TechPression

Tag: Africa

  • Kenya scraps electronic travel authorisation for 52 African countries

    Kenya scraps electronic travel authorisation for 52 African countries

    Kenya has scrapped the electronic travel authorisation (eTA) for incoming visitors from other African nations per a new directive issued by the State House on Tuesday.

    The approval was given at the first cabinet meeting of the year, which was presided over by President William Ruto on Tuesday.

    Read also: Kenya’s Interior Ministry mandates Facebook, other social media companies to establish physical offices

    Somalia and Libya excluded 

    Despite relaxing its travel rules for African countries, Kenya withheld the eTA from Somalia and Libya citing “security concerns.”

    “As part of efforts to support open skies policies and tourism growth, a key proposal is to grant eTA exemptions to all African countries — except Somalia and Libya — due to security concerns,” the statement said..

    “This initiative aims to promote regional integration and ease travel across the continent.”

    According to the statement, East African Community (EAC) like Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda will continue to benefit from a six-month stay under the bloc’s free movement norms, but the majority of African tourists will only be permitted a two-month stay.

    “To improve efficiency, an expedited eTA processing option will be introduced, allowing travellers to receive approval instantly, with processing time capped at 72 hours based on operational capacity,” the State House added.

    “Additionally, the introduction of an Advanced Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record system will enhance pre-screening, strengthen security, and streamline passenger processing at entry points.”

    Read also: Kenya Space Agency denies demanding compensation from India over fallen rocket debris

    Enhancing travellers’ experience at all Kenyan airports 

    According to the statement, the cabinet gave the secretaries of the national finance, transportation, interior, and tourism departments a week to assess, report, and suggest recommendations for enhancing the traveller experience at all Kenyan airports.

    Kenya implemented a “visa-free” policy last year, requiring tourists to register online for approval before departing their nations.

    But the eTA, which eliminated the need for a visa for all travellers, was criticised for being a “visa by another name.”

    The eTA fee, which is $30, is only valid for 90 days.

  • Moniepoint, Visa partner to foster SMEs’ growth across Africa

    Moniepoint, Visa partner to foster SMEs’ growth across Africa

    Visa, a multinational payment corporation, has made a strategic investment in Nigerian fintech unicorn Moniepoint to support its growth across Africa and provide businesses with cutting-edge payment solutions.

    The business’s highly successful $110 million series C capital round, which increased its valuation to over $1 billion in October 2024, preceded this investment.

    In a statement released on Thursday, the nine-year-old fintech said the relationship combines Visa’s worldwide resources and capabilities with its creative business strategy and local knowledge.

    Read also: Visa, Naps partner to enhance financial inclusion in Morocco

    By accelerating African SMEs’ digital transformation, both companies want to promote financial inclusion and sustained economic growth.

    The company attributed its status as a major participant in the African fintech industry to its solid operational and financial history.

    Mission to digitise and support African businesses 

    Founder and Group CEO of Moniepoint Inc., Tosin Eniolorunda, said, “Visa’s backing is a strong endorsement of our vision to digitise and support African businesses at scale.”

    “Together, we aim to deepen financial inclusion, enabling SMEs to access the tools and resources they need to thrive in an increasingly digital economy,” he adds.

    “Given that, about 83 percent of employment across Africa is in the informal economy, we are very keen to widen access and participation in the formal financial system and drive economic growth across Africa,” he emphasised.

    He continued, “Visa’s expertise in global payments and Moniepoint’s proven ability to serve African businesses make this partnership an exciting opportunity in shaping the continent’s economic future even as we pave the way for a more inclusive and dynamic financial ecosystem.”

    “We are delighted to join forces with Visa to enhance the digital payment infrastructure, expand financial services, and foster innovation in Africa,” he concluded.

    Read also: Visa partners with Attijariwafa Bank to bolster Morocco’s digital payments system

    Commitment to advance digital economies in Africa 

    Andrew Torre, Visa’s Regional President for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa, said that Moniepoint has created a remarkable platform that directly meets the needs of SMEs in Africa, a crucial sector for promoting economic growth.

    He claimed that Moniepoint is contributing to a revolution in company operations in Nigeria and abroad by increasing the efficiency and accessibility of digital payments and financial services.

