Fintechs lead Africa’s digital maturity, but insurers post strongest gains in 2025
African insurers have recorded the continent’s fastest digital maturity progress over the past year, narrowing the gap with fintech as the financial sector shifts focus from rapid expansion to operational efficiency and profitability, according to the African Financial Industry Report released by Deloitte, a leading global consulting and professional services firm, and the Africa Financial Summit (AFIS). The report, based on interviews with senior executives from more than 70 financial institutions across Africa, shows that more than half of institutions now consider themselves digitally mature, with 54% reporting advanced digital capabilities, up from 48% in 2024. The growing focus on digital maturity signals that African financial institutions are moving beyond digital experimentation, treating technology as essential infrastructure for profitability, risk control, and regulatory compliance, as rising costs, cybersecurity threats, and tighter funding conditions push the sector toward more disciplined and efficient operations. This shift mirrors broader changes across Africa’s financial technology ecosystem, where the era of growth-at-all-costs has given way to sustainability and risk management. Fintech funding fell sharply from $863 million in the first half of 2023 to about $185 million in the same period in 2024, as global financial conditions tightened and investors pushed companies to prioritise profitability and operational discipline over rapid expansion. At the same time, rising fraud losses have underscored the risks tied to digital scale, with Nigeria’s Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) reporting ₦52.26 billion ($38.3 million) lost to fraud in 2024, much of it through digital channels. Across the banking sector, growing cyber threats and the high cost of integrating AI and cloud infrastructure are also pushing institutions to treat digital systems less as competitive differentiation and more as core infrastructure required to manage risk, comply with regulation, and sustain margins in a more constrained operating environment. Ambroise Depouilly, managing partner at Deloitte Francophone Africa, said the sector’s transition reflects consolidation rather than slowdown. “The African financial sector has entered a phase of maturity,” he said. “Confidence is high, fundamentals are strengthening, and continental integration is becoming a reality.” Whilst fintechs remain the most digitally mature institutions, with 67% classified as digital leaders, insurers recorded the biggest year-on-year progress. Some 59% of insurance companies now occupy advanced digital positions, including 12% in the leaders category, marking a 19-point increase from 2024 and reflecting a strategic focus on building digital foundations to reach underserved markets. Banks, however, show a two-speed transformation, with 45% considering themselves advanced in digital technology, whilst 35% rank themselves as followers, compared to 15% in 2024, revealing disparities based on investment capacity. Illustrating this disparity, six major Nigerian banks, including Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), Zenith, and UBA, spent ₦268.7 billion ($171.5 million) in technology infrastructure in 2024, a 74.5% increase from 2023. As institutions strengthen their digital foundations, they are deploying technology across key operational areas. Some 81% of respondents cited digital transformation as a key lever for improving financial performance and customer experience, though the focus is shifting from launching new digital products to strengthening existing processes and controls. Central to this transformation is artificial intelligence, which is emerging as a core tool across the sector. Executives expect AI to have a strong or transformative impact across key functions, with 77% citing fraud detection as a major use case, whilst 70% pointed to operational process optimisation. Credit risk analysis and personalisation of financial products were also identified among the leading AI applications, with 72% citing personalisation and 68% pointing to chatbots as having a significant impact. However, most AI deployments are currently focused on strengthening existing risk management and operational processes rather than launching entirely new business models. Institutions are prioritising use cases with immediate returns on investment, particularly in fraud detection and credit scoring, as cybersecurity concerns intensify. On the cybersecurity front, threats are becoming more pressing. Cybersecurity was ranked as the main concern by 51% of respondents, up from 39% in 2024, with 58% reporting high or very high exposure to cyber risks. Strategic risk exposure also increased significantly to 40%, whilst regulatory risk exposure rose to 35%. Rising costs linked to talent, technology investments, and regulatory compliance are putting pressure on operational efficiency, pushing institutions to rely more heavily on automation and data-driven systems. These mounting security challenges are driving regulatory changes across the continent. Across key markets, regulators are tightening oversight around cybersecurity, digital identity, and financial crime prevention as digital financial services scale. Nigeria’s central bank has strengthened risk management and cybersecurity requirements for financial institutions, while Kenya and Ghana have expanded digital identity and e-KYC frameworks to improve traceability in financial transactions. Regulators across multiple markets have also introduced updated fintech licensing and anti–money laundering guidelines, reflecting growing pressure to align with global compliance standards and reduce systemic vulnerabilities as cross-border digital payments increase. Despite these challenges, confidence in the sector has reached its highest level, with executives rating their organisations’ three-year economic prospects at 8 out of 10 in 2025, and 74% expressing optimism, supported by easing inflation and improved operational visibility. Fintechs, however, have adjusted their expectations downward, rating their outlook at 8.33 out of 10, compared to 9.25 in 2024, as they enter a phase of demonstrating economic viability.
