#nigeria

Africa’s #startup #ecosystem is bigger than fintech. But #fintech is still winning the funding race.

I came across an infographic showing some of #Africa’s top-funded #startups as of #August 2026, and one thing immediately stood out to me.

Fintech dominates.

Moniepoint — $110M
Jumia — $90M
TymeBank — $70M
mPharma — $58M
FairMoney — $42M
Sun King — $38M
Chipper Cash — $30M

And the list continues across e-commerce, logistics, healthtech, energy, software and other sectors.

But there is a bigger story here.
#Africa isn’t simply building more startups.
Africa is building #businesses around real #problems.

How people save.
How people access financial services.
How people connect and network.
How businesses receive payments.
How medicine reaches patients.
How electricity reaches households.
How goods move across cities.
How people buy and sell.

That is where I think the next generation of #African companies will come from.

And as someone building in #community finance, this is particularly interesting to me.

For decades, Africans have already created informal systems to solve financial problems Ajo, Esusu, cooperatives, savings groups and rotating contributions.

The opportunity isn’t to replace those #behaviours.

It is to #modernize them.

That is part of the thinking behind what we build, the #Azatell.

The question I keep asking is:

What happens when #African financial behaviour meets world-class #technology?

This funding landscape suggests #investors are already paying attention to the opportunity.

Now the question is:

Which African startup will become the next $100M company?

What sector do you think will produce it?

#AfricanStartups #AfricaTech #Fintech #VentureCapital #StartupFunding #Entrepreneurship #CommunityFinance #Lumpay #Nigeria #Africa

WhatsApp is set to introduce charges for certain customer-service messages sent by businesses using the }WhatsApp Business Platform from October 1, 2026.

The change could have a major impact on #businesses that depend heavily on WhatsApp for #customer enquiries, orders, bookings, complaints and support, particularly in Nigeria where WhatsApp is one of the most widely used communication platforms.

However, the new charges are not for ordinary WhatsApp users or businesses using only the regular WhatsApp Business app. The change concerns businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform/API.

#Meta is expected to provide more details, including the applicable rates for different markets.

With many Nigerian businesses relying almost entirely on WhatsApp to communicate with customers, the big question is: Will this make businesses increase their prices, or will they simply absorb the extra cost?

#WhatsApp #Meta #azatellng #Nigeria #Business #Technology

Nigeria’s banking sector has its own "PayPal Mafia." And No, I’m not talking about the Fintech #founders. But I’m talking about a legendary cohort of leaders who passed through Guaranty Trust Bank (#GTBank) under the leadership of Fola Adeola and Tayo Aderinokun, only to go on and dominate the country's broader #financial and corporate #ecosystem.

Look at some of the names:

* Herbert Wigwe & Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede → Left GTBank to acquire and transform Access Bank into one of Africa's largest #banking conglomerates.
* Segun Agbaje → Rose through the ranks → Now Group #CEO, Guaranty Trust Holding Company (#GTCO).
* Kazi Abdul-Muktadir → Spent foundational years at GTBank → Went on to serve as Deputy Governor at the Central Bank of Nigeria (#CBN).
* Bisi Onasanya → Former GTBank executive → Went on to become Group Managing Director/CEO of First #Bank of #Nigeria.
* Mobolaji Lawal → Spent decades at GTBank → Now Managing Director/CEO of Wema Bank.
* Remi Babalola → Former GTBank Senior Vice President → Went on to serve as Nigeria’s Minister of State for Finance and later Chairman of First Bank.

Read that list again 👆. Bank CEOs, Central Bank leadership, Cabinet Ministers, Corporate Titans. All forged in the crucible of one institution’s golden era.
And there’s something else I find fascinating: GTBank wasn’t built by old money; it was pioneered by young, ambitious visionaries who refused to accept the sluggish status quo of legacy #banking in the 90s.
So perhaps the real legacy of GTBank isn't just the iconic orange box or digital banking firsts. It's the standard of excellence it instilled in its people. Much like Barcelona’s La Masia academy molds players who end up dictating tempo for clubs across #Europe, GTBank created a culture where high performance, discipline, and execution were non-negotiable—preparing its alumni to lead wherever they landed.
When one #organization consistently produces leaders who define an entire national economy, that’s not a coincidence. It’s a blueprint.
Invest in culture, empower young talent, and set uncompromising standards. The leaders you raise will shape the future.
#Leadership #CorporateNigeria #TalentPipeline #GTBankMafia #NigerianBanking #Legacy #BusinessStrategy #azatell #azatellng #CorporateCulture

“For those of Una wey never travel, #UK na better place o. Nigeria still dey 1996, they’re using us in #Nigeria, no good infrastructures. Mago mago na so we just dey live for Nigeria. As I just dey enter UK. The way I just dey get joy. The things I saw in the UK, I only see it on #TV. Thanks to God and Davido. If no be Davido I no sure say I go go #oyibo place for my life....."

