, even 10 years. We’ve aligned with the biggest areas of the economy, like agriculture, because the model is similar, but energy projects tend to have the longest lead time,” Oigara said. Stanbic’s strategy contrasts with most commercial banks, which remain risk-averse and largely absent from startup financing. Most local founders still lean on VC funds, DFIs, and philanthropic capital from institutions like the Gates Foundation, a model now under strain. Mark your calendars! Moonshot by TechCabal is back in Lagos on October 15–16! Join Africa’s top founders, creatives & tech leaders for 2 days of keynotes, mixers & future-forward ideas. Early bird tickets now 20% off—don’t snooze! moonshot.techcabal.com
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👨🏿🚀TechCabal Daily – Okra’s off the menu
In partnership with Lire en Français اقرأ هذا باللغة العربية Happy pre-TGIF. It’s KPI review/appraisal season. Are you feeling the heat just yet? If you need someone to blame for that soul-sucking annual review, blame Frederick Taylor. In his 1911 book, The Principles of Scientific Management, Taylor laid the groundwork for performance measurement in industrial settings. In the 1950s, Peter Drucker added a new layer to performance measurement by choosing to measure performance by goals. By the 2000s, KPIs were everywhere—from sales floors to Slack dashboards—deciding who gets promoted and who gets passive-aggressively “coached.” Today, we’ve tried to make it cuter with OKRs and continuous feedback, but let’s be honest: KPIs are still the nosy aunt at the office party, quietly judging your every move. Anyways, we wish you the best of luck in your KPI reviews this season. – Faith. Fara Ashiru, Okra and Nebula founder, joins Kernel as head of engineering Flutterwave cuts half of its staff in Kenya and South Africa Nigerians are logging off as ISPs lose customers MTN MoMo launches digital insurance in Uganda World Wide Web 3 Opportunities Startups Fara Ashiru, Okra and Nebula founder, joins Kernel as head of engineering Fars Ashiru Jituboh/Image Source: LinkedIn Nine months after Okra, the Nigerian open banking fintech startup, changed its playbook to operate as a cloud service provider, it appears some cracks are appearing on the wall. In October 2024, Okra launched Nebula, a cloud platform designed to compete with global providers like AWS and Azure. It offered cloud services to local startups with pricing in naira, a strategy aimed at attracting Nigerian startups and to cushion them from dollar-based costs. But Nebula likely never found a market. By June 2025, CEO Fara Ashiru had taken a new role as head of engineering at Kernel, a UK-based revenue operations (RevOps) startup. While this is not surprising—many founders take on paid employment to keep the lights on—Ashiru has also left her roles as “founder, CEO, and CTO” of Okra in the same month. Per Techpoint, both Okra and Nebula platforms are now offline, which may signal the end of the company’s operations. However, Okra’s web platform remains online, signalling this might simply be a pause instead. Ashiru had earlier pointed out the cost challenges of building a cloud platform in Nigeria. Rising infrastructure expenses and the falling value of the naira made it hard for Nebula to recover its expenses on hardware. With a total funding of $4.5 million and its last raise in 2021, Okra possibly needed more capital to compete in such a demanding space. But without strong signs of traction, investors were likely not convinced to fund the startup’s new ambition. Looking back, we wonder what could have happened if Okra had remained an open finance startup. The startup shut down key products like Balance, Income, and Transaction due to regulatory uncertainty. Yet Nigeria’s open banking framework is finally set to launch in August, encouraging banks to join in. That change could have helped Okra grow if it had stayed the course. In the end, the company may have made a pivot too soon, in a market too hard to crack, with too little capital to survive it. Save more on every NGN transaction with Fincra Stop overpaying for NGN payments. Fincra’s fees are more affordable than other payment platforms for collections & payouts. The bigger the transaction, the more you save. Create a free account in 3 minutes and start saving today. 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Cybersecurity will become a matter of national priority for Africans: Franck Kié
Franck Kié began his career in finance but transitioned to cybersecurity, driven by a desire to make a more meaningful impact. Now, he leads Ciberobs Consulting, an Africa-focused cybersecurity and economic intelligence firm, and organises the Cyber Africa Forum (CAF), one of the continent’s biggest cybersecurity gatherings. CAF, now in its fifth year, brings together public and private stakeholders to shape the continent’s digital security agenda. I caught up with Kié in Benin, where this year’s edition of CAF was hosted, to talk about the evolution of Africa’s cybersecurity space, the brain drain of local talent, and why he believes the future of global cybersecurity could be African. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What motivated you to start the Cyber Africa Forum? I was living in Europe when I switched careers from finance to cybersecurity, and there was a major event there that everyone in the field attended—an essential platform where companies showcased solutions and governments held strategic meetings. It struck me that nothing like that existed in Africa. So, I told myself: if it can happen in Europe, it can happen here too. People want to connect, learn, and grow together. That was the seed of CAF. Now, five years later, it’s become the annual meeting point for cybersecurity decision-makers across the continent. What was special about bringing CAF to Benin this year? We always aim to rotate the event to ensure inclusivity and pan-African representation. Hosting CAF in Benin was a strategic decision to foster regional participation and emphasisze that cybersecurity isn’t just a Nigerian, Kenyan, or South African issue—it’s continental. It’s also about showing that smaller markets can lead on digital transformation too. How would you describe the state of cybersecurity in Africa today? We’ve made real progress. Five years ago, we had far fewer cybersecurity agencies, professionals, and startups. Today, those numbers are growing. That’s the good news. The bad news is that cybercrime is growing just as fast, if not faster. Without robust defenses, it becomes a national security issue. Cyberattacks can disrupt economies and public services, so governments are starting to take them seriously. I believe cybersecurity will become a top national priority in most African countries very soon. Fraud and cyberattacks targeting banks and fintechs are on the rise. Why is this happening, and what can be done? They’re easy targets. Banks handle vast financial flows, and telcos are now critical players thanks to mobile money. That makes them attractive to attackers. The issue isn’t just technology, it’s people. Staff awareness is critical. Institutions need to invest in internal cybersecurity culture, and telcos, especially, have the power to reach users directly and promote awareness. That’s a major opportunity. You’ve spoken about the shortage of cybersecurity professionals on the continent. What’s driving that, and how do we fix it? We do have a talent shortage, and worse, even when we train people, they often leave for better opportunities abroad. It’s a vicious cycle. To retain talent, we need to build strong local ecosystems. That means creating policies that give local companies access to business opportunities so they can grow and pay competitive salaries. The more successful our startups are, the more likely talent is to stay. What’s one contrarian opinion you hold about Africa’s cybersecurity sector? Some still believe there’s no real cybersecurity market in Africa. I disagree. The market is emerging; it’s just structured differently. In Europe, cybersecurity tools are built around desktops and enterprise systems. In Africa, the mobile phone is the core of digital life. So our challenge is to create homegrown cybersecurity models that fit local realities. Just as mobile money transformed banking here, I believe Africa will innovate its own cybersecurity playbook and the rest of the world will follow. Mark your calendars! Moonshot by TechCabal is back in Lagos on October 15–16! Join Africa’s top founders, creatives & tech leaders for 2 days of keynotes, mixers & future-forward ideas. Early bird tickets now 20% off—don’t snooze! moonshot.techcabal.com
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Emmanuel Lubanzadio, OpenAI’s Africa Lead, is running a marathon
Emmanuel Lubanzadio, OpenAI’s Africa Lead, is often on the road. In April, he was in Kigali, Rwanda, addressing policymakers and tech leaders at the Global AI Summit. Then he was in Morocco, attending the GITEX Africa conference. He has more such appearances scheduled in the coming weeks, where he will continue to advocate for African adoption of AI tools on behalf of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. Before OpenAI, Lubanzadio was a policy advisor for UNICEF’s Giga initiative, focusing on connectivity and technology policy. And before that, he led Twitter’s government relations in Africa. I asked Lubanzadio if he’d ever experienced some self-doubt across these roles, bridging global companies to Africa. He tells me that he looks beyond his doubts. “I think about the responsibility, honouring the moment, and the people it may impact.” A dual identity forged in Bonn Lubanzadio was born to parents from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola, but grew up in Bonn, a city along the Rhine River, steeped in German history. “I grew up with a dual identity,” he says, “immersed in German culture, language, and education while being nurtured by African parents who held on to the values and traditions of the homeland.” Coming of age in the tumultuous early 1990s, the Rwandan Genocide and ongoing conflicts in the Congo heavily shaped his parents’ conversations, leaving him with a profound sense of Africa’s challenges and aspirations, and a curiosity about the continent’s place in the world. Emmanuel Lubanzadio speaking at the Global AI Summit on Africa Discovering the influence of technology in Obama’s America In 2008, Lubanzadio moved to the U.S. on a basketball scholarship, to pursue an international relations degree. At the time, Barack Obama’s presidential campaign used technology including social media platforms like Twitter and YouTube to mobilise voters and disseminate political messaging. “That’s when I first discovered tech policy,” Lubanzadio says. “I saw how technology was leveraged to get political messaging out, and I became very passionate ever since.” After graduating in 2012, Lubanzadio moved to Washington, D.C., immersing himself in the heart of American policymaking through