Read MoreBrastorne, the startup bringing rural Africans online, is expanding to Ivory Coast
Brastorne Enterprises, a Botswana-based startup that transforms feature phones into Internet-enabled devices for rural Africans, plans to begin operations in Côte d’Ivoire by the end of the first quarter of 2026 as it rolls out a lightweight web platform designed for farmers using entry-level smartphones, the company told TechCabal. The expansion will be done through a partnership with mobile network operator Orange, a long-time partner of the company, as it continues to scale services aimed at users without reliable internet access or high-end devices. Brastorne’s expansion comes as agritech platforms across Africa increasingly adopt hybrid models that combine USSD services with web and smartphone platforms in response to uneven connectivity across the continent. Smartphone adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa remains below 55%, with gaps most pronounced in rural areas where the majority of smallholder farmers live. Platforms such as Kenya’s DigiFarm, M-Kulima, and Farm.io have built services around USSD and SMS to reach farmers using basic phones while gradually introducing online platforms as internet access improves, reflecting a broader shift in African agritech toward moving users online while maintaining access for farmers who still depend on low-bandwidth channels for information, market access, and advisory services. Founded in 2013 by Martin Stimela and Naledi Magowe, Brastorne operates in Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Guinea, and Zambia, with nearly six million users. The company targets Africans without smartphones or reliable internet access, a population it estimates at about 760 million, and has partnered with organisations including Heifer International in Zambia as well as mobile operators Orange, Mascom, and MTN across its markets. The platform currently runs three core services: mAgri, which provides farmers with market information, trading opportunities, and agricultural advice; Mpotsa, an interactive voice and SMS service delivering localised content on health, education, and employment; and Vuka, a social communication service designed for feature-phone users. Brastorne co-founder Naledi Magowe said the company will keep its USSD services for feature-phone users even as it introduces a lightweight web platform for smartphone users as connectivity improves. “We chose a web app instead of an app because when we look at the farmers that we’re reaching, they do have smartphones, but entry-level smartphones where space becomes an issue,” Magowe said. “If you’re coming with an application, it’s going to be uninstalled very quickly because they want to save space.” The new web platform will allow farmers to ask questions in local languages through text, voice, or images, with responses generated by an AI system trained on agricultural data, weather information, and market intelligence. If the system cannot resolve a query, it escalates the request to a human agronomist. “We want the farmer to be able to, for example, if they’re noticing some kind of pest or disease on their plants, just take a picture, upload it on the web app, and the AI gives diagnostic information and links them to an expert,” Magowe said. According to the company, the platform integrates live weather data, pest and disease surveillance, and market pricing information to provide context-specific recommendations. It will also include training modules, certification programmes through university partnerships, farmer-to-farmer video content, and a digital marketplace where users can list and view products. Magowe said artificial intelligence (AI) will increasingly be used to personalise user experiences and improve efficiency, although the company is still building technical capacity. “We’re still looking for talent that can help us solidify our AI operation,” she said, noting that specialised AI expertise remains limited across the continent. Get The Best African Tech Newsletters In Your Inbox Select your country Nigeria Ghana Kenya South Africa Egypt Morocco Tunisia Algeria Libya Sudan Ethiopia Somalia Djibouti Eritrea Uganda Tanzania Rwanda Burundi Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Central African Republic Chad Cameroon Gabon Equatorial Guinea São Tomé and Príncipe Angola Zambia Zimbabwe Botswana Namibia Lesotho Eswatini Mozambique Madagascar Mauritius Seychelles Comoros Cape Verde Guinea-Bissau Senegal The Gambia Guinea Sierra Leone Liberia Côte d’Ivoire Burkina Faso Mali Niger Benin Togo Other Select your gender Male Female Others TC Daily TC Events TC Scoop Subscribe Brastorne also plans to introduce financial services such as credit and insurance for smallholder farmers through partnerships with mobile money platforms, including Orange Money and MTN MoMo. Magowe said localisation will be central to the Côte d’Ivoire launch, a factor she described as key to Brastorne’s success across multiple African markets. “Every country is very unique. What’s being farmed is different, the climate is different, even livestock priorities are different,” she said. “We work with local content partners to ensure the right translations, the right content, and that our products are tailored to the needs of farmers in each market.” While partnerships with mobile network operators have enabled scale, they have also slowed expansion timelines, a challenge the company is trying to mitigate. “Just to get things situated in Botswana, it took us about three years. And then the next market we went into was DRC. That took almost two years. Then the next market took about a year,” Magowe said. “So it does reduce over time. However, it’s not as fast as we need it to be because we’re also a business and we need to grow and we have a team and we still have to operate.” Despite the challenge, the company is proceeding with its Côte d’Ivoire launch as it accelerates its shift from USSD to AI-driven platforms across new markets. As Brastorne prepares to enter Côte d’Ivoire, it is also exploring expansion into Burkina Faso, Benin, Sierra Leone, and Ghana, with the long-term goal of operating in at least 19 African countries and reaching over 45 million users, helping to narrow the continent’s connectivity gap.
Read More“In 2026, with fraud no longer a major distraction, fintechs will return to massive growth and innovation.” – Adedeji Olowe
Prediction With fraud no longer a major distraction following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s strict regulatory interventions and consumer trust being rebuilt, fintechs will return to massive growth and innovation. The market could double this year alone. Supporting Evidence CBN has already shown it will use enforcement to force compliance. The fines on Moniepoint and OPay in 2024 signalled a tougher posture toward large platforms. The CBN’s own fintech reporting and ecosystem survey positioning emphasise trust frameworks, consumer protection, and a more orderly market structure. Underlying payment rails are still compounding fast, meaning the demand side is there if trust improves. Payment data shows large yearly increases in instant payment value and strong growth in mobile transfers. Large Nigerian consumer fintechs have reached massive scale (users and merchants), which makes them unusually capable of converting renewed trust into higher engagement, cross-selling, and new launches. Risk Factors Compliance costs, licensing constraints, and operational restrictions can slow experimentation even if it helps incumbents. The CBN’s own survey shows the ecosystem is split on whether regulation is supportive or constraining. A major platform outage, high-profile scam, or enforcement action can reset consumer sentiment quickly, especially in a market where many users are newly banked and trust is still thin. Who is Adedeji Olowe? Adedeji Olowe is a Nigerian technology entrepreneur and financial services professional with deep experience across banking and fintech. He previously worked in the Nigerian banking sector, where he was involved in building and managing large-scale financial systems before transitioning into technology entrepreneurship. He is the founder of Lendsqr, a fintech infrastructure company that provides tools for lenders and financial institutions to build, manage, and scale digital credit products across Africa. Olowe is also the Chairman of the Board at Paystack, where he supports the company’s long-term governance and strategic direction.
Read MoreUS-backed Zipline partners with Rwanda for drone delivery of medicines
Rwanda has signed an expansion agreement with US-based drone logistics company Zipline to scale autonomous medical delivery systems, under a $150 million “pay-for-performance” funding from the US Department of State. The deal triggers the release of US funding designed to scale Zipline’s AI-driven medical delivery infrastructure across Africa, after the company secured national expansion commitments from governments on the continent. The development, which was announced in a statement on Thursday, marks the first milestone in a US experiment to push African governments to adopt drone logistics as permanent national infrastructure rather than donor-funded pilot projects. This now positions Rwanda as the first country in the world with nationwide autonomous logistics coverage and the first in Africa to deploy Zipline’s urban delivery system and an autonomous delivery testing centre. The agreement aims to cut delivery times for vaccines, blood, and essential medicines, potentially strengthening health outcomes and national healthcare systems. “Rwanda and Zipline have been working together for years to harness technology for the good of our people. We have witnessed the extraordinary impact of drone delivery — saving time, saving money, and saving lives,” said Paula Ingabire, Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation. Under the agreement, Rwanda will introduce Zipline’s urban delivery system, Platform 2 (P2), in Kigali, where about 40%of the country’s healthcare demand is concentrated. The system enables fast, quiet, and precise deliveries in dense urban areas. Rwanda will also add a new long-range distribution hub in Karongi District, complementing existing hubs in Muhanga and Kayonza, and expand service coverage to more than 11 million people. “Today, Rwanda is doing it again. This is a global first — not because the technology exists, but because the leadership exists,” Caitlin Burton, CEO of Zipline Africa, said, adding that the partnership sets a new global standard for deploying innovation. The US government will provide upfront infrastructure funding, while the Rwandan government will pay for ongoing operations. Zipline will also establish its first overseas AI and robotics testing facility in Rwanda to support aircraft testing, safety systems, and next-generation logistics software development. Since launching operations in Rwanda in 2016, Zipline has partnered with national governments to supply blood and essential medicines to more than 5,000 hospitals and health facilities. After its expansion in Rwanda, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Nigeria are expected to follow.
