General News
Catalytic Africa Goes Live at 2021 AfriLabs Annual Gathering

AfriLabs, in collaboration with African Business Angels Network (ABAN), has officially launched Catalytic Africa, a co-matching fund designed for African startups, at the AfriLabs Annual Gathering held on Thursday, October 28th, 2021.

Catalytic Africa is an investment tool that aims to increase the pool of capital available to promising African growth-stage entrepreneurs, support the startup ecosystem, and increase the visibility of impact to institutional funders.
This co-matching investment is designed to fund African startups with innovative digital solutions and measurable impact, increase the investments made by angel investors in African start-ups, present reliable ecosystem data and insights to impact reporting for all stakeholders and ultimately strengthen African angel networks and innovation hubs.
The requirement for startups to access this matching funding is to be a part of the Hubs from AfriLabs and Angel investors from ABAN. The maximum financing from Catalytic Africa is €60,000 per transaction.
“If the business angel invests an amount less or equal to €10,000, then the matching fund will double the amount of funding the startup receives from the angel investors. If the business angel invests more than €10,000, then the matching fund will triple the amount of funding the startup receives from the angel investors.
“We have been working extremely hard to make this come to life and today, we are happy to launch Catalytic Africa, the game changer that will support startups across the continent. This will help hubs within our network attract startups because Catalytic Africa serves as an incentive and has the ability to offer matching funds for their startups.
“We have designed this matching fund to offer value and sustainability to all stakeholders which also greatly benefits institutional funders and the government in tracking the impact of their funds’ long term. The platform also hosts a range of toolkits that help strengthen the capacity of hubs and angel groups.” said Anna Ekeledo, Executive Director, AfriLabs.
Also commenting, Tomi Davies, President African Business Angels Network (ABAN) said, “We look forward to growing the African business space by helping businesses find the matching funds and access opportunities that will truly impact the continent. We as ABAN aim to position Catalytic Africa as the continent’s leading startup matching fund because ‘Now is the time to invest in Africa.”
“The goal of Catalytic Africa is to support the tech ecosystem and we have made it as simple as possible without compromising on high quality standard. I also use this opportunity to extend our deepest appreciation to Agence Française de Développement (AFD) for trusting us with 1.5M euros to start the Catalytic Africa funds. We look forward to encouraging and stimulating nascent angel networks and propel the growth of the African tech ecosystem”, added Rebecca Enonchong, Board Chair, AfriLabs.
This is an open opportunity for African startups, hubs, Angel investors and angel networks to register fully throughout November in anticipation of the launch of matching fund applications in December 2021.
General News
Cellulant Taps Freddie Oduro to Lead Enterprise Payments Expansion in Ghana

Cellulant, a leading Pan-African payments company enabling seamless digital transactions across Africa, has appointed Mr. Freddie Oduro as its new Country Manager for Ghana.

