African electric vehicle (EV) platform Spiro has raised $215 million in equity to scale electric mobility and energy infrastructure across the continent.

The funding is backed by institutional investors including Impact Fund Denmark and Equitane.

The investment will accelerate the expansion of Spiro’s battery-swapping network, industrial footprint and next-generation EV infrastructure across high-growth African markets, the company said.

This funding comes as economies in the region aim to reduce dependence on imported fuel, reinforce energy and industrial sovereignty, and modernise urban transport systems.

Driven by rising fuel costs, growing demand for affordable transportation and increasing policy support for clean energy, investors are backing scalable EV platforms poised to support Africa’s next phase of urban and industrial growth.

Building on support from long-standing institutional partners such as the Fund for Export Development in Africa, Spiro’s latest equity round draws capital from Europe and Africa, reflecting growing global confidence in scalable infrastructure-led business models in emerging markets.

With operations in seven African countries—Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Cameroon—and plans to expand local production and enter new markets such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia, Spiro is building one of Africa’s most advanced EV and battery-swapping ecosystems.

Its industrial footprint includes manufacturing plants in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, alongside a battery recycling facility in Nigeria.

“This past year marked a defining strategic milestone for Spiro. Across seven active markets, our deployment of 100,000 electric vehicles and 2,500 smart-swap stations has made sustainable mobility an affordable, everyday reality,” said Gagan Gupta, founder of Spiro and chairman of Equitane.

“Spiro has become a major driver of local industrialisation, value creation and manufacturing across African markets, providing 6,000 sustainable direct and indirect jobs. Supported by our global investors, we are entering our next growth chapter to deliver clean, cost-effective energy and transport alternatives to millions of riders across the continent.”

Lars Bo Bertram, CEO of Impact Fund Denmark, added: “We are investing in Spiro and bringing Danish pension capital into one of Africa’s most promising growth markets because we see potential for significant commercial growth in Spiro and electric mobility across Africa, as well as measurable climate impact. That is exactly the type of investment we want to make.”

Federal Government on Tuesday distributed Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment and materials to 15 federal and state colleges of education across the country to strengthen teacher training, promote digital literacy and improve access to quality education.

Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, Minister of State for Education

The intervention was facilitated through support from the Government of Japan and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (UNESCO-IICBA) under the project titled, “Capacity-building of Teachers to Promote Continuous and Inclusive Access to Safe and Quality Education for Girls in West Africa.”

Speaking at the handover ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, described the initiative as a significant contribution to Nigeria’s education sector and one that aligns with the ministry’s strategic priorities.

Ahmad commended UNESCO-IICBA, the Government of Japan and the African Union for launching the regional project in March 2024, saying it reflected a shared commitment to strengthening teacher preparation systems and expanding educational opportunities, particularly for girls.

According to her, the project, which covers Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Nigeria, is in line with the Federal Ministry of Education’s priorities under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Teachers remain the backbone of every education system. No education reform can succeed without well-trained, motivated and digitally empowered teachers,” she said.

The minister said the ICT resources would enhance both pre-service and in-service teacher training through improved access to digital learning content, innovative teaching methods and learner-centred instructional approaches.

She noted that the beneficiary institutions include Federal College of Education, Kontagora; Federal College of Education, Zaria; Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe; Federal College of Education, Yola; Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba; Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo; Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze; College of Education, Zuba; Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education; Enugu State College of Education (Technical); Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano; Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu; Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto; Adamawa State College of Education, Hong; and Taraba State College of Education, Zing.

According to Ahmad, the equipment distributed includes 65 laptop computers, 71 tablets, four desktop computers, five interactive smart boards, 19 all-in-one desktop computers, 14 projectors, 15 printers and 15 backup hard drives.

She added that the event also provided an opportunity to discuss school safety and infrastructure security.

“Safe schools are essential to achieving quality education, especially for girls and vulnerable learners.

“We must continue to ensure that our institutions remain secure, supportive and conducive spaces for teaching and learning,” she said.

The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), out-of-school children education, girl-child education, quality assurance and digital transformation.

She also disclosed plans for additional interventions aimed at empowering female teachers and school leaders through mobile-based learning platforms and integrating out-of-school children into formal education.

Speaking at the event, Mr Hitoshi Kozaki, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to supporting educational development in Nigeria.

“I want to thank Nigeria for the collaboration that we have had for many years. I really hope that this project makes a difference for the future and the institutions represented here,” he said.

