Execution is King: How to avoid the top culprit of startup failure
This article was contributed to TechCabal by Catherine Young. Strategy sets the course for startups, but without team alignment and pragmatic action, a business will fail. After ten years of building capacity for thousands of entrepreneurs in Africa, Asia, and Europe, the one thing I know to be true is that smart-thinking founders who favour pragmatic action and team alignment over everything else win. Starting, running, and growing a successful business is not an easy feat. Founders navigate the first year facing the dreaded statistic of a 70% potential failure rate. If a startup is lucky enough to make it through the first year, the chance of not making it drops to 35% by year three. The cruel truth as to why so many emerging businesses die? Poor execution, bad execution, and focusing on the wrong thing to execute rank high among the reasons. But there’s a lot that founders can do about this. Execution is a competitive differentiator In a volatile, uncertain, unpredictable world, strategies too often live on a server somewhere. Having an idea is the easier and less valuable part of the business. Marshalling the resources and humans needed to execute the business strategy is a completely different story. This is the hardest thing to do in business, which is why founders who have teams that nimbly execute well on strategy harness a major competitive differentiator. Clearly defining the roles and responsibilities in a fast-moving, growing business is masterful. Ensuring that the metrics, targets and rewards are in place to empower this is important. Great communication is the lubrication that turns strategy into united action. Not every company excels at communication, people management, and culture. Which is why execution is hard. Founders set the tone Outsourcing execution is disastrous – about as disastrous as trying to get someone else to realise your dreams or to live your life for you. And when it comes to execution, founders are the leaders who set the tone and create the culture that supports this. Founders and CEOs shape the flow on a Monday morning for how the rest of the week will pan out. Leaders set the tone with a new client when we sign the deal. And we set the tone with our team when the chips are down. Accepting how much we as founders set the tone for the present and future, is how we change this. Rituals and rhythms What helps good communication and activates action in teams are the rituals and rhythms of good leadership, communication, and project management. In business, feedback is the breakfast of champions and regular rituals that champion and measure execution are a massive difference maker. Companies that make the time to properly execute project management and enable an adult culture where teams take accountability, innovate, and own things go a long way to building businesses. I asked Mamela Luthuli, a leader in the technology industry—the best trailblazers I know when it comes to leadership and execution—what her secret to execution is. This go-getter recently won the IT Personality of the Year Award from the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa for her achievements. Luthuli told me, “Execution is when the rubber hits the road. The best way to execute is to keep it simple and actionable. It is also important to be an example to your team because they will follow suit by becoming doers.” “Execution works hand in hand with strategy — the real trick is to ensure that everyone buys into the strategy and is aligned about what needs to get done in the business,” she adds. “Execution needs great leadership with effective communication. Leaders must communicate the purpose and vision of a company convincingly and consistently. This isn’t a once-off but is a process. It is something you do repeatedly to get buy-in from your team. To drive great execution, communicate clearly and create a culture of getting things done on time and done well.” Execution is a people thing; it is about culture and relationships. When founders get this consistently right it becomes a compounding force that truly scales sustainable businesses. Catherine Young is the founder of Thinkroom Consulting and Managing Partner of Grindstone; and Grindstone Ventures. As the founder of Thinkroom, Young is involved in entrepreneurial ecosystem development across Africa and has grown businesses in Southeast Asia and the UK. An SME ecosystem influencer in Africa, Young works with clients in the space of entrepreneurship development across the continent.
