Nigeria’s $500 million budget for its food sector raises transparency concerns
Nigeria has a new stash to tackle its food problem, but concerns about the government’s processes remain. Nigeria has raised over $500 million to boost its struggling food sector and bring security reforms to its Northeastern region, where insurgents have forced farmers out of their lands. But the government’s unclear intentions for the money raises questions about recycled promises. According to vice president Kashim Shettima, the $500 million will be used for “innovation finance for food system transformation, development of Nigeria’s agro value chain, and special agro-industrial processing zone programmes.” While it is good news that the presidency has mobilised half a billion dollars for Nigeria’s agricultural sector, questions remain about the clarity of implementation processes for the proposed reforms. “Food system transformation” does not communicate, explicitly, the government’s intention for an agricultural sector in dire straits. Also, the imprecise plans for agro-chain development and the “development of agro-processing zones” raise concerns about the recycling of government intentions with new funds. In October 2022, former president Muhammadu Buhari launched special agro-processing zones in eight states across Nigeria. Then-vice president Yemi Osinbajo described the initiative as a game-changer that will boost food production in the country. But almost a year after the $538 million project, which drew in notable investors like the African Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Nigeria’s food problem has only worsened. “Nigerians deserve more transparency from the government, especially in matters like this that threaten their living standards. We need to know where we are as a country. The last thing we need now is recycled promises that inform us of new money but hardly make bring in changes,” said Chinweike Uche, an agricultural consultant in Lagos. This report follows Nigeria’s declaration of a state of emergency last week, a move the government says will enable it to take urgent and important steps to tackle the country’s food problem. Food remains the highest driver of inflation in the West African country, which has seen its inflation rise to an 18-year high of 22.7%. The state of emergency came with some promised reforms such as clearing large areas for farming and introducing a commodity board. TechCabal has argued separately that the board is unlikely to succeed. The sources of the $500 million inflow were not disclosed, but the presidency confirmed contributions from “international finance organisations”. Recall that earlier in July, President Tinubu asked lawmakers to approve $500 billion ($638 million) of spending to cushion the effect of subsidy removal. And according to Dele Alake, President Tinubu’s spokesman, cost-savings from fuel subsidy removal were going to be used in revamping the agricultural sector. It is not clear whether such cost savings contributed to the freshly mobilised $500 million. “The president has already approved the infusion of a huge quantum of funds towards the repositioning of our security architecture,” vice president Shettima said. “We are repositioning our security architecture to provide support for farms and farmers.”
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👨🏿🚀TechCabal Daily – SANSA isn’t spacing out yet
In partnership with Share this newsletter: Lire en Français اقرأ هذا باللغة العربية Good morning Here’s your weekly reminder to move us to your Main/Primary inbox so you don’t miss TC Daily. If you’ve missed TC Daily a couple of times, it’s because we’re in your Promotions folder so move us to your Main, and never miss an edition. In today’s edition SANSA clarifies stance on sending astronauts to space Nigerian DisCos to be punished over exorbitant billing Clafiya raises $610,000 The World Wide Web3: Binance to contest CTFC lawsuit Event: TC Live Job openings Space SANSA clarifies plans to send two female astronauts to ISS GIF source: Tenor South African astronauts won’t be making a trip to space anytime soon. The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) has clarified its position on a recent claim that South Africa plans to send two female astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) within two years. SANSA has acknowledged it had ambitions to send South African astronauts on global space exploration missions, but the CEO Humbulani Mudau clarified that South Africa is still “years away” from realising that ambition. ICYMI: This clarification comes after the Russian Embassy in South Africa issued a statement by SANSA’s CEO Humbulani Mudau revealing the plan to send two female astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) within two years, as part of the grand opening of a joint project between SANSA and Roscosmos, a Russian space debris detection centre in South Africa. Space scientists and industry experts in South Africa expressed disbelief at the initial announcement, as the training of astronauts and cosmonauts is a lengthy process that takes years to complete. Furthermore, there were no calls for candidates, no shortlisting, and no indication of the research that South Africa’s spacewomen would undertake on the ISS. Zoom out: Mudau says SANSA is committed to formalising plans with its space partners in the near future, and it is already contributing to human space travel through its partnership