Jumia names Axian Telecom founder to board as takeover talk intensifies
E-commerce giant Jumia has filed a petition to appoint Hassanein Hiridjee, the founder and director of Axian Telecom, Africa’s sixth-largest telecommunications company, to its Supervisory Board. The move follows the resignation of Angela Mwanza, a managing director at Rockefeller Capital Management, who stepped down in June after serving on the board since 2019. Her exit, along with that of another board member, Ms. Elizabeth Huebner, left the board with only four members, below the six members stipulated in the company’s articles of association. According to an SEC filing on Tuesday, Jumia’s management had proposed to reduce the board’s size to five members, but this resolution was rejected by shareholders at the annual general meeting on June 19, 2025. Hiridjee will fill one of the two vacant seats. The appointment is not entirely unexpected. Axian Telecom, having recently upped its stake in Jumia to 9.97%, is now one of the company’s most influential investors. Axian’s investment has intensified market speculation about a potential takeover of the e-commerce giant, whose shares have rallied sharply in response. On Tuesday, Jumia’s stock reached a 52-week high of $8.68. The first notable reports regarding Axian Telecom’s ambitions to acquire Jumia emerged in July 2025 on Bloomberg. The publication reported that Axian was contemplating a full buyout of Jumia, citing sources close to internal negotiations, recent shareholder filings, and corroborating regulatory disclosures. At the time, Axian had completed a $600 million bond issuance, fuelling analyst expectations that it was gearing for a major expansion, possibly including the acquisition of Jumia. Jumia CEO Francic Dufay has not responded directly to the speculations. Nonetheless, in an interview republished on the Jumia site, Dufay says of Axian, “Since they disclosed their position, we’ve been talking… looking at what we can achieve together, where we can create synergies.” However, Axian’s stake may be a strategic partnership, not a precursor to a takeover. Likewise, Axian Telecom has been tight-lipped, neither confirming nor denying any acquisition plans. The company has, however, been publicly complimentary of Jumia’s digital platforms, especially JumiaPay, a payment platform that has enabled Jumia to receive payment for goods digitally. In a June 2025 press release, AXIAN signalled intent to explore the use of Jumia’s payment gateway, JumiaPay, within its fintech ecosystem – positioning Jumia not just as a merchant platform, but as a payment enabler for broader digital use cases. Market reaction to these developments has been dramatic. The share rally is rewarding for the company that has been making painful cuts to become profitable. The onboarding of a strategic investor such as Axian promises access to new capital, technology, and networks at a critical inflexion point for continental e-commerce in Africa. For Jumia, it may be the turning point needed to reassert itself amid increasing competition. Editor’s note: This article has been updated with additional details from an SEC filing. Mark your calendars! Moonshot by TechCabal is back in Lagos on October 15–16! Join Africa’s top founders, creatives & tech leaders for 2 days of keynotes, mixers & future-forward ideas. Early bird tickets now 20% off—don’t snooze! moonshot.techcabal.com
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Tracking company laptops, other devices, with Rayda
When 54gene shut down in 2023, the collapse of one of Africa’s most visible biotech startups was widely read as a cautionary tale about scaling too fast in a volatile market. Yet for Ogochukwu Francis Osifo, who had co-founded 54gene and served as its vice president of engineering, that chapter was a stepping stone to a new venture in a completely different field. Out of the day-to-day frustrations of managing laptops, tablets, and IT assets for hundreds of distributed employees came Rayda, a device lifecycle management startup now active in over 170 countries. The core problem was painfully clear at 54gene, where the company’s rapid expansion exposed just how messy IT logistics could be. “I discovered firsthand the problem of equipping remote teams with IT equipment at 54gene,” Osifo told me. “As co-founder/VP of engineering, I managed our IT hardware (mostly laptops and tablets). That meant I had to ensure new employees received their company-issued laptops with the security software before onboarding. If employees left, I had to ensure we retrieved the laptops or other devices.” As 54gene grew from 45 employees to over 300 across Africa, North America, Europe, the Gulf, and Canada during the COVID-19 testing boom, equipment management quickly became unmanageable. A shipment to Nairobi for a new Kenyan hire sat for months in customs, requiring repeated visits, additional paperwork, and what Osifo described as a “king’s ransom” in fees. In the end, the company spent more than if it had purchased the device locally. At scale, these inefficiencies undermined productivity and financial reporting, as IT teams struggled to reconcile asset values in spreadsheets with what was actually in circulation. Like its name suggests, Rayda set out to give firms radar-like visibility over their devices, whether in transit, storage, or employee use. The shift from biotech to IT logistics may appear stark, but Osifo told me he sees continuity in his engineering background. He argues that solving practical infrastructure problems for global companies came more naturally than remaining in biotech, which would have required deep sector expertise. What does Rayda do? Rayda is a device lifecycle management platform. This means it enables companies to procure laptops and peripherals for new hires, track them in real-time once deployed, retrieve them when staff leave, wipe and securely store them, and eventually redeploy or dispose of them. The platform functions as both a marketplace and an operations layer. IT or HR managers log into the system to place requests for onboarding or offboarding. From there, the workflow is tracked at every stage. “It tracks their request in real-time and provides all relevant details on the order: Is the laptop in transit? Is it already in the warehouse? Has it been wiped? Is it in storage? They have a detailed history of what’s happening in real time with that particular piece of equipment,” Osifo explained. Rayda does not attempt to compete with enterprise security providers. Instead, it integrates with the mobile device management solutions that many companies already use, such as Microsoft Intune, Apple Business Manager, and JumpCloud. This ensures that devices remain compliant while Rayda handles logistics, visibility, and asset accounting. The tight coupling between Rayda’s platform and HR systems is a distinctive feature since the startup has built integrations with over twelve human resource information systems (HRIS) providers, allowing the onboarding and offboarding process to trigger device logistics automatically. For example, when a new hire enters a company’s HRIS, Rayda can initiate the procurement and delivery of the necessary equipment. When an employee is marked as leaving, the system prompts retrieval and data wiping. A technical and operational