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Ecobank launches mVisa across 33 African Countries
Ecobank has partnered with Visa to launch Ecobank Scan+Pay with mVisa solutions to their consumers. The strategic tie-up signals interoperability on a cross border level - and potentially huge gains - as it affords consumers with the ability to use their mobile phone to directly access the funds in their bank accounts to pay person-to-merchant (P2M) or person-to-person (P2P).
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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New UN report reveals momentum for digital payments in Ghana could save over $230M within next four years
With 37 percent of the value of all payments now made digitally, Ghana is on course to be a leader in the region, with great potential to expand economic opportunities for businesses
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- digital payments, fintech
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Funding struggle: Can Liberia’s controversial privately-run schools pilot continue?
Some funders are also said to be questioning the program after an independent evaluation released earlier this month showed mixed results for the public-private partnership’s first year. While researchers of the randomized control trial reported impressive learning gains among students, they also raised concerns about the program’s cost-effectiveness and its potential to negatively impact non-participating schools in the country.
- Categories
- Education, Impact Assessment
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Nigeria: Dangote Group to Invest $4.6 Billion in Agriculture
The Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has said that the company would invest $4.6 billion in nation's agricultural sector in the next five years.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Technology is helping middle-class Nigerians turn to farming without getting their hands dirty
More than 80% of farmers in Nigeria are small holder farmers who cultivate a few acres of land to feed their family and also sell produce to earn a living. Yet, while the government has failed—getting middle-class Nigerians to take up farming—thanks to technology, a crop of new agro-tech startups are finding success.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Maisha Becomes First Microfinance Bank in Kenya to Offer Mobile Loans
Maisha MFB becomes the first telco-backed microfinance to launch a savings and mobile money solution in the market and the fourth financial institution, alongside banks like Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA), Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) and Equity.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- fintech, lending, microfinance
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New Case Study Details How to Deploy Successful Agency Banking in Africa
Agency banking utilizes a network of local merchants and shopkeepers, in areas where FINCA usually doesn’t have a presence, to provide basic banking services. The agents are equipped with POS (Point of Sale) machines, a portable device that securely connects to FINCA bank accounts through biometric fingerprints.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Hospitals in crisis in Uganda as Middle Eastern countries poach medical staff
Nurses, laboratory technicians and doctors in different fields are being recruited from public health facilities, private hospitals and the not-for-profit sector, with no clear government plan to mitigate the impact on the domestic health sector, medical workers say.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa