At a Glance
- Flutterwave, Paystack, and Interswitch drive Africa’s payments revolution and digital economy expansion.
- Andela and Zindi empower African tech talent and data innovation for global opportunities.
- Jumia, Twiga, and M-KOPA redefine e-commerce, energy access, and inclusive business across Africa.
Africa’s tech scene has grown far beyond early expectations. Once seen mainly as a testing ground for small digital experiments, the continent is now producing companies that are reshaping how technology works for both local and global markets.
From Lagos to Nairobi and Cape Town, African founders are building solutions to local problems in finance, energy, and commerce, and gaining international recognition along the way.
Together, these companies tell a larger story about Africa’s digital rise, practical innovation, real-world impact, and ambition rooted in everyday life.
They employ thousands, attract global investors, and show that African solutions can compete on the world stage.
With a young population, a growing middle class, and expanding internet access, the continent’s next wave of technology leaders is already taking shape.
They are not just building for Africa; they are building from Africa, for the world. Shore Africa profiles ten firms driving this new chapter in Africa’s digital economy.
1. Flutterwave
The Payments Engine of Africa
Founded in 2016 by Olugbenga Agboola, Flutterwave has become a backbone of Africa’s payment systems, operating in more than 30 countries. The company has processed billions of dollars in transactions for partners including Uber and Booking.com. Its cross-border service, Send, makes remittances faster and simpler, helping small businesses and online traders. Recent expansion into Egypt and a partnership with Microsoft signal Flutterwave’s intent to become Africa’s answer to PayPal.
2. Paystack
Powering the Digital Marketplace
Before its 2020 acquisition by Stripe, Paystack was already one of Nigeria’s brightest tech success stories. Founded by Shola Akinlade and Ezra Olubi, the platform made it easier for African merchants to accept card, bank, and mobile payments. Today, Paystack continues to grow independently within Stripe, expanding into Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. Its tools remain vital for small businesses looking to sell and thrive online.
3. Jumia
The E-commerce Pioneer
Headquartered in Lagos, Jumia remains Africa’s largest e-commerce platform, active in 11 countries. While profitability has been a challenge, its marketplace, logistics, and payment services have made it a key player in Africa’s online retail space. With a renewed focus on everyday essentials and smaller merchants, Jumia is aiming for more stable growth as online shopping becomes part of daily life across the continent.
4. Andela
Connecting Africa’s Talent to the World
Co-founded by Nigerian entrepreneur Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Andela began as a coding school and has grown into a global talent network linking African engineers to firms like GitHub and Cloudflare. Supported by investors such as the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Andela has opened doors for more than 100,000 developers. Its recent move into Latin America and Eastern Europe reinforces a simple truth: great tech talent can come from anywhere.
5. Interswitch
The Fintech Pioneer
Long before “fintech” became a buzzword, Mitchell Elegbe founded Interswitch in 2002 to modernize Nigeria’s payment systems. Its Verve cards and Quickteller services changed how millions of Africans pay and move money. Now valued at more than $1 billion, Interswitch continues to grow through partnerships with Visa and Mastercard, pushing Africa closer to a cashless future.
6. Kuda Bank
Banking for a New Generation
Often called “the bank of the free,” Kuda is Nigeria’s leading digital-only bank. Founded by Babs Ogundeyi and Musty Mustapha, it offers zero-fee banking through a simple mobile app that now serves more than 5 million users. With over $90 million raised and plans to expand into Ghana after launching in the U.K., Kuda is becoming a trusted brand among Africa’s younger, mobile-first population.
7. M-KOPA
Powering Homes, Changing Lives
Kenya-based M-KOPA is bringing clean energy and financial access to millions of households. Its pay-as-you-go solar systems blend fintech with clean tech, helping low-income families power their homes and build credit histories. With more than 3 million connected homes across Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria, M-KOPA shows how practical innovation can make a real social difference.
8. Twiga Foods
Digitizing the Food Chain
Founded in Nairobi, Twiga Foods connects farmers directly to retailers through a digital platform that cuts out middlemen. This helps reduce waste, increase farmer income, and lower food prices for consumers. Supported by Goldman Sachs and the International Finance Corporation, Twiga is expanding into logistics and fintech, offering credit and working capital to thousands of small traders across East Africa.
9. Yoco
Helping Small Businesses Grow
Founded in 2015 in Cape Town, Yoco provides card readers and digital tools to small businesses that once relied only on cash. More than 400,000 merchants now use its services, making it a major force in South Africa’s digital inclusion drive. By helping entrepreneurs formalize and scale their operations, Yoco is turning cash-based enterprises into connected, data-driven businesses.
10. Zindi
Building Africa’s Data Future
Zindi, founded in 2018, has become Africa’s largest data science competition platform, connecting more than 80,000 data scientists with organizations tackling real-world challenges, from predicting crop yields to tracking malaria outbreaks. By helping governments, NGOs, and private firms make better use of data and artificial intelligence, Zindi is shaping Africa’s place in the global data economy.
