Global Tech - Afrikan Heroes

Swifttdial Launches Cloud-Based Contact Centre Solution in Kenya

December 28, 2020

After its success in the Kenyan market, infotech startup Swifttdial has launched a cloud-based contact centre solution that helps companies improve how they engage with their customers, as part of its expansion plans to other African countries. Founded in March, Swifttdial makes the process of business communications simple, affordable and user-friendly. The startup’s cloud-based contact centre solution allows companies to meet their customers at their point of convenience, be that voice, interactive text, or social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or WhatsApp, and respond to them from a single interface.

The cloud-based centre will enable messages from the different touchpoints to be intelligently rerouted to the right agent to create a custom experience. The CEO Vincent Ochieng said that the cloud-based phone system enables companies to receive calls from one number, after which the calls are distributed to different agents based on their skill sets.

“The benefits, which are always generated by having a highly effective customer service, are numerous, regardless of the size of the company. However, the tools, which are currently available for use for augmenting customer service, are out of reach for the SMEs.”

With most of the current systems on the market geared towards large enterprises, Swifttdial bids to make them cost-effective for SMEs. The self-funded startup charges clients setup fees, as well as a fee per agent, per company.

“We also resell bulk SMS and bulk airtime, as well as USSD services. We are currently adding more revenue streams like launching an outsourced contact centre platform,” said Ochieng.

Swifttdial has already secured 30 clients with an average of five customer service representatives, and is currently hiring more sales and business development staff to ensure it is in the position to grow.

“We are currently serving the Kenyan market. We however have a single client in Nigeria, and have plans of expanding to Uganda, Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana by mid-2021,” said Ochieng.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Telkom Pay Launches WhatApp Enabled Digital Wallet

December 18, 2020

South Africa’s leading telecoms company, Telkom has launched a WhatsApp enabled digital payment platform called Telkom Pay. The digital wallet lets users send and receive payments using the WhatsApp messaging app. Sibuso Ngwenya, Managing Executive at Telkom Financial Services explained that Telkom launched the financial services solutions that cater to everyone and that are easy to access through one’s phone 24/7 at an affordable price for consumers and businesses.

Sibuso Ngwenya, Managing Executive at Telkom Financial Services

“The platform allows users to pay others and get paid them using their mobile phone through the WhatsApp messaging app; to anyone on their contacts list. It also serves as a cashless Point of Sale (POS) payment option for businesses,” Telkom adds in its press release. Beyond transactions between users and businesses, you will also be able to purchase airtime, data, and electricity through Telkom Pay. You can also scan QR codes to make in-store and online payments — similarly to the way Snapscan and Zapper work. On how the platform works, Telkom says that all a subscriber needs to do is to add the app to WhatsApp and register. To do this, save the Telkom Pay number (+27 68 483 5566) to your mobile device’s contact list and start a chat in Whatsapp by saying “Hi”. Then you can simply follow the prompts to register. It’s important to note that there are additional fees that will apply to these transactions, as summarised below:

According to Telkom, using this service only requires registration and an account that holds funds. You can link any bank card to the platform and payments will reflect immediately. “The digital wallet is a convenient and safe platform for anyone who wants to send family and friends money; needs to buy airtime, data, and electricity; and wants to shop and pay for goods or services using one platform, ” says Ngwenya,

Telkom also adds on their website that “clients registering will have the opportunity to refer 10 friends and earn R100 to use towards buying Telkom airtime or data”.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Togocom Partners Nokia to Launch West Africa’s First Commercial 5G Network

December 3, 2020

Africa’s dragged adoption of the 5G network may soon change with the new partnership between global telecoms equipment manufacturer Nokia, and Togocom, Togo’s major telecoms service provider which has led to the launching of the first commercial 5G network in West Africa. The partnership which is part of Nokia’s three-year contract with Togocom goes beyond 5G. According to officials, Nokia will assist Togo Telecom to build a “future-oriented” next-generation digital service infrastructure. It will also enhance the traditional 2G, 3G, and 4G networks.

Nokia will provide its AirScale product portfolio including base stations, adaptive antennas, RRHs, etc. Furthermore, it will deploy products that cover data management and digital operation software. With these, Togo Communications “can seize new 5G revenue opportunities, improve business speed and agility and simplify network operations”.

Paulin Alazard, CEO at Togocom, said that Nokia’s technology helps Togo to modernize our existing nationwide network and enable us to offer subscribers with access to cutting-edge 5G services. “We are proud to be the first country in West Africa to offer 5G’s incredible connectivity. This will be a game-changer in supporting Togolese citizens with a range of new services and opportunities.”

Pierre Chaume, Vice President of North and West Africa at Nokia, said: “We are delighted to continue our long-standing and successful partnership with Togocom by supporting them in becoming the first mobile operator in West Africa to deliver commercial 5G services to their subscribers. Also, Togocom has ambitious plans for 5G and we are proud of our collaboration with the operator to bring incredible connectivity to its customers as we enter the 5G era.”

Nokia is a long-term partner of Togo Communications and previously provided it with 3G and 4G equipment. Togo Telecom is the largest operator in Togo. According to GSMA mobile think tank estimates, as of the third quarter of this year, it has 3.5 million mobile connections.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

CredPal Raises $1.5m to Expand its Credit Cards Operations

CredPal Founders, Fehintolu Olaogun and Olorunfemi Jegede

As the cashless trend gains traction in Africa, many startups are cashing in on it to promote their products and expand their subscription base beyond their geographical locations. One of such organizations is the Nigerian consumer fintech startup, CredPal which recently announced the raising of $1.5 million in a funding round. Company sources say that investors that took part in this round include US seed-stage accelerator, Y Combinator; Lagos-based fintech investment holding company, GreenHouse Capital; Tangerine Life, a digital insurance company; and other VC firms.

CredPal was founded in 2018 by Fehintolu Olaogun and Olorunfemi Jegede by providing point-of-sale consumer credit to lower-to-middle class income earners in Nigeria. Same year, the brand got positive revs as it gained recognition at Visa Everywhere Initiative for Sub-Saharan Africa. It won $25k and the Merchant Payments Challenge for allowing individuals and businesses to pay for purchases in instalments across online and offline merchants.

As if that was the beginning of bigger things to come, in 2019, it got accepted into the Y Combinator Winter batch alongside other African startups like Wallets Africa, Schoolable, and 54gene. They received $150k in the process. Middle of this year, CredPal was also selected for the fifth edition of Google for Startups Accelerator Africa. A three-month-long programme, CredPal alongside 19 other businesses were said to have access to mentorship, funding, and PR support, among other incentives during that period.

The co-founder says that with this new investment round CredPal has the firepower it needs to accomplish its mission. In Nigeria, using credit cards is not widely popular and with what CredPal has done so far, there’s enough market to be tapped. That said, CredPal is looking to drive adoption and usability of credit cards in the country. Like the West African country, the majority of other African countries are cash-driven economies. And since customers in these countries find it hard to pay outright for products due to low purchasing power, and also access credit for purchases, this leads to low sales for merchants on the continent.It is for this reason CredPal wants to be the financial backbone for consumer credit on the continent. Here’s what Olaogun said in relation to that.

Read alos:South African Fintech Startup FinChatBot Secures $1.6m To Explore Markets In Europe And West Africa

“We’re building the American Express of Africa. And our goal is to make credit cards mainstream across Africa as is obtainable in the United States and other advanced economies. With this funding, the growing market demand for consumer credit, and our recent product launch to solve these needs, we know that we’re on the right track.”

As CredPal has been providing consumer credit infrastructure that allows banks and other financial institutions to deliver consumer credit in real-time across POS channels, their customers didn’t have access to actual credit cards. It made use of ATM cards which served as credit cards for users at POS channels. But with plans to expand outside Nigeria, CredPal is trying to launch and take its credit cards as mainstream as quickly as possible. According to Jegede, the company needed to be proactive in responding to customers’ requests for services where they can access credit rather than process payments at point-of-sale.

“With our current raise and the launch of our credit cards, we’re confident about meeting these customers’ needs,” he says. For Olaogun, the work begins with providing useful information and educating the average Nigerian youth about credit cards and why they are important.

“We are obsessed with the desire to see that working professionals no longer have a thing to worry about as it concerns dealing with their financial needs, a world in which every working person is rewarded with a CredPal card that has their back.”

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

MTN, Vodacom Launches 5G Networks in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2020 – GSMA Report

December 2, 2020

The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) 2020 report revealed that Vodacom and MTN launched their first major 5G networks in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2020. The telecoms operators offered 5G mobile and fixed wireless access (FWA) services in several locations across South Africa – this appears to be a welcome development, as the South African government had already assigned temporary spectrum in the 3.5 GHz range in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Obviously, the proximate opportunity to be harnessed for the 5G in South Africa is to use FWA to bridge the gap in fixed broadband connectivity for homes and businesses. According to the report, there have been 5G trial runs in almost all the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda but the possibility of mass deployment of the 5G network is still not guaranteed, as there are significant levels of unused 4G capacity. Also, the 4G adoption rate is still relatively low, creating opportunities for the operators to increase their stakes in 4G.

As a boost to mop up the unused 4G capacity, the partnership between Safaricom and Google to finance the acquisition of 4G smartphones, provides the desired momentum as low-income consumers pay for 4G devices in convenient and flexible daily installments. According to the report, it is expected that over the next five years, the number of smartphone connections in Sub-Saharan Africa will almost double to reach 678 million by the end of 2025 — an adoption rate of 65%. It is expected that by 2025, there will be a little below 30 million mobile 5G connections in Sub-Saharan Africa, equivalent to almost 3% of total mobile connections.

The mobile market in the region will reach several important milestones over the next five years: half a billion mobile subscribers in 2021, 1 billion mobile connections in 2024, and 50% subscriber penetration by 2025. The achievement of these critical milestones would be predicated on the operators’ commitment in providing reliable infrastructural networks across the region. Between 2019 and 2025, the operators in the region would have expended/invested about the sum of $52billion in infrastructure rollouts.

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting more than 750 operators with almost 400 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organizations in adjacent industry sectors.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

AfCFTA’s Vision Challenge Provides Opportunity for Startups to Secure Funding

December 1, 2020

There is a silver lining in the sky for African tech startups as the AfCFTA Vision Challenge invites them for an opportunity to secure investment from development finance institutions while also putting them in prime position to benefit from the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.

Ratified by 54 African nations, the AfCFTA creates a continent-wide free trade area, and is a strategic framework for delivering on Africa’s goal for inclusive and sustainable development. The start of trading under the agreement is set for January 1, with an extraordinary Summit of Heads of State & Government to take place on December 5 to lay important foundations for this exceptionally crucial development.

The potential benefits to startups, especially those in the logistics space but in reality any business that imports or exports anything on the continent, is clear (see here and here), but startups are now being offered the chance to further equip themselves to succeed in the new free trade era with a new initiative launched by the AfCFTA Secretariat.

The AfCFTA Vision Challenge, part of the broader Vision Initiative to boost access to funding and technological capacity for startups, SMEs, innovators and entrepreneurs across the continent, has been launched alongside the Sankoree Institute of AfroChampions, and is open to startups working in any one of eight critical issue areas, including education, health, agriculture, infrastructure, good governance, manufacturing and environment.

Selected startups will be assisted in navigating the complex process of engaging with big development finance institutions, with the end goal being to help these startups secure investment from a major pan-African development finance institution.

“There are many things we must get right to ensure that Africa derives the full range of benefits from the AfCFTA. Some will take a while. Creating powerful connections through institutional partnerships and technology, however, can start immediately, and there is no time to waste. We want to propel SMEs and startups by opening doors for them to places where they could never previously have entered, for capital but also for capacity building,” said Francis Mangeni, director of trade promotion and programmes at the AfCFTA Secretariat.

To apply, startups simply visit the challenge website. Once in the portal, they can obtain an AfCFTA Number from the main AfCFTA App, allowing them to participate in the contest. The AfCFTA Number is a pan-African trusted identity for businesses, while the app simplifies KYC procedures, provides the base for a continental credit referencing system, and allows traders to submit required trade documents electronically, thereby minimising the costs, delays and inconvenience of paperwork obstructing greater inter-African trade. The deadline for applications is December 22, 2020.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Botswana Gets Internet Connectivity Expansion

November 27, 2020

Managing Director of Liquid Telecoms Odirile Tamajobe

Efforts to deepen connectivity in Botswana is yielding results as leading telecoms company Liquid Telecom, reveals that it is activating 82 km of fibre in a cross-border network into Botswana. This expansion connects the Lobatse Border to Gaborone with intent to create efficient mobility and connectivity in Botswana. The Managing Director of Liquid Telecoms Odirile Tamajobe said that the company has “a proven track record of investing in and deploying technology designed to grow, strengthen and build Africa’s digital future. This expansion into Botswana is yet another proof point that shows our deep commitment to this practice.” Adding that “we know that fibre is key to providing Africa with high-speed, affordable digital connectivity and have plans to create even more valuable connections throughout the continent.”

Prior to this fibre implementation, Liquid Telecom Botswana did not have a cross-border connectivity network. With this link going live, the organisation has started making inroads to establish itself as a dominant presence in Botswana and provide businesses and consumers with greater reach and network speeds across the country.

“Fibre technology represents a digital evolution in many African countries. Only fibre can deliver the speeds that enable Africans to experience what Liquid Telecom calls ‘the real internet’,” says Wellington Makamure, CEO of Liquid Telecom Southern Africa.

“Access to high-definition digital media is almost unachievable for any household or business unless they are connected to a high-speed fibre line. Reliable and fast connectivity is vital to growing a country’s economy by opening doors to e-commerce and other global digital opportunities. Liquid Telecom is honoured to be part of this journey in Botswana.”

This expansion also focuses on growing Liquid Telecom’s Southern Africa region, alongside Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Online Shopping Booms in South Africa Thanks to Covid-19

Suzanne Morel, Country Manager, Mastercard, South Africa.

A new report from Mastercard Corporation shows that South Africans are spending 68% more online now than they were prior to the pandemic, showing that essential items have seen highest surge online with the majority (81%) of consumers saying they purchased data, and over half saying they bought clothing (56%) and groceries (54%) online since the pandemic started.

The research points that the times we are living in have also made consumers more generous with nearly a quarter (23%) saying they have donated more to charity than pre-lockdown. Consumers are supporting their favourite local small businesses, with 63% of respondents saying that they are making a conscious effort to shop online at these stores. With fewer opportunities to browse in the stores or on the high-street, social media has emerged as the main platform for finding the most attractive products and offers, with 64% and 41% of respondents saying they had discovered new sellers through Facebook and Instagram respectively.

Price is a key factor for South African shoppers, with 78% saying this is the most important consideration that guides their online purchasing decision. In fact, 75% of typical in-store bargain hunters spend hours searching different sites to find the best deals and nearly half (49%) of self-confessed window shoppers say they regularly create wish lists but don’t always buy. While adapting to the ‘next normal’, people have been changing the way they consume entertainment and learn new skills.

