Everything Samsung announced at Galaxy Unpacked 2026
Table of contents Product announcements Software & feature announcements Pricing & availability Samsung held its first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2026 on Wednesday, February 25 at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. The theme was “Your Companion to AI Living,” built around what Samsung calls “Agentic AI” software that anticipates your needs and handles multi-step tasks across your devices. The keynote unveiled the Galaxy S26 series, the redesigned Galaxy Buds4 lineup, the Galaxy Z TriFold, and Samsung’s first pair of multimodal AI smart glasses. If you want to see how this event compares to last year’s, read our full breakdown of Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026 vs 2025 Here’s everything that was announced at the event. Product announcements at Galaxy Unpacked 2026 1. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Image source: Samsung on YouTube The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is Samsung’s most powerful phone for 2026, built around a titanium frame and packed with features aimed at professionals. We covered everything expected from this device in our earlier piece on Samsung Galaxy phones coming in 2026 The biggest new feature is the world’s first built-in Privacy Display. Samsung calls it “Flex Magic Pixel,” and it works at the pixel level using electronic current and light dispersion. When you look at it straight on, you get the full QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 10-bit colour depth and flagship-level peak brightness. When someone looks at your screen from the side, they see nothing. No aftermarket privacy film needed. This is especially useful if you work in busy cities like Lagos or Nairobi, where shoulder surfing is a real concern. The display is also covered by Gorilla Armor 2, which cuts glare by up to 75%. Under the hood, it runs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. Samsung also redesigned the internal cooling system, repositioning the vapour chamber to more evenly distribute heat across the device. That means your phone holds its performance during video editing or heavy gaming without slowing down. For the camera, here’s what you get: 200MP main sensor with a wider aperture that takes in 47% more light than the S25 Ultra 50MP periscope telephoto lens 10MP telephoto lens 50MP ultra-wide sensor You can also shoot 8K video using the new APV (Advanced Professional Video) codec, which preserves near-lossless quality for post-production editing. Price and availability Nigeria: starting at approximately ₦1,705,000 for the 256GB model Global: $1,299.99 Pre-orders open February 26, retail launch March 11, 2026 2. Galaxy Z TriFold The Galaxy Z TriFold made its global commercial debut at Unpacked 2026. Samsung had teased the tri-folding design before, but this is the first time it’s being launched globally. Using a dual-hinge “Z” design, it unfolds from a standard smartphone into a large AMOLED display that works as a mobile workstation with standalone Samsung DeX support, no external screen needed. Key specs: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset 16GB RAM as standard 5,600mAh battery, the largest ever in a Galaxy foldable 200MP main camera, the same sensor as the Ultra It’s also built with nine recycled materials, including plastics from discarded fishing nets and recycled lithium. Price and availability Global: $2,500 (approximately ₦3,500,000 in Nigeria) Rolling out to the United States, Europe, and Nigeria in Q1 2026 3. Samsung Smart Glasses Samsung also announced its Smart Glasses, built in collaboration with Google and Qualcomm, with design input from Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. They weigh 50 grams and are designed for all-day wear. The glasses run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 platform and Android XR. They come in two versions: A voice and sensor model for basic AI assistance A display model that overlays digital information onto the lens The built-in 12MP camera with autofocus lets the Gemini AI see what you see, enabling features like real-time translation of street signs and identification of objects around you just by looking at them. Pricing is estimated at $500-$800, consistent with high-end AR wearables in this category. Global release is expected later in 2026. 4. Galaxy Buds4 Pro Image source: Samsung on YouTube The Buds4 Pro is a complete redesign. Samsung used over 100 million global ear-shape data points and 10,000 fit simulations to get the fit right, built for comfort even during 24-hour wear. On the audio side: A new bezel-less woofer expands the vibrating surface area by 20% Paired with a dedicated tweeter for ultra-high-resolution 24-bit/96kHz audio Adaptive ANC that adjusts noise-blocking intensity based on your ear shape and environment Two features worth highlighting: “Head Gestures” lets you answer a call with a nod or decline it with a head shake, no hands needed. You can also launch AI agents like Gemini and Perplexity directly from the buds using your voice, so your phone can stay in your pocket. 5. Galaxy S26+ The S26+ sits between the base S26 and the Ultra, giving you a large-screen experience without the S Pen or Privacy Display. It comes with a QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with peak brightness suited for gaming and streaming. New this year is “ProScaler,” an AI feature that improves the resolution and colour of your streaming video in real time. For Nigeria, the S26+ may ship with either the Exynos 2600 or Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, depending on regional distribution, both paired with 12GB of RAM. 6. Galaxy S26 The base Galaxy S26 is the most accessible phone in the S26 lineup. Samsung has standardised 12GB of RAM across the entire S26 series, a 4GB increase over last year’s base model, specifically to support on-device Agentic AI tools. The 128GB storage option is gone. You now get 256GB as the baseline, double what you got before. Globally, the price went up by $100. 7. Galaxy Buds4 The standard Buds4 brings most of the Pro’s improvements at a lower price. It keeps the Machine Learning-powered “Super Clear Call” feature, which uses three microphones per earbud and 16kHz bandwidth support for clear audio in noisy environments. It also has a semi-transparent charging case and
