With ₦1.1 Trillion in transactions, Firstmonie is the biggest bank-led agency banking service
Firstmonie, the agency banking arm of First Bank of Nigeria, is the biggest bank-led agency player in the country’s agency banking market, according to data aggregated by payments provider Interswitch and seen by TechCabal. Firstmonie processed over ₦1.1 trillion in transactions in 2023, more than double the amount handled by Access Bank, Zenith Stanbic IBTC, Union, Ecobank, FCMB, and Fidelity Bank combined. The Interswitch report only reflects payment activity within its network and excludes information from Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) which also processes a significant volume of payments. The report shows that, compared to previous years, Firstmonie was outpaced by five VC-backed fintech companies—Moniepoint, Opay, MFS Africa (Onafriq), and Nomba. Previous Insterswitch reports show that from April 2021 to March 2022, Firstmonie processed the second-highest amount of agency banking payments—₦2 trillion, double what it processed in 2023. Interswitch declined to comment on the figures. Image source: TechCabal/Ngozi Chukwu. Data from Interswitch’s agency banking report. Between 2021 and 2022, three bank-led agency banking services were in the top 10, but this new report shows them losing momentum and market share to fintech companies like Nomba, which processed ₦1.14 trillion—nearly 2.5 times what it did in 2021-2022. One factor that may have contributed to the increased market share of agency banking players is the cash crunch in early 2023. As Nigeria grappled with widespread cash scarcity in 2023, traditional banks’ network infrastructure faltered under the weight of increased digital payments, leaving their various payment platforms, including POS agents, teetering. This operational nightmare was a golden opportunity for nimble fintech players whose platforms witnessed a surge in usage, including POS transactions. The numbers speak for themselves. Paga, a long-time fintech player, processed a staggering ₦147.1 billion in transactions, more than double the ₦68.3 billion it handled through Interswitch’s platform between April 2021 and March 2022. This figure surpasses the transaction volume of the agency banking business of Access Bank, one of Nigeria’s biggest banks. Industry analysts attribute this shift to several factors. Fintechs are perceived as more agile and adaptable, offering easier agent onboarding, a wider reach through mini POS terminals, and innovative solutions. Additionally, the 2023 cash crunch exposed limitations in traditional banking infrastructure, driving users towards alternative channels like agency banking, which fintechs were quicker to capitalize on. More than being nimble, these fintechs are also more accessible than bank-led agency banking providers. While Firstmonie still boasts the largest bank-led agent network in Nigeria with over 200,000 agents, which it claims are “spread across 772 out of 774 local government areas in Nigeria,” it has stricter agent requirements that exclude a larger part of the small and medium businesses. To become a Firstmonie agent, you must have an existing business registered with a corporate body or a current account. This excludes a lot of legitimate small businesses and even individuals who want to make a business of the POS agency by itself. Fintech competitors like Moniepoint and Opay only require means of personal identification. “Amongst fintech themselves, there is cutthroat competition because this is all they have to survive on,” an agency banking expert told TechCabal. “Banks have many other options. They make money from loans, transfers, and more.” However, fintech has to come up with ways to survive or die. Last year saw the exit of agency banking services like Kippa Pay. The Interswitch report shows that the fintech processed only ₦36 million in 2023 before it closed shop due to the decreasing margins in the business. It is also plausible that fintech companies like Opay and Moniepoint, which have raised funding, can use VC funds to subsidise their products and services to gain market share. Firstmonie, for instance, reportedly has a higher charge on transactions than fintechs. VC funds also make fintech quicker on their feet than banks. While banks may need to wad through bureaucracy to make capital investments in hardware like the much cheaper mini POSes, fintechs like Nomba and Opay have been aggressively pushing to widen and deepen the reach of their services. However, there may be a shift in dynamics in favour of the banks shortly, considering how inflation is driving up the cost of POS devices and shrinking margins. Seeing that VC funding is less forthcoming, this fintech may give way to banks that already have sustainable businesses that can feed the growth of their agency banking arm.
