The United Republic of Tanzania in collaboration with the United States government is proudly marking the successful conclusion of the Lishe Endelevu project, a hallmark in the journey towards better nutrition across Tanzania. Spanning five years, this initiative from the U.S. government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has brought notable advancements to the regions of Dodoma, Iringa, Morogoro, and Rukwa.
The project’s prime objective was to reinforce local nutritional efforts. Through collaborations with local governments and partnerships with over 300 private entities, diverse and nutritious food became more accessible, leading to noticeable health improvements within these regions.
Minister of State PO-RALG, the Honorable Mohamed Mchengerwa
The U.S. Embassy to Tanzania’s USAID Economic Growth Office Director Colin Dreizin expressed, “From its inception in 2018, Lishe Endelevu channeled $25 million, ensuring over 1.6 million women and 1.2 million children in Dodoma, Iringa, Morogoro, and Rukwa had access to vital nutritional services.”
Minister of State PO-RALG, the Honorable Mohamed Mchengerwa, remarked, “Today’s event showcased the USAID Lishe Endelevu Story Book, reflecting the five-year journey in our four regions. The project also championed sustainable practices like agroforestry and livestock rearing, thereby increasing access to nutritious food. We’re profoundly grateful to USAID for bolstering Tanzania’s nutrition realm.”
Throughout its tenure, USAID has worked closely with Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, the President’s Office (PO-RALG), and renowned partners such as Deloitte, AAPH, TMG, and PANITA. The event honored the efforts of Civil Society Organizations and concluded with the unveiling of the USAID Lishe Endelevu Voice of Beneficiaries Story Book
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
On Tuesday, 26 September 2023, the Artscape theatre was packed to the brim with excited guests who attended the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport’s (DCAS) 21st Cultural Affairs Awards.
The awards honour individuals and organisations who have made exceptional contributions in the areas of arts, culture, heritage, language, libraries, archives, museum, heritage and geographical names. Minister Anroux Marais also bestowed Ministerial awards on individuals who have left a legacy in this environment.
The evening was hosted by two Masters of Ceremonies, Ayanda Dlamini and Jabaar Mohamed. The guests were entertained throughout the evening with performances by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, Nobulumko Mngxekeza, Chene Hugo, Zinzi Nogavu, Dance for all, Zip Zap Circus, Koleka Phutuma and Rieldancers.
Minister Anroux Marais
Minister Marais welcomed everyone to the occasion and emphasized the importance of all the areas in which winners would be announced. “The awards showcase the wide range of cultural activities which the Western Cape is involved with, and which we support very passionately. Tonight we honour those who have left a lasting legacy and have helped us grow all these important arts and culture activities in our province,” she said.
Chief Director for Cultural Affairs, Carol van Wyk, ended the evening by thanking everyone who supported the event. “What you have seen here tonight is a beacon of hope for communities across our province. Please continue to help us shine this light.” she said.
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
Unstoppable Africa 2023 has concluded, leaving a profound mark on the African continent. The two-day Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) event aims to boost Africa’s standing in the global economy and establish the continent as the foremost destination for business, trade, and investment. This transformative gathering on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly has not only chartered the course for economic growth but has also solidified GABI’s pivotal role as a catalyst for change and progress.
On the second day of the event, Caroline Wanga, CEO of Essence Ventures, emphasized the importance of authentically portraying African narratives. She highlighted that the continent’s rich heritage has traditionally been expressed through its unique storytelling methods. Wanga stated, “In discussing Africa, it’s vital to engage in genuine dialogue. We’ve celebrated our heritage through our distinct method of storytelling, which the world is longing for now more than ever. As the overseer of Essence Ventures and other platforms, I am committed to ensuring our tales are told from a position of strength and authenticity.”
The final day featured a chorus of leading private sector voices. Notably, leaders from the business and media world such as Jeff Wong, EY Global Chief Innovation Officer; Niraj Varia, CEO of iProcure Ventures; Lakeshia Ford, Founder of Ford Communications; Claudia Kwarteng–Lumor, Founder of Kollage Media, producers of GLITZ AFRICA Magazine and Somachi Chris-Asoluka, CEO of The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF). Complementing these luminaries were esteemed figures from government and international organizations, including President Masisi, H.E. Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Adebayo Olawale Edun, Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy for Nigeria, Joy Basu, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs at the US Department of State.