engine Behind the user-facing interface is an operations engine that relies heavily on partnerships. The company currently has 21 full-time staff, mostly based in Nigeria. Rather than setting up local offices in each of the 170 countries it serves, Rayda works with vetted procurement and logistics partners. These partners are selected after evaluating their infrastructure, communication standards, and ability to meet specific service level agreements to allow Rayda to enforce consistent outcomes while tailoring its operations to the quirks of each market. Osifo said delivery services do not commonly use tracking numbers in countries like India and Pakistan. Rayda addresses this by choosing partners who can provide proactive status updates and proof of delivery. Integration with established logistics providers in other regions provides traceability through standard systems. By codifying these requirements into a playbook, Rayda avoids reinventing processes each time it enters a new geography. Where competitors often take four to eight weeks to deliver equipment, Rayda claims to manage it in three to eight business days. In one case, a global competitor took eight weeks to provide a laptop to an employee in Costa Rica. Rayda managed the same delivery in four days. Revenue and funding The company earns money through two main streams. Subscriptions suit firms that consistently hire across multiple countries and want Rayda baked into their IT workflows. Transactions cover one-off services such as onboarding, offboarding, or storage. According to Osifo, most revenue comes from the latter. “We make money in two ways: subscriptions and transaction revenues on onboarding, offboarding, and device storage.” Between 70% and 80% of revenues are generated through onboarding and offboarding requests. On the funding side, Rayda has secured an angel round with participation from Microtraction, Beta Ventures, Techstars, HOAQ Club, and several syndicates. It is currently preparing for a fresh round of financing. Get the best African tech newsletters in your inbox Country Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Canton and Enderbury Islands Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos [Keeling] Islands Colombia Comoros Congo – Brazzaville Congo – Kinshasa Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus
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Research and startup support: Here’s how Consonance is differentiating itself in African VC
Venture capital (VC) is a fiercely competitive industry, with firms locked in a constant race to back the most promising startups, knowing that portfolio quality ultimately determines whether they can deliver returns. To win deals in this crowded space, funds typically differentiate themselves in two ways: either by offering founders attractive terms or providing deep, hands-on support to help their startups scale faster. Besides these two options, Consonance, a pan-African VC firm, also differentiates itself with research on a wide range of topics. Going through the firm’s website, you can find research on how to unlock Nigeria’s prosperity, economic transformation and productivity in Cote d’Ivoire, the success story of Botswana’s economic resurgence, and, more surprisingly, a detailed report on Nigeria’s fashion industry. “Context beats capital,” Jadesola Campbell, Consonance’s principal, told TechCabal. “Our bottom-up research turns noise into systems maps, not hot takes. It helps us underwrite better, source earlier, and avoid unforced errors.” Consonance backs startups from pre-seed through Series A, with its first fund writing cheques that averaged around $500,000. The firm operates with a three-pronged strategy: its core venture program for early-stage equity bets, a venture studio that builds companies from scratch, and debt financing that provides secured, non-dilutive loans to venture-backed businesses. “Our role is to back operators who turn bottlenecks into platforms-and then help them compound,” Campbell told TechCabal. For this week’s Ask an Investor, I spoke to Jadesola Campbell, the principal at Consonance, to understand how the firm thinks about its research, its support for startups, and how the firm thinks about the future of African venture capital. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What’s your firm’s core thesis? We invest where three circles overlap. Foundational prosperity: human capital, social capital, real assets, digital rails, and fintech. Fragmented value chains: chokepoints whose removal unlocks system-wide value. Scalar business models: companies that don’t just scale, but compound cash flows and market power in the real economy. Our role is to back operators who turn bottlenecks into platforms-and then help them compound. Who drives research, and how does it feed sourcing? The investment team owns it. We start from the five prosperity pillars, map chokepoints, and identify scalable fixes. That feeds directly into deal sourcing, venture-building, and policy dialogues. Do you see your research as ecosystem-building, LP education, or part of the firm’s competitive edge? All three. For the ecosystem aspect, we see it as a shining light on overlooked foundations. We also use our research to educate limited partners by demystifying Africa’s under-analysed markets. On the edge part, our research allows us to spot flywheels before they form. How many exits has Consonance recorded to date? Get the best African tech newsletters in your inbox Country Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Canton and Enderbury Islands Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos [Keeling] Islands Colombia Comoros Congo – Brazzaville Congo – Kinshasa Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Côte d’Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Dronning Maud Land East Germany Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories French Southern and Antarctic Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Honduras Hong Kong SAR China Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Johnston Island Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau SAR China Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Metropolitan France Mexico Micronesia Midway Islands Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar [Burma] Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles Neutral Zone New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Korea North Vietnam Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pacific Islands Trust Territory Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Panama Canal Zone Papua New Guinea Paraguay People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen Peru Philippines Pitcairn Islands Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria São Tomé and Príncipe Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu U.S. Minor Outlying Islands U.S. Miscellaneous Pacific Islands U.S. Virgin Islands Uganda Ukraine Union of Soviet Socialist Republics United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Unknown or Invalid Region Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Wake Island Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands ?> Gender Male Female Others TC Daily Events TC Scoop <!– Next Wave –> <!– Entering Tech –> Subscribe We’ve had five exits. Three full, two partial. The partial exits are Medallion (Nigeria’s densest data centre, majority acquired by Digital Realty, a Fortune 500 company), SeamlessHR. Our full exits are Student Accommod8, She Leads Africa, Wealth.ng. How are you balancing early liquidity through secondaries versus waiting for strategic acquisitions or IPOs? We run two tracks. Programmatic secondaries at qualified rounds, usually exiting ~20% of our position when there’s clean liquidity. Strategic exits and IPOs for step-change value. In Fund II, we’ve added self-liquidating structures-like revenue-share notes with capped payback and redeemable prefs with cash sweeps-so LPs see early and mid-term cash returns without capping upside. Would you rather double down