Mr. Freddie Oduro, New Country Manager for Ghana.
Freddie’s appointment is a key step in Cellulant’s broader strategy to deepen its presence in priority markets by accelerating the acquisition of in-country enterprise businesses and strengthening its position as the payments partner of choice in Africa.
Freddie brings over a decade of commercial and strategic leadership experience in the telecommunications and financial services sectors, with expertise in sales, business operations, and market expansion.
In his new role, he will drive merchant acquisition, strengthening partnerships, oversee collections and payout operations, while ensuring strong internal controls and regulatory compliance.
He joins Cellulant from Payaza and previously served as Sales Director at Cellulant, where he helped significantly expand the company’s footprint in Ghana.
Cellulant has been powering payments in Ghana for leading brands in sectors like e-commerce, utilities, oil and gas and retail, helping them offer their customers a wide range of secure digital payment options.
“We are happy to welcome Freddie back to the Cellulant family,” says Richard Gesimba, Chief Revenue Officer at Cellulant. “Ghana remains a critical market for us, with immense potential driven by rising digital payments adoption.
“As we sharpen our focus on in-country enterprise customers, Freddie’s leadership and industry insight make him the ideal person to steer our Ghana operations.”
The appointment comes at a transformative time for the company. Following a strategic shift between late 2023 and early 2024, focused on streamlining operations, doubling down on enterprise payments, and strengthening customer intimacy, Cellulant achieved profitability in 2024 and continues to build on this momentum.
The company now processes close to 4.5 million transactions daily for businesses across Africa, reinforcing its position as a fintech leader.
“I am honoured to return to Cellulant and lead the Ghana team at such a defining moment,” says Freddie, Country Manager for Cellulant Ghana. “Ghana presents a tremendous opportunity.
“We will ramp up our efforts to sign on more local merchants, strengthen our compliance and control frameworks, and introduce innovative solutions like Tingg Edupay, our automated school fee management solution that eliminates reconciliation delays by validating payments in real time and instantly updating student accounts.
“We will build on Cellulant’s strong foundation to deliver real value, reliability, and economic impact.”
Ghana’s digital payments sector continues to grow steadily, supported by increased mobile money usage and a progressive regulatory environment. Between January and October 2025, the value of mobile money transactions hit about GH¢ 3.6 trillion, up sharply from GH¢ 2.37 trillion in the same period of 2024.
Registered mobile money accounts now exceed 79 million, demonstrating strong consumer and business confidence in digital financial services and in turn creating many opportunities for payment innovation.
This leadership appointment underscores Cellulant’s commitment to building a resilient, high-performance organisation geared towards playing a pivotal role in the next era of Africa’s digital economy.
Looking ahead to 2026, Cellulant plans to further enhance the user experience on its payment platform, Tingg, and expand its footprint across Ghana.
General News
Top Nigerian Startups Secure Funding Boost @ iHatch Demo Day Awards

Nigeria’s startup ecosystem received a fresh injection of momentum as top emerging ventures secured funding and investor attention at the iHatch National Demo Day, where Interface Africa clinched the highest prize of $15,000.

The 4th cohort of the NITDA–JICA-backed accelerator brought together founders, policymakers, and venture stakeholders in Abuja, showcasing innovations ranging from clean-energy financing and digital food marketplaces to next-gen fintech tools.
The startups went rounds of running through state-level selections and regional competition. iHatch was established in 2021 as a strategic partnership to create an enabling environment for young Nigerians to develop and scale their innovative solutions.
The iHatch National Demo Day (4th Cohort), is an initiative by NITDA and JICA which provides a clear pathway for homegrown talent to contribute significantly to economic diversification and digital transformation.
After rigorous selection processes, the top founders converged to pitch their innovations, recognised the standout performers, which are:
Interface Africa with $15,000, the firm is driving Nigeria’s clean energy transition by enabling structured and affordable solar financing.
Ahioma with $12,000, the firm enhances food accessibility with a digital marketplace connecting consumers directly to trusted vendors.
Linia Finance with $10,000, the firm is helping Nigerians take control of their finances with tools for budgeting, tracking, and smart money planning.
Chapta got a laptop reward. They delivering an offline-capable school application ensuring consistent, accessible learning for students everywhere.
Softdrop also got a laptop reward, they solve logistics challenges through a modern delivery platform designed for speed, convenience, and efficiency.
General News
Fidelity Bank to Host Virtual Masterclass on New Tax Law

Fidelity Bank Plc, a leading financial institution, will host a free virtual training on the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 (NTA) as part of its commitment to helping small businesses prepare for the upcoming legislation.

Fidelity Bank
The masterclass is scheduled for 10:00 AM (Nigerian time) on Friday, 12 December 2025. It will provide participants with clear insights into changes in the tax framework, the impact on income and business operations, and practical steps to avoid penalties in 2026.
Attendees will also learn strategies to stay ahead in an evolving regulatory environment.
The Nigerian government enacted major tax reforms on 26 June 2025 when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed four tax bills into law.
These Acts will take effect on 1 January 2026 and represent a significant overhaul of the country’s tax system.
The reforms aim to modernize and harmonize Nigeria’s tax framework, improve revenue generation, broaden the tax base, and create clearer rules for individuals, businesses, and government agencies.
“Our decision to host this masterclass reflects our commitment to empowering businesses with the right information ahead of the commencement of the new tax regime.
“Information is money and a well-informed business owner is already steps ahead in the race to success.
“This is why we are bringing experts to provide accurate details and demystify the tax act,” said Osita Ede, Divisional Head, Product Development, Fidelity Bank Plc.
Interested participants can register via https://bit.ly/2026TaxLawMasterclass .
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