Thanks to the relentless emigration of Africans from Africa to other continents, the African diaspora community has grown significantly over the past couple of decades. Now it boasts over 150 million members, all of whom maintain notable affiliations with their roots. Interestingly, this community is one of Africa’s largest financiers, with members sending nearly $100 billion back to the continent in remittances in 2024, through gifts, grants, and other forms of concessional financing.
However, despite all their good intentions and best efforts, Africans in diaspora also have problems. For starters, moving abroad from Africa can be an ordeal. The process of securing a visa is not only expensive, but it’s also almost a gamble in some cases. For example, even after making all the necessary payments and securing their documents, an average Nigerian could have their visa to countries in the Americas or Europe denied without any specific explanation. Such is the reality of Africans.
And for those who manage to secure the move abroad, access to financial services such as banking and credit in the new home country is another hurdle they must face. After overcoming that, the next problem is how to take care of the family left behind in Africa without accruing unnecessarily hefty expenses.
Thankfully, several companies have come to recognise the opportunities in these problems and have designed solutions aimed at helping Africans in diaspora deal with many of the common challenges they face. Read more about these startup solutions built for Africans in diaspora.
Financial Services
LemFi
Co-founded in 2020 by Ridwan Olalere, Lemfi has rapidly emerged as a leading financial platform specifically designed for African immigrants. The startup’s primary service is a mobile application that allows users to send money back to Africa with significantly lower fees than traditional remittance services, typically charging little to no fees compared to the industry average of 7-9%.
Lemfi’s innovative approach integrates local payment methods in various African countries with modern financial technology, enabling instant transfers that arrive directly in recipients’ bank accounts or mobile wallets. By 2024, the company had processed over $500 million in transactions and expanded its services to support remittances to 25 African countries across Europe, the Americas, and Africa.
What makes Lemfi particularly valuable to the diaspora community is its additional features, like bill payments and airtime top-ups, allowing users to directly handle family expenses overseas without the need for intermediaries.
Betascore
Established in 2015 by Nigerian fintech expert Josh Ojo, Betascore addresses one of the most significant challenges facing African immigrants – building credit history in their new countries. The company offers a specialised credit-building platform that considers alternative data points beyond traditional credit scoring models, making it easier for newcomers to establish financial credibility.
Betascore’s proprietary algorithm factors in remittance history, utility payments, and rental history to create a more comprehensive financial profile for users. This approach has helped numerous African immigrants secure their first credit cards, auto loans, and even mortgages in North America and Europe.
The startup’s AI-powered credit scoring model has seen remarkable success with over 90% improvement rate in users’ credit scores. Additionally, Betascore recently secured seed round funding to expand its services across more countries and develop additional financial education resources specifically tailored to the immigrant experience.
Insurance/Health
Awabah
Launched in 2020 by Nigerian entrepreneur Tunji Andrews in Lagos with operations now extending to London, Awabah revolutionises pension and retirement planning for Africans at home and abroad. The company began as a micro-pension platform but has evolved to provide comprehensive retirement solutions for diaspora Africans looking to secure their financial future while maintaining investment ties to their home countries.
Awabah’s pension scheme allows users to contribute to retirement funds in their country of residence and their African home nation, optimising tax benefits in both jurisdictions. The platform has garnered numerous users and manages assets worth millions of Dollars. What distinguishes Awabah is its cross-border advisory service that navigates the complex pension regulations across different countries, ensuring Africans in diaspora can seamlessly transfer benefits when relocating.
In 2024, the company introduced health savings accounts specifically designed for business owners and informal workers to access essential financial services. But Africans in diaspora can also use it to fund medical expenses for family members back in Africa.
Susu
Founded in 2019 by healthcare entrepreneur Bola Bardet in Ivory Coast, Susu provides specialised health coverage solutions for African immigrants and their families back home. The startup was born from Bardet’s personal experience of struggling to arrange quality healthcare for her father in Benin while she lived abroad.
Susu’s innovative platform allows local users and diaspora members to purchase healthcare packages for their relatives in Africa, covering everything from regular check-ups to emergency treatments at vetted healthcare facilities. The company has established partnerships with several hospitals and clinics across West and Central Africa, ensuring quality care without the administrative hassle.