Also speaking were NBA stars Bismack Biyombo and Gorgui Dieng from the sports world and Senegalese singer Baaba Maal.
Assistant Secretary-General Sanda Ojiambo, CEO of the United Nations Global Compact, the entity that coordinates GABI, underlined the critical importance of unleashing Africa’s green potential. Ojiambo’s message stressed the urgent need for businesses to expedite and amplify their efforts toward achieving “just, inclusive, and sustainable growth.”
Assistant Secretary-General Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre extended an invitation to businesses to participate in the ITC SheTrades network. This flagship program for women’s economic empowerment has already made a substantial impact, offering vital support to over 200,000 women entrepreneurs since its inception in 2015. The ITC SheTrades initiative plays a pivotal role in maximizing the boundless opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
With over a thousand attendees, GABI’s influence is gaining momentum across Africa, setting the stage for a future defined by opportunity and sustainable development. The vibrant exchange of ideas, the engaging, thought-provoking discussions, and the connections forged during the event solidify its position as a premier convening for those invested in Africa’s growth and economic future.
UNDP’s Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator, and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa, announced the Timbuktoo initiative, an ambitious movement dedicated to harnessing Africa’s rich heritage of innovation and knowledge. Ms. Eziakonwa stated, “Inspired by the historical heartland of civilization, ‘Timbuktu’ is our commitment to bridge the gap between the burgeoning talent in Africa and global opportunities that await. We envision tearing down barriers that have historically limited Africa’s vast potential, creating a future where the continent’s talent seamlessly connects with global prosperity.”
The event concluded with inspiring remarks from UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, highlighting the importance of collective action in realizing Africa’s potential and achieving sustainable development. She called for unity and support from the global community and the private sector. She closed by emphasizing that this is just the beginning of a new chapter in Africa’s story, one marked by sustainable economic growth, empowerment, and the realization of the continent’s full potential.
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 has promised potential investors in its petroleum sector that they would get value for their efforts. This was made known by the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Mrs. Olu Verheijen at the wrap up of a series of strategic engagements with fifteen (15) leading international and independent Oil and Gas Companies operating in Nigeria.
These sessions, held in Lagos and Abuja in partnership with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) were carefully chosen after a detailed review process by NUPRC and the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy and included Chevron, Total, Shell, NAOC, Exxon Mobil, Seplat, Heirs Holdings, Waltersmith, First E&P, among others.
oil and gas
A key objective of the discussions was to advance a Presidential Initiative aimed at addressing the nation’s revenue emergency whilst contributing to stabilizing Nigeria’s economy. According to the Office of the special adviser on energy, results of these talks disclosed significant investment opportunities with an estimated $55.2 billion in investments projected by 2030, of which $13.5 billion is expected to be invested by these companies within twelve (12) months from now.
During these consultations, participating Operators shared insights into the challenges and barriers affecting their investment strategies and the swift rollout of planned projects. Collectively, they also pinpointed key strategies that will ensure the delivery of 2.1 million barrels by December 2024, positioning Nigeria well ahead of President Tinubu’s campaign promise of the 2.6 million barrels by 2027. The proposed measures are also expected to cause a 100% increase in gas production by 2027, exceeding President Bola Tinubu’s campaign pledge of 20% growth in that sector. President Tinubu remains committed to overcoming these challenges, making Nigeria the top choice for energy sector investments.
Commenting on this initiative, Mrs. Olu Verheijen, Special Adviser to the President said, “we are faced with a revenue crisis which is impacting all Nigerians. To urgently address this, President Bola Tinubu is actively seeking ways to grow revenue and forex to stabilize our economy and currency; and the oil and gas sector remains critical to our ability to do so despite current production levels falling significantly short of our potential.”
She added, “These strategic, high-level engagements with oil and gas producers will help fast-track bold reforms that will unlock investments required to restore and grow Oil and Gas Production in the short, medium, and long term. President Bola Tinubu is dedicated to enhancing the investment environment in Nigeria, positioning us as the preferred destination in Africa for the energy sector.”
With the conclusion of these consultations, it is anticipated that the USD 13.5 billion in short-term investment components, currently in the pipeline, will pave the way for the delivery of 2.1 million barrels per day production by December 2024, barring any unforeseen challenges.