    He said, “We are excited to support their next phase of growth and innovation. Visa’s investment in Moniepoint is the latest example of our long-standing commitment to advancing digital economies in Africa.”

    “We will enable even the smallest businesses to thrive through innovative payment and software solutions that allow SMEs to scale and open new revenue opportunities while streamlining their operations,” Torre noted.

  • Airtel Malawi appoints Aashish Dutt to succeed

    Airtel Malawi appoints Aashish Dutt to succeed

    Airtel Malawi has appointed Aashish Dutt as its new Managing Director and his appointment is effective February 1, 2025.

    This announcement, made on Wednesday, marks a significant leadership transition for the company.

    Dutt succeeds Abdul Khayyum Shaik, who served as Acting Managing Director since November 2024.

    Read also: Airtel Africa enlists Simi, Fally Ipupa, Diamond Platnumz to promote #SmartaWithData campaign

    Aashish Dutt’s background

    With over 28 years of experience in telecommunications, including 14 years in executive roles, Dutt brings a wealth of knowledge to Airtel Malawi.

    His career began with Airtel Malawi as the Sales & Distribution Director in 2017, followed by his promotion to Chief Commercial Officer in 2021. Most recently, he served as Chief Commercial Officer for Airtel Kenya Networks.

    Dutt’s expertise lies in market expansion and customer lifecycle management. He has successfully led transformative projects to enhance revenue and market share across India and Africa.

    “We are excited and would like to congratulate Mr. Dutt on his appointment,” stated Kayisi Sadala, the acting board chairperson. “He brings vast experience and is well-equipped to steer Airtel Malawi forward.”

    Read also: Airtel Malawi expands network with new fiber partners

    In his new role, Dutt will focus on market execution, identifying growth opportunities, and fostering a team learning culture. His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Commerce from Calcutta University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Symbiosis Center in India.

    Airtel Malawi, established in 2010 as a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel International, is the country’s leading mobile service provider. It connects millions of Malawians through various data and voice solutions, offering the most prominent mobile money service via Airtel Money.

    As telecommunications’ new leader, Dutt is expected to innovate and improve the customer experience.

  • Klasha launches ‘Pay to China’ to enhance cross-border payment between Africa and China

    Klasha launches ‘Pay to China’ to enhance cross-border payment between Africa and China

    Klasha announced the introduction of its newest cross-border payment service – Pay to China, on Tuesday to enhance cross-border payment between Africa and China.

    Businesses and individuals can now instantly transfer Chinese Yuan (CNY) to Chinese bank accounts, Alipay wallets, WeChat wallets, and bank cards using their local African currencies. This feature was created to enable quick payments to China from Africa.

    Pay to China, which has an instant processing time of 5–10 minutes, helps African firms avoid frequent problems like high fees and delayed payments, especially in the industrial, retail, and e-commerce sectors where China is a crucial trading partner.

    Businesses can access this solution through the Klasha dashboard and API, guaranteeing a smooth and adaptable user experience.

    Read also: Klasha, Lianlian partner to simplify cross-border payments for Asian merchants in Africa

    About Klasha

    Klasha is a multinational technology business that is developing a platform and APIs to facilitate the easy transfer of funds to and from emerging nations.

    Through its comprehensive API stack, Klasha enables organisations to receive, send, and keep both hard and exotic currencies.

    Enterprise companies fuel their cross-border payments with their infrastructure and rails.

    Established by Jess Anuna in 2021, Klasha saves merchants time and money by receiving and sending more than 120 currencies.

  • MoneyHash raises $5.2 million Series A to expand operations to Middle East, Africa

    MoneyHash raises $5.2 million Series A to expand operations to Middle East, Africa

    MoneyHash, a pioneering payment orchestration platform founded by Nader Abdelrazik and Mustafa Eid in 2021, has successfully raised $5.2 million in a pre-Series A funding round announced on Monday.

    This funding will enhance its capabilities to streamline payment processes for merchants across the Middle East and Africa (MEA).

