Alat becomes first Nigerian bank to increase foreign currency limit on naira cards
Alat, Nigeria’s first digital bank, has leveraged the country’s recently unified exchange rate to reverse a policy on Naira cards that limited international spending. On Friday, Alat, the first-of-its-kind digital bank in Nigeria, announced to its customers that they could now use their naira cards to spend up to $500 monthly on international transactions. This new development comes exactly a month after the Central Bank (CBN) floated the Naira. Before the float, the CBN maintained an artificial scarcity of foreign currency by limiting 43 items from accessing FX. As a result of the scarcity, banks placed a $20 limit on Naira cards for international transactions. Eniola, a freelancer, told TechCabal that the limit placed by banks was an “inconvenience.” “It was a limitation that did not help anything,” he added. Oluchukwu, a writer, told TechCabal he could do anything “worthwhile” with the limitation. Several fintechs have sprung up to offer virtual cards that allow customers to spend internationally without limits. David, a First Bank (a commercial bank) and PayDay (a fintech) user, told TechCabal that he opened his PayDay account because First Bank had a “ridiculous” limit on its cards. Alat’s new limit follows in the footsteps of announcements that other startups have made in the last week. Tayo Oviosu, the founder of Paga, tweeted on Wednesday that his fintech could deliver remittances in Naira for “any remittance company looking for a local partner.” On Tuesday, Flutterwave launched Tuition, a product that allows Africans to pay for international school fees with their currencies. Access Bank has also partnered with Remitly, an American remittance company, to allow its customers to receive dollars in their Access Bank accounts. President Tinubu’s administration has shown that, in its bid to increase how much foreign currency enters the country, it is willing to renege on the CBN’s limiting stance. On Wednesday, the CBN approved Naira payouts for diaspora remittances. With more than $1 billion stuck in Nigeria, foreign airlines were arguably the most affected by the CBN’s limiting stance. This week, Flutterwave announced that it would allow airlines to collect payments in Naira. With this development, the hope is that airline prices will fall (Nigeria has one of the highest international ticket prices in Africa) as airlines can easily withdraw their profits. Banks and fintechs alike are taking advantage of the new policies to offer new solutions for their customers, but can fintechs innovate fast enough to keep their customers? Dammy*, a designer who works at a digital bank, told TechCabal that she would not have opened a digital bank account if her regular bank allowed her to spend money internationally with ease. Adeoti, a Web3 designer, told TechCabal that he looks forward to banks removing the former restrictive limits. “I couldn’t make payments for tools I was using for work.” *Name was changed to protect our source.
Read MoreHow Fifehan Osinkalu is building a safe online community for women and creatives
Fifehan Osinkalu describes herself as a very spirited person, who is also committed and loyal to the things that she believes in. She likes to balance her hard work with play and this reflects in the work paths she naturally gravitates towards. Osinkalu is the founder of Eden Venture Group, a social enterprise focused on developing, supporting and empowering underserved and underrepresented demographies in emerging economies. The Amazon alum spent over ten years helping startups secure funding in the private equity space before she pivoted to social impact, where her heart had always been. Osinkalu’s work at Eden is partly focused on leveraging online communities and networks to facilitate projects around social impact. The Eden team organises physical and virtual events with themes that cut across women’s empowerment and the growth of the creative industry. I caught up with Fifehan for Centre Stage, and we discussed her passions, current projects and her vision for the future. Impact and profit do not have to be mutually exclusive. Fifehan Osinkalu: Eden Venture Group was founded out of the desire to create a space for social entrepreneurs and people passionate about social impact. A space where they can feel safe, and access the resources, capacity development, and advisory services that they need. From my experience working in the venture capital and private equity space, I found that a lot of people, especially creatives, were left out and not really taken seriously. There’s the wrong perception that their work won’t bring in profit and I just wanted to challenge that. I was interested in impact, and I think that both don’t have to be mutually exclusive. We can make a profit from impact-driven projects, and this is what I set out to do. On #WEECREATE FO: #WEECREATE Africa came from my own personal observations of the market. In my previous role working in private equity and the VC space, I realised that most people, especially in the finance space, did not really understand the language of creatives, or even the language of women. Men are dominant in these workspaces, and there was just no communication. After I left the private equity space, I found myself working in the creative and entertainment industry and I realised that the same thing was happening. This just made me realise that we had to address it. I believe that we need to give women and creatives the tools to thrive. I worked on a project focused on gender equality with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and because of that, I was able to get myself embedded in the advocacy for women’s space. What we’ve been doing with that project is essentially working with influencers and celebrities with large platforms as well as NGOs to shift