French health-tech company Alan has acquired Senegalese digital health startup Tanel, giving its founders and early investors a rare exit in Francophone Africa’s healthcare technology market.
The financial terms were not disclosed, but the deal marks Alan’s first expansion into Africa. Tanel, which operates in Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, serves about 70,000 members through more than 400 companies and a network of over 1,200 pharmacies and healthcare providers.
Tanel's co-founders will remain in charge of the business and lead Alan’s African expansion. The company will be rebranded as Alan, with plans to expand into English-speaking markets in West and East Africa.
For African founders, the acquisition gives early backers, including Nigeria’s Ventures Platform and Japan’s AAIC, an exit in a market where healthtech acquisitions remain uncommon.
The deal also shows how locally built healthcare infrastructure can become an entry point for larger international companies seeking to expand across Africa.