Read MoreBank apps crash, OPay, PalmPay cash in: Inside ₦20.7 trillion mobile money rush
This is Follow the Money, our weekly series that unpacks the earnings, business, and scaling strategies of African fintechs and financial institutions. A new edition drops every Monday. The first time Adepeju Adenuga, an English PhD student, heard about Opay was during Nigeria’s cash crunch in 2023. “I was trying to make a transfer with my banking app, but it wasn’t even opening because of the cashless chaos at the time. It was the vendor I was trying to buy something from that told me to download Opay,” she said. Since then, Opay has become her go-to banking app for micro-transactions. For Bolu Omotayo, a journalist, it was a bank glitch in 2024 that made her switch to OPay. “I couldn’t access my salary for about a week, but someone told me about a feature on the app,” she recalled. “You can link another bank’s card to your OPay account and transfer money between third-party banks using the OPay app. That is what saved me.” Adenuga and Omotayo are not isolated cases. Each banking failure has pushed more Nigerians toward OPay or PalmPay. That steady shift helped drive mobile money (MMO) transactions to ₦20.71 trillion ($13.49 billion) in the first quarter of 2025, according to data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS). This is a 1,518.64% increase from the ₦1.28 trillion ($833.43 million) recorded in Q1, 2021. Given that Q1 had 90 days, this works out to ₦230.09 billion ($149.89 million) daily, ₦9.59 billion ($6.25 million) per hour, ₦159.78 million ($104,091) every minute, and ₦2.66 million ($1,734) per second in Q1 2025. Despite this growth, MMO transactions still pale in comparison to the ₦284.99 trillion ($185.66 billion) conducted through instant transfers via traditional banking channels in the same period. 17 companies are licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to operate as mobile money operators, but OPay and PalmPay dominate. “OPay and PalmPay are the most prominent non-MNO-led mobile money providers and have gained significant market share in Nigeria since receiving their MMO licence,” stated GSMA, the global telecom industry body. How they won OPay and Palmpay rode a mix of timing, strategy, and luck. They tapped into Nigeria’s mobile boom, offering free and fast transfers in their early years, then heavily discounted rates as they matured. They gained credibility during moments when banks broke down, like the CBN’s failed naira redesign and withdrawal policy in 2022, and repeated bank glitches in 2024. Their growth also mirrors a global trend. In 2024, mobile money transaction values rose by 15% to $227 billion, with Sub-Saharan Africa still the epicentre of growth. More than a third of new active accounts in 2023 came from West Africa, driven by Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal. Unlike East Africa, where telcos like Safaricom’s M-Pesa led growth, West Africa’s fintech boom has largely been driven by non-MNO players like OPay and PalmPay. The beginning OPay began operations in 2010 as PayCom Nigeria Limited, a mobile money platform incubated by Telnet (Nigeria) Limited. But it wasn’t until 2018, after Opera — owned by Chinese billionaire Yahui Zhou—acquired it, that it became a household name. Opera currently owns 9.4% of the company, with its stake valued at $258.3 million in 2024, placing OPay’s valuation at $2.75 billion. PalmPay launched in 2019 with a $40 million seed round led by Chinese mobile phone maker Transsion. This partnership gave the company a powerful distribution advantage, with its app preinstalled on Tecno, Infinix, and Itel smartphones, the dominant brands in Nigeria. OPay won the hearts of many Nigerians with its super app approach, offering numerous services. Its bike-hailing arm was particularly popular. However, a 2020 ban on bike rides in Lagos forced the company to focus exclusively on fintech, leveraging its vast agent network. PalmPay’s Transsion partnership gave it a ready-made user base, helping it grow to over 35 million. By 2023, Transsion and Xiaomi accounted for 85% of smartphone shipments into Nigeria, according to Canalys. Agents, trust, and scale Both companies grew aggressively by investing in agents. By 2023, OPay had over 500,000 agents, and PalmPay claims to have over one million. Mobile money agents serve as retail outlets and trust bridges. In areas with low smartphone penetration, they process deposits, withdrawals, airtime purchases, bill payments, and help with transfers. They are also the face of these companies in places where they do not have physical locations. These agents were able to help OPay and PalmPay expand aggressively by onboarding unbanked users with lower know-your-customer (KYC) requirements, in line with the CBN’s goal of increasing financial inclusion. Free transfers work OPay offered free transfers until June 2023, after which it charged ₦10 after the third transfer daily. PalmPay implemented the same strategy, introducing the ₦10 fee after years of offering free transfers. Having deep-pocketed investors made this sustainable. Opay has raised $570 million so far, while PalmPay has raised $140 million. CBN’s fumble, fintechs gain The CBN’s naira redesign in 2022 was meant to push Nigerians toward cashless payments. Instead, it exposed the fragility of banks’ systems as transaction failures spiked, ATMs ran dry, and banking apps crashed. OPay and PalmPay benefited heavily from these glitches. By March 2023, they were Nigeria’s most downloaded finance apps. By October 2023, OPay was the country’s most-downloaded app. Having agile IT infrastructures due to their fintech-first approach enabled them to rapidly scale capacity. This also translated to revenue boosts. PalmPay’s revenue rose to $63.90 million in 2023, a 31,850% increase from $0.20 million in 2020. OPay’s revenue numbers remain undisclosed, but it reported 10 million daily active users and 100 million daily transaction volumes in 2024. In 2025, Chika Nwosu, the managing director at Palmpay, recently disclosed that the firm now processes 15 million daily transactions with a 99.5% success rate. “Mobile money wasn’t always perceived as viable, but we identified a core problem: system reliability, especially for simple things like free and seamless transfers,” he said in May. “So we invested in technology that’s efficient and reliable.” Betting on cards
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Cardtonic is building a super app for everything gift cards, gadgets, and payments
In Nigeria, the vibrant holiday season often comes with an unusual problem: wasted gift cards. A cousin in London might buy an Apple Store voucher and send it to a loved one in Lagos, but with no official Apple store, that card becomes little more than a shiny piece of plastic that sits unused until it expires. This gap has quietly spawned a parallel economy. As of 2024, Nigeria’s gifting industry is worth $2.1 billion and is projected to grow to $3 billion in the next three years. Across the country, gift cards have taken on another function entirely as a form of currency. A growing number of people prefer to sell gift cards for cash, and middlemen—gift card brokers—have stepped in to bridge the divide between foreign retailers and local realities. Cardtonic, a Nigerian fintech startup, built its business on that simple proposition: turning unused or inaccessible gift cards into liquid money. “The major issue was, people would get Nike or Adidas gift cards from their siblings abroad, and by the time it got to them in Nigeria, they didn’t know what to use it for. It just went to waste,” said Oluwatomisin Oduyemi, Cardtonic’s growth lead. “Our founders realised this was a problem that needed a solution.” Get the best African tech newsletters in your inbox Country Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Canton and Enderbury Islands Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos [Keeling] Islands Colombia Comoros Congo – Brazzaville Congo – Kinshasa Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Côte d’Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Dronning Maud Land East Germany Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories French Southern and Antarctic Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Honduras Hong Kong SAR China Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Johnston Island Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau SAR China Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Metropolitan France Mexico Micronesia Midway Islands Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar [Burma] Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles Neutral Zone New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Korea North Vietnam Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pacific Islands Trust Territory Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Panama Canal Zone Papua New Guinea Paraguay People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen Peru Philippines Pitcairn Islands Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria São Tomé and Príncipe Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu U.S. Minor Outlying Islands U.S. Miscellaneous Pacific Islands U.S. Virgin Islands Uganda Ukraine Union of Soviet Socialist Republics United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Unknown or Invalid Region Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Wake Island Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands ?> Gender Male Female Others TC Daily Events TC Scoop <!– Next Wave –> <!– Entering Tech –> Subscribe Building a business out of waste Founded in 2019 by Balogun Usman and Kayode Faturoti, Cardtonic—operating under its legal setup, The Tonic Technologies—started as a cryptocurrency trading app before pivoting to gift card trading. Seeing the lack of utility around gift cards in Nigeria, the startup set out to provide a solution to curb wastage. Cardtonic positioned itself as a reliable broker, where users could send in their gift cards, the startup validates them, and then offloads them to vetted partners who pay cash in return to take the cards. That efficiency is central to its appeal. Some cards, known internally as “fast cards,” can be validated and cashed out within 10 minutes. Others, such as store-specific vouchers that require manual checks, take longer. In January 2025, Cardtonic appointed Emmanuel Sohe as CEO, claiming it now serves more than one million users. Yet only around 500,000 to 600,000 of those users are considered “active”—customers who trade gift cards or use its other payment features at least once a month. The startup also claims it processes 400,000 gift cards monthly, emphasising that quick turnaround is its moat. “Over time, we’ve been able to optimise the transaction time from when you submit your cards to when you get paid, to about 10 minutes for the fast cards,” Oduyemi said. The business comes with plenty of risks. Some cards simply don’t work. Customers send in codes that turn out to have been used already, others submit numbers that don’t exist, and with physical cards, the digits sometimes get damaged when the surface is scratched off. These problems are so common that Cardtonic keeps a team focused only on quality checks before any payment is released. Fraud is another part of daily life in this market. Scammers pose as company staff, try to hack into user accounts, or trick people into handing over their codes. And once a gift card code is stolen or redeemed elsewhere, the value is gone for good. “Whenever you’re dealing with digital assets, there will always be an issue of authenticity,” said Oduyemi. To
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“I started out of circumstance not ambition”: Day 1-1000 of Microware Solutions
When you ask Michael Ekeagbara, CEO of Microware Solutions Limited, about the origins of his company, he describes it as nothing less than “a journey of hope.” Ekeagbara, the subject of today’s edition of the Day 1–1000 column, began humbly, repairing computers in Kaduna. From that modest start, he pieced together a career that would carry him through fire, rejection, false starts, and finally into building a Systems, Applications & Products in Data Processing (SAP) Gold Partner company. Along the way, he tells of hunger as motivation, lessons paid for in failure, and the stubborn refusal to give up when the odds seemed impossible. This is the story of Microware Solutions as told to TechCabal. Day 1: I didn’t choose entrepreneurship, it chose me I didn’t just wake up one morning and decide to be an entrepreneur. Truth is, I wanted a job. I graduated in 1998 with an Higher National Degree (HND) in Computer Science, a degree widely discriminated against and thought to be lower than the Bachelor’s degree in Nigeria’s job market. I went for NYSC in Kaduna, and thought I’d land in a bank. I sent applications, sat for interviews, but they always said the same thing: “We don’t take HND holders.” There was no uncle to call, no godfather, no family nearby. Hunger was staring me in the face. So I picked up what I knew. I repaired computers. I took a part-time lecturing job, teaching programming. One day, a student working at NNPC asked if I could build a software for their internal audit. I wrote the code, and it worked. They adopted it across subsidiaries. I was surviving, but not earning much. My motivation was simple: food on the table. On February 22, 2000, Kaduna went up in crisis. It was one of those conflicts between Fulani herders and indigenous communities. By nightfall, my little office had been burned. My home too. I lost everything. I ran to the Nigerian Defence Academy, stayed there two nights, and then fled south with nothing but the software I had written. That software became my bargaining chip. By June 2000, I landed a job at Magic Software in Victoria