E-Business
Tappi Raises $1.5m in Pre-Seed Round to Digitise, Build Online Trust for Africa’s SMEs

Tappi, an end-to-end digital commerce SaaS solution tailored for small and medium-sized businesses, has raised $1.5m in an oversubscribed pre-seed round led by Mercy Corps Ventures and Chui Ventures.

With participation from Digital Currency Group, SOSV, Resilience17, growX ventures, Orbit Startups and Reflect Ventures, the investment also saw contributions from angel investors and advisors from global tech companies, including Google, Salesforce, Zendesk and the financial sector.
The early-stage funding will further tappi’s mission to empower SMEs to gain visibility and build trust in the digital commerce ecosystem as the company broadens its footprint across Africa.
Founded in 2022 by Kenfield Griffith and Louis Majanja, tappi is digitizing Africa’s $20bn SME market through software sophistication. Offering SaaS and enterprise-grade tools to SMEs in Africa starting as low as $2/month, tappi integrates and partners with some of Africa’s largest mobile network operators and financial institutions, extending its addressable market to over 100M SMEs.
tappi embeds AI in its operations in Kenya and Nigeria, facilitating a seamless online business profile creation process through an intuitive chat experience. Payments, Messaging, and AI are all pivotal to the company’s end-to-end digital commerce stack, which aims to be the SEO backbone to increase revenue for SMEs across the continent.
This is achieved by helping businesses gain visibility, consolidating payments with verified reviews to build online trust, and paying for online ads with mobile airtime.
Since its inception, tappi has captured verified reviews on $3m consumer transactions and engaged with over 150K consumers.
With this new funding, tappi will double down on its current markets by building a solid sales force to boost direct sales, leveraging a strong 90% retention rate.
tappi will also forge strategic partnerships, building on its existing relationship with MTN Nigeria, which has seen a 19% MoM growth in business ads and business data bundle subscriptions. Further investment will also focus on talent acquisition and overall brand building.
Speaking on the round, Kenfield Griffith, tappi CEO and co-founder said, “We are grateful to be supported by great investors who share our vision and the mission to address the untapped potential within Africa’s informal SME markets, particularly in overlooked service industries such as food services, fashion, and agriculture, and health and beauty. We are eager to empower SMEs across Africa by providing them with a trusted identity online to find customers. The current investment will support our mission to make inroads with our customers through direct sales and partnerships across the continent.”
“There are ~44 million (M)SMEs in Africa, driving ~60% employment and ~38% of GDP on the continent. Yet, these businesses, ~60%+ women-led, remain the most underserved and vulnerable to shocks, especially those accelerated by climate change. While some may have access to mobile wallets, payment platforms, and online tools, few have a holistic package that offers them the ability to establish a verified digital presence, create a performance record, track income, and leverage these to increase incomes and resilience. Our investment reaffirms Mercy Corps Ventures’ belief in tappi, and is very much in line with our purpose of inclusivity and developing financial resilience amongst SMEs in Africa,” added Hetal Patel, Director of Investments at Mercy Corps Ventures.
In a recent 2023 Africa MSME Pulse Survey, 62% of respondents [majority from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa] reported an increased reliance on technology and online tools. Additionally, over 25% plan to invest in e-commerce and website development, highlighting the significant opportunity in the digital commerce ecosystem. tappi is well-positioned to meet this growing demand as it fosters trust and drives economic growth across Africa.
Lynda Saint-Nwafor, chief enterprise business officer, MTN Nigeria, said, “At MTN, we’re committed to fueling the growth of over 40 million MSMEs in our markets through tech-driven solutions. Partnering with tappi, we’ve launched MTN Thryve, empowering SMEs to connect with current customers and find new customers via Facebook and Instagram ads using MTN data bundles and airtime. tappi’s technology aligns with our vision, and we’re excited to be part of SME success stories in our markets.”
E-Business
Konga launches Jara sales with 25% discount on Starlink kits, free delivery

Konga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce platform, has launched its inaugural 2026 shopping campaign, Konga Jara, offering 25 per cent discount on Starlink internet kits alongside free nationwide delivery.