the Congressional Black Caucus Fellowship.. There, he conducted background research on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a U.S. trade policy enacted in 2000 that has since bolstered African exports, particularly in textiles and agriculture, and fueled e-commerce startups in countries like Nigeria. “I was an observer,” he says, “learning how nations negotiate, how agreements shape economies.” The experience deepened his understanding of Africa’s economic potential and the role of policy in unlocking it. Working at Twitter In 2020, Lubanzadio joined Twitter, leading its government relations in Africa during a transformative period for the continent’s digital landscape, accelerated by the pandemic. His role was to bridge Twitter’s global ambitions with Africa’s unique socio-political realities. One of his proudest achievements was facilitating Twitter’s expansion into Africa, culminating in the opening of its first office in Ghana in 2021. “I led the policy engagement, including convening a meeting between Twitter’s then-CEO Jack Dorsey and the Ghanaian president,” he tells me, his voice tinged with pride. Around the time, Nigeria was facing a turbulent socio-political moment. Twitter was banned in the country after the platform deleted tweets by then-President Muhammadu Buhari, which warned of a potential repeat of the Nigerian Civil War amid unrest in the southeast, primarily involving the Igbo people. The Nigerian ban was a defining moment for Lubanzadio; it underscored the importance of trust and partnership in navigating Africa’s fragmented policy landscape. With 54 countries and diverse regulatory frameworks, tech companies face different challenges from data localisation laws to cybersecurity concerns. In Africa’s fast-evolving tech ecosystem, where regulatory hurdles and stakeholder scepticism can derail ambitious ventures, Lubanzadio champions conversation as a powerful tool. “It’s about listening to concerns and explaining one’s position,” he says. “Conversation always solves it.” He emphasises that as a “faraway company,” stakeholders may not grasp the organisation’s value proposition, hence his role at OpenAI. Lubanzadio speaking at the University Mohammed VI Polytechnic’s Digital Day Working at OpenAI In early 2025, Lubanzadio joined OpenAI as its Africa lead. OpenAI’s mission to advance artificial general intelligence (AGI) for global benefit resonated deeply with him. “AI is the next frontier,” he says, “and I want Africa to be part of shaping it, not just using it.” Four months into his role, travelling across Africa, from Kenya to Morocco, Lubanzadio has seen how OpenAI’s partnerships are unlocking AI’s transformative potential for the continent. “Over 500 million people and businesses globally use ChatGPT weekly, and Africa is a part of that,” he says. In healthcare, AI is improving maternal care in remote areas; in agriculture, it’s boosting crop yields for smallholder farmers who produce 70% of Africa’s food supply. There are companies like Jacaranda Health in Kenya, which uses AI-powered SMS services to support pregnant women, and Digital Green, which delivers AI-generated farming advice to 160,000 smallholder farmers across Kenya, Nigeria, and Ethiopia. These initiatives reflect AI’s ability to address Africa’s pressing needs. Yet, challenges persist. Only about 36% of Africans have internet access, and the high cost of hardware—like Nvidia GPUs, which can cost $40,000—has limited AI adoption. Lubanzadio emphasises partnerships as the key to overcoming these barriers. OpenAI’s collaboration with the AI for Global Development Accelerator is one such partnership. It supports nonprofits using AI to tackle social challenges, providing technical support and API credits. He also cited the announcement of Africa’s first “AI factory” by Cassava Technologies and Nvidia in March 2025, just before the Global AI Summit in Kigali, which has been lauded as a turning point for AI development on the continent. The facility, set to deploy Nvidia’s GPU-based supercomputers in South Africa, with expansion to Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria, addresses the continent’s computing power deficit. Only 5% of Africa’s 80,000 AI practitioners currently have access to adequate computational resources. OpenAI is not directly involved in the project. However, Lubanzadio describes it as a game-changer. echoing optimistic sentiments from experts who note that local data centres
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Lumi Business launches offline mode to help merchants sell without internet access
The network goes out. Again. A shopkeeper in Abeokuta stands helpless as customers grow impatient, no signal, no sales, no receipts, no records. For thousands of merchants across Nigeria, unreliable internet means missed income, hectic operations, and broken trust. That’s why Lumi Business built Offline Mode, to keep businesses running even when the network isn’t. Lumi Business, a leading provider of payment, inventory, expense and accounting management software for African SMEs, has officially launched Offline Mode, a powerful new feature that allows merchants to sell through the Lumi POS software without internet access. Once connection is restored, all sales data, inventory updates and reports sync automatically to your online database, with no data loss or duplication. In a market where connectivity is still unreliable and data costs remain high, Lumi Business is one of the few platforms in Nigeria that