in developing the next Deep Space Network, which will support both manned and unmanned space exploration missions. Secure payments with Monnify Monnify has simplified how businesses accept payments to enable growth. We are trusted by Piggyvest, Buypower, Wakanow, Fairmoney, Cowrywise, and over 10,000 Nigerian businesses. Get your Monnify account today here. Policy Nigerian DisCos face punishment for outrageous estimated billing Image source: YungNollywood No one wants DisCos to rule, especially not Nigerian lawmakers. In a resolution, the Nigerian House of Representatives has urged the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to instruct Distribution Companies (DisCos) to cease extortive estimated/arbitrary billing. A unanimous motion: This action came about after the plenary adopted a motion sponsored by Hon. Afuape Moruf. According to him, the Electricity Act of 2023 prescribes a comprehensive and institutional framework to guide the operation of a privatised, contract, and rule-based electricity market, which is within the ambit of which every participant in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) must operate. An unfair increase in revenue: In Q1 of 2023, DisCos witnessed a surge in revenue, generating ₦247.33 billion ($312.37 million), which represents a significant 20.81% increase compared to the ₦204.74 billion ($257.33 million) earned in Q1 of 2022. However, during the same period, electricity supply declined from 5,956 gigawatt-hour in Q1 of 2022 to 5,852 gigawatt-hour in Q1 of 2023, despite the rise in earnings. Furthermore, in July 2023, DisCos in Nigeria raised electricity tariffs by 40%, attributing it to the impact of high exchange rates and inflation in the country. People who don’t have access to prepaid meters in Nigeria often get billed exorbitantly. This is because the DisCos are allowed to charge them higher tariffs than those who have prepaid meters. A way forward: The house has called upon the NERC to implement a robust metering strategy that guarantees fair billing for consumers, adding the importance of invoking relevant legal provisions and agreements to penalise DisCos that exploit and abuse consumers’ rights. Funding Clafiya raises $610,000 in pre-seed round Clafiya Webpage Nigerian health-tech startup Clafiya has raised $610,000 in an oversubscribed pre-seed round. The round is a mix of VC funds, angel investments, and grants. The investors include Norrsken Accelerator, Acquired Wisdom Fund (AWF), Hustle Fund, Voltron Capital, Microtraction, Ajim Capital, HoaQ, Bold Angel Fund, Shivdasani Family and other angel investors. What does Clafiya do? Clafiya brings healthcare to the doorsteps of users through in-person and virtual medical consultations. People who use Clafiya can say goodbye to pharmacy trips too! The company delivers medicines right to patients. If they need diagnostic testing, it collects samples from their residence too. Users can access all these services for themselves and their family. Employees can use it to offer their employees health insurance. What will it use the funding for? The company says the investment will finance product development and team expansion. Crypto Tracker The World Wide Web3 Source: Coin Name Current Value Day Month Bitcoin $29,198 + 0.07% – 4.23% Ether $1,858 + 0.50% + 2.31% Worldcoin $2.28 + 7.22% + 36.64% XRP $0.71 + 0.78% + 44.66% * Data as of 00:15 AM WAT, July 26, 2023. Binance is ready to put up a fight. Founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao has decided to argue against the lawsuits levied by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). What lawsuit? In March, the CFTC accused Binance and the founder of not registering as a digital asset company with the agency and avoiding regulatory oversight. It also accused Binance of breaking several US financial rules including those intended to prevent money laundering. Binance is asking for extra sheets.Per MyBroadband, the crypto platform is supposed to respond to the CFTC complaint by July 27. Binance says that it is definitely going to respond and has even asked the court for permission to exceed a 15-page limit on supporting briefs to accommodate its robust arguments. More regulatory problems: The platform has been receiving accusations of impropriety from regulators left and right. Last month, the US Securities and Exchange Commission accused the company
Read MoreInq announces enterprise AI products for Nigeria’s energy market
Inq operates in 10 countries across emerging markets, but its goal in Nigeria is clear: use AI to make energy distribution in Nigeria more efficient. Inq Group, a Pan-African edge technology provider backed by Convergence Partners, has announced its AI-powered solutions for the Nigerian energy market. According to the group’s chairman, Andile Ngcaba, the product will be integrated into the distribution network of energy distribution companies (DisCos), enabling real-time analysis of energy flow and tracking energy leaks. This announcement follows Inq’s recent reveal of two homegrown AI products it released for its 10 markets across Africa and Asia: DocAi and VisionAI. DocAI is a tool that digitises processes for businesses and allows them to use area-specific, deep learning optical character recognition (OCR) to upload scanned documents and extract valuable information. Vision AI allows enterprises to deploy AI-powered image recognition technologies across camera surveillance systems—enabling real-time