Read MoreFledging social streaming platform Astrotwig scammed of $20,000 by angel investor
Astrotwig, a Nigerian platform that combines music streaming with social networking, claims that it lost $20,000 to Mr. Simon Tiwari, an angel investor who offered to invest a convertible loan of $1 million in their pre-seed round. The fledgling startup said it raised the money from loans from friends and families. They are currently running a crowdfunding campaign to repay our lenders or otherwise face legal action. At the time the company issued a public statement, they had raised about ₦345,000 ($227). After an investigation of the scam, which the company claims happened on February 10, Samuel Adeleke, the CEO of the company, stepped down. Adeleke said he came in contact with the investor after he put out a Twitter post about looking for a $500,000–$1,000,000 SAFE investment. The angel investor claimed to have seen Astrotwig at a MIDEM pitch event and offered to invest the entire $1 million they were seeking for our pre-seed round as a convertible loan. “Subsequently, due diligence was conducted, and the necessary documentation was signed. The agreed-upon funding was scheduled to be received on Sunday, February 11, 2024,” the public post read. Both parties decided to transfer said investment via Bitcoin. ” due to the unstable foreign exchange situation in Nigeria.” According to Adeleke’s post, the company was instructed by the investor to send a test transaction of $20,000 in Bitcoin as collateral to facilitate the transfer of the $1 million loan. They reportedly pooled took loans from friends and family, to fulfill this request. Adeleke and his cofounder deposited the cash in a newly created cryptocurrency wallet, but upon Tiwari’s insistence, the funds were moved to a Mycelium wallet, which he claimed was the preferred platform for investments. Mycelium Wallet is a non-custodial wallet that allows users to maintain a high level of anonymity by veiling details like IP addresses, which can be used to trace devices. He also provided a QR code for the test transfer to be made. “As instructed, a small test transaction of $19 was sent, but upon scanning the provided QR code, $19,300 was immediately deducted from our wallet.” The company claims that it was only at that moment that they realised that it was a “ sophisticated scam.” Astrotwig has now replaced the CEO, who handled most of the interactions. An official police report has been filed regarding the incident. Adeleke, who is also a final year student at the Nigerian university, the Federal University of Akure, co-founded the social music streaming app with his friends, Ajibola Disu and Oluwaseun John. The app enables users to share what they are listening to, and host listening parties and music discussions online. It also allows people to post clips of songs and their opinions about them. Astrotwig, which claimed to have a little over a thousand users registered on its waitlist, launched a Beta version of the app in July 2023. Since its launch, the company has not made any posts about the platform until this announcement about the scam. This is a developing story.
Read MoreBacked by political will, Sierra Leone wants to become the “Estonia of Africa”
Sierra Leone, the tropical nation on Africa’s west coast, may be geographically small, but its tech ambitions are huge. President Julius Maada Bio wants to make Sierra Leone “the Estonia of Africa.” Backed by political will and government investment, Sierra Leone wants to supply tech talent to the rest of the continent. “The vision is to see Sierra Leone play a leading role in tech export,” Salima Bah, the country’s Minister of Communication, Technology, and Innovation, told TechCabal during a recent visit to Lagos. “This isn’t the first time Sierra Leone has played a global leading role in capacity development. Sierra Leone used to be known as the Athens of Africa.” The 32-year-old minister, who resumed office last September, believes that the country’s size is advantageous. “Because we are small, we can act faster and adjust to changing times and an easier ecosystem to deal with, which puts us in a better position.” In 2018, President Bio established the Directorate of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI) and appointed a Chief Innovation Officer. He also set up the Ministry of Communication, Technology, and Innovation and named Bah its first Minister in July 2023. The ministry has spent the past six months laying the groundwork for its plans to support its startup ecosystem, which the minister says, is “still at its nascent stage”. Sierra Leone will host a National Tech and Innovation Summit in May to showcase its ecosystem to attract tech investments and secure partnerships. The country is putting its money where its mouth is. It will build a tech and innovation city—a special economic zone—where it will train young people in different tech skills to help deliver the government’s mandate to create 500,000 jobs by 2028. “We consider digital skills as an exportable commodity. We will focus on the skills we can export and provide infrastructure,” Bah said. The ministry has acquired 130 acres of land for the project which will also feature accelerator hubs. Sierra Leone’s strategy involves listening and capturing from its regional counterparts, explaining the minister’s visit to Nigeria. It’s not shy about copying Nigeria’s blueprint on how to build a thriving ecosystem. Highlights from the visit include talks of cross-border collaboration with Nigeria’s tech regulator, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). Sierra Leone’s startup act is also in the works. Sierra Leone’s bold bet is a good start for Africa. While the rest of the continent will be watching how the country pulls this off, its strategy—a combination of political will and government investment—is worth noticing. Catching up to the continent’s biggest players will take time, and Sierra Leone insists it isn’t competing but instead collaborating. It will convene an African ministerial roundtable at its tech summit to discuss open-source software and strategies on how the continent can collectively benefit from AI. “We are willing to learn how others have done it. We aren’t inventing the wheel, we are learning from others. It doesn’t mean we are just going to copy and paste everything, we are going to adapt and adjust,” Bah said.