In fact, 68% of South African consumers said they used the time during the pandemic as a positive learning experience. Two thirds (76%) of respondents learnt to bank online, while more than a half learnt to cook through online tutorials (55%), manage their health and get their medicines online (52%) or trained themselves in Do-It-Yourself (51%). Around 39% of respondents enrolled in an online university or educational course, 29% learnt to dance and 28% learnt to do make-up.

“We have all been adjusting to a new way of living and are understandably shopping more online, though it’s not just for essentials like data, clothing and groceries but for virtual experiences ranging from films to cooking classes. What’s more, this trend appears to be here to stay as 71% of respondents say they will continue to shop online post-pandemic,” says Suzanne Morel, Country Manager at Mastercard South Africa.

“Now more than ever people need access to the digital economy and all of us at Mastercard are constantly working to make the online shopping experience more inclusive, simple, seamless and secure for everyone, whether you’re shopping for essentials or experiences.”

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

South Africa’s KaiOS Partners Cash Crusaders to Launch the DIXON XK1

November 26, 2020

The South African Smartphone market has had an addition to what observers call an already saturated market, with the launching of the DIXON XK1. This was through the partnership betweenCash Crusaders and KaiOS Technologies. This new smartphone comes with a dual SIM slot which enables users to both maximize coverage and choose the pre and post paid plans that best fit their budget and needs. The DIXON XK1 is said to be targeted at three separate groups:

First-time or relatively new internet users who are looking for a safe space and a trusted reference to access vital information, including access to the world’s most popular apps such as Google Assistant, Google Maps, WhatsApp, YouTube, Facebook, and other relevant, local content. The second group being targeted is the 5 million South Africans who want to use the mobile internet, but are priced out of the smartphone market. While the third people who are looking for a back-up device to switch between operators to get the best price and coverage, to use during activities like hiking or their chosen sports activity.

According to the CEO of Cash Crusaders, Sean Stegmann “digital inclusion is a major topic in South Africa and we are happy to be able to play our part in increasing access to the essential life tools and services found online.”

“Mobile phones are no longer luxuries. However, buying a phone and a data plan are still substantial investments for many of our customers. The new DIXON XK1 provides users with all the essential features of a smartphone at a fraction of the price. The limited data used to access apps in the device, as well as the flexibility to use different SIM cards from any operators, could best cater to the needs of our customers”.

Apps and Functions: Pre-installed with essential and popular apps such as WhatsApp, Google Assistant, Google Maps, YouTube, Facebook, and many other applications unique to KaiOS. It also comes with a KaiOS app called ‘Life’ which features training and lessons related to digital literacy and other educational content.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

COVID-19 Pandemic Could Cause a Surge in QR Code Scams

November 25, 2020

As most organizations embrace contactless technologies due to the COVID-19 pandemic especially with the growing number of new tech tools helping companies all over the world to rethink the way they interact with their consumers, many are unknowingly opening their flanks to scammers. For instance, restaurants have opted to use QR codes so that customers can browse menus on their phone or make contactless payments without risking possible transmission.

Africa’s leading cyber security outfit Check Point, is warning mobile users of the security risks of QR codes. The cybersecurity solutions company says that hackers are looking to take advantage of QR codes’ new popularity, by replacing legitimate QR codes with one that launches a malicious URL or tries to download customized malware. A recent survey by MobileIron showed that from March to September 2020, 38% of respondents scanned a QR code at a restaurant, bar or café, and 37% scanned a code at a retailer. Over half (51%) of respondents stated they do not have, or did not know if they had security software installed on their phones. In many cases, these phones hold both personal and business apps and data, putting organizations at increased cyber-risk.

“We need to remember that a QR code is nothing more than a quick and convenient way to access an online resource, and we can’t be certain that the resource is legitimate until after we’ve already scanned the code – which means that an attack could have already started,” says a Check Point

“QR codes are not inherently secure or trustworthy, and hackers know that a majority of people have little or no security on their phones at all, so we strongly advise everyone to use a mobile security solution to protect their devices and data against phishing, malicious apps and malware.”

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry