Edo State moves to paperless civil service to simplify work processes
As part of its move to become Nigeria’s first fully e-governed state, Edo has made a full transition to a paperless mode of communication in its civil service. Edo State has officially transitioned to a paperless mode of communication in its civil service—the first Nigerian state to do so. According to a government circular seen by TechCabal, the state governor, Godwin Obaseki directed his office to reject physical files from any ministry, department, or government agency. This development is Edo’s latest move in pursuit of its goal to become Nigeria’s first fully e-governed state before September 1st, 2023. Last month, the Edo state government held a one-week digital transformation training for over 3,000 workers. It also launched a digital policy project. Edo is betting that its automation of work processes will reduce backlog and free up government resources. A former media aide to the state government told TechCabal, “About six million documents have been archived digitally and the goal is for state operations, including interface with the public, to be initiated and completed online.” With the transition to a paperless approach, communication in the Edo State civil service is expected to become faster, reducing administrative burden, and enabling quicker decision-making and response times. However successful implementation requires investing in digital infrastructure, ensuring data security, and more importantly, providing training for employees to adapt to new technologies. In 2021, the state government began the digital registration of all workers across the 18 local government areas of the state. Digitising public service remains an important step in improving the delivery of all government services. It not only increases the effectiveness of the government business but also sets up a framework for e-governance. According to a McKinsey report, digitization has the potential to unlock over $3.5 trillion of economic value for the government and public sector. While Edo appears to be leading the charge, the federal government has long committed to going paperless. In January 2022, the then minister of communications and digital economy, Isa Pantanmi disclosed that the federal government spent a total of N152 billion on digitisation in 2021. In August, immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari and five governors endorsed a framework for the harmonisation of the digital economy and e-governance initiatives at federal and state levels. This July, Nigeria’s Head of Civil Service, Folasade Yemi-Esan said all ministries, departments, and agencies will be fully digitised by 2025. It’s worth watching if the other 35 states will take a page from Edo’s playbook and digitise their civil service. Have you got your tickets to TechCabal’s Moonshot Conference? Click here to do so now!
Read MoreTingo Group waves aside Hindenburg allegations as it announces ~$1 billion in H12023 revenue
As it declared sales of $977 million in the first half of 2023, Tingo Group said it relied on an investigation by its outside counsel “and further investigative work of its own,” to declare itself innocent of allegations leveled by Hindenburg Research almost 3 months ago. On Wednesday, Tingo Group released a press statement claiming it had been found innocent after an investigation by an unnamed independent counsel. Tingo Group said, “At the direction of the Company’s independent directors, independent counsel investigated certain Hindenburg allegations and provided the independent directors with an interim report summarizing evidence it had reviewed, along with items requiring further investigation.” The company’s press statement says a separate outside counsel carried out an investigation that followed up the report of the unnamed independent counsel. Without explaining what the independent counsel discovered or recommended, Tingo Group said it relied on the second investigation by its outside counsel “and further investigative work of its own” to declare itself innocent of all the Hindenburg allegations. The embattled company had previously named prestigious law firm White & Case as its independent counsel after a report by short seller, Hindenburg Research accused Tingo’s operations and SEC filings as an elaborate con. White & Case reportedly ended its relationship with Tingo Group in July. TechCabal reached out to several White & Case partners in New York, London, Hong Kong and the UAE, but we have yet to receive a response. With Tingo, the more you look… In Tingo’s Wednesday press release, Tingo explained some of the allegations made by Hindenburg research; the financial statement errors (Hindenburg had accused Tingo of filing financial statements that were unbalanced, missed some figures and missing inventory) that run into hundreds of millions were merely “typographical errors.” A partnership with Stanbic Bank that was exposed to not exist had merely failed due to fallout over a 2021 press release and was subsequently replaced by a partnership agreement with Visa. Tingo now says it is building a “super app” based on that partnership. A mobile virtual network partnership with Airtel that was exposed by WeeTracker to not exist is now provided by an undisclosed third party and covers all four mobile network operators in Nigeria. In addition, Tingo