When Adewale Yusuf, founder of Techpoint Africa, first approached me in November 2014 about the new publication he was working on, I told him I was done with tech journalism.
A few weeks later, he followed up. I finally agreed to meet with him at, if my memory serves me right, the now-defunct iDEA Hub.
He shared his vision of building a proper media publication, something beyond the semi-hobbyist sporadic blogs that covered gadget launches and occasional startup announcements. He saw past the surface-level narratives and envisioned a future where African technology would command global attention. He was seeking dedicated storytellers who would document every milestone, challenge, and breakthrough—and he believed I'd be a perfect fit.
Though convinced by his vision, I by then had a prior commitment that would keep me occupied for a few months. Without my involvement, Techpoint Africa's first article went live at midnight on January 1, 2015, exactly ten years ago today.
A decade later, Africa's tech and startup ecosystem has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry, and Techpoint Africa's journey mirrors this transformation. Through our lens, we haven't just documented Africa's tech revolution, we've helped shape its narrative.
I joined Techpoint Africa on February 2, 2015. Those early days were marked by a relentless pursuit of stories others overlooked; sneak peeks into Konga's distribution centre operations (which would birth our Office Tours series). From covering a small edtech startup that would later become one of Africa's unicorns, to documenting the rise of local innovation hubs and intimate interviews with "little-known" individuals who moved the ecosystem forward, we brought readers up close with the ecosystem.
The first major turning point came with our groundbreaking coverage of Mark Zuckerberg’s visit. Suddenly, everyone who mattered — and their grandma — started paying attention. Then came the Techpoint Innovation Tour. In a bid to comprehensively uncover and amplify stories from every corner of Africa where, we periodically shut down our Lagos office and toured Africa, starting with Northern Nigeria.
Soon enough, founders began trusting us with their stories, investors started following our coverage, and industry leaders became regular readers. We had found our voice, and more importantly, we were helping African tech find its voice.
Today, over 700,000 readers, across the world, turn to us for insights into Africa's tech ecosystem. Our flagship newsletter, Techpoint Digest, reaches 30,000 subscribers and has become essential reading for ecosystem leaders, investors, and innovators across the continent.
Written by Omoruyi Edoigiawerie, a seasoned startup attorney with over a decade of experience. Learn more.
Through our flagship conferences — Techpoint Build, The Lagos Startup Expo, Techpoint Inspired, and the Fintech Summit — we've created platforms where African tech enthusiasts, leaders, and stakeholders forge meaningful partnerships and shape the future.
I've lost count of how many people have told me they launched their tech careers after attending a Techpoint event, or how their startups caught local and international investors' attention following our in-depth features or Global Tech Talent visa validations.
Undoubtedly the most memorable moments came when Nigerian developer, Dara Oladosu, received an on-the-spot job offer from Twitter Inc. during our town hall with then-CEO Jack Dorsey.
As one ecosystem leader put it, "Techpoint's coverage has become a rite of passage for serious African tech leaders."
But numbers tell only part of our story.
The true measure of any business isn't just in its successes, but in how it navigates its storms. When The Pandemic hit in 2020, we adapted and innovated. Our team transformed physical events into large-scale virtual experiences, connecting the ecosystem when it needed unity most.
But October 2023 brought perhaps our greatest test. After wrapping up the Modern Workplace Conference and facing a dramatic revenue decline, I gathered my team in a private room to announce an impossible choice: implementing up to 70% salary cuts instead of layoffs.
The eventual departure of some team members was inevitable, but those who stayed demonstrated extraordinary commitment to our mission.
Despite operating at 60% capacity well into 2024, we continued breaking stories and serving our community (we don't look like what we've been through, right?).
These challenges taught us invaluable lessons about resilience and reinvention. They forced us to rethink our approach to tech journalism, leading to innovations in our coverage and business model. Most importantly, they revealed the deep bonds within our team and with our community who stood with us through the turbulence.
Over the years, Techpoint Africa's transformation has reflected the dynamic nature of Africa's tech ecosystem. We evolved from simple news coverage to becoming a comprehensive voice for technology in Africa. Our editorial focus expanded beyond startup announcements to include data-driven analysis, investigative reporting, and thought leadership that shapes industry conversations.
Through this evolution, we've maintained our core mission: telling African tech stories with depth, authenticity, and context.
As we step into our second decade, our vision extends far beyond maintaining what we've built. We're committing to quadruple our startup coverage in the next five years—not just in numbers, but in depth and impact.
Our absence from the conference circuit in 2024 was deliberate (did you notice?). We spent the year in recovery mode, but we're working diligently to bring our signature events back in 2025.
The future we envision isn't just about more stories. It's about deeper, more meaningful narratives that drive real change. We're also building new partnerships that will strengthen our role as Africa's premier tech media platform.
The challenges facing African tech are evolving, and so are we.
A decade ago, we dreamed of making African tech mainstream. Today, as we celebrate this milestone, we recognise that this journey belongs not just to the Techpoint Africa team, but to every founder, reader, innovator, investor, advertiser, partner, and sponsor who has been part of our story.
Together, we've only just begun writing Africa's tech history. Join us in shaping the next chapter.