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10 ways to stop your Android hanging or lagging 2024
Dealing with a slow or lagging Android device can be frustrating, but there are several steps you can take to troubleshoot and improve its performance. Here are ten effective ways to address and potentially stop hanging or lagging issues on your Android device: 1. Close background apps to stop Android hanging or lagging Apps running in the background consume system resources and can slow down your device. Therefore, you can likely stop your Android phone from hanging or lagging by closing unnecessary apps. This can be done by accessing the recent apps menu and swiping them away or using a task manager app to terminate background processes. 2. Restart your device to stop Android hanging or lagging A simple restart can often resolve temporary performance issues by clearing system memory and refreshing processes. Power off your Android device, wait for a few seconds, then power it back on to see if the lagging or hanging persists. 3. Update system software To stop your Android phone from hanging or lagging, ensure that your Android device’s operating system and apps are up to date. Manufacturers frequently release software updates that include performance improvements, bug fixes, and security patches. Go to Settings > System > System update to check for available updates. 4. Clear app cache and data Over time, app cache and data can accumulate, leading to performance degradation. Clearing cache and data for individual apps or using the system’s built-in storage cleaner can free up space, improve performance and stop hanging or lagging on your Android device. Go to Settings > Apps > [App Name] > Storage > Clear cache or Clear data. Please be careful when clearing cache and data. Clearing an app’s data means you may lose all the things you’ve done on/with the app. You’ll lose updates and more. For example, if you clear WhatsApp data, you may lose your chats and media. 5. Disable animations Animations and transition effects can make your Android device feel sluggish, especially on older or lower-spec devices. Disable or reduce animation scales in the developer options menu to enhance responsiveness. Go to Settings > Developer options > Window animation and disable all animations such as Transition animation scale and Animator duration scale. 6. Free up storage space Insufficient storage space can impact your device’s performance. To stop your Android from lagging or hanging, delete unused files, photos, videos, and apps to free up storage space. You can use built-in storage management tools or third-party apps to identify and remove clutter. 7. Use lite versions of apps Another way to stop your Android phone from hanging or lagging is to consider using lite versions of resource-intensive apps or alternative lightweight apps designed to consume fewer system resources. Lite apps often offer similar functionality with less memory and storage requirements, resulting in smoother performance. 8. Disable or uninstall unused apps Unused or rarely used apps still consume system resources and often contribute to lagging or hanging issues. Disable or uninstall apps that you no longer need to declutter your device and improve performance. 9. Enable high-performance mode to stop Android lagging Some Android devices offer a high-performance mode or power-saving mode that adjusts system settings to prioritize performance over battery life. Therefore, you can stop your Android phone from hanging or lagging by enabling high-performance mode in your device’s settings to optimize performance for demanding tasks like gaming. 10. Factory reset to stop Android lagging If all else fails, performing a factory reset or flashing your Android phone can restore your Android device to its default state, eliminating any software issues or conflicts that may be causing performance problems. Remember to backup your data before proceeding with a factory reset or flashing, as they will erase all data on your device. Final thoughts on how to stop your Android from hanging or lagging By following these ten troubleshooting steps, you can effectively address and stop hanging or lagging issues on your Android device, and enjoy a smoother and more responsive user experience.
Read MoreKenyan EV startup Roam secures $24m to scale production
Roam, a Kenya-based electric vehicle company has raised $24 million in equity and debt to expand local manufacturing capabilities in Kenya, scale up production at its new 10,000 sqm Roam Park facility, invest in research and tooling for cost efficiencies, and streamline local and global supply chain networks. The $14 million Series A funding round was led by Equator Africa and participation from At One Ventures, TES Ventures, Renew Capital, The World We Want, and One Small Planet, among other prominent private and institutional investors. The $10 million debt facility was provided by the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). The funding is significant and comes at a time when attention is shifting to electric vehicles as countries around the world make efforts to make the environment safer. EV sales are projected to reach 16.7 million in 2024, representing a 20% increase from the previous year, according to estimates from the BloombergNEF. Roam which designs, develops, and deploys electric motorcycles and buses said it has managed to capture or mitigate over 120,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. This is primarily the inspiration for investors like DFC in Roam. James Polan, Vice President of the Office of Development Credit at DFC said the debt facility to Roam aligns with its goals for a cleaner future. But transitioning to electric vehicles isn’t cheap with the price of batteries and building infrastructure for rollout making the cost for individual owners very expensive. The Kenyan government, however, is undeterred, as they have set a 5% target for new vehicles to be electric by the end of 2025. Roam and its rival BasiGo are at the forefront of ensuring the target is achieved by providing cheaper options for consumers in the country. Roam offers riders in the East African country payment flexibility and the option of battery ownership. This lets users charge their batteries at a standard household outlet and significantly reduces the cost of operations while increasing the ability to travel longer distances. “As Africa embraces the move toward electric vehicle technology, we are proud of our impact on the environment and livelihoods across Kenya and the wider continent. This funding is a critical step for Roam to achieve our strategic objectives in scaling up and increasing utility to our customers,” said Rajal Upadhyaya, chief financial officer of Roam. In line with the expansion, Roam will increase the utility of its motorcycles to riders through the deployment of Roam Hub stations. These are multiple open-architecture electric motorcycle charging stations that offer a wide array of after-sales services including the option to rent batteries for a flexible period. “At Equator, we are committed to building a future with efficient, accessible, and sustainable mobility. Roam’s innovative electric mobility platform is at the forefront of this transformation, and we are proud to provide catalytic funding that will enable Roam to build a cleaner, more equitable future for African cities,” said Nijhad Jamal, partner at Equator.
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Teesas wants to reduce the failure rate in Nigeria’s university entrance exams
Only 14 of every hundred students who took Nigeria’s university entrance exam in 2023 passed, highlighting a crisis in the country’s education system. The numbers for the last five years are dire, with college examination bodies like the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the West African Examination Commission (WAEC) recording increased failure rates. Teesas, an edtech startup launched in 2021, believes it can lower these failure rates. The company analyses past questions from college entrance examinations—a massive dataset spanning the last 40 years of JAMB exams—which students can practise as part of their studying. Studying past questions isn’t novel; students have bought physical copies of these questions and practised them. But Teesas differentiates itself by also offering video tutorials from tutors. The startup offers a subscription model where students can access the video tutorials and the question bank for a ₦10,000 one-time plan while offering a question bank-only feature for just ₦2,000. The company also offers offline learning to address the internet challenges through its yearly premium plan of ₦10,000. This allows students to access the app and save and download video tutorials without an internet connection. Teesas’ solution is coming when WAEC is considering computer-based assessments for its exams. WAEC will begin conducting computer-based examination (CBE) for candidates writing its examination this February. According to Teesas CEO Izedonmwen, the edtech is building a new product to help students prepare for this shift. “We are bringing our JAMB/WAEC exam preparation product called Matric,” he said. Learners will access over 5,000 tutor-led videos that provide answers and tips to the most frequently asked SSCE and UTME questions from the last 40 years. “They also get the opportunity to take computer-based (CBT) mock exams, with detailed explanatory answers.” Teesas’ early adoption of CBT preparation allows students to familiarise themselves with the new format even as the system transitions. Since its launch, Teesas has raised $2 million in funding, and claims to have over 50,000 active users, with nearly 95% reporting a significant improvement in their understanding of key concepts. “We are an impact-focused business and as such, we track both profitability and impact metrics (learning journeys completed, exam pass rate, engagement levels, etc,” Izedonmwen told TechCabal. “We also aim to be a sustainable business, hence the focus on profitable growth.” How uLesson became an online university from an “extra lesson” company