Island after demonstrating it. My boss asked, “How many people built this?” I told him it was all me—analysis, coding, database. That impressed him. At Magic Software, I built finance and payroll systems for oil companies and banks. It gave me confidence that I could hold my own. Get the best African tech newsletters in your inbox Country Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Canton and Enderbury Islands Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos [Keeling] Islands Colombia Comoros Congo – Brazzaville Congo – Kinshasa Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Côte d’Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Dronning Maud Land East Germany Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories French Southern and Antarctic Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Honduras Hong Kong SAR China Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Johnston Island Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau SAR China Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Metropolitan France Mexico Micronesia Midway Islands Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar [Burma] Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles Neutral Zone New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Korea North Vietnam Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pacific Islands Trust Territory Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Panama Canal Zone Papua New Guinea Paraguay People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen Peru Philippines Pitcairn Islands Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria São Tomé and Príncipe Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu U.S. Minor Outlying Islands U.S. Miscellaneous Pacific Islands U.S. Virgin Islands Uganda Ukraine Union of Soviet Socialist Republics United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Unknown or Invalid Region Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Wake Island Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands ?> Gender Male Female Others TC Daily Events TC Scoop <!– Next Wave –> <!– Entering Tech –> Subscribe After Magic, I joined MTS First Wireless, building billing and data systems. Then came the big one: IT Manager at a major oil and gas firm. Out of over 1,000 applicants, I came out on top. The MD and GMs wanted me. But the chairman said no. His verdict: “No HND in any of my companies.” That cut deep. I told myself, never again. That was the last job application I ever wrote. I vowed I would prove that with this same HND, I would hire BScs, Masters, and PhDs. And that’s what pushed me back to my own company. The desert years I rebranded my company as Microware Solutions in 2008. And then I walked straight into what I call my desert years. Six years of drought. I tried everything to survive. I sold carpets and imported red wine from Italy. I lost
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The problem with the African tech ecosystem is its storytelling
By 2050, nearly one in four people on Earth will be African. Whether this demographic shift becomes a source of global prosperity or instability may depend on something seemingly intangible: the stories being told about the continent today. These narratives will determine whether Africa will sit at the table where decisions are made or find itself on the menu. “Stories are trust bridges that let people suspend disbelief and emotionally invest in a future they want to see,” Eche Emole tells me. The CEO of the digital nation, Afropolitan, is flying above 37,000 feet when he replies. His storytelling worldview is perhaps best captured by two words: “Africa’s Rising”—the 2011-coined narrative that drew global belief in the continent’s promise. Jumia became the poster child of this era, achieving unicorn status after an unprecedented $400 million Series C raise in 2016. The next five years would open the taps of global capital and the birth of six more unicorns. Yet, for all the attention that followed, the continent has largely fumbled the narrative. This storytelling deficit became painfully apparent during the post-COVID capital retraction, which nearly crippled the ecosystem—and forced the continent’s founders to either focus on “fundamentals” or die. Post-COVID capital retraction in the African venture landscape. [Data obtained from the average values reported by SOTIA and Partech] Storytelling is dealflow As Norrsken’s Abraham Augustine argues in this piece, a narrative deficit in African tech could hamper its collective ability to attract capital flow from both local and global sources. This is despite a rebound in VC deals tracked in the first half of 2025. This story burden is both collective and individual. Promises like “banking the unbanked” no longer appeal to VCs allocating capital to hot AI startups in San Francisco. And what’s the promise of an exploding, digital-savvy population that cannot afford the pricing of technology-powered businesses? What then is our compelling story? And, more importantly, how do we tell it? Blessing Abeng, Founder at Onbrand, an outfit that amplifies narratives for VCs and governments, believes the highest-level operators have a unique responsibility to present our nuance to the world, but only if they can get past their siloed empires and actually work together. “VCs have all this data about what’s going on with the startups they talk to, they see all sorts, but hardly talk to each other, leading to a closed feedback ecosystem that’s ultimately net negative,” she said. Abeng believes the stories that will ring Africa’s bells to the world must be told in chorus—collective events, honest conversations, and data spotlights aggregated from the secret ledgers of the big funds and the WhatsApp chats of angel investors. Founders lose when they tell the full story Anyone with faint ears on the African tech ecosystem would have picked up the noise around the latest failures in African tech: Okra’s shutdown and Lidya’s messy founder exits amid customers’ cries for funds. Both companies had raised similar amounts—around $16 million each—and were once touted as sector-disrupting before cracks began to show. Attendees of the US-NG Startup Investment summit would later learn that harsh local regulations contributed significantly to Okra’s failure—a narrative still underdeveloped, story-wise. Ayobami Olajide, Partner at VC firm Escape’s Velocity, ascribes this trend to the secretive, low-trust economy that African startups operate in. “There’s no incentive for founders to go beyond shiny stories. It could backfire, and they have to worry about red-eyed regulators.” But the real issue runs deeper: many startups simply don’t know how to use storytelling strategically. Incubators, MBAs, and coding expertise don’t automatically translate into the creativity—and frankly, ingenuity—needed to genuinely connect with audiences on a deeper level. When founders fail on this individual level, the accumulated result is a dry appetite for the continent. Global investors see Africa like an early-stage startup: high on potential, uncertain on execution. In this context, storytelling that strikes hearts, moves people, and amplifies narratives isn’t optional. It’s the ecosystem’s best shot at survival. Storytelling is MOAT for VCs too “Beyond your capital, why