analytics and alerts. “We have locally built the continent’s leading intellectual property in artificial intelligence. Our products aren’t plug-ins to another man’s technology,” Ngcaba said in a media briefing on Tuesday. “We will lead the continent’s adoption of AI and bring it to real-life cases in agriculture, energy, and digital recognition,” he added. Inq Group has operated in Nigeria for about four years, and in that time has provided enterprise-level cloud, connectivity, and IoT solutions for businesses in the country. The company says it has also built proprietary large language models that are powering its AI-solutions suite today. The media briefing also marked the introduction of Glad Dibetso, the new group CEO, to stakeholders in the Nigerian market. Dibetso takes over this role after leaving Deloitte Consulting as a partner, cloud computing and ICT operations. Before this role, he served as the CEO of the West African operations at Dimension Data, a data solutions provider backed by Convergence Partners. “Electricity in Nigeria is powered by distribution companies. They collect monies from end users to pay the companies transmitting and generating electricity. But DisCos have struggled to remain profitable due to the lack of proper analytics to track the distribution and detect mass leakages. This is where we come in. We are already in talks with the government for adoption,” said Valentine Chime, Inq Nigeria’s managing director. Andile Ngcaba shared strong optimism in Inq’s business in Nigeria. “Nigeria will be Inq’s regional hub, through which we will expand to several anglophone countries in the region,” he said.
Read MoreCBN raises interest rates in first MPC meeting under acting CBN Governor
In the first Monetary Policy Committee meeting of the Tinubu administration, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) elected to raise lending rates by 25 basis points Nigeria’s Central Bank has raised the benchmark lending rate by 25 basis points to 18.75 percent, from 18.5 percent, in an aggressive push to contain inflationary pressure. The acting CBN governor, Folashodun Shonubi, announced this today after the bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting that began Monday. Sections of the media billed this week’s MPR as a litmus test of the CBN’s independence under a new President. The thinking is that acting CBN Governor Folashodun Shonubi may have been tempted to keep rates stable to ensure his appointment is made permanent. It is not without precedent; under the past CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, many observers felt that the apex bank became subservient to the executive arm of government and that Emefiele’s tenure was extended because he played to the whims of the government of the day. Nevertheless, before the end of the Buhari administration, Godwin Emefiele raised rates twice in response to inflation after years of seeming indifference. Today’s rate hike was less than the 100 basis points hike predicted by a cross-section of experts TechCabal spoke to. In 58 days, President Bola Tinubu has fulfilled his campaign pledges to end fuel subsidies and unify the country’s exchange. Yet, inflation is a tougher nut to crack, as headline inflation continued to rise in June and in July, headline inflation reached 22.79%. Experts told TechCabal that Nigeria’s rising inflation can’t only be solved by raising MPR. The CEO, Coleman wires and Cables, George Onafowokan, asked the government to hold the rates, noting that it is affecting the business of manufacturing, which will end up passing the cost to the end user. “Do we need more increases? If you look at treasury bill rates as of July 12, it is 5.94%. If the savings rate of the government treasury bill at one year is 5.94%, I don’t see the benefit of an increase. It will slow down the real sector,” Onafowokan said. The Head, Research and Strategy at Cordros Securities Limited, Jolomi Odonghanro, explained that higher interest affects consumption and price stability. He noted that MPR rates have been used to address inflationary pressures, and there has not been a connection between the MPR and the financial market. He gave an example using the treasury bills rate of less than 6% and the MPR rate of over 18%. He said the MPC needed to realign the market so the MPR would affect both the real sector and the financial market. The apex bank chief said the bank is concerned with hiking the interest rates, reducing liquidity, and curtailing inflation. He added that the CBN is trying to keep the foreign exchange stable. “If there is a need for us to intervene either by buying or selling, we will. We will bring the markets to the level where it should be,” he stated. Where does this leave Nigerians? The MPR rate is a tool the CBN uses to tackle inflation. It also determines the lending rate of financial institutions in the country— an increase in the rate means that borrowing for small businesses will be difficult. In June 2023, the head of external communications and media relations of Unity Bank, Jonah Nwokpoku blamed the lender’s poor financial health on “the continuous rise in interest rates and high inflationary environment.” The bank failed to meet the required minimum Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 10% and the minimum capital requirement of ₦25.00 billion for a national bank as required by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in its full-year 2022 results.
