The Open Africa Podcast

Raises, Industry Trends and Chowdeck, again 15.06.2026 1h 10min

On this episode, Laolu, Furo, and Nosa discuss some recent fundraises in the ecosystem — Spiro’s $215M raise backed by Impact Fund Denmark and Equitane, Nala’s $50M credit facility, LemFi’s $34.8M extension, BFREE’s growth round led by AfricInvest, and Shiprazor’s $2.65M seed funding.They also unpack Chowdeck’s vendor trust issues and explore broader financial trends and news.This episode is sponsored by Busha — Nigeria’s licensed digital assets exchange for businesses looking to move money across borders. If you are running a business exploring fast cross-border payments, stablecoin and FX liquidity, and easy treasury management, get started at busha.io/business, and for individuals? You can buy, sell, and send digital assets anywhere in the world, and also save in naira or dollars, with up to 20% annual interest. Download the Busha App and use code OPENAFRICA or visit https://surl.li/jvbwvt to get started._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chowdeck and the cost of a Super App 18.05.2026 1h 12min

On this episode, Laolu, Furo, and Nosa talk about Chowdeck using its $9 million Series A to chase a superapp strategy and whether that ambition risks diluting the operational focus that made it Nigeria's best food delivery app, ARCON arresting small business owners for running Instagram ads without prior approval under the 2022 ARCON Act, the CBN's 2026 Guide to Charges, Airtel Money’s IPO, and other news in Nigeria’s Fintech ecosystem.This episode is sponsored by Busha — Nigeria’s licensed digital assets exchange for businesses looking to move money across borders. If you are running a business exploring fast cross-border payments, stablecoin and FX liquidity, and easy treasury management, get started at busha.io/business, and for individuals? You can buy, sell, and send digital assets anywhere in the world, and also save in naira or dollars, with up to 20% annual interest. Download the Busha App and use code OPENAFRICA or visit https://surl.li/jvbwvt to get started._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moniepoint acquires Orda 11.04.2026 1h 22min

On this episode, Laolu, Furo, and Nosa talk about Flutterwave's acquisition of Mono to gain a National Microfinance Bank licence, the CBN's AML/CFT supervision pilot for six crypto and fintech firms including KuCoin and Paystack, Moniepoint's acquisition of restaurant management platform Orda Africa as a credit underwriting play, and OPay turning the CBN's new One Principal Rule for POS agents into an aggressive marketing campaign while opening physical branches across Nigeria.This episode is sponsored by Busha — Nigeria’s licensed digital assets exchange for businesses looking to move money across borders. If you are running a business exploring fast cross-border payments, stablecoin and FX liquidity, and easy treasury management, get started at busha.io/business, and for individuals? You can buy, sell, and send digital assets anywhere in the world, and also save in naira or dollars, with up to 20% annual interest. Download the Busha App and use code OPENAFRICA or visit https://surl.li/jvbwvt to get started._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moniepoint takes Alerzo to Court 09.03.2026 1h 11min

On this episode, Laolu, Furo, and Nosa talk about Moniepoint taking Alerzo to court over ₦5 billion unpaid loan, NIN for sale and data compromise, Terra Industries’ partnership with DICON to boost sovereign defence production and give some context to Nigeria’s GSI framework for loan recovery alongside other industry news.This episode is sponsored by Busha — Nigeria’s licensed digital assets exchange for businesses looking to move money across borders. If you are running a business exploring fast cross-border payments, stablecoin and FX liquidity, and easy treasury management, get started at busha.io/business, and for individuals? You can buy, sell, and send digital assets anywhere in the world, and also save in naira or dollars, with up to 20% annual interest. Download the Busha App and use code OPENAFRICA or visit https://surl.li/jvbwvt to get started._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CBN upgrades Fintechs 19.02.2026 1h 29min

On this episode, Laolu, Furo, and Nosa talk about CBN upgrading OPay, Moniepoint, and Kuda to national MFB licences, Paystack turning 10 and launching The Stack Group, Busha launching crypto-backed loans, Raenest expanding into India, and a deep dive into why African startups have a numbers problem; with Moniepoint as case study. This episode is sponsored by Busha — Nigeria’s licensed digital assets exchange for businesses looking to move money across borders. If you are running a business exploring fast cross-border payments, stablecoin and FX liquidity, and easy treasury management, get started at busha.io/business, and for individuals? You can buy, sell, and send digital assets anywhere in the world, and also save in naira or dollars, with up to 20% annual interest. Download the Busha App and use code OPENAFRICA or visit https://surl.li/jvbwvt to get started._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Flutterwave acquires Mono 19.01.2026 54min

Welcome to a new season of The Open Africa Podcast!On this episode, Laolu, Furo, and Nosa talk about Flutterwave acquiring Mono, the peculiarities of Fintech product names, Glovo’s call out by Corporate Ewa, and Moniepoint trying to recover a ₦2.4 billion loan from ShopRite.—_We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025 in Review 31.12.2025 41min