Kozaki said Japan’s partnership with African countries was built on mutual respect and local ownership, stressing that development efforts should be driven by the priorities of beneficiary nations.

He urged the institutions to make effective use of the ICT resources to improve teacher preparation and expand learning opportunities, especially for girls.

Also speaking, the Director of UNESCO-IICBA, Quentin Wodon, commended Nigeria’s commitment to education reforms and active participation in international education programmes.

Wodon stressed the importance of promoting female leadership in schools, noting that studies had shown positive learning outcomes when women occupied leadership positions.

“If there was one thing I would love Nigeria to do, it would be to see whether we could launch some kind of programme to encourage more women to become school leaders. It is really important,” he said.

He added that teachers in Nigeria remained critical to efforts aimed at improving learning outcomes and advancing inclusive education across Africa.

Easybuy, Africa’s leading smartphone and electronics financing provider and a pioneer in the continent’s Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) sector, has partnered with WAWUAfrica to empower 10 million Nigerian youths and women with job-ready skills for sustainable wealth creation.

The initiative spans digital and IT literacy, financial and economic literacy, creative arts and design, business and entrepreneurship, as well as hospitality and tourism.

At a recent signing ceremony held in Lagos, Easybuy was named the Official Device Financing and Lifestyle Partner for the Federal Government of Nigeria–approved training initiative. The programme is being launched by the Office of the Vice President through the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI), and implemented by WAWUAfrica, in collaboration with key development partners, including Ministry of Youth, Ministry of Women, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Ministry of Trade & Investment, the World Bank, African Union Sixth Region Global, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), as well as leading professional bodies such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), National Institute of Credit Administration (NICA), Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria (CRMI), and the Nigeria Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NIIE).

“Smartphones have become essential for participation in today’s economy, yet millions of Nigerians still face barriers to accessing the devices they need,” said Abdul-gaffar Adesoji, Sales Director of Easybuy Nigeria. “As the Official Device Financing and Lifestyle Partner for this great initiative, Easybuy will support WAWUAfrica’s mission by bridging the smart device access gap, empowering underserved communities across the country, and unlocking new economic opportunities for Nigerians through inclusive financing solutions.”

“To boost Nigeria’s economic and financial inclusion drive, as part of our contribution to the initiative, Easybuy will be providing up to 10,000 of sales jobs to trained participants among the 10 million beneficiaries of this worthwhile initiative. The Easybuy team is dedicated to bringing an easier life to millions of Nigerians across the country,” Adesoji further noted.

Commenting on the partnership, Emmanuel Lennox, Chief Executive Officer of WAWUAfrica, said: “This partnership reflects a deliberate shift from skills acquisition as an end, to skills deployment as a driver of national productivity.

By integrating Easybuy’s device financing into the WAWUAfrica training ecosystem, we are ensuring that participants are not just trained, but fully equipped to participate meaningfully in today’s digital economy. It is a model designed to remove structural barriers and accelerate inclusion at scale.”

“What we are building with Easybuy is a closed-loop system for economic transformation, one that connects skills training and real earning opportunities in a continuous cycle. Individuals are given access to acquire smartphones through Easybuy, receive free training, and participate in income-generating activities from sales roles.

The result is a scalable model that doesn’t just prepare people for jobs, it actively enables new businesses, and empowers a new generation of Nigerians to earn, grow, and contribute sustainably to the economy,” Lennox added.

Despite rising connectivity, a significant access gap persists, with over 120 million Nigerians still offline, largely due to the high cost of smartphones. As mobile devices remain the primary gateway to financial inclusion, education, and commerce, affordability continues to limit market penetration.

This gap represents a substantial growth opportunity for scalable financing models to accelerate digital inclusion while unlocking new consumer markets and economic value. This is where Easybuy comes in, offering affordable device financing plans, and empowering millions of users to purchase quality mobile phones through flexible repayments.

This partnership with WAWUAfrica is a strategic response to Nigeria’s economic and financial inclusion gap. Despite steady progress, nearly 29 million adult Nigerians are still excluded from the financial system and only about 52% of the population hold bank accounts.

With rural and low-income communities disproportionately affected, the gap offers an opportunity for scalable, mobile-driven financial solutions like the partnership between WAWUAfrica and Easybuy that can unlock access, drive adoption, and accelerate inclusive economic growth.