Foundation hosting higher education transformation initiatives and funding EdTech startups, assistive technology research, and creative economy programs across Africa.
… The call was made in Accra, Ghana, during the inaugural Higher Education Transformation Convening hosted by the MasterCard Foundation, which brought together higher education institutions, the African Union, government ministries, financial institutions, industry and young people …
… Hosted by the Mastercard Foundation, the meeting also marked the launch of the Africa Higher Education for Transformation (AHEFT) Prize, backed by about Sh64.5 billion over the next decade.The programme aims to recognise at least 150 African institutions demonstrating sustained, …
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 25 – Twelve early-stage Kenyan education technology (EdTech) startups will each receive up to USD 100,000 (Sh13 million) in equity-free funding under the fourth cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, as efforts intensify to help young innovator …
… Roughly 10 to 12 million young Africans enter the labour market every year (Mastercard Foundation, Africa Youth Employment Outlook 2026), most of them into informal work. …
… Roughly 10 to 12 million young Africans enter the labour market every year (Mastercard Foundation, Africa Youth Employment Outlook 2026), most of them into informal work. …
… The programme, supported by the Mastercard Foundation and implemented by HEVA Fund, SNDBX Ubuntu, Baraza Media Lab and GoDown Arts Centre, has also provided grants to more than 3,000 creative startups in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Kakamega and Turkana counties. …
Mastercard Foundation report highlights gaps, opportunities in Africa's assistive technology sector By Citizen Reporter June 05, 2026 06:27 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Audio By Vocalize A new continent- …
African leaders, universities, governments and industry players have called for major reforms in higher education to ensure universities produce skills, research and innovation that can drive economic growth and create jobs. The call was made at the inaugural Higher Education Transformation Convening in Accra, Ghana, hosted by the MasterCard Foundation, which focused on how universities can better prepare young people for a changing labour market while strengthening research, innovation and links with industry.
African leaders, universities, governments and industry players have called for major reforms in higher education to ensure universities produce skills, research and innovation that can drive economic growth and create jobs. The call was made at the inaugural Higher Education Transformation Convening in Accra, Ghana, hosted by the MasterCard Foundation, which focused on how universities can better prepare young people for a changing labour market while strengthening research, innovation and links with industry.
Education leaders at a Higher Education Transformation Convening in Accra launched the Africa Higher Education for Transformation (AHEFT) Prize, backed by about Sh64.5 billion over the next decade, which aims to recognise at least 150 African institutions demonstrating sustained transformation. Five universities—Addis Ababa University, the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Muni University, and the University of Rwanda—were named inaugural laureates, each receiving about Sh387 million to expand initiatives focused on teaching, research, employment pathways and community impact.
Twelve early-stage Kenyan EdTech startups will each receive up to USD 100,000 (Sh13 million) in equity-free funding under the fourth cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship to scale inclusive learning solutions. The 18-month programme targets startups addressing barriers to equitable education for learners with disabilities, refugees, displaced and underserved communities, and girls and young women, and includes technical assistance in product development, business strategy and market access support.
Funding shortages are limiting Kenya's EdTech startups' ability to scale and reach learners, particularly in underserved communities. The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship has selected 12 startups for an 18-month acceleration programme aimed at improving fundraising readiness and market visibility.
An opinion piece argues that Africa, despite holding 30% of global critical mineral reserves and 60% of the world's best solar resources, receives only 2% of global clean energy investment. The gap is attributed to pricing issues rooted in currency volatility, sovereign-risk perception, and weak regulation, as rich countries borrow at 1–4% interest while poorer countries face rates around 14%.
Africa holds 30% of global critical mineral reserves and 60% of the world's best solar resources, yet receives only 2% of global clean energy investment, constrained by high borrowing costs and weak infrastructure that hinder the continent's role in the global green transition.
The government has committed to expanding irrigation across the country through the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP) 2025–2035, which aims to expand irrigation by one million acres, optimise productivity in existing public schemes, strengthen farmer-led irrigation, and unlock greater private sector investment.
The government has committed to expanding irrigation across the country through a 10-year National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (2025–2035) that aims to expand irrigation by one million acres, optimise productivity in existing public schemes, strengthen farmer-led irrigation, and unlock private sector investment as part of efforts to strengthen food security and build climate resilience.
Sanara has disbursed over KSh1.2 billion in commercial financing and grants to support Kenya's creative economy, reaching over 20,000 young creatives and more than 330 creative enterprises across six counties. The programme, supported by the Mastercard Foundation and implemented by HEVA Fund, SNDBX Ubuntu, Baraza Media Lab and GoDown Arts Centre, has also provided grants to more than 3,000 creative startups in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Kakamega and Turkana counties.
A new Mastercard Foundation report covering all 54 African countries finds that millions of Africans with disabilities face significant barriers to education, employment, entrepreneurship and digital participation due to limited access to assistive technology, despite growing policy commitments and innovation efforts.
Africa's formal job creation of three million annually falls far short of the up to 12 million young people entering the labour market yearly, leaving graduates competing for unstable work in the informal sector. In Kenya specifically, 85 per cent of the 848,200 jobs created in 2023 were informal, and graduates take an average of five years to secure employment after completing their studies.