Read More2023 Africa Social Impact Summit to focus on collaborative solutions to Africa’s developmental challenges
The second edition of the Africa Social Impact Summit will hold on August 10-11, 2023 with a focus on new strategies and solutions to lead a new economic future for the continent. From August 10-11, 2023, the Eko Convention Center in Lagos will play host to business, policy, investment, and sustainability leaders at the second edition of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) themed “Global Vision, Local Action: Repositioning The African Development Ecosystem For Sustainable Outcomes”. The event, co-convened by the Sterling One Foundation and the United Nations Nigeria, brings together all players in the African development space to share ideas, learnings, and plans to ensure the holistic achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 and the African Union 2063 Agenda. Speaking at a press conference at the Sterling Towers, Marina, Lagos held last Thursday, the CEO of Sterling One Foundation, Olapeju Ibekwe stated the Africa Social Impact Summit was conceived to address Africa’s developmental challenges in order to shape a better continent for the coming generation. “The African continent needs every impact resource and every player focused on how we can move from just potential and that is what each of us here has committed to, and I can’t express just how excited I am to see the number of partners we have brought to the table from what we had last year; this shows that the message of sustainable development is resonating,” Ibekwe said. The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Matthias Schmale noted the event was timely and relevant considering the recent global events that have threatened the implementation of the SDGs such as the aftermath of the pandemic and the ongoing Ukraine war. He further stressed the need for the private sector to move beyond corporate social responsibility (CSR) and integrate sustainability into their business models. “We want to see all stakeholders, especially those in the private sector, use the Africa Social Impact Summit as an opportunity to contribute to formulating both at the global and national levels a rescue plan for the SDGs,” he added. On his part, the Managing Director/CEO of Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman said the sectors highlighted for this year’s event—climate solutions, circular economy, agriculture, renewable energy, education, health, and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)—were carefully selected because they reflect the human concentration that requires sustainable impacts. “We believe that by continuing to host such summits in the future, we can build a powerful network that will be difficult for any challenge to withstand. Together, we can make a significant and lasting difference in Africa’s social impact landscape,” he stated.
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Nigerian health-tech startup Clafiya raises $610,000 in pre-seed round
Clafiya, a Nigerian health-tech startup, has raised $610,000 in a pre-seed round. It offers end-to-end healthcare solutions, including online consultations, medicine delivery, and partnerships with HMOs. The Nigerian health-tech startup Clafiya has raised $610,000 in a pre-seed round. The round, a mix of VC funds, angel investments, and grants, saw contributions from investors like Norrsken Accelerator, Acquired Wisdom Fund (AWF), Hustle Fund, Voltron Capital, Microtraction, Ajim Capital, HoaQ, Bold Angel Fund, Shivdasani Family and other angel investors. The company says the investment will finance product development and team expansion. Clafiya was founded in 2021 and currently operates in Lagos and Enugu. Through in-person and virtual consultations, it connects patients with healthcare professionals, allowing them to get medical advice and treatment without the hassle of hospital visits. “During the virtual consultation, the patient is connected to a doctor via video call, making it feel like an online clinic has come to their home,” shared Jennie Nwokoye, CEO of Clafiya, in an interview with TechCabal. Beyond consultations, Clafiya’s partnership network offers wellness and health services. “Our initial goal was to bring healthcare closer to those who preferred avoiding hospitals. However, as our customers started requesting assistance with drug delivery, diagnostics, and mental health services, we evolved into an online primary healthcare clinic,” explained Nwokoye. The platform facilitates medicine delivery to patients’ doorsteps, eliminating the need for arduous trips to the pharmacy. The startup’s end-to-end healthcare service also includes the convenient collection of diagnostic testing samples directly from patients’ residences. Clafiya connects users to gyms, nutrition clinics, wellness centers, and other specialized well-being services. To do this, it partners with providers of such services, and some of its partners include i-Fitness, Khairo Diet Clinic, Blueroomcare, Pharmarun, and Famasi Africa. Clafiya’s business model Clafiya’s web application According to a press release seen by TechCabal, the startup has grown its revenue by 15% month-on-month. Clafiya makes money from the services it provides to over 3,000 individuals and hundreds of businesses that use it to offer health insurance to their employees. It also makes a shared profit from the pharmacies, health centers and