Accredify from Singapore Beats 260 Startups To Win 2023 Supernova Challenge

PRESS RELEASE

Accredify from Singapore beats 260 startups to win the 2023 Supernova Challenge

The Supernova Challenge is the biggest pitch competition in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 19, 2023/ -- Accredify, a Singapore-based startup and service provider for issuing verifiable documents and information, has emerged as the champion of the 2023 Supernova Challenge at Expand North Star Dubai (https://www.ExpandNorthStar.com/), the world's largest startup event. The startup received the $100,000 grand prize after an intense final round of pitching against 27 global finalists from 521 entries. The Supernova Challenge in partnership with the Dubai Future District Fund, is the region's biggest startup pitch competition, offering $200,000 in total cash prizes. The challenge is a key feature of Expand North Star Dubai, which hosted its biggest edition this year. It attracted over 1800+ startups from over 100 countries to explore the emerging opportunities in Dubai's dynamic, diverse and tech-driven digital economy. Simon Gordon, Chief Commercial Officer of the winning team, said, "Supernova 2023 has been an incredible experience. It's surreal to win this challenge at Expand North Star. This region, particularly the UAE, has so many great opportunities, and we are excited about using this prize money to expand our presence here." One of the judges at Supernova, Sharif El-Badawi, CEO of Dubai Future District Fund, commented, "It is encouraging to see a shift towards sustainable solutions that are better for the planet and its people. We witnessed several startups delivering concise yet compelling pitches that could impact our lives. The pitches we witnessed here at the Supernova Challenge are brimming with promise, unique innovations, and inspiring ideas." An expertly curated list of categories covered the latest trends in tech, inviting startups to showcase innovations that can solve some of our most pressing challenges. These included AI Disruptor, Fintech & Ecommerce Disruptor, Blockchain & Web3 Disruptor, Mobility & Smart Cities Disruptor, Healthtech & Wellness Disruptor, Martech Disruptor, Insurtech Disruptor in partnership with MENA Insuretech, Female Founder Award in partnership with the Sharjah Businesswomen Council, Africa Fast Award presented by GITEX Africa, Asia Fast Award, India Fast Award, and the Top MENA Award. In collaboration with GITEX Impact and Future Urbanism, Expand North Star also awarded the most proficient Sustainability and ESG Disruptor. Thirteen category winners representing the USA, India, UAE, South Korea, France, UK, Nigeria, Switzerland, China and Bangladesh took home $8,000 each in prize money, while the winner of the Female Founder Award won $10,000. The Supernova Challenge category winners were: Sustainability and ESG Disruptor: Zenerate from the USA, a platform providing AI-powered feasibility solutions for real estate development. AI Disruptor: Knorish, a platform that enables hobbyists, professionals and niche experts to build, launch, market and sell online courses powered by their own knowledge and as an extension of their own brand. Fintech and E-commerce Disruptor: Appro Technologies from the UAE, a digital platform simplifying retail banking onboarding. Blockchain and Web3 Disruptor: Verofax from the UAE, a platform enabling real-time consumption data by offering a unique microsite per product. Mobility and Smart Cities Disruptor: Innocel from France, a company providing clean energy solutions for a net zero future. Healthtech and Wellness Disruptor: Skia from Korea, a digital surgery guide solution using augmented reality (AR) technology. Martech Disruptor: Smartzer from the UK is a SaaS platform brands use to make live streams and videos interactive and shoppable to drive sales.   Female Founder Award: Matis from Switzerland, a platform empowering art market stakeholders with accessible and quantifiable tools for art authentication. Africa Fast Award: Gifty from Nigeria, an app that helps people easily share gift lists with family and friends and avoid duplicating purchases. Asia Fast Award: Urtopia from China, a company dedicated to revolutionizing urban transportation with its smart, sleek, and stealthy e-bikes. India Fast Award: EyeROV from India, a marine robotics company providing underwater ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) to various industries. Insurtech Disruptor: InsureCow from Bangladesh, a platform offering a 360° technology-powered cattle insurance and wellbeing monitoring solution.   Top MENA Award: Jalebi.io from the UAE is the world's first restaurant operating system that helps restaurants save 5% on the cost of every order served. The Supernova Challenge featured 40 startups selected from the Expand North Star global roadshow, a series of international pitch competitions held by the Dubai World Trade Centre and DCDE to attract startups to Dubai and foster collaborations with digital ecosystems in various countries. Expand North Star hosted by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy (DCDE) is the powerhouse startup show of GITEX Global, organized by the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) concluded this week marking its largest-ever edition at its new Dubai Harbour venue. For more information, please visit ExpandNorthStar.com. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Expand North Star.   Press information and photographic material: Media Center: https://apo-opa.info/3S63iUi On social media: Facebook: https://apo-opa.info/3ZQFJk6 Twitter: https://apo-opa.info/3QekNAe Instagram: https://apo-opa.info/3trU9ei LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.info/3RYqALw Youtube: https://apo-opa.info/3RWLfj9 Hashtag: #ExpandNorthStar Media Contact: Gareth Wright – PR Director Tel.: + 971 50 273 3832 Gareth.Wright@dwtc.com Tayce Marchesi – PR Executive Tel.: + 971 58 552 3994 Tayce.Marchesi@dwtc.com PR Agency, ASDA'A BCW Tel.: + 971 50 149 3906 gitex@bcw-global.com About Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC): A global business facilitator since 1979, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) is home to region's leading purpose-built convention and exhibition centre. DWTC provides a platform for connecting people, products, innovation and ideas from around the world through a dynamic calendar of international trade exhibitions and its own roster of sector leading mega events. As a designated free zone, complemented by award-winning commercial real estate, DWTC plays an integral role in Dubai and the region's growth story with an estimated total economic output of AED 200 Billion, attracting over 30 Million business visitors to Dubai over the past four decades. SOURCE Expand North Star

PalmPay Reinforces Commitment to Educate Users through Monthly Wallet Safety Workshops

PRESS RELEASE

PalmPay Reinforces Commitment to Educate Users through Monthly Wallet Safety Workshops

PalmPay is taking its commitment to user security to the next level by integrating liveness detection and facial recognition capabilities into its transaction scenarios, particularly during withdrawals

LAGOS, Nigeria, September 6, 2023/ -- As electronic payment platforms gain traction, the need for consumers to be conscious of their online security becomes paramount. Recent data highlights a surge in Nigerians adopting electronic platforms for day-to-day transactions. According to a recent report by the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) on Fraud and Forgeries in Nigerian banks for Q2, 2023, fraud cases have jumped to a whopping 276.98%. 

According to Chika Nwosu, MD/CEO of PalmPay, “With the growing use of digital payment platforms, new risks and concerns emerge for operators and users.”

In 2022, PalmPay introduced the Wallet Safety Workshop to ensure the security of user transaction privacy and stable and reliable transactions. This monthly campaign for payment security awareness helps customers improve their overall security knowledge, manage their personal information online, and learn how to spot and avoid e-scammers and fake news. 

Since the launch of the workshop, PalmPay has been using online and offline channels, including the app, social media, official website, and printed materials, to publicise and expose examples of social media and telecom fraud, as well as how to spot fraudulent behaviour and necessary steps to take to avoid being trapped.

In the past year, PalmPay has been educating users and the general public on various aspects of cybersecurity knowledge, such as password and devices management, risk identification, phishing, fraud detection, and payment security.

Internally, PalmPay has significantly fortified its security features, aiming to empower users in account protection. The Fintech has taken action against fraudulent accounts through an investigation of internal accounts and has banned thousands of problematic accounts to enhance user account security.

The introduction of device management feature allows users to control trusted devices and remove untrusted ones. When accessing the PalmPay app from an untrusted device, a comprehensive security verification process is required, combining OTP and PIN, to ensure top-tier security.

Additionally, an automatic logout feature has been implemented, allowing users to set a time limit for inactivity, followed by PIN entry upon re-entry. PalmPay also offers fingerprint and facial ID login options to enhance account access. In 2023, millions of users have linked secure email addresses for seamless receipt of in-app OTPs and future security-related notifications.

PalmPay is taking its commitment to user security to the next level by integrating liveness detection and facial recognition capabilities into its transaction scenarios, particularly during withdrawals. This security measure ensures a more accurate identification of potential fraudulent activities and unauthorized access, further safeguarding customer accounts.

Recently, PalmPay unveiled the new PalmPay Business App, featuring a comprehensive security upgrade. It now integrates advanced features such as liveness detection and facial recognition. The upgraded system verifies if the user's actions are performed by the genuine account holder. Even in cases of telecom fraud where sensitive information like OTP/PIN might have been compromised, the system can use facial recognition to confirm the user's identity, thereby safeguarding customer accounts and financial assets.

According to Mr Nwosu, “It’s impressive that these efforts have led to remarkable financial recovery. In the first seven months of 2023, over $677 million has been successfully recovered for more than 853,000 users. This achievement highlights our commitment to safeguarding our customers' financial interests and assets.” He urged Nigerians who have not embraced e-wallet to do so because it is secure, convenient and accessible.   

The brand commits to keep educating users and the general public on security guidelines both on online and offline channels.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of PalmPay.

 

About PalmPay:

PalmPay is a leading Africa-focused fintech platform committed to driving economic empowerment in the continent. Through its secure, user-friendly and inclusive suite of financial services, PalmPay brings top-tier products into the pockets of everyday Nigerians.

PalmPay offers money transfers, bill payments, credit services and savings on its app and via its mobile money agents. 

Since launching in Nigeria in 2019 under a Mobile Money Operator licence, the platform has grown to over 25 million users. Over 500,000 mobile money agents and 400,000 merchants are part of its cashless payment ecosystem.

The company has raised USD 140m. The PalmPay app is available on the Google Play Store and iOS App Store in Nigeria and Ghana, with more markets going live. 

SOURCE

PalmPay

#Palmpay

#digitalbank

#transfers

#payments

#money

#Nigeria

#Nigerians

#wallets

#pockets

#merchants

#GooglePlay

#IOS

#mobile

#fintech

There Cannot Be Any Acceleration and Expansion of Digital Economy Without Biometric IDV

There cannot be any acceleration and expansion of digital economy without biometric Identity Verification (IDV) for all transactions.