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Three charts that explain the internet outage across Africa
On March 14, over a dozen African countries experienced internet outages due to damage to submarine fibre optic cables along the West African coastline. The impact was severe, with massive disruptions to financial services. Among the worst affected were Ghana, Liberia, Benin, and Côte d’Ivoire, which recorded internet connectivity of 25%, 17%, 14%, and 4% respectively. Service providers affected include the West African Cable System and African Coast to Europe, which experienced faults, and SAT3 and MainOne, which experienced downtimes. Over 1.4 million kilometres of these cables are spread across the earth’s oceans, with France, the US, and Japan being the major suppliers. According to data from Submarine Networks, Egypt has the most subsea cables landing in the continent, with 15. This is followed closely by South Africa and Djibouti, with 11, while Nigeria, Cameroon, and Kenya have six each. Although the scale of the incident was unprecedented in Africa, cable cuts are relatively common. Around 100 of them happen on an annual basis, on average. Most service providers try to avoid a single point of failure by spreading their network capacity over multiple cables as a backup, which is why you don’t often hear of them. The most common cause of cable faults is human activities. However, MainOne ruled out human activity as the cause of the internet disruption in Africa and suggested it was caused by “some form of seismic activity on the seabed.” Estimates vary over when full service will be restored. Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) said complete repairs could take up to five weeks. Some internet users in Nigeria observed that some Google services, like YouTube, remained accessible during the outage. Mobile network Globacom also announced that it was unaffected by the disruption. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) disclosed that internet services are now at 90% capacity. In South Africa, four undersea cables went offline at once. The load-shedding challenge combined with the internet outage has made Starlink an appealing alternative to South African customers as it doesn’t use terrestrial or undersea backhaul infrastructure. While the productivity and financial losses due to the outage may be unquantifiable at the moment, the silver lining may be that it lays bare the importance of building a more robust internet infrastructure on the African continent.
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👨🏿🚀TechCabal Daily – Access Bank to acquire Kenya’s National Bank
In partnership with Share this newsletter: Lire en Français اقرأ هذا باللغة العربية Good morning Get inspired by the women shaping the future! Tune into our vodcast, “Hustle & Heart”, on our YouTube channel. Hear the brilliant founders behind Bamboo, SendStack, and ShopFawl talk about building a revenue-making business in Africa, how they use AI, and more. In today’s edition Access Bank to acquire Kenya’s National Bank SA’s DocFox gets acquired for $75 million Kenya’s judiciary goes digital Telkom to sell tower business to Actis Safaricom teams up with Onafriq for remittance play The World Wide Web3 Opportunities Banking Access Bank to acquire Kenya’s National Bank As far as ambition goes, Nigeria’s largest commercial bank by asset, Access Bank, is one to be reckoned with. The bank in recent times has been deepening its roots across the continent and beyond. Now, the bank is making a bold move to solidify its East African presence. The news: Yesterday, Access HoldCo signed an agreement to acquire Kenya’s National bank. The acquisition, touted to cement Access’ East African presence is the company’s second acquisition in the Kenya. The Nigerian lender bought Transnational Bank Ltd. in 2019. Why Kenya? When compared with Nigeria, Kenya has a more developed lending sector, and its economy is expected to grow at a quicker rate than Nigeria’s, making it an appropriate location for the lender to extend its footprint. Before the acquisition of NBK, the company has demonstrated its voracious appetite for acquiring banks within the continent. In July 2023, Access HoldCo, its parent company, reached an agreement with Standard Chartered Bank for the acquisition of Standard Chartered’s shareholding in its subsidiaries in Angola, Cameroon, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone, and its consumer, private and business banking business in Tanzania. The bank received regulatory approval to conduct business in Asia, in December 2023, joining the ranks of South Africa’s TymeBank on the continent. In February,, the bank acquired Megatech Insurance Brokers Ltd, an insurance brokerage company licensed and regulated by the National Insurance Commission. The bank says is sticking to its ambitions of doubling its assets outside NIgeria by 2027. Experience fast and reliable personal banking with Moniepoint Give it a shot like she did . Click here to experience fast and reliable personal banking with Moniepoint. Acquisition nCino acquires DocFox for $75million Founded in 2016, DocFox carved a niche for itself by tackling the bane of banker’s existence: the account opening process. The company provided automated onboarding solutions for commercial and business banks, reportedly boasting over 450 customers across three continents. DocFox’s ambition, however, isn’t limited to regional dominance. The news: In a move to enhance its cloud banking suite, nCino, a US-based cloud banking solution has acquired DocFox for $75 million. The acquisition is expected to close in March 2024. nCino helps financial institutions modernise their operations, making it easier for businesses and individuals to onboard, secure loans, manage accounts, and navigate the loan lifecycle. Merging with DocFox will create a single platform for banks to manage the entire client lifecycle, from information gathering to due diligence. For DocFox, the $75 million price tag will propel its solutions onto a global stage, giving it the resources and reach to empower banks worldwide. Legal tech Kenya’s Judiciary system goes digital Many justice systems around the world have traditionally been bogged down by mountains of paper—case files stacked high, endless reams for printing documents, and a complex process for navigating legal battles. This reliance on physical records can lead to inefficiency, delays, and difficulty for citizens seeking justice. In Kenya, a new chapter is about to begin. The East African country is using tech to improve how justice is delivered in the country. On March 11, 2024, Chief Justice Martha Koome launched a Nationwide E-Filing, Data Tracking Dashboard, and Causelist Portal dubbed “All Courts Go Digital,” to revolutionise the Kenyan legal system. All Courts Go Digital: Starting July 1, 2024, the new system will streamline case management with e-filing, eliminating the need for physical documents. This not only reduces paper waste but also allows for efficient tracking through an e-filing data tracking dashboard that will monitor case progress, identify reasons for delays across courts, and help with strategic planning by highlighting trends in caseloads. The Causelist portal will also allow lawyers and anyone involved in a court case to easily see which cases are being heard each day. The new initiative will improve transparency and accessibility by offering a central location to find daily court schedules. E-filing is gaining traction: South Africa’s court system also utilises an online case management system, which includes some e-filing capabilities including access to upcoming hearings, filed and served documents, and court notifications. Additionally, the platform allows secure document exchange and sharing with other parties in the case. No hidden fees or charges with Fincra Collect payments via Bank Transfer, Cards, Virtual Account & Mobile Money with Fincra’s secure payment gateway. What’s more? You get to save money for your business when you use Fincra. Start now. Telecom Telkom to sell its tower business to Actis Telkom Kenya has hit a rough patch in the last couple of months. Between March 2022 and June 2023, the telecom lost 1.62 million subscribers due to a crackdown on irregularly registered SIM cards. To worsen matters, it lost another 800,000 subscribers due to unpaid leasing fees—$51.7 million—to American Towers Corporation (ATC), which forced the shutdown of 246 Telkom towers. A bid to recover financial ground: Now facing a dwindling subscriber base of 1.3 million, Telkom is in discussions to sell its Kenyan mast and tower business, Swiftnet—reportedly valued at $332 million— to private equity firm Actis LLP. The potential deal could provide much-needed financial relief for Telkom Kenya, grappling with a shrinking subscriber base and network issues. The deal would also include a smaller, local partner which, at this point, remains unnamed. This development follows Telkom’s announcement in November 2023, that it was in exclusive negotiations with a “reputable private equity firm” to sell Swiftnet.
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How to register for UACE exams 2024
The Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) is a crucial step for Ugandan students seeking university admission. Here, we’ll guide you through the process to easily register for the UACE exams. Eligibility for UACE registration Before fully going into the registration process, it’s important to confirm your eligibility. To register for UACE, you must have completed the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and achieved the required passes in relevant subjects based on your desired university program. Schools typically handle the initial eligibility checks, so consult your school administration for guidance. Registration period and fees The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) conducts the UACE exams annually. The registration period typically falls between April 1 and May 31. Registering within this timeframe allows you to benefit from the standard registration fees. Late registration attracts a surcharge, so adhering to the designated period is crucial. How to register for the UACE exams: Step-by-Step UACE registration is handled electronically through schools. Here’s a breakdown of the process: 1. School Liaison As a student, your first point of contact is your school administration. They will guide you through the registration process and ensure you have the necessary documentation. 2. Data collection and verification You’ll be required to provide personal information, academic details, and your chosen subject combination. Double-check the accuracy of this information, as any errors can lead to complications during the exams. 3. Examination fees The registration process involves settling the UACE examination fees. These fees are typically paid directly to the school, who will then forward them to UNEB. 4. Confirmation and submission Once all the information and fees are in order, your school will submit your registration electronically to UNEB. You’ll receive a confirmation slip acknowledging your successful registration for UACE. Additional considerations when registering for the UACE exams Some other things to consider during your registration for the UACE exams include the following: 1. Subject selection Carefully consider the subject combination you choose to register for UACE. Ensure they align with your future university program requirements. Consult your school counsellors or university admissions departments for guidance. 2. Private candidates to register for UACE exams Students who are not enrolled in a formal school can register for UACE as private candidates. The registration process for private candidates differs slightly, and they may face additional requirements. Contact UNEB directly for details on registering as a private candidate. Final thoughts on how to register for UACE exams 2024 Registering for UACE is a significant step towards achieving your academic goals in Uganda. By understanding the eligibility criteria, registration period, and process, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate this crucial step. Remember, adhering to deadlines and ensuring accurate information is key to a successful UACE registration.
