Headlines by TechCabal

TechCabal

Welcome to Headlines by TechCabal! ⁠ Every week, we break down the stories shaping Africa’s tech ecosystem 🌍, what they mean, and why they matter.

Episodes

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    Episode 11: The $80B Metaverse reset, Moniepoint’s latest acquisition, & The PwC 21 month ban

    This week on Headlines, Muktar and Eme get into the $80 billion reality of Meta’s Horizon Worlds as Mark Zuckerberg pivots the world’s most powerful social ecosystem toward an AI infrastructure bet. But there’s more: An AI that works while you sleep, and the world bank’s crackdown on corruption. Listen in. Inside This Episode: The Pivot: Meta is trading Virtual Reality for a $135 billion AI bet. We unpack what this means for the apps that billions of Africans use daily.    The Acquisition: The Moniepoint/Orda merger is about building a full-stack operating system for a $12.37 billion food market.  We talk about why it really matters. The Accountability: When the "Big Four" fail, who audits the auditors? We look at the World Bank’s investigation into PwC’s "collusive practices" in East Africa.  Headlines featured Moniepoint acquires restaurant management platform Orda in full-stack merchant infrastructure be: https://techcabal.com/2026/03/23/moniepoint-acquires-orda-merchant-operating-systems World Bank bans PwC Africa subsidiaries over electricity project fraud:  https://techcabal.com/2026/03/18/world-bank-pwc-kenya-rwanda-units-21-months-fraud/  CANAL+ plans job cuts at Multichoice in $115 million turnaround plan: https://techcabal.com/2026/03/17/canal-job-cuts-multichoice-turnaround/  Editor’s note: Muktar said “four to five or six million” but meant $4–6 billion — Africa’s approximate annual tech funding figure. Tweet us: @techcabal for any questions you might have! Visit our website or follow us on social media @TechCabal for first dibs on the happenings shaping Africa's tech and business ecosystems.

    26 min

  2. 21 MAR

    Episode 10: BTC for a flight? The creator economy feud & Why you can only update your BVN number once

    Bitcoin to fly? South African Airways (SAA) is the first commercial airline to accept BTC. What does this mean for the transport and logistics industry? Last weekend, two creator platforms took the moment and went head-on. In this episode, we also unpack the Selar & Mainstack war. Meanwhile, the Cabal is cooking. Did you catch that teaser at the end of the episode? Stay close so you don’t miss Tweet us: @techcabal ___ This episode is powered by Monica, the all-in-one app to swap crypto for Naira, pay bills, and fund your wallet at the best rates. What’s Inside: The Selar vs Mainstack war: How Selar took the moment with branded content at Mainstack’s  event Bitcoin in the Sky: Why SAA is using crypto as a payment rail AMA Segment: The Central Bank of Nigeria’s cap on updating the phone number linked to your BVN once-in-a-lifetime. P.s, Editor’s note: Our hosts were just flying too fast. It’s South African Airways, not Airlines. ___ This episode is powered by Monica, the all-in-one app to swap crypto for Naira, pay bills, and fund your wallet at the best rates.

    26 min

  3. 14 MAR

    Episode 9: Why Showmax is folding, why you should stop saying ‘please’ to AI, & Ghana’s crypto law

    This week, Eme and Tayo peel back the curtain on the brutal economics of African streaming. For every $1 Showmax earned, it spent $2.50, leading to a $500 million in accumulated losses. We break down why subscription models are hitting a ceiling and why YouTube is becoming the ultimate stage for African filmmakers. We also discuss the story of Tamunotonye, a university candidate who had to face a computer-based exam without ever having touched a mouse. With entry-level laptops now starting at an average of ₦500,000, is the digital economy becoming increasingly unaffordable? What’s Inside: YouTube’s Global Play: Why African production studios are ditching paywalls for the attention economy. Ghana’s Crypto Safe Harbor: The Bank of Ghana admits 11 startups into its new regulatory "Sandbox". AI Etiquette: Why being polite to your AI might actually be ruining your prompts. Labour Shifts: Zap Africa’s 44% staff cut and the "Mind-Reading" AI reshaping call centres. Join the Conversation: Would you pay for a subscription for local content, or is YouTube all you need?