offers true offline functionality without losing the advantages of cloud based systems. Merchants can now access products and pricing, issue receipts and complete transactions without an internet connection, ensuring that business never stops. Offline Mode strengthens Lumi’s commitment to building for resilience, reliability and growth helping merchants thrive no matter where they are or how they sell. “We built Offline Mode with the realities of our merchants in mind,” said Wale Adeniji, CEO at Lumi Business. “We know internet outages can bring business to a standstill. With this release, we are ensuring that no merchant ever has to lose a sale or pause operations because of poor connectivity.” Key benefits of offline mode Sell with or without internet access Instant access to product and pricing information Automatic syncing to online database once online Issue receipts and track sales without disruption Manage sales across multiple stores and devices The bigger picture: Extending the power of the Lumi platform Offline Mode is not just another feature. It’s a key step in Lumi’s journey to become the operating system for commerce in Africa. From day one, Lumi has focused on building tools that reflect how entrepreneurs actually work whether they are managing a single store, multiple outlets or selling across channels. The platform already supports hundreds of SMEs across Nigeria with powerful tools for point of sale, inventory management, payments, expense tracking, loyalty and free branded storefronts. Its inventory engine is regarded as one of the most advanced in Nigeria, offering real-time stock tracking, batch control, multi-location management and automated restock alerts. With Chowdeck integration, restaurants and food vendors can sync online delivery orders directly into their inventory and sales flow. Lumi also includes built-in tools to manage expenses, reward loyal customers and access real-time performance reports, all synced through the Cloud. Offline Mode is currently available on Windows devices, with Android and iOS versions rolling out soon. Merchants can contact the Lumi Customer Success team to request early access and join the waitlist. For more information, visit www.lumibusiness.io.
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Flutterwave cuts 50% of staff in Kenya and South Africa in major cost-cutting move
Flutterwave has cut 50% of its staff in Kenya and South Africa to reduce costs and move closer to profitability ahead of a potential public listing. The move, which comes less than a year after the company laid off 3% of its workforce, affects multiple departments, with the most impact seen in compliance, legal, and human resources (HR) teams, according to people familiar with the matter. It’s the clearest sign yet that the fintech unicorn is rethinking its operations amid pressure from investors to deliver profits. At least three people close to the company’s operations told TechCabal that Flutterwave began downsizing in March 2025. In Kenya, where the company had 20 employees, roughly half were laid off. Three other employees left voluntarily in the weeks that followed. One person disclosed that while some roles were eliminated, similar positions are now being rehired in Nigeria, Flutterwave’s largest and most established market. “They’re cutting roles in countries they see as expensive to run,” said a source who asked not to be named to speak freely. “Flutterwave is also hiring for the same roles in the Nigerian market.” Flutterwave confirmed the cuts in a statement to TechCabal but said they were part of a broader performance and strategy-led review. “These actions are a normal but necessary part of ensuring we operate at the highest level across every part of the business,” Flutterwave said. “We recognise and reward impact, and we make changes when expectations are not met.” More than half of the South African team, mostly in sales, was also cut. Flutterwave declined to comment on the exact number of affected staff. Fewer than eight employees are now believed to remain for Kenyan operations, mainly focused on compliance matters. Among those who exited are Leon Kiptum, the company’s former regional manager for East Africa, and Saruni Maina, associate VP for stablecoins. Both joined Flutterwave in June 2023 as part of a bullish push into the Kenyan market. Flutterwave said it issued bonuses and promotions to high-performing staff during the same review cycle. The fintech giant says it is focused on becoming “a disciplined, enterprise-focused company” built around “sustainable growth, profitability, and long-term value.” The layoffs in its Kenya and South African offices come as Flutterwave continues to pursue critical regulatory licences in both markets. In Kenya, the company is applying for a Payment Service Provider (PSP) licence after receiving name approval from the Central Bank of Kenya in 2023. South Africa, a larger market for Flutterwave than Kenya, has yet to issue a PSP licence to the company. “We are actively engaging with regulators,” the company said, adding that its Kenyan application is “progressing as planned.” Flutterwave last raised money in early 2022 with a $250 million Series D round. Since then, it has prioritised cost-cutting and operational discipline while pursuing IPO plans. CEO Olugbenga Agboola told Bloomberg in February that the company would go public once it becomes profitable. Mark your calendars! Moonshot by TechCabal is back in Lagos on October 15–16! Join Africa’s top founders, creatives & tech leaders for 2 days of keynotes, mixers & future-forward ideas. Early bird tickets now 20% off—don’t snooze! moonshot.techcabal.com
