Lonestar Cell MTN has partnered with Sendwave to enable customers to receive international remittances from the US straight into their Mobile Money accounts. MTN believes that using MoMo for international remittances and daily financial transactions makes life easier, safer and more convenient.
“We are excited and very proud to be at the forefront of innovative financial technologies and partnerships which can help Liberians live convenient and safer lives. Our international remittances partnership with Sendwave does just that,” says Christopher Ssali, Acting GM of Lonestar Cell MTN Mobile Money.
Christopher Ssali, Acting GM of Lonestar Cell
“What is even better is that with our rapidly expanding MoMo ecosystem, MoMo customers can use the money they receive to pay bills, buy goods and pay for services they need by dialling *156#. If customers need to access cash, we have over 8,000 Lonestar Cell MTN cashpoints locations across Liberia to make this as easy as possible for them.” “We are truly excited about this because it makes our customers lives easier and better and we are supporting the government’s aim for a cashless digital economy and financial inclusion.”
For people outside of Liberia, simply download the Sendwave app from the App Store or Google Play Store, select Liberia as the destination and follow the in-app process (completing sender and recipient details along with payment information) to send money instantly.
“We are thrilled to partner with Lonestar Cell MTN to launch instant, low-cost money transfers from the USA to Liberian MoMo wallets. This service will empower people in the USA to send instant, low-cost transfers to their family and friends in Liberia right from the Sendwave app on their mobile phones. Recipients will also be able to quickly access these funds from the MoMo wallet on their phones,” says Alex Banks, Director of Growth for Sendwave.
“This partnership is both a huge step forward in supporting the government’s financial inclusion initiatives and in reducing the time and fees required to send remittances into Liberia, as well as a timely alternative to going in-person to send and receive funds”
Customers who are not on MTN Mobile Money can join easily and free-of-charge. All they need to do is visit any Lonestar Cell MTN service centre or registered MoMo agent with a valid identification card and fill out an application form.
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
As smartphones are becoming increasingly integrated into our everyday lives, it is essential to choose one that fits your lifestyles and your needs. Every mobile phone brand is trying to stand out from the rest by upgrading their technology and introducing new functions; however, the best way to measure their value is through their performance side by side. Today, we have selected three android phones for comparison: the TECNO CAMON 16 Premier, Huawei Y9 (2019), and Samsung A41.
TECNO CAMON 16 Premier
Mobile phone screen design
While the three phones consider the different needs of users, they differ quite a lot when it comes to design. TECNO focused on the user’s convenience and has shifted its fingerprint scanner to the side so that it will be easier to gain access to the phone. This was a good move on TECNO’s part as it was a concern when we tested Huawei’s Y9 (2019) that was rear-mounted. This stopped me from unlocking the phone accidentally every time my fingers brushed the scanner. The CAMON 16 Premier also opens faster and is extremely convenient to do so, so much so that it felt intuitive after a while. The unlocking time of CAMON 16 Premier is less than a second, and this is a marked improvement from even their CAMON 15. This allows users to save time over minute actions; making the Samsung A41 and Huawei Y9 (2019) appear inferior. It seems that TECNO has done a lot of user research on this aspect, and the attention to detail made us feel very good about the CAMON 16 Premier.
Huawei Y9
In terms of screen size, which is a crucial consideration for users today, the TECNO CAMON 16 Premier takes the lead with its display with over 6.85” of high-resolution screen while 6.53FHD hole screen on Samsung A41 and 6.59”FHD notch on Huawei Y9 (2019). This is the real estate for users to watch their favorite TV shows or make video calls, users can enjoy greater visual details. The bigger screen is more comfortable to watch for extended periods, allowing users more considerable viewing time before getting tired. The CAMON 16 truly shines when users watch their favorite high-resolution videos. The widescreen works in perfect sync with the 90Hz ultra-clear resolution, so users do not have to strain their eyes to enjoy a high quality viewing experience.
Camera function – front and rear cameras
The camera qualities of a phone have become a clear determining factor for users when it comes to buying a phone. After much consideration, the TECNO CAMON 16 Premier once again stands out with their ultra-clear visuals that reflect what you see with your eyes. It boasts a 64MP ultra quad-camera while the Huawei Y9 (2019) only has a rear camera of 13MP. The Samsung A41 comes a little closer with a 48MP triple rear camera and a panorama function but still shy of the quality that CAMON 16 Premier can produce.