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How to link NIN with Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile lines in 2024
In continuous compliance with regulatory directives, Nigerian networks are enforcing the need for customers to link their National Identification Numbers (NIN) to their phone lines. MTN subscribers have been receiving messages from MTN with warnings of line blockage if they fail to link NIN to their MTN line in 2024. This guide presents step-by-step instructions and methods through which subscribers can easily integrate their NIN with their Airtel, Glo, or 9mobile lines, facilitating regulatory compliance and ensuring uninterrupted telecommunication services. Let’s get into it. Link NIN with Airtel line in 2024 You can link your NIN to your Airtel line through three major ways. They include USSD, website, and Airtel Mobile App. 1. USSD Code Method Ready your NIN number Dial *346*3*NIN*121097# to generate your Virtual NIN (VNIN). Dial *996# and follow the prompts to confirm linkage using the VNIN. This USSD code method simplifies the process of linking NIN 2024 with your Airtel line. 2. Airtel Website Method Visit the Airtel NIN linking portal. Enter your Airtel phone number and email address. Click “Send OTP” and input the OTP received on your phone. Enter your 11-digit NIN number and click “Submit” to receive a confirmation message. Through the Airtel website method, you can effortlessly link NIN 2024 with your Airtel line. 3. MyAirtel App method Download and open the MyAirtel app. Log in with your Airtel credentials. Tap on the “Submit ID” option. Enter your 11-digit NIN number and follow the prompts to receive a confirmation message. Utilize the MyAirtel app method to conveniently link NIN 2024 with your Airtel line. Link NIN with Glo line in 2024 Here are the ways to link your Glo line to your NIN in 2024: 1. Glo NIN code method Dial *109# and follow the prompts to link your NIN to your Glo line. The Glo NIN code method offers a quick way to link NIN 2024 with your Glo line. 2. Glo NIN portal method Visit the Gloworld NIN Portal. Enter your details accurately, including first and last name (optional), phone number, NIN, and email address. Complete the process by entering the displayed two digits and clicking “Submit.” The Glo NIN portal method ensures a straightforward process to link NIN with your Glo line in 2024. 3. SMS method Text “NIN” to “109” to link your NIN to your Glo line. Then just follow the prompts you receive. 4. NIMC Mobile App method Download the MWS: NIMC MobileID app from the Google Play Store or Apple Store. Enter your NIN and phone number to get started. Create a 6-digit PIN and follow the prompts to link your phone number, receiving a confirmation message upon successful linkage. The NIMC mobile app method provides a convenient way to link NIN 2024 with your Glo line. Link NIN with 9mobile line in 2024 You can connect your NIN to your 9mobile line with the following methods: 1. NIMC Mobile App method Download the ‘MWS: NIMC Mobile ID’ from the Google Play Store or App Store. Launch the app, and enter your NIN and phone number. Verify with OTP and create a 6-digit PIN. Choose “LINK MY NUMBERS” on the dashboard to add and verify your 9mobile or Etisalat line, automatically linking your NIN to your SIM card. That’s about using the NIMC mobile app method to connect NIN with your 9mobile line in 2024. 2. USSD Code method Dial *996#. Reply with “1” to confirm if your NIN has been linked successfully. If not, enter “2” to link your 11-digit NIN or select option “3” to get information about NIN Registration centres across Nigeria. The USSD code method simplifies the process of linkingNIN 2024 with your 9mobile line. 3. 9mobile NIN Portal Method Go to the 9mobile NIN Portal. Tap on “Verify and Link your NIN Now” and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process. The 9mobile NIN portal method offers a convenient way to NIN 2024 with your 9mobile line. Final thoughts on how to link NIN with line By following these step-by-step methods tailored to each network, linking your NIN to your Airtel, Glo, or 9mobile line becomes a seamless and hassle-free experience, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
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Exploring AI-driven solutions for African agriculture
Africa is heavily reliant on agriculture. Over the past decade, agriculture has constituted 42-48% of total employment on the continent. Subsistence farming is a mainstay of many African countries, especially south of the Sahara, which boasts a quarter of the world’s arable land and has an estimated 33 million smallholder farms, with agriculture contributing to 17% of gross domestic product (GDP). Yet, the region produces only 10% of global output and imports most of the food it consumes. Around 82% of basic food imports still come from outside the continent. By 2021, food insecurity in Africa had risen alarmingly, affecting 794 million people—nearly 60% of its population. Different factors contribute to this conundrum. Climate change has played a debilitating role, with attendant risks such as the loss of terrestrial, marine, and coastal ecosystems, thereby contributing to food insecurity. The lack of large-scale industrialisation in the African agricultural sector is well-known, leading to far lower land productivity than