TechStream

Technology news around the ecosystem!

From Lagos to Nairobi

We give you summaries of happenings around tech, from developer stand-ups to the boardrooms.

  • Airtel–Absa partnership boosts cashless payments in Kenya

    Airtel Money has expanded its footprint in East Africa’s digital payments ecosystem through a strategic integration with Airtel Money and Absa Bank Kenya, enabling smoother merchant payment flows and improved interoperability between mobile wallets and traditional banking systems. The collaboration allows Airtel Money users to directly link their wallets with Absa Bank Kenya accounts, creating…

  • Nigeria’s tax tech shift: what startups must do to stay compliant

    Nigeria is entering a new phase of tax enforcement, driven by fiscal pressure, digital transformation, and a push to widen the country’s tax base. For years, tax collection has lagged behind economic activity, with a large informal sector and compliance gaps limiting government revenue. Now, authorities—particularly the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)—are tightening oversight, deploying…

  • Power and Accountability in Government-Run AI Systems

    Once governments adopt artificial intelligence systems, the question of control becomes complex and layered. It is not accurate to assume that a single actor—whether political leaders, engineers, or private companies—holds complete authority. Instead, control is distributed across several groups, each shaping how AI is designed, deployed, and governed. At the top level, elected officials and…

  • Nigerian Crypto Expands Beyond Trading

    Nigeria has long been one of the world’s most active cryptocurrency markets, driven largely by retail users seeking alternatives to unstable local currency and limited financial access. For years, crypto startups in the country focused heavily on trading—building platforms that allowed individuals to buy, sell, and speculate on digital assets. But that model is rapidly…

  • Kenya’s Crackdown on Microloans Reshapes Digital Lending Economics

    Kenya’s digital lending boom, once celebrated as a breakthrough in financial inclusion, is entering a new phase—one defined by stricter rules and tougher economics. Proposed regulations under a 2026 Financial Consumer Protection Framework are set to fundamentally reshape how credit is issued, especially at the smallest end of the market. For years, digital lenders thrived…

  • Kolawole Bekes Brings Nigeria’s Diaspora Closer to Home Through WakaMi’s Errand Platform.

    Kolawole Bekes, founder and CEO of WakaMi, is stepping into a problem many Nigerians in the diaspora know too well—how difficult it is to get simple tasks done back home without stress, uncertainty, or loss. With WakaMi, Bekes is building an emerging errand marketplace designed to bring structure and accountability to a space that has…