Aloha,
Victoria from Techpoint here,
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
- Kenya and Rwanda explore shared licensing for payment firms
- Nigeria’s power crisis hits remote tech workers
- Kenya lawmakers challenge Vodacom dividend rights
Kenya and Rwanda explore shared licensing for payment firms
Sending money or running a fintech across African borders can be surprisingly complicated. Different licences, regulations, and compliance rules often slow down companies trying to expand regionally.
Now, the Central Bank of Kenya and the National Bank of Rwanda want to change that. The two regulators have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at simplifying licensing and expanding cross-border payment services between Kenya and Rwanda. The agreement was signed during the Inclusive FinTech Forum in Kigali.
At the heart of the deal is a proposed “passporting” framework that would allow payment service providers licensed in one country to operate more easily in the other. Today, fintech companies looking to expand regionally often have to navigate multiple licensing regimes even when the rules are largely similar, increasing costs and slowing innovation.
If implemented successfully, the agreement could make it easier for fintech startups and financial institutions to scale across East Africa. The move is also part of a broader effort under the East African Community cross-border payments master plan, which aims to improve interoperability between payment systems across the region.
More broadly, the pact reflects growing regional cooperation around digital finance. Kenya’s mobile payments ecosystem, long led by innovations like M-Pesa, has inspired similar systems across Africa, and regulators increasingly see cross-border collaboration as key to unlocking faster payments, stronger fintech growth, and deeper financial inclusion.
Nigeria’s power crisis hits remote tech workers
Ayodeji has done everything many Nigerian remote workers are told to do to survive the country’s power crisis. The Lagos-based digital animator owns a 4KVA generator, an inverter with four batteries, and two 25-litre fuel kegs. But in the past two weeks, even that setup hasn’t been enough to keep the lights on.
Victoria Fakiya – Senior Writer
Techpoint Digest
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Nigeria’s power problems are nothing new. The national grid has collapsed more than 240 times between 2010 and 2025, and recent gas shortages have forced several power plants to cut generation, leaving homes and businesses without electricity for days. At the same time, petrol prices have jumped from about ₦1,000 to as high as ₦1,300 per litre, making generators, the country’s most common backup power source, even more expensive to run.
For remote tech workers, the impact is immediate and costly. Ayodeji says filling his two 25-litre fuel kegs cost ₦40,000 in February, but the same amount rose to ₦54,000 by March, a 35% increase in just weeks. In Benin City, game developer Gideon spends between ₦10,000 and ₦13,000 every day running his generator overnight and during afternoon meetings, adding up to as much as ₦390,000 a month just on fuel.
Beyond the cost, the outages are also affecting productivity. Loud generators make focused work difficult, and unstable electricity means missed deadlines and unreliable internet. Ayodeji says he has already lost clients because of delays caused by the constant struggle for power and fuel. For more on how Nigeria’s power crisis is affecting remote workers, check out Sarah’s latest for Techpoint Africa.
Kenya lawmakers challenge Vodacom dividend rights
Kenya’s plan to sell part of its prized telecom asset is hitting fresh scrutiny in parliament. Lawmakers have ordered the government to renegotiate parts of its deal with Vodacom over future dividends from Safaricom, raising concerns that the original agreement may have given away too much value. The directive comes as scrutiny grows around the arrangement that allows Vodacom to receive future dividend payments that would otherwise have gone to the Kenyan government.
The dispute stems from a broader transaction in which Kenya sold a 15% stake in Safaricom to Vodacom as part of a multi-billion-dollar deal that will eventually give the South African telecom giant majority control of the company. Alongside the share sale, the government also agreed to give Vodacom rights to about KSh 55.7 billion in future Safaricom dividends in exchange for an upfront payment of roughly KSh 40.2 billion, effectively offering a discount on the future earnings.
For Kenya, the arrangement provided quick cash at a time when the government needed funds for infrastructure and other spending priorities. But critics argue that selling future dividend income from one of the country’s most profitable companies could reduce long-term government revenue. Safaricom has historically been one of the biggest dividend contributors to the Kenyan Treasury.
The stakes are high because Safaricom isn’t just another telecom company. It dominates Kenya’s mobile market and runs the hugely influential M-Pesa mobile money platform, making it central to the country’s digital economy. That’s why the government’s decision to sell part of its stake — and the dividend rights tied to it — has become one of the most closely watched corporate deals in East Africa.
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Opportunities
- Tech Unite Africa returns on March 26, 2026, at Oriental Hotel, Lagos, bringing founders, investors, and industry leaders together for panels, exhibitions, and networking. Selected startups will compete in Startup World Cup Nigeria for a chance to reach the global finals and compete for a $1 million investment prize. Register or explore sponsorship opportunities here.
- ABDS 2026 will take place April 29–30, 2026, in Lagos, gathering founders, investors, developers, and policymakers shaping Africa’s blockchain and Web3 ecosystem. The summit focuses on industry insights, partnerships, and investment opportunities in one of the world’s fastest-growing crypto markets. Secure your pass or sponsorship here.
- Scrum Day Nigeria 2026 takes place on March 24 at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, bringing together product leaders, Scrum Masters, engineers, and executives passionate about building better products. The one-day conference features practical keynotes, hands-on workshops, coaching clinics, and real-world case studies focused on product leadership, agile ways of working, and modern engineering practices. If your organisation is considering accelerating delivery whilst improving business outcomes at the same time, this is the room to be in. Apply here.
- Gates Foundation Africa is recruiting Senior Communications Officer at Abuja, Nigeria. Apply by March 25, 2026 here.
- Paga is hiring a Sales Manager. Apply here.
- Paga is hiring senior sales executives. Apply here.
- Paga is looking for sales executives. Apply here.
- Paga is recruiting Senior Key Account Managers. Apply here.
- Paga is hiring Account Managers. 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.
- Interswitch is hiring a Strategic Partnerships Executive. Apply here.
- CANAL+ Group is looking for a CDI – Finance & Administrative Director GVA. Apply here.
- Tix Africa is hiring a finance operations specialist (Lagos, Nigeria). Apply here.
- Flutterwave is hiring for several marketing and finance roles. Apply here.
- 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 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
