Startupinsight

          Nigerian highlife star Flavour is set to headline the LOUD IN AFRICA Concert Series in New York City on August 14, 2026, as organisers prepare for what is expected to be one of the biggest African music events of the summer. The concert will take place at Racket NYC, bringing together music lovers from across the African diaspora for an evening celebrating African music, culture and entertainment. Popularly known as the "King of Highlife," Flavour has built a global reputation with his blend of highlife, Afrobeats and contemporary African music, earning a loyal fan base across Africa, Europe and North America. The event will also feature performances by Naomi Achu, Prince Bright of Buk Bak, Bruck Up (Mr. Excitement), 2Cent, Unathi Nkayi, while Nollywood actress Mercy Macjoe is expected to make a special guest appearance. Speaking ahead of the concert, Founder of LOUD IN AFRICA, Abass Mubarak Akeju, described the event as part of a broader effort to pro...

      Often, people say Lagos may be one of Africa’s fastest growing cities, but alongside its housing deficit lies another growing concern: the increasing demand for homes that offer more than just four walls and an address. As the city expands, many homebuyers and investors are seeking spaces that combine functionality, intentional design, and long term value. Responding to this need, D’Lodge Apartments has been introduced as a premium residential development in Lekki Peninsula II, positioned within reach of key business districts, schools, and lifestyle destinations. Comprising thoughtfully designed one and two bedroom apartments, D’Lodge reflects a vision of creating spaces that place equal emphasis on comfort, functionality, and everyday living experiences. With features such as open plan kitchens and expansive panoramic balconies, the development has been designed with modern homeowners, young professionals, growing families, and investors in mind. D’Lodge is more t...

What began as a lockdown hobby in early 2020 has grown into a thriving real estate company helping Nigerians achieve home ownership and build wealth. The founder of Adifua Real Estate and Construction started his journey during the COVID-19 lockdown, frequently viewing properties across the capital. With guidance from a supportive boss, real estate quickly became more than a side interest. While still operating without a formal team, he also ventured into the hospitality sector, successfully establishing Flenjo, a popular restaurant and grill. Today, the company has built a reputation for helping individuals grow their wealth through strategic real estate investments. Many clients have reportedly become millionaires thanks to well-chosen properties. Adifua Real Estate and Construction is particularly focused on affordability and long-term value. The company only promotes properties with strong appreciation potential and currently offers FCDA-approved lands and homes in prime and emergi...

    Fikun Aluko, an AI, Cybersecurity and Technology Leader and Chevening Scholar, delivered a presentation at the 6th International AI in Business Summit on the 1st of June, 2026, challenging business leaders on why most organisations are using AI but almost none are leading with it. Speaking to founders, investors, engineers, researchers, and enterprise leaders, he opened with a provocation. "Almost every organisation is using AI. Almost none are leading with it," he said. McKinsey research found 88% of organisations are using AI, yet only 6% qualify as genuine high performers.¹ The WRITER 2026 Enterprise AI Survey found 75% of executives admit their AI strategy is more for show than actual guidance, and 48% called AI adoption a massive disappointment.² A Leadership Problem, Not a Technology Problem Drawing on his experience leading enterprise-wide AI adoption across 5 business divisions at a leading EMEA business services firm, Aluko said the most critical work happened be...

  By Pat Josh Dexta Africa has announced that it is on course to deliver its maiden residential development, D’Lennox, in 2026, marking a significant milestone in the company’s commitment to raising the standard of luxury housing in Nigeria. The announcement comes nearly two years after the company entered the real estate market with a promise to provide Nigerians with thoughtfully designed homes built with exceptional quality, functionality, and attention to detail. With Nigeria, particularly Lagos, continuing to experience a significant housing deficit and growing concerns over construction quality, Dexta Africa stated that its vision extends beyond simply building houses to creating homes that offer comfort, functionality, and long-term value. Located in the prestigious Lekki Peninsula II, D’Lennox is an exclusive development comprising seven ultra-luxury four-bedroom terrace duplexes with boys’ quarters (BQ). The project is strategically positioned less than two minutes from Ur...