wellness providers it partners with. It is worth noting that Clafiya has changed the payment model on its platform from a subscription model to a pay-on-demand model. It used to offer a Pay As You Go (PAYG) option at ₦5000 and two subscription plans, one for individuals at ₦13,000 per quarter and the other for families of four at ₦24,000 per quarter. Now the company has switched from those traditional plans and introduced the Clafiya Wallet, enabling users to deposit a specified amount and only pay for the healthcare service on-demand. Nwokoye shared, “The wallet is modeled after the PAYG plan, which we found was more popular with our users. Individuals and businesses can top up their Clafiya wallet and use it to pay for healthcare services. Unlike HMOs, the funds in our wallets do not expire, and they only deplete with use. Plus, we offer cash back rewards on deposits with us,” Jennie added. Speaking on Microtraction’s early investment in Clafiya, Dayo Koleowo, a Partner at Microtraction, said, “Clafiya’s mission to provide seamless access to primary healthcare for Africans and the approach to tackling the existing underperforming alternatives was interesting to us at Microtraction. We wasted no time in being their first institutional investor because we were simply impressed by the team’s experience, their go-to market strategy and the huge market opportunity identified. We are excited about the plans and different solutions they are working on to bring primary healthcare to every home in Africa.” One of the challenges Clafiya faces is the deeply ingrained culture of self-medication prevalent among Nigerians. Despite this, the founder said, “Our priority lies in building trust with our customers and ensuring they receive the best possible experience.” By putting customer satisfaction at the forefront, Clafiya aims to gradually change healthcare-seeking behaviours and encourage responsible healthcare utilization.
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👨🏿🚀TechCabal Daily – Worldcoin goes global
In partnership with Share this newsletter: Lire en Français اقرأ هذا باللغة العربية Happy salary day Everyone is competing with Twitter—or X. Yesterday, two weeks after Meta launched Threads, TikTok introduced text posts. Users can now create text-based posts, add sounds, stickers and even duet text posts the same way they duet videos. Image source: TikTok And they’ll get 1,000 characters to do it too. In today’s edition Flutterwave accounts remain frozen in Kenya eTranzact records $1.5 million profit in 2022 Kenya wants freelancers on Upwork to pay taxes The World Wide Web3: Worldcoin officially launches Event: TC Twitter Space Job openings Fintech Flutterwave accounts remain frozen in Kenya Image source: Olugbenga Agboola/LinkedIn Kenya is saying no. This week, Judge Nixon Sifuna of the Kenyan High Court refused a request from Kenya’s Asset Recovery Agency (ARA) to drop their case against Flutterwave. Initially accused of holding criminal proceeds, Flutterwave’s frozen accounts will remain so despite the ARA’s change of heart. Why? Per TechCrunch, the judge said that flinging cases in and out of the courtroom on the whim of the ARA erodes the trust in the agency. The ARA previously presented the court with volumes of documents to prove that it had evidence that the millions of dollars in the Flutterwave accounts were gotten illegally. The high court will approve the withdrawal of the case after the ARA’s CEO or a high-ranking officer swears an affidavit that there’s genuinely no evidence. The sworn affidavit will be confirmed on July 27, 2023, and until then the Flutterwave accounts remain frozen. This is not the first time: ARA has frozen and unfrozen Flutterwave’s accounts before. In July 2022, ARA accused the fintech of fraud and money laundering. It froze $52 million in accounts linked to Flutterwave and six other companies, which had reportedly received transfers from the Flutterwave accounts. In December ARA filed for the case to be withdrawn and on February 27, the court unfroze the accounts containing the $52 million on February 27, 2023 More accounts remain frozen: Asides from this account that the high court has recently refused to unfreeze, Flutterwave still has two frozen account cases in Kenya. One of them happened in August when a Kenyan high court froze another $3.3 million that Flutterwave had deposited in two United Bank for Africa (UBA) accounts, one Access Bank account, and 19 mobile money accounts. More recently, in June 2023, a court in Nairobi Kenya, froze another 45 bank accounts belonging to Fluttewave because 2,468 investors believed Flutterwave colluded with 86 Football Technology Ltd (86FB, 86W, and 86Z), a Ponzi scheme that crashed in April 2022 to defraud them of $12 million. Secure payments with Monnify Monnify has simplified how businesses accept payments to enable growth. We are trusted by Piggyvest, Buypower, Wakanow, Fairmoney, Cowrywise, and over 10,000 Nigerian businesses. Get your Monnify account today here. Fintech eTranzact records $1.5 million in 2022 eTranzact Plc at the 19th Annual General Meeting (Twitter) eTranzact, a Nigerian payment service provider, has announced a profit of ₦1.17 billion ($1.5 million) after taxes in 2022. The new record—-a 157.81% increase compared to the year 2021—was disclosed in the company’s 19th annual general meeting last Thursday. Financial statements: According to the company’s managing director, Olaniyi