Malawi Reports 31 January 2023 Scammers steal $117,000 using mobile money transfers every month in Malawi Malawians have more mobile wallets than bank accounts, but security lapses allow for identity theft and other fraud. By Kelvin Tembo
Nigeria News 26 January 2023 Foreign currency shortages are cutting Nigerians off from Apple Music, AliExpress, and more As Nigeria pushes its naira, startups and creators are getting locked out of international tech platforms. By Olatunji Olaigbe
BrazilChinaEl SalvadorIndiaIndonesiaNigeriaSouth AfricaUkraine Lists 28 December 2022 The stats, facts, and figures that defined tech in 2022 From Bukele’s bitcoins to the number of accounts banned by Twitter in India, the best stats of the year. By Meaghan Tobin
AfghanistanBrazilChinaHaitiIndiaIndonesiaMalaysiaMoroccoNigeriaPanamaRussiaSyriaUkraine Year In Review 26 December 2022 2022’s best stories on global tech (that we wish we’d written) Articles from around the world which we loved, obsessed over, and still can’t stop thinking about. By Rest of World Staff
IndonesiaKenyaSingaporeU.K. Ideas 21 December 2022 Millions of workers are managed by algorithms One day, that could be normal. Here’s what we need to do about it. By PeiChin Tay and Oliver Large
Nigeria News 21 December 2022 Nigerian influencers could soon need government approval for sponsored posts A new rule would give Nigeria’s ad agency control over content from skit makers, vloggers, comedians, and more. By Olatunji Olaigbe
Nigeria Tech Markets 14 December 2022 Inside Lagos’ bustling Computer Village A jumble of shopping plazas and bungalows selling phones, computer parts and tons of SIM cards. By Festus Iyorah and Victor Adewale
Kenya News 3 November 2022 Facebook and Instagram ran ads violating Kenyan election law, new report reveals The Mozilla Foundation found that Meta, Twitter, and TikTok failed to moderate harmful posts By Andrew Deck
Ethiopia Reports 2 November 2022 Ethiopia’s ride-hailing startups face their toughest opponents: each other The sector is plagued with infighting and lawsuits, including one company's attempt to trademark the word “ride.” By Kaleab Girma
Nigeria Reports 27 October 2022 Loan apps ruined their reputations. A shady online market offered to repair them In Nigeria, a gray market has emerged to defend against predatory loan apps that publicly shame people who can’t pay. By Olatunji Olaigbe
ArgentinaChinaIndiaIndonesiaJapanRussiaRwandaSouth AfricaSouth KoreaUnited Arab EmiratesUnited States Lists 17 October 2022 Now streaming: Rest of World’s favorite international films and TV shows From Bollywood blockbusters to reality TV, we round up the shows and films you need to watch next. By Andrew Deck
South Africa Reports 6 October 2022 Deadly robberies force Bolt drivers to create self-defense groups in South Africa Drivers say that the company's safety solutions, including an SOS button, just don't cut it. By Kimberly Mutandiro
Senegal Reports 7 September 2022 Francophone Africa’s first unicorn is disrupting the region’s mobile money market. But can it last? Wave’s rise has burst open the mobile money landscape in the West African country by fueling competition with existing players. By Nick Roll
Uganda Ideas 2 August 2022 How Uganda became Africa’s digital transport hub Ride-hailing startups like SafeBoda and Easy Matatu are changing the semi-informal transport ecosystems. But can the platform effect bring order and healthy profits to a chaotic commuter system? By Yinka Adegoke
KenyaNigeria Reports 25 July 2022 Rocked by workplace scandals, Flutterwave now faces multimillion dollar fraud allegations in Kenya Industry insiders question if leadership of Africa’s most valuable startup can survive more controversy despite a managerial overhaul. By Abubakar Idris
KenyaNigeriaUganda Ideas 19 July 2022 The global downturn is real, but the allure of Africa’s digital markets hasn’t changed “Investors will want to see numbers, it’s all about unit economics again – not just ‘vibes’.” By Yinka Adegoke
South Africa Reports 18 July 2022 “We’re just fucking illegal”: Uber Files reveal a pattern of shady behavior around the world Documents leaked by a former executive show the dubious methods the ride-hailing company employed to enter markets outside the West. By Andrew Deck
Nigeria News 7 July 2022 Afrobeats star Mr. Eazi blazes a new path: tech kingmaker After recording global hit songs with everyone from Nicki Minaj to Bad Bunny, Eazi has a plan to make hit investments in Africa’s startup hubs. By Abubakar Idris
