The African Development Bank Group last week approved an investment of €6.5 million in the Saviu II fund in order to support technology start-ups through their seed phase and first institutional fundraising, mainly in French-speaking Central and West Africa.

The Bank will invest €4.5 million as equity and €2 million as a first-loss hedging tranche on behalf of the European Commission, under the Boost Africa Programme.

This participation of the Bank Group will enable the Saviu II fund to give priority to companies with a strong technological or digital component.

Saviu II, the second investment vehicle of Saviu Partners, plans to invest between €500,000 and €3 million in about 20 technology or technology-oriented business-to-business start-ups in the seed phase or carrying out first institutional fundraising.

The Saviu II venture capital fund aims to make at least 60% of its commitments in the French-speaking countries of West and Central Africa: Côte d ‘Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin, Senegal, Togo, Burkina Faso and Mali.

The fund can also co-invest in promising technology companies in East Africa that have a strong team and business model, and whose strategy includes entering the market in French-speaking West African countries and establishing a strong presence there.

In addition, the fund will devote a dedicated envelope to pre-seed investments, focusing on minority equity investments, usually in co-investment with studios, incubators or other ecosystem partners.

TeamApt Ltd., a subsidiary of Moniepoint Inc. and a leading financial infrastructure provider, has partnered with Awabah, the National Pension Commission’s first licensed Accredited Pension Agent, to expand pension access for millions of Nigerians in the informal economy.

The partnership was unveiled in Abuja at the launch of Awabah’s agent licence, themed “Building Financial Resilience: Securing the Future with Personal Pensions.”

At the event, PenCom Director-General Omolola Oloworaran underscored a major imbalance in Nigeria’s pension system, noting that while pension assets have grown to over ₦27 trillion, the benefits remain largely concentrated among formal-sector workers. She observed that most informal-sector workers—who make up the majority of Nigeria’s workforce—still retire without any form of savings.

This challenge is further highlighted in Moniepoint’s 2025 Informal Economy Report, which reveals that although 65 per cent of informal businesses recorded revenue growth, most lack the structural resilience required for long-term sustainability and succession.

Through the partnership, TeamApt—a Central Bank of Nigeria–licensed switching and processing company—will enable seamless pension registration and contributions for Awabah users via its Direct Debit service on Point of Sale (POS) terminals nationwide. Informal workers can enrol for personal pensions, tokenize their cards, and automate periodic contributions in just a few steps.

The initiative simplifies pension savings by turning what was once a complex, bureaucratic process into a routine transaction, enabling business owners and workers to build financial security beyond their productive years.

“When we started Awabah, we were driven by one core belief—that no African worker should be one accident or crisis away from poverty,” said Tunji Andrews, Chief Executive Officer of Awabah.

“This partnership with TeamApt allows us to scale that vision. By leveraging their Direct Debit service and extensive POS network, we are meeting informal workers where they already operate—markets, workshops, kiosks, and roadside businesses. With small, regular contributions, workers can now access personal pensions bundled with health, accident, and life insurance,” he added.

TeamApt CEO Dennis Ajalie said the collaboration aligns with the company’s long-standing mission to power Nigeria’s informal economy.

“At TeamApt and Moniepoint Inc., our focus has always been on enabling the informal sector,” Ajalie said. “Today, working within our licence framework and alongside our co-subsidiary, Moniepoint Microfinance Bank, we operate across all 774 local government areas, serving millions of Nigerians who drive economic activity.”

He described the partnership as a critical step toward pension inclusion, adding that it demonstrates how financial infrastructure can deliver real, long-term value to everyday Nigerians.

Ajalie also praised PenCom’s leadership for creating an enabling environment for innovation, noting that Oloworaran’s reforms have opened the door for partnerships capable of delivering sustainable pension coverage for informal workers.

The initiative is powered by TeamApt’s robust financial technology ecosystem, which has supported banks, fintechs, and financial institutions for more than a decade. Its omni-channel Direct Debit service allows automated recurring collections—such as pension contributions, subscriptions, and repayments—directly from customers’ bank accounts with their consent.

Beyond pensions, the platform enables informal workers to automate investments in the capital market, access healthcare through HMOs, and secure insurance coverage for themselves and their families—extending financial security far beyond retirement.

FlashChange, Africa’s fast-rising digital asset management and cross-border payment platform, had its Chief Executive Officer, Bidemi Oke, featured as a speaker at the latest edition of Startup Grind Lagos, one of the largest global communities for entrepreneurs and innovators.

Held on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Lagos, the event convened founders, investors, developers, and ecosystem builders for a candid conversation on innovation, resilience, and scaling technology ventures in emerging markets. Oke shared insights from FlashChange’s journey building a trusted digital finance brand in Nigeria’s evolving fintech and crypto landscape.

During the fireside chat, Oke shared practical lessons from scaling FlashChange in a highly regulated and fast-changing environment. He emphasized the need for startups to build strong governance structures early, maintain open communication with regulators, and design solutions that solve real economic pain points, particularly around remittances, foreign exchange access, and digital asset utility.

“In markets like Nigeria, trust is not a marketing slogan, it is the product,” Oke said: “For us at FlashChange, growth has always been tied to transparency, compliance, and delivering consistent value to users navigating cross-border payments and digital assets.”

He also addressed the broader opportunity within Africa’s fintech ecosystem, noting that innovation on the continent must balance speed with responsibility.

“The next phase of African fintech will be defined not just by who grows fastest, but by who earns and keeps user confidence. Founders must think beyond valuation headlines and focus on building institutions, he added”

“Innovation is important, but sustainability is critical. At FlashChange, we are building for the long term” Oke noted.”

The session featured an interactive Q&A session where participants engaged him on several topical issues. He underscored the importance of proactive communication, especially in industries where misinformation and volatility can quickly erode public confidence.

Startup Grind Lagos Director, Mayokun Adeoti while commending Oke for offering practical, founder-focused insights, he said, “His experience provides valuable lessons for startups building in complex regulatory environments.”

FlashChange has continued to position itself as a reputable voice within Nigeria’s fintech and digital asset ecosystem, advocating for regulatory clarity, financial literacy, and secure transaction infrastructure. The company’s participation in Startup Grind Lagos reflects its commitment to contributing meaningfully to conversations shaping the future of innovation in Nigeria.

The Startup Grind Lagos appearance marks another milestone in FlashChange’s thought leadership journey and reinforces its growing role in Nigeria’s digital finance ecosystem.