earns commissions from airtime and internet data sales. The NWASSA platform which is now inaccessible after reports that it did not work is now a USSD platform that is pre-loaded on the Tingo Mobile phones that are then leased to the cooperatives and their farmers. Tingo Group did not disclose the USSD code to access the platform. The earlier USSD code available on the NWASSA website did not work. Here’s the full rebuttal from Tingo. Tingo’s most recent SEC filings show a drop in the company’s cash balance from around $780 million in March 2023 to just over $53 million in June. This is despite reporting revenues of $1.828 billion in the year’s first six months. According to Tingo SEC filings, $977 of that $1.8 billion was generated between April and June of 2023. Tingo explains the drop in cash balances as due to vendor payments and advances. These payments include A $434.2 million payment to a mobile phone supplier to purchase 6 million phones (type not specified) for new members of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN). Advances to AFAN for agricultural produce to be exported by Tingo Foods and a settlement of outstanding balances. It did not disclose when these outstanding invoices were incurred. Self-funding food stocks before receiving payments for same. This is essentially, Tingo buying the food it claims to export ahead of receiving customer payments. And a $174 million tax payment to the Nigerian government for Tingo Mobile for 2022. Last year, the company reported a little over $21 million in revenue and $3 million in gross profit in the same period. In the first two quarters of 2023, that $3 million in gross profits has jumped to more than $732 million. Tingo says the more than 8000% growth in revenue was the result of the acquisition of Tingo Mobile and Tingo Foods and the commencement of food exports by a new company Tingo DMCC in May. After several postponements, the embattled company held an earnings call for its second quarter results yesterday morning (Eastern Time) where it claimed profits (before tax) of $420 million in the first half of the year. Tingo’s President Chris Cleverly, also announced that the company would begin quarterly dividend payouts—if it was allowed access to forex by the Nigerian government. On its part, Hindenburg Research released another report saying Tingo did not answer any of the questions it had asked the company in its initial report. The short-seller has accused Tingo Group of contradicting prior SEC filings in its latest press release where it absolved itself from blame. Hindenburg says at least one of the vendor payments which Tingo claimed was the cause of the drastic drop in cash balances, was to a company that was only registered in July in Niger Republic, Nigeria’s northern neighbour. Here’s the full rejoinder by Hindenburg. After a brief spike following the release of Tingo Group’s press release announcing the completion of investigations and the earnings call held yesterday, the company’s shares resumed their downward trend, closing at $1.29 almost 8% down from the previous day’s close.
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PointsBud wants to help you order food in five minutes using AI
PointsBud is creating an AI-enabled system to help people buy food within minutes without human interaction. “He doesn’t look like a tech bro,” my colleague, Ngozi Chukwu, says as ‘Deji Atoyebi, PointsBud founder, sits with us for an informal product demo at our office in Lagos. Ngozi, and anyone curious to ask what we were doing, was excited about ‘Deji’s product once he explained it. I was, too. As conversations around AI, its functionality, and unemployment fears continue to rise, ‘Deji is one of the people building artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled products that solve critical problems. In his case, he explains that his product provides embedded finance servicing in the hospitality industry. “We just launched yesterday [August 23, 2023] at a restaurant in Lagos,” he tells me as we explore the features of the PointsBud, an AI-assisted messaging system that allows people to order products and services from different providers at breakneck speed through WhatsApp. ‘Deji Atoyebi (L) demonstrating how the PointsBud platform works to Muhammed Akinyemi (R). Photo Credit: Blossom Sabo It took less than five minutes to order food and pay for the order from Circa Lagos, the first restaurant to get on PointsBud. We mentioned the meal we wanted, and the AI responded within seconds, confirming the order’s availability and how much it cost before processing the order and moving to payments. At the moment, the bot is exclusive to each restaurant. “For example, the bot I showed you,” ‘Deji emphasises, “was acting as Circa Lagos’ bot. It’s built on their menu. When we onboard enough restaurants, we will have a general PoinstBud bot where people can find restaurants and other services.” But that’s not all. “It’ll learn customer interests and recommend similar products in the future,” ‘Deji says, smiling coyly through the demo. Despite a slow internet connection, our order was faster than typical human response time. But a human still has to operate the admin panel to confirm and reject orders, so that customers know the restaurant has gotten their order. In the past, the process was a human taking the order, confirming