Shalom,
Victoria from Techpoint here,
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
- South Africa rolls out digital visas to woo tourists
- NCC clears MTN to lease spectrum from T2mobile
- Wasoko founder Daniel Yu steps down after 11 years
South Africa rolls out digital visas to woo tourists
South Africa is finally dragging its visa system into the digital age. Per MyBroadband, this week, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber unveiled the country’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, a move he says will slash visa barriers and give tourists a smoother first impression when planning their trips. Forget queues and paperwork; the future is online.
Testing for the ETA begins at the end of September, with the first phase rolling out in mid-October. To start, it’ll only apply to G20 delegates from four countries — China, India, Indonesia, and Mexico — landing at OR Tambo and Cape Town international airports. By November, it’ll open up to all tourists from those same countries.
The long-term plan is bigger: once the system proves stable, the ETA will expand to cover all visa-required travellers worldwide. It’ll plug into an upgraded electronic border control system that uses facial recognition to speed up arrivals, cut queues, and strengthen security at airports.
And the ETA is just one piece of a larger puzzle. Home Affairs has also been testing other online visa schemes this year. The Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) already brought in an extra 35,000 tourists from China and India, while the MEETS programme targets big conferences, sporting events, and exhibitions.
There’s also STAGES, a category built for global entertainment professionals. Schreiber admitted South Africa recently lost a Netflix mega-production worth about R400 million to Mexico because the old visa system wasn’t up to scratch. With STAGES now in place, the hope is to stop those losses.
Industry players like Fedhasa are backing the reforms. “These categories aren’t just paperwork tweaks; they’re real economic game-changers,” said national chair Rosemary Anderson. For a country that’s been held back by its outdated visa regime, the message is clear: South Africa is open for business.
NCC clears MTN to lease spectrum from T2mobile
MTN Nigeria just got the green light from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to lease some spectrum from T2mobile, starting October 1, 2025. The deal runs for three years and covers 5 MHz in the 900 MHz band and 15 MHz in the 1800 MHz band.
But this isn’t just a regular lease. It’s tied to a national roaming deal that will let T2mobile subscribers hop onto MTN’s network whenever their own coverage falls short. In short: T2mobile gets reach, MTN gets spectrum. Win-win.
As part of the shake-up, MTN won’t be renewing its current one-year lease with NTEL, which wraps up on November 29, 2025. That arrangement currently gives MTN 5 MHz in the 900 MHz band and 10 MHz in the 1800 MHz band across 17 states.
MTN says the new setup fits neatly into its “Ambition 2025” game plan — broadband expansion, partnerships, infrastructure sharing, and a push for greener operations.
For T2mobile, formerly 9Mobile and now under Lighthouse Telecoms, this is another step in its ongoing comeback journey. The roaming deal means it can serve customers in more areas without burning cash on new infrastructure.
And it looks like the tide might be turning. NCC’s July 2025 stats show T2mobile added almost 291,000 new subscribers, its first growth spurt in nearly a year. The market share’s still small, but the momentum is worth noting.
Wasoko founder Daniel Yu steps down after 11 years
Daniel Yu, founder of pan-African B2B eCommerce giant Wasoko, has stepped down as CEO after 11 years at the helm. His exit marks the latest leadership shake-up since Wasoko merged with Egypt’s MaxAB last year to form one of the continent’s largest retail platforms.
Yu announced the move in a reflective LinkedIn post, recalling how he grew Wasoko from a tiny Dar es Salaam outfit into a logistics backbone connecting suppliers to informal retailers across several African markets. He won’t be vanishing completely, though. He’s staying on as an advisor and board member.
With Yu stepping back, MaxAB co-founder Belal El-Megharbel is now officially in charge. El-Megharbel has been running operations and tech since the merger, while Yu focused on investor relations. His full takeover feels like a natural next step for the combined business.
The merger, sealed in August 2024 after nearly a year of talks, created a retail tech powerhouse with over 450,000 merchants, 4,000 staff, and operations in five countries. It was branded a “merger of equals,” but leadership churn has followed. MaxAB’s other co-founder, Mohamed Ben Halim, left the company late last year.
Under Yu’s leadership, Wasoko was once valued north of $600 million and backed by big names like Tiger Global and 4DX Ventures. But, like many African startups, it faced tough headwinds in 2024, from valuation cuts to regional retreats and layoffs.
In his farewell note, Yu said he was “forever proud” of Wasoko’s impact and thanked his team, investors, and partners. He also revealed personal plans: a move to India and more time on Malengo, his nonprofit supporting education for underprivileged students. His departure closes a chapter for Wasoko, but it highlights a wider trend: African startups slowly shifting from founder-led hustles to professional management as they scale.
In case you missed it
- Why Kredete sees credit scoring for immigrants as its next big opportunity
What I’m watching
- Why Critical Thinking Is Disappearing – The Rise of Collective Stupidity
- Aldous Huxley: How Pleasure Was Used to Control Humanity
Opportunities
- Businessfront, the parent company of Techpoint Africa, is hiring a Sales Associate. Apply here.
- Businessfront, the parent company of Techpoint Africa, is looking for a Managing Editor (FMCG). Apply here.
- Flutterwave is hiring for several roles. Apply here.
- Paystack is recruiting a performance marketing specialist in Nigeria. Apply here.
- Kuda is hiring for several roles. Apply here.
- Kuda Technologies is hiring a Legal Counsel. Apply here.
- FairMoney is looking for a Head of Business Banking Product. Apply here.
- Moove is recruiting a Customer Success Executive. Apply here.
- Ecobank Nigeria is hiring a Chief Information security officer. Apply here.
- The Institute of African and Diaspora Studies at the University of Lagos is looking for a Junior Research Fellow. Apply here.
- MTN Nigeria is hiring an Operational Risk Specialist. Apply here.
- Co-Creation HUB (CcHUB) Nigeria is looking for a Head of Communications. Apply here.
- Group Vivendi Africa is hiring an IT Manager. Apply here.
- Sun King is hiring across different states in Nigeria. Apply here.
- Paystack is hiring for several roles in Nigeria and South Africa. Apply here.
- Paga is recruiting for several positions. Apply here.
- Moniepoint is hiring for several positions. Apply here.
- Are you building a startup can feel isolating, but with Equity Merchants CommunityConnect, you can network with fellow founders, experts, and investors, gaining valuable insights and exclusive resources to help you grow your business. Click here to join.
- Help us make Techpoint better for you! Your feedback shapes what comes next (your responses may potentially save my job. A bit dramatic, but still). It will only take 30 seconds to tell us what works and what doesn’t. Fill it here.
- To pitch your startup or product to a live audience, check out this link.
- Have any fresh products you’d like us to start selling? Check out this link here.
- Follow Techpoint Africa’s WhatsApp channel to stay on top of the latest trends and news in the African tech space here.
Have a fun weekend!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa
