- uLesson, a leading edtech in Nigeria recently launched Nigeria's first online open university, Miva. This is how uLesson did it over a four year period.
https://techcabal.com/2023/12/01/how-ulesson-became-an-online-university-from-an-extra-lesson-company/
By @theprincelyx
- Recent surges in home solar energy installations across Africa indicate that more people on the continent may have access to electricity than previously thought.
- Delegates from 36 African countries have been invited to Moscow next month to pitch digital services to Russian investors as part of a project affiliated with Russia's NIDF where Putin’s daughter, Katerina Tikhonova, is the general director.
More in #TCDaily.
- Black Friday is said to be the busiest shopping day of the year in the US, but not in Lagos. All that fever seems gone due to paltry discounts and inflation.
- At first glance, Africa’s B2B payments sector looks like a saturated market. Many high-profile companies have emerged over the years to process payments on behalf of global merchants. Yet, despite its rapid growth in recent years, Africa’s payments sector is barely scratching the surface. Africa’s…
- It’s the fintechisation of a trend that started last year as venture debt took the world of venture capital by storm.
It’s the fintechisation of a trend that started last year as venture debt took the world of venture capital by storm.
- Convergence Partners wants to drive infrastructure development in Africa with $296 million fund
By Ephraim Modise
Link: techcabal.com/2023/11/30/andile-ngcaba-ask-an-investor/
- The first episode, which featured a conversation with Kola Aina covered a variety of topics, including his background before becoming a tech investor, and what he looks out for when backing founders.
- Yesterday, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that old naira notes would remain legal tender in the country until "further notice", effectively removing the December 2023 deadline.
More in #TCDaily.
- Statista reports that Africa's GDP per capita reached $2,150.6 in 2022 and is projected to hit $2,700 by 2026. This comes as no surprise, as the continent is rapidly evolving into a technology hub
- In June 2021, Lagos traffic drove Jackleen Nnely to move to the UK. At the time, Nnely had a 13-year career leading projects across companies like Apple and MTV Base Africa. Now, she's a senior associate at a top software company. Here's how she did it.
- Bolt discontinued the accounts of the affected driver partners over the last six months, seemingly to adhere to tough safety regulations by the transport authority.
- Remittance startup LemFi has halted its operations in Ghana one week after the Bank of Ghana identified it as one of eight fintechs operating without the necessary regulatory approvals.
More in #TCDaily.
- Climate-tech, and energy startups have displaced fintech companies in venture funding made into Africa. EchoVC's fund wants to be the first institutional cheque for this companies.
- The Startup Bill will offer some incentives such as tax breaks and access to credit for startups. William Ruto, Kenya’s President, has confirmed that the Startup Bill 2022, which seeks to provide employment opportunities for Kenyan youth and tax breaks for startups, will be signed into law by…
- Lemfi, the remittance startup that raised $33 million in a Series A round in August, has suspended its operations in Ghana one week after the country's Central Bank said it was operating without regulatory approval.
- When it comes to PR, Talking Drum Communications founder Bemi Idowu wants people to know that it's more than just press releases, it's storytelling. Read Bemi's ideals on PR in this Quick Fire 🔥 conversation.
- Twiga secured the new funding from Creadev, Juven, TLcom Capital Partners, and DOB Equity, four investors that participated in its 2021 $50 million Series C.
- Nigeria joins 17 other countries to sign an agreement on AI safety one week after OpenAI employees raised alarm on the safety of the company's advanced AI system.
More in #TcDaily
- Zenith Bank wants to play on the global stage with expansion to France. Its expansion into Europe would foster it's broader agenda of cross-border marketing in international trade transactions.
- If anything happens to the macro-economics of the foreign investors investing in African startups, it will have an effect in Africa. So what needs to change?
- Four days after its repayment plan was due to start, fintech Patricia identified a Nigerian politician, William Bonse, as a culprit in its 2022 $2 million hack. Bonsu allegedly diverted ₦607 million ($760,000) from the fintech's account.