Toluwalope,eTranzact processed over ₦50 trillion ($63 billion) worth of total transactions in 2022. This represents a significant increase from the ₦39 trillion ($49 billion) processed in 2021. The company also reported gross revenue of ₦22.54 billion ($28 million ), gross profit of ₦5.7 billion ($7.1 million), and profit after tax of ₦1.17 billion ($1.5 million). eTranzact’s improved financial performance and profitability were driven by the increased volume of transactions processed by its switching services, primarily through SwitchIT. A few changes were made: The company elected six new non-executive directors and one new executive director to join its board. The appointment is subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Additionally, two directors were re-elected. Zoom out: Per the managing director, “The volume of electronic transactions peaked at the highest in five years in 2022, with a total value of ₦387 trillion ($488 billion). The huge growth is premised on the shift of more consumers towards the use of electronic banking channels for financial transactions.” Policy Freelancers on Upwork now required to pay taxes in Kenya Image source: Zikoko Memes The Kenyan government has put an end to tax-free earnings on Upwork. The Kenyan Revenue Authority (KRA) now mandates Upwork to collect and remit Value-Added Tax (VAT) on goods and services, including freelancer services. What is Upwork? Upwork is a global freelancing platform that connects businesses with independent professionals. It is a popular option for businesses that need to outsource work. Tax rate amount: According to Upwork, Kenyan businesses and individuals who use Upwork to pay for freelancer services will be charged a VAT of 16%. This means that if you pay $100 in freelancer service fees, you will be charged $16 in VAT, for a total of $116. The estimated amount of tax will be shown to you when you check out, and it will also be included in your invoices and transaction history Upwork is also required to collect VAT from temporary residents in Kenya who use the platform. Should that person relocate to another country, they can update their account information. Afterwards, Upwork will automatically modify its VAT to align with the prevailing rates in the new country of residence or stop collecting if there is no VAT in the new country. Zoom out: There are tens of other freelancing platforms used for freelance work in Kenya and Upwork is the only platform that has reported the Kenya tax update. It remains unclear whether the KRA will target them in the coming days for tax compliance. Crypto Tracker The World Wide Web3 Source: Coin Name Current Value Day Month Bitcoin $29,089 – 2.33% – 5.92% Ether $1,842 – 1.14% – 3.13% Worldcoin $1.94 + 17.87% + 17.86% XRP $0.69 – 5.92% + 41.19%
Read MoreEarnings from Upwork will no longer be untaxed in Kenya
Upwork freelancers in Kenya face new tax obligations. VAT will be collected and remitted by Upwork to the Kenyan government. Those eligible for exemptions must provide a valid tax certificate. Meanwhile, other freelancing platforms’ tax compliance remains uncertain. For a long time, the Kenyan government has encouraged young people to work online after high school or college. The government launched several initiatives to train and support graduates in finding online work. One is the Ajira digital programme, which provides training and mentorship in digital skills such as software development, graphic design, and copywriting. Thousands of students who have undergone Ajira training say they were encouraged to find any kind of work online, including on platforms such as Upwork. Upwork is a popular platform in Kenya, with many freelancers using it to find work. To work on Upwork in Kenya, you just create a profile and set your rates. You can then search for jobs that match your skills and experience. Once you find a job you are interested in, you can submit a proposal to the client. If the client is impressed with your proposal, they will hire you. Most Kenyans working on Upwork focus on technical writing, including handling assignments for Western students in what has been called ‘contract cheating.’ Kenyans who have worked on this freelancing platform can tell you they never had any tax obligations to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). Any money they make from the platform goes untaxed, but that is no longer the case after users noticed an update that prompts them to include their KRA PIN on their profiles. A statement on Upwork’s website reads, “Kenya requires Upwork to collect value-added tax, or VAT, and remit the tax to the government of Kenya. VAT is a tax on goods or services, including our services to you, and remit means to send money for a payment.” Read more: How new law allows Kenyan taxman to access offshore bank accounts information Implications The government needs your tax info when you are asked for your KRA PIN. To this end, Kenyan Upwork freelancers should be prepared to start paying income tax on their earnings. The VAT rate in Kenya is set at 16% of the total service cost, subject to taxation. This means that if you are a freelancer providing services on Upwork and your client is based in Kenya, they must pay an extra 16% of the service cost as VAT to the Kenyan government. Upwork numbers read, “In Kenya, the VAT rate is 16% of the cost of the service being taxed. For example, if you pay $100 in freelancer service fees, you