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Visa has announced investments in four African fintech startups from its Visa Africa Fintech Accelerator, underscoring its commitment to financial inclusion and Africa’s digital ecosystem.
The investments focus on startups addressing Africa’s unique challenges including: Workpay, a Kenyan HR and payroll platform operating across 35 countries; Oze, a Ghana-based digital platform providing SMEs with record-keeping tools and an ML-powered credit scoring system; OkHi from Nigeria, a smart addressing solution to verify and locate physical addresses; and ORDA, a Nigerian restaurant management software supporting over 1,500 restaurants with inventory and order processing tools.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has awarded Currenzo, a Nigerian subsidiary of global financial platform Africhange, an International Money Transfer Operator (IMTO) license. This license allows Currenzo to process remittances directly into Nigeria without intermediaries, offering faster and more affordable transfers for Nigerians locally and abroad.
With this approval, Currenzo can now partner directly with Nigerian banks to streamline payments and reduce costs. The company has already partnered with three Nigerian banks and is actively seeking a settlement partner to secure transactions.
By using blockchain technology, Africhange aims to offer low-cost, efficient cross-border transfers, particularly for the African diaspora.
Absa Bank Zambia has launched the Cyberthon, a hackathon to address pressing cybersecurity challenges and spark innovation in digital protection.
The launch event, held in Lusaka on November 4, marked Absa’s continued commitment to advancing Zambia’s digital transformation.
The event highlighted the significance of collaboration in safeguarding Zambia's digital ecosystem. Cyberthon builds on the success of Absa’s previous hackathon, which was Zambia’s first Data Science Hackathon held last year.
Bamboo, a platform dedicated to empowering Africans to invest in global markets, has launched its new remittance app, Coins by Bamboo.
This app, announced on October 31, facilitates money transfers from the diaspora to Africa with low fees and favorable exchange rates, positioning Bamboo as a contender in the burgeoning remittance sector.
Available on both iOS and Android, the app currently supports transfers from Canada to Nigeria, with plans to expand to more regions soon.
Bitcoin Events is organizing The Blockchain Africa Conference 2024. This 10th edition aims to showcase advancements in Africa’s blockchain and cryptocurrency sectors.
The event will convene blockchain developers, investors, and industry leaders at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria on November 20, 2024.
Speakers include Charles Hoskinson, Founder of Cardano, Ernest Mbenkum, CEO of Interstellar Inc., and Stafford Masie, former CEO of Google Africa. A special fireside chat will feature blockchain pioneers Elizabeth Rossiello and Ernest Mbenkum reflecting on a decade of industry growth.
Pan-African venture capital firm Janngo Capital has finalized its second fund at $78 million, it announced on October 30. This further advances its commitment to early-stage tech startups across Africa.
Janngo distinguishes itself as a "gender-equal" investor, with 56% of its portfolio companies being women-led, given that Africa has the highest rate of female entrepreneurship globally, yet receives minimal VC backing for female founders.
The firm’s investments target diverse sectors including healthcare, logistics, financial services, retail, agritech, mobility, and the creator economy.
Nigeria-based fintech Moniepoint has raised $110 million in funding from investors, including Google, to expand digital payments and banking solutions across Africa. The investment, announced Tuesday, October 29, supports Moniepoint's goal to become a key player in Africa's financial ecosystem.
Existing investors Development Partners International and Lightrock led the round, with Google’s Africa Investment Fund and Verod Capital joining as new backers.
Moniepoint will use the capital to grow its business across Africa and build a unified platform for digital payments, banking, FX, credit, and business tools.
The Google Developer Group Lagos (GDG Lagos) has announced DevFest Lagos 2024, scheduled for November 15-16. As one of Africa’s major developer gatherings.
The two-day event, part of a global DevFest series, will feature expert talks, workshops, and networking opportunities, covering topics like AI, machine learning, and cloud computing. Interactive sessions and discussions on diversity, inclusion, and career growth will round out the program.
The Zambian government has formalized the Information and Communication Technology Association of Zambia (ICTAZ) Statutory Instrument Act of 2018, introducing vital regulations to establish professional standards and enhance cybersecurity in the ICT sector.
The new regulations mandate the registration of ICT professionals across Zambia. It aims to foster an accountable ICT sector, with standards professionals must adhere to as Zambia builds a digitally secure and ethical economy.
The Ministry of Information, Communications, and Digital Economy, alongside the Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA), inaugurated a Jitume Digital Hub at Rift Valley Technical Training Institute (RVTTI) in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, on October 25.
The event was led by ICT Principal Secretary Eng. John Tanui. The Jitume hubs aim to enhance digital literacy and support employability and entrepreneurship for youth in the Rift Valley, aligning with Kenya’s Vision 2030 for a skilled, tech-driven workforce.
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Google has teamed up with ALX South Africa to host Sub-Saharan Africa’s first Hardware Hackathon on 1 November 2024 at ALX’s Braamfontein hub.
The event will bring 20 selected learners from ALX’s talent pool to tackle real-world challenges in server hardware, Linux, and networking, simulating the work of Google Data Center Technicians.
Participants will compete for prizes and potential job opportunities with Google. The partnership, part of Google’s broader outreach strategy, aims to upskill young African talent and prepare them for tech careers.
South African digital transformation company Obami's Tech in Kind initiative is offering up to R1 million ($62,300) in pro bono digital services to South African non-profits and SMEs.
Selected organizations will receive up to R100,000 each in digital transformation services, including access to content digitization, course and program design.
Applications are open until October 31, 2024, and winners will also receive expert guidance and ongoing technical support to enhance their digital operations and efficiency.
Tech company Yango Group and Zindi, which connects organizations with data scientists, will host the 2024 Lusaka Mobility Prediction Hackathon on October 26. The competition will focus on predicting traffic patterns affected by weather.
The event will bring together data scientists and tech enthusiasts in Zambia to tackle real-world urban mobility challenges.
The hackathon aims to inspire Zambia's data science community by offering prizes to the top three participants. It is part of Yango’s commitment to driving urban solutions through data and technology.
Nigerian startups focused on sustainability and innovation are invited to apply for the Sterling Bank Green Innovation Challenge.
The initiative offers NGN2 million (US$1,200) grants for cleantech and social enterprise ventures and a NGN20 million (US$12.2 million) facility for agriculture businesses.
Applications are open until October 20. Applicants must have operated for at least two years, offer locally developed solutions, and have a scale-up plan.