from the kitchen, and finally sorting out payments. Now, the human only does kitchen confirmation. Everything else is automated. The admin panel of the PointsBud platform shows customer orders being confirmed by an admin. The ex-Flutterwave engineer (for four years) promises that his team is building an integrated system that’ll be an infrastructure for businesses to have customer data and insights; so that hospitality businesses can target customers with offers, upsell and cross-sell to them faster and better than ever. “The reason why it’s called PointsBud is to provide a way for businesses to reward their customers. With all this data, it becomes possible to know what the customer likes.” This means you can order food, book flights and hotels without interacting directly with a human at any level of the journey. PointBuds didn’t start as an AI-enabled system. “Initially, we started with QR codes… if you scan the QR codes, it takes you to their [a restaurant’s] menu,” but getting to onboard restaurants was difficult. On one hand, restaurant owners were difficult to find and persuade on LinkedIn. On the other hand, workers made it difficult to see their managers at the restaurant. This could be because of fears that their jobs might be at risk. When TechCabal asked Victor Daniel, a content creator specialising in food content, how he felt about the integrated AI system, he said, “I think it’ll make the experience better in the sense that it can be faster and more efficient. And since AI improves the efficiency of everything, then yeah, I want AI.” One of the PointBud’s features is that “you can even check and track your rider through WhatsApp.” What this efficiency means, however, is that there’s at least one person whose services are no longer needed in the customer servicing queue. Victor doesn’t seem bothered by this as long as he gets his meal faster: “that’s the way the world works. Every innovation that has ever benefited humankind including myself had to come at the expense of someone’s job. We have to deal with this. In future, it’ll probably be my turn,” he tells Tech Cabal. However, Ama Udofa, who works in the foodtech industry, thinks “anyone who wants to replace the human touch is in for a rude shock. In the restaurant industry which is more hands on than say fintech or SAAS type industries, diners are demanding more human involvement. See how QR code menus ruined table-side ordering, for example.” Nonetheless, he supports some automation: “I’m all for partial automation. AI working hand in glove with humans.” While the argument on the human experience hovers, the PointsBud founder explains that they “plan to charge a monthly subscription for the usage of some of the features, payment for marketing automation and delivery tracking.” It’s only day one at PointsBud. One can only imagine how high and in what direction they might fly in the coming months. Have you got your tickets to TechCabal’s Moonshot Conference? Click here to do so now!
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Months before Starlink’s Zimbabwe launch, government warns against its ‘unlicensed’ use
Starlink users and resellers in Zimbabwe have been warned that unless they secure requisite licenses, they are breaking the law by using and providing the service. Zimbabwe’s communications regulator, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), has issued a warning against the unlicensed use of Starlink. To use the service in Zimbabwe, Starlink will have to apply for a direct license with POTRAZ. It appears that Starlink, whose website states that it plans to launch in Zimbabwe in Q3 2023, has not yet secured the requisite license. Alternatively, the regulator states that Starlink could also partner with a registered public network in the country to distribute the service or require its users to apply for private network licenses. The authority cited increasing cases of “ entities masquerading as licensed satellite service providers” distributing customer premises equipment for the provision of satellite-based internet services as the cause for concern. Starlink has become popular in the southern African nation, with social media users sharing pictures of the service’s router mounted on their premises. Even the country’s national broadcaster, the Zimbabwe Broadcast Corporation, has been seen using the service. State-broadcaster Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation has been spotted seemingly utilising Starlink before it officially launches in the country. (Image source:X) It further added that local resellers, even after securing a local license, were only allowed to distribute satellite-based internet services if their virtual network operator (VNO) agreements with the service provider, in this case, Starlink, were approved. “Being found in possession or operating telecommunication equipment/system without a valid license, certificate or authorisation from POTRAZ is a statutory offence punishable by law,” Dr G.K Machengete, director general of POTRAZ, said in a statement. Zimbabwe joins South Africa in enacting much stricter regulations with regard to the usage of Starlink. A fortnight ago, the country’s telecommunication regulator banned the importation, distribution and usage of Starlink services, pending the Elon Musk-owned entity satisfying licensing requirements to launch the service.