TECNO’s CAMON series has always been notable for its superior camera and photography capabilities. They put the user’s needs first and develop technology around that, bringing the user an unprecedented clear photography experience. Each camera lens has its mission and an outstanding feature, genuinely living up to their expectations that each picture could be a masterpiece. Based on the MTK flagship-level G90T core chip, the CAMON 16 Premier supports 64MP full-size output. As we understand, this is an industry-first, and not many phones can compete with this configuration. With five rear flashes, the user can get clear and bright photos regardless of the darkness of their environment.
Camera function – anti-shake function
Clear photos will always be a priority when shooting. TECNO CAMON 16 Premier uses the Super Hybrid Video Anti-Shake (Super HIS) to stabilize and has produced fantastic photography results. Another advantage is that it supports 960 frames of super slow-motion shooting, thus expanding the potential of video shooting exponentially. The CAMON 16 Premier’s 8Gb of RAM aslo helps tremendously in accelerating the video processing time.
It seems to us that the TECNO CAMON 16 Premier is not merely a phone but a professional camera integrated with many other easy-to-use phone functions. These functions ensure the users get the best photo quality everywhere, every time. It is impressive that TECNO managed to fit something of this quality into a mobile phone.
Battery life
Battery life is a significant feature that determines how long your phone can last while you complete your tasks. The TECNO CAMON 16 Premier has a 4500mAh battery and a quick charge of up to 70% in just 30 minutes. This is an upgrade compared to the smaller 4000mAh and 3500mAh capacity of Huawei Y9 (2019) and Samsung A41. Furthermore, the user’s safety is TECNO’s priority as CAMON 16 Premier comes with its newest safety features. TECNO has engineered the CAMON 16 to reduce overheating during fast-charge and lowered the surface temperature by two degrees. It does this while simultaneously offering two types of charging options as CAMON 16 Premier has managed to even add a Type-C fast charging capability inside its lithe frame.
This is complemented with another safety function that automatically shuts the phone down when the battery is fully charged. This is a breakthrough in the industry, TECNO has integrated into the CAMON 16 Premier to better protect the mobile phone and the user.
The promising future of AR
One critical measure of a good smartphone is how they approach new technology. In this aspect, TECNO’s CAMON 16 Premier is already off to a strong start with its unique AR Graffiti function that Huawei Y9 (2019) and Samsung A41 do not have. This new function gives users the ability to unleash their creativity digitally and re-imagine their surroundings. The AR Graffiti function has countless brushes and unlimited colors that you can use to customize your photos. This took us by surprise because it is something refreshing on the market, and also we had a lot of fun playing around with this technology.
To make it even better, TECNO CAMON 16 Premier also has other complimentary AR features. AR Sticker and AR Emoji, for example, allows users to interact in many creative ways. The features will enable you to capture any expression you want with over 200 facial features available. This technology also includes light beautification and localization features to make sure you look your best, even in AR. We know AR in smartphones is still an experimental technology, but if this is the direction that it is going to be in the future, then we think the CAMON 16 Premier will become popular very fast.
After reviewing so many functions, the clear winner amongst these three phones is clearly TECNO’s CAMON 16 Premier. TECNO has not only continually integrated advanced technologies into their products, but also makes sure they are an economical product. The CAMON 16 Premier offers outstanding value for money, which is only one of the many other benefits that this phone offers.
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
As part of its continued commitment and ongoing investment in Africa, Facebook today announced it will be opening an office in Lagos, Nigeria – its second office on the African continent. Aimed at supporting the entire Sub-Saharan Africa region, the office is expected to become operational in H2 2021 and will be the first on the continent to house a team of expert engineers building for the future of Africa and beyond.
Regional Director Facebook Africa, Nunu Ntshingila
Facebook’s office will be home to various teams servicing the continent from across the business, including Sales, Partnerships, Policy, Communications as well as Engineers.
Commenting, Ime Archibong, Facebook’s Head of New Product Experimentation said: “The opening of our new office in Lagos, Nigeria presents new and exciting opportunities in digital innovations to be developed from the continent and taken to the rest of the world. All across Africa we’re seeing immense talent in the tech ecosystem, and I’m proud that with the upcoming opening of our new office, we’ll be building products for the future of Africa, and the rest of the world, with Africans at the helm. We look forward to contributing further to the African tech ecosystem.”
The investment of the new Facebook office follows the 2018 opening of NG_Hub, its first flagship community hub space in Africa in partnership with CcHub, and the 2019 opening of a Small Business Group (SBG) Operations Centre in Lagos, in partnership with Teleperformance. Providing outsourced support to all English-speaking advertisers across Sub-Saharan Africa, the SBG office supports Small Medium Businesses (SMBs) through its Advocacy, Community & Education (ACE) programme, as well as its Marketing Expert sales programmes – all aimed at enabling SMBs to accelerate the growth and development of their businesses.
“Our new office in Nigeria presents an important milestone which further reinforces our ongoing commitment to the region”, commented Kojo Boakye, Facebook’s Director of Public Policy, Africa. “Our mission in Africa is no different to elsewhere in the world – to build community and bring the world closer together, and I’m excited about the possibilities that this will create, not just in Nigeria, but across Africa.”
Since the opening of its first office in 2015, Facebook has made a number of investments across the continent, aimed at supporting and growing the tech ecosystem, expanding and providing reliable connectivity infrastructures and helping businesses to grow locally, regionally and globally. This includes the recent rollout of its SMB Grants programme in Nigeria and South Africa, aimed at supporting over 900 businesses by providing a combination of cash and ad credits to help small businesses as they rebuild from COVID. The development of 2Africa, the world’s largest subsea cable project that will deliver much needed internet capacity and reliability across large parts of Africa, as well as its ongoing training programmes across the continent which support various communities including students, SMBs, digital creatives, female entrepreneurs, start-up’s and developers.
Nunu Ntshingila, Regional Director, Facebook Africa,said: “We’re delighted to be announcing our new office in Nigeria. Five years on from opening our first office on the continent in Johannesburg, South Africa, we’re continuing to invest in and support local talent, as well as the various communities that use our platforms. The office in Lagos will also be key in helping to expand how we service our clients across the continent.”
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
Nokia and Tizeti have partnered to supply over one million subscribers in Nigeria with LTE technology. The telco will deploy Nokia’s AirScale Base Station TDD-LTE and Fastmile Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) gateways in order to deliver Internet and Virtual Private Network (VPN) services.
The solution is expected to enable Tizeti to deliver a more robust, high-speed internet service to subscribers and the flexibility to seamlessly evolve to 5G Fixed Wireless Access when needed. Nokia says that its FWA solution will allow Tizeti to fast-track broadband access and provide a best-in-class broadband experience to its subscribers. Whereas its AirScale Base Stations ensure high-quality connectivity and coverage and enable Tizeti to evolve the network in line with customer demand.
Kendall Ananyi, CEO of Tizeti
“We are committed to providing the best-in-class network experience to our subscribers. We are confident that Nokia’s proven technology and expertise will help us differentiate our services based on quality. This is a crucial project for us as it introduces LTE in our networks and allows us to bring new and innovative services to our subscribers,” says Kendall Ananyi, CEO of Tizeti.
Eniola Campbell, Head of Customer Business Team for Nokia Nigeria, says, “We are thrilled to work with Tizeti on the initiative to upgrade their network to bring the latest products and services to its subscribers. Nokia Fastmile will help Tizeti to cost-effectively enhance the customer experience. The project will also enable them to delight their subscribers by providing more reliable data services. On the other hand, Tizeti will benefit by adding new revenue streams.”
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
Nigeria based Chekkit Technologies, a startup that offers product verification, anti-counterfeiting solutions, announced that it secured a partnership to roll out its tech in Afghanistan.
Chekkit Co-founder and CEO Dare Odumade
Founded in 2018 by Dare Odumade and Oluwatosin Adelowo, Chekkit claims to protect manufacturers and consumers against food and drug counterfeits.
With Chekkit, consumers can verify products by scanning barcodes or using USSD for confirmation. Similarly, the company provides insights on consumers back to the manufacturers where they can choose to act on it by using rewards and loyalty programmes or upsell/cross-sell to customers.
Odumade, CEO of the startup says that the company has been in talks with major players in the Nigerian health space to run a pilot for a while. Right now, it is currently involved in the NAFDAC serialisation plans for pharmaceuticals through collaborations with GS1 Nigeria, the non-profit organisation behind the authorised GS1 barcodes. However it’s in Asia the company is getting its first big break.
