This week on Startup Researcher Africa, we cut through the noise with a fast, data-rich sweep of African startup and VC activity.

Regional policy shifts lead the show: Nigeria launches Build with AI with Google and GOMYCODE to train 1,000 generative AI developers, TymeBank challenges South Africa’s ID verification fee hikes, Nigeria’s FCCPC rolls out new lending rules that tie fines to turnover in a 2.1 billion dollar market, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange onboards Thunder as the GCC’s first remote retail trading member, and Nigeria’s FIRS certifies 16 firms for e-invoicing with more than 1,000 companies already onboarded ahead of a November deadline.

Funding highlights span fintech, commerce infrastructure, and AI. Chowdeck secures 9 million dollars to scale ultra-fast delivery in Nigeria and Ghana, HoneyCoin raises 4.9 million dollars for a fiat-to-blockchain payments gateway, Street Wallet closes 350,000 dollars for QR payments that work without smartphones, Yamify picks up 100,000 dollars to build local AI infrastructure and GPU clusters with domestic billing, and Hypeo AI wins backing from Renew Capital to expand influencer marketing across Africa and the Middle East.

Consolidation is heating up. Nedbank acquires iKhokha for 92.4 million dollars to deepen SME digital payments, while customer experience players Ajua and Rate My Service merge, serving 45 clients and eyeing a Nigeria return with a broader product suite. On the investor front, Redimension Capital debuts a 13.8 million dollar proptech and sustainability fund in South Africa, TLcom Capital’s 5 million dollar TAPSI pre-seed fund hits 50 percent deployment feeding into its 154 million dollar TIDE Africa Fund, and 500 Global launches the Nairobi Sustainable Innovation Program with support from Shell Foundation and UK partners.

Country focus spotlights Morocco’s agritech wave, featuring Agri 4.0, DeepLeaf, Jodoor, PCS Agri, Sand to Green, SOWIT, and YoLa Fresh modernizing farming with precision tools, AI diagnostics, hydroponics, regenerative models, and tech-enabled supply chains.

Startup of the Week is Nawy, founded in 2016, now at 80 million dollars raised and expanding into the GCC via SmartCrowd.

Investor of the Week is A15, a Cairo firm backing 40 plus startups across 20 plus MENA markets with eight exits.

Opportunities close with EDP Energy Starter 2025 Track 2, offering funded pilots, 28-market access, and a Lisbon bootcamp in November.