Read More
Key highlights from Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026
The Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event, held on Wednesday, February 25, in San Francisco, in the United States of America, marked a pivotal shift from traditional smartphone launches to a broader vision of an integrated AI lifestyle. Notably, the entire keynote presentation was captured and livestreamed using the Galaxy S26 Ultra, demonstrating the device’s professional-grade broadcast capabilities. Image Source: Samsung Key highlights The event focused on the transition from generative AI to autonomous agents. Samsung introduced a multi-agent ecosystem, allowing users to choose between various AI assistants for specific tasks. A significant portion of the presentation was dedicated to the brand’s environmental commitments, specifically focusing on water management and circularity. Samsung detailed its progress in incorporating recycled minerals and ocean-bound plastics into its latest hardware, alongside a new initiative to restore water to local communities in proportion to the water used in its manufacturing processes. Products unveiled Galaxy S26 series: The flagship lineup featuring the S26, S26+, and the S26 Ultra. Galaxy Buds 4 series: New earbuds featuring an upgraded design and AI-powered active noise cancellation. New features Privacy display: Debuting on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, this is the world’s first privacy display on mobile. Powered by “Flex Magic Pixel” technology, it allows for hardware-level control of viewing angles. When activated, the screen appears dark to prying eyes from the side, effectively eliminating “shoulder surfing” without the need for physical screen protectors. Multi-Agent AI: For the first time, Samsung has integrated Perplexity AI at a system level alongside Gemini and Bixby. “We are building life-enhancing innovations that are dependable, broadly available and foundational to everyday life,” Won-Joon Choi, Chief Operating Officer of Mobile eXperience Business, said. “ To achieve this, our priorities are clear. AI must become a part of our infrastructure. You should be able to enjoy its benefits through the devices you use every day.” One UI 8.5: The new software layer introduces “Now Brief,” which provides a personalised summary of the user’s day on the lock screen, and “Drawing Assist” to turn rough sketches into polished digital art. Vascular load tracking: A new health metric for the wearable ecosystem that monitors stress on the vascular system during sleep. Availability and preorders Samsung confirmed that the new range of devices will be available for purchase from March 11. For those eager to secure the hardware early, preorders for the Galaxy S26 series and Galaxy Buds 4 start from today.
Read MoreOnly 20 Nigerian banks meet new capital requirements as March deadline nears
Only 20 of Nigeria’s 33 deposit money banks have met the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) new minimum capital requirements less than a month before the March 31, 2026, deadline, CBN governor Olayemi Cardoso said. “Of the 33 banks that have raised additional capital, 20 have met the new minimum capital requirements, reaffirming the steady progress towards a more robust capitalised financial system,” he said during the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) briefing on Tuesday. His comments come as Nigeria’s most ambitious banking recapitalisation drive in nearly two decades enters its final stretch, with lagging lenders facing shrinking options ahead of the March deadline. The recapitalisation exercise, first announced in 2024, is meant to strengthen banks’ balance sheets amid rising inflation, currency volatility, and growing credit risks, while positioning lenders to finance Nigeria’s long-term ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy. The CBN also expects stronger capital buffers to restore investor confidence, absorb unexpected shocks, and improve financial system stability following years of macroeconomic pressure. Under the new regime, banks must meet minimum paid-up capital based on their operating licences: international banks to ₦500 billion ($370.58 million), national banks to ₦200 billion ($148.23 million), regional banks to ₦50 billion ($37.06 million), merchant banks to ₦50 billion ($37.06 million), non-interest banks with national authorisation to ₦20 billion ($14.82 million), and non-interest banks with regional authorisation to ₦10 billion ($7.41 million). A recent report by S&P Global Ratings, an international credit rating agency, shows that most of Nigeria’s largest lenders have already crossed the regulatory threshold. According to the rating agency, nine of the 10 rated commercial banks, which together account for roughly 80% of total banking system assets, already meet the new capital requirements. The banks collectively raised about ₦2.3 trillion ($1.71 billion) in fresh capital during 2025. “We anticipate that some smaller banks may explore options such as mergers or business model adjustments to ensure compliance with the new capital requirements,” S&P said. Although the CBN did not disclose which lenders have fully complied, several tier-one banks, including Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), have publicly announced successful capital raises. With the deadline approaching, attention is now shifting toward smaller and mid-tier lenders that may still be weighing consolidation or strategic partnerships to meet the requirement. Unity Bank Plc and Providus Bank Limited recently announced that their proposed merger is nearing completion, with the combined entity’s capital base surpassing ₦200 billion ($148.23 million).