Read MoreeTranzact beats Q4 revenue forecast but misses 2025 profit target
eTranzact International Plc, a Nigerian payments and switching company, failed to hit its 2025 profit target despite posting a slight revenue increase, according to its unaudited results. The company’s profit after tax fell by 15.68% to ₦2.97 billion ($2.14 million) in 2025. Revenue for 2025 rose marginally by 1.08% to ₦29.82 billion (21.45 million), while gross profit climbed 24.48%. In an email to TechCabal, the company said, “Major projects/mandates that were set to commence in Q4 2025, these projects are major drivers of the projected Q4 2025 revenue/earnings forecast, and drive revenue significantly during the quarter, were stalled due to some external dependencies.” Cost of sales dropped 13.62%, suggesting an improvement in unit economics. But a 50.08% increase in administrative expenses to ₦9.24 billion ($6.65 million) wiped out those gains, dragging full-year profit below 2024 levels. Money Vertical FY 2025: Annual Efficiency vs. Operational Friction A comparative look at eTranzact’s pivot success and its administrative cost challenges. FY 2024 (BASE) The baseline performance before the shift to high-margin revenue lines. FY 2025 (SHIFT) Shows the 13.8% drop in Cost of Sales alongside the 50% admin cost surge. The company explained that key drivers of this increase include a rise in depreciation based on the acquisition of assets, and investment in the company’s manpower to meet business needs and drive business growth. eTranzact’s results reveal a company growing top line, but struggling to convert that growth into profit as costs surge amid a shift away from its major revenue line, airtime sales. While the company is yet to reveal the full breakdown of its revenue line, it told TechCabal, “The percentage of mobile airtime revenue to total gross revenue reduced in 2025. Further disclosures will be available in the 2025 audited financial statements.” The company beat its fourth quarter 2025 revenue forecast, but a jump in cost of sales and overheads crushed margins, leaving it far short of its full-year profit projection. In October 2025, the company projected ₦8.19 billion ($5.89 million) in Q4 2025, and ₦1.87 billion ($1.35 million) in profit after tax. This would have taken its full-year revenue to ₦28.30 billion ($20.35 million) and profit to ₦4.28 billion ($3.08 million). Instead, eTranzact beat its fourth-quarter revenue target, posting ₦9.86 billion ($7.09 million) in revenue, but profits fell sharply. Costs surged well beyond projections, compressing margins and dragging profit after tax down to just over ₦561.66 million ($403.97 million), far below the company’s expectations. Money Vertical Composition of 2025 Financial Projections A breakdown of how eTranzact arrived at its full-year targets. 9 Months Actual Q4 Projected “The increase in cost of sales is mainly because of an increase in technology cost and the direct impact of an increase in revenue lines with high direct cost components/low margins,” the company said “The actual revenue achieved for those lines exceeded what was projected, and this increased the direct cost accordingly. Major drivers of the Q4 revenue were high-margin revenue lines with little to no direct cost components.” The company told TechCabal in October that its projections reflected a strategic shift away from airtime sales, historically one of its biggest but lowest-margin revenue lines. Over the years, a significant part of eTranzact’s revenue has been value-added services such as airtime, which it describes as very low margin. eTranzact noted at the time that it was prioritising other business lines, such as switching, which includes funds transfer, bill payments, payment gateway, and its financial inclusion business. The company operates across switching, merchant acquiring, and consumer solutions, offering products including PocketMoni, a fintech app, Corporate Pay, for salary disbursements, PayOutlet, for merchant payments, SwitchIT, for transaction processing, and Credo, a social commerce payment gateway. Despite the profit miss, eTranzact’s cash position improved over the period, pointing to stronger operating momentum. Cash receipts from customers rose by 0.62%, and cash paid to suppliers and employees fell by 82.80%, leaving a net positive cash movement of ₦23.78 billion ($17.10 million). Money Vertical Corrected Cash Flow Dynamics (2024–2025) A precise breakdown of eTranzact’s shift from a ₦4.46B deficit to a ₦23.78B surplus. Metric (Billions ₦) 2024 (Actual) 2025 (Unaudited) Change (%) Customer Receipts 29.42 29.60 +0.61% Supplier/Emp. Payments 33.88 5.83 -82.79% Net Operating Cash Flow -4.46 23.78 +633.18% In its forecast for Q1, 2026, eTranzact expects revenue to fall by 42.69%, and an 18.98% drop in profit to ₦672.72 million ($483,846). The company expects airtime’s contribution to continue shrinking as it doubles down on digital payments and enterprise platforms. It is also betting on growth from its approval by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to support Nigeria’s e-invoicing rollout, a government initiative aimed at digitising tax and business processes.
Read MoreEverything you need to know about 2026 UTME registration
Table of contents How to register for the 2026 UTME online How to register for the 2026 UTME offline Comprehensive 2026 UTME/DE registration and examination timeline Important things to know before and after you register Registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) began with the sale of e-PINS on Monday, January 19, 2026. Full registration opened on Monday, January 26, 2026 and will end on Saturday, February 28, 2026. The five-week window covers nearly two million candidates who must create online profiles and complete biometric capture at accredited computer-based test (CBT) centres. Several new rules apply to this year’s exercise under the “No Vision, No Registration” policy introduced by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede. Every computer-based test centre must livestream all registration activities to the board’s headquarters in Abuja, a measure aimed at curbing extortion, impersonation, and data breaches. Candidates must also be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, to qualify for university admission, a requirement which JAMB says helps ensure students are ready for higher education. Here is everything you need to know about registering for the 2026 UTME. How to register for the 2026 UTME online You can start your 2026 UTME registration online before going to any CBT centre. This step links your identity, phone number, and NIN to JAMB. What to check before you start Your details on the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) database must be correct, including your name, date of birth, gender, and state of origin JAMB pulls this data directly, so you cannot change it at a CBT centre Use your own phone number You must use one personal number for the whole process This number receives your profile code, your ePIN, and all JAMB messages Get your profile code Send your 11-digit NIN by SMS to 55019 or 66019 Use