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The Blockchain Association of Kenya goes to court to block taxes on crypto
A law seeking to tax crypto exchanges is met with opposition from Kenya’s Blockchain Association. The Blockchain Association of Kenya (BAK) wants to block the implementation of the Digital Asset Tax (DAT) introduced a few months ago as part of the Finance Act 2023. The case will be mentioned on September 28. The new tax, which will take effect from September 1, is part of the many taxes introduced in the Finance Act 2023, with some focused on expanding the tax net in the digital space. The tax provisions outlined in the already-signed act seek to create extra income of up to $2 billion for the Kenyan government. The BAK explained the rationale for its petition challenging the law’s legality: “We are deeply committed to advocating and lobbying for a conducive environment for innovation while ensuring legal clarity. Our petition addresses concerns about the DAT’s impact on our industry and the broader economy.” According to the legal and policy director at BAK, Allan Kakai, DAT has been introduced as income tax, yet it is imposed on the gross value of the asset instead of gains and profits. “This means that people in a loss-making position will still pay the tax. It’s is unfair and inequitable to impose a tax on losses,” he told TechCabal. The Finance Act introduced DAT for earnings from digital asset transfers. A digital asset is defined as intangible value, including crypto and digitally-represented tokens exchangeable electronically. Non-resident platform owners for asset exchange must register under a simplified tax scheme, like Digital Services Tax. Under this law, platform owners would deduct 3% of the asset’s value as DAT. Non-resident owners must remit this tax within 24 hours, along with the required details. The 24-hour remittance requirement could be burdensome for some, and taxing turnover rather than gains might discourage digital asset trading. The Blockchain Association of Kenya argues that the law may hinder the growth of services associated with blockchain and crypto by crippling innovation. “The core focus of the petition is to thoroughly examine the legal and constitutional dimensions surrounding the imposition of this tax on digital assets,” the association said in a statement posted on X. The Finance Act 2023 has since started taxing online content creators. It had previously enforced a 15% withholding tax on earnings from digital content monetisation. Kenya’s parliament later reduced this to 1.5%. Starting from July 1, whenever a content creator is paid for their work, the client must withhold 1.5% of the payment and send it to tax authorities. This change intends to expand taxation to cover digital content enterprises, acknowledging their substantial growth in recent times. Have you got your tickets to TechCabal’s Moonshot Conference? Click here to do so now!
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👨🏿🚀TechCabal Daily – Anonymous Sudan hacks Twitter
In partnership with Share this newsletter: Lire en Français اقرأ هذا باللغة العربية Happy Friday! Whatsapp has finally rolled out a feature that we have all been waiting for. You can now add another number, and have two accounts running on the same app, just the same way you can on Twitter and Instagram. So, using WhatsApp business account for your second active number will be a thing of the past. Well, maybe not right away, as the feature is currently limited to a few beta users. It is slowly rolling out and will be available for the public later. In today’s edition Anonymous Sudan hacks X Tingo group responds to Hindenburg Research allegations Uber launches electric motorbikes in Kenya India wants to expand its Unified Payments Interface to Africa Funding Tracker The World Wide Web3 Event: The Web3Bridge Conference Lagos Job Openings Cybercrime Anonymous Sudan hacks X Image source: Zikoko Memes Anonymous Sudan has struck again. The hacktivist group is claiming responsibility for taking X (formerly Twitter) offline in more than a dozen countries on Tuesday morning. The hackers said that they hacked X to pressure Elon Musk into launching Starlink in Sudan. Thousands of users affected: Per BBC, X was down for over two hours, and according to Downdetector, a website that monitors service outages, users from the US and the UK filed nearly 20,000 reports of outages, though the actual number of affected individuals is likely much greater. In a chat with the BBC, a member of the hacktivist group, Hofa, said that the purpose of the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack was to bring attention to the ongoing civil war in Sudan. The war, which began in April, was due to a power struggle between the two main factions of the ruling military regime. This has led to the internet in Sudan being disrupted several times. Currently, internet access is limited and unreliable due to the ongoing conflict in the country. If Starlink is launched in Sudan, it will mean that people can access the internet even if the government blocks internet access. Hacktivism over the months: The group has been involved in a series ofdistributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Back in June, the hacktivist group targeted Microsoft in a DDoS attack, claiming that the attack was retaliation for US policy regarding Sudan’s military conflict. In July, the group also attacked digital services in Kenya, including the country’s eCitizen portal, used by the public to access more than 5,000 government services. They claimed that the attack was because the