Read More
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: What’s different from 2025
Table of contents Samsung Galaxy Unpacked January 2025 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked July 2025 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked February 2026 2025 vs 2026: What’s the difference? The global smartphone industry is now driven by AI built directly into your device. For Samsung Electronics, the main stage for showing this vision is the Galaxy Unpacked event series. What started as a simple product launch has grown into a major showcase of its ecosystem and chip strength. The first Unpacked took place in June 2009 at CommunicAsia in Singapore, where Samsung introduced the Samsung S8000 Jet and the i8000 Omnia II. Since then, nearly three dozen major events have been held across cities such as Barcelona, Berlin, New York City, and San Jose, each advancing consumer tech. The February 2026 event in San Francisco is important for you and other global users, especially across Africa. It represents the peak of Samsung’s multi-year shift toward Truly Personal and Adaptive AI, built around its Integrated Device Manufacturer advantage. While earlier launches focused on generative AI, 2026 centres on autonomous agents. Your device is expected to anticipate your needs across more form factors, including smart eyewear and tri-folding displays. Samsung Galaxy Unpacked January 2025: The foundation of the AI phone On January 22, 2025, in San Jose, California, Samsung introduced what it called the “AI Phone.” This event centred on the Galaxy AI ecosystem, where software and intelligence shaped the experience more than raw specs. The Galaxy S25 series included the S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra, built as high-performance devices for a new phase of mobile AI. At the core was the customised Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform for Galaxy. It powered One UI 7 and delivered major gains over the Galaxy S24: 40% improvement in the Neural Processing Unit 37% increase in CPU performance 30% boost in GPU efficiency These upgrades enabled multimodal AI agents to understand text, speech, images, and video simultaneously, giving you more natural, context-aware interactions. The Galaxy S25 Ultra stood out with: A 6.9-inch display protected by Corning Gorilla Armor 2, the industry’s first anti-reflective glass ceramic A 50MP ultra-wide camera alongside a 200MP main sensor for better Nightography Samsung also added a 40% larger vapour chamber to manage heat during gaming and AI video editing, helping your device stay stable under pressure. On the software side, One UI 7 introduced: Now Brief, which learns your routine and shows updates like weather, health data, and daily tasks on your lock screen AI Select and Drawing Assist inside the Edge Panel to summarise articles and turn sketches into detailed images Samsung also included six months of Gemini Advanced and 2TB of cloud storage at no extra cost, strengthening its partnership with Google and its vision of Android with AI at the core. The Galaxy S25 Edge was teased as a slimmer option. At 5.8mm thick, it used a titanium frame and Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 for durability. To achieve this design, Samsung removed the telephoto lens and reduced the battery capacity to 3,900 mAh. It sat between the Plus and Ultra models as a premium design choice for users who cared about style over telephoto power. Samsung Galaxy Unpacked July 2025: Foldables and comprehensive wellness On July 9, 2025, in Brooklyn, New York, Samsung shifted focus to foldables and wearables. This event centred on the seventh generation of foldable devices and an expanded Galaxy Watch lineup. The message was clear: AI tailored to specific form factors, such as foldables and watches. Galaxy Z Fold 7 Samsung positioned the Galaxy Z Fold 7 as its slimmest and most powerful Fold yet. Key details: 6.5-inch cover screen and an 8-inch main display, larger than the previous generation 200 megapixel wide-angle camera, bringing S series-level photography to a foldable It ran on the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy with Vulkan optimisations for better gaming performance and smoother graphics. Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Flip 7 FE The Galaxy Z Flip 7 received a major redesign: 4.1-inch edge-to-edge Flex Window with 120Hz refresh rate Largest battery in the Flip series and a 50 megapixel camera powered by the ProVisual Engine Samsung also launched the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. It kept the foldable design and the 50MP camera but came at a lower starting price, giving you a more affordable entry into premium foldables. Galaxy Watch 8 Series The Galaxy Watch 8 series included: Standard model Classic with the returning rotating bezel Ultra 2 These were the first smartwatches to ship with Google’s Gemini out of the box. They ran on Wear OS 6 and One UI 8 Watch. New health features included Vascular Load, which tracked stress on your vascular system during sleep, and Antioxidant Index, which measured carotenoid levels for insights into healthy ageing. Software and sustainability Samsung introduced One UI 8, optimised for foldables and supported by KEEP (Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection) for sensitive data. All new foldables launched in July 2025 ran on Android 16 with enhanced AI and security tools. Samsung also highlighted sustainability. The new foldables used nine recycled materials, including plastics from discarded fishing nets and recycled lithium. Samsung Galaxy Unpacked February 2026: The era of personalised AI and smart eyewear On February 25, 2026, in San Francisco, Samsung pushed beyond smartphones into what it calls the “Next AI Phone,” integrating XR experiences. The theme, “Your Companion to AI Living,” focuses on advanced AI that runs directly on your device for speed and privacy. While the Galaxy S26 series is the headline launch, the event also highlights smart glasses and the global rollout of the Galaxy Z TriFold. Galaxy S26 Series The Galaxy S26 lineup includes the S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra. The design shifts to a cleaner look, with a minimalist camera module replacing the separate lens rings of earlier models. The S26 Ultra stands out with: A 6.9-inch M14 OLED display reaching 3,000 nits peak brightness A 200MP main camera with a wider aperture that allows 47% more light into the sensor This upgrade improves motion handling