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WhatsApp new status video limit and other new 2024 updates
WhatsApp has recently added extra bandwidth for expression with a long-awaited update: the ability to share videos up to one minute long on your status. Previously restricted to 30 seconds, this new feature allows you to express yourself more fully and share more comprehensive moments from your life. Read further to see how to get this particular WhatsApp update and other new updates you may not have noticed. More updates on WhatsApp The extended video limit is just one of several exciting updates WhatsApp has rolled out recently. Here are a few more to enhance your messaging experience: 1. Increased Privacy Controls For users who prioritise discretion, WhatsApp has introduced features like “Silence Unknown Callers” and “Privacy Checkup.” These tools give you more control over who can contact you and how your online presence is displayed. 2. Disappearing Messages by Default For chats where you want messages to vanish after a set time, you can now set disappearing messages as the default for new chats. This ensures your conversations remain private and impermanent. 3. Multiple accounts use You can now use two or more WhatsApp accounts on one WhatsApp app. 4. WhatsApp Channels This is a feature similar to Telegram, where businesses and public figures can get verified and have people subscribe to their channel in thousands and more. 5. Improved business features Business users haven’t been left out! WhatsApp continues to develop features specifically for businesses, such as “WhatsApp Flows” for automated interactions and “Meta Verified” badges for enhanced legitimacy. How to get these 2024 new WhatsApp updates Primarily, here’s how to make sure you have the latest WhatsApp updates: Automatic Updates: If you have automatic updates enabled for WhatsApp, you’ll receive the update as soon as it’s available in your region. Manual Update: Open the Google Play Store (for Android) or App Store (for iPhone). Search for “WhatsApp” and tap “Update” if a new version is available. The above options may sometimes not work for some users if the feature has not been generally rolled out. This point is where WhatsApp Beta becomes the prize. Try WhatsApp Beta for earlier access to these kinds of updates Want to be among the first to experience all WhatsApp latest features? Consider joining the WhatsApp beta program. As a beta tester, you gain access to upcoming features before they’re officially rolled out. However, keep in mind that beta versions might be less stable and contain bugs. To join the WhatsApp beta program for Android, visit the Google Play Store and find the WhatsApp listing. Joining the Beta program may be a bit tricky, so we explained it in detail here. Final thoughts With the ability to share longer videos and a host of other updates, the possibilities for creative expression on WhatsApp statuses are endless. Experiment with different video editing tools to add music, text overlays, or special effects to your stories. Remember, statuses still disappear after 24 hours, so have fun and share those fleeting moments with your friends and family.
Read MoreNigeria’s Access Bank acquires National Bank of Kenya in its second Kenyan acquisition
Access Bank will acquire the National Bank of Kenya (NBK) from the KCB Group, its second acquisition of a Kenyan bank in under five years. The acquisition comes after a move to acquire Sidian Bank fell through in 2023. KCB Group’s CEO Paul Russo said Access Bank will buy out the entire stake in a deal he termed good for the future of NBK. “We kick off the hard work to make sure the transaction is successful. It will take 6 to 9 months to close it out and cross the line but we give a predictable future about the institution and particularly our staff,” Russo announced. In 2020, Access acquired Transnational Bank to grow its market share in the East Africa region but its ambitions continue to grow. “The transaction represents an important milestone for the bank as it moves us closer to the achievement of our five-year strategic plan through increased scale in the Kenyan market,” Access CEO Roosevelt Ogbonna said. The second-biggest lender in Kenya acquired the loss-making NBK in 2019 in a rescue deal brokered by the National Treasury and the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and has since heralded a major shakeup. Since the acquisition, KCB has worked to bring the bank’s capital strengths to the minimum levels approved by the regulator and keep it on track back to profitability. “In 2019, KCB made the bold decision to acquire the National Bank of Kenya. Unfortunately, some significant legacy claims have eroded all the gains we have made in National Bank,” KCB Group chairman Joseph Kinyua said.