-  Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
The CEO, 
International Digital Post Network Limited.

iPost From Lagos To San Francisco

In 2013, I launched the Screen Naija Outdoor Cinema project of my Screen Outdoor Open Air Cinema (SOOAC) cosponsored by the Bank of Industry (BoI) of Nigeria at the Freedom Park on Lagos Island and attracted the IMAX Corporation of Canada to come to Nigeria to meet with me the BoI and the Amuwo Odofin Local Government with the choice of having the first IMAX Cinema in West Africa. I organized the first United Nations' International Day of the Girl Child celebrated in Nigeria with the premiere of the acclaimed documentary film, "Girl Rising" at the Silverbird Cinemas in the Silverbird Galleria on Victoria Island, Lagos. I published the first edition of the NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series, the first book series on Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry printed in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA..And I started the development of the iPost mobile video app with developers in Asia which was one of the 10 finalists of the annualu Fundfor Internet Research and Development – FIRE Africa Awards in 2014 for outstanding tech innovation. 

https://www.fireafrica.org/2014-fire-awards

I am satisfied with the app, but I want it to offer more than news and entertainment to include eCommerce and fintech and also include a channel for blockchain. 

iPost will be more advanced than Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. It has attracted angel investors in Silicon Valley in southern San Francisco Bay Area of California, the home of Apple, Facebook and Google and recently top NIgerian unicorn Flutterwave.  iPost is already among the new most anticipated startups on AngelList which raised a $100 million Series B led by Tiger and Accomplice at a $4 billion valuation.

The preseed fundraising round of iPost Nigeria will be done by an Asian equity firm that has done successful fundraising rounds for many startups, including two Nigerian startups.

Nigeria is the capital of startups in Africa with more unicorns than in any other country on the continent. And iPost Nigeria will become one of them one fine day. 

Partech Africa Report: Resilient African Tech Ecosystem Still Growing with $6.5 Billion Raised in 2022

PRESS RELEASE

Presenting the 2022 Partech Africa Report: Resilient African Tech Ecosystem Still Growing with $6.5 Billion Raised in 2022

Partech Africa, the VC fund dedicated to technology startups in Africa, has issued its annual report on Africa Tech Venture Capital

DAKAR, Senegal, January 24, 2023/ -- Amid the drastic pullback in global VC funding, the African tech ecosystem stands out with +8% growth from 2021. Debt funding doubled in volume to $1.5B, accounting for nearly a quarter of the total funding. Fintech, still leading, attracted 39% of the total equity volume; Nigeria retained the top spot with 23%

Partech Africa, the VC fund dedicated to technology startups in Africa, has issued its annual report on Africa Tech Venture Capital. The report, which aims to provide a practical picture of the state of the ecosystem, revealed that despite the global VC downturn, the African tech ecosystem grew faster than all other markets globally. 

Total funding invested into tech startups on the continent reached $6.5B, an increase of 8% vs 2021, spread across 764 deals - compared to 724 rounds in 2021. The report, consisting of disclosed and confidential deals, saw debt funding more than double in volume, reaching $1.55 billion through 71 deals [65% YoY growth]. In comparison, equity rounds showed a slight decline, as 653 African tech startups raised $4.9B [-6%] in 693 equity rounds [2% YoY growth].

Focusing on the equity funding, the report revealed the ecosystem was still accelerating during Q1 and Q2 of 2022 compared to 2021, with the YoY comparison showing Q1 and Q2 at +127% YoY and +83% YoY, respectively. However, the global VC slowdown stifled growth in activity in Q3 [-65% YoY] and Q4 [-35% YoY]. In 2022, fundraising activities remained flat across all stages. At $1.4M, Seed+ ticket sizes averaged higher in 2022 [+12% YoY], while Series A remained the same at $8.5M. Later stages reverted to 2019 levels, as Series B and Growth round sizes dropped by -23% and -50% YoY, respectively. In addition, 2022 witnessed a significant reduction in the number of megadeals [over 100M], with only seven deals compared to 14 in 2021.

Speaking on the launch of the annual report, Tidjane Deme, General Partner at Partech, said: "2022 was a particularly challenging year for the venture ecosystem worldwide, as venture and growth investors scaled back their investment by a third. However, by comparison, our report revealed the African tech ecosystem showed great resilience, as more investors have doubled their commitment to the continent by investing in local teams and funds dedicated to the market, which is proving to be the best way forward.”

Overall, Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt and Kenya remain the top investment destinations in Africa, with a share of total volume staying relatively steady at 72%. Nigeria retained the top rank, bringing in  $1.2B in capital, despite a decline of 36% from 2021; South Africa, Egypt, and Kenya each attracted over $0.7B in funding, with Ghana completing the top 5 with just over $0.2B. Overall, 28 countries attracted equity funding in 2022, 13 of them in Francophone Africa..

In light of the market downturn, the report’s findings also revealed that Fintech, which has historically attracted sizable investments, was the most impacted by the slowdown in the number of large rounds. However, fintech remains the most funded sector in Africa, and this across all sources of capital, with 39% of the total equity volume [$1.9B] and 45% of the total debt volume [$691M]. Other sectors have experienced substantial growth and gained a meaningful share of the equity funding activity this year, most notably Cleantech, which made a big comeback with 18% of total equity funding at $863M [+347% YoY] but also 39% of the total debt funding at $605M. 

The report's findings also show:

Female-founded startups raised 22% of all equity rounds in 2022, up 2 percentage points from 20% in 2021. They also contributed $644 Million or 13% of the total equity funding, down 3 percentage points from 16% in 2021.

Outside of the top 4 countries, Ghana ($202 million), Algeria ($150 million), Tunisia ($117 million) and Senegal ($105 million) were the only other countries that broke the $100M funding mark.

Despite a slowdown in the growth rate of equity investors, Africa’s tech ecosystem attracted 1,149 unique investors for the first time [+29% YoY in 2021]. African tech has seen more investors committed, with 89 participating in 5 or more deals (compared to 65 investors in 2021).

The number of debt investors active on the continent is growing 2.5x YoY, with a good mix of local debt institutions, international lenders with emerging market vehicles and Development Finance Institutions.

Cyril Collon, General Partner at Partech, added: “Much of our methodology has remained the same over the years, and we, therefore, can provide a snapshot of how the African continent has evolved over the years. Nigerian and the fintech vertical have remained at the top spot; however, in an environment where equity funding is more challenging, debt has proved to be a solid alternative source of African tech startups in 2022, which signals a maturity within each sector.”

Headquartered in Dakar, Partech Africa is the largest VC fund dedicated to technology startups in Africa. With a focus on Late Seed, Series A and B equity rounds in startups which are changing the way technology is used across multiple sectors, including education, mobility, finance and healthcare, the VC has, to date, invested in 17 African startups, such as Wave (http://bit.ly/3J9lGqy) and TradeDepot (http://bit.ly/3R2IgD9). Using the same methodology as previous years, the seventh Partech Africa annual report on African tech start-ups only includes equity rounds where the total amount is higher than US$200K.

To download the full ‘2022 Africa Tech Venture Capital’ report, click here (https://bit.ly/3R5mChF).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Partech Partners.

For media inquiries:

Isabelle Tresson: +33 7 86 08 85 85

itresson@partechpartners.com

About Partech Africa:

Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, Partech Africa is the largest VC fund dedicated to technology startups in Africa. Partech Africa focuses on series A and B equity rounds in startups which are changing the way technology is used in education, mobility, finance, healthcare, delivery, energy, etc.

About Partech:

Born in San Francisco 40 years ago and now headquartered in Paris, Partech is one of the most active tech investors in the world, bringing together capital, operational experience, and strategic support for entrepreneurs at seed, venture and growth stages. The company manages more than €2.5B and its current portfolio includes 210 companies in 40 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and the US.

www.PartechPartners.com

SOURCE

Partech Partners

More Unicorns Are Coming in Africa

I declared that 2020 will be the Year of the Unicorns and it came to pass with the total number of unicorns reaching 563 in 2020 and increased to 957 in 2021 when I declared that Our Unicorns Are Coming, Nigeria and the rest of Africa contributed to make up the 1, 000 unicorns so far in the world. And more unicorns are coming in Africa in 2023.  

The unicorns in Africa include the following:

Chippers Cash (over $2 billion) 

Andela – ($1.5 billion) 

OPay (over $2 billion) 

Wave ($1.7 billion) 

Flutterwave – ($1 billion) 

Paystack – ($1 billion) 

Interswitch ($1 billion) 

Jumia ($1 billion)

Fawry ($1 billion)

PiggyVest ($1 billion)

New unicorns will emerge from EdTech startups, decentralized transactions startups, ride sharing startups and sports betting startups.

Booming African Mobile Markets To Get Boost from Nordic Expertise

PRESS RELEASE

Booming African Mobile Markets To Get Boost from Nordic Expertise

Africa is poised to leap forward, unencumbered by legacy technologies and processes, and empowered by youthful demographics