              For many entrepreneurs, success is measured by profit margins and business growth. But for Mballoh Fofana, founder of Le Mandingue African Restaurant in Philadelphia, the true measure of success lies in overcoming adversity, preserving culture and creating opportunities for others. Fofana's story is one of resilience after tragedy. In 1998, she lost one of her legs in an accident an experience that could have ended her entrepreneurial aspirations. Instead, she turned the setback into motivation, rebuilding her life through determination, faith and hard work. More than 22 years later, she has established Le Mandingue African Restaurant as one of the Philadelphia region's longest-serving African restaurants, earning a reputation for authentic West African cuisine and warm hospitality. Beyond the restaurant business, Fofana has also expanded into real estate, building a portfolio of commercial and residential properties across the Philadelph...

They Didn't Meet at a Startup Accelerator. They Met Because They All Hit the Same Wall. Inside the technical build, the founding story, and the deliberately phased rollout strategy behind ChatPay, Nigeria's newest bet on conversational banking.  No accelerator. No shared employer. No prior investor introduction. The three founders behind ChatPay found each other the way most durable startups actually start, by independently running into the same problem and searching for people who could help solve it. What's notable about ChatPay isn't just the pitch, banking inside WhatsApp, the app more than 50 million Nigerians already use monthly, it's the discipline behind the build: a phased rollout gated by licensed banking-partner certification, rather than a rush to claim full functionality before it's ready. ChatPay, operated by CP Technology Limited and headquartered on Ikorodu Road in Maryland, Lagos, is built to close that gap: send money, buy airtime, pay bills an...

          _400+ Unit Estate Also Known As Morire City, Financed by Federal Mortgage Bank, With Ongoing Projects in Prime One Sangotedo and Yabatech GRA_ Ishi Homes Limited, a real estate development company headquartered in Victoria Island, Lagos, is driving large-scale housing delivery across Nigeria through strategic investments in Lagos and Kwara States. The company, founded by Otunba Dr. Olayinka Ilufoye, is currently executing multiple projects including a fully integrated estate of over 400 housing units in Offa, Kwara State named AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq Estate, also known as Morire City. The estate is named in honour of the Executive Governor of Kwara State, His Excellency Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and is financed by the Federal Mortgage Bank. The company also has ongoing multi-billion naira developments at Prime One Sangotedo, Lekki, Lagos and Yabatech GRA, Lagos. Speaking on the company’s vision, Otunba Ilufoye said Ishi Homes is committed to buildi...

   By Ganiyu Asa Lagos reporter Platform combines client-facing digital dashboard with managed execution services  addressing the trust gap that costs Nigerian property owners billions annually through payment disputes, site readiness failures, and intermediary-driven quality degradation. Murals  Nigeria Limited (RC 8034511) today announced the public launch of Spaces by  Murals.ng , a client-facing digital platform combined with managed execution services for complex commercial interior projects. Spaces helps hotels, developers, property owners, and other commercial clients move from an approved design or project brief to a documented, finished interior through one coordinated execution process. “Clients should not have to choose between creative ambition and delivery visibility. Spaces gives the client a clearer view of what is being produced, who is responsible for each stage, what needs to happen before installation, and when a project is ready for approval....

     By Yetunde Tayomide FCCPC-licensed fintech expands physical presence to the Fedral Capital Territory, backed by its mobile app platform MCO Penny, driven by a mission to solve financial instability in public sector lending, is now in Abuja extending its promise of financial inclusion to the underserved civil servant sector they are passionate about serving. For many years, civil servants have been perceived as a segment that is either underpaid or unable to fully benefit from traditional banking services. MCO Penny saw this gap as an opportunity to create meaningful impact, building financial solutions that promote stability, convenience, and peace of mind for public sector employees. The company’s goal has remained simple: to bridge the financial inclusion gap and empower civil servants with access to responsible, reliable, and accessible financial services. Founded by business leader and public sector expert Michael Collins with a mission to make financial services...

