Bridging Africa’s Tech Skills Gap Through Digital Learning

by | Apr 29, 2026 | Impact Stories

How Utiva is Expanding Access to Technology Education and Talent Development

 

As demand for digital talent continues to grow globally, access to practical technology education and workforce training has become increasingly important for economic growth and long-term opportunity across Africa.

Utiva is helping address that challenge through virtual learning programs focused on technology skills development and talent placement.

Founded by Nigerian entrepreneur Eyitayo Ogunmola, the company provides digital training programs designed to help individuals build practical skills in areas such as software development, data, product management, and other high-demand technology disciplines.

Through accessible online learning and career-focused training, Utiva is helping more Africans build the skills needed to participate in the growing global digital economy.

By combining technology education with workforce development and career support, the company is creating new pathways into technology careers for learners across Africa and beyond.

As digital transformation continues to reshape industries worldwide, companies like Utiva are helping ensure more African talent can access the skills, training, and opportunities needed to participate in the future of work.

Building Pathways Into the Digital Economy

by | Apr 29, 2026 | Impact Stories

How AccountingHub’s Data-Entry Academy is Expanding Digital Workforce Skills Across Africa

 

As digital tools become increasingly essential across industries, access to practical workplace and technology skills has become a critical driver of economic opportunity. Yet for many adults across Africa, access to affordable, accessible digital training remains limited.

AccountingHub’s Data-Entry Academy is working to help bridge that gap through digital literacy and workforce development programs designed to prepare individuals for modern workplace opportunities.

Founded by Nigerian entrepreneur Chioma Ifeanyi-Eze, the platform focuses on equipping adults with practical digital and data-entry skills that can improve employability, support career advancement, and create new pathways into the digital economy.

The company’s work was recognized through Cascador’s 2024 Impact Award, which honored AccountingHub for “transforming digital literacy across Africa through Data-Entry Academy, empowering adults with crucial workplace skills.”

Reflecting on her experience in the Cascador program, founder Chioma Ifeanyi-Eze shared that one of the program’s most valuable contributions was helping her better articulate both the company’s mission and its broader societal impact.

As demand for digital workforce skills continues to grow globally, initiatives like Data-Entry Academy are helping expand access to economic opportunity while preparing more people to participate in the future of work.

Reimagining Sustainable Agriculture in Urban Africa

by | Apr 29, 2026 | Impact Stories

How Soilless Farm Lab is Advancing Climate-Resilient Food Production

 

As urban populations continue to grow across Africa, the pressure on traditional food systems is increasing. Limited arable land, climate variability, and inconsistent access to resources are creating new challenges for agricultural production and food security.

Soilless Farm Lab is exploring new approaches to sustainable agriculture through hydroponic farming systems designed to produce food more efficiently while reducing dependence on traditional growing conditions.

Founded by Nigerian agritech entrepreneur Samson Ogbole, the company operates a 90-acre solar-powered greenhouse farm in Ogun State, Nigeria, where it utilizes hydroponic growing methods and AI-supported irrigation systems to improve agricultural productivity and resource efficiency. The company also trains approximately 4,000 young people annually through its educational initiatives focused on agriculture and food systems innovation.

Beyond food production, Soilless Farm Lab’s work reflects a broader effort to expand access to agricultural education, create economic opportunities for young people, and explore more climate-resilient approaches to farming in rapidly urbanizing communities.

As conversations around food security and sustainable agriculture continue to evolve globally, Soilless Farm Lab is helping demonstrate how innovation and technology can contribute to the future of African agriculture.

Lenco is Scaling Financial Infrastructure for African Businesses

by | Apr 29, 2026 | Impact Stories

How Lenco is Helping African Companies Manage Payments, Spending, and Growth More Efficiently

 

Across Africa, many businesses still face significant operational and financial barriers that limit growth. From fragmented payment systems to limited access to modern financial tools, managing day-to-day business operations can be unnecessarily complex and inefficient.

Lenco is working to simplify that experience by building financial infrastructure designed specifically for African businesses.

The company provides payment and financial management solutions that help businesses manage transactions, spending, and operational workflows more efficiently across multiple markets.

In 2025, Lenco expanded operations across Nigeria, Zambia, and Malawi while continuing to scale its services for thousands of SMBs and enterprise clients. The company also launched Glep, an AI-native spend management platform designed to help businesses make more informed financial and procurement decisions.

As demand for modern financial infrastructure continues to grow across the continent, Lenco is helping businesses operate with greater visibility, efficiency, and control while supporting broader economic growth across the regions it serves.

Expanding Access to Quality Education Through Personalized Learning

by | Apr 29, 2026 | Impact Stories

How Tuteria is Helping More Students Access Tailored Educational Support

 

Access to quality education remains one of the most significant opportunities and challenges across Africa. For many families, finding trusted, personalized educational support can be difficult, particularly for students with unique learning needs.

Tuteria is helping address that gap through a technology-enabled tutoring platform designed to connect students and families with carefully vetted educators and personalized learning support.

Founded by Nigerian entrepreneur Godwin Benson, Tuteria provides curated tutor-student matching services across a wide range of academic subjects and learning environments. The company has supported more than 23,000 students and facilitated over 358,000 lesson hours while also creating meaningful income opportunities for educators across Nigeria.

Tuteria’s approach to educational access and personalized learning was recognized through Cascador’s 2024 Pitch Competition, where the company received the program’s top award for its innovative tutoring platform and its work supporting children with special learning needs.

Reflecting on the company’s growth, founder Godwin Benson shared that the Cascador program helped expand both his strategic thinking and vision for the future of the business.

As demand for flexible, personalized education continues to grow, Tuteria is helping demonstrate how technology-enabled learning platforms can expand access to quality education while creating broader economic opportunity for educators and communities alike.

Koolboks is Powering Cold Storage Where It’s Needed Most

by | Apr 29, 2026 | Impact Stories

How Koolboks is Expanding Access to Reliable Refrigeration Across Africa

In many parts of Africa, unreliable access to electricity makes cold storage difficult, expensive, or completely inaccessible. For businesses operating across food, healthcare, and retail, that challenge directly impacts growth, efficiency, and long-term sustainability.

Koolboks is helping address that challenge through solar-powered refrigeration and cold-chain solutions designed for markets where dependable power infrastructure cannot be assumed.

In 2025, Koolboks achieved its highest sales to date while continuing its international expansion across Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, France, and more than 20 additional countries. The company has raised more than $18 million in total capital to support its continued growth and expansion.

Beyond business growth, Koolboks continues to generate meaningful social and environmental impact across the communities it serves. The company’s expansion has supported women-led enterprises, created income and skills opportunities for young people, improved access to reliable cold storage for food and healthcare applications, reduced spoilage and operating costs, and helped strengthen more climate-resilient local economies.

As demand for sustainable refrigeration infrastructure continues to grow globally, Koolboks is demonstrating how climate-focused innovation and scalable business models can work hand in hand.

Cascador Opens Applications to its 2026 ScaleUp Program to Accelerate Africa’s Next Generation of Growth-Stage Founders

Cascador Opens Applications to its 2026 ScaleUp Program to Accelerate Africa’s Next Generation of Growth-Stage Founders

by | Apr 1, 2026 | Press Release

Empowering High-Growth Entrepreneurs with Capital, Guidance, and Tools to Scale

1 April, 2026,  Lagos – Cascador, an Africa-focused platform that unlocks the potential of the region’s most transformative entrepreneurs, has today announced the opening of applications for its 2026 Cascador ScaleUp Program, for an elite class of ambitious founders poised to scale their companies. ​​ Focused on both real economy and technology-enabled ventures, the program equips growth-stage entrepreneurs with the leadership skills, strategic clarity, and network to succeed,  while also preparing founders to apply for $2–5 million annually in debt or equity capital through the Cascador Catalytic Fund.

Cascador will select 12 founders who are leading companies with proven traction for a hybrid experience that will include:

  • Bespoke 1:1 support from investors, African and international experts, and strategic partners
  • Eligibility for follow-on funding through Cascador’s Catalytic Fund, which deploys  $2–5 million annually in growth capital through local currency debt, equity, guarantees, and collateral investments in partnership with Sterling Bank.
  • 12-week program: 2 weeks in-person sessions – including the program kickoff and pitch week, packaged with 10 weeks of virtual sessions for founders and their leadership teams
  • Live Pitch Day, for the chance to be awarded $50k USD in prizes

The application process is two-fold, with a preliminary application requiring 15 minutes to complete, followed by a full application for well-qualified founders. Early submission of the preliminary application is encouraged. Benefits include: personal interviews, exclusive event participation, and early semi-finalist notification for top applicants.

Applications are open now and close on June 15, with the program commencing on August 15.

“Entrepreneurs are the engines of change. At Cascador, our goal is to help accelerate growth-stage founders who we consider great multipliers, building businesses that transform lives, communities, and markets. This Program is designed to empower impactful ventures on the cusp of scale for social good,”  said Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador. 

Since 2019, Cascador has supported 70 ventures that have collectively raised $125 million in capital. In 2025 alone, Cascador’s alumni created over 67,000 job opportunities and delivered essential products and services to more than 1.7 million customers. The 2026 program aims to multiply this impact by supporting a new generation of business leaders who are ambitious, adaptable, and capable of using both knowledge and capital to scale high-performing companies that deliver meaningful, lasting social and economic impact.

“The ScaleUp program is designed to back entrepreneurs who see possibilities where others see limits; they are the ones redefining Africa’s future. Even with great vision, committed teams, and market-fit products, there are a myriad of challenges to navigate as a business. Cascador provides the customized, structural support they need to overcome obstacles, scale with confidence, and create lasting impact across Africa,” commented David DeLucia, Co-Founder of Cascador 

Cascador has developed a personalized approach to growth acceleration that engages the founder and their leadership team in targeted knowledge-sharing, high-value introductions, advisory support, and resource allocations that enable rapid scale. Today, Cascador boasts 7 successful cohorts, including Babatunde Akin-Moses (Sycamore), Joycee Awosika (ORÍKÌ), Samson Ogbole (Soiless Farm Lab), Ayoola Dominic  (Koolboks), Andrew Airelobhegbe  (Lenco), Adeola Alli (OneHealth), Seun Alley  (Fez Delivery),  Seyi Adefemi (Drive45 Mobility), and many others, who are driving innovation, creating jobs, raising investment capital, winning awards, and changing the face of the African economy.

 

“Cascador has given me the clarity to lead more effectively and strategically,” reflected Oluwaseyi Adefemi, Co-Founder and CEO of Drive45Mobility and recipient of N2bn in funding in 2025 and the Exemplary Cascador Award 2024. “My forward-thinking approach is now ten steps ahead, and I’m making decisions with greater discipline. The program challenged me to think bigger, refine my vision, and build systems that allow my business to grow sustainably. Today, I lead with greater purpose, and I’m better equipped to scale my impact,” he added. 

Applications are open now and close on June 15, with the program commencing on August 15. An in-person Open House event will also be held on April 29 in Abuja and on May 5 in Lagos, providing applicants with additional information on the program, Q&A sessions with alumni and networking opportunities. Please check the website for further details.

– ENDS – 

About Cascador

Cascador is an Africa-focused platform for growth-stage founders building businesses that matter. Through Cascador ScaleUp, its flagship program, Cascador works with an elite cohort of entrepreneurs to strengthen their leadership and sharpen their strategy, preparing them for responsible scale. By connecting successful ventures to the networks, capital, and strategic support required to grow, Cascador is helping build the next generation of enduring African businesses. Since 2019, Cascador has supported 70 founders who have collectively raised over $125 million and created almost 67,000 jobs in 2025 alone. Learn more and apply at www.cascador.org.

Cascador opens 2026 ScaleUp Program for Nigeria’s growth-stage founders

Cascador opens 2026 ScaleUp Program for Nigeria’s growth-stage founders

by | Apr 1, 2026 | News

Cascador’s 2026 ScaleUp Program is expanding support for growth-stage African founders through leadership development, strategic mentorship, and pathways to catalytic capital. The article highlights Cascador’s continued focus on helping entrepreneurs build scalable, resilient businesses capable of driving long-term economic impact across the continent.

Read the full article on Techpoint Africa →