Read More
A new index wants to prepare African startups for London IPOs
In January, a group of African investors and executives, including Tomi Davies, the founding president of the African Business Angel Network (ABAN), and Babs Ogundeyi, CEO of Nigerian neobank Kuda, smiled for pictures at the London Stock Exchange to launch the Africa Tech 50 Index (AT50), a quarterly, rules-based benchmark measuring how prepared African startups are for public listings. The AT50 assesses companies using a six-pillar framework covering valuation momentum, revenue strength, liquidity, corporate governance maturity, expansion strategy, and broader market signals. “The goal is to make Africa’s most scaled private companies visible through a framework global capital can see, trust, and price,” said Karima El Hakim, a partner at Plug and Play and a member of the AT50 Governance Council. An independent governance council oversees the index to ensure discipline and uniform application of its rules. “It’s exciting because it gives a lot of awareness to African companies,” said Ogundeyi, adding that African startups could potentially list on the London bourse. The search for exit pathways in African tech has now set eyes on the London Stock Exchange, after a decade in which billions of dollars from U.S. and European development finance institutions and venture capital firms poured into African tech, with few comparable exits. Since 2019, over 20 African startups, including MNT-Halan, Flutterwave, Wave, and M-KOPA, have raised mega rounds and are now approaching a decade in operation without listing publicly. A benchmark such as the AT50 could help bridge that gap, giving mature startups greater visibility with later-stage investors and creating clearer pathways to growth capital or eventual exits. “If a company comes in on the AT50, they are potentially on the pathway to being able to raise capital on the private market of the London Stock Exchange,” said Sir John Lazar, the president of the Royal Academy of Engineering. “What we want is an IPO in London of an African tech company.” For this week’s Ask an Investor, I spoke to Gbite Oduneye, who chairs the AT50, via email to understand why now is a good time for the index, what African startups have missed when exiting globally, how the index requires disclosures, the business model behind the index, and what this could change for African tech. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. You’ve described AT50 as market infrastructure, not hype. What specific market failure are you correcting? Africa does not have a capital shortage. It has a capital translation gap. Private companies scaled. Public markets did not receive a structured, comparable pipeline. AT50 builds the missing institutional layer between private scale and public capital. African tech companies have raised billions privately. Why do you think it hasn’t translated into public-market pathways? Private markets priced momentum. Public markets’ price discipline. Growth was funded. Governance maturity was not institutionalised early enough. AT50 introduces that discipline before listing, not after. What changed in the last 24 months that made this index necessary now? The reset exposed the difference between narrative and durability. Capital became selective. Exchanges became proactive. Secondary liquidity became structural. Infrastructure had to catch up with maturity. What is the biggest illusion in African private tech valuations today? Valuation is negotiated. Readiness is audited. That gap explains much of the friction. After investing £1 billion in Africa in 2024, BII’s Africa head explains the sectors driving its biggest bets Governance maturity is one of your pillars. How do you measure it? The AT50 measures this through observable institutional signals. The first is board structure and independence, auditing readiness and reporting cadence, committee architecture, the startup’s regulatory posture, and its disclosure behaviour. Governance is not opinion. It is structure. Will AT50 require companies to disclose metrics that they previously kept private? We do not compel disclosure, but we reward verifiable transparency. Signal strength increases with disclosure discipline. What level of financial transparency should African late-stage companies realistically be prepared for today? Audit-grade reporting. Consistent metrics. Board-level oversight. Institutional cadence. Public markets are not allergic to growth. They are allergic to opacity. You referenced credible liquidity pathways. What does ‘credible’ mean in the AT50 context? Credible means structured and defensible. IPO readiness. Dual listing feasibility. Regulated secondary liquidity. Strategic exits with institutional governance. Not aspiration. Preparation. Are you envisioning IPOs in London or dual listings, or domestic exchanges? Venue is secondary. Standards are primary. Africa’s growth story must be priced locally but recognised globally. Stronger domestic listings aligned to international comparability create long-term depth. Is there enough depth in African public markets to absorb scaled tech listings today? Depth grows with supply quality. Markets do not deepen from sentiment. They deepen from repeatable issuer readiness. What would have to change structurally for Lagos, Nairobi, or Johannesburg to host meaningful tech IPOs? Issuer preparation must begin earlier. Listing rules must accommodate growth companies. Analyst coverage and liquidity support must improve. Governance enforcement must be consistent. Preparation cannot begin at filing. It must begin years earlier. International investors often price Africa with a structural risk premium. Can an index