the rest of the world. Another challenge is a wide investment gap. While several interventions have come from the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank, and other multilateral institutions, government allocation to agriculture remains wanting. In 2021, the average government expenditure on agriculture in Africa was a meagre 4.1%. Private capital allocation—which is more efficient—also remains low. In the last decade, African agritech startups, per data from Agfunder, raised over $1.8 billion in funding. [Stephen Agwaibor/ TC Insights] However, the figure pales considerably when placed in perspective with worldwide funding figures. For comparison, African agritech startups in 2022 raised just a little over 2% of the $29.6 billion in total global funding within that sector.Despite these challenges, there are opportunities for agritech to solve some of these agelong problems with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI) and allied technologies. In an earlier report this year, we noted that Africa’s AI market is projected to reach $6.9bn in 2024, with widespread application across various sectors. We will explore use cases showing how AI can be beneficial. The case for precision agriculture A 2020 study on Nigeria’s agricultural sector noted that: Ninety percent of agricultural production in Nigeria is the output of inefficient methods and deficient input use by small-scale farmers. Nigeria uses 18kg/hectare of inorganic fertiliser, compared to a global average of 100kg/hectare. Only 5% of Nigerian farmers use and access seeds of improved varieties compared to 25% in East Africa and 60% in Asia. Ten tractors exist for every 100 hectares, compared to Indonesia, which has 241 tractors per 100 hectares. Another analysis by McKinsey determined that African agriculture had unrealized potential and could produce “two to three times more cereals and grains, which would add 20% more cereals and grains to global output.” [Stephen Agwaibor/ TC Insights] In light of these reasons, precision agriculture, which employs climate-smart solutions using advanced technology and sensor tools to aid crop management decisions and improve crop yield, has become vital. Other uses of AI in agriculture include pest and disease detection, harvesting and sorting, livestock management, and supply chain optimization. India’s Agricultural Success Story Powered by AI In 2020, the Indian centre of the World Economic Forum, in partnership with India’s Ministry of Agriculture and the state of Telangana, launched the AI4AI initiative (AI for Agriculture Innovation). Over eight months of workshops with smallholder farmers were organized, educating them on implementing new technologies, including AI, drones, and blockchain. The framework proposed incorporating smart farming and data-driven agriculture to achieve the end goals. [Source: WEF] The pilot program was tested among 7,000 chilli farmers for 18 months over three crop cycles. Here are the key findings: An important component of this initiative was a WhatsApp chatbot developed in collaboration with an open-source developer. Designed in the local language of the farmers, the chatbot provided farmers with timely prompts in line with the maturity stages of their crops. An agritech startup built soil testing centres powered by machine learning technology that provided AI-based quality testing and a digital platform for buyer-seller connections. Farmers reported a significant increase in net income: $800 per acre in a single crop cycle (6 months), double the average income. They also significantly reduced wastage, which was as high as 40% before the start of the initiative. Digital advisory services contributed to a 21% increase in chilli yield production per acre. Pesticide use decreased by 9%, and fertilizers dropped by 5%. Quality improvements led to an 8% increase in unit prices. The initiative’s success led the state government to increase the number of crops to five and scale it to ten districts covering 500,000 farmers. India’s success story, while commendable, is not isolated. In Senegal, there has been research into how combining algorithms with Internet of Things (IoT) detectors can develop sustainable automated irrigation systems. A World Bank study showed promising results from Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda by highlighting how machine learning can help achieve transformational agriculture by optimizing clusters. Local startups are also buying into these solutions. Nigerian-based agritech Kitovu employs an AI and data-driven agronomic advisory that uses remote sensing to provide insights for reducing input costs, increasing yield, and offering precise inputs and personalised soil and crop health analysis. East Africa-based Grekkon also specializes in AI-powered irrigation and greenhouses that serve tens of thousands of farmers. Despite the stated benefits of AI, it still carries limitations. According to Adewale Adegoke, CEO of AgroXchange, an agricultural digital platform, the biggest challenge towards implementing precision agriculture remains data accessibility, especially for farmers who may find it tough to stay at pace with constantly emerging data. There are also cultural impediments, like convincing farmers steeped in one way of farming to adopt new technologies. Much of the work requires mass education and a strong will to power through on the part of entrepreneurs who are invested in adopting AI at scale. It is, however, no longer a matter of blind faith—we now have ample evidence to show that AI can supercharge Africa towards the next phase of the agricultural revolution.