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“Run it with tech” – How AI, UV pens, and more now aid cheating in exams
In examination halls across the country, at university or secondary school levels, cheating has entered a new phase that blurs the lines between desperation and digital literacy. Gone were the days when students snuck in folded papers covered completely by learning material they hoped would appear in their question papers or fought to sit beside the cleverest classmate. Students are finding new, and digital, ways to by-pass unsuspecting invigilators and stringent examination conditions in their desperation for academic success. A Mass Communication graduate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) who asked to remain anonymous, explains that he didn’t see himself as one of the cleverest in class. But he wanted to graduate with his mates, so he got “creative”. His creativity revolved around his Apple Watch, which became his ultimate exam companion. “There were three ways I used it,” he says. “I snapped my notes and marked them as favourites so they showed up on the watch. I also used Document Pro, which works like WPS or Word. But the game-changer was an AI app called Genie.” Genie, similar to ChatGPT but compatible with smartwatches, allowed him to scribble exam questions directly on the screen using a stylus. In return, it generated detailed answers, all without raising suspicion. “Once I started using AI, I didn’t need the other methods anymore. You just write or type the question, and boom, explanation,” he says. Five other students in universities from Western to North Central Nigeria who spoke anonymously to TechCabal about their use of smartwatches during examinations, confirmed the tactics. His classmate, who said he couldn’t afford a smartwatch, turned to something more basic: “I summarised key points after reading and sent them to myself as SMS. During the exam, I kept the phone on my desk,” he recalls. The Nokia button phone had no internet capabilities, so invigilators completely overlooked it. In Lagos, a secondary school student devised a method that involved writing answers on his desk in invisible ultraviolet (UV) ink before a WAEC exam. “The maths questions had leaked the night before, so I solved them and wrote the answers on my desk with a UV pen early in the morning before anyone could come to the hall,” he said. “Only ultraviolet light could reveal it.” The pen had a tiny built-in button that he could press to shine UV light on what he had written, revealing the answers. The method worked so well that he used it for two additional subjects without detection. At Benue State University (BSU), a Geography student perfected a different tactic: a discreet Bluetooth earbud connected to a phone positioned outside the exam hall. She made sure to sit at the back of the examination hall to maintain Bluetooth range. “I used my hair to hide the earbud and asked Google Assistant the questions,” she says. “I set my phone to automatically turn off its screen after two hours to avoid any light. I’d press the bud, whisper the question, and get the answer back in audio.” Get the best African tech newsletters in your inbox Country Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Canton and Enderbury Islands Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos [Keeling] Islands Colombia Comoros Congo – Brazzaville Congo – Kinshasa Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Côte d’Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Dronning Maud Land East Germany Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories French Southern and Antarctic Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Honduras Hong Kong SAR China Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Johnston Island Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau SAR China Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Metropolitan France Mexico Micronesia Midway Islands Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar [Burma] Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles Neutral Zone New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Korea North Vietnam Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pacific Islands Trust Territory Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Panama Canal Zone Papua New Guinea Paraguay People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen Peru Philippines Pitcairn Islands Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria São Tomé and Príncipe Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu U.S. Minor Outlying Islands U.S. Miscellaneous Pacific Islands U.S. Virgin Islands Uganda Ukraine Union of Soviet Socialist Republics United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Unknown or Invalid Region Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Wake Island Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands ?> Gender Male Female Others TC Daily Events TC Scoop <!– Next Wave –> <!– Entering Tech –> Subscribe Outsmart or be left behind: Why students cheat These aren’t isolated stories of individual mischief but reflect a growing pattern of a digital workaround culture that many students view as necessary for survival. Another smartwatch user who is still a student at UNN, and used it in his last exam
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