In November 2019, Chekkit finished the first runner up in a blockchain pitch competition at the AfricArena Summit. The competition was sponsored by Fantom, a DAG-based smart contract platform that was already in talks with the Ministry of Health in Afghanistan to help the country with its pharma product counterfeiting problem.
After the event, the ministry signed an MoU with Fantom and Chekkit for a 3-month pilot project that will see Chekkit’s product being used to track and verify 80,000 pharmaceutical products sold in the country.
“Through this partnership, we will provide the pharma companies involved with valuable consumer insights and a reward program to encourage purchase and verification by buyers. We will also give the government/ministry a transparent view of the pharmaceutical market. On completion of a successful pilot, we envisage our technology being deployed across the board for all meds coming into Afghanistan,” the CEO says.
Last year, the company took part in the FB Start Accelerator, a programme known to back deep-tech companies in Nigeria and Ghana. Since then, Odumade claims the company has grown more than 1,200% in revenue and has done over 100,000 consumer authentications.
Similarly, the team has raised over $100,000 in grants and with such financial backing, Odumade says the company has more projects in its pipeline.
“Expect us to launch new products that tackle issues along the supply chain like theft, transparency, counterfeiting and consumer safety. We started with USSD authentications for consumers and an intelligence system for brands, while we just launched our PWA and app for scan authentications. In the near future we will further launch products for track and trace automation and real-time cargo tracking.”
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
As traditional and virtual banking converges, many banking institutions are leveraging on fintech to deliver customercentric accessible services. This informs the latest move by South Africa’s biggest financial institution, Standard Bank to acquire a 35% stake in South African fintech, TradeSafe, an online escrow platform that safeguards the buyer’s funds in trust in a transaction involving two or more parties. Established in 2013, Tradesafe was the first digital escrow organisation in the world to offer an API gateway which allows for online marketplaces and stores to offer escrow payments to customers. A leverage that makes it a leading disruptor in the industry which informs the interest of Standard Bank which has pan-African subsidiaries across many countries of the continent trading under the name Stanbic. As part of the investment, Standard Bank has appointed two non-executive directors to the board. Standard Bank also has management oversight of TradeSafe’s escrow account and is fully involved in the process for payment instructions that TradeSafe initiates.
CEO of TradeSafe, Jethro O’Brien
Speaking on the acquisition, the CEO of TradeSafe, Jethro O’Brien, said that both TradeSafe and Standard Bank realised the necessity for a fast, secure, and affordable escrow solution in the wake of the increasing volume of scams, fraud and unpaid invoice payments in South African commerce. Our fees come in at a fifth of what a reputable law firm or bank would charge in a transaction. “The bank will provide a second release payment function,” O’Brien added, saying that “this means that with our increased governance, security and credibility, TradeSafe will now be able to target commodity and M&A transactions greater than R25 million.”
TradeSafe API offering also incorporates new payment gateways such as SnapScan also acquired by Standard Bank and Ozow. “We also employed Standard Bank’s proprietary host-to-host technology which allows for automated payments,” added O’Brien.
Kuben Chetty, Head of Client Solutions at Standard Bank, expressed that there is a strong need for a digital escrow solution within South Africa given the rise of digital transactions and especially as buyers and sellers seek ways to mitigate transaction fraud. Chetty added that, “Standard Bank is very excited with its investment in TradeSafe Escrow and this provides both parties the opportunity to explore ways to leverage each other’s capabilities to help their clients transact securely.”
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
The socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic especially in Africa is manifesting in different formats as millions of people finding themselves under severe financial stress, seek ways to overcome economic challenges.This has forced people from all walks of life to start looking for alternative income streams. A new report found that many young women across Africa are taking to different successful side hustles to overcome the economic effects of the pandemic especially bitcoin.
Tugba Abadan, Paxful’s newly appointed Head of Middle East and Africa
Not only are these side jobs providing women with additional income, they are also giving individuals an opportunity to develop new skills in the bitcoin and blockchain space. Blockchain skills are in high demand internationally and may unlock new career opportunities or set the ground for running a successful business in the future. Read also:Scandal Rocks South Africa’s Bitcoin Company
Beyond speculative activities, bitcoin already drives a whole range of entrepreneurial ventures including arbitrage, remittance, e-commerce and educational projects, to name a few. Paxful is committed to encouraging more women to consider pursuing opportunities in bitcoin and blockchain; the company has rolled out a number of educational programs globally to educate more people about the crypto industry.
According to CoinMarketCap, the number of women in the cryptocurrency industry increased by 43.24% in the first quarter of 2020. In addition, a study published in December 2019 by Bitcoin (BTC) fund operator, Grayscale, showed that 43% of investors interested in Bitcoin are women (13% up from 2018), with the number actively growing. “Our sector can still do better to attract more female blockchain professionals and entrepreneurs. At Paxful, nearly 40% of our global workforce is female and we continuously keep our eyes out for more female collaborators, community builders and problem solvers,” says Tugba Abadan, Paxful’s newly appointed Head of Middle East and Africa.
Usage of the Paxful platform is soaring, and the company has also witnessed a steady increase in the number of women participating in its entrepreneurship program, the Paxful Peer Program. The program helps crypto enthusiasts become their own bosses, and women have been topping the list of best performers since it’s launch in November 2019.
Yvonne Kagondu, Paxful’s Community Coordinator in Kenya, says: “It’s not easy to be a young African at the moment. Unfortunately, many of us suffer the consequences of high levels of unemployment and poverty. It’s very important to be on the lookout for as many opportunities as possible and find one that suits you best. I found blockchain technology intriguing and decided to focus on bitcoin, which eventually led me to mentoring other young female professionals and fellow small business owners. I feel so fortunate to be able to help and inspire fellow Africans to take control of their finances through bitcoin.”
Paxful’s Peer Program participant Nkhensani Nyalungu is a Bachelor of Commerce student at the University of Johannesburg. She shares her experience with the program: “I had never considered setting up a tech-related business until I learnt more about the opportunities in the blockchain industry. Once I became familiar with the technology, it was quite easy to dive into the crypto world. I am extremely passionate about educating my peers about the crypto-economy, as I feel I’m carving the path towards economic freedom for our communities.”
Victoria Chauke, a student at Johannesburg’s Wits University, used to work as a part-time promoter before she started her bitcoin side-hustle to earn some extra cash, “Trading bitcoin was a better option for me as I could learn on the go; it’s much more flexible as I can make money while at home, in-between classes or while busy with other commitments.”
She adds: “I believe we need a lot more women in the bitcoin community. From my experience, I think we can operate as effectively as men, if not better, in the blockchain ecosystem”. According to a study, an estimated one in three working South Africans have a side job to bring in extra income. The COVID-19 lockdown has put millions of people under challenging circumstances as they faced losses of jobs and income opportunities. The pandemic pushed people to look for alternative income sources, so the interest in crypto and bitcoin entrepreneurship grew rapidly, which Paxful confirms as the number of platform users skyrocketed since the beginning of 2020. As contactless payments are encouraged, people are opting for non-cash in-person trades using bitcoin.
Abadan concludes: “We’re very excited to see how the number of trades on Paxful from South African users have grown by more than 36% in Q2 of this year. Blockchain technology has created a new frontier for the global economy, and I believe that the industry offers plenty of opportunities to achieve greater economic independence”.
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
One of the most effective tools the Internet of Things (IoT) provides to statisticians is the easy access to data and also ability to mop up data from different sources to arrive at a very reliable stand. It is in expectations of this that South Africa will be the first country in Africa to experiment with digital census this year. According to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), a trial to the first ever digital census to be conducted in the country towards the Census 2021 Trial, has already kick started since last week and will run till the 6th of September 2020 in selected areas around the country. The project will test online and telephonic data collection to prepare for remote data collection in the upcoming Census 2021.
Census 2021 is the first population count to introduce digital census-taking through the use of online and telephonic data collection platforms, which will also allow respondents to complete the census questionnaire on their own. The telephonic data collection makes provision for respondents to participate in the census with the assistance of a Stats SA call centre agent. The increased use of cell phones and the current technology-driven digital era will minimise the challenge of reaching hard to access communities, thus allowing more people to participate in the census. Participating in the Census 2021 Trial requires respondents to register through a platform that is available on Stats SA online and social media platforms. Respondents may also contact Stats SA via our toll-free number 0800 110 248 for further assistance.