should a founder contact you?” Nnamdi Oranye, founder of early-stage VC firm Disruptive Ventures, poses this question to highlight why storytelling has become essential in an increasingly competitive venture landscape. Oranye believes compelling long-form content is the future of storytelling on the continent. “We need more encyclopedia-style references, long-form essays, and books that stay in public consciousness beyond a week or two,” he explained. Emole terms this “narrative capital” as the new attraction for strategic founders. Jubril Oguntade, COO, FirstFounders Ventures Studio, agrees: “We’ve seen that the careful documentation of a fund’s experiences through reports and data sharing drives attention from LPs, family offices, and institutional investors.” VCs that do this effectively are solving two problems: showcasing Africa’s talents as investable while capturing mindshare among early-stage founders seeking first-check investors. This creates a powerful flywheel effect, particularly valuable on a continent where early-stage investors typically see the highest returns and clearest exit paths. Africa, rise with stories Africa may be the world’s poorest continent by GDP, but its wealth in stories and culture remains unmatched. If the continent’s tech ecosystem hopes to command the kind of capital rush that the AI mania has proven possible, then compelling narratives must drown out the schadenfreude that erupts whenever a startup fails. ______ Caleb Nnamani is a former TechCabal reporter who covered startups, venture capital, and blockchain. He is now Chief Storyteller at Blacktrigger. Mark your calendars! Moonshot by TechCabal is back in Lagos on October 15–16! Join Africa’s top founders, creatives & tech leaders for 2 days of keynotes, mixers & future-forward ideas. Early bird tickets now 20% off—don’t snooze! moonshot.techcabal.com
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NIMC must enroll 3.3 million Nigerians monthly to hit 2026 target
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) must register at least 3.3 million Nigerians every month until December 2026 to meet the World Bank’s new target of 180 million National Identification Numbers (NINs), marking the biggest test in its 15-year history. NIN is Nigeria’s version of the US Social Security Number, linking demographic data with fingerprints, facial images, signatures, and eventually credit history. The goal is for every Nigerian, regardless of income or location, to access essential services using this single ID. As of June 30, 2025, NIN registrations stood at 121 million, leaving a gap of 59 million to be filled in only 18 months.. NIMC’s peak registration rate was in 2021, when the average monthly enrolment was 2.19 million, and registration for the year stood at 26.3 million. NIMC is betting on an upgraded biometric server, additional enrolment centres, and collaborations with telecom companies and microfinance banks to boost mass registrations in 2025 and 2026. Digital identity forms the foundation for access, inclusion, and opportunity in the digital economy. With a population of about 210 million, nearly half of Nigerians—mostly women, persons with disabilities, and disadvantaged groups—still lack digital identification, according to the World Bank. This exclusion cuts them off from accessing government aid, financial services, and participating in digital transactions. It led to the enactment of the NIMC Act in 2007 and the establishment of the commission in 2010, which replaced the Department of National Civic Registration (DNCR). However, ongoing underfunding, weak infrastructure, and a lack of political will have hampered progress. By June 2020, only 41.5 million Nigerians had NINs. Fewer than 8 million of these were under the age of 25, despite that age group comprising nearly half the population. In 2020, Nigeria secured up to $430 million from the World Bank, French Development Agency (AFD), and European Investment Bank (EIB) under the Identification for Development (ID4D). The agreement became effective in December 2021, with the ambitious aim of reaching 148 million NINs by June 2024. Nigeria did not meet this target due to longstanding capacity and funding issues in NIMC. Despite a six-month extension, registrations stagnated at 114.5 million by January 2025. Delays in approval by the National Assembly, data protection law hurdles, and recruitment challenges slowed the disbursement of funds during the first 22 months of the programme. Most of these issues have now been resolved. So far, the biggest boost to registrations has been a December 2020 government mandate requiring NIN for SIM registration. Numbers increased from 46.4 million in January 2021 to 94.03 million by December 2022. New targets, familiar challenges Convinced of Nigeria’s commitment, the World Bank extended the deadline to December 2026 in 2024 and increased the target to 180 million NINs. This commitment was reflected in policy measures such as the enactment of a data protection law in June 2023 and improvements to the national identity management system (NIMS). Disbursement stood at 53% ($228 million) as of November 2024, with the World Bank noting it has directly facilitated the enrolment of 74 million NINs. To achieve the 2026 deadline, the World Bank expects Nigeria to maintain monthly enrolments of three million, starting January 2025. “Starting January 2025, the project will be enrolling three million people with NIN a month,” it stated. So far, 2025 enrollment stands at 1.08 million monthly, with 6.5 million new registrations as of June’s end. At this rate, only 13 million Nigerians would be registered by year’s end, leaving the commission with a tough task in 2026. However, the commission insists the rest of 2025 will be different. Kayode Adegoke, head of corporate communications, told TechCabal that the agency’s new server, expanded centres at home and abroad, and stronger institutional partnerships will make the difference. “NIMC is confident it can meet this goal,” he said. Betting on technology and collaboration The core of NIMC’s confidence lies in the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), the backend infrastructure supporting Nigeria’s digital identity. For years, it has struggled with outages, including a 2022 blackout that disrupted banking, immigration, and telecom services. Originally designed to hold 100 million NINs, the system had reached its limit. In 2024, NIMC’s technical partner, IDEMIA Smart Identity, revealed that the server was being upgraded to a future-proof platform capable of managing hundreds of millions of identities. “The new powerful system will ensure that all Nigerians have access to a secure, trusted identity,” said Olivier Charlanes, IDEMIA’s senior vice president for Middle East and Africa. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, then CEO of NIMC, said, “We wanted to ensure that we deliver the best-in-class solution to our fellow Nigerians, and the pure power of the biometric matching we will receive ensures that the solution is future-proof for our growing population.” According to Adegoke, NIMC is now more resilient due to its server upgrade, which has recently been completed. “It is a smarter, faster, and more secure infrastructure that enhances biometric processing, speeds up authentication, and improves the overall user experience. For millions of Nigerians, this means quicker services, fewer bottlenecks, and a more seamless identity management system,” he said. NIMC has also enhanced and upgraded the National Identity Management System (NIMS) to improve privacy, performance, monitoring, assurance, and risk management, key areas for which it has been criticised. “The Commission has also put in place an automated customer service, which ensures that Nigeria’s identity ecosystem remains efficient, reliable and future-ready,” he added. Beyond software, expanding access involves establishing more physical centres that individuals can visit to register easily. To facilitate this, it has licenced at least 134 front-end partners using the developed licensing and assurance framework, including mobile network operators and microfinance banks, to broaden registration access. The commission is also intensifying efforts to increase diaspora registration. According to the World Bank, over 1.7 million Nigerians live abroad. NIMC launched diaspora registration in 2019, and without NINs, Nigerians in the diaspora cannot renew their passports. Since the end of 2023, NIMC has registered nearly one million Nigerians in the diaspora, bringing total enrolments to 1.5 million
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How to identify authentic tech gadgets in Nigeria
Table of contents How to check if a tech gadget is authentic What people are saying about fake tech gadgets How brands and experts help you verify devices Device verification methods by manufacturer If you buy a phone or laptop in Nigeria, there’s always the risk of ending up with a fake. Counterfeit tech gadgets are everywhere, from outright clones to refurbished items sold as brand new, or gadgets with fake software and swapped-out parts. Counterfeits aren’t just frustrating, they’re costly. Nigerians lose billions annually to fake gadgets, with some reports saying up to 40% of tech gadgets in the market are counterfeit. Imagine spending over ₦300,000($190) on a laptop that stops working in a few months. Beyond the financial implications, fake gadgets can even put lives at risk, like faulty chargers causing house fires. This guide is here to help you avoid falling victim. How to check if a tech gadget is authentic in Nigeria Step 1: Check the packaging and build Start with the basics. Original devices always come in sealed, branded boxes with clear printing. Watch out for: Unsealed or plain packaging Blurry logos or spelling errors Cheap stickers instead of engraved or printed branding Look at the device itself. A genuine laptop or phone should feel solid, not flimsy. The screen should be bright and clear, not dim or blurry. For phones, the screen should feel like glass, not plastic. Accessories like chargers and cables should also feel sturdy and fit properly. Step 2: Verify with IMEI and software checks Every phone has a unique IMEI number (International Mobile Equipment Identity). Dial *#06# or check the box/settings to find it. Then, confirm it on the official brand website or trusted sites like IMEI.info. Scammers sometimes fake software details, making a device look like it has more storage or RAM than it does. Don’t trust only the “About Phone” screen; always cross-check the IMEI to be sure. Step 3: Pay attention to the seller The way a seller behaves tells you a lot. Be cautious if they: Rush you to make a payment Get angry when you test the gadget Refuse to issue a receipt or warranty “Trusted retailers like SLOT usually give at least a 1-year warranty and a return policy,” said Desmond, who owns and runs DesonTechHub, a small phone shop tucked between two busy stalls at Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos. “That’s a good sign of accountability. But you also need to be sharp because there are also market tricks. Once you’ve tested a device, always hold onto it; don’t let the seller take it back to repackage it out of sight. And once you’ve paid, leave the market immediately with your item.” What people are saying about fake tech gadgets in Nigeria When we visited Computer Village in Ikeja, shop owners and customers were quick to share practical rules for avoiding counterfeit or stolen devices. Desmond, who runs DesonTechHub, put it simply: “Don’t buy from random street sellers. If the seller can’t give you a receipt or warranty, walk away. Always check the IMEI number before you pay, and test the phone thoroughly right in front of them.” A nearby trader, who asked not to be named, warned about the risks of unknowingly buying stolen phones. “I’ve seen people get into serious trouble after buying stolen phones without knowing. Imagine police tracing the device back to you. That’s why referrals and known shops are safer. Test every feature on the spot, camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, don’t just check the body.” Chioma, a sales rep at BrightTech Hub, a small laptop repair stall, emphasised vigilance. “Never let the seller take the phone or laptop away to repackage after you’ve tested it. Once it leaves your sight, you can’t be sure it’s the same device. Hold it yourself, and carry it home yourself.” How brands and experts help you verify devices Beyond market wisdom, sellers in Computer Village stressed that big tech brands already provide tools to verify authenticity. “HP laptops, for example, come with a hologram or QR code on the box,” Desmond of DesonTechHub explained. You can scan it or enter the serial number on HP’s website. Same with Apple and Samsung, they have online portals where you can check the IMEI or serial number. If it doesn’t show up, don’t buy it.” Chioma of BrightTech Hub offered a simpler trick for budget smartphone brands: “For TECNO or Infinix, just dial *#06# to display the IMEI, then compare it with the number on the box. If they don’t match, it’s fake. Simple.” Trusted retailers also matter. Tunde of Zit Gadgets, an authorised reseller, said: “Shops like SLOT, Technocrat, or my own store issue receipts, warranties, and return policies. That accountability is what separates us from the boys on the street. Online, the official Jumia stores are also safe because they give you proof of purchase.” Government and private efforts are also in play. Desmond pointed to initiatives from the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and NAFDAC, and to apps like Chekkit that let buyers scan QR codes to confirm originality. From roadside stalls to brand websites and mobile apps, the message was consistent: buyers don’t have to rely on a seller’s word alone; they already have the tools to protect themselves. Device verification methods by manufacturer These official tools are designed to empower consumers and bypass the need to trust a seller’s word. The existence of these resources is a direct acknowledgement from manufacturers of the global counterfeiting problem and their commitment to providing a solution. However, it is ultimately up to the consumer to use them. Final thoughts Fake gadgets are everywhere in Nigeria, but you don’t have to fall for them. Safe buying comes down to caution: knowing who you’re buying from, checking what you’re paying for, and verifying before you hand over cash. The more consumers take these steps, the harder it becomes for fake tech gadgets to thrive in the market.