    21 min

  4. 7 MAR

    Episode 8: Zuckerberg's ‘eyes’ in your bedroom, Zap’s AI-driven layoffs , & M-Pesa's privacy move

    Are your smart glasses watching you in the bathroom? This week, we go inside a chilling reveal that contractors in Nairobi are reviewing intimate, private footage captured by Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses—often without the wearer’s knowledge. We also break down the salary power move at MTN Nigeria, where 659 employees now earn at least ₦2.4 million ($1,800) every month, and dismantle the AI-efficiency narrative behind the recent layoffs at Zap Africa What’s Inside: The Zap Africa pivot: Investigating the 44% staff cut and the controversial AI bot built by the founder’s own separate company. M-Pesa’s number masking: The Central Bank of Kenya finally approves a "simple fix" that could end thousands of SIM swap scams. The State of Love: Zikoko’s report reveals that 8 in 10 Nigerians say financial pressure is actively disrupting their romance Engage with Us: Let us know! Would you ever trust an AI to give you relationship advice or even write a "break-up" text for you?

    39 min

  5. 28 FEB

    Episode 7: MTN’s $2.2B move, the Gabon social media ban & how $4.3m was recovered from cybercrime rings

    What happens when law enforcement discovers a home that is a training ground for scammers? This week, we go inside INTERPOL’s massive 16-country 'Operation Red Card 2.0' and break down the cost attached to Gabon’s indefinite social media ban. What’s Inside: Salary vs. Shares: Why 'believing in the vision' is no longer enough to pay the bills. MTN’s move to own the game: Why the telco giant spent $2.2 billion to re-acquire its infrastructure, and absorb 29,000 towers  Operation Red Card 2.0: Inside the international INTERPOL raid that recovered $4.3 million and busted a residential ring for cybercrime in Nigeria. The $11M Blackout: The indefinite social media suspension in Gabon and the high economic cost of bandwidth throttling.

    30 min
  6. Episode 6: AI for the dead, the 580k TikTok crackdown, & the African debt trap

    21 FEB

    Episode 6: AI for the dead, the 580k TikTok crackdown, & the African debt trap

    Is your digital life about to outlive you? This week, we dive into Meta’s patent for "AI for the dead" that replicates your online behaviour to keep you chatting long after you’re gone. We also unpack the massive 580,000-video crackdown by TikTok in Kenya following a ‘spy glasses’ scandal that has officials in East and West Africa on high alert. What’s inside? Is this a Black Mirror episode? Why Meta’s new patent feels like a sci-fi movie.   The startup draft: Eme and Muktar face off to build the winning weekly portfolio. KOKO’s shutdown continued: Why Article 6 of the Paris Agreement matters more for your kitchen than you think. What do you think about Meta’s AI patent? Tell us in the comments! Follow us across social media @TechCabal to get first dibs at the stories shaping the African tech and business ecosystem. Visit our website www.techcabal.com for daily updates.

    25 min
  7. Episode 5: Nigeria’s 2027 election e-transmission, Nigeria’s $5.58B Data Spend in 2025, & 140K South Africans free from the dark

    16 FEB

    Episode 5: Nigeria’s 2027 election e-transmission, Nigeria’s $5.58B Data Spend in 2025, & 140K South Africans free from the dark

    This week, we dive into the Nigerian Senate’s massive U-turn on electronic results and why a manual backup has some people on edge. We also break down the cost of being online in Nigeria and Kenya’s high-tech gamble on the future of travel. What’s Inside: The 2027 Election Gamble: The Senate finally approved e-transmission, but there’s a catch. We explore the manual backup plan, and what it means for the next general election. The $15 Million Daily Habit: Nigerians spent over ₦7.62 Trillion on data in 2025. We look at the stakeholders winning big and the new 24-hour refund law finally protecting your wallet. Kenya’s Silicon Safari: Cabinet secretary for Tourism and Wildlife of the Republic of Kenya, Rebecca Miano, has big plans to use AI and Blockchain for tourism in the country. We explain how and why travel tech in Kenya matters. Eskom’s Selective Recovery: 140,000 South Africans are finally free from load reduction Social Pulse: We react to the viral tweet about expensive Uber rides. We also explain why ride-sharing might be difficult. Engage with Us: Do you trust a manual backup for electronic results, or is it a recipe for a 2023 election repeat? Drop your thoughts in the Q&A section below.