Read MoreEx-Flutterwave VP launches Mira, a new way to eat and pay at restaurants
Ordering and paying for meals can often feel like an annoying long wait, and Mira, a fintech startup founded by Ted Oladele, a former VP of design and innovation at Flutterwave, wants to change that. Mira’s QR code payment system instantly lets you pay for your food, potentially reducing wait time and bringing predictability and order to the dining experience. Mira’s solution allows customers to scan a QR code, view their personalized bill, and pay instantly through bank transfer, Apple Pay, or card. Mira’s journey began with a lofty goal: eliminating the wait for ordering restaurant meals. Launched in 2022, Mira’s founder, Ted Oladele, was tired of the typical routine—sifting through paper menus, waiting for waiters, and facing limited payment options. He envisioned Mira as a comprehensive point-of-sale solution that improves the dining experience for both restaurants and customers. Mira hopes to create a world where users can browse digital menus, place orders and even split the bill – all from their phones. Mira claims to have onboarded over 100 restaurants in Lagos on its platform and charges an annual subscription fee of ₦15,000. The startup charges 2% per processed order. Mira raised $200,000 in funding in a family and friends round and has already processed $60,000. The startup also offers online vendors a link for customers to order directly from Instagram or WhatsApp, eliminating the fees charged by third-party food delivery platforms. In a crowded market dominated by established players like Paystack and Flutterwave, Mira’s fight for a slice of the pie requires differentiation and a clear value proposition. While they have transparent and competitive pricing with a 2% processing fee and an affordable subscription, scaling this model efficiently becomes a delicate dance as they strive to maintain affordability while ensuring profitability. Additionally, convincing restaurants to switch from entrenched systems demands robust marketing and outreach strategies. Oladele says the company is bullish on ramping up its scale and is looking to onboard all major restaurants across Lagos. According to Oladele, Mira’s solution allows businesses to increase profit margins and offers a payment tracking feature that helps businesses reconcile their accounts. How YC-backed Chowdeck hit ₦1 billion in monthly order value
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👨🏿🚀TechCabal Daily – Expensya’s expensive employee earnings
In partnership with Share this newsletter: Lire en Français اقرأ هذا باللغة العربية Happy Valentine’s Day Today’s a good day to remind you that Wordle, the word-game that was sold for $1 million, was created by James Wardle who wanted to find a way to keep the love of his life engaged. The game has now been played over a billion times. Locket, an app that helps users share their photos to their friends’/lovers’ home screens, was built by Matt Moss as a present for his girlfriend. Even Zoom was the product of a founder who wanted to connect with his girlfriend long distance. Don’t settle for any less, people! Get your own million-dollar gift today. In today’s edition Did Flutterwave invest $3 million in PiggyVest? Nigeria’s corporate watchdog will tax content creators Expensya’s expensive employee earnings UN asks Sudan to halt one-week internet shutdown Injaro secures $17.5 million in funding The World Wide Web3 Opportunities Funding Did Flutterwave invest $3 million in PiggyVest? Since its inception in 2016, PiggyVest has reshaped the savings landscape in Nigeria, offering a platform for users to stash their funds and build financial discipline, with over $1.37 billion paid out to its customers. Now, in a move set to amplify its impact, PiggyVest’s parent company, PiggyTech, secured an undisclosed investment from Flutterwave, Africa’s most valuable payment technology firm in mid-2023. The deal, structured as a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity), involves a cash injection by Flutterwave into PiggyVest, with the promise of equity in a future funding round. What do we know? Sources familiar with the matter estimate Flutterwave’s investment at $3 million. Before now, Piggytech had only disclosed $1.1 million in venture funding raised in 2018. But the company shared that it has received $5 million in venture funding since 2016. What does this deal mean for PiggyVest? Find out here. Access payments with Moniepoint You don’t have to take our word for it. Give it a shot like he did Click here to experience fast and