On this episode, Laolu, Furo, and Nosa do the usual Year in Review and make few predictions for 2026!Thank you for loving the podcast all year long!_We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chowdeck is Selling Airtime too 08.12.2025 1h 10min

On this episode, Laolu, Furo, and Nosa break down some recent and interesting moves in Africa’s fintech industry. We explore LemFi’s FSCS-protected savings launch in the UK and what it means for retention beyond remittances. We also discuss Nomba’s remittance-first expansion into the DRC and Nigeria’s new National Payment Stack, built to modernise instant transfers and onboarding. Finally, we unpack South Africa’s Discovery Bank adding crypto integration via Luno, Chowdeck’s new airtime feature, and Wave’s evolving journey from mobile money to full bank ambitions._P.s: you’ll find a suprise if you listen to the end!_We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Media Reporting Standards and Remittances 24.10.2025 1h 11min

On this episode, 'Laolu, Furo, and Nosa are joined by Benjamin Dada of Condia! We break down the CBN’s new Agent Banking Guidelines — exploring tighter fraud controls, new cash limits, and exclusivity rules. We also discuss the ATM exposure draft, unpack media reporting standards in fintech, the $20B remittance market boom, and how startups like Lemfi are evolving with credit-based and stablecoin models._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kredete, Rulebase & News across Africa 01.10.2025 32min

On this episode, 'Laolu, Furo, and Nosa talk about recent developments across the continent! They start off by discussing Kredete’s recent $22 million series A funding raise, Rulebase raising $2.1 million to automate financial services compliance, new regulations for e-hailing services in South Africa, and other news._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chowdeck’s Raise, Nomba, Nedbank & iKhokha 22.08.2025 42min

On this episode, 'Laolu, Furo, and Nosa talk about Chowdeck’s growth and recent $9 million series A funding raise, Nedbank’s acquisition of iKhokha, and Nomba’s industry presence and new multi-currency wallet for businesses._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Food Episode 08.07.2025 1h 32min

On this episode, 'Laolu, Furo, and Nosa are joined by Osarumen Osamuyi from The Subtext!They talk about the recent collapses of Vendease and Okra in the ecosystem, then take a closer look at Magic Beans, the first chapter of Foodpod – a limited series about Technology eating food in Africa – by Osarumen._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. _We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fincra’s Expansion, Palmpay’s plan to Raise, and Alleged Industry News 12.06.2025 40min

On this episode, 'Laolu, Furo, and Nosa talk about dLocal’s intention to acquire AZA Finance, Fincra’s Expansion to East Africa, Palmpay’s plan to Raise, and other alleged Industry news._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Rant about Bank Charges 24.04.2025 45min

On this episode, 'Laolu, Furo, and Nosa talk about Banks—how banks make money, how banks loan money, and what most Nigerians think about bank charges, while reading commentary from Twitter (X).Read our substack about Bank Charges here_We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. _We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paystack’s Zap, Payhippo’s Pivot, and Premium Tiers for Neobanks 02.04.2025 1h 8min

On this episode, 'Laolu, Furo, and Nosa talk about Paystack launching Zap, PayHippo’s recent $4 million raise, rebrand as Rivy and pivot to clean energy financing, alongside news of Nigerian neobanks like Kuda and Nomba launching premium tiers._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. _We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Funding Rounds, Shutdowns, and Industry News 11.03.2025 1h 15min

On this episode of the podcast, 'Laolu, Nosa, and Furo talk about Cedar Money’s $9.9 million seed round, Ghana-based fintech Oze securing undisclosed funding from Visa and DEG, Edukoya’s shutdown as a result of macroeconomic challenges, Vendease’s second round of layoffs in five months, and other industry news across the continent._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. _We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cross Border Remittance & The LemFi Playbook 18.02.2025 29min

Welcome to our first explainer episode for 2025!–On this episode, 'Laolu, Furo, and Nosa talk about how cross border payments and remittances really work, LemFi’s expansion into Europe and why this is a good thing._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The One where we talk about Bento 01.02.2025 36min

On this episode of the podcast, 'Laolu, Nosa, and Furo talk about Moniepoint and Visa’s partnership, Accrue, SeamlessHR’s additional $9 million raise in series A extension, MoneyHash’s $5.2 million pre-series A raise, and what they think is really happening with Bento._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on Twitter and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. _We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raises, Bankruptcy & 2025 Predictions 20.01.2025 41min

On this episode of the podcast, 'Laolu, Nosa, and Furo talk about the KPMG Customer finance report; what exactly investing in commodity looks like, LemFi’s $53 million raise as it expands remittance services into Europe, Gokada filing for bankruptcy, some predictions for 2025, alongside other industry news._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on Twitter and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. _We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Open Africa Year in Review 2024 31.12.2024 46min

…and it’s a wrap! Thank you for rocking with your favorite finance trio this year (and don’t worry, we tried not to make “doomy” predictions this time ;-) )–On this episode, 'Laolu, Furo, and Nosa do a month by month recap of 2024 episodes. From raises to shutdowns to unicorns to migrations to fraud, this was the year it all happened._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on Twitter and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. _We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.