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 few months ago, I read an interesting article in Harvard Business Review that revealed what made African fintech start-ups so special, and what they could teach Silicon Valley about longevity.
The writers explained that African fintechs are “change-ready” and that they focus on securing the market as opposed to gaining investors. They engage with communities rather than individuals and strive for government approval and acquisition of operating licences, rather than celebrating fundraising successes.
It’s not just the way they operate that leads to success. Fintechs are creating simple solutions to complex challenges and the market is embracing their offerings because it’s what they really need. Many of the founders – whose businesses are contributing significantly to the growth of GDP at a national and Africa-wide level – have grown up watching their grandparents, parents and local communities struggle to achieve inclusion. This first-hand experience allows them to identify areas which will make the greatest impact quickly and create solutions that make the previously unattainable possible.
Mark Elliott, is Division President, Sub-Saharan Africa, Mastercard
Fintechs are creating simple solutions to complex challenges and the market is embracing their offerings.
The fintech landscape in Africa has been evolving at lightning speed, and the market is expected to reach US$65-billion by 2030¹. This equates to a 13-fold increase in 2021, making it one of the world’s fastest-growing regions. On a continent where inclusion is critical for economic growth, fintech companies are disruptors who are committed to changing the status quo. By continuing to collaborate with them, we contribute to the rapid digital transformation that makes consumers’ lives simpler, convenient, and of course rewarding. (¹Boston Consulting Group and QED Investors.)
This is why Mastercard places so much focus on helping to further fuel this acceleration. By co-creating solutions and giving fintech innovators access to our trusted ecosystem of partners, APIs and data assets, as well as the services and tools they need to grow and thrive, we are helping them to move at pace through each stage of their journey. This enables them to further transform their bold ideas into tangible product and service offerings, thereby creating a more inclusive society.
As part of Mastercard’s digital partnership strategy, we support fintechs in four sub-segments, including fintech enablers, payment service providers (PSPs) and gateways, e-wallets, and start-ups scaling paytech.
Fintech start-ups rising
Our recent commercial partnership with MTN Group’s mobile money arm is great example of how collaboration between technology partners can help narrow the digital divide across Africa, because it will help to ensure the continued development of technology and infrastructure across the continent. It also means that millions of new customers will benefit from greater access to safe and affordable payments and remittance services.
Mastercard’s partnership with Selcom has enabled East Africa’s largest payment service provider to scale its innovative offerings in key African markets, delivering products that enhance customers’ lives. Selcom is also a partner of Mastercard Fintech Express.
We also partnered with EziPay to enable millions of consumers and merchants in Africa to use this Mastercard virtual payment solution. This is linked to the EziPay eWallet and provides a convenient payment gateway service to perform global digital transactions swiftly, safely and securely, and connect with brands and businesses around the world wherever Mastercard is accepted.
Together with First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and Netplus, we have launched a contactless payment solution in Nigeria that enables consumers, merchants, and financial institutions to process payments seamlessly using Tap on Phone. This solution provides several benefits to consumers including convenience, speed, security and accessibility, helping to connect millions of Nigerians, making their lives easier and safer.
Valuable partnerships and collaborations with financial institutions, and governments, must continue. These partnerships enable local fintech start-ups to learn from and leverage the expertise, technology and global networks of these key role players, helping them to drive economic growth across the continent. It is also imperative for us to ensure that these start-ups have access to funding, and we need to make it easy for founders to stay on the continent rather than moving abroad.
Mastercard is a key player in the African fintech ecosystem, and we see immense opportunities for these partnerships and collaboration across the continent. We will continue to harness the power of technology and innovation to connect everyone to the digital economy, enabling service delivery across a multitude of sectors, which means building a more prosperous financial future for Africa, together.
Mark Elliott, is Division President, Sub-Saharan Africa, Mastercard
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 wobbling rand has had an unintended negative impact on the cost of mobile phones in the country with the iPhone rising almost beyond the reach of many people.
This became apparent with the launch of the new iPhone 15 with a price hike that many saw as a part of subtle revenue-boosting strategy at Apple with South African Apple users receiving a nasty shock last year when the price of the iPhone 14 was revealed – up to a 20.3% jump over the iPhone 13 models, largely due to a weak rand exchange rate.
