Africa’s startup scene is booming in 2025, with young founders leading disruptive innovations in fintech, healthtech, edtech, agritech, and logistics. These entrepreneurs are reshaping industries, solving local problems with scalable solutions, and attracting significant venture capital investments. This article highlights the most influential founders behind Africa’s fastest-rising startups this year, based on innovation, funding, market impact, and growth potential.
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1. Tayo Oviosu – Founder of Paga (Nigeria)
Tayo Oviosu continues to lead Nigeria’s fintech revolution with Paga, a mobile payments platform reaching over 20 million users in 2025. Under his leadership, Paga has expanded its merchant network and entered new African markets, empowering people with simple, cashless transactions. Oviosu’s strategic vision and partnerships with global fintech players have made Paga one of the continent’s most trusted digital finance platforms.
2. Iyinoluwa Aboyeji – Co-founder of Future Africa (Nigeria)
After co-founding Andela and Flutterwave, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji is now driving impact through Future Africa, a venture platform backing Africa’s most ambitious startup founders. In 2025, Future Africa has funded over 100 startups across sectors like health, education, and climate. Aboyeji remains a cornerstone in Africa’s startup ecosystem, shaping its future by nurturing the next generation of tech founders.
3. Kenfield Griffith – Founder of Ajua (Kenya)
Kenfield Griffith’s Ajua, formerly mSurvey, is transforming customer experience across Africa. In 2025, Ajua helps small and medium-sized businesses gather real-time customer insights through mobile technology. Griffith’s commitment to improving business feedback systems has expanded the startup’s influence beyond Kenya into Nigeria, South Africa, and Ghana, helping brands make better data-driven decisions.
4. Fatoumata Ba – Founder of Janngo (Senegal)
Fatoumata Ba, the tech entrepreneur behind Janngo, is pioneering inclusive digital ecosystems. In 2025, Janngo’s portfolio includes startups focused on female entrepreneurship, health access, and rural logistics. Ba’s goal of combining profit with social impact has made her a leading figure in sustainable business development across Francophone Africa.
5. Brahim Benjelloun-Touimi – Co-founder of Chari (Morocco)
Chari, a B2B e-commerce platform founded by Brahim Benjelloun-Touimi and Ismael Belkhayat, continues its impressive rise in 2025. The platform digitizes traditional retail by connecting small retailers with FMCG manufacturers. With strong backing from international investors, Chari is expanding into Tunisia and West Africa, helping shop owners access better pricing, inventory, and credit.
Also Read: Top 10 Most Digitally Connected Cities in Africa in 2025
6. Tebogo Mokwena – Founder of Akiba Digital (South Africa)
South Africa’s Akiba Digital, founded by Tebogo Mokwena, is bridging credit gaps through alternative data analytics. In 2025, Akiba has scaled its AI-powered credit scoring tools across banks and fintechs in multiple African countries. Mokwena’s startup is unlocking financial inclusion by helping lenders assess unbanked and underbanked populations more accurately.
7. Temie Giwa-Tubosun – Founder of LifeBank (Nigeria)
Temie Giwa-Tubosun’s LifeBank has grown from a blood delivery platform into a full healthtech logistics powerhouse. By 2025, LifeBank is active in 10 African countries, transporting medical oxygen, vaccines, and blood to remote areas. Temie’s innovation is saving lives every day and has earned her global recognition in digital health innovation.
8. Mohamed Dhaouafi – Founder of Cure Bionics (Tunisia)
Mohamed Dhaouafi’s Cure Bionics is making waves in 2025 with its affordable, 3D-printed bionic arms. Designed for amputees across Africa, these prosthetics use solar-powered features and gamified therapy. Cure Bionics has attracted attention from global health and innovation groups, and Dhaouafi is now expanding operations into West Africa and the Middle East.
9. Betelhem Dessie – Co-founder of iCog Anyone Can Code (Ethiopia)
Betelhem Dessie is Ethiopia’s youngest tech pioneer and co-founder of iCog Anyone Can Code, a startup teaching AI and robotics to kids. In 2025, her program has trained over 20,000 students in Ethiopia, Ghana, and Kenya. Betelhem is not only building a generation of coders but also positioning Ethiopia as a future leader in AI innovation.
10. Odunayo Eweniyi – Co-founder of PiggyVest (Nigeria)
Odunayo Eweniyi remains one of Nigeria’s most influential startup founders in 2025. Her company PiggyVest, a digital savings and investment platform, continues to help millions of users build financial discipline. PiggyVest recently launched SME tools and cooperative finance products, expanding its impact beyond individual users. Odunayo is also active in mentoring female founders through her work at First Check Africa.
