Sawubona,
Victoria from Techpoint here,
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
- Meta faces probe across 21 African markets
- Risevest turns regulatory setback into win
- Fake investment scams targeted in Kenya raids
Meta faces probe across 21 African markets
Big tech is back on regulators’ radar in Africa. The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Competition and Consumer Commission (CCCC) has launched a formal investigation into Meta Platforms Ireland Limited over changes it made last year to WhatsApp Business API rules that could shut out rival AI providers from using the platform, and regulators across the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa region are watching closely.
The probe centres on updates to the “WhatsApp Business Solution Terms” introduced in October 2025, which COMESA says effectively exclude third-party AI services while preserving full access for Meta’s own Meta AI tools. The competition watchdog says this could amount to an abuse of Meta’s dominant position in the Common Market, which includes 21 member states like Kenya, Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda and Zambia, and may harm competition by locking out rival AI developers.
For now, this is just the start of an investigation, not a ruling that Meta has done anything illegal. The CCCC will study the conduct and its market impact before drawing any conclusions, and interested stakeholders have been invited to submit written feedback by March 16, 2026.
This isn’t the first time Meta has faced regulatory heat in Kenya and across Africa. Last year, Kenyan regulators scrutinised digital platforms over data practices and misinformation, and Nigeria’s data protection authority has fined tech giant Meta for privacy violations. Globally, in Europe, for instance, watchdogs, including the European Commission and Italy’s competition authority, have been probing Meta’s AI policies on WhatsApp for months, with concerns about unfairly limiting access to rival AI chatbots and possibly breaching EU competition rules.
Why it matters here: WhatsApp is wildly popular across Africa, serving millions of users, businesses and developers. If the platform becomes a closed ecosystem for Meta’s own AI tools, it could block innovators and startups from reaching customers through one of the region’s most important digital gateways. Regulators taking action now highlights growing scrutiny of how big tech leverages dominance to shape emerging AI markets.
Risevest turns regulatory setback into win
After months in regulatory limbo, Risevest is back on solid ground. The Nigerian investment platform says it has secured approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission Nigeria to operate as a licensed Fund and Portfolio Manager, a major turnaround after being labelled an illegal operator in early 2025.
Victoria Fakiya – Senior Writer
Techpoint Digest
Stop struggling to find your tech career path
Discover in-demand tech skills and build a standout portfolio in this FREE 5-day email course
Founder and CEO Eke Urum told users that the SEC has now registered a new subsidiary, RV Fund Management Limited, officially granting it fund and portfolio management status. The approval follows months of back-and-forth with regulators, who had previously warned Nigerians against transacting with Risevest’s earlier entities over licensing concerns.
The dispute began in January 2025 when the SEC flagged Risevest Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited and Risevest Technologies Limited as unregistered. At the heart of the issue was the company’s structure. Risevest initially operated under a cooperative licence before acquiring Chaka Technologies Limited, an SEC-licensed digital sub-broker, to strengthen its compliance position. Regulators argued certain assets should sit under Chaka’s licensed umbrella. Risevest responded by restructuring and applying directly for a fund manager licence — the approval it has now secured.
What this means is simple: Risevest now has clearer regulatory footing in Nigeria. With a formal Fund and Portfolio Manager licence, which requires a ₦150 million minimum share capital and ongoing compliance under the Investments and Securities Act, the company can expand its offerings and serve a broader range of investors without the cloud of uncertainty hanging over it.
Why you should care: Nigeria’s fintech and digital investment space is under tighter scrutiny as regulators move to formalise the sector. Platforms that once operated in grey areas are being pushed into full compliance.
Risevest’s approval signals that the SEC is willing to work with firms that restructure and meet requirements, and it could restore confidence among users wary after last year’s warnings. The company, which also secured a US broker-dealer licence earlier this year, now appears to be betting that stronger regulation will help it scale both locally and globally.
Fake investment scams targeted in Kenya raids
Kenyan authorities have rounded up more suspected cybercriminals in a sweeping international crackdown, and this time, the numbers are hard to ignore. Between December 8, 2025 and January 30, 2026, 27 suspects were arrested in Kenya as part of Operation Red Card 2.0, a coordinated cybercrime sting led by Interpol.