country “released statements doubting the sovereignty of [the Sudanese] government.” In August, the group carried out attacks on Nigerian companies, targeting digital infrastructure such as that of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in response to the ECOWAS threat of military action against Niger. Zoom out: X has not publicly acknowledged the disruption caused, and Musk has not responded to questions to launch his satellite internet service in Sudan. Get a working card from Moniepoint With the Moniepoint personal banking app, you get reliable payments every time and a card that always works. Enjoy seamless payments powered by the infrastructure that 1.5 million businesses trust. Download the app. Fintech Tingo group responds to Hindenburg Research allegations This week, investigators of Tingo Group, an agri-fintech company denied allegations made against the company by Hindenburg Research. Image source: Zikoko Memes What allegations? In June this year, Hindenburg Research, a US-based investment research firm focusing on short-selling, accused Tingo Group of being an “exceptionally obvious scam with completely fabricated financials.” The report made several allegations about the company, including that its financial statements were inaccurate, its relationships with its partners and customers were illegitimate, and its mobile licence was invalid. Tingo publicly denied all the claims and said the allegations were a deliberate attempt to damage its reputation, and also appointed an International law firm, White & Case LLP, to conduct an independent review and report to its independent directors concerning the allegations. What are the results? In a new press release shared on Tingo’s website, the company states that Tingo’s financial statements and MD&A were accurate and all required disclosures were made. The investigators reportedly found that Tingo’s relationships with its partners and customers are legitimate. Per the findings, investigators also say that Tingo has a valid mobile licence in Nigeria and does not require a licence in Ghana. The report states that it has paid its taxes in Nigeria, that its partnership with Visa is legitimate, that its NWASSA platform is legitimate and has generated revenue, and that the company’s agricultural export business is legitimate and has generated revenue. Finally, the report notes, that its independent auditors are qualified and have a good reputation, and that the Company’s bank statements are accurate. Mobility Uber launches electric motorbikes in Kenya Image source: Techcabal Uber has new bikes in Kenya The ride hailing company has launched One Electric, its e-mobility product in Kenya. The launch is part of Uber’s move to transition into the use of electric vehicles. The launch of One Electric is Uber’s third product announcement in Kenya this year. It follows the rollout of an audio recording feature for safety and the integration of M-PESA into its payment system. Uber doesn’t own any of the electric motorbikes, Greenwheels Africa—an e-mobility company focused on electrifying motorbikes— oversees the fleet ownership, maintenance and charging. According to Imran Manji, Uber’s head of East Africa,Greenwheels currently operates only a few charging stations in Kenya, but plans to increase them to ten before the end of the year. The electric bikes which have an 80-kilometre range when fully charged will be leased to riders for Uber services. Instead of recharging their bikes, riders exchange depleted batteries for new ones at Greenwheels Africa’s stations. According to Manji, cyclists will be charged based on battery usage, “If a rider wants to swap a battery that is at 40%, they will only pay for 60% of charge at the station,” he
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Exclusive: How Piggyvest paid out ₦1.1 trillion in six years
Piggyvest has paid out over ₦1.1 trillion ($1.42 billion) to its customers since its inception in 2016. Its co-founder and CMO, Josh Chibueze, talked to TechCabal about how they did it and the challenges they faced. Piggyvest, a Nigerian digital savings company, paid out over ₦400 billion ($519 million) in 2022, bringing the total amount of money it has paid out to customers since its inception in 2016 to ₦1.1 trillion ($1.42 billion). Josh Chibueze, a cofounder and chief marketing officer of Piggyvest, told TechCabal on a call that the disbursement represented only a fraction of the money saved with Piggyvest. “Our disbursement model means that this amount is money that people saved and requested. Only a few people withdraw their money. It represents the liquidity we had to return their money,” he said. He added that the startup is now moving into the “money management phase,” where the company will offer credit to Nigerians. The startup would leverage its three licenses; a fund manager license from the SEC, a mobile money license from the Central Bank of Nigeria, and a microfinance bank license to achieve this, Chibueze said. “Right now, we have a savings and investments arm, which is Piggyvest, and a spending arm, which is Pocket app. So once we’re able to understand savings and investment patterns and spending, then we can build reliable data to be able to give you credit.” A mobile money license would allow Piggytech (the parent company) to issue account numbers through Pocket app and control a customer’s entire transaction flow. Nigerians savings habit According to a report from the IMF, Nigeria ranks 11th in the sub-Saharan region for private savings. During the COVID pandemic, 42% of Nigerian households said their source of financing came from