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Barclays Officially Opens Hub to Catalyse Fintech Innovation in Africa
Last month, ex-Barclay’s CEO Antony Jenkins warned that banks face massive disruption within the very near future. Similar to how the popular ride-sharing app Uber is upsetting the balance within the transport industry, so too does the financial services sector face inevitable disruption. Technologies such as cryptocurrencies, blockchains and mobile are opening up cheaper, faster and more secure avenues for services.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Ford Sensor Technology Applied to Motorcycles for New Mobility Insights; Improves Medical Care for Rural Africans
Ford is expanding its use of sensor technology to motorcycles, helping researchers and programmers better understand how cars, bikes and other modes of transportation together can create new mobility solutions and make people’s lives better – including improving healthcare in rural West Africa.
- Categories
- Health Care, Transportation
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- transportation
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Facebook Brings Its Internet.org Innovation Challenge to Africa
Facebook is launching the Internet.org Innovation Challenge in Africa. According to the company, with the aim of recognising developers and entrepreneurs who are using the internet to improve the standard of education and economic health in their communities. Developers across Africa are invited to enter the challenge.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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After $19M equity round, Kenya’s M-Kopa is set to deliver solar power to a million homes
This month the company closed a $19 million financing round led by Generation Investment Management, and revealed plans to reach one million homes in East Africa by the end of 2017.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Zimbabwe’s Microfinance Institutions Have Lost Their Way, Says Reserve Bank Governor
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Says Microfinance institutions have lost their way as they are concentrating on maximising profit and need re-orientation to ensure they focus on supporting marginalised people living in rural areas to promote financial inclusion.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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S. African Health Activists Protest Sanofi Over Lack of BCG Vaccine
Sanofi ($SNY) continues to come under pressure from health groups who say the drugmaker has ceased manufacturing the BCG vaccine and created a global shortage of the jab used to treat tuberculosis and bladder cancer.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- vaccines
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Microloans Don’t Solve Poverty
When Benita Chikaluma’s husband died in 1994, her family could easily have fallen into desperate poverty. Chikaluma lives in Malawi, a poor country in southern Africa where women often have little control over their finances. But thanks to the tiniest of loans — just $25 — she was able to build a business, first selling firewood and then empty plastic bottles, and now owns a home with running water and electricity.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Africa’s Banks Pressured by Bad Loans
Africa’s banks are under pressure from non-performing loans, credit agency Moody’s said on Tuesday.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- lending
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