Cynoia brings project management to 200 million more Africans with Swahili and Wolof support

04 Jun 2025

Teams across East and West Africa can now collaborate in their native languages

TUNIS, Tunisia, June 4,2025 -- Cynoia (https://cynoia.com), the African-built team workspace platform, today announced native language support for Swahili and Wolof, extending professional collaboration tools to over 200 million additional people across East and West Africa. Teams from Nairobi to Dakar can now manage projects, communicate, and collaborate using Cynoia's all-in-one platform in their preferred language.

The addition of Swahili, spoken by 180 million people across East Africa, and Wolof, used by 20-25 million people primarily in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania, is the most significant accessibility advance in African business software this year. For the first time, teams across these regions can access enterprise-level project management, communication, and collaboration tools without language barriers.

"This is about more than translation – it's about true inclusion," says Nassreddine Riahi,

CEO of Cynoia. "When a project manager in Mombasa or a startup team in Dakar can use professional tools in their native language, everything changes. Productivity increases, adoption accelerates, and teams can focus on their work instead of struggling with unfamiliar interfaces."

Teams across East and West Africa can now collaborate in their native languages

TUNIS, Tunisia, June 4,2025 -- Cynoia (https://cynoia.com), the African-built team workspace platform, today announced native language support for Swahili and Wolof, extending professional collaboration tools to over 200 million additional people across East and West Africa. Teams from Nairobi to Dakar can now manage projects, communicate, and collaborate using Cynoia's all-in-one platform in their preferred language.

The addition of Swahili, spoken by 180 million people across East Africa, and Wolof, used by 20-25 million people primarily in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania, is the most significant accessibility advance in African business software this year. For the first time, teams across these regions can access enterprise-level project management, communication, and collaboration tools without language barriers.

"This is about more than translation – it's about true inclusion," says Nassreddine Riahi,

CEO of Cynoia. "When a project manager in Mombasa or a startup team in Dakar can use professional tools in their native language, everything changes. Productivity increases, adoption accelerates, and teams can focus on their work instead of struggling with unfamiliar interfaces."

Teams across East and West Africa can now collaborate in their native languages

TUNIS, Tunisia, June 4,2025 -- Cynoia (https://cynoia.com), the African-built team workspace platform, today announced native language support for Swahili and Wolof, extending professional collaboration tools to over 200 million additional people across East and West Africa. Teams from Nairobi to Dakar can now manage projects, communicate, and collaborate using Cynoia's all-in-one platform in their preferred language.

The addition of Swahili, spoken by 180 million people across East Africa, and Wolof, used by 20-25 million people primarily in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania, is the most significant accessibility advance in African business software this year. For the first time, teams across these regions can access enterprise-level project management, communication, and collaboration tools without language barriers.

"This is about more than translation – it's about true inclusion," says Nassreddine Riahi,

CEO of Cynoia. "When a project manager in Mombasa or a startup team in Dakar can use professional tools in their native language, everything changes. Productivity increases, adoption accelerates, and teams can focus on their work instead of struggling with unfamiliar interfaces."

Breaking down digital barriers across Africa

The language expansion addresses a critical gap in the African tech ecosystem, where teams have been forced to work with tools designed elsewhere, in languages that aren't their own. This barrier has particularly affected small businesses, NGOs, and startups – the very organisations driving economic growth across the continent.

"We've watched brilliant teams struggle with English or French-only tools that slow them down, " explains Felipe Millan, Chief Marketing Officer. "A team leader in rural Kenya shouldn't need to translate their thoughts before updating a project. A community organisation in Senegal shouldn't lose productivity because their tools don't speak their language. We're changing that reality."

The update also includes Spanish language support, bringing Cynoia's total reach to over 700 million users globally whilst maintaining its core focus on African business needs.

Empowering local communities through Cynoia Impact

The language expansion significantly enhances Cynoia's Cynoia Impact programme, which provides a 50% discount for the first year to NGOs and non-profit organisations working across Africa. Community organisations can now coordinate projects, manage volunteers, and track impact using tools that speak their language – literally.

Startups receive three months free access, followed by a 50% discount for the next 9 months and Educational institutions receive 40% off, making professional collaboration accessible regardless of budget constraints.

"Language accessibility is especially crucial for organisations working at the grassroots level, " notes Ayoub Rabeh, Chief Product Officer. "When a health NGO in rural Tanzania or a women's cooperative in rural Senegal can use professional project management tools in their local language, they can serve their communities more effectively."

