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Africa’s unemployment fee appears to be like slightly low via world requirements. In 2025, the continent’s fee stood at 6.3%. However that determine tells best a part of the tale. Greater than a 3rd of hired Africans reside in running poverty; they’re hired however reside underneath the poverty line of $2.15 an afternoon. Maximum employees are informally hired, and less than one in 5 other people have social coverage protection. Read the article on TechCabal.
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Learn sensible insights about Francophone Africa’s tech ecosystem—weekly.
legislation
South Africa is rethinking its proposed cross-border crypto regulations
South Africa wanted to bring cross-border crypto transfers beneath the similar controls it makes use of to watch cash leaving the rustic. The draft regulations would have required other people shifting crypto offshore to make use of authorized crypto provider suppliers, keep inside of current foreign currencies (FX) allowances, and feature the ones transactions reported to the South African Reserve Financial institution (SARB). Corporations would no longer to begin with were allowed to transport crypto offshore.
However the executive is rethinking it. On Wednesday, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana mentioned the Nationwide Treasury had received “thousands of comments” at the proposals and would take a distinct method. As a substitute of depending on pre-approvals, the federal government now desires to concentrate on whether or not transactions are authentic and conform to tax regulations. A revised draft might be printed for any other spherical of public enter.
Between the traces: The reconsider follows months of organised pushback from South Africa’s crypto business. In September, VALR, Luno, AltCoinTrader, and EasyEquities formed a coalition called ‘Catastrophe’ to oppose regulations they mentioned handled crypto bills extra harshly than an identical financial institution transfers. Their largest objection was once that it could close out exchanges from the usage of crypto, together with stablecoins, for cross-border bills that might another way be prison in the course of the banking machine. GoTyme Financial institution, a part of Tyme Workforce, which was once valued at $1.5 billion in 2024, joined the coalition later that month. The business argued that legislation must govern the transaction and its dangers, somewhat than discriminate in step with the era used to transport the cash.
Provide an explanation for like I’m new right here: South Africa already limits how much cash folks and corporations can transfer in a foreign country. For people, the limit is R2 million ($122,280) per calendar year beneath the one discretionary allowance, with any other R10 million ($611,360) to be had beneath the overseas capital allowance in the event that they download tax approval. Higher transfers require further approvals.
The federal government sought after to convey crypto transfers beneath its FX keep watch over machine, in part as a result of stablecoins and different virtual property can transfer throughout borders with out passing in the course of the conventional banking machine. The draft regulations would have introduced crypto suppliers into that keep watch over machine and barred companies from the usage of them for positive cross-border bills.
What is going to occur subsequent? Godongwana mentioned the federal government desires to transport clear of pre-approvals and as an alternative assess transactions for legitimacy and tax compliance, whilst taking steerage from the Monetary Balance Board. Treasury and SARB have no longer but printed the revised method, so the main points are nonetheless to return. Consultations on a revised draft are anticipated, giving crypto corporations any other probability to weigh in earlier than the principles go back.
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corporations
Kenyan buyers purchase KCB as foreigners money out
Overseas buyers are slicing their stakes in KCB Workforce, one in all East Africa’s biggest banking teams. Kenyan buyers are purchasing virtually precisely what they’re leaving at the back of.
What came about? Overseas shareholders bought 23.6 million KCB Workforce stocks within the 3 months to September, cutting their stake in Kenya’s biggest financial institution via property from about 8.8% to eight.02%. At Wednesday’s opening worth, the stocks had been value about KES 2.1 billion ($16.2 million). Native buyers added just about the similar quantity.
Many of the purchasing got here from Kenyan establishments, whose possession rose to 47.33%. Particular person buyers additionally greater their holdings moderately to 24.87%. The Kenyan executive one after the other owns 19.76% of KCB.
Provide an explanation for like I’m new right here: This doesn’t essentially imply overseas buyers have all of sudden misplaced religion in KCB. Its percentage worth has risen greater than 30% during the last six months and traded as excessive as KES 99.25 ($0.76), permitting early buyers to money in. KCB has produced strong numbers: benefit earlier than tax rose 20.8% within the first part of 2026, whilst its meantime dividend jumped 50% to KES 3 ($0.023) according to percentage.
Between the traces: The extra fascinating section is who may just soak up the marketing. Kenyan pension price range, establishments, and retail buyers purchased KES 2.1 billion ($16.2 million) value of stocks, so foreigners now not needed to be the marginal purchaser. After years of being worried about overseas capital leaving, home cash is turning into in a position to proudly owning extra of its largest corporations.
KCB makes the longer development in particular transparent. Overseas buyers owned 29.25% of the financial institution on the finish of 2017. Their stake was 8.88% on the finish of March.
Zoom out: Foreigners have additionally been taking income throughout different huge Nairobi-listed corporations this 12 months. The query for the Nairobi Securities Alternate (NSE) is now not whether or not overseas cash returns. It’s how a lot of the marketplace native capital can raise if overseas participation declines.
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ride-hailing
Bolt takes its EV push to Johannesburg
Electrical automobiles (EVs) are having a hectic week in Africa. The day prior to this, Spiro, Africa’s most-funded e-mobility corporate, launched its first 100 bikes in Accra, Ghana. Now, Bolt is giving South Africa’s EV marketplace any other push from the economic shipping sector.