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Can anyone afford a ride? The great Nigerian car conundrum
Ngozi Eugene, a lawyer who lives in Lagos and earns ₦600,000, began saving for a Toyota Corolla in 2022. By 2024, she had saved N4.7 million and was confident it was sufficient, but when she visited a car dealership in late February, the best deal for a used 2005 Toyota Corolla was N7 million, while a 2008 Toyota Corolla was N8 million. Car dealers who spoke to TechCabal said her best bet, given her budget, was a Nigerian used Toyota Corolla. A combination of foreign exchange volatility, customs duty, and shipping costs are putting the prices of cars beyond the reach of many Nigerians. “I bought a car worth $600 and got it shipped for $1600. When it got to Nigeria, I had to pay about N3 million ($1,886) to clear the vehicle. This has never happened in the history of our business,” Kolawole, a car dealer, said. It now costs at least ₦5 million to buy a foreign-used sedan and ₦3 million for a Nigerian-used one. That is more than double the cost from 2023, according to data supplied by Pankaj Bohhra, co-founder of Fixit45. The rise in prices coincides with a decline in imports. The number of cars imported through the Tin-Can Island port, the entry point of choice for many Nigerian imports, dropped from 32,000 units in 2018 to 4008 in 2023, according to Dera Nnadi, the Customs Controller of the Command. Local assembly and production have also failed to grow. At a summit in 2020, Yemi Osinbajo, former Vice President, noted that available assembly plants delivered fewer than 14,000 cars. Prices are forcing many to compromise Those prices are forcing adjustments as some companies switch to Nigerian-used official cars or relatively new or unknown brands as cheaper alternatives to Japanese cars, which have always been the preferred option. Other companies lease cars or use flexible auto financing for purchases. For individual customers, auto loans are still largely unpopular. While many financial institutions offer auto loans, consumers are unaware of them or don’t understand how they work. Ngozi, for instance, believes vehicle financing options have high-interest rates. Ojurongbe Damilola, head of technical services at Cars45, believes customers are slowly warming up to car loans, citing an increase in financing requests compared to the past year. Ultimately, Nigeria’s car market is at a crossroads, and navigating the new normal will cause short-term pains. Local production is unlikely to increase, and as long as macroeconomic conditions remain the same, financing may still not be compelling enough for consumers.
Read MoreAcasia Ventures leads six-figure investment in Egypt-based health tech Pharmacy Marts
Pharmacy Marts, an Egypt-based startup that connects pharmacies and suppliers for medical supplies and cosmetics, has received a six-figure investment from early-stage venture capital firm Acasia Ventures. The exact funding amount was not disclosed. Pharmacy Marts raised $2 million in funding from investors since its launch. “We are excited about having Acasia Ventures on board, given its great presence in African markets that we are planning to enter, as well as their solid network of advisors and experts in the pharmaceutical industry,” CEO and Co-Founder of Pharmacy Marts Ahmed Kadous said. Founded in 2021, Pharmacy Marts allows pharmacists to access medical products and connect them with suppliers. It also provides access to working capital and long-term financing, including “Buy Now, Pay Later” options. Pharmacy Marts claims it currently services about 12,000 of Egypt’s pharmacies, equivalent to 20% of the total market, and boasts over 200 suppliers on its platform. The startup says it aims to digitize the pharmaceutical sector’s supply chain to improve patient access to medication. “In a short period, Pharmacy Marts has emerged as a category leader in this space and we are confident it will continue to go from strength to strength,” Managing Partner at Acasia Ventures Aly El Shalakany said.
