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Commercial Bank of Africa Weighs Options to Reduce M-Shwari Fees
Commercial Bank of Africa says it is likely to revise down the 7.5 per cent facilitation fees for its mobile phone-based monthly loans via the M-Shwari platform by end of the year.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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This Humanitarian, Aid-Delivering Drone Is Going to Be Edible
After the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, people living in some mountain villages waited weeks for emergency food to arrive. Landslides had taken out roads, and the country's limited number of helicopters couldn't always safely fly where they were needed.
- Categories
- Health Care, Technology
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The Soaring Achievements of Mobile Wallets in India Might Be Inflated
Mobile wallet companies are growing by leaps and bounds and are hot among investors, but doubts have emerged about whether the numbers on usage and transactions being touted by different sets of players do reflect the reality in terms of business.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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Cash Shortages Cripple Mobile Money in Zimbabwe
The prevailing cash shortages have suffocated mobile money subscribers, who are failing to get their money or do cash-out transactions.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Indian Banks Looking to Raise Their Game Using Technology
In July, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) set up an inter-regulatory working group to study issues relating to financial technology (fintech) and digital banking in the country. The aim is to understand major fintech innovations and developments and how the markets—the financial sector in particular—are adopting new delivery channels, products and technologies.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- fintech
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Viewpoint: Africa’s Regulators Are Smothering Its Innovators
The birth of mobile money transfer in Kenya has raised optimism about the potential of the continent to leapfrog in other technologies. However, Africa’s mobile technology is starting to look like an exception despite efforts to create start-ups using emerging technologies and platforms such as drones, 3D printing, robots and machine learning.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- innovation
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Drinking Water ATM Takes Mobile Payments in Kenya
Global pump company Grundfos and telecommunications firm Ericsson have joined forces to deliver a ATM water dispenser that takes mobile payments.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- digital payments, fintech
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OPIC and Microsoft Commit to Support Wireless Internet Expansion in Kenya
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s development finance institution, today announced commitment and first disbursement to Mawingu Networks, a provider of solar-powered wireless Internet across rural Kenya. OPIC committed to financing a $4.1 million loan. Mawingu Networks was able to establish their current operating model using an initial grant in 2013 from Microsoft’s 4Afrika initiative, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). They received equity funding from Angel Investor Jim Forster, Paul G. Allen’s Vulcan Inc., and Microsoft Corporation two years after their first phase of support.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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