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Inside the Artificial Intelligence & Robotics Lab at the University of Lagos
Every Thursday, Delve Into AI will provide nuanced insights on how the continent’s AI trajectory is shaping up. In this column, we examine how AI influences culture, policy, businesses, and vice versa. Read to get smarter about the people, projects, and questions shaping Africa’s AI future. Let us know your thoughts on the column through this form. Dr. Chika Yinka-Banjo didn’t always dream of setting up an artificial intelligence and robotics research lab. But at the University of Lagos, she has, since 2018, overseen a research lab fostering research and development (R&D) in AI and Robotics. She earned an undergraduate degree in mathematics and computer science from the Federal University of Technology, Imo State in 1999, and pursued a master’s in computer science at the University of Port Harcourt having found her first degree to be too theoretical. “You study computers without actually touching a computer, but I still loved computer science because that’s where my passion is,” she recalled. The graduate degree did not inspire any more excitement than her first degree did, so she secured a full scholarship at the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in South Africa for a second master’s program in mathematical sciences. After AIMS, she went for a Ph.D. in computer science at Stellenbosch University, one of South Africa’s top universities, graduating in 2015 and promptly returning to Nigeria. “I believe I have something to give to the younger generation.” Dr. Yinka-Banjo established Artificial Intelligence and Research Lab (AIRLAB) at the University of Lagos in 2018 to promote R&D in robotics and AIImage Source: Maryam Shittu/Big Cabal Media Returning and giving back With a grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada’s public institution focused on funding and empowering research in developing countries, Dr. Yinka-Banjo set up the Artificial Intelligence and Research Lab (AIRLAB). It began in a small office at the University of Lagos’ Computer Science Department and eventually became part of a workspace at the Central Research Laboratory. The vision is simple: to be a world-renowned institution that provides an environment for fostering R&D in AI and robotics. Since 2018, the lab has sponsored students to national and international robotics competitions, such as the First Tech Challenge, and won some awards. They organise free summer programs for teenagers to develop key skills needed to explore robotics and AI applications. This year, from July 21 to August 1, with funding from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the lab hosted the Lagos-based version of NaijaCoder, an intensive training program for secondary school students. “We are not just trying to train students to become software engineers,” said Victory Yinka-Banjo, one of the program organisers and a recent MIT graduate. “The skills they are getting here can be useful in the context of research, science, and computation. You can’t do AI without those right now.” Access to funding and research priorities Beyond holding training programs for younger children, Dr. Yinka Banjo would like to focus more on applied research work to build solutions for Nigeria and the broader African continent, but funding is scarce. The majority of the lab’s funders, she said, are more interested in extracurricular programs for teenagers and younger students. “I don’t know why, because with all the grant proposals we have written, it is the ones that have children in them that get funding.” But funding for more research-focused work is critical to the success of labs like AIRLAB, which ultimately want to build AI solutions that can be applied locally. This research-focused funding is also important for nationwide goals of global leadership “in harnessing the transformative power of AI.” “There’s no government helping us. If you ask them, there’s no money, and I can’t blame them because they have money marked up for different things,” she said. “The essence of this whole thing is that we go out to look for funds.” In Q2 2025, the lab received funding from the IDRC and UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office to establish a new research initiative focused on AI for education. The main goal is to build AI-powered learning assistants for low-connectivity, underserved learning environments on the continent. Prior research projects in the lab, which focused on building AI applications in agriculture and healthcare, have largely been sponsored by foreign countries. This external funding helps the lab access the talent to support its broader goals, a challenge the lab has faced. “People who are good are getting funding to go out,” Dr. Yinka-Banjo mentioned. “So when we want to do research, we struggle.” Since 2021, Nigerian students have increasingly looked abroad for higher education, with the US and Canada emerging as top destinations. In Canada, applications from Nigerian students climbed to about 46,000 in 2023, a 260% increase from 2021. “The good thing is that people are aware that Nigerians are smart. Since funding is what makes the smart ones stay, we started writing for research grants,” she added. The talent choosing to stay Mariam Muhammed was recently chosen to join the AIRLAB as a Ph.D. candidate on the AI for Education project. After finishing her master’s in computer science in 2024 at the University of Lagos, she began thinking about her next steps. “I was considering external opportunities, I’d even started to prepare some applications,” she said. “Immediately I saw this opportunity, I stopped because it felt like this was just what I wanted to do.” Before joining, Muhammed received an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and a postgraduate diploma in education, seven years later. She spent most of her time after school in the industry, developing software for foreign startups building AI-supported personalised learning solutions in markets like the US. Now, she wants to pursue research and create truly contextual AI solutions for Nigerians and Africans. The external funding backing the project gives her the confidence that more stakeholders can hold the lab accountable on research outcomes, which is quite different from traditional Ph.D. programs in Nigeria. “For me, the funding is a signal around structure,” she said. “I would
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