Author: Kaluka wanjala

Africa Tech Summit Nairobi has confirmed Fincra, the global payments solutions provider, as the Headline Supporter for its eighth edition set for February 11 and 12, 2026 at the Sarit Expo Centre.  The 2026 summit is expected to bring together more than 2,000 delegates and over 1,000 companies across four key tracks. These include the Africa Money and DeFi Summit, Africa AI and Digital Summit, Africa Climate Tech and Investment Summit and the Africa Startup Summit. The event will gather leaders, investors, founders, regulators, and enterprise executives to explore the trends shaping the continent’s digital economy. If you have a startup you…

KCB Bank Kenya and Visa have partnered to introduce a Tap to Phone payment solution that allows merchants to accept card payments using only an NFC-enabled Android smartphone. The launch is part of Kenya’s growing shift toward modern and flexible digital payments.  This guide breaks down everything merchants need to know before they sign up. How Tap to Phone Works Tap to Phone turns a merchant’s NFC-enabled Android smartphone into a payment acceptance device. Merchants do not have to use physical point-of-sale terminal and instead they open a dedicated app and allows customers to complete transactions by tapping their contactless…

Investing in Innovation Africa (i3) has announced three major healthtech partnerships during its third Access to Markets (A2M) event.  Each partnership focuses on improving access to essential health services and strengthening health systems in key markets across Africa. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. One of the headline collaborations is between MSD and MYDAWA. The two companies will work together to expand MYDAWA’s concierge health services with a strong emphasis on cervical cancer elimination efforts. The initiative will support at-home and in-clinic service options, online booking tools, and educational counselling for…

Ezeebit, a stablecoin and cryptocurrency payment infrastructure company regulated by South Africa’s Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), has raised $2.05 million in seed funding. The startup will use the funding to accelerate product development and expand merchant adoption across South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria. Ezeebit has positioned itself as a bridge between decentralised finance and traditional financial rails. The platform allows merchants to accept cryptocurrency payments with instant stablecoin settlement and next-business-day fiat payouts. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Since launch, Ezeebit says it has processed more than 30,000 transactions…

Ampersand Energy has announced a new partnership that brings the Wylex electric motorcycle onto its battery network across East Africa. The collaboration positions Ampersand as the first company in Africa to open its battery swapping infrastructure to third-party electric motorcycle manufacturers. Ampersand operates one of the fastest and most widely used battery swap networks in the region says the move will accelerate access to electric mobility by allowing more vehicle brands to plug into its system. Josh Whale, the CEO of Ampersand, said the partnership represents a major milestone for the continent’s electric transport sector. “We’ve created a top-tier energy…

Africa Data Centres’ Managing Director for the East Africa region, Dan Kwach, has officially announced his exit after a 19 year tenure that saw him shape the growth of the digital infrastructure landscape across the continent. In a statement shared on LinkedIn, Kwach reflected on nearly two decades spent building and expanding the organisation’s operations as it evolved into one of Africa’s most important data centre providers. Kwach highlighted the establishment of what he described as one of the richest digital ecosystems in the region, along with the successful onboarding of global cloud partners into Africa. He also expressed gratitude…

Absa Bank Kenya has introduced two new customer service innovations to strengthen its national presence and increase access to banking services. The new Branch on the Move and Absa Service Pod models represent the bank’s latest effort to deliver convenient, advisory focused and inclusive banking across Kenya. The launch comes as the bank continues a major network expansion drive that includes six new branches opened this year in Gilgil, Kawangware, Kisumu, Mtwapa, and Wajir. The expansion brings Absa’s total footprint to 91 branches and service centres. What the New Service Models Offer Branch on the Move The Branch on the…

Capitec Bank has entered into a binding agreement to acquire 100 percent of Walletdoc Holdings, a South African fintech firm known for its modern payment gateway solutions. The acquisition includes an initial cash payment of R300 million and a potential R100 million earn-out paid over three years. The earn-out is tied to performance milestones and the Capitec share price. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Why Capitec Is Buying Walletdoc Walletdoc offers online and in-app payments, digital wallets, payment links, Instant EFT and real-time payouts. Its platform is built for scale,…

Vertiv has completed its previously announced plan to acquire Purge Rite Intermediate, also known as PurgeRite. The deal is valued at approximately $1 billion and strengthens Vertiv’s thermal management capabilities and reinforces its position as a leader in next generation liquid cooling services for data centres. Gio Albertazzi, CEO of Vertiv, said the acquisition will enhance the company’s ability to support high density computing environments. He added that PurgeRite’s specialised expertise in fluid management complements Vertiv’s portfolio and improves its ability to deliver end to end support for AI and HPC applications that depend on efficient thermal performance. The demand…

The Government of Kenya has released nine conditions that Vodacom must commit to before the State proceeds with the planned sale of a 15% Safaricom stake to Vodafone Kenya Limited. The proposed divestment, announced last week, is expected to raise between KES 240.5 billion and KES 244.5 billion, which will be used to capitalise the National Infrastructure Fund and the Sovereign Wealth Fund. The government insists that the transaction is a shareholder level adjustment. It will not change how Safaricom is run or its relationship with Kenyan consumers, suppliers, or employees. The undertakings are designed to protect the company’s identity,…