Kenya Labor 31 May 2023 Boda boda riders in Kenya accuse BNPL companies of exploitative loans and bike theft Buy now, pay later startups are under fire for saddling drivers with expensive debts. By Martin K.N Siele
Nigeria 3 Minutes With 30 May 2023 Moniepoint CEO Tosin Eniolorunda on Africa’s fintech future Most African markets are low-trust and require a human interface to adopt digital solutions, says the Nigerian fintech founder. By David I. Adeleke
Nigeria Labor 30 May 2023 Uber’s vehicle-financing partner is impounding drivers’ cars in Nigeria Drivers are complaining of “unfair working arrangements” by Uber and Moove, and some are getting kicked off the platform. By Damilare Dosunmu
Kenya Access & Connectivity 24 May 2023 Kenya’s plan for tracking down counterfeit phones has digital rights activists concerned The country's Supreme Court granted the communications regulator permission to access all mobile device IDs, and shut down services on counterfeit phones. By Damilare Dosunmu
Nigeria Meet the Influencer 23 May 2023 Meet the Nigerian YouTuber bringing a positive lens to African stories With 600,000 subscribers, Tayo Aina is one of Africa’s most prominent creators. By Ugonna-Ora Owoh
Nigeria 3 Minutes With 23 May 2023 AI models can be a force to reduce bias, not reinforce it, Sam Altman says Rest of World spoke to the founder and CEO of OpenAI during his trip to Nigeria. By David I. Adeleke
Kenya Labor 22 May 2023 “It’s been tough for us”: Meta’s Kenyan content moderators say they’ll keep fighting Job cuts at Facebook’s former moderation partner have left over 200 workers struggling with bills and emotional trauma. By Martin K.N Siele
Nigeria Money 17 May 2023 Nigeria’s digital currency can’t compete with crypto The government-backed eNaira, meant as a hedge against inflation, hasn’t converted crypto users and has been hindered by limited internet access. By Temitayo Lawal
Nigeria E-commerce 15 May 2023 Last-mile delivery startups are saving the day for Nigeria’s small businesses Inconsistency and theft by independent couriers plagued small shops, but now more organized apps benefit riders and sellers alike. By Jesusegun Alagbe
Nigeria Global Tech Downturn 8 May 2023 Once darlings of investors, Africa’s B2B e-commerce startups are struggling to survive Amid the global funding crunch, B2B startups are scaling back operations and laying off employees. By Damilare Dosunmu
Ghana 3 Minutes With 2 May 2023 Africa’s role in the global AI race is more prominent than you know Africa’s tech boom is often linked to fintech, but the largest tech acquisition in the continent is AI-focused, says Fatima Tambajang of Nvidia. By David I. Adeleke
Nigeria Money 28 April 2023 Nigerians blackmailed by loan apps are plotting revenge in Facebook groups Rest of World tracked 11 Facebook groups with members who wanted to get back at loan companies for “debt shaming.” By Motunrayo Ojeniyi
Nigeria Crypto’s Big Collapse 25 April 2023 Africa fell in love with crypto. Now, it’s complicated Trust is fading, startups are shutting down, and Web3 workers are reconsidering their career choices. By Damilare Dosunmu
Kenya Labor 21 April 2023 AI is taking the jobs of Kenyans who write essays for U.S. college students Ghostwriters say the meteoric rise of ChatGPT has coincided with a drop in income. By Martin K.N Siele
Nigeria Money 14 April 2023 In Nigeria, the government and local VCs are helping startups weather the tech downturn Sensing an existential threat to the country’s tech scene, the government and local VC firms are filling the growing funding gap. By Temitayo Lawal
South Africa 3 Minutes With 11 April 2023 African startups need more than just funds from their investors Anne-Marie Chidzero, chief investment officer at FSD Africa Investments, talks about the risks and opportunities in backing Africa’s early-stage startups. By David I. Adeleke
Nigeria Creators & Communities 5 April 2023 TikTok creators are being arrested for violating religious laws in Nigeria Digital rights advocates say social media companies like TikTok have a responsibility to protect their users in these situations. By Olatunji Olaigbe
Kenya Money 30 March 2023 M-Pesa has been huge for Kenya’s economy — and for scammers Nearly half of the country that uses the ubiquitous mobile money service has fallen victim to fraud. By Martin K.N Siele
Nigeria 3 Minutes With 28 March 2023 Jumia is betting its future on managing cash flow better After a decade of losses, Jumia’s new CEO has a “radical” plan for Africa’s struggling e-commerce leader. By David I. Adeleke
Nigeria Meet the Influencer 24 March 2023 Why Crocs and MAC want to work with this Nigerian influencer Meet Enioluwa Adeoluwa, one of Nigeria’s leading male influencers. By David I. Adeleke
Nigeria E-commerce 23 March 2023 How Nigerians are using WhatsApp groups to fight food inflation As economic factors worsen food shortages, bulk-shopping groups are buying directly from producers. By Kingsley Charles
South Africa Fast Fashion Frenzy 22 March 2023 Shein — loved by shoppers, hated by rivals — is under investigation in South Africa Local labor groups allege the fast fashion giant is skirting import taxes, giving it an unfair advantage. By Kimberly Mutandiro
Ethiopia Report 17 March 2023 Faster, cheaper: How ending the government monopoly improved Ethiopia’s internet Africa’s second-most populous nation ended its telecomms monopoly in 2022. Businesses are already seeing the benefits. By Natalie Donback
Nigeria Global Tech’s Very Bad Year 15 March 2023 Nigeria’s tech workers got used to good salaries and high demand. Then came the crash Laid-off employees are scrambling to adjust their lifestyles as funding crunches hit the already struggling economy. By Ope Adetayo
South Africa Report 8 March 2023 Power outages are killing South Africa’s gig economy Drivers say their monthly earnings have fallen by half since blackouts worsened. By Kimberly Mutandiro
Nigeria EV Revolution 20 February 2023 China beats Tesla to Nigeria’s lithium riches China already controls 60% of the world’s lithium processing. Now it’s exploring new frontiers to expand its dominance. By Temitayo Lawal
Nigeria EV Revolution 15 February 2023 Why African EV startups are struggling “There is a future for EVs in Africa. However, the market conditions and business models must be appropriate.” By Victor Ekwealor
South Africa Creators & Communities 13 February 2023 Video call with a traditional healer? Once unthinkable, it’s now common in South Africa Remote consults allowed South Africa’s healers to weather the pandemic. Now many embrace the accessible option, though some think technology has no place in their practice. By Shukri Hassan
Nigeria Report 9 February 2023 Jumia wants to be the “Amazon of Africa.” But it can’t find the customers Its stock has fallen 70% since its IPO as growth stalls and operating losses mount. By David I. Adeleke
South Africa Report 7 February 2023 South Africa’s poorest are staying up all night for cheaper internet rates The side effects of sleep deprivation are wreaking havoc on daytime life. By Ray Mwareya and Audrey Simango
Malawi Report 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 Money 26 January 2023 Nigerian startups are getting locked out of international tech platforms Foreign currency shortages are cutting Nigerians off from Apple Music, AliExpress, AWS, Grammarly and more. 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 Politics 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