-
HUB2 Banks $8.5 Million to Become the ‘Stripe for Francophone Africa’
Today, HUB2 operates as the backbone for 55 fintechs across French-speaking Africa.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
$100 Billion for Progress: Inside IDA’s Largest Replenishment Yet
Now an IDA donor, South Korea increased their contribution to IDA21 by 45% from the last funding cycle.
- Categories
- Environment, Finance
- Region
- Global
-
Billboxx Raises USD 1.6 Million to Streamline African Business Payments
Billboxx aims to address inefficiencies in SME payment workflows across Africa and MENA.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Microsoft Launches AI Initiative to Empower African Startups
More than 2,400 AI startups in Africa are transforming industries and creating new job opportunities at a rapid pace.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Finance, Health Care, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Making Mini-Grids Work for Everyone: A Tariff Harmonization Pilot in Sierra Leone Reveals the Benefits and Challenges of Lowering Prices
Solar mini-grids offer a promising solution to energy poverty in Africa. But according to Tombo Banda and Lisa Kahuthu at CrossBoundary and Miriam Atuya, this approach has yet to gain sufficient traction, due in part to the challenge of balancing operational sustainability with affordability. If customer tariffs are set too low, operators lack revenue — but if prices are set too high, mini-grid electricity isn’t accessible enough to drive widespread adoption. They share the results of a pilot program in Sierra Leone that tested the impact of lower prices on mini-grid operators and their customers, highlighting the implications for future efforts to implement tariff reduction at scale.
-
HSBC, World Bank’s IFC Launch $1 Billion Trade Finance Programme for Emerging Markets
Demand for trade finance far outpaces supply, especially in emerging markets, with the global trade finance gap last estimated at $2.5tn, according to a report from the Asian Development Bank.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Global
-
BPR Bank, Denmark Launch $5.6 Million Credit Guarantee to Support MSMEs
This innovative scheme, the first of its kind by IFU in Africa, targets critical sectors.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy, Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Africa: M-Pesa Expands Payment Services to China Through Strategic Partnership with Thunes
Expected to launch in the coming months, this innovation addresses the challenges faced by travelers navigating China’s cashless economy.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Global
Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter, "NextBillion Notes"
Published each Wednesday, our e-newsletter features NextBillion's latest original articles, along with a selection of news, jobs, bizdev opportunities and events from our recent coverage — and regular conference ticket giveaways.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.