the mindset around critical issues pertaining to gender equality in Nigeria and Kenya. Before that, I had done some work with women and creatives, and it occurred to me that it was a good time to bring back my idea. So I went back to the drawing board and reworked the idea to include a lot of context around what’s going on in today’s world. On the role of the digital space in empowering women FO: Helping women access digital tools is one of the most important things we need to focus on. The internet is a valuable source of community and information which we can leverage in order to get more women empowered. Technology can open up pathways to empowerment for girls and it’s important that we pay attention to that. At Eden Venture Group, we use the internet to foster community, which is an essential feature of empowerment. Being able to find your tribe online is empowerment. Being able to access the internet is empowering. Being able to show up on the internet as authentically as possible is empowering. We need to help women stay safe online —the information is there, but our work is to make it easier and more accessible to women. Women’s voices need to be heard on the internet and we need to be included in various online spaces. This is especially important now that we have AI, which uses data found on the internet. It needs to learn how women think, what their ideas are, and what their realities are – in order for its solutions to be as inclusive as possible. Women are going to be interacting with these tools and we need to ensure that the tools are not biased. It’s important to me that women and girls are digitally savvy and can interact with digital tools as we continue this digital revolution. On Community as the bedrock of every healthy society FO: There are fundamental things that I’ve learned in the course of this journey. The first thing is that community is at the foundation of a healthy society and that there are many young people, women in particular, who are seeking inclusive hybrid (digital & in-person) communities where they feel safe enough to be themselves, express themselves freely and innovate creatively without fear of bias, judgement or abuse. Community has been a monumental part of my journey. One of the reasons why I’m so passionate about our work with women and creatives is because I myself have been through all these issues that I’m fighting for right now. After moving to Nigeria, I sought out communities that felt inclusive to women that I could be a part of but I couldn’t find any. It felt like a game of playing catch-up with the guys, and that just didn’t appeal to me. As a woman in the tech industry, especially one who had a creative side, I felt excluded from a lot of spaces and also faced a lot of negative experiences over the years, but there were no safe spaces for me. This fueled my commitment to creating communities for young girls and women, especially those who are creatives. Another thing I’ve learned is that many people are seeking opportunities
Read MoreAccess Bank to acquire Standard Chartered’s subsidiaries in sub-Saharan Africa
Access Bank’s pan-African drive sees another boon: an acquisition that could make it one of the continent’s topmost banks. Access Bank has completed negotiations to acquire the sub-Saharan subsidiaries of Standard Chartered Bank for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition is in line with Standard Chartered’s plan to divest its businesses in Africa. The deal includes the sale of Standard Chartered’s stake in subsidiaries in Angola, Cameroon, Gambia, and Sierra Leone to Access Bank. Additionally, Access Bank will acquire Standard Chartered’s consumer, private, and business banking business in Tanzania. The deal, which is to be completed by 2024, excludes the sale of the bank’s Nigerian subsidiary. “Access Bank will provide a full range of banking services and continuity for key stakeholders including employees and clients of Standard Chartered’s businesses across the five aforementioned countries,” Standard Chartered said in a statement. Standard Chartered’s decision to exit these countries in Africa and the Middle East (AME) aligns with its strategy to enhance profitability by focusing on faster-growing markets in the region. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals in all five countries. Sunil Kaushal, Standard Chartered’s regional CEO for AME, said the decision will allow the bank to focus on higher-growth regions. “This strategic decision allows us to redirect resources within the AME region to other areas with significant growth potential,” he said. Access Bank, on the other hand, sees this acquisition as an opportunity to build a robust global franchise focused on “serving as a gateway for payments, investment, and trade within Africa and between Africa and the rest of the world”. Commenting on the deal, Roosevelt Ogbonna, the Managing Director of Access Group, said: “With our recent European expansion and our deepened presence in key trading corridors across Africa, we will bridge the gap between cross-border and domestic transfers across all business segments.” With this move, Access Bank, which is already Nigeria’s biggest bank by asset will see its value skyrocket as it takes a more prominent position in the African banking scene. While this marks a boon for Access Bank, it underscores a growing trend of European Banks leaving Africa. In October 2021, Atlas Mara left seven African markets it was operating in. Credit Suisse followed in February 2022, the same month BNP Paribas of France reduced its African footprints. The common thread of excuse these banks give is that retail banking in Africa is high-risk and low-yielding. But it remains to be seen how deeply these assertions are affecting native African banks, like those in Nigeria, for example, with stock prices that have continued to go higher.
Read MoreSafaricom to strengthen spark venture with new venture capital arms
Safaricom already has an investment arm, Spark Venture Fund, which has invested in several local startups. However, there are plans to open additional programs that could complement the Fund. Safaricom has revealed a plan to enter the venture capital game by setting up two new subsidiaries. These subsidiaries will be tasked with identifying and investing in tech startups in Kenya. The telco hopes to inject capital into startups as part of its next growth frontier. The establishment of the new ventures is subject to shareholders’ approval at the annual general meeting that will be held before the end of July. TechCabal will report on the development of the meeting. It is unclear whether the two funds will replace Spark Venture Fund, a $1 million fund that invests in late-seed to early-growth stage tech startups in Kenya. However, TechCabal can report that the fund still exists, as it was mentioned towards the end of 2022. At that time, Safaricom’s chief business development and strategy officer, Michael Mutiga, reaffirmed the significance of the spark fund venture investment boost. The meeting brought together the media and involved an exchange with Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa. Mutiga’s statement emphasised the potential impact of Safaricom’s fund on emergent, young, and seed companies. He acknowledged the inherent risk involved, recognising that some ventures would succeed while others would not. Mutiga expressed hope that by offering diligent support and leveraging their network, Safaricom could contribute to the success of these companies, both financially and in other areas. The fund was launched in 2014 and has invested in multiple startups, including Sendy, and Ajua, but received applications from over 200 startups. The fund aims to support the successful development and growth of high-potential mobile tech startups in Kenya. The fund provides investment, business development support, and technical assistance to local and growing startups. The fund also takes advantage of the carrier’s unique capabilities, assets, and market positioning to help its investees scale. Dipping profits At the announcement of its end-year results, Safaricom’s management emphasised the importance of diversifying revenue streams to counter growing regulatory and operational costs. The telco also aimed to mitigate the decline in voice and messaging business. Safaricom reported a net profit of KES 52.4 billion ($370 million) for the full year ending March 2023, marking a 22.4% drop from last year’s earnings of KES 67.4 billion ($476 million). Its launch in Ethiopia was also expensive after starting operations in October 2022. The telco is said to have invested $800 million and received a loan of $400 million for its operating license. The business is projected to break even after four years.
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How to pay foreign school fees with Naira
For a long time, paying foreign university fees has been a hassle for Nigerians. They’re either stuck with bank stringency or frustrated by forex unavailability. However, with Flutterwave’s Tuition, African customers may now effortlessly pay a variety of fees to educational institutions both inside and outside of Africa using their local currencies. The purpose of Tuition is to make payments easier and to address the problems that students face while paying school fees in foreign currencies whether they are studying domestically or overseas. Here, you’ll see the simple steps to paying your foreign fees using Tuition. 1. Create a Tuition profile To start up using the Tuition platform, visit the official webapp site. Then enter your email address, Google, or Apple login to quickly complete the sign-up procedure. 2. Submit your data Enter your student details and any necessary payment information after enrolling your school. 3. Check the information It’s easy to think you’ve entered the correct information. But we advise that you carefully check everything again before moving on to payment. It may be very difficult to reverse wrongly processed payments. You can use your regular Naira debit card, bank transfer, or Google Pay. 4 Confirmation of payment Within 24 hours, Tuition will confirm your payment with your school. During the process of confirmation, you’ll also constantly receive updates regarding the status of your payment. Final notes on paying with Tuition Tuition is now offered in Nigeria for the payment of UK school fees and will likely be made available in additional African nations. Speaking of how Flutterwave determines payment exchange rates, their rates are calculated by daily FX market rates. Therefore, they advise you to check the exchange rate the day you want to make payments to estimate the amount that’ll go to your academic institution. Flutterwave also chargeslevy a one-time fee of 20 GBP for any payment processed by Tuition.