reliable personal banking with Moniepoint. Regulation Nigeria’s corporate watchdog says content creators will pay tax Nigerian content creators have been caught in the middle. Yesterday, we reported that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) made a swift reversal of initial plans to tax content creators, clarifying that personal income tax falls under state government purview. Amidst this taxation shift, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)—an agency responsible for registering businesses operating in Nigeria—has reportedly issued a directive for social media content creators, particularly those with sizable followings on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, to register their businesses in accordance with the Company and Allied Matters Act 2020. Why? The Registrar General of CAC, Hussaini Magaji stated that “ignorance of the law isn’t an excuse” and social media content creators, who are deriving substantial income from their online activities, are obligated by law to register their businesses with the Commission. Expanding the tax net: Magaji announced the directive during a recent meeting with representatives from Opay, a leading fintech company in Nigeria, that will see 300,000 business names from the fintech registered with the Commission. Last week, the Commission also began the registration of two million small businesses in partnership with Moniepoint, another fintech company in Nigeria. Magaji also disclosed the commission’s ambitious target to register 20 million businesses by 2024, aiming to create 50 million jobs for Nigerian youths. Zoom out: To enforce compliance, Magaji also announced that the commission would soon commence compliance checks to ensure that these businesses fulfill their tax obligations to the government. Secure payment gateway for your business Fincra’s payment gateway enables you to easily collect Naira payments as a business; you can collect payments in minutes through bank transfers, cards, virtual accounts and mobile money. Create a free account and start collecting NGN payments with Fincra. Startups Expensya’s 2023 acquisition rewards employees with $10 million African tech startups are learning to think global and reap big rewards. Remember Tunisia’s InstaDeep, the AI powerhouse acquired by BioNTech for $682 million in January 2023? And Paystack, the Nigerian fintech giant snapped up by Stripe for $200 million in October 2020? Another great example is Expensiya. In June 2023, Expensya—a Tunisian expense management startup—joined the ranks of African tech success stories and was acquired by Medius, a private equity firm for over $100 million. While Expensya’s acquisition is a testament to the potential of African tech, it also shows how Africans can benefit from these global transactions. Selma Ribica, an angel investor in Expensya, shared her experience of reaping eightfold returns on her investment. Per TechCrunch, employees also received cash payouts, with 180 shareholders collectively earning $10 million from the deal. A journey to global success: Founded in 2014 by Karim Jouini (CEO) and Jihed Othmani (CTO), the Tunis-born but Paris-headquartered Expensya provides expense management tools for businesses—startups and big corporations—in Europe. It helps companies manage the reimbursable expenses incurred by their employees on one single platform. The spend management startup initially aimed for global markets. They knew their home market needed to be bigger and needed more maturity for their product. So, they built a solution for European businesses, starting in France and quickly adapting to other countries. Zoom out: Before its acquisition, Expensya reportedly grew its customer base to 6,000 businesses and 700,000 active individual users spread across 100 countries, securing $25.6 million in total funding. Internet UN asks Sudan to halt Internet shutdown United Nations Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, has asked Sudan to end its latest 1-week-old internet shutdown even as paramilitary forces turn to Starlink for reprieve. Zoom in: Last week Wednesday, Al Jazeera reported that all three —MTN, Zain Sudan, and the state-owned Sudatel Telecom Group—of Sudan’s main internet operators were offline. The latest halt in internet service which began Feb 2, 2024, is just another episode of internet shutdown in the war-torn country. In June 2019, Sudan experienced a 36-day internet blackout after President Omar al-Bashir was overthrown by the Sudanese army. Similarly, in 2020,
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