    20 min
  8. Episode 4: Cash bans, Nigeria’s trillion-Naira habit, & The startup exodus in East Africa

    7 FEB

    Episode 4: Cash bans, Nigeria’s trillion-Naira habit, & The startup exodus in East Africa

    Ever thought a bouquet of cash could land you in legal trouble? This week, we explore the Central Bank of Kenya's new "Valentine’s warning" and why regulators across the continent are swooping in to protect physical currency. What’s Inside: The Love vs. Regulator War: Why the CBK is calling the shots on cash bouquets and the EFCC's stance on "spraying" the Naira. Moniepoint’s domination: A look at the 14 billion transactions driving Nigeria's economy—and the ₦1.7 trillion spent on bakeries. The Big Shutdown: Investigating KOKO Networks' sudden administration and Uber's latest exit from East Africa. AMA Segment: We answer your questions about the fall of the bike-hailing giant ORide, and the rise of OPay. Engage with Us: Question: Drop your thoughts on the KOKO shutdown in the comments section below. Follow us across social media @techcabal to get daily updates on the issues defining Africa's tech ecosystem. Visit www.techcabal.com for daily updates.

    25 min
  9. Episode 3: Why Nigerians are livid about PayPal’s reentry, and the reason Kenya’s M-PESA is too big to fail

    3 FEB

    Episode 3: Why Nigerians are livid about PayPal’s reentry, and the reason Kenya’s M-PESA is too big to fail

    Welcome to another episode of Headlines by TechCabal! In episode 3, we’re breaking down the $276 million tax the Nigerian government made in 2025, what the Kenyan government really believes about its financial backbone, and why some Nigerians think PayPal might be a PayFoe. Headlines featured PayPal returns to Nigeria after two decades. This time through Paga: https://url-shortener.me/A3L9  If M-Pesa fails, Kenya’s financial system could wobble, central bank says: https://url-shortener.me/A3LL  Nigeria made $276 million taxing digital payments. Crypto withdrawals are next: https://url-shortener.me/A3LQ  Don't forget to hit the follow button to know when a new episode drops. Follow us across social media @TechCabal and visit our website www.techcabal.com to get in-depth analyses of the topics shaping Africa's tech ecosystem. Editor’s note: In 2025, M-Pesa processed transactions with an economic value of KES 83.7 trillion which directly converts to $649.7 billion, not $64.97 billion USD as one of the hosts erroneously stated. (exchange rate: ~KES 129/$1)

    17 min
  10. Episode 2: The Kenyan government's $775,000 influencer budget, Paystack's 10-year rebrand & MAX's $24 million equity.

    24 JAN

    Episode 2: The Kenyan government's $775,000 influencer budget, Paystack's 10-year rebrand & MAX's $24 million equity.

    Welcome to episode 2! In this episode, we’re looking at the Kenyan government’s plans to put influencers on the payroll, and Paystack making a massive move, to restructure into a Holding company. Headlines featured  Why Kenya plans to spend $775K on 30 influencers ahead of 2027 polls : https://bit.ly/49Ev2aT MAX raises $24 million in debt and equity round as it hits profitability in Nigeria: https://bit.ly/4q18Psu Paystack restructures to holding company after hitting group profitability: https://bit.ly/3ZzUqbG Nigeria doubles capital thresholds for digital asset platforms to ₦2 billion: https://bit.ly/49Vlyab ANGEL NETWORKS Lagos Angel Network: https://www.lagosangelnetwork.net/ Dakar Network Angels: https://dakarnetworkangels.com/ Addis Ababa Angels Network: https://addisababaangels.com/ To download the State of Tech in Africa (SOTIA): https://insights.techcabal.com/sotia-year-in-review-2025/

    18 min
  11. Episode 1: What the Fintech consolidation trend means for the African tech ecosystem

    20 JAN

    Episode 1: What the Fintech consolidation trend means for the African tech ecosystem

    Welcome to the pilot episode of Headlines by TechCabal! In this episode, we break down the top stories coming from Africa’s tech ecosystem this week: - Flutterwave's acquisition of Mono - Paystack's acquisition of Ladder, strengthening its position in banking and payments infrastructure. - The Fintech consolidation trend. What these acquisitions mean for the growing wave of mergers and acquisitions across Africa. – A look at major funding in the African defense-tech space. - Elon Musk vs South Africa: the Starlink licensing dispute and its implications. - Practical fintech tips. How to pay for Apple services internationally using Naira cards or alternative options. Follow us on all social media platforms @TechCabal and visit our website www.techcabal.com to catch the trending news stories shaping Africa's tech ecosystem.

    22 min
  • 11 Episodes

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Welcome to Headlines by TechCabal! ⁠ Every week, we break down the stories shaping Africa’s tech ecosystem 🌍, what they mean, and why they matter.

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