More in #TC Daily.
- Africans prefer making payments via USSD because of its efficiency and straightforwardness. Other channels such as apps and QR codes introduce friction points like internet connectivity and smartphone access.
- Former Google project CSquared seeks to connect Africa with $25 million raise
By Ephraim Modise
Link: techcabal.com/2023/11/25/lanre-kolade-csquared-ceo/
- Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor, Yemi Cardoso, has unveiled a plan to hedge against soaring inflation that has jumped for the tenth consecutive time in October 2023.
- The ride-hailing space in Nigeria has taken a big hit in the wake of the subsidy removal policy, which has led to high pump prices. How can food delivery services survive?
- Nigerian startup, WiCrypt partners with Onega Ventures to bring its blockchain-powered Wi-Fi network to China. The deal will see Onega Ventures become the exclusive distributor of WiCrypt devices in China.
- Brazil-based cyberterrorist group N4ughtySecTU is now threatening to leak the data of two South African consumer credit reporting agencies within the next 72 hours unless it is paid $60 million.
More in #TC Daily.
- The Central Bank of Nigeria is mandated by law to hold monetary policy committee (MPC) meetings every two months to set the lending rate for Africa’s biggest economy. Still, it has failed to do so since July.
- Telkom share price surges after infrastructure-provider model pivot announcement
By Ephraim Modise
Link: techcabal.com/2023/11/23/telkom-share-price-surges-after-infrastructure-provider-model-pivot-announcement/
- With increased access to education and training, the rise of mobile technology and digital platforms, and a growing recognition of the importance of diversity and inclusion, African women will make even greater contributions to the ecosystem.
- Kenya hosts many global cloud services provider, including Google and Amazon. However, the government has picked Microsoft to move e-govt services to the cloud.
- Brolly, a Ghanaian startup underwritten by Allianz, is partnering with Bolt to insure drivers in Ghana. The startup had piloted its pay-as-you-go auto insurance solution, which allows drivers to pay premiums daily or weekly, with over 2,000 ride-sharing drivers before the partnership.
- The Nigerian minister for comms, innovation and digital economy has unveiled the Startup Engagement Portal. The Portal, which comes one year after the enactment of the Nigeria Startup Act, will simplify registration for startups.
More in #TC Daily.
- If you’re just Entering Tech, put dreams of mastery in the backseat and focus, first, on being efficient. Here's what this player's two-year journey to becoming an efficient League of Legends player can teach us about mastering tech roles.
- Despite the global economic downturn, the perception is that VCs are sitting on massive piles of capital that they haven't deployed. Is that the case?
Here is an inside look:
- M-KOPA, a digital financing firm is targeting South Africa's mass market as it enters the country for the first time to offer its smart products to low-income households in Soweto.
- OpenAI has rolled out a voice chat feature for all ChatGPT users, and it’s completely free to use for everyone with the app! You can choose from one of five voices and ask it anything, the same way you’d ask with the text feature.
More in #TCDaily.
- Peppa, a startup that offers escrow services to people shopping online, has filed a police complaint against Jude Dike and Temitope Ekundayo, the co-founders of GetEquity
- Alerzo, the e-commerce startup that raised $10.5 million in a Series A round in 2021, has laid off at least 100 people eight months after it laid off 400 employees. A company spokesperson confirmed that at least 100 roles were affected but did not share an exact figure.
- By helping more small customers and enterprises meet international orders, Jetstream Africa hopes to grow faster and become more attractive to investors ahead of a planned series A.
- Bolt Nigeria will announce the 10 finalists for its accelerator programme today. The Den accelerator will give the drivers €2,000 ($2,190) in seed funding to pursue sustainable mobility solutions.
More in #TCDaily.
- Okada Books, Nigeria’s pioneer digital publishing and bookselling platform, will shut down on November 30, 2023, citing tough macroeconomic conditions.
- Savvy investors (VC or not) have the opportunity to pick up the leftovers of businesses that were runover and left for dead post 2021 hype and stitch miracles together.
