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African startups are entering a new chapter.
After years defined by record-breaking venture capital rounds and rapid expansion, the continent’s innovation ecosystem is increasingly focused on solving real-world problems while building sustainable businesses.
Bloomberg’s latest edition of African Startups to Watch highlights 25 companies that are doing exactly that.
The startups span fintech, healthcare, logistics, climate technology, artificial intelligence, agriculture, and security.
Together, they reflect the priorities shaping Africa’s future: improving access to finance, expanding healthcare, strengthening food systems, digitizing commerce, and building infrastructure where gaps remain.
The list comes at a time when Africa’s startup funding landscape is evolving.
While venture capital investment has become more selective, startups are increasingly attracting debt financing and support from African investors.
Bloomberg notes that nearly half of the funding raised by companies on this year’s list came from African backers, highlighting the growing role of local capital in driving innovation across the continent.
Below are the 25 African startups Bloomberg believes are worth watching in 2026:
Industry: Fintech
West Africa is one of the world’s largest mobile money markets, but payments remain fragmented across banks, wallets, cards, and operators.
HUB2 is addressing this challenge through a unified platform that connects multiple payment channels into a single infrastructure.
The company has developed expertise in navigating the regulatory complexities of the CFA franc zone, making digital transactions more reliable for businesses operating across the region.
Industry: Fintech
Named after the local word for “purse,” Nkwa is helping individuals and businesses develop better savings habits.
The platform is designed specifically for informal economies, which account for a significant share of economic activity across Central Africa.
The startup has received backing from Cameroon’s Ministry of Finance and local angel investors.
Industry: Fintech
Traditional credit scoring excludes millions of Africans. Omnisient uses alternative consumer data from retailers, telecom providers, and other businesses to help lenders make better credit decisions.
Its AI-powered platform aims to unlock access to financial services for previously underserved populations.
Industry: Fintech
AzamPay is building payment infrastructure that helps businesses accept digital payments more efficiently.
While headquartered in Mauritius, the company’s operations are focused on Tanzania and the wider East African market, where cash transactions still dominate many sectors.
Industry: Fintech
Black Swan uses artificial intelligence and alternative data sources, including electricity payments and digital transactions, to assess creditworthiness.
The platform is helping small businesses access financing despite lacking traditional credit histories.
Industry: Fintech/Insurtech
Oye Kenya is an insurtech and fintech startup that helps motorcycle taxi (boda boda) riders access insurance, credit, and financial services through their everyday fuel purchases.
Its platform links services such as accident insurance and financing to fuel transactions, making it easier for informal sector workers to obtain financial protection without large upfront payments.
The company aims to improve insurance penetration among boda boda riders while helping protect their incomes and livelihoods.
Industry: Fintech
PawaPay helps global and local businesses navigate Africa’s fragmented payment ecosystem.
Operating across 20 markets and processing millions of daily transactions, the company has focused on profitability rather than aggressive fundraising.
Industry: Fintech
Sycamore offers digital lending and investment products to individuals and businesses.
Beyond Nigeria, the company is expanding internationally to serve African diaspora communities seeking financial connections to the continent.
Industry: Healthcare Finance
10mg Health focuses on one of Africa’s biggest healthcare challenges: financing.
Through its 10mgCredit product, the company provides working capital to healthcare providers, helping hospitals and pharmacies continue serving patients in cash-constrained environments.
Industry: Healthtech
Counterfeit medicines remain a major public health concern across Africa.
Remedial Health helps pharmacies and healthcare providers manage inventory, verify suppliers, and access financing.
The company says it has already supported more than 14,000 providers across Nigeria.
Industry: Healthtech
Telemedan uses solar-powered telemedicine stations to connect patients with doctors remotely.
In a country with extremely limited physician availability, the startup is using technology to bridge healthcare access gaps.
Industry: Healthtech
Waspito allows patients to connect directly with available doctors online without booking appointments.
Founder Jean Lobe launched the platform after a personal family medical emergency highlighted the difficulty of accessing healthcare quickly.
Industry: Healthtech
SafeSip develops solar-powered water purification systems monitored through AI technology.
The company aims to improve access to safe drinking water while reducing dependence on single-use plastics.
Industry: Healthtech
Deaftronics manufactures solar-powered hearing aids designed for African markets where access to electricity can be unreliable.
The company is helping address a growing hearing impairment challenge across the continent.
Industry: Logistics Technology
Leta helps businesses optimize deliveries through route planning, fleet management, and real-time tracking.
The startup has attracted support from Google’s Africa Investment Fund.
Industry: Transport Technology
BuuPass digitizes travel bookings across buses, trains, and flights.
The platform is helping modernize an industry historically dominated by manual ticketing systems.
Industry: HR Technology
WorkPay has evolved from a payroll platform into a broader HR, compliance, and financial services solution operating across more than 30 African countries.
Industry: HR Technology
Jem enables employees to access payslips, workplace documents, and financial services directly through WhatsApp.
The company serves more than 200,000 workers across hundreds of businesses.
Industry: Agritech
Complete Farmer uses supply-chain technology to connect African farmers with global buyers.
By emphasizing traceability and quality assurance, the company is helping farmers access export markets.
Industry: Waste Management
Amesect converts organic waste into fertilizer and animal feed, helping tackle waste management while supporting agricultural productivity.
Industry: Climate Resilience
Bôndy focuses on forest restoration and regenerative agriculture in Madagascar, helping address food insecurity and environmental degradation.
Industry: Climate Resilience
Ecosom converts agricultural waste and invasive plant species into biochar and cleaner fuel products, improving soil health while reducing environmental damage.
Industry: SecureTech
Terra Industries develops drone and defense technologies designed to address growing security challenges across West Africa.
The company recently raised significant funding and is expanding its manufacturing capacity.
Industry: Artificial Intelligence
WideBot specializes in Arabic-language AI solutions and conversational agents.
The company is building tools designed specifically for Arabic-speaking markets, including multiple dialects.
Industry: Health & Security Technology
AURA connects users to emergency response and private security services through a single platform.
The company has raised substantial venture funding and is addressing growing demand for reliable emergency services.
Source: Bloomberg’s African Startups to Watch 2026. This article is based on Bloomberg’s reporting and has been adapted and expanded with additional context for Empower Africa readers.
The Ghana Investment Support Programme (GhISP) has brought Norway’s development finance institution, Norfund, on board as a funding partner in a move expected to deepen support for small and medium-sized businesses in Ghana.
Egyptian semiconductor startup InfiniLink has raised $10 million in seed funding to accelerate the development of its energy-efficient optical connectivity solutions, designed for artificial intelligence (AI)- powered data centres.
MoneyHash, an Egyptian fintech company, has secured new funding from Tom Preston-Werner, co-founder of GitHub and former CEO, in an undisclosed seed funding round.
