Every fortnight we compile a list of important news updates and events covering the East African FINTECH, MFGTECH, CLNTECH, and AGRTECH sectors.

For a downloadable copy of Africa’s Issue #34

FINTECH

Nokia Stock- Safaricom puts Kenya on the 5G map
Safaricom told Mobile World Live (MWL) it will launch commercial 5G service in Kenya on 26 March, with the move tipped to be the first rollout of the next-generation technology in the country. In a statement to MWL, Safaricom said it partnered with Nokia and Huawei for the rollout. The deployment would begin in Kenyan capital Nairobi along with other areas with high data consumption.
Peter Ndegwa is the CEO at Safaricom PLC

Asambe & Kuva’s Partnership Shows The Potential Of Fintech, E-Commerce, & Electric Mobility To Transform Africa
Asambe, an all-electric transportation and end-to-end logistics service, is scaling up operations building on its initial pilot and several partnerships for delivery services. Asambe already has 3rd party last-mile delivery agreements with parceldelivery, medical supplies and food delivery companies.
Kumbirai Makanza is the is the founder of Asambe

Bank Of Kigali Digital Payments Drive To “Best Bank In Rwanda 2021”
Recently, Bank of Kigali (BK) was awarded as the “Best Bank in Rwanda 2021” at the Global Finance’s 28th annual awards for the World’s and Africa’s Best Banks in 2021 at a ceremony held in New York City-USA, the Headquarters of Global Finance.
Diane Karusisi is the CEO at Bank of Kigali

Catholic Church digitizes payments in partnership with Zamtel
The Catholic Church has partnered with Zamtel to facilitate payments and contributions through mobile money platforms. Over 6 million members across Zambia will rely on Zamtel mobile money services to send in their contributions.
Sydney Mupeta is the CEO at Zamtel

Nigerian fintech Xerde rolls out new social funding app
The Lagos-based fintech company Xerde has announced the rollout of it’s new application, Tudo, an innovative funding solution for businesses. The new service provides social funding solutions that will drive innovation and encourage digital transformation by offering a range of accessible solutions to organisations in Africa.
Khadijat Abdulkadir is the CEO at Xerde Limited

Kenyan Fintech Asilimia launches Leja, a Digital Ledger for MSMEs
Asilimia, a Kenyan Fintech digitizing payments for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has launched Leja, a digital ledger app that allows business owners to manage their transactions in real-time. With this app, Asilimia users will be able to create simple cash-based accounting P&L records as well as keep a ledger of outstanding debits and credits while requiring zero technical or accounting knowledge.
Tekwane Mwendwa is the CEO and Co-Founder at Asilimia

Mobile money services boost employment for Zambian youth
The mobile phone communication services industry has over the years provided a host of employment opportunities across Africa through its range of services. Among the opportunities created by the industry are mobile money services, which involve the electronic receipt, transfer, and storage of money using a cellular phone.

Sunshine Investment Group to unlock digital payments in Ethiopia
Sunpay solutions S.C gears up for entry to the Ethiopian Digital payment Landscape to offer a payment system with an initial capital of 100 Million Birr. The Company plans to contribute to the growth of digital payment in Ethiopia and promote financial inclusion across the country with a focus on enabling a better, seamless and secure customer experience.
Craig Shaw is the President at Sunshine Investment Group

Local fintech, Payflex launches buy now pay later interest-free feature
Johannesburg-based fintech startup Payflex has launched the buy now pay later for local shoppers in South Africa. Local consumers will be able to purchase items from over 500 well-known stores such as Cotton-on, Superbalist, and more.
Paul Behrmann is the CEO & Founder at Payflex

Nigeria’s CoralPay in talks with telcos to extend mobile phone insurance payments. Nigerian payments service provider CoralPay is in discussions with telecoms companies to extend access to health insurance by mobile phone. Talks are in progress with MTN, 9Telecom and Globalcom. The scheme to allow mobile payment for health insurance supplied by AXA Mansard is already operating in partnership with Airtel.
Chioma Nkechika is the CEO at CoralPay

Apple launches its contactless payment service in S.Africa
Apple Inc. introduced its contactless payment service in South Africa on this March, as the global tech giant looks to cash in on the mobile payments boom in the country. The use of digital finance and payments systems has surged in South Africa and elsewhere as the coronavirus crisis has prompted a shift towards e-commerce and contactless payments

AGRTECH

Garissa seeks to become Kenya’s breadbasket through agri-tech
Garissa seeks to tap the enormous irrigation potential and enhance the management of the rangelands for crop and livestock productivity. This will be achieved through development of production technologies for new crop and livestock varieties, innovative soil and crop management

South African Agritech startup Skudu raises funding from AgVentures
South African agritech startup Skudu has raised funding from AgVentures, a leading agrifood tech investor in Africa. This move will help Skudu achieve its goal of becoming the leading online marketplace for agricultural inputs (animal feeds, fertilizers, plant protection chemicals) and produce on the continent.
Gerhard Visagie is the CEO at AgVentures

Farm4Me Awarded West African Best World Class Digital Agricultural Investment Platform Brand of the Year 2021
Fast-growing Nigerian Agritech company, Farm4Me has been awarded the West Africa’s Best World Class Digital Agricultural Investment Platform Brand of The Year 2021. Farm4Me is a contract farming company with distinction and the largest farm equipment rental service in Nigeria.
Adama J Adama is the Founder and CEO at Farm4Me

Naspers backs SA agritech with investment in Aerobotics
Aerobotics is a subscription-based platform that provides tree crop health and yield intelligence data to the agricultural industry using drone and satellite-enabled AI technology. The company uses aerial imagery from satellites and drone flights together with machine learning algorithms to collect crucial data for farmers.
James Paterson is the CEO at Aerobotics

Kenyan agritech insurance startup, Pula secures $6m in Series A funding round
Pula, a Kenyan agricultural insurance startup focused on smallholder farmers in Global South nations has raised a $6m Series A round led by Pan-Africa early-stage VC firm, TLcom, with collaboration from a non-profit organisation, Women’s World Banking.
Rose Goslinga is the Co-CEO and Co-Founder at PULA
Thomas Njeru is the Co-CEO and Co-Founder at PULA