Good morning, and welcome to this week’s issue of Africa AI News – Weekly News Digest.
First — this is our birthday. We’ve been publishing every week now for a year, and built up a subscriber base of 1,000 AI-tastic people across Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere, with 10,000 90-day page views. Thank you for your support - especially passing AfricaAINews.com on to friends and colleagues.
Quite a lot of news this week, mostly smallish funding rounds for startups (although while the dollar amount is a couple of mill, in local currency it’s the difference between life and death for a small business. The question is whether its an investment, or a boondoggle. While nay-sayers have been doom&glooming about investments in AI for a while, these stories are starting to enter the general public consciousness, with even late night comedians getting in on it.
For investors looking at African startups, there is still a good case… most of the startups are building sensible technology that does useful things - automation of business processes, fraud detection and public health. This may sound obvious, but think back ten years to the boom in smartphone apps, with a million African startups launching generally fairly absurd - and consumer-centric - apps that sucked up money, and then vanished without a trace.
The focus on B2B AI technologies suggests that this time it’s sustainable. We feature some great new startups that are turning to the corner.
On with this week’s issue!
/Roger
Funding
Egypt’s Nanovate raises $2M to expand in Gulf
#Egypt #funding— Cairo-based AI startup Nanovate has secured $2 million in pre-seed funding from angel investors to expand into Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Founded in 2025, the company builds Arabic-language AI tools, including chat and voice agents, CRM and ERP integrations, and no-code deployment dashboards. Nanovate plans to use the capital to grow its team and invest in AI R&D. (Middle East AI News)
SehaTech secures $1.1 million to expand AI insurtech
#Egypt #insurtech – Cairo-based SehaTech has raised $1.1 million in Seed funding led by Nigeria’s Ingressive Capital, bringing its total to $2 million. The company plans regional expansion of its AI-driven health insurance automation platform to boost efficiency and reduce fraud across Africa and the Middle East. (Middle East AI News)
Five African startups win Meta Llama Impact Grant
#Africa #funding #applications — Meta and Data Science Africa have awarded five startups the 2025 Llama Impact Grant, recognising innovators using AI to solve local challenges. Winners from South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda and Rwanda each receive $20,000, mentorship and access to Meta’s open-source Llama models to build scalable solutions in healthcare, education, agriculture and accessibility. (Connecting Africa)
Vambo AI (South Africa) – translation, transcription, generation and search
PropelMapper (South Africa) – farming information
Radease (Nigeria) – medications information
TeenApp (Uganda) – youth and reproductive health information
Easy Read Africa (Rwanda) – simplify and machine narrate text
Telkom, UK–SA Tech Hub launch AI accelerator
#SouthAfrica #accelerators #funding — Telkom FutureMakers and the UK–SA Tech Hub have launched the AI Readiness Accelerator, a six-month, fully funded programme to help South African startups build and scale AI-driven solutions. Ten startups from pre-seed to Series A will receive technical teams, investor access, and wellness support, culminating in a demo day. Posted three days ago, applications close today (24 Oct). Great job, Telkom. (iAfrica)
Policy
Zimbabwe approves first National AI Strategy
#Zimbabwe #policy #governance — Cabinet has approved the country’s first National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2026–2030) - although it’s not published. Developed with input from ministries, regulators, academia and global partners such as UNESCO, ITU and AU, the strategy will guide the responsible integration of AI into national development. (Bantu Gazette)
Education
Morocco launches AI training for 200,000 students
#Morocco #training – Morocco has begun a nationwide digital skills initiative to train 200,000 schoolchildren in AI and technology under its Digital Morocco 2030 plan. The pilot, running across twelve cities, aims to foster digital literacy and support the country’s vision for an inclusive, innovation-driven economy. (Ecofin Agency)
Ghana launches first AI Practitioners’ Guide
#Ghana #policy #education — Ghana has unveiled its first Artificial Intelligence Practitioners’ Guide to promote responsible and inclusive AI use across the country. Developed under the FAIR Forward – Artificial Intelligence for All programme by GIZ and BMZ, and led by Heritors Labs, the guide provides frameworks, case studies, and ethical standards for AI developers, researchers, and policymakers. (MyJoyOnline)
Nigeria launches AI training for civil servants with Google and Apolitical
#Nigeria #AI #governance — Now it’s Nigeria’s turn: the AI Government Campus will train civil servants in AI, in partnership with Google and gov-tech advisory Apolitical. The programme covers AI ethics, fundamentals and applications for public service, advancing efforts to integrate AI across government operations. (Afrotech)
Hubs, Labs & CoEs
Algeria to open R&D centre for advanced tech and AI
#Algeria #R&D — Algiers will soon inaugurate what it claims to be Africa’s largest R&D centre to accelerate innovation and strengthen its knowledge economy. The facility partners with leading global tech firms to drive AI and advanced technology research. No timelines, details or funding have been shared. (AL24 News)
UM6P and Syensqo form AI lab for green industry
#Morocco #R&D #sustainability – Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) has partnered with materials science firm Syensqo to establish an AI research lab in Ben Guerir. The collaboration will apply advanced AI to chemistry and materials innovation, driving sustainable industrial processes and accelerating Morocco’s green technology agenda. (Morocco World News)
Zambia, Lucid Circuit plan $300m AI Zone
#Zambia #funding #infrastructure — The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) has signed a Letter of Intent with California-based chipmaker Lucid Circuit to establish an Artificial Intelligence Special Economic Zone valued at $150-mil, possibly $300-mil. Announced at the U.S.–Zambia Investment and Innovation Road Show 2025, it positions Zambia as a hub for AI-driven innovation and investment. (Zambia Monitor)
Conferences & Hackathons
Egypt holds AI for FinTech Hackathon
#Egypt #hackathons #fintech — The Central Bank of Egypt and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology held the AI for FinTech Hackathon to train young innovators in AI and financial technologies. Held under the Digital Egypt Builders Initiative, the event aims to boost digital talent and advance Egypt’s strategy for innovation-driven finance. (iAfrica.com)
[ This newsletter was human fee fi fo and AI fummed ]