    Read also: SeamlessHR raises $9 million in Series A funding from Gates Foundation, Helios

    Funding details

    Flourish Ventures led the funding round, which included notable investors such as Saudi Arabia’s Vision Ventures, Arab Bank’s Xelerate program, and Emurgo Kepple Ventures.

    Jason Gardner, founder of Marqeta, made his first investment in the MEA region through this round.

    Existing backers such as COTU and GitHub founder Tom Preston-Werner also contributed, highlighting the growing confidence in MoneyHash’s innovative solutions.

    Addressing payment challenges

    MoneyHash aims to tackle the complexities of payment systems in emerging markets, where transaction failure rates are significantly higher than global averages.

    Read also: Ecobank, CrediCorp partner to provide loans for Nigerian workers

    “In emerging markets, payment infrastructure remains significantly underdeveloped,” Abdelrazik noted, emphasising the need for a robust solution that can transform payments from a liability into a strategic advantage.

    MoneyHash offers a unified API for pay-in and pay-out operations, customisable checkout experiences, and advanced transaction routing features.

    The platform integrates over 300 pre-connected APIs from various payment service providers across more than 100 markets. This extensive network allows businesses to scale their operations efficiently while maintaining high-performance metrics.

  • Vodacom emerges as Africa’s Top Employer for second consecutive year

    Vodacom emerges as Africa’s Top Employer for second consecutive year

    The Top Employers Institute has ranked Vodacom Group as Africa’s top employer for the second consecutive year. The company announced on Thursday.

    Additionally, Vodacom South Africa, Vodacom Mozambique, Vodacom Tanzania, and Safaricom Kenya have received this esteemed certification and achieved the top rating.

    According to their success in important HR areas such as people strategy, work environment, talent acquisition, learning, and well-being, organisations are awarded this honour by the Top Employers Institute organisations.

    Read also: Vodacom, Orange collaborate to launch 1,000 solar base stations to enhance Internet connectivity

    “We are incredibly proud to be certified as the Top Employer in Africa for the second year in a row. We believe that the well-being of our employees contributes directly to our ability to fulfil our purpose of connecting for a better future. By continually enhancing our Employee Value Proposition through empathetic and inclusive policies and practices, we are cultivating a workplace culture where people feel valued, empowered, and inspired to reach their full potential,” says Shameel Joosub, CEO of Vodacom Group.

    Vodacom enhanced its Employee Value Proposition in 2024 by providing employee benefits that match its dedication to fostering a welcoming and encouraging work environment.

    With a focus on C.A.R.E. (Compassion, Acceptance, Respect, and Empathy), the company’s improved health programs include a more comprehensive family responsibility leave policy and assistance for all life stages, including menopause.

    Vodacom Group launches Digital Skills Hub 

    “Maintaining our position as Africa’s Top Employer once again demonstrates our dedication to enabling our employees to thrive. However, our focus on nurturing talent and career development in the tech industry extends to the millions of young people across the continent who are the future of work. There is an urgent need to prepare the next generation for the rapidly evolving digital economy. To this end, we have launched the Digital Skills Hub, with the goal to equip one million young people in Africa by 2027 by providing access to self-paced, digital skills training for those aged between 18 and 35,” says Matimba Mbungela, Chief Human Resources Officer at Vodacom Group.

    The Vodacom Digital Skills Hub, which was created in partnership with other tech companies like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft, intends to close the digital skills gap in eight African nations—South Africa, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Lesotho, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Kenya—by increasing digital literacy throughout the continent.

    Read also: Vodacom South Africa leads Corporate Social Impact rankings for a record eighth year

    To encourage the future generation to pursue a career in STEM fields, the Vodacom Digital Skills Hub offers young people throughout the continent enjoyable and interesting hands-on training in digital skills.

    One of the first programs made available through the Digital Skills Hub is AWS Educate, which is also an addition to Vodacom’s other online learning platforms. AWS Educate provides novices with a vast collection of self-paced online courses covering everything from the basics of cloud computing to AI and machine learning.

    “As we embark on a new year, we want to encourage young people, whether they’re students, job seekers or aspiring entrepreneurs, to benefit from the Digital Skills Hub. By supporting digital skills training as a Top Employer, we are empowering the next workforce and ensuring that everyone can connect to a better future,” concludes Joosub.