will pay $16 in tax for $116. You’ll see the estimated amount of tax when you check out and on your invoices and transaction history.” Once the tax is deducted from a freelancer’s income using your KRA PIN, the tax authority receives this amount and is already aware of their earnings, which it records in their account. When the financial year ends, these users must report at least the same amount to KRA. Thus, those filing nil returns will no longer be able to do so. Upwork adds, “We’re required to comply with the tax laws of the countries where we operate to continue to do business in those countries. Kenya requires that we collect VAT on Upwork services and remit them to your government.” Freelancers should therefore consider this VAT rate when setting their prices or negotiating with clients to ensure compliance with the local tax regulations. Read more: Despite public outcry, Kenya has received billions from recently introduced digital service tax How about temporary residents? Upwork must collect VAT, regardless of a freelancer’s temporary residence in Kenya. Should that person relocate to another country, they can update their account information. Afterward, Upwork will automatically modify its VAT to align with the prevailing rates in the new country of residence. If there is no VAT or a comparable tax in the new country, Upwork will cease the collection of such taxes. Exemptions If a freelancer is eligible for VAT exemption, they must provide a valid tax exemption certificate to Upwork. Once Upwork receives and verifies your certificate, it will cease charging VAT. Simply providing your VAT ID will not grant a person tax exemption; the crucial requirement is to submit a valid tax exemption certificate. Upwork is the only platform that has reported the Kenya tax update. There are tens of other freelancing platforms used for freelance work, and it remains unclear whether the taxman will target them in the coming days for tax compliance.
Read MoreAfrica’s traditional economy vs. gig economy: Which way forward?
In today’s vertiginous economic landscape, Africa is plagued with a massive exodus from its longstanding formal traditional work economy to the informal gig economy. While the traditional economy has been the backbone of the continent’s livelihood for centuries, in recent years, the gig economy has created new opportunities and challenges. Let’s face it: the future of work is changing, and the change didn’t begin during the pandemic. The roots can be traced as far back as when informal work arrangements were seen as precursors to gig work. At the time, people engaged in informal and flexible work arrangements, like artisanal skills, small-scale farming, and local trading, to earn a living. These activities were often characterised by short-term engagements and were driven by immediate needs and opportunities. The traditional work economy in Africa has been the backbone of employment for generations. It is characterised by regular hours (9–5), regular pay, various legal protections, registered income taxes, employment contracts, and well-established labour regulations. This sector has been the primary source of employment for many and is often associated with benefits such as job security, health insurance, and retirement plans. The formal sector includes various industries like government, banking, manufacturing, and multinational corporations. The big question is: If the traditional work style has this much security and benefits, why are we even having this debate? As evidence of massive migration to “gig work” continues to be more glaring, there has to be an explanation for this economic exodus in almost every part of the continent’s workforce. Like every sector in a typical economic setting, none is without its challenges, for instance, the unemployment epidemic. Africa has a significant youth population, and many of its young people of eligible working age face challenges in finding traditional employment opportunities. As of 2023, the unemployment rate in Africa is 7.7%. To put this in perspective, the total population in Africa is over 1.4 Billion, and seven per cent of that figure is a staggering 112 million Africans who are either out of jobs, unemployed, or ineligible to work. If that’s not a recipe for an epidemic, what is? In light of these challenges, “gig work” comes into play because it offers and still offers alternatives for young talents to use their skills and expertise to secure work and generate income. The gig economy has been providing the freedom to work and live more efficiently. One MasterCard Foundation survey revealed that the gig economy in Africa is growing at an average rate of 20% per year and is expected to reach a staggering 80 million gig workers by 2030. It’s important to assert here that the phrase “gig economy” is a catch-all term that describes people who are not salaried workers but work independently and get paid for each transaction or “gig” they complete. Experts have often referred to this system as a disruptor in a well-established system. Growth of the gig economy in Africa The growth of Africa’s gig economy is often linked to the advancement of technology and the decline of traditional manufacturing and agricultural jobs, which has forced people to seek new sources of income. The global financial crisis of 2008 also played a role in the growth of the gig economy in Africa. The crisis led to a decline in traditional