Read MoreNigeria, Egypt among world’s 10 fastest-growing countries for software developers in 2023
This article was contributed to TechCabal by Conrad Onyango via bird story agency. The latest data from GitHub, a global hub for software development, has listed the two African economies – Nigeria and Egypt – as among the world’s 10 fastest-growing countries for software development in 2023. It may come as no surprise that software development is on the rise in Africa. Vibrant startup hubs across the continent have become famous, with Silicon Cape, Silicon Savannah and Silicon Valley (South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, respectively) all known across the tech ecosystem. Over the last five years, Nigeria has flexed its continental muscle in terms of tech startup funding and development, while Egypt has shown every sign of becoming Africa’s next biggest startup ecosystem, both in terms of deal count and deal value. What is surprising is the speed of growth, according to the report. Nigeria grew developer talent numbers by 45.6% between Q3 of 2022 and Q3 of 2023, to 872,162 – the fastest growth in Africa. “Nigeria has been ploughing ahead of other African geographies in recent years, firmly establishing itself as a – if not the – leading startup ecosystem on the continent,” said Disrupt Africa in a separate report. The West African country was the world’s second-fastest-growing country for developers after Bangladesh, whose developer count grew by 66.5% to 945,696. Egypt, placed second in Africa in terms of total developer numbers and growth rate, saw its developer count rise by 34.1% to 729,790. The North African country topped the growth rates of Argentina (33.2%), Hong Kong (32.1%) and Indonesia (32.1%) in terms of growth rates, to finish seventh in the global ranking. However, an article in non-profit publication, Rest of the World, warned that the fast-rising developer community could also reflect tech workers turning to unpaid work in the face of drying venture capital taps. “A surging number of GitHub accounts might suggest a rising tech sector — but it might also represent a decline in actual work, as developers turn to unpaid work on public repos after paid work disappears,” according to the publication. Disrupt Africa in its African Tech-Startups Funding Report 2023, reported that Egypt experienced a huge squeeze on startup jobs in 2023, with just 3,085 new jobs reported – an average of 67 per startup and substantially down from the 11,153 people employed by startups in 2022. This was fueled by the collapse of funding by more than 50% in the country, with figures almost entirely propped up by a single company – MNT-Halan’s single round of $510 million. Nigeria’s startup job market, however, recorded only a marginal drop, from 6,751 people in 2022 to 6,669 in 2023. The Disrupt report put the average number of employees at Nigerian startups in 2023 at 53 per startup, up from 38 in 2022. Other top developer markets in Africa, according to GitHub, include South Africa, which finished as the third-fastest-growing market on the continent. The country’s developer numbers grew from 412,731 in 2022 to 540,486. South Africa was followed by Morocco with a current total of 448,194 developers and Kenya with 297,581. In 2021 search engine Google recorded the continent’s total developer count at 716,000, according to its Africa Developer Ecosystem Report 2021, reflecting the phenomenal level of growth in recent years. African startups, according to the Google report, are responsible for hiring more than half of local developers, with foreign companies outside the continent hiring 38% of the remaining talent. Data from the layoff-tracking website, Layoffs.fyi shows a total of 1,191 tech companies – including giants like Microsoft, Google, TikTok and YouTube – retrenched 262,995 employees across the globe in 2023.