The suspects are accused of running slick online investment scams, using messaging apps, social media platforms, and fake testimonials to lure victims with promises of high returns from supposedly reputable global companies. According to Interpol, scammers often ask for small starter investments, sometimes as little as $50, then show victims fabricated dashboards with impressive profits. The catch? When victims tried to withdraw their money, the system blocked them.
But Kenya was just one piece of a much bigger puzzle. Operation Red Card 2.0 stretched across 16 African countries, leading to 651 arrests and the recovery of more than $4.3 million in stolen funds. The crackdown falls under the broader African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC) framework, which has previously delivered operations like Operation Serengeti and Operation Sentinel targeting digital crime networks on the continent.
Why this matters: cybercrime is no longer a fringe issue in Africa. In its June 2025 Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report, Interpol said two-thirds of African member states now classify cybercrime as a medium-to-high share of overall crime. Critical sectors like banking, telecoms and energy are increasingly in the firing line, while ordinary people are being targeted through fake crypto schemes, investment platforms and phishing scams.
Interpol’s Cybercrime Director Neal Jetton says the operation shows what cross-border collaboration can achieve, but also underlines how sophisticated these scams have become. The message from law enforcement is clear: victims should report incidents quickly, and governments need stronger cooperation to stay ahead of fast-evolving digital crime networks.
In case you missed them
- Why MTN’s buyback of IHS Towers makes economic sense
- South African startup Naritive is fixing banner blindness with interactive advertising
What I’m watching
- This Is How You Are Destroying Your Skin!
- The real cause of pimples!
Opportunities
- Bamboo is hiring a content writer. Apply here.
- WorkNomads is hiring an AI engineer. Apply here.
- Miri Africa is hiring for several roles. Apply here.
- Kernel is hiring a Product Designer (🇬🇧 Visa Sponsorship). Apply here.
- Profound is hiring a Frontend Software Engineer to join their team in the UK (UK Visa Sponsorship available for exceptional candidates). Apply here.
- Bitoshi Africa is hiring for Backend Developer (Node.js) and QA Analyst roles. Apply here.
- As one of Techpoint Africa’s most engaged readers, you have a direct hand in shaping what we publish next. Take our quick, 3-minute survey to tell us the stories and features you value most. Your responses are anonymous, and your feedback will help guide our editorial focus in the months ahead. Fill the survey here.
- Mercuryo is hiring a Senior Product Manager (Remote). Apply here.
- Circo is recruiting for several roles: Product Creative Manager, Digital Marketer (Growth & Performance), Finance & Fundraising Executive, and Revenue & Growth Systems Lead. Apply here.
- A16z is looking for people who have backgrounds in podcasts, events, writing, video, networks, and community-building, marketing, or operations. Apply here.
- Terra, the startup that just announced an additional $22M in funding, is looking for machinists and electrical, mechanical, and mechatronics engineers. To apply, send an email to this email address now.
- Fincra is looking for talented people in several departments, including Compliance, Finance, Account Management, and Engineering. Apply here.
- Mission44 is hiring a Digital Communications Officer and an Executive Assistant to the CEO. Apply here.
- Are you in camp, about to be deployed, or a fresh graduate looking for hands-on experience? The TIC Internship Program (GIP) is hiring fully remote roles. Apply here.
- Gamma Mobility is looking for an Associate Product Manager. Apply here.
- Adjoe is hiring for several roles, including engineering, design, and marketing. Apply here.
- Carrot Credit is looking for a social media/content creator to join their team. Apply here.
- OPay is looking for a data analyst and operation support. Apply here.
- Briter is hiring for several roles in many countries, including Kenya and Nigeria. Apply here.
- Amazon is recruiting a Partner Development Manager, Africa. Apply here.
- Korapay is looking for Head of Growth and Partnerships (The Curve Africa by Kora). Apply here.
- Misan by Bamboo is hiring a Community and Social Media Manager. Apply here,
- Don’t miss the Cavista Technologies Hackathon happening between February 21 and 22. Register your team and go home with cash prizes here.
- Moniepoint is hiring for over 100 roles. Apply here.
- 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.
- 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
