GITEX fair Marrakech: African tech startups address continent’s needs

African startups are addressing unmet needs, showcasing a tech scene that is rapidly growing despite challenges like inequality and limited digitalization. At the GITEX Africa fair in Marrakesh, innovations in remittances and healthcare were the stars of t this thriving sector.

Jean-Charles Mendy, a Senegalese entrepreneur, explained to AFP how he launched an app three years ago that gives expatriates better control over the money they send home. The app, currently restricted to Senaglese living abroad, enables direct payment of bills or conversion into supermarket vouchers. Remittances to sub-Saharan Africa topped $50 billion last year, according to the World Bank. 

The International Finance Corporation - the private sector arm of the World Bank- says Africa's startup ecosystem, particularly in mobile payments, is the world’s fastest-growing. 

Healthcare technology is another growing sector, given that more than half of Africa's population of 1.4 billion people lack medical coverage. Startups like CheckUps in Kenya and LukaPharma in Congo are using tech to improve access to healthcare, addressing problems like finding medications and providing affordable medical coverage in remote areas.