  By Remi Udoka The African Catalyst Announces EESII 3.0 "Powering Africa Beyond Solar: Unlocking Biogas, Wind, and Small-Scale Hydro" — Virtual Event, Thursday, 23 July 2026  The African Catalyst (TAC) has announced the third edition of its Enabling Early-Stage Infrastructure Investing (EESII 3.0), a high-level virtual convening bringing together investors, policymakers, development finance institutions, infrastructure developers, project sponsors and technical experts from across Africa and beyond. While solar energy has transformed off-grid electrification across the continent, significant opportunities remain untapped in biogas, wind and small-scale hydropower — technologies capable of delivering more reliable, resilient and scalable energy for households, industries and underserved communities. These sectors, however, continue to face barriers in project preparation, financing, technical capacity and enabling policy, preventing many promising projects from reaching finan...

By Femi Lazarus Cynosure Realty has hosted the maiden edition of its Stakeholders’ Roundtable in Abuja, bringing together professionals, industry leaders and business partners to strengthen collaboration and drive sustainable growth in Nigeria's real estate sector. The event, held on July 11 at Hall 1, Novare Central Mall, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, was themed "The Maiden: Partnerships that Build Legacy." It featured stakeholder engagements, project unveilings, panel discussions, networking sessions and entertainment. Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of Cynosure Realty Ltd and Convener of the Cynosure Stakeholders' Roundtable (CSR), Mr. Micheal Okuboye, described the gathering as a defining moment for the company. "This maiden stakeholders' roundtable marks the beginning of stronger, more intentional partnerships that will define our legacy. We brought together stakeholders from different industries to align on shared goals and explore opportunitie...

 By Yemi Duru Persistently high diesel prices are forcing fleet operators across Nigeria to pay closer attention to fuel management, with businesses increasingly adopting monitoring technologies to reduce losses and improve operational efficiency. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the average retail price of diesel climbed to ₦1,813.81 per litre in June 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of nearly 24 per cent. The upward trend has continued amid fluctuating energy costs, placing additional pressure on transport companies, logistics operators and businesses that rely heavily on diesel-powered vehicles. Industry observers say fuel has become one of the largest operating expenses for commercial fleets, making consumption monitoring and loss prevention more important than ever. The sustained increase in diesel prices has also renewed attention on challenges such as fuel theft, unauthorised vehicle usage and inefficient driving practices, all of whi...

      Critics of Ghana's healthcare administration have renewed calls for greater transparency, accountability, and accelerated reforms within the country's health sector, while raising concerns about the leadership of the Minister of Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh. The calls come amid ongoing public discussions about challenges facing the healthcare system, including access to quality medical services, inadequate infrastructure, shortages of healthcare personnel, and the availability of essential medicines and equipment. While acknowledging efforts by the Ministry of Health to address these issues, some healthcare stakeholders and civil society advocates argue that reforms have not progressed quickly enough. They have urged the ministry to improve communication with the public and provide clearer updates on policies, priorities, and measurable outcomes. A healthcare stakeholder, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, "Ghanaians deserve a healthcare system that i...

   By Kulu Diamond Mytherapist.ng, a leading Nigerian health-tech platform focused on accessible mental healthcare, has entered into a service partnership with  Ally Healthcare HMO  to provide mental health support services to Ally Healthcare users. Through this partnership,  Mytherapist.ng  will deliver professional mental health services to Ally Healthcare’s customers, giving them access to licensed therapists and mental health professionals through Mytherapist.ng’s secure platform or any other agreed service channel based on the selected plan. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment by both organisations to make mental health support more accessible, structured, confidential, and responsive for individuals, families, and organisations. As part of the agreement, Mytherapist.ng will provide access to therapy services, onboarding support, platform orientation, periodic usage and engagement reports, crisis support for critical cases, and strict confid...

   By Helen Pat From job-hunting frustration to 30,000 users: How  Loudinsight  is connecting African talent to  global opportunity   "The African job market isn't broken because of a shortage of talent," says the team behind Loudinsight. "It's broken because of a signal problem. And fixing that signal problem, at a global scale, is what Loudinsight was built to do." Loudinsight  is a hiring intelligence platform built to solve one of the most persistent mismatches in the modern workforce — African professionals ready to compete globally, and  employers  around the world who haven't found a reliable way to reach them. Anyone who has searched for a job in Nigeria knows the feeling. An application goes in, and then — nothing. No response, no feedback, no signal of any kind. Employers face the same problem from the other side: a role goes up, hundreds of applications come in, and by the time a shortlist is ready, the best candidates have already...