savings. However, for years, this saving culture was not incentivised, as Nigerian banks typically offered low interest rates of around 5%-7%. This led to Nigerians preferring to save their money in cash at home with piggybanks or opening bank accounts and not collecting cards to save money. To solve this, fintechs like Piggyvest and Cowryrise came onto the scene with a digital solution for saving money and higher interest rates. Their promise of higher rates made them appealing to Nigerians, quickly propelling these fintechs to prominence and creating a new business segment. Data from CEIC Data. Nigeria’s yearly gross saving rate in % (disposable income minus consumption). That business segment has since grown exponentially. Piggyvest, the market’s first entrant, now has 4.5 million customers, up from 53,000 in 2018, who trust their savings with the company rather than traditional banks. Chibueze said that the startup’s numbers can be attributed to a first-mover advantage, constant innovation, and fulfilling its business promise of instant access to funds on set withdrawal dates and interest. “It’s a simple rule in business, once you fulfil your business promise and you remain consistent, people will keep coming back and referring other people. We grew largely through word-of-mouth marketing. It was just in the last two years that we decided to do offline marketing. We only just incentivized referrals.” Piggyvest’s path to profitability According to Chibueze, Piggyvest became profitable “very early on” by being effective with capital and only relying on word of mouth and social media marketing to grow. He said that the startup only raised a $1.1 million seed round in 2018 to acquire its microfinance bank license and added that they were currently in fundraising mode. For a fintech that specialises in savings, security has to be a prominent feature, but several media reports have detailed how Piggyvest customers have fallen victim to fraud. Chibueze told TechCabal that the startup has “one of the most robust internal tools for detecting fraud” and that with recent product and app upgrades, fraud would be a thing of the past. “We have also invested in cybersecurity awareness for our customers. I don’t think we’re going to have any of those issues anymore,” he said. The co-founder also mentioned that operating in a low-trust environment like Nigeria and dealing with issues with third-party service providers and regulators were other problems that the startup faced. “We struggled with regulation because innovation was faster. We had to take time to explain to the regulators before we could get all of these licenses.” This year, the Nigerian economy has been hit with the triple whammy of cash scarcity in the first quarter, a petrol subsidy removal and the floating of the exchange rate in the second quarter. When asked how this has affected Piggyvest’s users and their saving patterns, Chibueze told TechCabal that he had noticed an increase in the income capacity of Nigerians. “What is happening right now is that people are having to spend out of their savings, which reinforces the need for platforms like ours to exist. [Another thing] people are doing right now is increasing their income capacity to be able to earn more so that they can afford the expenses they already make,” Chibueze said. Have you got your tickets to TechCabal’s Moonshot Conference? Click here to do so now!
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Apply for UNISA 2024/2025 admission online
The University of South Africa (UNISA) is known for its comprehensive distance education programs, making it a popular choice for individuals seeking flexible and quality education. If you’re looking to apply for admission at UNISA, please note that the application is currently only possible online. In other words, no physical stations are available for admissions applications. Therefore, follow these step-by-step guidelines to navigate the application process. Before we delve in, it’s important to note that the University of South Africa (UNISA) will officially start entertaining online applications for the 2024 academic year from 1 September 2023 to 14 October 2023. This admissions process applies to Undergraduate qualifications, honours degrees and Postgraduate diplomas. 1. Research programmes available before you apply to UNISA Begin by exploring UNISA’s official website to understand the range of programs they offer. Make sure to select a programme that aligns with your academic and career goals. The University also enjoins applicants to check and be sure that the programme they’re applying for isn’t filled up yet. 2. Check UNISA admission requirements before you apply Each program you may want to apply for at UNISA has specific admission criteria, such as academic qualifications and prerequisites. Review these requirements to ensure you meet the necessary qualifications. But the general requirements are as follows: It’s crucial for students to confirm that the qualifications or programmes they plan to apply for are not already filled up for the specific semester or year. UNISA sets a maximum credit threshold for each semester or year, and any enrollment or addition of modules exceeding this limit won’t be reviewed or processed. Furthermore, students are required to fulfil the admission criteria for the qualification they are seeking credits or exemptions in. Up to half (50%) of the qualification’s credits could potentially be granted as exemptions. Importantly, once an application is submitted, no changes or additions to qualifications can be accommodated. Students who are presently excluded or suspended from another institution due to misconduct won’t be taken into consideration for admission to UNISA. 