this format: NIN 00123456789 You will get a 10-character profile code by SMS If you used UTME before, send RESEND to 55019 or 66019 to reactivate your old code Choose your exam and pay Pick UTME with mock, UTME without mock, or Direct Entry The cost is N8,700 for UTME with mock, N7,200 for UTME without mock, and N5,700 for Direct Entry Pay through bank apps, POS, or fintech apps like OPay, PalmPay, or Kuda You can also use BuyCard with your profile code Get your e PIN After payment, JAMB sends your ePIN by SMS to your phone If you lose it, send UTMEPIN or DEPIN to 55019 or 66019 Keep your SIM active If you bought a new SIM, ask your network to activate the Keep My Number service This keeps your number active for up to three years Set up your email Create a personal email address You will use it for your JAMB e-facility account, exam slips, and CAPS admission checks How to register for the 2026 UTME offline You must go to a JAMB-approved CBT centre to finish your 2026 UTME registration. This is where your biometrics and exam choices are confirmed in person. Where to go Visit only JAMB-approved CBT centres, professional registration centres, or JAMB state and zonal offices Do not use private cybercafés or unapproved places because your registration can be canceled What to take Your 10-character profile code Your e PIN You do not pay any extra fees at the centre because it is already included in the e PIN What you will do at the centre Fill a paper template with your first, second, third, and fourth choices of schools and courses Give your fingerprints for all ten fingers to stop impersonation Take a live photo using approved Microsoft or Digitech cameras, which links to the NIMC database Your centre must stream this live to JAMB under the No Vision policy Upload and exam location If you have WAEC or NECO results, the operator uploads them If your result is not ready, choose Awaiting Result and upload later Choose your exam town, and JAMB will place you in a centre within that zone Final checks Use the dual screen to see everything being typed Check your name and subject choices before you approve Confirm with your thumbprint After registration You will get a printed registration slip with your details and subject combination Collection of Mandatory Reading Materials: After successful registration, you are entitled to collect the prescribed reading text, “The Lekki Headmaster” by Kabir Alabi Garba and the JAMB CD containing the brochure and syllabus Comprehensive 2026 UTME/DE registration and examination timeline The table below shows the key dates for the 2026 cycle. You must follow these dates because the system will shut down vending and registration at the end of each period. Important things to know before and after you register The 2026 UTME is strict, and small mistakes can prevent you from gaining admission, even if your score is high. You need to get your details right from the start and check your JAMB account regularly after you register. What you must have before you register Your 11-digit NIN that matches the NIMC database One personal phone number that no other candidate has used Your O Level results with grades and dates, or for Direct Entry, your previous matric number and school details Money to pay for the ePIN, because once you buy it, JAMB does not give refunds Common mistakes that cause problems Using henna or laali on your fingers, which can stop the scanner from reading your fingerprints and get you blocked from the exam Picking the wrong subject combination, such as leaving out Mathematics for Science or Technology courses Using more than one NIN to create multiple profiles, which the JAMB software will detect and cancel Having different names on your NIN and O Level result, which schools can reject unless you fix it at NIMC before getting your profile code What to do after you register Print your exam slip seven to ten days before the exam to see your date, time, and
Read MoreAGOA extension buys time for Kenya’s digital export economy as US tightens rules
The United States (US) government has renewed the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a trade agreement that offers duty-free access to the US market for selected goods. The renewal will run through December 31, 2026, extending access to the American market for eligible African exports and offering a political lifeline to countries betting on digital trade for jobs and growth. Kenyan officials and industry groups had warned that more than 66,000 export processing zone (EPZ) jobs and as many as 800,000 livelihoods, including 3,000 to 7,000 tech‑related roles tied to export processing, could have been hit after US President Donald Trump signalled that AGOA could be scrapped as part of a wider tariff move. That prospect raised the stakes had the trade deal lapsed without renewal. But the renewal lands in a world where the real test for hubs like Kenya will be whether digital exports, including call centre work, software development, and AI data labelling, can still create stable and well‑paid jobs even as Washington sharpens scrutiny of cross‑border data flows and digital services. Kenya has spent years cultivating its “Silicon Savannah” brand, building an IT‑enabled services sector that ranges from business process outsourcing (BPO) to niche AI annotation outfits serving large global tech firms. Information and communication technology (ICT) export earnings fell from KES 227.0 million ($1.76 million) in October 2025 to KES 208.1 million ($1.61 million) in November, according to data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS). ICT imports grew from KES 4.4 billion ($34.1 million) to KES 5.1 billion ($39.5 million) over the same period, widening the trade gap and underscoring the growing weight of digital payments and the labour market. That concentration makes the jobs pipeline highly sensitive to policy signals from the US. A tariff on specific digital services or a new data‑localisation rule can prompt large clients to shift contracts overnight, leaving Kenyan firms scrambling to fill capacity and workers watching their shifts disappear. Kenya’s official unemployment rate of about 5.6% obscures an economy in which more than four in five non‑farm workers operate without formal contracts or social protection. For those workers, fewer US‑facing contracts mean weaker earnings and thinner remittance flows to their families. Industry lobby group Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) said on Tuesday that the extension helps firms avoid supply chain disruption and order cancellations that had started to weigh on export planning in late 2025. “The United States of America is one of Kenya’s most important trading partners, accounting for about 9% of our external market. Kenya’s exports to the USA stood at $788.6 million in 2025, compared to imports of $930.8 million,” Tobias Alando, the CEO of KAM, said. AGOA’s renewal keeps Kenya among countries with preferential access to the United States market, buying time for exporters, but it does little to slow the shift towards tighter checks on digital trade tied to national security and data privacy.
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How to check 2025 NECO results
Table of contents How to check your 2025 NECO results on the official NECO website How to check your 2025 NECO results on your phone How to check your 2025 NECO results offline What to do if your result is not showing On Tuesday, the National Examinations Council (NECO) released the 2025 Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) External results, with 72% of candidates passing. NECO Registrar and Chief Executive, Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi announced that a total of 96,979 candidates registered for the exams, comprising 51,823 males and 45,156 females, and were tested across 16 subjects. The exams took place from November 26 to December 13, 2025, while marking ran from January 5 to January 21, 2026, creating a 52-day gap between the final paper and the release of results. According to NECO, 93,425 candidates sat for the English Language exam, and 78.32% earned credit or higher. Mathematics saw 93,330 candidates, with 91.35% passing with a credit or higher. Overall, 68,166 candidates achieved five credits, including English and Mathematics, while 82,082 earned five credits or more without those two subjects, indicating strong performance. Malpractice remains a major challenge. 9,016 candidates were booked for malpractice during the 2025 NECO, a 31.7% jump from 2024. Five supervisors were recommended for blacklisting, and four centres in Niger, Yobe, and Kano were flagged for full centre malpractice. If you are a candidate, here is how you can check NECO results on the website, your phone, and offline How to check your 2025 NECO results on the official NECO website Image source: NECO portal You can check your result on the NECO portal at results.neco.gov.ng. The site uses a token system with a 12-digit alphanumeric code instead of scratch cards. When you check your result via the portal, you can view your full electronic certificate, including your passport photo and all your subject grades. What you need A NECO result checking token with a 12-digit code Your 10-digit registration number An internet connection Method 1: Get your token from NECO Log in or create an account using your email and phone number Go to Purchase Token Pay through Remita using debit card, USSD, or bank transfer The token costs ₦1,000, though some vendors may add a fee Method 2: Authorised third-party vendors If the NECO site is slow, you can buy tokens from: BuyCard.ng for about ₦1,300 E PinMall for about ₦1,500 Cegital Inc for instant display and email delivery How to check your result Go to https://results.neco.gov.ng/ Select 2025 as your exam year Choose your exam type, either SSCE INTERNAL or SSCE EXTERNAL Enter your 12-digit token, which is case sensitive and can be used up to five times Enter your 10-digit registration number Click Check Result Key things to know A single token works for the same result up to 5 times For official school or admission checks, you may need to use the NECO eVerify Platform Token prices usually range from ₦1,300 to ₦1,500 when you buy from vendors Save your result Click Print to download a PDF Save it on your phone or computer for school and admission use This online system lets you get your result without visiting any NECO office, so you can access it faster and with less stress. How to check your 2025 NECO results on your phone You can check your NECO result on your phone using a mobile browser or by SMS. The mobile browser option works with 3G, 4G, or 5G internet. The SMS option works without data and is useful in areas with weak network coverage. Mobile browser method Open Google Chrome or Safari and go to results.neco.gov.ng Log in or use the Check Result option if you already bought a token Enter 2025, your exam type, your 12-digit token, and your 10-digit registration number When your result shows, use Save as PDF from your browser to store it on your phone SMS method Open your phone’s messaging app and type your details in this specific format: NECO*ExamNo*PIN*ExamYear. Example: NECO*12345678AB*686442341122*2025 Note: Ensure there are no spaces between the details. Send to Shortcode: Send the message to the official NECO result-checking number: 32327. Wait for Response: You will receive a text message with your subject results and grades shortly after you send. Important Requirements: Token (PIN) Still Needed: You must have already purchased a result-checking token from the NECO Results Portal to use this method. Airtime Balance: Ensure you have at least ₦50 in airtime on your phone, as SMS charges apply. Network Support: This service is typically available for major Nigerian networks, including MTN, Glo, and Airtel. How to check your 2025 NECO results offline You can also get your 2025 NECO result offline through your school or a NECO office. This is useful if you need official checks, name fixes, or if you wrote the SSCE Internal. If you wrote SSCE Internal Go to the secondary school where you registered The school exam officer or principal collects the Master List from the NECO state office You can ask for a stamped and signed result slip from this list, which you can use for school clearance If you need corrections or attestation Visit the nearest NECO office for name or date of birth issues, or for Attestation of Results In Lagos, go to 175 Ikorodu Rd, Onipanu or the zonal office in Lekki Phase I, Lagos Take your ID, your exam registration slip, and proof of payment for any service fees How to get your original certificate Schools release original certificates one to two years after the exam Go back to your school to sign and collect it if you wrote the SSCE Internal If you wrote the SSCE External, collect it from the NECO state office where you took the exam All offline and special service fees must be paid through payments.neco.gov.ng before NECO will process your request. What to do if your NECO result is not showing If your result does not appear on the portal, the message you see
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Nigerian gig workers struggle with tax rules. KeepAm wants to guide them