Read MoreQuick Fire 🔥 with Koromone Asabe-Yobaere
Koromone “KAY” Asabe-Yobaere is a superstar. She recently joined the chief brand officer at Jamit, an audio entertainment company empowering diverse creators, podcasters, and audio storytellers. Before Jamit, Koromone was managing editor at TechCabal for two years where she managed the publication’s daily operations. What exactly does a chief brand officer do? A chief brand officer (CBO) creates and oversees the vision of a company’s brand. I say vision because brands aren’t static entities—they adapt to trends. Chief brand officer is used interchangeably with chief marketing officer (CMO) but both come with slightly different responsibilities. CBOs craft a brand’s principles, values, voice and tone, and brand guidelines; CMOs execute high-level marketing strategies and campaigns for a business. You took a 3-month sabbatical this year. What did you learn from that experience? I learned how to create, edit, and market my debut poetry album using Garageband, Canva, and Distrokid. It took about a month for me to figure out the technical bits and bobs, but I caught on eventually. Rest is vital for high achievers like water is vital for the body. Rest isn’t about sleeping long hours or slipping into couch potato mode every weekend, it’s more about making a conscious decision to slow down and take note of how you feel in your mind, body, and soul. Do you wake up stressed and anxious? Have you worked weekends every month since the year started? High achievers must prioritize rest or risk burning out before they reach their career peak. You went from writing about startups to joining a founding team. Is there any mindset change that’s happening for you? I now have to take on the mindset of a senior leader, not a middle manager. Middle managers are the engine of a business—they act as intermediaries between top management and junior staffers and also translate a business’s vision into measurable assignments and activities. As a senior leader, I have to think about strategy, direction, people operations, profitability, etc. It’s big girl pants on season. Are there any learnings you’re taking from your old role into your new one? Definitely. Managing and growing hybrid and remote teams. Understanding business operations and getting my hands dirty when the going gets tough. Embracing creativity and moving at a quick but calculated pace. What’s your vision for the future of your Jamit? A fun and expressive audio entertainment brand that is home to Black and African voice creators. I want Jamit to work with the most diverse and gifted podcasters, talk show hosts, voice actors, and influencers. What advice do you have for those that want to be birkin baddies? Say your prayers Drink more water Be kind to yourself Own a couple of Bottegas What are you jamming to at the moment? S2 Ep 3 of Long Story Short podcast hosted by Noah Banjo.
Read MoreFlutterwave partners with IATA to expedite airline payments
Flutterwave has partnered with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to enable airlines to process payments from local markets in Africa through various channels. This can address the issue of slow fund repatriation from flight tickets sold in local African currencies. Fintech company Flutterwave has integrated its payment technology into the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Financial Gateway (IFG). The IFG is a payment platform specifically created for international airlines and travel agencies to process payments from local markets through various distribution channels. Flutterwave has become one such channel and will enable Africans can pay their airline fees in their local currencies through cards, bank transfer, mobile money, alternative payment methods and other payment modes available on Flutterwave. Nearly a year ago, airlines in Nigeria were blocking travel agencies and selling tickets directly to customers in dollars instead of the local currency. This was because the airlines were cash-strapped as the CBN was taking too long to release the dollar equivalent to tickets sold in naira. This partnership with Flutterwave allows airlines to have full control over the entire payment and settlement process, from initiation to completion. This Flutterwave integration can alleviate the burden of slow repatriation of accumulated funds from flight tickets sold in local African currencies. This partnership with Flutterwave will greatly benefit foreign airlines and travel agencies looking to collect local currencies through cards and indigenous methods of payment. In a press release shared with TechCabal, Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, Flutterwave CEO & Founder, said, “According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Africa is set to become one of the fastest growing aviation regions in the next 20 years with an annual expansion of nearly 5%. How can we further accelerate this growth? One way is to ensure airlines can easily set up operations across the continent and seamlessly receive payments from their customers. This partnership with IATA solves the problem of payments for global airlines venturing into Africa. We hope that this encourages more global airlines to expand into Africa.”