employment opportunities, forcing people to turn to informal work. However, there is no doubt that 2020 was a defining year for the global economy. Its effects have reshaped our lives for decades on a physical, economic, and behavioural level. Pre-COVID, the biggest change to society resulted from technology. Digitalisation offers better flexibility, freedom, and choice. Although the pandemic forced major changes in how we live, at the time, it ushered in total reliance on technology. Particularly, these changes hit the hardest on the gig economy. It also opened up a lucrative portal for the revenue stream, as millions of people could apply and work as they deem fit. Digital advancements in technology, deeper internet penetration, and the rise of e-commerce spiked demand for freelancers in various fields like web development, graphic design, content creation, and digital marketing. This increased demand has attracted African freelancers to join online platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. In this dispensation of work, freelancers and gig workers can tap into the global marketplace to offer their skills and services to clients beyond their borders. “I know the market is hot and the world needs programmers, so for now, this is the best way for me to be creative and earn good money,” says Sheikh Sarr, a 19-year-old university graduate from The Gambia. Sheikh Sarr took charge of his future by enrolling in a computer programming course at Banjul’s Indian Institute of Hardware Technology. After mastering five programming languages in under 10 months, Sarr has joined Africa’s booming gig economy. Setting up profiles on Fiverr and Upwork, he is leveraging his skills and creativity for lucrative freelance work. With access to affordable broadband, Sarr dedicated nighttime hours to learning and coding. Confident in the demand for programmers, he sees freelancing as a pathway to financial success while fueling Africa’s thriving tech market. According to research by KEPSA (Kenya Private Sector Alliance), over 1.2 million people, which is 5% of Kenya’s adult population, now perform one form of gig work or the other. “The shift towards remote work during the pandemic has led to an increase in demand for certain types of online work, particularly in the tech industry,” says Fabian Stephany, a research lecturer in AI & Work at the Oxford Internet Institute. African governments are proactively developing initiatives to capitalise on the potential of the expanding gig economy in Africa. In Kenya, for instance, the Ajira Digital Clubs initiative equips young people with digital skills to compete in the global marketplace. More so, policymakers are poised to mitigate the challenges plaguing the vast informal sector by promoting upskilling through gig work to enhance the workforce’s overall skill set and employability. Do African women stand a chance in
Read MoreNigerian payments provider, eTranzact reports N1.17 billion profit after tax for 2022
eTranzact International Plc has released its financial report for the year 2022. According to the report, the payments provider recorded N1.17 billion in profit, a 157.81 increase from the previous year. Nigerian payments provider eTranzact International Plc has reported that its profit after tax rose to N1.17 billion in 2022—representing a 157.81% increase compared to the previous year. The company’s chairman, Wole Abegunde, disclosed this during its 19th annual general meeting in Lagos last Thursday, describing 2022 as “a significant year in the history of the company’s financial performance” thanks to the focus and expansion of core switching services. “The landmark achievement is down to the management’s drive for excellence and demonstration of the commitment of the management and the board to ensure maximum returns on the investment of shareholders. The company will not relent on the performance and will seek more business opportunities to boost subsequent financial results,” Abegunde, who was represented by Afolabi Oladele, a non-executive director, at the event, said. Presenting his report on the company’s financial statements, managing director Olaniyi Toluwalope said eTranzact processed over N50 trillion in value of total transactions in 2022, a significant increase from the N39 trillion processed in 2021. According to him, the improved financial performance and profitability were driven by the increased volume of transactions processed by switching services, primarily through its SwitchIT. He added that the company also reported gross revenue of N22.54 billion, gross profit of N5.7 billion, and profit after tax of N1.17 billion. The managing director added that the company ensured a 99% success rate and uptime across the various service offerings during 2022. He said this involved the deployment of technology and the required expertise to ensure prompt and seamless processing of transactions and to ensure constant availability of all the channels with minimal to zero downtime. In a change in leadership, the company also elected six non-executive directors and one executive director to join its Board. The appointment, however, is subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Similarly, two directors were re-elected following Section 273(1) and 285 (1) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020, and Article 36 of the Articles of Association of the Company.
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