Breaking down digital barriers across Africa

The language expansion addresses a critical gap in the African tech ecosystem, where teams have been forced to work with tools designed elsewhere, in languages that aren't their own. This barrier has particularly affected small businesses, NGOs, and startups – the very organisations driving economic growth across the continent.

"We've watched brilliant teams struggle with English or French-only tools that slow them down, " explains Felipe Millan, Chief Marketing Officer. "A team leader in rural Kenya shouldn't need to translate their thoughts before updating a project. A community organisation in Senegal shouldn't lose productivity because their tools don't speak their language. We're changing that reality."

The update also includes Spanish language support, bringing Cynoia's total reach to over 700 million users globally whilst maintaining its core focus on African business needs.

Empowering local communities through Cynoia Impact

The language expansion significantly enhances Cynoia's Cynoia Impact programme, which provides a 50% discount for the first year to NGOs and non-profit organisations working across Africa. Community organisations can now coordinate projects, manage volunteers, and track impact using tools that speak their language – literally.

Startups receive three months free access, followed by a 50% discount for the next 9 months and Educational institutions receive 40% off, making professional collaboration accessible regardless of budget constraints.

"Language accessibility is especially crucial for organisations working at the grassroots level, " notes Ayoub Rabeh, Chief Product Officer. "When a health NGO in rural Tanzania or a women's cooperative in rural Senegal can use professional project management tools in their local language, they can serve their communities more effectively."

Breaking down digital barriers across Africa

The language expansion addresses a critical gap in the African tech ecosystem, where teams have been forced to work with tools designed elsewhere, in languages that aren't their own. This barrier has particularly affected small businesses, NGOs, and startups – the very organisations driving economic growth across the continent.

"We've watched brilliant teams struggle with English or French-only tools that slow them down, " explains Felipe Millan, Chief Marketing Officer. "A team leader in rural Kenya shouldn't need to translate their thoughts before updating a project. A community organisation in Senegal shouldn't lose productivity because their tools don't speak their language. We're changing that reality."

The update also includes Spanish language support, bringing Cynoia's total reach to over 700 million users globally whilst maintaining its core focus on African business needs.

Empowering local communities through Cynoia Impact

The language expansion significantly enhances Cynoia's Cynoia Impact programme, which provides a 50% discount for the first year to NGOs and non-profit organisations working across Africa. Community organisations can now coordinate projects, manage volunteers, and track impact using tools that speak their language – literally.

Startups receive three months free access, followed by a 50% discount for the next 9 months and Educational institutions receive 40% off, making professional collaboration accessible regardless of budget constraints.

"Language accessibility is especially crucial for organisations working at the grassroots level, " notes Ayoub Rabeh, Chief Product Officer. "When a health NGO in rural Tanzania or a women's cooperative in rural Senegal can use professional project management tools in their local language, they can serve their communities more effectively."

Enterprise features in local languages

Teams using Swahili and Wolof now have access to Cynoia's complete feature set,

including:

  • Project management with task tracking, team collaboration, and progress monitoring

  • Advanced budget analytics with real-time spending tracking and forecasting

  • Team communication through chat, @mentions, and file sharing

  • Video conferencing optimised for various connection speeds

  • Document collaboration with shared notes and bulk management capabilities

  • Calendar integration with task visibility and Google Calendar sync

The platform's bandwidth-efficient design ensures smooth operation even in areas with limited internet speed – a crucial consideration for teams across Africa.

Setting the foundation for AI innovation

The multi-language support creates the foundation for Cynoia's upcoming AI engine, Hannibal, scheduled to launch later in 2025. When AI assistance becomes available, it will be accessible to users in their preferred language from day one.

"Hannibal will democratise AI access across Africa, but only if it speaks the languages people actually use, " explains Nermine Slimane, Chief Technology Officer. "This language expansion ensures our AI will be truly inclusive when it launches."

Commitment to security and standards

Alongside the language expansion, Cynoia announced it is actively pursuing ISO 27001/42001 and SOC 2 Type 2 certifications, demonstrating its commitment to enterprise-level security standards whilst maintaining accessibility for African businesses.

"Security and accessibility aren't mutually exclusive," adds Slimane. African businesses "deserve tools that are both secure and speak their language."