realistically reduce that? An index does not eliminate risk. It reduces uncertainty. Uncertainty is what inflates pricing friction. Repeated comparability reduces uncertainty over time. AT50 is governed under the IOSCO-aligned benchmark discipline. That matters because global allocators understand those standards. Image source: Africa Tech 50 Index (AT50). How do you compare fintech in Nigeria to SaaS in Egypt to mobility in Kenya within one index? We do not compare sectors. We compare readiness architecture. Revenue strength, governance maturity, liquidity visibility, strategic expansion, valuation momentum, and market signal. Sector nuance is contextualised, not flattened. What is the long-term business model behind Indexa Exchange Group? Indexa Exchange Group operates as a benchmark infrastructure platform. Our revenue streams include institutional subscriptions, index licensing, and exchange and capital markets partnerships. Commercial scaling follows institutional credibility. What revenue threshold makes a company realistically IPO-ready in this environment? There is no magic number. IPO readiness is the convergence of durable revenue, governance maturity, audit discipline, and market timing. Revenue without structure does not
Read MoreLoftyInc backs Moroccan fintech WafR’s $4 million seed round in North Africa push
LoftyInc Capital, a pan-African venture capital firm, has co-led a $4 million seed round in Moroccan fintech startup WafR, one of the first investments from its newly launched Alpha Fund, signaling a stronger bet on North Africa. The round was co-led alongside Attijariwafa Ventures and Almada Ventures, with participation from UM6P Ventures and First Circle Capital. The funding highlights Morocco’s rising profile in Africa’s venture landscape; the country’s startups raised $58 million in 2025, placing seventh on the continent for capital raised. It also signals a broader shift in fintech strategy. As capital begins flowing more deliberately across regional boundaries, investors like LoftyInc are backing infrastructure-focused startups that embed financial services into informal retail networks. Founded in 2021 to digitise Morocco’s neighbourhood corner stores, known locally as hanouts, WafR enables merchants to offer services such as airtime sales and bill payments through a digital platform. The company plans to expand into peer-to-peer transfers and domestic remittances, positioning small retailers as financial access points in a market where informal commerce remains central to daily life. “We are proud to co-lead this round and champion WafR’s bold mission,” said Mariam Kamel, partner at LoftyInc Capital. “This investment exemplifies our commitment to backing strong founders in high-potential markets who are solving foundational challenges.” With nearly 20,000 corner stores active on its platform, WafR is building one of Morocco’s largest merchant-based fintech networks. The backing of regional investors is expected to support further product expansion and geographic scale. “The entry of LoftyInc Capital, Attijariwafa Ventures, and Almada Ventures is a pivotal milestone,” said Ismail Bargach, WafR’s chief executive and co-founder. “Their support brings not just capital, but deep fintech experience and strong regional networks that will be instrumental as we scale our impact.” LoftyInc said its Alpha Fund focuses on late-seed and Series A startups that have demonstrated traction but face limited access to growth capital, which the firm describes as Africa’s “graduation gap.” The firm has previously backed fintech companies, including Flutterwave, Moove, and Wave. In North Africa, LoftyInc has also backed startups such as the Egyptian AI company WideBot, as well as Odiggo and Illa, reflecting its ongoing expansion in the region. 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 Next wave Entering Tech Subscribe
Read MoreYoco’s Marcello Schermer says the next test for African fintech is smarter tools
Marcello Schermer, who leads international expansion at Yoco, a South African digital payments startup, wants African fintechs to create products that nudge customers toward smarter decisions in real time. For him, fintechs should be more of a financial partner. Conversations about African startups today almost always circle back to fintech, a “leapfrog effect” that has reshaped how the world views the continent’s innovation. That shift is happening at scale. Africa now hosts more than 5,000 startups, a sharp rise in just a few years. Even as global venture capital cooled in 2024, the continent proved resilient, and fintech attracted over 40% of funding, about $1.37 billion. Thanks to investors who continued to bet on a young, urbanising population and digital infrastructure. Traditional banks, once the main gatekeepers of money, are steadily giving way to mobile wallets, digital kiosks, and all-in-one super-apps that now power everyday commerce from street markets to small businesses built around fintech. Nowhere is that transformation more visible than in the fintech sector itself. In Lagos and other commercial hubs, smartphones are the engines of trade. Fintech remains the heavyweight, accounting for over 30% of startups on the continent. “A few years ago, instant cross-border trade wasn’t possible,” Schermer told TechCabal in an interview. “ We relied on cash. Now, half of all transactions run on digital rails.” After a decade of startups digitising payments and expanding financial access, he believes the next phase is to become a true financial partner, with tools that not only record transactions but also guide smarter decisions in real time. “These changes may shift how fintechs do their business and how customers think about money and opportunity,” Schermer said. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. How would you describe the state of Africa’s fintech ecosystem right now? It’s a pretty exciting place to be. We’ve got one of the most mature financial services industries, particularly in the big four markets: Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. At the same time, we’re seeing a wave of new fintechs putting fresh spins on old models and finding real traction. Fintech is foundational infrastructure for the economy and for society. If people don’t have ways to earn, save, invest, and spend safely, a lot of other things break, because so much of life is tied to how you make and manage money. What’s beautiful is seeing fintechs across the continent build that foundational layer in their local contexts. In some markets, that means giving people access to crypto because it’s more stable than the local currency. In others, it’s aggregating multiple mobile money wallets so users can see everything in one place. Remittances are another big one: helping people send money home or across borders more efficiently. All of this gives people better tools to improve their lives, to fund education, live better, invest, and that’s high‑impact work. Both the mature players and the new players are innovating, and that creates a very interesting dynamic. In 2026, what do you think is a must‑have for fintech startups in Africa? A must‑have is building proactive tools instead of reactive ones. For a long time, most financial tools have been backward-looking. Your spend‑management app told you what you spent last month, your investment app showed you how your portfolio performed last month, and your banking app told you what your balance ended up. What’s really interesting today is that a lot of financial services applications can become more partners and start nudging founders and customers toward better financial decisions in real time. Imagine your banking app saying, ‘If you save a little more here, you can afford that December holiday,’ instead of just showing you that you overspent. Or your investment app pinging you when a stock you’re tracking dips and saying, This might be a good entry point, instead of only reporting performance after the move. A lot of these capabilities used to be available only to people who could build them themselves, but now the underlying technology is accessible enough that they can work for everyone. That’s what’s exciting: tools that proactively help you live better financially rather than just documenting what already happened. Looking back at 2025, what happened in fintech that you think will matter in 2026? Africa’s reserve or central bank’s payments ecosystem modernisation is a big move. It’s an effort to update the national payment systems, make them more inclusive for fintechs, more technologically advanced, and more inclusive for society. These are regulatory projects, so they move at a regulatory pace, but once they land, they are going to unlock a lot for Africa’s fintech ecosystem. How do you feel about the fintech regulatory environment in African markets? As a starting point, payments should be regulated. We’re dealing with people’s money, financial crime risks, and the stability of the wider economy, so there has to be a framework and a level playing field where everyone knows the rules. In South Africa, the regulators have taken measured steps: for example, there are now licences for crypto providers and for different payment activities, which gives clarity on what’s allowed. Could they move faster? Probably, but their primary job is to protect the financial system, and that’s more complicated than it looks from the outside. You sit in the payment space. What should we be watching there in 2026? Payments in Africa are in a very interesting state because the space is so competitive. We’ve got many different offerings, with traditional banks and new players all active, and that competition is translating into more choice and better value for customers; that’s what we have to keep watching. For consumers and merchants, that means more choice and better quality, better pricing, better experiences, and more tailored products. That’s what we want to see in a healthy market. What patterns do you see fintechs struggle with as they build? The biggest challenge is how to balance partnering and building. It’s easier than ever to partner and stitch together solutions from different
Read MoreJAMB clarifies biometric rule after UTME hijab dispute
Nigeria’s university admissions body has said its biometric rules—not religion—are behind a viral dispute over a candidate’s hijab during registration for the country’s most important entrance exam into tertiary institutions. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), which administers the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for millions of candidates annually, said requests for candidates to adjust their hijabs or other head coverings during registration are strictly a technical requirement for biometric photo capture, not a religious restriction. This clarification follows a viral social media video, alleging that a candidate at a JAMB registration centre at the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Southern Nigeria, was asked to remove her hijab before her photograph could be taken to complete her registration. According to the claim, the candidate was also asked to confirm in writing that she declined to fully comply with the ear-visibility guideline. The episode highlights the tension with implementing biometric identity systems in a deeply cultural and religious clime like Nigeria, where inconsistent enforcement or weak communication can quickly spark controversy. In a statement on Saturday, JAMB said its registration process aligns with global biometric standards used for passports and visas, which require certain facial features—including the ears—to be visible to ensure accurate facial recognition. “This requirement is purely technical and is intended to ensure that proper facial recognition and identification do not require the candidate to remove her hijab,” the examination body said. JAMB said candidates are not required to remove their hijabs, and that the guideline exists solely to meet the technical demands of biometric registration. In 2024, the examination body said it had no policy prohibiting candidates from wearing religious attire, following a similar controversy involving a hijab-wearing candidate.
