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Mobile Money Providers Score a Major Win – But Are They at Risk of Losing it All?
According to the GSMA’s recently launched 2019 State of the Industry report, mobile money achieved some major milestones last year: There are now more than 1 billion accounts, and for the first time, the majority of transaction values are digital. But according to Arunjay Katakam, mobile money providers will soon face a new challenge that could upend their industry, as internet-based "over-the-top" payments providers are poised to transform the competitive landscape.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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54gene’s Fund to increase coronavirus testing in Nigeria hits $500,000 in 24hrs
54gene, the African genomics research, services, and development company, has launched a fund to tackle the current challenges around testing for COVID-19 in Nigeria. To support the ongoing efforts of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control [NCDC], 54gene opened the fund by donating $150,000 and within 24 hours of launch, had already secured an additional $350,000 from partners including Union Bank. The money raised will help increase COVID-19 testing capacity in the country by up to 1,000 additional tests a day, by buying testing instruments and the required biosafety materials such as biosafety cabinets and personal protective equipment needed to keep frontline healthcare workers safe.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Health Care, Investing, Technology
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Will the Coronavirus Pandemic Push Africa’s Mobile Money Markets to the Next Level?
Kenya is arguably the world's top mobile money market, and one reason for its success is that a “trigger” event – the post-election violence of 2008 – forced the rapid, large-scale adoption of mobile payment services. Jill Lagos Shemin explores how the unique demands of the coronavirus pandemic could prove to be a similar catalyst for mobile money growth in other countries, and how providers and other stakeholders can build upon this momentum to create more inclusive digital ecosystems for underserved customers.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance, Technology
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WHO Launches Global Health Alert for Coronavirus on WhatsApp
The services uses an AI chatbot to provide updated information on the pandemic, including how to protect yourself, questions and answers, and the latest news and press coverage.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Health Care, Technology
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Jumia Adapts Pan-African E-Commerce Network in Response to COVID-19
Jumia will donate certified face masks to health ministries in Kenya, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Nigeria and Uganda, drawing on its supply networks outside Africa.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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ID2020 Announces Inaugural Class of Certified Digital ID Solutions
ID2020 announces its first two certified digital identity solutions: Kiva Protocol and Gravity.Earth.
- Categories
- Technology
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Crypto Titans Announcing Libra Clone Targeting 5.6 Billion for Financial Inclusion
Coinbase Ventures, Bitcoin.com, Andreessen Horowitz and Polychain are among the leading technology providers, nonprofits, mobile wallets, payment processors and global investment firms supporting the new ecosystem that plans to offer mobile-friendly financial tools built on top of Celo’s open blockchain platform.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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Crypto Titans Announcing Libra Clone Targeting 5.6 Billion for Financial Inclusion
Move over Libra. Facebook’s controversial stablecoin initiative has a new challenger that wants to change the financial system and reimagine how people can gain access to services. Fifty top companies in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry have launched a new platform called Celo, an open blockchain that’s designed to drive significantly more financial inclusion by reaching people around the world – not through banks, branches and traditional institutions – but through 5.6 billion smartphones.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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