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, October 25, 2022/ -- SUBTONOMY (https://www.Subtonomy.com/), the leading Network Experience Platform provider in the Nordics, has announced that it will be attending AfricaCom in South Africa (8-10 November 2022) to bring its world-class digital customer support offering to Africa. The African digital revolution It’s time to reappraise Africa’s place in the global digital market. Long held back by affordability and availability issues, the advent of cheaper smartphones and ubiquitous, higher capacity mobile networks have provided a huge springboard for growth. Young, internet-savvy Africans are optimistic and opportunistic about tech, utilizing it as a platform for their creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and thirst for education. Already the world leader in mobile money[1], Africa is poised to leap forward, unencumbered by legacy technologies and processes, and empowered by youthful demographics[2]. The continent’s rapid transition to a mobile-first, digital economy means that it already has more smartphone users than North America and by 2025 Sub-Saharan Africa will have 474 million internet users (39% of the population[3]). New demands on the network, new customer expectations Whether it’s using their phones for banking, finding work, shopping, creating, listening to music or watching their favorite shows, young Africans have moved far beyond their parents’ expectations of mobile services. While the future of the African mobile market may look rosy, it’s not without challenges, however. In the next few years, African operators will have to cope with onboarding large numbers of new customers[4] and find cost-effective ways to support them while they transition from 3G to 4G, from feature phones to smartphones, and from simple to complex service offerings. As if all of this were not enough, the expectations of African Gen Z customers are also rising rapidly. Like their social media friends around the world, they expect high-quality uninterrupted services backed by world-class, 24/7 customer support when things go wrong. If they don’t get it, they’re more willing than ever to simply walk away[5]. And this is precisely where African operators can benefit from the experience of other mobile-first markets such as the Nordics. Operators in the Nordics have pioneered efficient and cost-effective digital customer care for years. Subtonomy’s customers, for example, are already able to automate 75% of customer support in digital channels, and increase contact center efficiency to deliver 60% fewer escalations and 47% faster call handling. Future proofing support With things moving so rapidly in Africa, it’s hard for operators to manage change cost-effectively or predict what their support operations will look like in a few years. Will future African customers have virtual reality-based support, or get help via their digital assistants? Whatever happens, operators must squeeze the maximum value out of their existing equipment to keep costs down and reduce disruption, while at the same time innovating their customer support offerings and preparing for what’s coming. Fortunately, there’s a win-win here as well. Subtonomy’s Network Equipment Platform takes data from any existing source – including legacy probes (eg Amdocs, Anritsu, Commprove, Empirix, Exfo, Polystar, Radcom, Tektronix, Teoco or Viavi), BSS and OSS, cell data and device data – to deliver a 360o real-time view of actual customer experience, empowering 24/7 holistic support. “As the African mobile market matures, customers will expect better support from operators. As researcher Herring Shava[6] recently pointed out, two of the biggest causes of dissatisfaction with support are operators’ reliability (not doing things when they said they would) and responsiveness (not informing customers when they intend to fix problems). We’re proud to have helped our clients fix both these issues in the Nordics and look forward to helping African operators revolutionize the way they support their customers in future – giving them both happier customers and a competitive edge.” Andreas Jörbeck, CEO, Subtonomy  To find out more about Subtonomy’s offering, operators are invited to meet with Subtonomy at AfricaCom 2022, Telcos of Tomorrow booth A52. Book a meeting here: APO Group rep (malika.bouayad@apo-opa.com). [1] According to the GSMA, Africa accounts for 70% of the world’s $1 trillion mobile money transactions. [2] Africa has the largest number of Gen Zers (also called ‘Zoomers’) in the world, and more than a billion people under the age of 35. [3] Forecasts from GSMA. [4] By 2025 the GSMA forecasts Africa will have 120 million new subscribers and 170 million new mobile internet users, taking the proportion of the population using mobile internet to 40%. [5] According to a BrandsEye study (2019), 47.2% of the complaints raised by customers in South Africa were about the quality of customer service. Approximately 37% complained about the mobile network provider’s turnaround time, and 44.4% of the respondents complained about the network provider’s failure to attend to queries posted on social media. But in cases where the network provider did respond, 61% of consumers ended up being dissatisfied with the quality of service provided. [6] See: H. Shava. Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction Experience Among South African Mobile Telecommunications Consumers. Walter Sisulu University. Published in Eurasian Journal of Business and Management, 9(3), 2021, 217-232. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Subtonomy.   For more information or to set up an interview, please contact: Tina Rosén tina.rosen@subtonomy.com About Subtonomy: Subtonomy’s ML-driven Network Experience Platform provides unprecedented real-time insight into the experience of customers on any network (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G NSA, 5G SA, broadband and gigabit fiber). Its easy-to-use applications utilize this rich data to enable customer support teams to isolate and resolve problems faster; operational teams to prioritize fault fixing and network build according to actual customer need; business teams to up-sell to both business customers and consumers; and wholesale teams to understand the service they’re delivering to MVNO clients. Founded in Sweden in 2012, Subtonomy’s technology helps network operators deliver more personalized support and more proactive care to help its clients deliver a premium network experience.  We’re proud to have a 100% satisfied client base and to be finalists in the 2022 World Communications Awards for Customer Experience. Also see: Subtonomy’s website (https://www.Subtonomy.com/). SOURCE Subtonomy

AFRILABS: 2022 AfriLabs Annual Gathering

MEDIA ADVISORY

 

AFRILABS: 2022 AfriLabs Annual Gathering

 

The purpose of the press conference is to position the 2022 AfriLabs Annual Gathering as a global event

 

 

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, October 20, 2022/- WHAT: Founded in 2011, AfriLabs (https://AfriLabs.com/) is a network organisation supporting Innovation Centers across African countries, grounded on the mission of building a community around the rapidly emerging technology hubs in Africa. The AfriLabs Annual Gathering is AfriLabs’ flagship event which provides a unique opportunity for technology hubs within the AfriLabs network and other stakeholders of the African technology and innovation ecosystem (such as corporates, development agencies, academia, and investors) to convene, network, learn and share knowledge.

 

WHEN: Friday, 28th October 2022 

TIME: 11.00 am – 12.00 noon South African time. See here (https://bit.ly/3CNIZkX) what time it will be in your country

 

WHERE: Online Via ZOOM

 

All journalists should REGISTER here (https://bit.ly/3Sjw0NV) to receive Zoom log in details for your attendance: https://bit.ly/3Sjw0NV

Language: English (With simultaneous translation to French and Portuguese)

Details:

The purpose of the press conference is to position the 2022 AfriLabs Annual Gathering as a global event focused on driving dialogue to foster intra-Africa connectivity, collaboration and innovation. Key information about the Gathering will be provided during the press conference, we encourage participants register to attend the conference.

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AfriLabs.

 

For any interviews/media requests please contact:

English: Rosemary.Otalor@apo-opa.com or eneyah.phiri@apo-opa.com

French: yasmina.bileoma@apo-opa.com

OPC Technical contact: info@apo-opa.com

 

SOURCE

AfriLabs

New Nigeria on Pinterest Has Over 240, 000 Viewers Monthly

This is the screenshot of my New Nigeria blog on #Pinterest

I have over 1 million views monthly on my blogs with over 20, 000 Followers so far without fanfare and without publicity campaign.
When my mobile video app for all users of smartphones is released on #Google Play Store, there will be more than 95 million users in Nigeria alone before including users in every country in the world posting and sharing videos in their languages.

The mobile app will include e-commerce and streaming channel.
I already have access to premium content of regular supply of movies, series, documentaries, music videos, etc

#video #blogs #mobile #apps #photos #camera #smartphones #mobileapp #content #broadcasting #streaming #Nigeria #Africa #elections2023 #nigeriadecides2023

PalmPay Hits 10 Million User Milestone in Nigeria

 

PRESS RELEASE

PalmPay Hits 10 Million User Milestone in Nigeria

The fintech has gained significant traction with its payment’s app and nationwide agency banking network

Access Multimedia Content

LAGOS, Nigeria, August 31, 2022/ -- PalmPay (https://PalmPay.com/), a fintech innovator aiming to make digital payment more accessible and flexible, announced that it has reached 10 million users in Nigeria. This represents a doubling in its user base within just six months and puts its customer numbers in the same league as major institutions only 3 years after the company launched in the market. The fintech, which operates under a Mobile Money Operator license from the Central Bank of Nigeria, has gained significant traction with its payment’s app and nationwide agency banking network. Its proposition of instant financial account creation, fee-free bank transfers and cashback rewards on airtime and bill payments has appealed to Millennial and Gen-Z consumers, who are looking for more affordable banking options and prefer the convenience of a digital-first service. Nowadays PalmPay is processing millions of transactions a day. And around 20% of the company’s customer base report that the PalmPay app was their first financial account, demonstrating that the Mobile Money Operator is contributing to driving progress towards financial inclusion targets in Nigeria, where 36% of the population remains unbanked. Nigerians without smartphones can visit one of PalmPay’s 200,000 mobile money agents across the country, who can transact on their behalf or issue an innovative QR card that can be used to hold a balance. Consumers can also use PalmPay agents to deposit cash to their PalmPay accounts and to withdraw money using their debit cards through PalmPay-branded POS machines. “We are delighted to be able to celebrate this growth milestone and are proud of PalmPay’s track record of making cutting-edge financial services accessible to every Nigerian - including the unbanked.”, said Mr Chika Nwosu, Managing Director, PalmPay Nigeria, "The pandemic has accelerated the shift from cash to digital payments and we are looking forward to continuing to work together with regulators and our partners to innovate to meet the financial needs of consumers." “Our significant growth in Nigeria demonstrates PalmPay’s ability to innovate to meet the financial needs of consumers, and we are looking forward to replicating this success as we scale in more markets across Africa.” said Sofia Zab, PalmPay Global CMO. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of PalmPay.   Media Contact: PalmPay Global Communications press@palmpay-inc.com About PalmPay: PalmPay is a fintech innovator that aims to make digital payment more accessible and flexible for consumers and merchants. We improve users' digital payment experiences by offering instant financial account creation, money transfers, and bill payments. Since launching in 2019, PalmPay has quickly established itself as one of the continent's leading and fastest-growing payment providers with 10 million users and a mobile money agent network of 200,000. PalmPay raised a US$100 million Series A round of funding in August 2021, with US$140 million raised in total. The company is now operating in Nigeria and Tanzania, and will be scaling its proposition in other African markets in 2022. Learn more about PalmPay at https://www.PalmPay.com/ SOURCE PalmPay

Nigerians Spend N730 Billion Annually on Sports Betting

Nigerians Spend N730 Billion Annually on Sports Betting

Nigerians spend over 730 billion Naira annually on sports betting and at least two billion naira is generated daily, recent research data shows.

Data also revealed that over 60 million Nigerian punters spend over 3, 000 naira daily placing bet stakes. At least there are 50 betting sites in Nigeria with the number growing annually.

Spending N730 billion annually on sports betting is significant for a country which the 2022 national budget is N16. 39 trillion.

Respondents, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recently, said they placed bets to generate quick and easy income, and turn their passion for football into cash.

The report quoted a 28-year-old Fashion designer, Segun Mukoro saying, “Yes I bet and I do so weekly, especially when there is a league playing. When you have been betting for long, it’s easier to know what odds to play and what teams to bet on.

https://marketingedge.com.ng/nigerians-spend-n730billion-on-sports-betting-annually/

Register with 1xBet and get a 300% bonus of up to 145600 NGN for your first deposit!

https://1xbet.ng/en/bonus/rules/1st

1xBet Betting Company – Online Sports Betting

How does a bookmaker work?

Making a bet with a bookmaker is a great way to test your luck, get an adrenalin rush and make some money in the process. Hundreds of betting websites offer their services to millions of fans who like to bet on sports online. 1xBet Betting Company stands out among other online bookmakers. Although the company is relatively young, it has already won the trust of several hundred thousand active fans.

How to bet online with 1xBet

1xBet is regarded to be one of the best sports betting websites in Asia. We offer our customers not just real money betting but also an incredible thrill of backing your favorite teams in real time, an opportunity to chat with like-minded punters on the forum, and a chance to receive consultations and recommendations from professionals. Even a beginner will have no problem placing a bet with our company. Our website provides detailed rules and instructions, trustworthy statistics, and safe and convenient payment methods. This is why making a bet with us is incredibly easy. Registering is simple and you can place a bet with one click!

Which sports and events are offered for betting? Where do I look for predictions?

1xBet is the biggest bookmaker in the CIS-countries. Every sports fan and punter will find something to their liking on our website. Even the most demanding customers will discover numerous betting opportunities. Choose your bet! Every day, our traders price up more than a thousand events, from well-known to niche. We take bets on football, ice hockey, biathlon, baseball, boxing, table tennis, snooker, cycling, water polo and a great number of TV shows such as "Psychic Challenge", "What? Where? When?" and many others.

What does 1xBet Betting Company guarantee?

A wide selection of events. Fast and reliable bet processing. A unique opportunity to bet big on the most popular events. Guaranteed payments on all successful bets. High odds. Individual approach to every customer who wishes to place a bet on sports. A high level of professional service. Security and confidentiality.

Why is 1xBet better than other online bookmakers?

Online betting is an opportunity to convert virtual predictions into real money! Are you interested in sports in general – or maybe you are a fan of a particular team? Turn your passion into profit! Thanks to the Internet, you can bet at any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! We constantly update information about match outcomes so that you can get results in real time! The huge selection of bets offered on our website give each customer the chance to test their boldest predictions!

The main thing to know about 1xBet Betting Company!

The main advantage of our betting company is that we provide a unique opportunity to make LIVE bets. In-play betting significantly increases the chances of winning and generates enormous interest in sporting contests. 1xBet is a reliable bookmaker that strives to create a long-term association with each customer. We guarantee a personal approach with your best interests in mind, easy payment methods and, what is most important, 100% payouts on all winning bets! May luck never leave you!

1xbet.ng is owned and operated by BEAUFORTBET NIGERIA LIMITED, which operates under license №: 0001018 dated September 12, 2019 issued by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission of the Republic of Nigeria.

Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima with Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook

 #ThrowBackThursday 

The Next Big Thing

The Alpha Man, Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima meeting with Mark Zuckerberg, the Cofounder and CEO of Facebook on August 31, 2016 at the Afrinolly Space in Oreggun, Lagos Mainland, Lagos, Nigeria.

My second meeting with Mark will be coming up after the release of my mobile video app, the next big thing for social media networking, news, entertainment, e-commerce and fintech which will begin the total decentralization of financial transactions and all from an app.

#Michael #Chima #markzuckerberg #mobilevideo #mobileapplications #mobileapp
#nigeria #ceo #socialmedia #networking #fintech #video #entertainment #facebook #commerce #transactions #streaming #video #decentralized
#decentralization #money #finance #africa #broadcasting #iot

The Next Big Thing

 The Next Big Thing

Since 2014 I have been developing what will become the biggest and largest digital media network in the world and I have chosen to run with the vision Almighty God has shown me.
It is the greatest idea for the  digital media ecosystem.

I have shown only the MVP which will be a digital news media revolution in the history of modern news media in Africa.

My ultimate goal is the disruption of the  e-commerce and fintech industry by total decentralization of human interactions and transactions in every part of the world from the hand of everyone with a camera phone.
- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
The CEO,
International Digital Post Network Limited,
Lagos, San Francisco, New York.

#ceo #digital #network #fintech #africa #commerce #news #lagos #sanfrancisco #newyork #communications #phones #transactions #payments

India Has 100 Unicorns

 India Has 100 Unicorns

India is becoming the world's fastest-growing startup ecosystem with 100 Unicorn Startups, as of 2022. In today's world, unicorn startups are not as uncommon as before; however, building a unicorn startup is not easy. It takes a lot of hard work, commitment, and perseverance throughout the startup's journey to climb the ladder of unicorns, and the ones that have bagged the title of unicorns are discussed in this article.

Read more on 
https://startuptalky.com/top-unicorn-startups-india/

iPost NIgeria: News By the People for the People

My iPost, the  revolution of the news and entertainment industry in Nigeria to be launched soon.

News by the people for the people.

iPost mobile video app was one of the 10 finalists of the annual Fund for Internet Research and Development – FIRE Africa Awards in 2014 for outstanding tech innovation.

https://www.fireafrica.org/2014-fire-awards

Traditional Banking is Obsolete

 #fintech #banking #banks #Paypal #Mastercard #Visa #Amazon #Apple #apps #smartphone #money 

Traditional Banking is Obsolete

I have not been to my bank for any transaction since 2020. I have been using only my smart phone and fintech app.
No need for bank tellers and no need for banking halls.
The big buildings and skyscrapers of big banks are soon going to become abandoned buildings before 2030. Banks don't need big buildings and staffs can be reduced by 70%, because fintech apps are what banks need now and not overstaffed branches. Decentralized fintech apps will end centralized banking and financial operations. Even #Paypal and other online payment platforms using credit cards will become obsolete if they don't change.

We will say bye, bye to #Mastercard, #Visa, #AmericanExpress and others. All the decentralized fintech apps will be on our mobile phones, tablets and laptops.
REINVENT or become EXTINCT.

 
- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
https://angel.co/u/michael-chima-ekenyerengozi

Google, Apple, and Netflix Top List of Companies Generation Z Wants To Work For

The Rise of the Gen Z VC

“The barriers to entrepreneurship and investing have never been lower, and our generation is very aware of the opportunity we have.”

Generation Z is growing up and getting a tech job.

The oldest members of the world’s first truly digital native generation—folks born from the mid-1990s to 2010—are starting their careers, and they overwhelmingly want to work in tech.

Google, Apple, and Netflix top list of companies they want to work for, and 72% fancy the idea of becoming founders themselves.

Which raises a question: Who’s going to fund all those new startups?

According to a new report from AngelList, a new crop of Gen Z investors is emerging. They’re 10k strong and launching VC funds from their dorm rooms.

Click here to read the report

Reply To The Threat From PalmCredit, A Chinese Capitalist Loans Company in Nigeria

CUSTOMER NAME:...........................................................

PHONE NUMBER:..............................................................

THE ABOVE CLIENT HAS DUPED A CHINESE LENDING COMPANY (PALM CREDIT) BY COLLECTING A LOAN AND REFUSING TO PAYBACK. THE PUBLIC IS ADVISED TO TAKE CAUTION OF HIM/HER, AS HE/SHE HAS PROVEN TO BE DUBIOUS UNTIL HE PAYS BACK THE COMPANY'S MONEY. HE WILL SOON BE APPREHENDED. 