3. Create MyUNISA account To start the application process, you’ll need to create a MyUNISA account on their website. This account will be your portal for all application-related activities. 4. Complete your UNISA admission application form Log in to your MyUNISA account and fill out the online application form. Provide accurate personal information, contact details, and details of the program you’re applying for. 5. Upload documents Prepare and upload all required supporting documents, such as academic transcripts, identification documents, and any additional materials specified by your chosen program. For example, undergraduate who want to apply to UNISA, you need the following documents: Certified copy of your ID document or passport Certified copy of your Senior Certificate or equivalent qualification If you are currently in Grade 12, a certified copy of your latest Grade 12 results If you have completed any tertiary studies, a certified copy of your academic record and certificate of conduct A completed application form 6. Application fee Pay the non-refundable application fee as outlined in the application process. Keep the payment receipt as you may need it for future reference. 7. Wait for feedback After submitting your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email. UNISA will review your application and communicate the outcome through your MyUNISA account and email. You may also track your UNISA application status via the status tracking portal on the website. 8. Acceptance and registration If you’re accepted, you’ll receive an acceptance letter with instructions on how to register for your chosen program. Follow these instructions carefully to secure your spot. 9. Financial planning Explore UNISA’s tuition fees and available financial aid options. Plan your finances accordingly to ensure a smooth academic journey. 10. Attend Orientation (If Applicable): UNISA often conducts orientation sessions for new students. Attending these sessions can help you get acquainted with the university’s systems, resources, and student support services. 11. Stay organised Throughout the application process, make sure to keep copies of all documents, correspondence, and receipts. Staying organised will help you address any potential issues more efficiently. Final thoughts on how to apply for UNISA 2024/2025 admissions online If you’re looking to apply for admission at UNISA, it involves careful planning and attention to detail. By researching programs, meeting admission requirements, and following the step-by-step guide provided by the university, you can increase your chances of a successful application. Remember to stay organised, keep track of important dates, and make use of available resources to make the most of your academic journey at UNISA.
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Airtel Malawi made 113% profit in H1 2023, despite currency devaluation
Airtel Malawi has delivered a strong performance in its first half report of the year, growing 113%. Airtel Malawi has reported a profit of K18.9 billion ($17.67m) for June 2023, an increase by 133% from the K8.9 billion ($8.28m) it reported a year ago. In an environment where its contemporaries reported losses owing to currency devaluation, Airtel Malawi is an outlier. Airtel’s Malawi’s uptick in its financial statement does not represent the current state of the external shocks and severe macro-fiscal imbalances the country suffered in the last three years. In June 2023, a spokesperson for Malawi’s central bank said the foreign exchange reserves of the East African nation could not cover a month of imports. But respite came when the Reserve Bank of Malawi, in a foreign exchange auction, raised $350,000 that same month to cater to forex shortage. Airtel Malawi’s resilience is thus unprecedented as its profit is attributed to a better operating performance and lower finance costs. The telco reduced its foreign exchange losses to K2.8 billion ($2.66m) in June 2023 from K12.6 billion ($11.77 million) the year before. “The Malawi Kwacha depreciated by 2.68% in June 2023 as against a foreign exchange loss of K12,652 million in the previous year, same period, when the Malawi kwacha depreciated by more than 25%,” the notes in the financial statements read. The firm’s revenue was up 26.8% to K85.9 billion ($80m) from K67.8 billion ($63.11m) recorded in June 2022. The revenue growth was based on the customer base growth of 5.8%, and average revenue per user (ARPU) growth of 20.7%. The revenue growth was broad-based across all key segments: voice revenue went up by 16.9%; data revenue was up by 30.4%; and other revenue was up by 86.7%. Airtel Malawi is going nowhere despite the nation’s economic woes Airtel Malawi said it will continue to support the economy and keep Malawian communities connected. Its outlook on Malawi is attractive, as it notes that the telecommunication sector would benefit from population growth and the need for increased connectivity. While it wants to base its forward-looking strategy on increasing mobile penetration via rural underserved markets, the economy is a worrying concern. “The economy and company are exposed to [the] continued impact of Kwacha depreciation and scarcity of foreign currency,” the notes in its statements read. The telco said it will sort the problem by diversifying currency sourcing while doubling down on revenue and customer growth. Have you got your tickets to TechCabal’s Moonshot Conference? Click here to do so now!