A census provides small area data on demographics, socio-economic and living conditions of the population. It assists with forming the basis for active community participation in reviewing access to public services among other issues. Data collected through a census is used by the government and different sectors of society for policy-formulation, decision making and planning.
Stats SA derives its mandate from the Statistics Act No. 6 of 1999 to collect data for statistical purposes and to conduct a census. The Act makes it mandatory for respondents to provide data when required. Data collected by Stats SA is only used for statistical purposes and may not be shared with the state or any organs of the state and it remains confidential. However, analysts are of the view that if this trial goes well it will usher in a new, cost effective and more efficient way of gathering data in the country which other African countries having challenges with data collection especially when it comes to census might copy.
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
Microsoft South Africa is partnering with NPO’s, 1000 Women Trust and TEARS Foundation, to launch the Safe@Home Hackathon which aims to address gender-based violence in South Africa. Hackathons are aimed at finding solutions to specific challenges through collaborative brainstorming and programming in a short space of time. The Safe@Home Hackathon will look to facilitate collaboration to create and develop technology-based solutions that will work in the context of South Africa’s unique circumstances and challenges.
President Cyril Ramaphosa
“Gender-based violence is one of the most pressing and critical challenges South Africa faces: President Cyril Ramaphosa identified it as the second pandemic our country is currently battling and a war that is being waged against our women and children, with over 40% of South African women experiencing sexual and/or physical interpersonal violence in their lifetime,” says Lillian Barnard, MD of Microsoft South Africa.
A study by the World Health Organisation found that 42 per cent of females between 13 and 23 in the country reported experiencing physical dating violence. The incidence of unreported violence is much higher – and getting worse. “Violence against women and children is escalating under the current circumstances, with many South Africans confined to their homes. This indicates a clear need to take action to address gender-based violence in South Africa,” says Tina Thiart, founder of 1000 Women.
The virtual hackathon, which will run from 22 September to 19 October, invites the South African developer community to create and develop technology-based solutions to help victims of gender-based violence and vulnerable women and children. “Our goal is to find real, sustainable solutions to help South Africa are most vulnerable and at-risk. Ensuring that we are able to build these kinds of fit-for-purpose technology-based solutions will require partnerships with developers, NGOs in the gender-based violence space like TEARS Foundation and 1000 Women, government, corporate South Africa and other technology players,” says Barnard.
“Together, we will provide the support needed as we call on developers across the country to come together, understand the issues surrounding gender-based violence, and create and develop technology-based solutions that can help save lives.” South African developers wanting to be part of positive change to help vulnerable women and children can enter to join the hackathon here.
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
A growing number of telecoms companies across the continent are adopting Mondia Pay as standard for their billing integration, bundling deals, user engagement and subscriber acquisition services. Mondia Pay which is Mondia’s digital payment entity, announced that it recently onboarded a series of new clients and is fast becoming the preferred digital payment solutions provider for telecom operators across Africa. Mondia Pay registered 5.3 billion transactions on its platform last year with telcos across the continent.
Simon Rahmann, CEO of Mondia Pay
A leader in digital platform services, Mondia Pay enjoys partnerships with operators in South Africa, Botswana, Liberia, Madagascar, Tanzania, Sudan, Guinee, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Senegal where it provides telcos with the best billing integration, bundling deals, user engagement and subscriber acquisition services. Mondia Pay’s success with African telcos can be attributed to the flexibility of its business model which caters to different operator requirements. Subscribers can access premium content, customise their bundle offers and select the payment options that work for them in a fast and secure environment.
Mondia Pay is in the process of onboarding several new partners in Nigeria and the company is now working on launching solutions with telecom operators in Kenya, Mozambique, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso. “We are extremely pleased about Mondia Pay’s success in Africa as it reflects our experience working with over 80 telcos across the world and demonstrates our leadership credentials in the digital payment solutions space,” said Simon Rahmann, CEO of Mondia Pay. “Smartphone adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa is set to rise to 66% by 2025 (GSMA) which means that access to online services will continue to grow exponentially. The African operators we are talking to are all seeing an increase in payment purchases for digital services and they are keen to get ahead of the curve to capitalise on this opportunity.”
Mondia is an industry leader in content and entertainment services for audience acquisition and engagement. The company helps its partners monetise their entire customer base across mobile, web and apps through innovative and engaging digital 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
