Daily-Brydging bridges a commercial deficit through its trade operations

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Africa's tech ecosystem has experienced a significant boom in the first half of 2025, with a 78% increase in funding compared to the same period last year. According to recent reports, the continent raised a total of $1.42 billion, placing it on track to surpass last year's $2.2 billion total funding.

Leading the charge is Senegal, which has secured $148 million in deals across Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, and Kenya have also received substantial funding in the Tier-1 markets, amounting to approximately $1.08 billion.

In Nigeria, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has urged citizens to secure their identities using its newly launched verification service, NINAuth, following the discovery of a large-scale operation involving 12,000 Nigerian youths collecting and trading National Identification Numbers (NIN) details. The commission has warned against selling NINs and user data to fraudsters, with some Nigerians reportedly selling their private data for as little as $0.98.

Fintech remains the sector with the most funding, securing 70 deals worth $638.8 million in the first half of 2025. Fintechs acquiring NINs outside official channels could be using them to speed up customer acquisition or meet Know-Your-Customer (KYC) requirements.

Kenya's push toward universal electricity access by 2030 is being supported by significant capital from local commercial banks. One of the largest solar companies in Africa, Sun King, has raised $156 million to scale its solar reach across Kenya.

West Africa and South Africa have had the highest number of Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) deals, with both regions recording 24 deals each since 2023.

Meanwhile, in the world of technology, Microsoft's native browser, Microsoft Edge, is transforming into an AI browser with the new Copilot Mode. This experimental, opt-in feature aims to enhance and streamline the web browsing experience by integrating AI deeply into the browser interface. Key functionalities include contextual assistance across tabs, task offloading, a smart new tab page, voice navigation, collaborative browsing, and future capabilities like booking reservations and remembering tasks. Copilot Mode is free for a limited time during this experimental phase and is available to Windows and Mac users.

Lastly, an 8-week virtual sprint for early-stage founders building AI-powered startups by INSEAD and Harvard’s Tech for All Lab offers over $100,000 in seed prizes, global mentorship, and demo day exposure. Applications close on July 30.

The African tech ecosystem is in a strong position to continue its growth and innovation, bringing some positive news to the industry's troubles. If local commercial banks continue to back off-grid solutions, Africa could unlock energy access faster without waiting on foreign aid.