– Nigerian skit maker Carter Efe has expressed excitement over his first experience in the United Kingdom, comparing the country’s infrastructure and standard of living with Nigeria.

Google is offering students enrolled at accredited Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education 12 months of access to its AI Plus (AI+) plan at no cost. The subscription is valued at approximately ₦92,400, equivalent to about $68.56, and is intended to make advanced artificial intelligence tools more accessible for learning, research and academic work.

The plan gives eligible students expanded access to #Gemini and features such as Gemini Live, Deep Research, AI-powered study tools, interactive learning experiences and #Google Lens Homework Help. These tools can help students research complex subjects, understand difficult concepts, organise study materials and receive support with assignments.

Students must verify their enrolment through SheerID, a third-party eligibility-verification platform. Those who benefited from the student offer during the previous academic year may qualify for another 12 months after verifying that they remain enrolled at an eligible institution. The subscription included in the offer may depend on the student’s country or institution.

The initiative expands Google’s investment in AI-supported education across #Africa. In October 2025, the company introduced a similar offer for university students in #Nigeria, #Kenya, #Ghana, #Rwanda, South Africa and #Zimbabwe, providing premium #AI tools for research, creativity and learning.
Read More>>>https://lnkd.in/d4Upn4hE

#GoogleAI #GeminiAI #NigerianStudents #ArtificialIntelligence #EducationTechnology #DigitalEducation #Nigeria #AfricanStudents #EdTech #AfricaStartupMagazine #southafrica

#Facebook Post of 1Official:

Before #Aliko Dangote became Africa’s richest man, he had already watched several businesses fail.

An airline shut down.

Telecoms struggled.

His textile business collapsed after cheap imported fabrics flooded the market.

The textile failure was especially painful because some workers had spent 25 to 30 years with the company. #Dangote still had to pay their pensions and benefits.

To do it, he sold his own Liberty Merchant Bank for ₦1.2 billion (Which at the time converted to approximately $9.52 million #US dollars.)

About ₦985 million of that money went directly toward what he owed his former workers.

His food businesses also faced problems.

Dansa Juice and Tomato Paste struggled, while Dangote Flour Mills initially grew quickly before competition became too strong.

He eventually sold a controlling stake to South Africa's Tiger Brands for nearly $200 million.

The deal later went badly for Tiger Brands. The company reportedly lost more than $120 million before eventually leaving #Nigeria.

Dangote later bought the business back for a fraction of the price and eventually sold it again to #Olam Foods.

But through all those failures, some businesses finally worked.

Dangote Cement.

Sugar.

And eventually, the Dangote Refinery.

The lesson is not that every business will succeed.

It is that failure does not have to be the end of the story.

Sometimes, success comes after you have already lost money, closed businesses, paid your debts, rebuilt, and tried again. #azastory #azatell #dangotegroup #truestory

Michael grew up in a quiet neighborhood in #Nigeria 🇳🇬, where everyone knew everyone. He was intelligent, ambitious, and full of dreams. Like many young people around him, he wanted a comfortable life. He wanted a fine car, a beautiful house, and enough money to take care of his #family.

But Michael became impatient.

Instead of building his #future honestly, he chose a dangerous shortcut.

It started with small online scams. At first, he convinced himself that he was only taking advantage of wealthy #foreigners who could afford the loss. He told himself that nobody would really suffer because of the money he collected.

That belief made it easier for him to continue.

Before long, #Michael had become deeply involved in internet #fraud.

He created fake identities, contacted unsuspecting people #abroad, and carefully invented #stories to gain their trust. Some victims believed they were helping someone in financial difficulty. Others thought they were investing in a genuine #opportunity.

Michael became very good at lying.

#Money began to come in.

He bought expensive clothes, upgraded his phone, moved into a better apartment, and started spending money freely. His friends admired him. Some even asked him how he had become successful so quickly.

Michael never told them the truth.

Whenever someone questioned his sudden wealth, he simply smiled.

“Business,” he would say.

Years passed, and Michael became convinced that he was untouchable.

But while he was celebrating his success, people on the other side of his computer screen were living very different lives.

One of his victims was an elderly man named Robert in #Canada. Robert had spent years saving money for his #retirement. After being deceived by Michael, he lost a significant portion of those savings.

Robert had trusted the person he believed he was communicating with.

When he discovered that everything had been a lie, he sat alone in his room and stared at his #bank statement.

The money was gone.

But what hurt him most was not only the financial loss. It was the feeling that someone had deliberately taken advantage of his trust.

Another victim was #Sarah, a single mother in #England.

She had believed Michael’s story and sent money that she desperately needed for her family. When the truth eventually became clear, Sarah struggled to pay some of her bills.

Michael never saw these consequences.

To him, they were just names on a screen.

Numbers in an account.

Another successful transaction.

And that was his greatest mistake.

He had stopped seeing his victims as human beings.

Meanwhile, #investigators were quietly building a case.

Some of Michael’s online activities had been reported. Financial transactions were traced. #Digital records were examined. Investigators connected several identities and accounts to the same person.

Watch out for PT2

#storybee #azatell #lifestory #truestory #todaystory #yahoo

On President #Tinubu files, Nigerians need to understand the United States doesn't work like #Nigeria. With all our flaws, we still have transparency and the rule of law. I’m not saying it is perfect, but it's strong.

So in this case, nobody paid the #FBI or #CIA or the judge or #Trump to block the release of the files. The legal reason they are stating is valid (not saying it's accurate, but it is plausible): Release of the files would endanger lives -- likely either informant(s) or undercover agents. That's the question on the table before the judge now.

And since that is the question, what is the answer? Whose life or lives are they afraid will be threatened if this information comes out? Seeing that we're 33 years later, there's zero chance it's an undercover operative. So it's a snitch. A rat.

And who is the one fighting the release? Tinubu himself. So it stands to reason that the way he got out of the heroin #trafficking charges back in 1993 was not just forfeiting the $460k, but also ratting out others in the network.

This was a big operation, reaching into the South East Asian underworld -- where people in power then are still in power now.

Not long after Tinubu left the US, the US attacked those networks. Was it based on information Tinubu provided? If so, then yes, releasing the files may well put his life in danger.

Did he turn over names of prominent #Nigerians too? People who may back him now #politically, unwittingly? That could prove fatal for him, too.

This is my working theory: BAT is a RAT.

🌐 Why use multiple apps when you can do everything in one place?

Welcome to Azatell – your all-in-one digital ecosystem designed to help individuals, businesses, schools, and entrepreneurs grow smarter.

✨ What you can do on Azatell:

💳 Buy Cheap Data, Airtime & Pay Bills

🌐 Host Your Website with Free Templates

🏫 Launch a School Portal with Student & Staff Management

🏢 List Your Business, Company or Personal Profile for FREE

🤝 Secure Transactions with Escrow

📢 Connect, Share & Grow in Our Community

💼 Access Business Tools & Digital Solutions

Whether you're a student, business owner, content creator, entrepreneur, school administrator, or organization, Azatell brings everything together under one platform.


🚀 One Platform. Endless Possibilities.

🌍 Join the future of digital services today.

🔗 https://azatell.com


#Azatell #DigitalEcosystem #Fintech #WebsiteHosting #VTU #BusinessDirectory #SchoolPortal #Escrow #Community #DigitalBusiness #Entrepreneur #Nigeria #Tech #Innovation #BusinessGrowth #Hosting #WebDesign #Startup #AllInOne #ConnectEmpowerGrow

🇳🇬 NEW: Nigeria launches massive $400M rare earth processing plant.

The new plant will boost rare earth processing capacity to 18,000 tons per year. #nigeria #nigerianews #azatellng

🇳🇬 Understanding the history of Nigeria's security and law enforcement institutions helps us appreciate their roles in maintaining peace, safety, and national development.

📌 Selected Agencies and Their Establishment Years

🔹 Nigeria Police Force (NPF) — 1861
🔹 Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) — 1891
🔹 Nigerian Navy — 1956
🔹 Nigerian Army — 1960
🔹 Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) — 1963
🔹 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) — 1964
🔹 Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) — 1967
🔹 Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) — 1872
🔹 Department of State Services (DSS) — 1986
🔹 National Intelligence Agency (NIA) — 1986
🔹 Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) — 1986
🔹 Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) — 1988
🔹 National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) — 1989/1990
🔹 National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) — 1999
🔹 Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) — 2000
🔹 Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) — 2003
🔹 National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) — 2003

💬 Which of these agencies would you like to serve in, and why? Share your thoughts in the comments.

#Nigeria #SecurityAgencies #NCS #NIS #NPF #NSCDC #NDLEA #EFCC #FRSC #PublicService #NationalDevelopment 🇳🇬

TODAY IS THE FINAL DAY!

By the end of today, every applicant will know where they stand.

Some will celebrate.
Some will be disappointed.
But one thing is certain…

💪 NEVER let one result define your future.

If your name is on the shortlist, congratulations! Stay humble and prepare for the next stage.

If your name is not there, hold your head high. Many successful people faced rejection before their breakthrough.

This recruitment may be part of your journey, but it is not the end of your story.

For faster recruitment updates, announcements, and important information, kindly follow OJo

#CDCFIB #CDCFIBRecruitment #FutureOfficer #Shortlist #RecruitmentUpdates #azatell #Nigeria #StayStrong

BREAKING: #Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) begins telecom pricing review after eight years #nigerianews #viralnews #nigeria #azatellng

VIDEO: Fear has gripped residents of the Danare community in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State after Cameroonian soldiers reportedly entered their village Whick is a Nigerian 🇳🇬territory
#latestnews #viralnews #azatell #azatellnigeria #nigeria