Bok,
Victoria from Techpoint here,
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
- Orange Money gets a separate licence in Liberia
- A reality check for African startups
- Spiro raises $50M to power Africa’s e-bikes
Orange Money gets a separate licence in Liberia
Liberia’s telecom regulator is shaking up the mobile money market. The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) has granted Orange Money a separate licence to operate independently from Orange Liberia, in line with new rules that force telcos to split their telecom and fintech businesses.
What this means is simple: mobile money is no longer allowed to sit comfortably under telecom operators. Under the updated value-added service (VAS) regulations, both Orange Liberia and Lonestar Cell MTN must decouple from their fintech arms — Orange Money and MTN Mobile Money. Lonestar is expected to secure its own separate licence soon.
The bigger shift, however, is about control. The LTA has taken over the management of USSD shortcodes, those simple dial codes that allow users to send money, check balances, and make payments without internet access. Previously, telcos controlled these codes, effectively deciding who could enter the market. Now, fintech companies can apply directly to the regulator for access.
Why does this matter? Because Liberia’s mobile money space is heavily concentrated. Orange Money crossed one million subscribers in March 2025, while MTN Mobile Money reported 1.28 million by year-end, together serving more than 2.2 million people in a country of roughly 5.6 million. Opening up shortcode access could lower barriers for new fintech entrants and chip away at the duopoly.
The reform goes further. Telcos can no longer monopolise numbering resources like toll-free lines or machine-to-machine codes. The LTA has already licensed five value-added service aggregators to act as intermediaries between operators and digital service providers, with plans to increase that number. For now, Orange and MTN still dominate. But structurally, Liberia’s regulator is trying to redraw the rules of engagement.
A reality check for African startups
The honeymoon is over. After years of big funding rounds and breathless growth stories, African tech is in its sobering era, and investors are asking harder questions not just about startups but about the people building them.
Victoria Fakiya – Senior Writer
Techpoint Digest
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Are founders solving real, stubborn problems, or just chasing whatever is hot? Do they have the discipline and long-term thinking to build durable companies, or have they been riding momentum? These are the questions coming up more often in investor rooms.
One of the firms leaning into that conversation is Microtraction, the Lagos-based pre-seed investor that has backed companies like LemFi, Cowrywise, Honeycoin, and PaidHR early in their journeys. For a firm that invests before there is meaningful data, founder quality is the entire bet.
Offiong Isyah, an investment analyst at Microtraction, argues that the broader talent pool, especially in Nigeria, isn’t as strong as it once was. Earlier generations of engineers built tight-knit communities, organised meetups, and brought in global experts to sharpen their craft. Today, those spaces are thinner, and a struggling economy has pushed many promising graduates to seek opportunities abroad, shrinking the pipeline of future founders.
In response, Microtraction is trying to spot great founders before they become obvious through its Nurture Programme, while hosting monthly town halls to help founders learn from one another and connect with investors early. After more than 70 investments, the firm says it knows what it wants: resourceful, curious, capital-efficient builders with deep customer insight. For more on how this founder rethink could shape African tech’s next chapter, check out Chimgozirim’s story.
Spiro raises $50M to power Africa’s e-bikes
If you’ve walked through parts of Lagos or Nairobi lately, you’ve probably seen them — quiet electric bikes zipping past traffic. Spiro wants a lot more of that. The electric motorcycle and battery-swapping startup has raised $50 million in debt funding to expand its swap network across Africa.
The financing was led by Afreximbank, with participation from Nithio and the Africa Go Green Fund managed by Cygnum Capital. It comes just months after Spiro secured a $100 million investment in October 2025, the largest electric mobility deal in Africa at the time, and a further $7 million in senior debt from Nithio in February. This latest raise pushes more capital behind its infrastructure-heavy model.
The money will go into expanding battery swap stations in existing and new markets while upgrading its tech platform to improve automated swaps, fast charging, and renewable energy integration. Spiro already operates in six countries — Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria, Benin, and Togo — with pilots underway in Cameroon and Tanzania. So far, it says it has deployed over 80,000 electric bikes, built 2,500+ swap stations, and completed more than 30 million battery swaps.
What this signals is confidence, not just in Spiro, but in Africa’s electric mobility story. Battery swapping solves one of the biggest friction points in EV adoption: charging time. For commercial riders who depend on daily income, swapping a battery in minutes instead of waiting hours to charge can make the economics work.
It also fits into a broader climate and industrial strategy. Backers like Afreximbank are positioning electric mobility as part of a green industrial value chain for Africa, one that keeps more value on the continent while cutting emissions. The real test now is scale: can Spiro turn capital-heavy infrastructure into long-term, sustainable returns while powering millions of cleaner kilometres across Africa?
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Opportunities
- Credit Direct is expanding and hiring across Product, Tech, Risk, Strategy & HR. Apply here.
- Spot & Tango is looking to hire a Customer Experience Specialist (Remote). Apply here.
- Infuse is looking to hire a Senior Product Manager (Contract, Remote). Apply here.
- LemFi is looking to hire a Customer Support Associate (Lagos, Hybrid). Apply here.
- Moniepoint is hiring a Talent Acquisition Manager (Remote, Lagos). Apply here.
- Ouida Books is hiring four women editors for an 18-month paid internship. Learn developmental editing, rights trading, book production, and more at the Lagos publisher. Apply here.
- Flutterwave is hiring an Executive Communications Lead,Brand & Storytelling. Apply here.
- MTN is looking for a Manager, RMS Music and Podcast.Digital Services NG. Apply here.
- Moniepoint Inc is hiring a Senior UX Researcher. Apply here.
- 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.
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- 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,
- 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.
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Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa
