IFC has appointed Dahlia Khalifa as its Regional Director for Nigeria, Central Africa, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Khalifa in her new will drive IFC’s strategy to create a more resilient and sustainable private sector to support development and job creation in the region. She will be based in Lagos, Nigeria.…
Author: AdeO
The African Development Fund, the concessional lending arm of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $6.63 million grant to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to develop the pharmaceutical sector in the sub-region. The project, which will be implemented over three years (2023-2025), is institutional…
Orange Botswana has become Orange’s first affiliate in Africa to launch 5G on a commercial scale. Available in greater Gaborone and Francistown, the 5G network will cover 30% of the population from the 11th November 2022 while other cities will follow in early 2023. The 5G technology will enable new…
Mastercard has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) to provide micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with access to digital, payment and training tools. The MoU will boost the capacity of MSMEs to grow their businesses while supporting the startup fintech community…
Global edtech company Snapplify has expanded its presence into West Africa as part of its mission to increase access to digital education. Established in South Africa in 2012, the company has achieved hundreds of registrations by educational institutions in the region. “Schools and tertiary institutions are looking for high-quality education…
Blnk, a fintech startup that enables instant consumer credit in Egypt, has raised $23.7 million in equity and debt funding, and $8.3 million in securitized bond issuance to accelerate financial inclusion within underserved communities across the country. The funds will support further development of Blnk’s Artificial Intelligence-powered lending infrastructure and…
Mobility and technology company, MAX has launched operations in Ghana with the appointment of David Hoyme as Director of International Growth and Expansion. Tolu Williams, Head, E-mobility at MAX said, “the official rollout in Ghana is a necessary step on the mission to address the perennial problems around urban and…
Nigerian Breweries Plc (NB) and CrossBoundary Energy have signed a $10 million deal for the commencement of two renewable energy (solar and battery storage hybrid) projects for NB Plc’s Ibadan and Ama breweries in Oyo and Enugu States. The deal will see CrossBoundary Energy expand the current renewable energy system…
Egypt’s foodtech startup Brotinni, has raised $600,000 in a Seed round led by Innlife investments. It plans to use the fresh funds to expand its dark butcher’s network, expand its logistics team and invest in its technology. Founded by Dalia Abou Omar, Brotinni offers a platform to order hand-cut, farm-sourced…
MTN Group and Microsoft have entered into a strategic partnership to accelerate digital and cloud transformation working towards a shared vision of driving Africa’s growth. The partnership aligns MTN’s strategic intent of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress to support governments, businesses of all sizes and customers using the versatility…
Netherlands headquartered fintech venture Yabx has launched operations in Nigeria to democratize credit across the country with its digital lending offerings. According to a World Bank Report the private credit bureau coverage in Nigeria was 13.9% in 2019. The numbers must have improved post-pandemic but there is still a long…
Leading infrastructure solutions provider in Africa, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has closed a $389 million dual currency Samurai term loan facility, split into US$382 million and JPY ¥1 billion. The transaction marks AFC’s second foray into the Japanese capital markets, following an inaugural Samurai loan facility in 2019, when the…
Smart Africa and MTN have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to advance digital skills in Africa in an effort to develop capacity for Africans to utilise ICTs and be fully empowered participants of an ICT-driven economy and society. The partnership establishes a digital skills ecosystem between the Smart Africa Digital…
MTN has launched the MTN Skills Academy to develop people across the continent as producers, consumers and innovators of digital technologies. The Academy was launched on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress Africa in Kigali, Rwanda and is aligned with the African Union’s ‘Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa’ as…
Orange has announced the winners of the 12th annual Orange Social Venture Priz (OSVP) in Africa and the Middle East. The Prize acknowledges the best tech start-up projects that make a positive impact on society or the environment in their region or align with sustainable development goals. The competition reflects…
Africa’s cross-border payments company, Chipper Cash has launched a new card product that enables customers in Uganda to make international transactions without the need for a bank account. Funded directly through the Chipper digital wallet, which people can load using mobile money, customers can now use the Chipper Card to…
Andela, the global marketplace for remote technical talent, has opened applications for its upcoming EPIC Tournament. In partnership with HackerEarth, the tournament will see elite developers working in teams to prototype solutions that will positively impact the growing global remote workforce. Participants can be located anywhere in the world but…
Mastercard and Cellulant have partnered to allow millions of Cellulant customers across Africa to shop and pay online with global merchants wherever Mastercard is accepted. The Mastercard virtual payment solution, linked to Cellulant’s payment gateway – Tingg, can unlock a host of opportunities for consumers, whether they have a bank…
Egypt’s fintech valU has acquired a minority stake in the social payment app Kiwe, for an unknown amount. Founded in 2017, valU is a subsidiary of EFG Hermes Holding that provides a buy now pay later (BNPL) service with a presence in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Founded in 2018 in…
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has committed $40 million in Energy Entrepreneurs Growth Fund (EEGF), in a mix of junior and senior notes to boost the development of renewable energy in Africa. Created in 2019, the EEGF offers catalytic financing and technical assistance to early and growth-stage companies…