By 2023, Susu had served more than 5,000 families and raised over $5 million in funding to expand its network across Africa. The company’s health companion service, which provides users with care bundles including medical and logistics services, has been particularly valuable for diaspora members concerned about the quality of healthcare their loved ones receive.
Fleri
Fleri is a family care platform for immigrants in the diaspora. Established in 2020 by Ghanaian entrepreneur Samuel Baddoo in Atlanta, Georgia, Fleri tackles the critical challenge of healthcare access for families left behind in Africa. The startup offers a digital platform that enables diaspora Africans to purchase and manage health insurance directly for their relatives across various African countries, eliminating the complexities typically associated with cross-border healthcare arrangements.
Fleri partners with established local insurance providers and healthcare networks in African countries to ensure comprehensive coverage and access to quality care. The company’s subscription-based model allows users to make affordable monthly payments while providing their families with continuous health coverage, emergency services, and prescription benefits.
Over the years, the company has secured significant funding to enhance its technology infrastructure. Fleri’s impact extends beyond convenience – its data shows that families covered through the platform experience fewer out-of-pocket healthcare expenses and significantly improved health outcomes.
Migration
Vesti
Vesti Technologies is a neobank that focuses on providing financial services, information, and community support for international migrants. Founded in 2021 by Nigerian entrepreneurs Abimbola and Olusola Amusan, Vesti simplifies the complex immigration process for Africans seeking to relocate abroad. The platform offers an end-to-end immigration solution that combines advanced technology with expert legal guidance, significantly increasing applicants’ chances of successful visa outcomes.
Vesti’s flagship “Migration-as-a-Service” product provides customised immigration roadmaps based on users’ profiles, connecting them with certified immigration attorneys and offering step-by-step guidance through document preparation and submission. The platform also features a community section where successful immigrants share their experiences and tips. As of 2024, Vesti had thousands of users across Africa, North America, Europe, and Australia. The company’s financial arm also assists new immigrants with essential services like setting up bank accounts and building credit history in their new countries, making it a truly comprehensive solution for the complex migration journey.
Community
Afropolitan
Launched in 2022 by Eche Emole and Chika Uwazie in San Francisco, California, Afropolitan represents a bold new vision for the African diaspora community. More than just a social network, the platform aims to create a digital nation for people of African descent worldwide, complete with its own governance systems, digital identity, and economic infrastructure.
Afropolitan combines elements of a social club, professional network, and investment community, allowing members to connect with fellow diaspora Africans, access exclusive events, and participate in investment opportunities focused on African markets. The platform’s innovative “Network State” concept has attracted significant attention in both tech and policy circles, with its membership growing to over 200,000 users across 45 countries.
In 2021, Afropolitan secured $2.1 million in funding to launch community hubs in major cities across the world. What distinguishes Afropolitan is its holistic approach to diaspora engagement – beyond networking, it actively works to harness the collective economic and intellectual capital of its members to influence policy and create economic opportunities both abroad and in Africa.
Movemback
Founded in 2015 by Nigerian-British entrepreneur Charles Sekwalor in London, Movemback began as a platform to help diaspora Africans explore professional opportunities back in Africa, but has evolved into a comprehensive ecosystem supporting diaspora engagement with the continent. The company connects skilled professionals with job opportunities, investment possibilities, and entrepreneurial ventures across Africa.
Movemback’s platform now hosts over 50,000 members and has facilitated more than 10,000 professional placements across various African countries. The company’s “Opportunity Marketplace” features positions with leading African companies, international organisations, and government institutions seeking diaspora talent. Beyond employment, Movemback’s investment advisory service has helped channel millions in diaspora funding into African startups and businesses.
The platform’s “Knowledge Exchange” program, which pairs diaspora experts with local African organisations for short-term consulting engagements, has been particularly impactful in transferring skills and knowledge. In 2024, Movemback launched its “Circular Migration” initiative, supporting professionals who wish to split their time between Africa and their countries of residence, recognising that engagement with the continent doesn’t always require permanent relocation.