The ailing currency is once again back to inflict punishment on their wallets in 2023. The new iPhone 15 series will once again see an above-inflation price bump. Here’s how much you’ll pay for the iPhone 15, according to pre-order pricing released by Core Group-owned retail chain, the iStore, on Friday…
The rand has weakened in the past 12 months. When the iStore announced its iPhone 14 series launch pricing a year ago, the rand was trading at R17.59/US$. On Friday morning, it was at R18.88 to the greenback. That’s a weakening over the past year of 7.3%, roughly matching the increase in prices of the iPhone 15.
iPhone 14 Series, src : google.com
For those upgrading from the iPhone 13 series (as many people will be), the price increases are much more eye-watering:
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 13
128GB: R21 999 (R17 299, so a 27.2% increase)
256GB: R24 999 (R19 399, 29.9% increase)
512GB: R30 799 (R23 699, 30% increase)
iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 13 Pro
128GB: R27 699 (R21 499, 28.8% increase)
256GB: R30 799 (R23 699, 30% increase)
512GB: R36 499 (R28 699, 27.2% increase)
1TB: R41 999 (R32 999, 27.3% increase)
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs iPhone 13 Pro Max
256GB: R33 499 (R25 899, 29.3% increase)
512GB: R38 999 (R30 899, 26.2% increase)
1TB: R44 999 (R35 299, 27.5% increase)
TechCentral wasn’t able to find the launch price of the iPhone 14 Plus model in South Africa, and so the publication hasn’t compared its price changes. However, the device is priced as follows: 128GB – R24 999; 256GB – R27 699; and 512GB – R33 499.
Pre-orders of the new iPhone 15 devices launched in South Africa on Friday, with the phones expected to reach consumers’ hands from next week.
To tempt users to upgrade – and perhaps help them forget about the sharp increase in prices – iStore said it is offering various support options, including up to R20 000 cashback in trade-in value on selected models.
South Africa wasn’t the only market where iPhones went on sale or pre-order on Friday. The devices are going on sale in about 40 countries in its first wave, including in Australia, Hong Kong, mainland China, the US, the UK and France. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models will represent Apple’s biggest sellers throughout the rest of the year — and the ability to both create and fulfil demand for the products will make or break its holiday period.
The iPhone 15 keynote in a nutshellSo far, the new devices have fared well for Apple, based on the initial online sales of the product. New online orders for the highest-end iPhone 15 models won’t arrive for customers until at least mid-November in several countries, while reservations for in-store pick-ups quickly sold out.
Initial buyers of the latest iPhone typically order it online, making it harder to gauge demand based on the length of lines. Aside from the first two iPhone launches in 2007 and 2008 — as well as the iPhone 5s debut in 2013 — Apple has offered pre-orders for the iPhone with delivery on launch day.
Still, long lines for the iPhone 15 formed in Dubai, Australia and China, indicating that those who could not secure day one orders online are still willing to brave long nights and early hours to be one of the first to own a new iPhone — and even a new Apple Watch.
China is of particular interest because the government is expanding a ban on iPhone use in certain agencies and state-owned enterprises and rival Huawei Technologies just introduced its highly touted Mate60 Pro. Still, customers flocked to Apple stores in cities like Beijing as sales began. The China market accounts for about a fifth of Apple’s revenue.
Paying a premium
Among the crowd at an Apple store in Sydney was Colin Seton, who has been buying Apple products since the mid-1980s. Seton was waiting in line to purchase the new Series 9 Apple Watch.
“I own most of what Apple sells,” he said, gesturing toward his satchel, containing his AirPods, iPhone, MacBook Air and iPad. “It’s a walled garden, but I don’t mind paying a premium for a product if it’s good.”
Felix Hoffman was waiting in line for a new phone after giving up his old one when he left his job in real estate. Being between jobs didn’t stop him from splurging A$1 849 (R22 500) on the new iPhone 15 Pro. “I just don’t like buying old tech,” he said.
While the iPhone 15 Pro has seen strong early demand, the company’s other new products have received a more muted response online. The regular iPhone 15 and 15 Plus models, in addition to the new AirPods with a USB-C case, Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 are still seeing strong availability, aside from certain Apple Watch band configurations.
The iPhone represents about half of Apple’s overall revenue and the company is banking on the device to help it break a streak of sales declines and return to growth during the critical holiday period, which is its first quarter of fiscal 2024.
