Nigeria's largest lender by asset, Access Bank, has hit a regulatory roadblock in its bid to acquire Kenya's National Bank of Kenya (NBK). The deal, which received approval from both the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and the country's Treasury, has been halted by Nigeria's Central Bank (CBN) over regulatory breaches and failure to receive proper notice.

The CBN has flagged missing disclosures and a non-compliant structure, and has asked both parties to resubmit the deal. However, there is another layer to the delay: Nigeria's Central Bank reportedly wants Access Bank to exit the Democratic Republic of Congo and shut down its London office as part of broader efforts to streamline Nigerian banks' foreign operations. This pressure is believed to be contributing to the delays in approving the East Africa deal.

The freeze complicates Access Bank's aggressive regional expansion plans. NBK, with over 85 branches, would significantly boost Access's presence in Kenya—one of Africa's most competitive banking markets. Without it, the deal could lose strategic value. The acquisition would have marked a significant milestone in Access Bank's expansion into East Africa, and its failure to materialize could have far-reaching implications for the bank's growth strategy.

In related news, Morocco is betting big on tech, with the country hosting the third edition of GITEX Africa, the continent's biggest tech and startup show. The event has positioned Morocco as a continental tech hub, thanks to serious government backing and a growing appetite for innovation. The show has attracted over 1,450 exhibitors, 350 global investors, and 650 speakers from 130 countries, and has become a strategic place to strengthen digital inclusion between African countries and build bridges of cooperation with international partners.

Meanwhile, Moniepoint, Nigeria's latest unicorn, has entered the country's remittance market with the launch of Monieworld, its latest app. The app is focused only on the UK-Nigeria corridor and allows UK residents to send money directly from a Monieworld account or link their Apple Pay to transfer money to any Nigerian bank account. Moniepoint is hoping to bring its superior distribution to the remittance market and onboard the Nigerians that prefer sending money via informal channels.

In other news, CBEX, a digital asset platform that promised 100% ROI in 30 days, has collapsed, leaving thousands of Nigerians stranded and out of pocket. The platform's collapse has sparked warnings from regulators, with the SEC issuing a warning to Nigerians to be cautious of unregistered platforms.

The World Wide Web3, a cryptocurrency tracker, has reported mixed fortunes for major cryptocurrencies, with Bitcoin down 2.21% and Ether down 3.33% in the past day. However, Ardor has seen a significant surge of 108.92% in the past day.

Finally, several opportunities are available for startups and entrepreneurs in Africa, including workspace vouchers from Lagos Innovates (LSETF), an accelerator program from Village Capital, and a summit from AfricArena. These opportunities aim to support startups and entrepreneurs in Africa, providing them with the resources and connections they need to grow and succeed.