Had some free time over the weekend so I did a little work on this: startupgraveyard.africa (1/2)

"Who will pay for SaaS in Africa?" This question came up hundreds of times across my comments this week. It's the right question. And most people are asking it wrong. Let me explain.

Why did TikTok’s parent company ByteDance fail in Africa’s messaging market? They launched LetsChat in 2021 with data-efficient features, free calls, in-app games & the unique “Lifie” dual-camera mode. Yet the app was shut down in early 2024.

Africa just got its biggest clean mobility cheque yet. $215,000,000 raised by Spiro to power electric bikes battery swapping from Kenya to Ethiopia & DRC. Investors are shifting from asset-light apps… to real energy systems. Is this the turning point? We break it down, the why and key lessons for founders in this week’s Startupgraveyard newsletter. Join the list for exclusive discussions on the African Tech Economy. Subscribe here - startupgraveyardafrica.subst… #AfricaTech #Spiro #ElectricMobility #CleanTech #Startupgraveyard

One idea that has revolutionized my thinking is this: you are allowed to not want things. You can look at everything society tells you that you need to have and just be like, “Nope. I will not be participating.”

Episode 41 is LIVE! - Foreign VC exits in Kenya face 15% tax under proposed law - South Africa’s Mia Healthcare Raises $920K to Scale Dental Clinics Across Southern Africa Link to full breakdown in the comments 👇

Episode 41 is LIVE! - Foreign VC exits in Kenya face 15% tax under proposed law - South Africa’s Mia Healthcare Raises $920K to Scale Dental Clinics Across Southern Africa Link to full breakdown in the comments 👇

RT @yeeeerika: the human spirit was not designed for this many passwords

When you realize everything is so expensive and still God hasn’t let you you go hungry, homeless or empty

The African tech ecosystem isn't in a funding winter anymore; it's in a brand new epoch. Egypt and South Africa are outpacing Nigeria through mega-debt rounds, and incumbents are buying up the market. We just dropped @stgr_africa's Q1 2026 Report. It’s the raw data for surviving this climate.

How Nigeria’s card monopoly fell in 14 days #techtidesafrica

RT @thamieverywhere: bro to bro: if you like skinnier girls, get yourself a skinny girl. if you like thicker girls, get yourself a thick gi…

Another Nigerian fintech from the Graveyard. Pivo Technology raised $2M from Y Combinator, built a strong SME lending & banking platform, hit 98% repayment rates… Then shut down in December 2023. What really killed it? Let’s break it down. 👇

The AI bubble is lying to you

Episode 40 is LIVE! - How Flutterwave and Moniepoint ended Nigeria’s card monopoly in 14 days in 2019 - Only 10% of Nigeria’s working-age population uses generative AI Link to full breakdown in the comments 👇

I need Nigerians to understand you need to pay for things... Paying makes the market bigger and better… For instance, if Nigerians massively adopted IROKO TV, it will still be here today employing thousands of Nigerians, they were one of the few brands that explored agency model, they had dedicated kiosk… While I understand the nation is poor, but even people that can afford it still have this crooked mindset to bypass…

100th Edition Strong: We just published our 100th newsletter a big milestone for Startup Graveyard Africa. When we started, the goal was simple but important: cut through the hype and document the real stories of the African tech ecosystem what’s working, what’s failing, and the hard lessons that actually matter for builders and investors. This week’s edition features a meaningful move: Moniepoint enhances UK payment security by partnering with tell.money This partnership strengthens cross-border remittances (especially UK → Nigeria), introduces Confirmation of Payee (CoP) verification, and shows how African fintechs are seriously leveling up on compliance, fraud prevention, and trust as they expand globally. In a space where regulation and security are becoming major differentiators, this is the kind of quiet, strategic move that separates the serious players from the rest. As we hit 100 editions, we want to reach more founders, operators, investors, and ecosystem builders who are tired of surface-level takes and want unfiltered weekly intelligence on African startups. If you’re building in Africa (or investing in it), this is one of the best ways to stay sharp on the real mechanics of the ecosystem. You need to be on the list. Subscription link will be in the comments. #AfricanTech #Fintech #Moniepoint #StartupsAfrica #Payments #Web3Africa #claude #vatican #technicalstaff

BRUNO FERNANDES. RECORD-BREAKER.

consequences

Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year ✅ United Players' Player of the Year ✅ FWA Footballer of the Year ✅ Premier League Player of the Season ✅ That's our Bruno 🐐

Fintech remains undefeated in Africa, but the AI revolution is forcing a massive rewrite of the startup playbook. In this week's episode of Tech Tides Africa, we break down the shift from funding highs to the reality of the tech labour market. 🧵👇