African startups raised $1.4 billion in the first six months of 2025, a 78% increase over the same period last year, according to Africa: The Big Deal, a funding database.
The half-year total was the best since 2023. Startup fundraising in Africa dropped 25% in 2024 to $2.2 billion, according to the data, marking a second successive year of reduced investment into African technology companies. But the 78% year-on-year rise — spurred by deals like the $53 million raised by Nigerian fintech LemFi in January — suggests a recovery may be underway.
Some African startups like Uber’s fleet manager Moove and fintech PalmPay are reportedly in talks to raise nine-figure sums, potentially pushing the full-year total to a rebound from last year’s dip.
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