KeepAm, a Nigeria-based tax record and filing app launched in January, is built for remote workers, creators, and small operators who have historically earned first and thought about tax later. Instead of a once‑a‑year tax chore, the app reframes as something users quietly keep up with through everyday record‑keeping. Its founder, Emmanuel Olorunshola, frames the product around two linked ideas: many new earners now fall under tax rules they do not understand, and many also miss deductions that could reduce what they owe if they kept proper records. The app, available on the web and usable offline, is built to address this. Large parts of economic activity in Nigeria sit outside payroll systems, where tax is deducted automatically. Policy, however, is moving toward greater data visibility. For instance, Nigerian banks already report transaction data under financial surveillance rules. The Federal Inland Revenue Service has pushed e-filing systems alongside closer monitoring of digital and cross-border income. Platforms like KeepAm sit between raw bank transactions and formal tax filings, translating one into the other. Turning bank inflows into tax records KeepAm’s design is based on a practical problem that defines modern tax enforcement in digital economies. When money lands in a bank account, authorities can see the amount and the account holder, but cannot determine whether the transfer represents profit, reimbursed expenses, a pass-through payment to suppliers, or a personal gift. In an open banking system that relies on customer data, the default risk for organised freelancers is that gross inflows begin to resemble taxable income, Olorunshola explains, unless the individual can prove otherwise. Olorunshola describes this burden of proof as central to the product’s design, arguing that without structured records, people who work project to project may be assessed on turnover rather than actual earnings after costs. KeepAm responds by building a continuous documentation layer over everyday transactions. Signing up User journey. Image: KeepAm The product follows a simple and intuitive flow. Users start by signing up and logging income each time they are paid. Next, they attach related expenses and store corresponding proof or receipts in one place. From there, users can generate a detailed report whenever they need it. This process continues throughout the year, making it easier to stay organised rather than rushing to compile records during filing season. “We use multi-layer validation with Nigerian-specific patterns,” Olorunshola said. “Common issues include mixed currencies (we auto-convert to NGN), cash transactions (we allow with confidence scoring), and informal descriptions.” Users log income as it comes in and are prompted to attach related expenses, ranging from data purchases and transport to software subscriptions and equipment. The system asks whether costs were incurred to deliver a specific job, then classifies those items as potential deductions. Receipts, whether paper or digital, can be captured and stored within the app, turning what might otherwise be lost or informal evidence into a retrievable archive. According to Olorunshola, this structure feeds into the filing report that users can download and submit to their state tax authority. The product also incorporates digital invoicing, which aligns with broader government interest in traceable billing. Instead of sending clients only an account number, users can issue invoices through the app, linking payment requests to documented work. Once paid, the invoice, payment and related expenses sit within a single chain of records. For creators and freelancers accustomed to informal workflows via messaging apps, this represents a shift toward formal bookkeeping without the need to adopt full accounting software, which many find too complex or expensive. Olorunshola said the goal is not to turn individuals into accountants, but to embed tax-relevant structure into actions they already take. That design choice matters because the platform deliberately avoids accounting jargon. Using KeepAm KeepAm user interface. Image: TechCabal Signing up for KeepAm took less than three minutes, with instant email verification and a dashboard that loaded in about two seconds on my device. The main screen gives a clear overview of a user’s finances, showing income, expenses, net position for the month, and tax status for the year in one place. The dashboard highlights practical tools across the top, including Calculate, Tax Plan, Clients, Projections, Invoices, and Savings, allowing users jump straight into core tax and business tasks without digging through menus. Each section opens into a focused workspace, such as tracking income and expenses, managing receipts, or handling clients and business profiles. Upcoming tax and value-added tax (VAT) deadlines are displayed in a dedicated panel, with due dates and countdowns in days, making it easier to stay compliant rather than relying on memory or separate reminders. A “Tip of the Day” card surfaces context-aware guidance, such as how to claim home office deductions, with quick links to launch a relevant calculator or view more tips. The tax status module shows total earned this year, progress toward the next tax bracket, tax owed so far and how much to set aside monthly, with links to view a detailed breakdown or plan. Myth‑buster banners at the top address common fears about taxes and compliance in plain language, helping users feel more confident about starting to file, even if they have not been paying regularly. Automation KeepAm positions itself as an automated system rather than a human advisory service. Olorunshola clarified that calculations and classifications are run through the software, with limited back-end visibility into user data and no logging of administrative access, reflecting compliance with Nigeria’s data protection framework. This architecture matters because target users are being asked to centralise sensitive financial information in one place, including income records and tax identifiers. There is a free basic account that includes up to 20 invoice checks, 20 income and expense entries, and 20 receipt scans. The pro version costs ₦2,500 ($1.79) and provides access to invoicing, expense tracking, and tax filing tools. The business version costs ₦7,500 ($5.37) and includes all pro features, plus full business tools designed for SMEs. For a population that often mistrusts government and digital platforms, perceived data risk can be as
Read MoreInvestors often overlook promising startups. This VC program trains scouts
Since the capital rush of the zero-interest rate era of the early 2020s, which saw investors increase their appetite for riskier bets, Africa’s venture capital industry has slowly solved its talent problem. Today, local investors account for nearly 40% of the total funding that African startups receive yearly. Some of this growth has been driven by the rise of venture capital-focused training programmes such as Dream VC, Included VC, and Immerse VC, which have helped professionalise the industry by teaching new VC employees how to operate as venture capitalists and, in some cases, help people secure jobs with VC firms. But while these programmes have focused on VC employment as a whole, none have been dedicated to venture scouting, an entry point that can be part-time, decentralised and help attract more foreign investors to the continent. Benjamin Udokwu, a former founder and consultant, is trying to fix that with Seven24 Ventures, a program designed to teach Africans how to be venture scouts. Venture scouting is the process of finding and evaluating promising early-stage startups on behalf of a venture capital firm (or angel syndicate) before those startups are widely known or formally fundraising. Udokwu became a scout himself after Gopaxy, his retail tech startup, failed in 2019 due to a lack of capital. “I even joined Founder Institute’s very first cohort in Lagos to test the idea better, but it still did not pan out,” he said. That experience led him to co-found Climatr, an environmental and sustainability consultancy, and ultimately discover the access-to-capital challenges faced by other early-stage founders between 2020 and 2021. Udokwu’s scouting began with informal conversations on LinkedIn and evolved into a manual process of finding VCs and cold-messaging them about deals. For this week’s Ask an Investor, I spoke to Udokwu about his motivation for starting Seven24 Ventures, how the scout academy addresses access-to-capital challenges faced by underrepresented founders, the traits of a great scout, and common misconceptions about deal sourcing. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Why did you start Seven24? What gap did you see that you were trying to fill? Back in 2019, there weren’t many people into scouting. Back then, it was like four people doing scouting across Africa, even including North Africa. Scouting wasn’t a mainstream thing. It seemed like we were gatekeepers, and of course, that came with certain privileges. But I’d receive calls regularly asking for advice on how to enter venture scouting. I thought, ‘Why hoard the knowledge?’ The ecosystem is growing. 2019 isn’t 2026. The volume of startups launched every day, every month, is massive. Four people can’t cover Nigeria, let alone West Africa or sub-Saharan Africa. The market is huge. It made sense to disseminate the expertise and experience we’d built, bring in passionate people, and pass the baton—so they can do more than we did in helping underrepresented founders get visibility, access to capital, and funding to grow their businesses. How are scouts typically compensated? There are different models. The model I started with, and still use, does not charge upfront. A founder doesn’t pay me to begin scouting. Instead, we agree that if any introduction I make leads to an investment, I take 5% of that specific check. For example, if a startup is raising $500k and I bring an investor who puts in $100k, I take 5% of that $100k—that’s $5,000. I’m not taking 5% of the entire round—just the portion I sourced. Some scouts or agencies charge upfront—$2,000, $5,000, or sometimes $10,000. I don’t like that model because once you take money upfront, you’re under pressure to “deliver” an investment even though you don’t control the final decision. If none of the VCs invest, it can damage your reputation. My approach protects reputation: no upfront fee. I get you access. If it results in investment, you pay. I’ve personally onboarded and introduced over 150 startups to VCs through my network. What are you optimising for with Seven24? Two things: more deals and better deals. More deals in the sense that VCs can have a more robust pipeline to evaluate before concluding whether there’s quality in the ecosystem. And better deals, because the issue is often not deal scarcity—it’s visibility to great deals. I spoke with a VC firm last year. Their plan was to invest in, say, 10 deals, but they ended up doing four because they felt they didn’t have access to quality opportunities. My conviction is: the deals exist. Many founders are building amazing things, and a lot of prominent VC firms don’t know about them. They go for the usual suspects—people who are already visible on major platforms—but many underrepresented startups aren’t seen. What we’re optimising for is access to quality, underrepresented deals. If we train 10–15 quality scouts across markets—say South Africa as an example—they can plug into local ecosystems and spotlight founders that would otherwise be overlooked. VC firms benefit from a stronger pipeline and are more likely to meet their annual investment targets. It’s a win-win: more founders get funded, and VCs have a better, more robust deal pipeline. What makes a great Seven24 scout? First is market curiosity. Great scouts are endlessly curious about industries, trends, and market behaviour within their ecosystems. Curiosity helps you spot early signals that other people miss. You should be able to look at historical data and current trends and understand where the market is tilting so you can position yourself to source the best deals. Second is networking and relationship building. Scouts thrive on trust. Strong relationships with founders, operators, and investors create a steady pipeline of credible opportunities. On the VC side, you need relationships with the right people—GPs when possible, but also analysts and associates who review deals. On the founder side, you need trust and credibility, because founders who trust you will refer you to other strong founders. Third is analytical thinking. Scouts need to quickly filter startups and distinguish real traction from noise. Strong analysis sharpens judgement and reduces wasted
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