As 2024 comes to a close, we look back on a year marked by global economic upheaval resulting from inflation, widespread market volatility, and a general slowdown in business investments. The global startup ecosystem felt the impact of the global economic drawback with African startups facing particularly tough challenges.
Basically, 2024 gave us a reality check and a sobering reminder of the volatility that has often characterised the African startup ecosystem, especially concerning investment and funding activities. This year, African startups raised notably less capital compared to previous years, revealing a substantial dip in investor support across the continent.
But while the funding downturn sent powerful shockwaves through the ecosystem, startups in Africa managed to stand strong, a testament to the resilient African spirit encouraging these ventures and founders to stand against adversity.
But aside from the stark reality of dwindling equity funding and loan avenues, what can African startups take away from 2024?
2024 Investment Overview
The funding statistics show that 2024 was a mixed bag, but equity financing takes the top spot as the preferred funding source for African startups. There were only a handful of debt-based deals between January and November 2024. Here’s a breakdown of the investment landscape this year and key trends that shaped it:
Venture Capital Remains Dominant
Venture capital continued to be the main driver of startup financing in Africa. VCs led the charge in funding rounds, as they were involved in almost every major deal recorded throughout the year. Angel investors also provided critical early-stage support for startups with their involvement in multiple funding rounds.
Corporate and Loan Financing
Corporate venture capital arms and financial institutions, such as Axian, Accel, IFC, and AfDB, were also active in the investment space this year. These large corporations provided both investment and debt support to a number of African startup companies.
Funding Totals
Despite these efforts by the various categories of investors, African startups only managed to raise around $1.7 billion by the end of October 2024, representing a steep 32% decline from the $2.5 billion raised by the same period in 2023.
The Big Four Remain Unchallenged
For the past half-decade, the big four of Kenya, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa have ruled the African funding scenes as the biggest sources of funding attractions. Collectively, these countries consistently account for over two-thirds of the total investments secured by African startups and the status quo remains the same for 2024.
Remarkably, Kenya leads the way, taking almost 26% ($437m) of the total funding, followed by Egypt with approximately 22% ($373m). Nigeria comes in third with 12.8% ($218m) while South Africa accounted for 7.3% ($125m) of total funds raised by African startups so far in 2024.
Granted, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa held their positions as top investment destinations this year, collectively drawing over 70% of the continent’s total startup investments. However, emerging markets such as Ghana, Benin, Senegal, Tanzania, and Rwanda are also gaining momentum due to favourable policies and digital infrastructure improvements.
Notable Highlights in 2024
Meanwhile, the dwindling investments didn’t mean the year has had its success stories of big wins across the ecosystem:
Africa Minted its 8th Unicorn
Some 20 months after MNT-Halan made itself the beau of the African startup ecosystem, another fintech company has dethroned it as the most recent unicorn company of African origin.
Nigerian fintech leader Moniepoint recently attained unicorn status off the back of a $110 million series C funding round in October. It joins a league of other high-flying companies such as Opay, Flutterwave, and Chipper in this achievement.
Largest Funding Round
Zepz secured the highest single funding round in the year, amassing $267 million in a Series F round that featured numerous investors including Accel, Leapfrog Investment, IFC and others.
Investment Trends Heading into 2025
Some of the notable 2024 investment trends are likely to continue into 2025:
Venture Capital as a Driving Force
- Early-Stage Focus: Most VC funding went to early-stage companies in 2024, especially during seed and Series A rounds. This was mostly due to investors seeking to secure larger stakes early on in ventures with high-growth potential.
- Scalability Emphasis: Investors were also more attracted to startups with scalable business models, especially those with the potential for cross-border expansion. This preference for scalability is likely to continue in the coming year.
- Syndicated Deals: To mitigate risk, VCs used a resource pooling tactic and joined forces with other investors. This allowed them to secure equity in companies without individually taking on a lot of risk. This approach is also advantageous for startups as it helps broaden their support networks, increasing their chances of success.
- Local and Global Partnerships: Local VCs also offered critical guidance to startups to aid them in navigating Africa’s markets. On the other hand, global VC support provided more capital and exposure for the companies. This dual approach helps startups easily navigate the industry challenges with more ease and is anticipated to remain strong into 2025.
Angel Investor Trends
Angel investors played a vital role in filling the gap for promising early-stage startups lacking the necessary exposure or credibility to secure VC funding and mentorship. Thankfully, African angel investment networks are growing, signifying increased financial and mentorship support opportunities for startups in the space. Here are two important trends to note.
- Impact-Driven Investments: Unlike VCs, angels focused on startups with strong social impact, particularly in industries like health tech and edtech. This preference is expected to continue in the coming year, as angels look to drive more local impact and economic developments.
- Mentorship and Strategic Guidance: Beyond funding, angels offered their expertise and networks to their portfolio companies guiding the founders on management practices and better ways to achieve their business missions.. This trend will be essential for startups navigating competitive landscapes in the coming year.
Additional Shifts in the African Investment Landscape
- Sector Diversification
Although fintech dominated, sectors like health tech, renewable energy, and mobility attracted growing investor interest, signalling a trend towards increased diversification. Investors are more likely to explore diversifying their portfolios and investing in more industries, essentially becoming more sector-agnostic in the coming year. - Geographic Expansion
While Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa remain the largest hubs, countries like Ghana, Rwanda, and Senegal are attracting increasing VC interest.
Additionally, there’s a rising investor interest in solutions with regional applications. A lot of startups that raised seed and Series A rounds in 2024 did so with the goal of scaling across borders and was a major contributor to the investors’ decision to participate in the funding rounds.
- Corporate Venture Capital Growth
Large corporations are stepping up investments in African startups, as they begin to recognise the opportunities and mutual benefits involved. Rather than developing new initiatives from scratch, companies are investing in startups that already have operational solutions in their industries, fostering a new avenue for corporate innovation.
Challenges to Expect in 2025
Despite its growth, Africa’s startup ecosystem faces specific barriers that could continue to impact investor confidence:
- Economic Uncertainty
Africa’s tech ecosystem remains highly sensitive to global economic shifts, with inflation and currency fluctuations affecting investment flows. - Regulatory Barriers
The varying regulatory landscapes across Africa’s 54 countries present challenges for startups expanding regionally. - Infrastructure Limitations
Infrastructure challenges continue to impact the growth potential for startups, especially in emerging markets with limited digital and logistical networks.