Everything Apple will announce at its iPhone 15 keynoteWith iPhone sales beginning Friday, the company will see about a week of revenue from the latest models within its fiscal fourth quarter sales, which it typically reports in late October.
Wall Street is currently expecting Apple to report revenue of about $89.3-billion for the current period, with $43.6-billion of that coming from the iPhone. That would be a decline from last year’s revenue of $90.1-billion, with $42.6-billion coming from the iPhone, during the fourth quarter and would mark its fourth quarterly decline in a row.
But Apple has more reason for optimism over the holiday quarter, which runs from October to December. Sales of iPhones that feature new designs typically spur more upgraders than in years with more minor tweaks. The iPhone 15 Pro’s design marks a significant change with a shift to a titanium design that Apple is focusing on in its marketing.
Apple also likely won’t have to contend with any major supply-chain snags that hurt the early sales window for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max last year. Foxconn, the manufacturer of Apple’s highest-end iPhones, was forced to shut its facilities in China for several weeks last year due to the country’s former Covid Zero policies.
In addition, the company has upped the starting price of the iPhone 15 Pro Max this year by $100 after eliminating a smaller storage tier offered in past years. Combined with exclusive features like improved zoom in the camera, this year’s Pro Max model has the opportunity to be a larger-than-usual revenue driver for Apple.
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 Chinese government has accused the US of infiltrating Huawei Technologies servers beginning in 2009, part of a broad-based effort to steal data that culminated in tens of thousands of cyberattacks against Chinese targets last year.
The Tailored Access Operations unit of the National Security Agency carried out the attacks in 2009, which then continuously monitored the servers, China’s ministry of state security said in a post on its official WeChat account on Wednesday. It didn’t provide details of attacks since 2009.
Cyberattacks are a point of tension between Washington and Beijing, which has accused its political rival of orchestrating attacks against Chinese targets ever since Edward Snowden made explosive allegations about US spying. Washington and cybersecurity researchers have said the Asian country has sponsored attacks against the West.
The ministry’s accusations emerged as the two countries battled for technological supremacy. Huawei in particular has spurred alarm in Washington since the telecommunications leader unveiled a smartphone powered by an advanced chip it designed, which was made by Semiconductor Manufacturing International. That’s in spite of yearslong US sanctions intended to cut Huawei off from the American technology it needs to design sophisticated chips and phones.
The US has been “overstretching” the concept of national security with its clampdown on Chinese enterprises, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday.
“What we want to tell the US is that suppression and containing China will not stop China’s development. It will only make us more resolved in our development,” Mao said.
On Tuesday, US commerce secretary Gina Raimondo said she was “upset” when Huawei released the Mate60 Pro during her visit to China last month, but noted the US has no evidence the Asian nation can make the advanced semiconductors powering the handset “at scale”.
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
Meta owned platform, WhatsApp has announced that it will offer credit card payments and services from rival digital payment providers within its app in India, the latest bet by the Meta-owned service to boost commerce offerings in its biggest market.
WhatsApp has more than 500 million users in India, though regulators there have capped its in-app WhatsApp Pay service to only 100 million people. People shopping in the app could also pay using popular services such as Google Pay, Paytm and Walmart’s PhonePe but only after being redirected outside the app.
Payments via those rival services — and any others that run on India’s instant money transfer system, UPI (that country’s equivalent of South Africa’s recently launched PayShap) — will now be possible directly within WhatsApp, Meta said in a blog post. New in-app options for credit and debit cards will also be offered.
whatsapp
It could serve as a powerful lure to attract businesses to pay Meta for access to WhatsApp users.
The additions bolster Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s plan for business messaging to become the “next major pillar” of the company’s sales growth, an agenda that has assumed greater urgency as Meta’s core ads business and metaverse project have come under pressure.
While WhatsApp Pay users will remain capped in India, there is no such limit on the number of users permitted to transact with businesses on the app using the other methods, a Meta spokesman said.
With some 300 million people spending about US$180-billion via India’s UPI each month, the new transaction options could serve as a powerful lure to attract businesses to pay Meta for access to WhatsApp users.
To date, the app has limited its end-to-end shopping experiences in India to pilot programmes like that with online grocery service JioMart, run by India’s richest person, billionaire Mukesh Ambani, and the metro systems in the cities of Chennai and Bengaluru.
