The Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) recently reported a significant milestone in the country’s financial landscape: electronic payment transactions reaching a staggering N600 trillion in 2023.  This landmark figure highlights the profound shift towards digital payment methods in Nigeria’s economy and underscores the importance of understanding the factors driving this transformation. Read also: NIBSS cuts instant […]

Africa Fintech Network (AFN) and Cedar-IBSi FinTech Lab have officially sealed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), solidifying their partnership to nurture and fortify the burgeoning FinTech landscape bridging Africa and India. Empowering Collaboration: AFN Members Gain Access to Cedar-IBSi’s Expertise At the core of this strategic collaboration lies a commitment to mutual support, aimed […]

Google, the tech giant, has changed the name of its AI model from Bard to Gemini because it added more advanced features to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Google said it will now charge for Gemini Advanced, while Bard (Gemini) has always been free. The company says Gemini Advanced will be offered in over 150 countries […]

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is marking its 50th anniversary by honouring the achievements and contributions of small businesses and self-employed individuals across the UK.  The FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards 2024 are free to enter and open to all, regardless of whether they are FSB members or not. The deadline for applications is […]

Meta has announced a number of changes and initiatives meant to assist its adolescent users in the fight against sextortion on Tuesday. Notably, Meta announced that the online tool “Take It Down, run by the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and helps fund, will now be more widely available.  Along with a […]

Folake Owodunni, the co-founder and CEO of Emergency Response Africa, has a mission: to make healthcare accessible for everyone in Africa. Her startup, which provides emergency medical services using technology and a network of healthcare professionals, has been shortlisted for the Aurora Tech Award 2024, a prestigious recognition for women founders who are challenging gender […]

Vodacom and South African tech entrepreneur Nkosana Makate, who came up with the idea for “Please Call Me,” will go to court again, even though Makate recently won in the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa (SCA). Makate wanted to have the $2.5 million (R47 million) pay deal from the company looked over again. […]

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Olayemi Cardoso has revealed that mobile money and digital lending are expected to drive growth in the service sector in 2024. The announcement was made during the launch of The Nigerian Economic Summit Group 2024 Macroeconomic Outlook Report. Cardoso emphasised that these sectors would continue to dominate economic […]

Ghana is a country with a vibrant and diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem, where many startups and businesses are using technology and innovation to solve social and environmental challenges. However, these ventures often face barriers such as limited access to funding, mentorship, partnerships, and knowledge.  This is why UNICEF, in collaboration with KOICA and MEST Africa, launched […]

In a significant regulatory overhaul, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has taken a bold step by announcing a comprehensive ban on banks and financial technology companies (fintechs) participating in international money transfer services. The move, unveiled through new guidelines on January 31, 2024, marks a pivotal expansion of restrictions previously applicable solely to deposit […]

The Spring (Socially Assistive Robots in Gerontological Healthcare) Robots designed to assist elderly patients have entered a crucial phase of testing, offering promising prospects for enhancing the quality of care for ageing populations. The initial trial took place at Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris, in France.  With advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence, these devices […]

Applications are now open  for the DigitalforAll Challenge 2.0 through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Tech4Dev. The Challenge, according to NITDA, is a free project to help Nigerians improve their technical abilities and become interested in online certificates. The Challenge supports the Renewed Hope Agenda’s goal of increasing digital skills to accelerate […]

Facebook celebrates its 20th anniversary on Sunday, February 4, the day that Mark Zuckerberg, then an undergraduate at Harvard University, and three roommates created the social media platform. Over 271 million people in Africa use Facebook as of 2022, out of a total of over 2 billion active users every day. According to Statista, a research platform, the […]

Konga, the dependable online marketplace, has proven itself once again, this time taking home the trophy for Top Retailer in the Supplies Category at the just-ended Retail Bootcamp put on by Hewlett Packard.  The Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, was the venue of the two-day event, which provided a lively setting for […]

Elon Musk, the owner of X, formerly Twitter, is pleading with advertisers to return to the platform, even though it has been in the news recently for the wrong reasons.  The CEO, Linda Yaccarino, stressed X’s dedication to putting child safety online first in a letter sent to both current and past advertisers. Elon Musk, […]

The Edo State government has announced a partnership with the Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB), a leading innovation centre in Africa, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a global philanthropic organisation, to support the growth and development of tech startups in the state. The partnership aims to strengthen the digital solutions ecosystem in Edo State and […]

The African tech ecosystem faced a tough year in 2023, with funding dropping by almost half compared to 2022, according to Intelpoint. Many growth-stage startups struggled to raise capital, leading to layoffs, closures and fire sales. However, some investors remained bullish on the continent’s potential and launched new funds or increased their activity. Here are […]

MTN Group has revealed its intention to invest $215 million in the Republic of Benin over the course of the next three years.  MTN’s commitment to upgrading telecom infrastructure and improving connectivity in the West African nation is highlighted by this major financial pledge, which was made during a high-profile leadership visit to Cotonou for […]

Visa, a global leader in digital payments, has opened the application process for the second cohort of its Africa Fintech Accelerator program. The announcement was made at Fintech Day in Morocco, where industry experts gathered to explore opportunities for enhancing digital payments and financial inclusion in the country. The initiative aims to support Seed to […]

Y Combinator has selected Miden, a Nigerian startup that uses its API to let businesses issue virtual cards to customers for their winter 2024 batch.  Miden is the second Nigerian startup to join this year’s winter cohort, following Cleva, a cross-border payment service. Okiemute Avworhokai and Ini Udoh established Miden in 2022 to facilitate businesses’ […]