  • Baobab Network invests in CreditChek to help African immigrants access financial services

    Baobab Network invests in CreditChek to help African immigrants access financial services

    The 2025 investment cycle of Baobab Network, a trailblazing early-stage investor and accelerator, began with an undisclosed investment in CreditChek, a Nigerian credit evaluation platform that confirms African consumers’ creditworthiness.

    Announcing the investment in the fintech startup on Friday, Baobab wrote, “The founding team combines deep fintech and technical expertise. CEO Kingsley Ibe brings multiple years of fintech experience, having previously built and scaled MicroMoni. CTO Lionel Orishane contributes over a decade of experience in systems architecture and cybersecurity.”

    Read also: CIRA Care set to transform childcare, elder care in Middle East with $27.7 million investment

    Baobab Network said the combined expertise of the professional team at CreditChek inspired confidence and noted that the startup has designed a new system that lowers credit assessment integration time to only 72 hours.

    “Together, they’ve developed technology that reduces credit assessment integration time from nine months to just 72 hours, making it faster and more affordable for financial institutions to serve immigrant customers. We’ve seen how similar solutions, such as Nova Credit have successfully addressed cross-border credit challenges in the U.S., and we believe CreditChek is poised to tackle this critical gap for Africa’s projected 147 million emigrants by 2050.”

    About CreditChek 

    CreditChek, which is based in Nigeria, makes it possible for banks and lenders to evaluate creditworthiness internationally in less than five minutes, hence facilitating access to financial services for African immigrants. The platform addresses an important issue: Given that their credit histories do not transfer between nations, 70 per cent of Africa’s 40 million yearly emigrants are denied access to fundamental financial services.

    Read also: Sierra Leone adopts results-based financing to expand solar minigrid electrification

    CreditChek offers a comprehensive solution to close this gap by establishing connections with key African credit bureaus, utilising open banking for income assessments, and integrating with government databases for identity verification.

    Interestingly, CreditChek leverages user-permitted, structured data from various sources to develop robust identity, credit, and verification services that enable banks, microfinance organisations, retail establishments, mobile money operators, and fintechs to develop better financial products for the underprivileged.

    The startup’s goal is to close the trust gap that exists between African credit businesses and credit-worthy individuals.

  • Ethio Telecom, AfDB dialogue on possible partnership to boost Ethiopia’s digital economy

    Ethio Telecom, AfDB dialogue on possible partnership to boost Ethiopia’s digital economy

    In an effort to strengthen Ethiopia’s digital economy and advance Africa’s larger digital transformation, Ethio Telecom and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have initiated a strategic dialogue on funding Ethio Telecom’s digital transformation projects, the state-owned telecom announced on Thursday.

    Increasing rural connectivity, developing fintech and cloud service innovation, and growing digital infrastructure are a few of the digital transformation projects.

    Read also: Ethio Telecom, Ministry of Innovation partner to enhance access to digital services for all Ethiopians

    AfDB Vice President of the Private Sector, Infrastructure, and Industrialisation Complex H.E. Solomon Quaynor, Deputy Director General for the East Africa Region Dr Leandre Bassole, and the bank’s senior management team visited Ethio telecom for a high-level strategic meeting in recognition of this shared vision.

    AfDB’s support for Ethio Telecom’s $1.1bn digital and telecom investment plan 

    The African Development Bank (AfDB) commended Ethio Telecom’s efforts to close the digital divide and reiterated its support for the company’s $1.1 billion investment plan in digital and telecom infrastructure.

    Frehiwot Tamru, the CEO, chaired the discussions, which centred on the company’s ambitious plan to realize a Digital Ethiopia and beyond.

    Ethio Telecom’s CEO explained during the conversation how Ethio Telecom is steadily expanding and developing as a major participant in Ethiopia’s and Africa’s digital transformation process.

    Frehiwot underlined how Ethiopian telecom is a dynamic force that is promoting economic opportunity and digital inclusion in Ethiopia and throughout Africa. The CEO emphasised how urgently funding is needed to grow telecom networks, which are the fundamental building blocks that enable many industries.

    Read also: Ethio Telecom, Jigjiga City Administration sign agreement to execute Smart City project

    Ethio Telecom’s efforts in Ethiopia’s digital transformation agenda 

    In addition to actively supporting Africa’s wider digital growth, the company is speeding Ethiopia’s transformation to a fully connected, technology-driven economy by growing its user base and launching cutting-edge digital products.

    Ethio Telecom, one of Africa’s biggest telecom providers, is dedicated to using technology to close the digital divide, generate income, and promote a more sustainable and inclusive future.

    CEO Frehiwot Tamru, stressed at the conference that Ethio Telecom is aggressively seeking important partners, especially financiers, to fulfill its vision of an Africa empowered by technology.

  • Techstars expands to Botswana with Community Catalyst

    Techstars expands to Botswana with Community Catalyst

    With the help of Techstars, Botswana is becoming more well-known as an emerging African centre for entrepreneurship.

    Techstars Startup Community Catalyst Africa Botswana revealed on Monday that they are here to help early-stage entrepreneurs sharpen their ideas, scale their businesses, and make a lasting impact in their startup communities.

    The program will include various educational activities for startups, such as Techstars Founder Catalyst, Techstars Community Development Lab, and Techstars Startup Weekends.

    Read also: TEEN TECH EXPO : TECH BEYOND BORDERS ; EMPOWERING TOMMOROW’S TECH INNOVATORS.

    It also works with Techstars and Merce Anders Equity Group, a private equity firm based in Botswana.

    “Botswana is uniquely positioned to become a vibrant startup community,” says Emilie Vallauri, Program Manager at Techstars. “Through this partnership with Merce Anders Equity Group, we aim to unlock the full potential of entrepreneurs in Botswana and neighbouring countries, enabling them to create transformative solutions locally and globally.”

    The program includes:

    Techstars Startup Weekend (March 28–30, 2025): A 54-hour event for aspiring entrepreneurs to form teams, develop ideas, and pitch to judges. Winners gain entry to the Founder Catalyst program.

    Techstars Community Development Lab (July 16, 2025): An invitation-only workshop for community leaders in Botswana, fostering collaboration and sharing strategies for building sustainable startup ecosystems.

    Techstars Founder Catalyst (May 5–July 20, 2025): A 10-week hybrid pre-accelerator for up to 20 early-stage startups, focusing on funding readiness and growth. Applications open on January 13, 2025.

    Read also: The emergence of a tech hub: Nnewi Tech Faculty

    “We are thrilled to partner with Techstars… to reshape the South African Community Development Community (SADC) startup ecosystem for global growth,” says Moagi Onkabetse, Executive Director of Merce Anders Equity Group.

    “Together, we aim to transform startups from ideation to scaling… establishing Botswana as the startup capital of Africa and a prime destination for market-ready solutions. This partnership marks a significant step toward sustainable innovation and investment in the region.”

    Techstars Founder Catalyst Africa Botswana applications are due March 16, 2025, for founders from Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

  • ASF Africa empowers women to bridge gender gap in tech

    ASF Africa empowers women to bridge gender gap in tech

    At the “Transitioning to Tech for Women” program’s gala finale, which is set for January 15 at The Mike Adenuga Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos, 10 women will each get N1 million grant. The event’s organiser, ASF Africa, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

    According to Peter Dingba, CEO of ASF Africa, the initiative was created to help close the gender gap in the digital sector by giving women the technical know-how and business savvy they need.

    “The programme celebrates the achievements of women who have completed a year-long training in technology skills and industry expertise,” Dingba said.

    Read also: Sama announces tech support for women

    Tech skills learnt 

    The participants have undergone training in data science, DevOps, frontend and backend programming, and tech business.

    At the event, the top 10 applicants will present their startup concepts in hopes of winning N1 million in awards.

    In addition, there will be panel discussions, chances to network with business executives, and the presentation of the “Outstanding Women in Tech Awards.”

    The United Nations, European Union, GIZ, IFC, United States Consulate, Dutch Consulate, Mastercard Foundation, MainOne, Aruwa Capital Management, Jobberman, AWS, notable media outlets, senior female IT founders, and other partners are anticipated to participate.

    “This is more than a grant programme. It is a celebration of women breaking barriers in technology,” Dingba added.