Author: Kaluka wanjala

Safaricom’s Chief Financial Services Officer, Esther Waititu, will leave the company at the end of July, marking another high-profile leadership change within the telecommunications giant’s financial services business. In an internal communication to staff, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa confirmed that Waititu’s last working day will be July 31, 2026, saying she had chosen to leave the company to pursue other opportunities. “I wish to announce that Esther Waititu, our Chief Financial Services Officer, will be leaving Safaricom to pursue other opportunities. At her request, the company has agreed that her last working day will be 31st July, 2026,” Ndegwa said.…

Cassava Technologies has strengthened Africa’s cloud infrastructure after its subsidiary, Africa Data Centres (ADC), was designated a Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute Metro peering location in Johannesburg, making it the first such location on the continent. The milestone enables organisations to access more resilient and secure private connectivity to Microsoft Azure, with built-in redundancy for mission-critical workloads. Through Liquid C2, Cassava’s cloud and cybersecurity business, customers will also gain access to Secure CloudConnect, a managed service that combines private cloud connectivity with integrated cybersecurity. Cassava says the development reinforces its “One Cassava” strategy by combining ADC’s data centre infrastructure with Liquid C2’s…

SeamlessHR rebrands to Seamless Technologies, a strategic pivot from human resource management to artificial intelligence, embedded financial services and enterprise software. The company said the new corporate structure reflects its ambition to build a broader technology platform serving businesses and workers across Africa, with a focus on improving productivity and expanding access to financial services. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Seamless Technologies will now operate through three business verticals. These include SeamlessHR, its workforce management platform; Breeze, an embedded financial services platform offering payroll financing, earned wage access, employee self-service,…

NCBA and electric mobility company ePure Motion have signed a strategic partnership to help accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Kenya. They plan to do this through tailored asset financing solutions for individuals, SACCOs and fleet operators. Under the agreement, qualifying salaried customers purchasing ePure Motion passenger EVs for private use can access up to 100% financing with repayment periods of up to 72 months, subject to credit approval. Individual Public Service Vehicle (PSV) SACCO members purchasing 16-seater electric matatus can access up to 80% financing over 48 months. On the other hand, existing SACCOs and PSV companies…

SCRYPT has expanded its licensed stablecoin settlement infrastructure into four East African markets. This will make it easier for banks, payment providers and corporate treasury teams to move funds between local currencies and stablecoins in real time. The expansion also brings direct settlement support for the Kenyan shilling (KES), Tanzanian shilling (TZS), Rwandan franc (RWF) and Ugandan shilling (UGX). This provides businesses with a new way to tap into stablecoin-based cross-border payments without first having to purchase US dollars through traditional banking channels. The move comes as the popularity of stablecoins in Africa is on the rise. Companies are using…

Rwanda has announced the nationwide rollout of eKash. This is the country’s national instant payment system. As of 14 July 2026, all interoperable retail payment transactions between banks and electronic money issuers are processed through eKash. So what exactly is eKash, how does it work and why does it matter? What is eKash? It is Rwanda’s national digital payment system for instant money transfers working between participating banks and mobile money providers. It makes it easier for customers to instantly send and receive funds between providers, without the need to be on the same bank or mobile money provider. Why…

Kenya’s digital government expertise is beginning to find markets beyond its borders, with Webmasters Kenya Ltd, the company behind the country’s eCitizen platform, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mozambique’s National Employment Institute (INEP) to develop the country’s national Employment Portal. Under the agreement, Webmasters Kenya will design, implement and maintain the platform, which will connect job seekers and employers while providing access to employment opportunities, internships, vocational training, self-employment and entrepreneurship programmes through mobile devices and Employment Centres. The announcement also is a clear trend that Kenyan technology firms are increasingly exporting digital public infrastructure (DPI) expertise to…

Kenya’s regulated digital lending industry has crossed the KSh150 billion mark after the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) licensed an additional 25 Digital Credit Providers (DCPs), bringing the total number of licensed firms to 252. According to the CBK, licensed digital lenders had issued 8.37 million loans worth KSh150.56 billion by the end of May 2026. The regulator said it has received more than 800 licence applications since the licensing framework came into effect in March 2022. While 252 firms have now secured licences, hundreds of applications remain under review, with many awaiting the submission of required documentation. CBK noted…

Interswitch has appointed Geoffrey Njuguna as the new Managing Director of its Kenya business.  Njuguna previously served as Regional Chief Financial Officer. As CFO, he helped streghten the company’s financial management, supporting strategic growth and driving operational excellence across the business. Commenting on the appointment, Mitchell Elegbe, Group CEO, Interswitch Group, said: “Geoffrey’s deep understanding of our business, proven leadership, and unwavering commitment to our values position him well to lead our Kenya business into its next phase of growth.” The appointment follows Interswitch’s sustained efforts to deepen its footprint in the Kenyan payments ecosystem, with a focus of delivering…

Stablecoin-powered travel payments startup Timon has announced its expansion to Kenya after surpassing 100,000 users across Africa. The expansion comes after the company received backing from Alliance, a global accelerator for crypto startups. The investment will help Timon expand across Africa, strengthen its stablecoin infrastructure and accelerate the rollout of new products. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Timon was founded by Tomi Ayorinde and Chizaram Ucheaga and enables users to fund digital wallets using local currencies, US dollar accounts or stablecoins. It also offers virtual and physical payment cards, cross-border…