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👨🏿🚀TechCabal Daily – A sUber Moove
In partnership with Share this newsletter: Lire en Français اقرأ هذا باللغة العربية Good morning Here’s your reminder to move TC Daily to your Primary or Main folder so you don’t miss any edition of the newsletter. In today’s edition Uber leads $100 million Series B round in Moove Brass secures new funding Vodacom announces layoffs in South Africa TikTok has new rewards The World Wide Web3 Opportunities Funding Uber leads $100 million Series B round in Moove Moove is on a fundraising spree. Last month, whispers of a potential $100 million equity investment in Moove from Uber made it into the media. The report by Bloomberg comes after the vehicle financing company raised about $10 million to expand into new Indian markets. Yesterday, the speculation came to a head as Uber confirmed its investment in Moove. The news: Moove has raised $100 million in a Series B round led by Uber, according to reporting from TechCrunch. The new funding round brings Moove’s total fund raised to date to about $460 million—$250 million in equity and $210 million in debt. Mubadala Investment Company, a sovereign wealth fund that also invested in Moove’s Series A round, also participated in the Series B round. Other investors in the round include The Latest Ventures, AfricInvest, Palm Drive Capital, Triatlum Advisors, and Future Africa. Moove, which operates in six countries, will use the new funding to expand to 16 more markets by the end of 2025. Why the Uber Moove? Uber’s investment in Moove might be a plot to secure a reliable stream of drivers for its ride-hailing platform. Ladi Delano, Moove’s CEO, thinks of the investment as a validation of the car financing startup’s business model. Moove, which operates in six countries, says it will use the new funding to expand to 16 more markets by the end of 2025. Experience fast and reliable personal banking with Moniepoint Give it a shot like she did . Click here to experience fast and reliable personal banking with Moniepoint. Fintech Brass secures funding after facing withdrawal delays Brass, a Nigerian business banking startup, had its customers face delayed withdrawals starting in October 2023, which caused frustration and prompted questions about its financial health. In early March, Brass attributed the withdrawal delays to an increase in its number of customers and the challenging funding environment for fintech startups—having only raised $2 million in 2021. In mid-2023, the company lost a key source of funding when a major liquidity partner pulled out. This could be another factor contributing to the delays. The startup explored various solutions. On March 4th, for example, Akindolu announced the layoff of an undisclosed number of employees, aiming to weather the storm until they can be reintegrated. According to sources, Brass also allegedly approached Flutterwave for a potential acquisition, but the deal did not succeed. The startup also sought capital injections from larger startups like Moniepoint but was unsuccessful. Helping hands save Brass: After navigating a rocky few months, Brass has received a lifeline in the form of a new funding round. Four sources familiar with the situation revealed that the funding, comprising both debt and equity, was concluded last week, but the precise amount remains undisclosed. Notably, several Nigerian fintech leaders collaborated to support Brass over the last few weeks. With the new funding secured, Brass claims to have resolved the withdrawal issues, and customer reports confirm successful transactions. Whether this financial injection marks a complete turnaround or just a reprieve remains to be seen. Telecom Vodacom lays off 80 employees in South Africa Despite recent successes like achieving significant revenue and operating income—35% and 32%, respectively, as per its latest financial report— Vodacom, a South African telecoms giant, is also grappling with several challenges. One notable challenge is its high-profile legal battle with a former employee regarding compensation for the popular “Please Call Me” service, which could potentially cost the company 10% of its market capitalisation—R20 billion (~$1 billion). Now, the company plans to trim its South African workforce. Layoffs: Vodacom has announced plans to cut 80 jobs across various departments to ensure “sustainable operations and maintain financial resilience.” In essence, to cut costs. The telecom company justifies the job cuts as a necessary step in its transition from a traditional telecom company to a leading technology player. A company spokesperson emphasised their commitment to “ensuring business operations are fit for purpose.” Vodacom, which employs roughly 5,400 people, has seen its stock price dip 2% following the news. Zoom out: Now branding itself as an African-focused connectivity, digital and financial services firm, Vodacom Group Limited has a presence in seven African countries including Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Lesotho, Kenya, Ethiopia and Egypt. No hidden fees or charges with Fincra Collect payments via Bank Transfer, Cards, Virtual Account & Mobile Money with Fincra’s secure payment gateway. What’s more? You get to save money for your business when you use Fincra. Start now. Social media TikTok introduces new rewards A year ago, TikTok moved beyond its signature short video format to allow longer videos. The play was to allow creators on the platform to make more money. TikTok ran the invite-only programme in beta, requiring creators to videos exceeding one minute to qualify for monetization. TikTok has now officially launched the feature and renamed it the Creators Reward Programme. How do I qualify? To qualify for the Creator Rewards Programme, creators must be at least 18 years old, have at least 10,000 followers with a minimum of 100,000 views in the last 30 days, and have a personal account in good standing where the programme is available. TikTok says it will reward creators based on four core metrics: originality, play duration, search value, and audience engagement. Since its debut last year, TikTok claims some creators have maxed out their earnings, pulling in $14,000 per effect and $50,000 monthly. TikTok also claims creators’ earnings have increased by 250% in the past six with a double increase in the number
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