1.1 Introduction Africa’s fintech funding fell 45% in 2024, plunging from $1.6 billion in 2023 to just $857 million. This reflects a global fintech decline of 20% for the third consecutive year (GFTN, 2025; S&P Global, 2025). Yet there’s a silver lining: funding nearly tripled in H2 2024, signaling a…