INFORM HIM/HER TO PAY THE COMPANY'S MONEY. 

(PALM CREDIT].

NOTE: IN LESS THAN 24HRS WE ARE SENDING THE ABOVE MESSAGE OUT TO ALL YOUR CONTACTS, KINDLY DO THE NEEDFUL TODAY.

 

Hello Palmcredit!

Do you know what it means to dupe?

When I have been paying over 2% default fees on the loan of N21, 000 + and now over N28, 000, including the default fees.

When I have a reply to my plea for extra time to pay back the loan.

Your threat shows how idiotic you half  educated Nigerian errand boys and girls of Chinese capitalists are.

Chinese who claim to be ruled by a Communist Party in their country, China come to Africa to practice the worse form of Capitalism and scamming the corrupt and incompetent governments in Africa.

Another Chinese company, StarTimes has a questionable partnership with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) without declaring any profit to the NTA and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture; National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) without verified forensic audit in over 11 years of operation in Nigeria.

I have to publish your threat and my reply on my Nigerians Report Online and 247 Nigeria on Twitter. And I am calling for  a probe on all the Chinese companies in Nigeria and search of all the warehouses of Chinese companies in Nigeria within the next 48 hours.

Sincerely,

EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima 

The CEO,

International Digital Post Network Limited.

Publisher/Editor, 

NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series 

247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter

https://mobile.twitter.com/247nigeria

https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchimaeyerengozi

Link Commerce Partners with Cellulant To Provide Digital Payment Options To Online Shoppers in Africa To Improve Cross-Border Trade

PRESS RELEASE

In a bid to Improve Cross-Border Trade Across Africa, Link Commerce Partners with Cellulant To avail relevant digital payment options to online Shoppers

The partnership between Cellulant and Link Commerce aims to break barriers between local and international commerce by addressing payment needs

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 27, 2021/ -- Pan-African payments company, Cellulant (www.Cellulant.io), has partnered with Link Commerce, a turn-key B2B eCommerce platform, to avail relevant digital payment options to consumers in Africa; making it possible to purchase goods directly from global retailers online.

The number of online shoppers in Africa has surged annually by 18% since 2014, according to a report by UNCTAD. As of 2019, the number of digital buyers in Africa experienced an increase to 233 million. The number of e-commerce users in the continent was projected to grow significantly in the next few years, according to a Statista forecast. In 2021, there might be some 334 million online shoppers in Africa. By 2024, there could be roughly 478 million, about double the number in 2019.

The most significant contributor to this surge in e-commerce is the rapid growth in smartphone penetration over the past decade in Africa and the shift in consumer-spend behaviour. They are turning more and more to online shopping for their goods. The payments infrastructure has also evolved to offer payments solutions that enable more consumers across Africa to participate in online shopping without a bank account.

The partnership between Cellulant and Link Commerce aims to break barriers between local and international commerce by addressing payment needs and enabling African consumers to shop directly from their favourite global stores using local payment options.

Link Commerce CEO Chris Folayan stated, “With a global surge in online sales, and travel restrictions, finding the right partner to enable our customer the ability to pay locally and via mobile payment platforms is important to us. We are excited to be partnering with Cellulant as we grow cross-border trade across Africa. Removing payment and delivery barriers by ensuring everyone can pay for and receive products directly from US/UK retailers via Link Commerce powered apps.”

Commenting on the partnership, Cellulant’s Acting CEO, Akshay Grover, stated, “In Africa, there are over 150 different payment channels, and in most cases, very fragmented for the consumers. Therefore any global retailer looking to reach African consumers needs to prioritise local payments such as mobile money into their strategy. Through our partnership with Link Commerce, we can connect consumers in two-thirds of the countries in Africa with global retailers on a single payments platform. Consumers can shop from US or UK retailers or any global businesses of their choice and pay easily with digital methods already familiar to them.’’

eCommerce platforms can leverage the partnership between Cellulant and ink Commerce to power trade and eCommerce activity to last mile-consumers. Retail platforms such as DHL eShop and Mall for Africa are some of the eCommerce businesses benefitting from this partnership.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Cellulant.

About Cellulant:

Cellulant is a leading Pan-African financial technology company providing a one-stop digital payments platform. Cellulant uses technology to connect people and their resources, making it easier to do business across Africa. Cellulant provides a single digital payments platform - named Tingg- addressing the complex payments needs of businesses. Tingg makes it easy to collect and make payments across multiple payment methods in different currencies, with the best customer experience for any business looking to digitise their payments. 

Today, Cellulant has an office presence in 18 African countries with a payment’s platform connecting thousands of businesses with 154 payment options across 35 countries. The platform powers payments for 220M consumers on a single inclusive network allowing for interoperability across Africa.

For further information contact:

Andrew Lala

media@cellulant.io

About Link Commerce:

Established in 2016, Link Commerce is an award-winning eCommerce platform that enables buyers in emerging markets to shop from US/UK retailers without any stress, hassle or worries with payment and delivery. The Link Commerce patented product ensures customers can pay for and receive products locally from over 250 US/UK stores. Link Commerce is pioneering how global cross-border e-commerce trade excels in emerging markets by providing easy ways to pay and last-mile delivery charges. Link Commerce operates across various markets in Africa, Latin America, Middle East, Caribbean Islands and Russia.

For more information:

Please email info@linkcommerce.com

SOURCE

Cellulant