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TSC registration status check 2023
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is responsible for the registration and management of teachers in Kenya. It is important for teachers to check their TSC registration status to ensure they are recognised and authorised to teach. This article will guide you through the process of checking your TSC registration status in Kenya. 1. Visit the TSC online portal To begin, you need to access the TSC online portal, which provides a convenient platform to check your registration status. Open your web browser and type “www.tsc.go.ke” in the address bar. Once the TSC homepage loads, navigate to the “Online Services” section. 2. Click on “Teachers Online” Within the Online Services section, click on the “Teachers Online Services” link. This will direct you to a new page where you can access various services related to your TSC registration. 3. Select “Registration Status” On the Teachers Online Services page, you will find several options. Look for the “Registration Status” link and click on it. This option allows you to check the current status of your Teachers Service Commission registration. 4. Enter your TSC number After clicking on the “Registration Status” link, you will be prompted to enter your Teachers Service Commission number. Input your unique TSC number in the provided field accurately. Double-check the number to ensure there are no typos or errors. 5. Submit and check your TSC registration status Once you have entered your TSC number correctly, click on the “Submit” button. The system will process your request and display your registration status. If you are a registered teacher, it will show that your registration is active. Alternatively, if your registration has lapsed or is not valid, it will indicate accordingly. Final thoughts on Checking your TSC registration status Checking your Teachers Service Commission registration status in Kenya is a straightforward process. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily determine the status of your TSC registration. It is crucial for teachers to maintain valid registration to ensure they are legally recognized and authorized to teach in Kenya.
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👨🏿🚀TechCabal Daily – Nigeria blocks social media KYC rule
In partnership with Share this newsletter: Lire en Français اقرأ هذا باللغة العربية TGIF WhatsApp is working on giving users more privacy. The messaging platform is exploring a feature that will allow you choose who can see your phone number. If you’re in any groups, you’ll notice that usernames are highlighted over phone numbers now, and this new update means that your phone number will be even more private. In today’s edition Quick Fire with Koromone Asabe-Yobaere Nigeria pauses social media KYC requirement Bard now speaks Swahili Funding tracker The World Wide Web3 Event: The Moonshot Conference Job openings Quick Fire What Koromone Asabe-Yobaere is jamming to Koromone “KAY” Asabe-Yobaere is a superstar. She is the chief brand officer at Jamit, an audio entertainment company empowering diverse creators, podcasters, and audio storytellers. Before Jamit, Koromone was managing editor at TechCabal for two years where she managed the publication’s daily operations. Koromone Asabe-Yobaere What exactly does a chief brand officer do? A chief brand officer (CBO) creates and oversees the vision of a company’s brand. I say vision because brands aren’t static entities—they adapt to trends. Chief brand officer is used interchangeably with chief marketing officer (CMO) but both come with slightly different responsibilities. CBOs craft a brand’s principles, values, voice and tone, and brand guidelines; CMOs execute high-level marketing strategies and campaigns for a business. You took a three-month sabbatical this year. What did you learn from that experience? I learned how to create, edit, and market my debut poetry album using Garageband, Canva, and Distrokid. It took about a month for me to figure out the technical bits and bobs, but I caught on eventually. Rest is vital for high achievers like water is vital for the body. Rest isn’t about sleeping long hours or slipping into couch potato mode every weekend, it’s more about making a conscious decision to slow down and take note of how you feel in your mind, body, and soul. Do you wake up stressed and anxious? Have you worked weekends every month since the year started? High achievers must prioritize rest or risk burning out before they reach their career peak. You went from writing about startups to joining a founding team. Is there any mindset change that’s happening for you? I now have to take on the mindset of a senior leader, not a middle manager. Middle managers are the engine of a business—they act as intermediaries between top management and junior staffers and also translate a business’s vision into