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EdTech Startup, Teesas Closes Pre-seed Round of $1.6 Million
Teesas, an African-focused EdTech start-up that is delivering educational content to children aged 2 – 12 years via web and mobile applications, has closed a pre-seed round investment of $1.6m.
The funding round was led by Haresh Aswani of the Tolaram Group with participation from Olivegreen Advisory Partners, an African-focused Venture Studio, and other angel investors.
“We believe in the mission Osayi and the Teesas team has set forth on and are confident that they are best suited to crack the challenge of using technology to enhance access to quality education across Africa,” Aswani said.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Teesas, Osayi Izedonmwen, said: “We are delighted to have secured this funding just a few months after founding Teesas. It is invigorating that the funding has come from investors who understand what it takes to succeed in Africa and have backed or built fast-growing start-ups within the continent.”
Founded in 2021, Teesas is committed to delivering e-learning platforms that deliver curriculum-aligned educational content via web and mobile applications.
The Teesas educational app is aimed at children in reception and primary school grades and teaches core subjects through engaging tutor-led videos and eBooks in English and local languages such as Bini, Hausa, Ibibio, Igbo, Ijaw, Yoruba, and Tiv with plans to include French soon.
The pre-recorded videos are delivered by highly qualified tutors and uploaded unto the app across different grades with adaptation to make them fun using animation and gamification to enhance engagement and understanding.
Teesas also provides e-books and live classes to further deepen the child’s understanding and a companion app for parents called Teesas Parents that provides personalized content recommendation and real-time feedback on their child’s performance such as duration of videos watched within a course, percentage of revision quiz completed, test scores, areas of need, among others.
Izedonmwen added that with the investment, the start-up intends to expand its content to cover the entire K-6 curriculum, expand into Africa, establish a tutor marketplace and build out the tech team.
“I have always wanted to impact education through technology, and it is my firm belief that digital learning is the most effective way to bridge the educational gap in Africa and enhance teaching methods.
“Our strategy at Teesas is to apply indigenous adaptations along with gamification to the child’s learning experience in order to deepen understanding of core educational concepts at a foundational (K-6) level. Once cognitive skills are set on the right path at the lower schooling years, we see better academic performance as kids move into higher classes,“ he further said.
Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to collaborating with key stakeholders in the global information and broadcasting sector to strengthen Nigeria’s information dissemination framework.
This pledge was made on Monday during discussions with prominent broadcast and information companies at the ongoing National Association of Broadcasters Show 2025 in Las Vegas, United States.
Speaking at the event, Idris said the Bola Tinubu administration remained committed to adopting cutting-edge technologies and acquiring state-of-the-art equipment for Federal Government media organisations to ensure effective service delivery.
“Strategic communication is essential to ensuring that the policies of the Renewed Hope Agenda reach the Nigerian people effectively,” he stated.
The minister also highlighted the government’s plans to invest in upgrading facilities and replacing outdated infrastructure in radio, television, and other media institutions.
According to the minister, this will improve the dissemination of credible, balanced, and objective information to the public.
Idris further said that the government would explore collaborations and partnerships that would allow local broadcasters to benefit from emerging technologies and industry-specific training opportunities.
The minister had visited exhibitions showcasing hardware and software solutions during the event.
Items exhibited included broadcast antennas, transmitters, and studio equipment, which are pivotal for enhancing broadcasting capabilities.
Thomas King, Chairman of KINTRONIC Laboratories and Enrico Vaccari, Chief Operating Officer of Axel Technology SRL, had expressed their organisations’ readiness to partner with the Nigerian government.
Gianluca Baccalini, Chief Operating Officer of System Engineering Solutions and Khiran Keerodhur, Chief Operating Officer of Thomson Broadcast, among others, also expressed commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s broadcasting landscape and regulatory agencies.
Idris is leading a delegation of chief executives of agencies in his ministry to the NAB event.
Members of the delegation included the Managing Director of NAN, Ali Muhammad Ali, and the Director-General of the Nigeria Television Authority, Salihu Dembos.
Others are the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Charles Ebuebu; and Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, Lekan Fadolapo.
Also in the delegation is the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Jibrin Ndace.The forum, NAN reports, is to strengthen broadcast collaborations and form strategic alliances. The NAB event, running from Saturday to Wednesday, has as theme: “The Technology, The Trend, The Future.”
NAN also reports that the forum is focusing on a range of topics, including Artificial Intelligence, cloud visualisation, creator economy, as well as sports production and streaming.
In a glowing testimonial that reveals the rising influence of Konga 103.7FM beyond Lagos, a business merchant from Kano, Mr. Ishaku Mohammed, shared how the station’s late-night programming helped him overcome insomnia and reconnect with hope.
Mr. Mohammed, who was in Lagos to attend a wedding, stumbled on KongaFM by chance, but the impact, he says, was life-changing.
“KongaFM solved my insomnia. It was like a miracle. I tuned in around 9 pm and left the radio on. The inspirational songs and messages gave me peace and helped me sleep properly again, for the first time in a long while,” said Mr. Mohammed.
Having returned to Kano, he now streams the station regularly on kongafm.com, calling it “a sound of hope in changing times.”
The testimonial has been widely shared on social media, drawing attention to the station’s unique blend of entertainment and emotionally resonant content. With increasing listenership on-air and via digital streams across Nigeria and, by extension, the world, Konga 103.7FM is quickly becoming a household name in the country’s evolving media space.
Speaking on the impact, Ifeoma Ajumobi, Head of Konga TV & Radio, noted: “Mr. Mohammed is exactly why we do what we do. At KongaFM, we’re not just filling the airwaves with music or talk, but filling a gap in people’s lives 24hrs daily. Whether it’s easing stress, igniting hope, as a domain of knowledge, or simply keeping people company through the night, our goal is to be the voice that truly resonates.
“We are building a station that listens, heals, inspires, and leads. And as we continue expanding our reach, our mission remains clear: to be Nigeria’s most human radio experience. One voice, one story, one soul at a time.”
KongaFM continues to deliver engaging programming in entertainment, inspiration, commerce, and culture. With a growing footprint in northern and southern Nigeria and a commitment to reflecting the voices of real people, the AI tech-driven station is positioning itself as a trailblazer in 21st-century African radio broadcasting.
Advertising Offences Tribunal (AOT) has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Captain Ado Sanusi, managing director, Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria Limited, for failing to appear before the tribunal in an ongoing case concerning alleged violations of Nigerian advertising laws.
The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) filed a 22-count charge against Captain Sanusi and Aero Contractors, accusing them of exposing advertisements targeted at the Nigerian market without obtaining the necessary approval from the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP). This, according to ARCON, contravenes established Nigerian advertising regulations.
The case was initially scheduled for hearing on February 26, 2025. However, during the proceedings, Captain Sanusi was absent, prompting his legal representatives to assure the tribunal of his presence at the next hearing while also pleading for leniency. Despite these assurances, the defendant failed to appear on the adjourned date.
Given Captain Sanusi’s continued absence, the Advertising Offences Tribunal, in line with its mandate to enforce compliance with advertising regulations, issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
The tribunal has ordered that he be presented at its next sitting, scheduled for May 8, 2025.
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