What came about? Bolt, the ride-hailing massive working in over 50 international locations, has introduced its Electrical Automobile class in Johannesburg. The class is for electrical automobiles to be had for rides in the course of the Bolt app. For the Johannesburg rollout, Bolt is operating with the South African Meter Taxi and E-Hailing Affiliation (SAMTEA), an associate of the South African Nationwide Taxi Council (SANTACO), and Chinese language EV maker BYD. SAMTEA will personal and arrange the EV fleet working on Bolt’s platform. Bolt objectives 500 EVs throughout South Africa via December 2026.
Provide an explanation for like I’m new right here: Bolt first launched the EV category in Cape The city, South Africa, in Might, partnering with fleet supervisor YugoRide to deploy electrical automobiles. South Africa isn’t Bolt’s first electrical experiment both. In Kenya, Bolt said in February that 5,808 EVs had been working on its platform—about 23% of the rustic’s estimated EV fleet—on the time. In Nigeria, it has additionally experimented with electric mobility, together with a three-wheeler pilot in Lagos in 2025.
What does this imply for ride-hailing? The rapid query for riders is whether or not opting for an electrical automobile will price extra. Bolt has no longer mentioned that its EV class will raise a top rate over its different experience classes, so there’s no foundation but to mention that an electrical Bolt might be less expensive or dearer for passengers. For drivers, an EV may just price much less to run as it does no longer want petrol and usually has fewer parts that require common repairs.
Bolt is getting into a rising South African EV marketplace; the rustic recorded 16,716 new-energy vehicle sales in 2025. With SAMTEA managing the fleet and BYD supplying EV experience, Bolt believes electrical automobiles can transfer past a distinct segment choice and grow to be a realistic a part of South Africa’s on a regular basis ride-hailing marketplace.
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streaming
Disney is the usage of Netflix to promote Disney+ originals
Disney, the media massive, spent years pulling its motion pictures and displays off rival platforms to make Disney+, its owned streaming platform, extra precious. Now, it’s reversing that unique technique and striking a few of the ones titles again on Netflix.
What came about? Disney has began licencing selected titles to Netflix in South Africa and different markets. All 5 Ice Age motion pictures and the primary two seasons of Percy Jackson and the Olympians went live to tell the tale Netflix on October 4, each and every with a three-month promotional window. The timing is planned:Percy Jackson season 3 premieres on Disney+ on November 20, whilst a brand new Ice Age movie lands in cinemas in February 2027. The corporate mentioned extra titles are coming, together with Will Trent, Tracker, Soul, Elio, and Raya and the Ultimate Dragon.
Provide an explanation for like I’m new right here: When Disney introduced Disney+ in 2019, it pulled a lot of its content material clear of Netflix and different platforms as a result of exclusivity was once a part of the gross sales pitch. If audience sought after Disney displays, they needed to subscribe to Disney. However older motion pictures and previous seasons ultimately grow to be much less helpful at attracting new subscribers.
Licencing them adjustments the mathematics. Disney can become profitable from Netflix for content material it has already paid to provide, whilst the usage of Netflix’s a lot greater target audience to introduce other people to franchises whose latest instalments nonetheless take a seat on Disney+ or in cinemas. Disney+ these days has about 131.6 million global subscribers, in step with Statista, in comparison to Netflix’s 325 million. In South Africa, the distance is wider; Netflix has 1.3 million subscribers, whilst Disney+ records simply over 118,000.
Between the traces: Disney isn’t giving Netflix the crown jewels. The more recent releases keep by itself platforms. Netflix will get sufficient of the again catalogue to create passion, whilst Disney helps to keep the section perhaps to transform that passion into subscriptions or cinema tickets.
South Africa makes the method particularly fascinating. In Might, Disney+ raised its Top rate worth from R159 ($1.22) to R179 ($1.38) per 30 days, whilst Showmax close down in April. Disney has fewer native streaming competitors, however it nonetheless has to persuade those that any other per 30 days subscription is value paying for.
Zoom out: The streaming wars are turning into much less about locking each and every name at the back of one wall. A library best creates worth if other people watch it. Disney has realised that, now and again, the most productive position to promote it Disney+ is Netflix.
CRYPTO TRACKER
The Global Huge Web3
Supply:
|
Coin Title |
Present Price |
Day |
Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin |
$82,747 |
– 0.06% |
– 3.19% |
| Ether |
$2,441 |
– 0.21% |
– 10.57% |
| XRP |
$1.34 |
+ 1.04% |
– 10.86% |
| Solana |
$105.39 |
– 0.57% |
– 9.47% |
* Knowledge as of 06.08 AM WAT, October 22, 2026.
Alternatives
- Programs open for Her Startup’s 2nd cohort: Her Startup is accepting packages from women-led tech startups throughout Africa for its 2026/2027 accelerator programme. Ten decided on founders will obtain 12 weeks of coaching, per 30 days stipends, mentorship, and a possibility to get admission to investment. Candidates should be women folk elderly 18–35 operating tech-enabled companies that experience operated for no less than six months and generate a minimum of $500 in per 30 days income. Programs shut October 26. Apply here.
Written via: Emmanuel Nwosu and Yemi Kareem
Edited via: Emmanuel Nwosu & Ganiu Oloruntade
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Salisu Yusuf is a writer and blogger dedicated to sharing engaging perspectives, timely updates, and thoughtful commentary. With a keen eye for compelling storytelling, Salisu breaks down key topics and trending discussions into clear, accessible reads for everyday audiences. When not drafting new posts or researching upcoming stories, Salisu focuses on building meaningful connections with readers and exploring fresh ideas across digital media.