measurable assignments and activities. As a senior leader, I have to think about strategy, direction, people operations, profitability, etc. It’s big girl pants on season. Are there any learnings you’re taking from your old role into your new one? Definitely. Managing and growing hybrid and remote teams. Understanding business operations and getting my hands dirty when the going gets tough. Embracing creativity and moving at a quick but calculated pace. What’s your vision for the future of your Jamit? A fun and expressive audio entertainment brand that is home to Black and African voice creators. I want Jamit to work with the most diverse and gifted podcasters, talk show hosts, voice actors, and influencers. What advice do you have for those that want to be birkin baddies? Say your prayers Drink more water Be kind to yourself Own a couple of Bottegas What are you jamming to at the moment? S2 Ep 3 of Long Story Short podcast hosted by Noah Banjo. 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. Economy Nigeria pauses social media KYC requirement The CBN’s social media KYC requirement is not getting any likes. On Tuesday, the House of Representatives asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to temporarily halt the implementation of an earlier directive to use social media handles for know-your-customer (KYC) operations. The decision was made after a motion was approved by nine lawmakers during the plenary session. ICYMI: In June 2023, the CBN made it mandatory for all financial institutions to collect and verify all social media handles for KYC operations, as part of its Customer Due Diligence Regulations 2023. According to the CBN, the policy will allow financial institutions to conduct an effective assessment of potential risks associated with money laundering, terrorism financing, and proliferation financing. A violation of privacy rights: During the debate on the motion, Kelechi Nwogu, a representative from Rivers, highlighted that the directive violates Section 37 of the Constitution, which protects the right to privacy. Image source: Tenor He further argued that there are more efficient ways to monitor money laundering and the financing of terrorism, such as using the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and intelligence agencies. Additionally, the directive will disproportionately impact Nigerians who do not use social media but generate significant income from their businesses and trades. These Nigerians will either be forced to use formal banking systems, or they will be excluded from them on a systematic level, with consequences for their businesses and livelihoods. At this time, barely 16% of Nigeria’s 190 million population have access to social media. Zoom out: With Nigeria’s troubling history with social media, many Nigerians tagged the move as yet another move by the government to curtail social media. AI Google’s AI Chatbot, Bard, can now speak Swahili Image source: Global News The battle for the top artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot is heating up. Yesterday, Google announced that its AI chatbot, Bard, is now available in South Africa, Brazil, and many parts of the world including the European Union (EU), after an initial delay due to data privacy concerns. Bard, unveiled in February, is also available in 40 languages including Swahili, the first African language supported by the generative AI platform. Other languages supported by Bard include Arabic, Chinese, German, Hindi, Spanish, and more. Bard’s expansion
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Why IHS Towers is facing a shareholder revolt
The rapid rise to power of Africa’s tower industry is only a few years old, but cracks are already appearing. Leading shareholders in Africa’s largest telecom tower company revolting. They are accusing the company of hiding information from the management, ignoring calls for a restructuring of the board, and not investing enough in infrastructure that will support the ambitious 5G rollout plan of MTN Group, the largest shareholder. Here’s everything you need to know about what is happening, why it is important and what it means for the future of Africa’s digital economy. Let’s start with why it is important Telecom towers are important infrastructure for Africa. It is a big multi-billion dollar industry raking in billions in revenue annually. The continent currently has between 160,000 to 170,000 per 2021 data from TowerXchange. But it is not nearly enough. India alone has nearly 750,000 towers. Under pressure to roll out 5G infrastructure and manage the quality of its existing 4G network, IHS Tower’s biggest shareholder, MTN Group needs more infrastructure to support its ambition. Investors say IHS Towers is not doing enough to support this, is borrowing at high-interest rates and spending too much without explaining what it is spending the money on. A well-known US-activist investor says