Egypt Leads Africa Startup Funding in H1 2026
Key Takeaways
- •Egypt raised $327 million in startup funding in Africa during H1 2026, ahead of Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.
- •Kenya ended H1 2026 in third place after leading the continent in 2025 with nearly $1 billion in startup funding.
- •Fintech was the largest sector at 41% of total funding, followed by logistics and transport at 35%.
- •Nigeria ranked first in equity funding with $214 million and also led by the number of ventures raising at least $100,000.
- •Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco each raised more than $25 million outside the Big Four.
Egypt attracted the most startup funding in Africa in the first half of 2026, according to a new report by The Big Deal.
Egypt led the continent with a total of $327 million, followed by Nigeria with $254 million, Kenya with $126 million, and South Africa with $83 million.
The latest figures end Kenya’s run at the top after it led Africa in startup funding throughout 2025, raising nearly $1 billion, driven largely by clean energy and fintech companies. The report also marks Kenya’s lowest decline since early 2021, offering a snapshot of how funding has shifted among the continent’s largest startup markets in a year when the Big Four still accounted for 58% of total funding.
By sector, fintech remained the largest category at 41% ($556 million), followed by logistics and transport at 35% ($472 million). Agri and food attracted 7% ($93 million), while waste management and energy and water each accounted for 4%, or $60 million and $50 million respectively. The concentration in a few sectors helps explain why changes in activity in those categories can have an outsized effect on country rankings.
Looking only at equity funding, Nigeria ranked first with $214 million, followed by Egypt with $183 million. South Africa recorded $66 million, while Kenya received $46 million.
Outside the Big Four, three markets raised more than $25 million in total funding during H1 2026: Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, and Morocco.
In terms of the number of ventures raising at least $100,000, excluding grants, Nigeria returned to the top in H1 2026 after a weaker H2 2025, underscoring that funding leadership can differ depending on whether totals, equity-only deals, or venture counts are used.
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