Connect with us
Anglostratits

Business

Nigeria to Welcome Global Investors and Founders to Drive Africa’s Next Wave of Deals and Exits

Published

9 months ago

on

Investors

Hundreds of investors and capital providers are expected to converge in Lagos this October to drive the next phase of deal flow and historic funding opportunities for promising African startups. At Moonshot by TechCabal 2025 (https://Moonshot.TechCabal.com/), Africa’s flagship innovation conference, participants will engage directly with founders, lead conversations on cross-border partnerships, and shape exit strategies designed to accelerate Africa’s innovation economy.

 

After a global funding slowdown in 2023–2024, African tech is showing early signs of recovery, with startup funding climbing to $1.42 billion across 243 deals (https://apo-opa.co/4nc9Vkh) in the first half of 2025 – a 78% increase from last year. African startups are also expanding into global markets, exporting homegrown solutions to address global challenges. Building on this momentum will require strengthening deal flow, creating more robust exit opportunities, and boosting investor confidence so that capital can be further channelled into the ecosystem. These priorities, and the challenges they present for the ecosystem, will guide discussions among founders, investors, venture capitalists, angels, and limited partners (LPs) at Moonshot, across multiple content tracks.

 

Driving these conversations across diverse panels and keynotes includes Maxime Bayen, Operating Partner at FundCatalyst (www.TheCatalystFund.com); Lexi Novitske, General Partner, Norrskken 22 (www.Norrsken22.com); Tito Cookey-Gam, Principal at Partech Africa (https://PartechPartners.com); and Eloho Omame, Partner at TLcom Capital (https://TLcomCapital.com), among others. Digital for Development (D4D) (https://D4DHub.eu/), representing the European Union, will also lead a delegation of more than 100 investors and ecosystem leaders from across Europe to Lagos, with their participation set to drive critical conversations and accelerate deal flow between African startups and global capital.

 

Speaking about the gathering, Tomiwa Aladekomo, CEO of Big Cabal Media (https://BigCabal.com/), said: “The African tech ecosystem is gaining real momentum, and we’re seeing a growing appetite from global investors to back its next wave of startups. This is the moment to connect ambitious founders with the right capital, explore how exit opportunities can sustain growth, and build partnerships that truly scale. At this year’s Moonshot, we’re creating the space for those conversations to happen, turning that momentum into tangible opportunities for founders, investors, and the ecosystem as a whole. And beyond funding, we’re exploring emerging sectors like AI, payments infrastructure, digital assets, and creative industries, while also engaging policymakers, corporates, and ecosystem builders.”

 

This is the moment to connect ambitious founders with the right capital, explore how exit opportunities can sustain growth, and build partnerships that truly scale

Commenting on their participation, Digital for Development (D4D) Hub Africa Branch Deputy Coordinator, Hussein Jaffar, said, “Moonshot is an important space for putting Global Gateway into action by connecting African innovators with European investors and partners. Through the D4D Hub, the Europe team is working to turn these connections into concrete collaborations, showcasing scalable digital solutions and unlocking new investment opportunities that strengthen Africa’s innovation ecosystems and advance our shared global priorities.

 

Headline sponsored by Sabi (www.Sabi.am), Moonshot 2025 will also spotlight Africa’s bold adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). Also, Nigeria’s Minister of Trade Jumoke Oduwole will share insights into how progressive trade policies are empowering startups, expanding digital services exports, and positioning Nigeria as Africa’s hub for digital trade.

 

Moonshot by TechCabal, now firmly established as one of the most influential convenings of early- and growth-stage capital on the continent, will also feature a deep-dive session on Africa’s Next-Gen Payment Rails, exploring how Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), digital-first infrastructure, mobile money adoption, and cross-border interoperability are accelerating financial inclusion and powering new growth in trade. Another session will examine the role of cryptocurrencies and digital assets in shaping cross-border payments and opening up new models for financial access across Africa.

“APIs have become the backbone of digital commerce, enabling real-time settlement, embedded finance, and seamless cross-border transactions,” said Wole Ayodele, CEO of Fincra. “At Moonshot 2025, we are focusing on how these technologies can unlock growth and efficiency for businesses across Africa and beyond.”

Moonshot is a key platform for bringing together the people and ideas driving Africa’s digital economy,” said Tomi Oduyemi, Growth Lead of Cardtonic. “It creates the connections and insights that allow innovation to scale and deliver impact across the continent, and we are happy to play a major part this year.

Proudly supported by platinum sponsors Fincra, Raenest (www.Raenest.com), Flutterwave (https://Flutterwave.com/), Luno (www.Luno.com), Cardtonic (https://Cardtonic.com), Roqqu (https://Roqqu.com), Opay (www.Opayweb.com), Interswitch (https://Interswitchgroup.com/) and Busha (www.Busha.io), the two-day gathering is open to global and African VC investors, startup founders, top tech CEOs, policymakers, creatives, students, and support organisations driving Africa’s innovation economy.