Read More
Digital Nomads: China trained him. Kenya is where he’s building EV systems
In 2008, Damilola Ogunleye argued with his dad about his decision to study abroad instead of enrolling at a university in Nigeria. He was 16. China, he insisted, was where he needed to be. His older brother had just relocated there from Bells University, a private Nigerian institution, and the photographs he sent home—clean campuses, wide boulevards, gleaming train stations—unsettled Ogunleye’s assumptions. “I remember seeing my brother’s pictures from China during the [2008] Beijing Olympics,” Ogunleye told me. “Back then, all we knew was kung fu and crowded markets. Then, suddenly, you’re seeing this country on TV, hosting the Olympics, building massive infrastructure. My brother would send photos, and I’d think, ‘Is this really China?’ I told my dad that I wanted to see this world for myself.” He won the argument. His father ran the numbers: at the time, tuition in China was comparable to what he was already paying at a private university in Nigeria. The naira held far more value then, with an exchange rate of ₦16 to ¥1 in February 2008 compared to ₦194 to ¥1 in February 2026. Ogunleye packed his bags for China that same year. He studied aircraft manufacturing at Shenyang Aerospace University for four years. He later earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and automation from Northeastern University, a public university in Shenyang, Liaoning, China, completing it in 2014. On paper, the plan was clear: follow the aeronautical path, perhaps even become a pilot, like his brother. But after six years of study, Ogunleye did not pursue an aviation career. Instead, he veered toward the automotive industry and would eventually become an advocate for electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Africa. The journey to China and finding love in the auto market When Ogunleye arrived in China in 2008, the Asian nation was not yet the technological powerhouse it is today. “China then was ambitious, but not as polished as now,” he recalled. “You could see the hunger. You could see the drive. It wasn’t yet this seamless digital society people talk about today, but the foundations were there.” Ogunleye in China as a student. Image Source: Damilola Ogunleye Ogunleye in China as a student. Image Source: Damilola Ogunleye After six years of engineering training, Ogunleye had developed what he described as a systems-oriented mindset. But it was the internships that changed the course of his life. In 2014, he secured an internship with Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW), the global car manufacturing company, in its technical support division. It was his first deep immersion into the automotive ecosystem. “That was where the movement started,” he said. “Today I could be at BMW for a project. Next week I’d be in another city, maybe at Mercedes-Benz in Beijing, or Volkswagen in Changchun, or Shanghai. I was constantly in factories, constantly on trains and planes. I think, naturally, I’m actually just that kind of person who loves to be on the move. I do not really enjoy routines.” Ogunleye’s early days working at BMW and Suzhou Dech Automation. Image Source: Damilola Ogunleye The exposure broadened his appetite. He later worked at Suzhou Dech Automation, a technology consulting firm in China, picking up computer-aided design (CAD) skills for mechanical manufacturing. His first full-time role out of school placed him at the intersection of robotics, automation, and automotive production lines. In those years, Ogunleye travelled across industrial China, supporting projects for car manufacturers and understanding how partnerships are built in the auto engineering industry. Ogunleye in China. He says he has been to over 40 cities in the Asian country. Image Source: Damilola Ogunleye “I started discovering I was good at more than engineering,” he said. “I enjoyed talking to clients. I enjoyed negotiating. I enjoyed building relationships. That partnership side of me started to grow.” The seeds of his current career—engineering, cross-border movement, partnerships—were already planted. Coming home: OPay, Viajio, and the Malta leap In 2018, ten years after leaving Nigeria, Ogunleye returned home. “Coming back at 26 was surreal,” he said. “I left as a teenager. I came back as an engineer with global experience. But I knew I had to build something here. I needed to build contacts. I needed to build relevance. Tech was picking up; I saw the trend and started taking extra courses online on Udemy and Coursera. I was taking different courses that were geared towards tech.” Image Source: Damilola Ogunleye Before his return to Nigeria, Ogunleye was trying to become familiar with the tech space despite his engineering background. Image Source: Damilola Ogunleye By 2019, he joined OPay as a Senior Product Manager at a critical moment. The startup was pivoting aggressively into fintech, using ride-hailing as a user acquisition strategy. “We were building while running,” Ogunleye said. “The idea was simple: people didn’t trust digital banking yet. So you give them something they use daily—transport. They download the app to call a bike. Over time, they trust the wallet.” He helped expand operations into multiple cities, including Abeokuta, Enugu, Jos, and Kano, often arriving before launch to conduct preliminary research. “We’d enter a city, set up the office, recruit, onboard riders, hit our target, then move to the next one. It was intense. It taught me scale.” In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic rewired the global tech ecosystem, Ogunleye left to launch his own startup, Viajio, a geo-travel documentation and experience platform. “We wanted to aggregate travel curators in Nigeria,” he explained. “You know those ‘three days in Ibadan’ or ‘two days in Ondo Hills’ packages? We wanted to give them a digital storefront. Users could curate their own travel experiences and book directly. We’d take a small commission.” Viajio evolved to include curated events and corporate experiences. He ran it for nearly three years before capital constraints forced a shutdown. Around this time, a friend introduced him to Malta’s digital nomad visa. In 2022, Ogunleye applied, and within months, he relocated. Europe wasn’t new to him—he had travelled across the continent since 2018—but Malta offered
Read More
Tecno Camon 50 Pro vs Camon 50: Which offers better value?