Nigeria Reports 24 June 2022 Nigerians are learning to buy now and pay later BNPL startups in Nigeria are gambling millions of venture dollars on solving a problem of weak ID verification and scant consumer credit records. By Abubakar Idris
Nigeria News 15 June 2022 Amazon’s Africa expansion means a hiring drive in Nigeria The tech giant will run its first ad campaigns to win over Nigerian Prime Video subscribers while also recruiting for a Lagos-based AWS team. By Abubakar Idris
Kenya How To Buy 14 June 2022 How to buy microphones in Nairobi How a small airport in central Kenya became a hub for high-end electronics imports, thanks to the global Somali diaspora. By Christine Mungai
South Africa Reports 10 June 2022 Facing violence, migrants in South Africa find refuge in social media Let down by local police, African communities from Ethiopia, Somalia, and others turn to secret WhatsApp and Facebook groups to warn of xenophobic attacks. By Kimberly Mutandiro
Kenya News 7 June 2022 Hate speech and disinformation spike on TikTok in run-up to Kenya’s elections The Mozilla Foundation found threats of violence and divisive messaging raise “ghosts of the past” ahead of August polls. By Andrew Deck
Nigeria Ideas 3 June 2022 Investors poured into Africa’s startup funding frenzy. Now they’re taking their time Venture firms never challenged the fuzzy data behind top valuations, but with an imminent cool-off in funding, some are asking tough questions. By Yinka Adegoke
Nigeria Reports 1 June 2022 Bolt drivers in Nigeria are illicitly selling their accounts, putting passengers at risk Our investigation found Bolt drivers selling verified accounts to unknown third parties via Facebook groups — even as crimes against passengers spike. By Abubakar Idris
Nigeria News 27 May 2022 Lagos government warns against using “unlicensed” ride-hailing platforms inDriver and Rida Officials cited "security threats," but the move comes amid intensified scrutiny over tech companies operating without offices in Nigeria. By Abubakar Idris
ArgentinaNigeriaPakistan Reports 26 May 2022 From Argentina to Nigeria, people saw Terra as more stable than local currency. They lost everything “I have nothing left, not even a penny.” By Leo Schwartz and Abubakar Idris
Nigeria Reports 20 May 2022 The scandal at Nigerian unicorn Flutterwave is the tip of a toxic iceberg Tech workers say Nigeria’s startup sector is due a work culture reckoning. By Abubakar Idris and Yinka Adegoke
KenyaNigeria Features 10 May 2022 Sea change Google and Meta’s new subsea cables mark a tectonic shift in how the internet works, and who controls it. By Andrew Blum and Carey Baraka
Nigeria Reports 28 April 2022 Inside the scandal at Flutterwave, Nigeria’s fintech champion Former employees allege bullying, mismanagement and serious administrative errors at the startup, which is valued at more than $3 billion. By Abubakar Idris
Kenya News 27 April 2022 A viral database is helping desperate Kenyans find fuel Iko Where is the latest in a long line of crisis-driven innovations in Kenya. By Christine Mungai
Zimbabwe Reports 6 April 2022 Black market SIM cards turned a Zimbabwean border town into a remote work hub Zimbabwe’s mobile data is so expensive, people have to rely on a signal from the next country over, Mozambique. By Nyasha Bhobo
KenyaMoroccoNigeria Ideas 30 March 2022 Buy or get bought: African tech is on a mergers and acquisitions spree Flush with VC investment, companies are under great pressure to scale rapidly or cash out. By Yinka Adegoke
IndiaMexicoNigeria Reports 25 March 2022 This is why I trade: Inside the global investing app boom From getting rich quick to saving for the future, the reasons people trade stocks differ all over the world. By Abubakar Idris, Leo Schwartz and Nilesh Christopher
Uganda Reports 24 March 2022 Uganda’s SafeBoda wants to be a super app, but some riders are abandoning it A harsh two-year lockdown, economic stagnation, and prioritizing its fintech ambitions have upset both riders and passengers. By Musinguzi Blanshe and Tom Courtright
Kenya Ideas 21 March 2022 African governments can’t be both referees and players in consumer fintech Central banks are launching digital currencies across Africa. But government attempts to own the retail payments space are leading to failure. By Bright Simons