Konga
The campaign, drawing from the Nigerian concept of “jara” — the extra value traders add to purchases — aims to deliver exceptional deals across categories, helping shoppers turn new year aspirations into reality through affordable technology and value-driven shopping.
To qualify for the Starlink discount, customers must purchase kits on Konga.com, activate them at starlink.com/activate, and email activation details to [email protected] for verification against Starlink’s records. Discounts are subject to terms and conditions.
Konga said spotlighting Starlink underscores reliable internet’s role in Nigeria’s digital economy, supporting work, learning, entrepreneurship and communication for households and businesses.
Mr Onochie Melvin, Head of Commercial Planning at Konga, said: “We listened carefully to what Nigerians said they needed to truly kickstart 2026 on the right footing. Reliable internet connectivity emerged as the foundation upon which other aspirations depend.”
He added: “Students need it for online learning, entrepreneurs need it to scale digital businesses, and professionals rely on it for remote work. This Starlink offer is not just about selling products; it is about removing barriers that prevent Nigerians from fully participating in the digital economy.”
Beyond connectivity, Konga Jara provides genuine products from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with transparent pricing, warranties and authenticity guarantees.
As a composite e-commerce ecosystem, Konga integrates shopping, payments and logistics for seamless nationwide access, with exclusive deals shared via its social media channels throughout the campaign.
Shoppers can explore offers at www.konga.com and follow Konga’s official pages for updates across the Konga Group.
E-Business
Firm Identifies Global Scam Activity Linked to the Release of Avatar 3

The premiere of Avatar 3 has taken place in several countries and has been accompanied by a noticeable increase in online interest. Amid the heightened attention surrounding the release, Kaspersky experts identified an increase in cyber-scam campaigns that exploit the movie’s launch and users’ desire to watch it online. The fraudulent websites target users across multiple regions, indicating attempts by attackers to reach a global audience.

The scam operates as follows: cybercriminals create suspicious websites that offer online access to the Avatar 3 movie. Attackers place particular emphasis on localisation, publishing the sites in multiple languages to attract users from different countries. However, the translations are often poorly executed and contain grammatical errors and inconsistencies, which may serve as indicators of fraudulent activity.
When users attempt to start the video, they are presented with a fake media player and prompted to register in order to obtain “full” or “unlimited” access to the film. As part of the registration process, users are asked to provide personal information, including an email address and mobile phone number.
At later stages, scammers may request additional data, including payment details, under the guise of activating a “free trial.” This creates risks of credential compromise, particularly if users reuse passwords across multiple services, and may also lead to financial losses.
“Cybercriminals consistently exploit major movie premieres to capture users’ attention and increase the effectiveness of their schemes. We advise accessing films only through official platforms and exercising caution when encountering websites that request personal or payment information. It is also important to use reliable security solutions to protect all devices, including mobiles,” comments Olga Altukhova, Senior web content analyst at Kaspersky.
E-Business
Galaxy Backbone Celebrates the Federal Government’s Paperless Civil Service Milestone

Galaxy Backbone (GBB) aligns with and celebrates the successful announcement by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on the achievement of a Paperless Civil Service, a significant milestone in Nigeria’s public sector reform and digital transformation agenda.

The milestone was formally highlighted at a press briefing led by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who commended Galaxy Backbone for its sustained support and contribution throughout the implementation of the programme.
GBB has played a critical role in enabling this transition by providing secure, scalable, and shared digital infrastructure that supports the digitisation of government processes across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Through the 1Government Cloud, MDAs have been empowered to migrate from paper-based workflows to digital platforms, improving efficiency, collaboration, data security, and service delivery across the Federal Civil Service.
In addition, GovMail, GBB’s secure government email platform, has strengthened official communication, enhanced records management, and reinforced cybersecurity standards—key pillars in sustaining a paperless operating environment.
Galaxy Backbone acknowledges the collective efforts of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Permanent Secretaries, Directors of ICT, consultants, partners, and dedicated public servants whose commitment and collaboration ensured the smooth delivery of this initiative.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, was represented at the press briefing by Akintayo Bamisaye, Acting Group Head, Research, Digital Innovation and Skills Department (RDIS).
GBB describes the achievement as a strong close to 2025 and reaffirms its commitment to supporting the Federal Government in building a modern, efficient, and digitally enabled public service.
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