Table of contents Tecno Camon 50 Pro Tecno Camon 50 Tecno Camon 50 Pro vs Camon 50 On February 18, 2026, Tecno Mobile, the premium sub-brand of Transsion Holdings, quietly announced the Tecno Camon 50 and Tecno Camon 50 Pro. This silent launch comes before the official global showcase at the Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona from March 2 to March 5, 2026. The phones were first put on pre-order in Kenya and Nigeria, underscoring Tecno’s mobile-first focus in the African market. The Camon 50 series follows the Camon 40 lineup from the previous year. The name still means “Camera Monitor,” but this time Tecno added a new “Swan-inspired Elegance” design and a T1 imaging enhancement chip. The brand is pushing hard to close the gap between mid-range pricing and flagship features, such as a periscope telephoto lens and military-grade durability certification. The early February release helps Tecno capitalise on first-quarter market momentum before other brands launch their spring devices. By starting in African markets, Tecno is speaking directly to you and your needs, especially if you deal with an inconsistent power supply or enjoy mobile gaming. Both models offer a 144Hz AMOLED display and a large 6500mAh battery built for heavy daily use. Tecno Camon 50 Pro The Tecno Camon 50 Pro is the premium 4G model in this series. It is built for you if you enjoy strong zoom, smooth performance, and a sleek design. It features a 43.5° slightly curved screen that reduces bezels and feels comfortable in your hand. Display 6.78-inch ProXDR Eye-care AMOLED panel 1.5K resolution is defined as pixels 144Hz refresh rate 2800Hz touch sampling rate Tecno T1 Chip handles real-time upscaling MediaTek Helio G200 Ultimate generates a native GPU resolution of The T1 Chip helps you enjoy 1.5K clarity without the heavy battery drain that usually comes with running a 1.5K display directly from the GPU. Processor and memory MediaTek Helio G200 Ultimate, 6nm octa-core chipset Two Cortex-A76 cores at 2.2 GHz Six Cortex-A55 cores at 2.0 GHz Mali-G57 MC2 GPU clocked at 1.1 GHz 8GB or 12GB LPDDR4X RAM Extended RAM up to 16GB or 20GB 256GB UFS 2.2 storage This setup delivers smooth multitasking and ample storage for high-resolution photos and videos. Camera system 50MP 3x Professional Telephoto Camera 70mm focal length f/2.4 aperture Up to 60x AI SuperZoom 50MP Sony LYTIA 700C main sensor 1/1.56-inch sensor size Optical Image Stabilisation with a closed-loop motor 8MP ultra-wide camera 112° field of view f/2.2 aperture 32MP front camera Universal Tone software Pill-shaped cutout with Upgraded Dynamic Port You get strong zoom for portraits called Golden Portraits, steady night shots, wide landscape photos, and selfies with accurate skin tones. Durability and battery IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings IP69K supports 100-bar high-pressure water jets and 80°C boiling water IP68 allows 30 minutes under 2 meters of water MIL-STD-810 certified Passed 22,000 micro-drop tests Passed 25kg soft extrusion tests 6500mAh 5-Year Durability Battery Retains over 80% capacity after 1,800 charge cycles 45W wired Super Charge Safe charging up to 45°C Frozen Cooling Pro system 12-layer stacked cooling structure 1453 of ultra-crystal graphite 12314 total cooling area This means your phone is protected from dust, water, pressure, and everyday drops while still delivering long battery life. Market price and availability As of February 2026: Kenya: KES 38,999 to KES 44,000 Around $340 to $341 Nigeria: ₦420,000 to ₦495,000 Available colours: Moonshadow Black, Nebula Titanium, Malachite Green, Fir Green, Lavender Mist, and Ethereal Blue. Tecno Camon 50 The Tecno Camon 50 is the value-focused model in this series. It keeps most of the same core hardware as the Pro version, but offers a flat-screen design and a lower price. Design and display Lightweight straight screen with a flat frame 6.78-inch AMOLED ProXDR Eye-care panel 1.5K resolution upscaled by the T1 chip 144Hz refresh rate 2800Hz touch sampling rate Centred hole-punch cutout for the 32MP selfie camera The flat frame helps you avoid accidental edge touches, especially during gaming. It also makes it easier for you to use standard tempered glass protectors. Performance and storage MediaTek Helio G200 Ultimate processor Antutu score of 504,612 8GB RAM 128GB or 256GB internal storage No microSD expansion slot You get the same processor as the Pro model, so daily performance stays consistent. Camera system Dual rear camera setup 50MP Sony LYTIA 700C main sensor Optical Image Stabilisation 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera Super-Zoom FlashSnap software You still get strong night photos and stable shots. The 3x periscope telephoto lens is not included, but digital zoom works well at lower levels. AI and smart features One-Tap AI Key on the left side AI LightMaster 2.0 AI MindHub Ella AI assistant YouTube Video AI Notes All-Scenario Noise Reduction 2.0 These tools help you edit photos, manage tasks, summarise videos, and improve call clarity. Battery and durability 6500mAh 5-year durability battery 45W Super Charge IP68/IP69/IP69K ratings MIL-STD-810 certification 1789.76 graphite cooling area 13828.11 total cooling area TÜV SÜD A+ Fluency rating for 60 months You get the same water- and dust-resistance as the Pro model, along with strong cooling for long gaming sessions. Connectivity and extras Kilometre-Level Freelink antenna iPhone One-tap Drop Offline Find My Phone 50GB free Tecno Cloud storage for three years These features help you stay connected, transfer files, and store your data. Market price and availability Kenya: KES 34,999 to KES 37,500 Around $271 to $290 Nigeria: ₦285,000 to ₦360,000 Available colours: Moonlight Black, Nebula Titanium, Malachite Green, Fir Green, Lavender Mist, and Cream Mint. Tecno Camon 50 Pro vs Camon 50 Both phones run on the Helio G200 Ultimate processor and use the same 6500mAh battery. Your experience depends on the design and camera flexibility. Final thoughts The Tecno Camon 50 series brings strong durability, smart AI features, and solid performance into the mid-range segment. Buy the Tecno Camon 50 Pro if: You need optical zoom for portraits, sports, or nature shots. The 3x periscope lens is its key feature. You prefer a premium look. The curved display and
Read More