WhatsApp business
Moving forward, the new payment tools will be available to any company in India that uses WhatsApp’s business platform, which mainly serves large companies, according to the blog post.
Meta is also expanding its Meta Verified subscription programme to businesses globally, giving companies a mechanism to validate authenticity and elevate their content in users’ feeds, a separate blog post said.
Monthly subscriptions will be available on Instagram and Facebook in a handful of countries to start and will expand to WhatsApp at a later date, costing $21.99 per Facebook page or Instagram account or $34.99 for both, according to the post.
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 Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) is delighted to announce the finalists for its 2023 AWIEF Awards. Launched in 2017, the prestigious annual AWIEF Awards is an initiative to recognise, honour, and celebrate women entrepreneurs and business owners in Africa across various industry sectors for their achievements and contribution to the continent’s inclusive economic growth and social development.
An international and independent Panel of Judges selected the twenty-four (24) finalists across eight (8) categories. These outstanding women founders and business leaders operate in a diverse range of sectors and represent companies from fourteen (14) different African countries: Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The 2023 AWIEF Awards winners will be announced and celebrated at a special ceremony and gala dinner at the AWIEF2023 Conference and Awards, taking place on 9 and 10 November at the Kigali Convention Centre, Kigali, Rwanda.
AWIEF Founder and CEO, Irene Ochem
AWIEF Founder and CEO, Irene Ochem, said: “Given the huge number and calibre of the nominations received this year, it is clear that female entrepreneurship and business leadership is thriving across Africa. It is our honour to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of these women to the inclusive growth of their respective sectors, their countries and the continent’s economy.”
A member of the 2023 AWIEF Awards Panel of Judges, John-Paul Iwuoha, Founder of Smallstarter Africa, said: “As a Judge, I was thoroughly impressed by the quality of applications in all the categories. It is great to see how AWIEF continues to attract innovative women across Africa who are creating enormous value for society.”
The finalists for the 2023 AWIEF Awards are (listed in alphabetical order):
Young Entrepreneur Award
Salamba Diene, CEO, BIOSENE SARL, Senegal
Joyce Kamande, Co-founder & CEO, Safi Organics, Kenya
Jovia Kisakye, CEO, Sparkle Agro Brand, Uganda
Tech Entrepreneur Award
Norah Magero, Founder & CEO, Drop Access Limited, Kenya
Kathryn Malherbe, CEO, Med Sol AI Solutions, South Africa
Aya Chebbi, Founder & President, Nalafem Collective, Tunisia
Zulfat Mukarubega, Founder, University of Tourism, Technology and Business Studies, Rwanda
Catherine Wijnberg, Founder & CEO, Fetola, South Africa
Lifetime Achievement Award
Rina Gunter, Founding Partner, Gunter Attorneys, South Africa
Dalia Ibrahim, CEO, Nahdet Misr Publishing House, Egypt
Anke Weisheit, Co-founder & Chair, PHARMBIOTRAC, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda
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
Walmart-owned South African retail group Massmart has launched a revamped version of its OneCart on-demand shopping app, promising to provide price comparisons between stores — including non-Massmart-owned stores — to help save costs for cash-strapped consumers.
The new app allows customers to compare pricing between multiple retail stores instantly. “They can then place an order from as many stores as they like, and have their curated basket delivered in a single transaction, within a 60-minute window,” Massmart said.
OneCart CEO Aidan Johnson
This applies to both Massmart and non-Massmart stores. OneCart provides on-demand shopping services in Woolworths, Pick n Pay, Dis-Chem and other stores not owned by the retail group.
“Sometimes referred to as a ‘digital mall’, OneCart allows customers to shop simultaneously from various retail stores, offering groceries, alcohol, pharmacy, pet, baby, electronics and general merchandise,” the group said. OneCart charges a delivery fee of R35 – although this fee is waived until end-September as part of a promotion.
“Using a single shopping app to get the best prices from multiple retailers in one transaction is both more efficient and more affordable than the multiple app, multiple transaction alternative that shoppers are having to use today,” said OneCart CEO Aidan Johnson in a statement.
“Customers can also enjoy greater control over their experience due to OneCart’s in-app concierge service, which uses a real-time chat service between shopper and customer to make more informed decisions about product substitutions.”
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
