African tech startups raise $4.1bn as debt takes centre stage

• Funding jumps 25% despite global venture slowdown
• Debt finance overtakes equity in landmark shift

NAIROBI, KENYA – African tech startups raised $4.1 billion in 2025, posting a strong rebound that underscores the sector’s resilience despite tighter global financial conditions.

According to the latest Partech Africa report, funding rose 25% year on year, even as venture capital globally became more selective. The gains, however, were unevenly distributed, with capital increasingly concentrated in a handful of mature markets and later-stage companies.