IHS Towers, which is incorporated in the Caymans Islands, one of the world’s largest financial centres and well-known tax haven, is hiding under the British territory’s rules to avoid disclosing details of company spending. The Cayman Islands is repeatedly criticised for its minimal disclosure rules, which allow companies to share limited information with their shareholders. Blackwells wants IHS to move its place of incorporation to Delaware or Maryland, in the US to align “with shareholder interests and from increased transparency.” But reporting from BusinessDay Nigeria indicates that the management of IHS fear that a hostile takeover is in the works for the company which was founded in Nigeria during the dawn of the country’s telecoms industry. Nigeria is also its biggest market by sales and revenue. In a June 2023 letter, Blackwells Capital, the activist fund manager credited for catalysing the resignation of Peloton’s CEO last year, accused IHS Towers of having “no serious focus on enhancing value for the Company’s shareholders.” “The Company used more than $1.5 billion in cash last year for investing activities, but the line items on the Company’s published Statement of Cash Flows for such investing activities are not explained in any meaningful way to permit shareholders to understand these cash uses,” Jason Aintabi, Chief Investment Officer complained. Since listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021, IHS Towers has lost half of its value. Following this, three large shareholders have since called out the company’s management and board over the company’s performance. Blackwells says it wrote privately to the IHS board last August and its chief investment officer spoke privately with IHS CEO, Sam Darwish, but its letter was met with inaction. Screenshot from: GOOGLE Finance While revenue has gone up, profits have tanked and earnings per share have dwindled by an astonishing, -288.26%. Screenshot from: GOOGLE Finance One year after it announced the acquisition of 5701 telecom towers from MTN Group and several days after an IHS annual general meeting, MTN Group released a statement complaining that it was unable to sell its non-voting shares and wanted to its stake in the company to be reflected in its voting power. MTN Group holds 26% of IHS Towers but only controls 20% of the voting share. In response, IHS said, “The proposals requested to be put forward were not in the best interests of the company as a whole or to the collective shareholder base,” Bloomberg reported. In return, MTN asked the board to call for an extraordinary meeting. Wendels, the second-largest shareholder in IHS Towers after MTN, backed MTN’s bid. It is worth noting that Wendels, has a representative on board. IHS Towers finally published a terse response almost 3 weeks after the initial news. “The IHS Towers management team and Board of Directors have a continued track record of engaging with shareholders, listening carefully to their views and are focused on acting in the best interests of all shareholders. We note the recent comments made by certain of our shareholders and we continue engaging in shareholder dialogue,” the unsigned press release stated. On Tuesday, July 11 2023, Wendels sued IHS for failing to notify all of its shareholders about proposals to reconstitute the board of IHS. It hopes to force a vote on the matter. MTN Group, Wendels and Blackwells together, account for more than 45% of IHS Tower’s equity. How IHS got here Telecoms towers and the accompanying infrastructure, are expensive to build and maintain. In the early days of GSM mobile networks, telecom companies had to finance and build these towers quickly in order to cover more areas and offer better services. But it saddled them with debt and made them unattractive. Separating their assets from their operation business was a relatively easy way to solve this problem. This PropCo (short for property co)-OpCo (short for Operating Company) model is not new. Real estate assets are better rated for lending purposes than operating businesses. And so tend to better attract the loans they need to put up their buildings. It is thus easier for a separate tower unit to raise debt to expand coverage. Some telcos run these tower units under a holding company. Some like MTN in 2021, sold the towers to dedicated tower management companies like IHS Towers. Since the mid-2010s, IHS Towers, Eaton Towers, Helios Towers Africa and American Tower Corporation were fighters in a fierce competition for telecom masts that were being sold by leading telcos like Vodacom, Vodafone, Etisalat, Orange, MTN and Airtel. As the telcos divested from infrastructure to focus on service delivery. The brand-name hospitality industry works in much the same way. Under this model, the property company owns the real estate and a hotel brand like Marriot runs the hotel day-to-day. In
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