Immediate availability and impact

The Swahili and Wolof language options are available immediately across all Cynoia plans, including the free Community Plan for teams up to 10 users. The platform helps businesses reduce software costs by up to 80% by combining multiple tools into one integrated workspace.

Cynoia was recognised as Best SaaS Startup at the AfricArena Grand Summit 2024, highlighting its impact on African business productivity. The company has expanded its presence across Africa, with users in Tunisia, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and Rwanda.

"This isn't just about adding languages to our platform," concludes Riahi. "It's aboutrecognising that African businesses and organisations deserve tools that understand their context, respect their culture, and speak their language. Today, we're making that vision a reality for 200 million more people."

About Cynoia

Founded in 2022 by Nassreddine Riahi and Ayoub Rabeh, Cynoia is an African-built collaboration platform that combines project management, communication, and productivity tools in one seamless workspace. Designed specifically for African teams and businesses, Cynoia addresses unique regional challenges including connectivity constraints and budget limitations whilst delivering enterprise-level functionality. The platform serves organisations globally, with a leadership team that reflects the company's commitment to diversity, with women representing 47% of the company.

Enterprise features in local languages

Teams using Swahili and Wolof now have access to Cynoia's complete feature set,

including:

  • Project management with task tracking, team collaboration, and progress monitoring

  • Advanced budget analytics with real-time spending tracking and forecasting

  • Team communication through chat, @mentions, and file sharing

  • Video conferencing optimised for various connection speeds

  • Document collaboration with shared notes and bulk management capabilities

  • Calendar integration with task visibility and Google Calendar sync

The platform's bandwidth-efficient design ensures smooth operation even in areas with limited internet speed – a crucial consideration for teams across Africa.

Setting the foundation for AI innovation

The multi-language support creates the foundation for Cynoia's upcoming AI engine, Hannibal, scheduled to launch later in 2025. When AI assistance becomes available, it will be accessible to users in their preferred language from day one.

"Hannibal will democratise AI access across Africa, but only if it speaks the languages people actually use, " explains Nermine Slimane, Chief Technology Officer. "This language expansion ensures our AI will be truly inclusive when it launches."

Commitment to security and standards

Alongside the language expansion, Cynoia announced it is actively pursuing ISO 27001/42001 and SOC 2 Type 2 certifications, demonstrating its commitment to enterprise-level security standards whilst maintaining accessibility for African businesses.

"Security and accessibility aren't mutually exclusive," adds Slimane. African businesses "deserve tools that are both secure and speak their language."

Immediate availability and impact

The Swahili and Wolof language options are available immediately across all Cynoia plans, including the free Community Plan for teams up to 10 users. The platform helps businesses reduce software costs by up to 80% by combining multiple tools into one integrated workspace.

Cynoia was recognised as Best SaaS Startup at the AfricArena Grand Summit 2024, highlighting its impact on African business productivity. The company has expanded its presence across Africa, with users in Tunisia, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and Rwanda.

"This isn't just about adding languages to our platform," concludes Riahi. "It's aboutrecognising that African businesses and organisations deserve tools that understand their context, respect their culture, and speak their language. Today, we're making that vision a reality for 200 million more people."

About Cynoia

Founded in 2022 by Nassreddine Riahi and Ayoub Rabeh, Cynoia is an African-built collaboration platform that combines project management, communication, and productivity tools in one seamless workspace. Designed specifically for African teams and businesses, Cynoia addresses unique regional challenges including connectivity constraints and budget limitations whilst delivering enterprise-level functionality. The platform serves organisations globally, with a leadership team that reflects the company's commitment to diversity, with women representing 47% of the company.

Enterprise features in local languages

Teams using Swahili and Wolof now have access to Cynoia's complete feature set,

including:

  • Project management with task tracking, team collaboration, and progress monitoring

  • Advanced budget analytics with real-time spending tracking and forecasting

  • Team communication through chat, @mentions, and file sharing

  • Video conferencing optimised for various connection speeds

  • Document collaboration with shared notes and bulk management capabilities

  • Calendar integration with task visibility and Google Calendar sync

The platform's bandwidth-efficient design ensures smooth operation even in areas with limited internet speed – a crucial consideration for teams across Africa.

Setting the foundation for AI innovation

The multi-language support creates the foundation for Cynoia's upcoming AI engine, Hannibal, scheduled to launch later in 2025. When AI assistance becomes available, it will be accessible to users in their preferred language from day one.

"Hannibal will democratise AI access across Africa, but only if it speaks the languages people actually use, " explains Nermine Slimane, Chief Technology Officer. "This language expansion ensures our AI will be truly inclusive when it launches."

Commitment to security and standards

Alongside the language expansion, Cynoia announced it is actively pursuing ISO 27001/42001 and SOC 2 Type 2 certifications, demonstrating its commitment to enterprise-level security standards whilst maintaining accessibility for African businesses.

"Security and accessibility aren't mutually exclusive," adds Slimane. African businesses "deserve tools that are both secure and speak their language."

Immediate availability and impact

The Swahili and Wolof language options are available immediately across all Cynoia plans, including the free Community Plan for teams up to 10 users. The platform helps businesses reduce software costs by up to 80% by combining multiple tools into one integrated workspace.

Cynoia was recognised as Best SaaS Startup at the AfricArena Grand Summit 2024, highlighting its impact on African business productivity. The company has expanded its presence across Africa, with users in Tunisia, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and Rwanda.

"This isn't just about adding languages to our platform," concludes Riahi. "It's aboutrecognising that African businesses and organisations deserve tools that understand their context, respect their culture, and speak their language. Today, we're making that vision a reality for 200 million more people."

About Cynoia

Founded in 2022 by Nassreddine Riahi and Ayoub Rabeh, Cynoia is an African-built collaboration platform that combines project management, communication, and productivity tools in one seamless workspace. Designed specifically for African teams and businesses, Cynoia addresses unique regional challenges including connectivity constraints and budget limitations whilst delivering enterprise-level functionality. The platform serves organisations globally, with a leadership team that reflects the company's commitment to diversity, with women representing 47% of the company.

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Cynoia helps teams of all sizes work smarter, achieve goals, and save money.

Start for free. Explore all the features for 14 days, no credit card required.

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Community Plan

Small teams looking to test Cynoia and simplify their collaboration.

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500 project tasks

5 dedicated chat channels

1 dedicated video callroom

100 team notes

Pro Plan

Expanding teams that need advanced tools to collaborate effectively.

€12

user / per month

What's included

Unlimited paying users

Unlimited tasks and projects

Up to 50 chat channels

10 video call rooms

Unlimited notes

Team Plan

Companies seeking comprehensive features and enhanced security.

€249

month (50 users)

What's included

50 users

Unlimited tasks and projects

Unlimited chat channels

Unlimited video call rooms

Unlimited notes

Pricing Plans

Cynoia helps teams of all sizes work smarter, achieve goals, and save money.

Start for free. Explore all the features for 14 days, no credit card required.

Monthly

Annual ( -20%)

Community Plan

Small teams looking to test Cynoia and simplify their collaboration.

Free

What's included

Up to 10 users

500 project tasks

5 dedicated chat channels

1 dedicated video callroom

100 team notes

Pro Plan

Expanding teams that need advanced tools to collaborate effectively.

€12

user / per month

What's included

Unlimited paying users

Unlimited tasks and projects

Up to 50 chat channels

10 video call rooms

Unlimited notes

Team Plan

Companies seeking comprehensive features and enhanced security.

€249

month (50 users)

What's included

50 users

Unlimited tasks and projects

Unlimited chat channels

Unlimited video call rooms

Unlimited notes

Pricing Plans

Cynoia helps teams of all sizes work smarter, achieve goals, and save money.

Start for free. Explore all the features for 14 days, no credit card required.

Monthly

Annual ( -20%)

Community Plan

Small teams looking to test Cynoia and simplify their collaboration.

Free

What's included

Up to 10 users

500 project tasks

5 dedicated chat channels

1 dedicated video callroom

100 team notes

Pro Plan

Expanding teams that need advanced tools to collaborate effectively.

€12

user / per month

What's included

Unlimited paying users

Unlimited tasks and projects

Up to 50 chat channels

10 video call rooms

Unlimited notes

Team Plan

Companies seeking comprehensive features and enhanced security.

€249

month (50 users)

What's included

50 users

Unlimited tasks and projects

Unlimited chat channels

Unlimited video call rooms

Unlimited notes

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Simplify your projects today for free

No credit card · 14-day unlimited free trial · 10 free users forever

Simplify your projects today for free

No credit card · 14-day unlimited free trial · 10 free users forever