 

With more than 120 speakers, nine signature content tracks, and over 4,000 expected participants, Moonshot 2025 builds on the success of last year’s edition, which convened more than 3,500 attendees from over 15 countries. Registration is still open at https://Moonshot.TechCabal.com/.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Big Cabal Media.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Events

China’s digital hub Hangzhou hosts conference on AI, OPC

Published

4 minutes ago

on

June 30, 2026

By

OPC

HANGZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 June 2026 – The inaugural AI+OPC Innovation and Development Conference was held from June 29 to 30 in Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, capital city of east China’s Zhejiang Province. Centered on one-person company (OPC), a new form of smart economy in the AI era, the conference program comprised one opening ceremony and two parallel breakout sessions.

It gathered around 400 delegates from government departments, industry associations, financial institutions, AI enterprises and OPC startup operators across the country. Participants exchanged insights on AI innovation pathways and cross-industry integration strategies, injecting strong impetus into Hangzhou’s ambition to develop a national benchmark hub for AI+OPC entrepreneurship.

A series of key launches and milestone ceremonies took place during the opening segment. Official releases included the 2026 national OPC development observation report, Hangzhou’s 2026–2028 action plan and supporting policies to build a national AI+OPC entrepreneurship hub, and a catalog of actionable AI+OPC application scenarios. Attendees also received an in-depth interpretation of the specifications for AI-enabled OPC community services and evaluation.

The ceremony featured multiple landmark initiatives: plaque awarding for Hangzhou’s priority AI+OPC incubation communities and dedicated observation sites, the official launch of the AI+OPC Community Alliance initiative, and a kickoff marking the official construction of the national AI+OPC entrepreneurship hub.

The open forum session featured keynote speeches from distinguished industry and academic leaders. Speakers included Pan Yunhe, former executive vice president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and professor at Zhejiang University; Liang Gui, former executive vice governor of Jiangxi Province and ex-director of the Torch High Technology Industry Development Center under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology; and Zou Ling, head of Hong Hub, Shangcheng District’s single-member unicorn startup acceleration community, who shared cutting-edge insights from varied perspectives.

A panel dialogue followed, bringing together representatives from Moshu OPC Community (Beijing E-Town), the School of Future Science and Engineering at Soochow University, Qingju Hub · Future Digital Intelligence Port (Shangcheng District), and Puhua Capital for in-depth industry exchanges.

Complementary concurrent events held throughout the conference included an OPC capital-industry matchmaking salon, a symposium on industry-education integration for AI-powered OPC sectors, and a national exchange forum for AI+OPC community practitioners.

OPC has emerged as a vibrant new engine driving economic vitality and underpinning high-quality development. Against the backdrop of a new development era, the inaugural Hangzhou AI+OPC Innovation and Development Conference unites OPC innovators nationwide.

Drawing on the creative energy of millions of independent super-individual operators, the event delivers sustained digital momentum to fuel Hangzhou’s super-individual economy, while rolling out replicable local practices and actionable Hangzhou solutions to advance high-quality growth of smart economies nationwide.

 

Continue Reading

Business

Hainan FTP marks 6-month milestone of special customs operations, signs deals during Hong Kong visit

Published

7 hours ago

on

June 30, 2026

By

Hong Kong

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 June 2026 – As the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) marked the six-month milestone since the launch of its full special customs operations, a Hainan provincial delegation wrapped up a three-day visit to Hong Kong. During the visit, the delegation signed deepened cooperation agreements with several major local chambers of commerce and promoted the latest policies introduced since the island-wide special customs operations took effect.

According to data released by Hainan Province during the visit, Hainan’s foreign trade has surged since the launch of special customs operations. As of June 17, the province’s total goods imports and exports reached RMB 173.98 billion (approximately US$24 billion), up 54.6% year on year. Imports of zero-tariff goods hit RMB 2.645 billion, a 120% jump that generated tariff savings of RMB 440 million. A total of 172,100 new market entities were registered—a 61% increase—including 1,240 foreign-invested enterprises. Zero-tariff items now account for 74% of all tariff lines, benefiting more than 12,000 market entities.

During the Hong Kong visit, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Hainan Provincial Committee (CCPIT Hainan) signed separate deepened cooperation MOUs with the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. Under the MOUs, the parties will establish a regular liaison mechanism for the periodic exchange of economic and trade information, and will promote collaboration in areas including professional services, green finance, the digital economy, supply chain management, and cultural tourism. Mutual enterprise service desks will be set up to provide consulting services regarding policies and projects. The parties will leverage their complementary strengths to help Chinese mainland enterprises access overseas markets via Hong Kong, while facilitating Hong Kong companies’ entry into the Chinese mainland through Hainan.

The delegation also held talks with the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, exploring ways for British and American businesses to leverage Hainan’s value-added processing tariff exemptions and multifunctional free trade accounts to position themselves in regional supply chains and cross-border investment and financing. HSBC, De Beers, and other British firms are already active in Hainan, and the UK served as the Guest of Honor country at the 2025 China International Consumer Products Expo.

According to industry analysts, amid the shifting international trade landscape, Hainan is leveraging Hong Kong’s “super-connector” role to accelerate its integration with global capital and business networks, while simultaneously offering the Hong Kong business community a policy testing ground for entering the Chinese mainland market.

Continue Reading

Business

Africa’s Grid Constraints Come into Focus as Regional Markets Push Toward Integration

Published

4 days ago

on

June 26, 2026

By

Africa

Regional power pools are advancing and renewable pipelines are growing, but the regulatory and financial architecture needed to connect them remains the continent’s most critical infrastructure gap – an issue central to the Power Africa Today conference at AEW 2026

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 25, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa’s electricity demand is projected to nearly double to 2,291 TWh by 2050, requiring an estimated $30 billion in transmission and grid infrastructure investment to unlock and integrate new generation capacity. Yet across the continent, grid systems are struggling to keep pace with rapidly expanding supply pipelines and rising demand.

In Nigeria, repeated nationwide grid collapses as recently as February 2026 underscore the fragility of aging transmission infrastructure. In East Africa, tower failures along the 428 km Loiyangalani-Suswa line temporarily stranded output from Lake Turkana Wind Power – Africa’s largest wind installation. Meanwhile, demand growth pressures are accelerating across North Africa, where electricity consumption is expected to rise by around 50% by 2035, driven by urbanization, desalination projects, and climate-related temperature increases.

Despite these constraints, generation investment continues to accelerate across Africa, particularly in renewables, gas-to-power and hybrid systems. However, without equivalent investment in transmission and interconnection, much of this new capacity risks being underutilized or stranded. This growing imbalance between generation and grid capacity is driving a sharper focus on system-wide planning and regional market design – issues that will be central to the newly launched Power Africa Today conference at African Energy Week 2026. The platform will bring together policymakers, utilities, investors and developers to explore how regional interconnection, cross-border trading frameworks and financing structures can better align generation growth with grid expansion.

Power Markets Experiment with Reform

Alongside infrastructure challenges, Africa’s electricity sector is undergoing gradual – but uneven – market reform. Most countries still operate vertically integrated systems dominated by state utilities, but a growing number are introducing competitive frameworks to attract private capital and improve efficiency.

Zimbabwe opened its electricity market to full private participation across generation, transmission and distribution in 2025, targeting $9 billion in new investment. South Africa is advancing one of the continent’s most ambitious grid expansion programs, with plans for 14,500 km of new transmission lines and 133,000 MVA of transformer capacity by 2034, alongside mechanisms designed to crowd in private financing. Kenya, meanwhile, has introduced open access regulations enabling independent power producers to wheel electricity directly to multiple off-takers, reshaping how generation assets interface with the grid.

Interconnected electricity markets are the foundation of Africa’s industrial future

Regional Integration Remains Fragmented

Efforts to connect Africa’s fragmented power systems are progressing, though at different speeds across regions. In Southern Africa, the World Bank’s RETRADE SAPP program, approved in 2025, is deploying $12 million to strengthen renewable integration and transmission capacity across 12 member states. In East Africa, the Ethiopia–Kenya–Tanzania Electricity Highway is now in trial operations at up to 2,000 MW, marking a significant step toward a more interconnected regional grid.

West Africa is also moving toward deeper integration, with permanent synchronization of the West Africa Power Pool expected in 2026. Analysts, including the African Finance Corporation, argue that such synchronization is critical to unlocking large-scale hydropower potential and industrial demand across the region. Longer term, full synchronization between the Eastern and Southern African power pools – targeted for the end of 2026 – could create one of the world’s largest cross-border electricity trading corridors.

Building Bankable Financial Architectures

While interconnection is advancing, infrastructure alone is not enough to create investable electricity markets. Investors consistently cite the lack of standardized offtake structures, creditworthy counterparties, and cross-border payment guarantees as key barriers to scaling capital deployment.

New models are emerging to address these constraints. Africa GreenCo, operating across Zambia, Namibia and South Africa, is helping to aggregate independent power producers under a single creditworthy intermediary, standardizing power purchase agreements and reducing counterparty risk. At a broader level, AUDA-NEPAD estimates that Africa requires around $30 billion in additional investment to complete priority transmission corridors and establish three fully interconnected regional trading blocs by 2030.

“Interconnected electricity markets are the foundation of Africa’s industrial future,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “The question at Africa Energy Week is not whether integration is possible – the evidence is already there. The question is which regulatory frameworks and financial structures will get projects to financial close, and which markets will be ready when capital is looking to move.”

The Power Africa Today conference will run alongside AEW 2026, taking place October 12–16 in Cape Town, and will focus on the regulatory, financial and infrastructural architecture needed to build interconnected electricity markets capable of attracting institutional capital and delivering reliable, cross-border power at scale.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Continue Reading

Trending