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The role of storytelling in building a more formidable tech ecosystem
Rose Odengo describes herself as big-hearted, loving, and as someone who enjoys laughing. She pours her heart into everything that she does, including storytelling, which she has been doing for close to two decades. For the past 16 years, Odengo has worked in communications and storytelling, doing everything from copywriting to journalism, and even fiction. All these three paths combined make up what she calls her “storytelling triage”, which she uses to tell the next generation of African brand stories. Odengo is the head of communication and community at Madica, an Africa-focused pre-seed investment programme empowering underrepresented and underfunded founders in Africa. Prior to her role at Madica, she worked mainly in the non-profit sector, helping organisations like the Obama Foundation and Segal Family Foundation attain communication and marketing goals. For Centre Stage, I had a conversation with Odengo which was lighthearted, candid, and punctuated with a lot of laughter. We discussed multiple facets of storytelling including its role in building a more formidable tech ecosystem and how startups can tell better stories. Storytelling is a tradition RO: Storytelling for me started when I was a child at the dinner table. Every night at dinner, my parents would tell me and my siblings stories about their childhood and what it was like growing up for them. It was a tradition in my family and fundamental to how I was raised. I learned a lot of our traditions and core life lessons via storytelling, and I grew up to love it. I started working in Kenyan media houses as soon as I could, based on my love for telling stories, first, as a copywriter, after which I evolved into journalism because I felt like helping people sell things was not enough, but I wanted to transform society. From journalism to public relations, and it’s been a steady progression from there. Perfection doesn’t exist for storytellers RO: Perfection doesn’t exist for storytellers and it’s whatever we constitute it to be in our minds. To be a great storyteller, you need to understand the basics of storytelling. It goes beyond the conventional ways we’ve been taught to approach stories; having a protagonist, a plot, a dilemma etc. When we look at storytelling as a way of documenting the truths of our society and sharing it on a global stage, then it’s just a matter of practice rather than perfection.Writing a good story is about considering what your audience knows or doesn’t know, what you want them to know, how they will understand and interpret it and being able to piece all of these together in a way they can understand. Good stories tend to be universal and it doesn’t matter what part of the globe people are in; they should be able to connect to your story. How personality affects storytelling RO: I’m a Chatty Patty, but I also consider myself to be an ambivert because there are times when I like to recharge in solitude. As a storyteller, one thing that I learned over the years is the importance of listening. I haven’t always been a great listener and would always like to have the last word in conversations, but that has changed as I’ve grown as a person and as a storyteller. I’m now an ambivert, and so I have moments where I share and talk, but also moments where I listen. Listening provides a core aspect that a lot of communication sometimes fails to do, which is context, and in order for people to be comfortable enough with opening up to you, they need to get the sense that you are willing to listen to them without judgement. The heart of listening is listening without judgement, and paying attention to your subject rather than your preconceived biases. However, you also need some bits of extroversion because that has helped me make conversations and friends easily. This is also useful because sometimes you share stories that people can connect to and lead to the forming of bonds that are hard to break. The role of storytelling in the African tech ecosystem RO: People are tribal in nature, and this means that they’re going to connect with you and want the best for you when they understand you. The role of storytelling in the ecosystem is to try to build that connection in different ways. The first way is simply eliminating the gatekeepers and making stories or sharing of information completely accessible. We see that a lot of startups are genuinely confused as to what VCs want in order to give them money. They keep thinking “What do they care about?” “What kind of questions should I be asking?” One key thing in my role at Madica is to build a one-stop information hub where startups can access all the information they need. This also helps founders understand the psychology and understanding of how these things operate, including how to engage and talk to investors. The second aspect is that storytelling can be a tool to engage with other players in the ecosystem. At Madica, we’re telling our stories and sharing the stories of our portfolio in the startups, and this is to get the attention of other VCs who may be interested in investing or have negative assumptions about investing in startups in Africa. We play a role in de-risking through our community building to help people see that there is more than just Nairobi, Cape Town, Cairo and Lagos. Startups need to understand the lingua franca in order to tell stories better RO: Across the board, a fundamental challenge of startups is always money and funding. Fundraising seems to be a struggle and it tends to be an aspect of two related things: how startups tell their stories and understanding the lingua franca of investors. Different investors are interested in different things. While some are more interested in debt financing, others are more interested in equity, or later equity. These different investors speak different languages and your success in
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