🚀Entering Tech #29: How to leverage tech communities
Here’s how communities can help you enter tech. 10 || May || 2023 View in Browser Brought to you by Issue #29 How to leveragetech communities Share this newsletter Greetings ET people As cliche as it sounds, that saying “if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together” holds a lot of truth, especially in today’s world. As humans, we were not built for isolation. We thrive in community and grow well when we have support to lean on. In today’s edition, we discuss tech communities, their benefits, and what the good ones can offer you. In the coming weeks, we’ll go more in-depth into tech communities and hopefully provide you with more insight to choose the right community for you. The journey to a flourishing tech career can be long and arduous. Don’t go it alone! As always, please share this newsletter with your friends and network. by Pamela Tetteh and Timi Odueso. Tech trivia Some trivia before we begin. Answers are at the bottom of this newsletter. What percentage of people finish online courses? What are communities? Let’s be honest, finding the motivation to enter tech can be difficult. Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, there has been an increase in the creation of tech courses and resources to help people get into the field. Now more than ever, there are numerous opportunities and assets, but as an aspiring techie, how do you find these resources, and the knowledge to properly use them? Our answer is communities. Since 2020, I’ve taken several courses: A Facebook Certified Community Manager course, a Digital Journalism Course on Reuters, a non-profit Funding Essentials course on Acumen and many more. The only reason I was able to complete them was because I had the support of community. In the Facebook course, I had my then-manager walk me through it. I also took the digital journalism course with all my coworkers at TechCabal. And with the Product Management for Small Newsrooms course I took in September last year, I had a community of like-minded people who also took the course. Communities are easy to understand. They’re a group of like-minded people who are working towards the same or similar goals as you are. Communities will often include veterans who have walked a path you’re now considering, newbies who are looking for guidance, and even the occasional ITKs who do too much. How communities work So how will communities help you in your tech journey? Well, one of the most frequently asked questions we get on Ask A Techie is how people can find the motivation to start tech careers. Becoming a data analyst, a backend engineer, or a designer is no easy or short feat. It takes months of dedication and learning, and years of hard work and perseverance. Oftentimes, it can get lonely and monotonous, especially if you have other priorities. Tech communities are where you’ll get the support, motivation—and even the spitefulness —you need to continue because let’s be honest, what’s a more powerful motivation for Africans than the possibility of parading one’s success before the enemy? Here’s what you’ll get when you join a tech community: Access to industry knowledge: Tech communities often have experts who have done it before. These folks are often ready to share their tips and tricks with everyone. For example, ConTech Africa—a no-code tech community—had an event a few weeks ago where Daniel Abayomi, a designer at Meta, shared with upcoming designers how he went from zero to many many zeros. Network: No, we’re not talking about the MTN or Airtel kind. We’re talking about the chance to have access to professionals who have this industry knowledge. Joining DataFestAfrica will allow you to speak with people like Olanrewaju Oyinbooke and David Abu who both work on data for Microsoft. Communities can also extend beyond the Slack channels to events like this Àsà Coterie event where designers got together to party. Career development opportunities: This is probably the most important one because opportunities abound in tech communities. ConTech Africa, for example, has a Slack channel dedicated to job opportunities for its members. Within these tech communities, people also share other opportunities like scholarships, ebooks, grants, and even offers like CV revamps! Accountability: Finally, there’s the chance to find other people who are also learning. Joining a tech community will keep you accountable because there are others like you to learn and grow with. It’s probably one of the only instances—other than buying crocs—where peer pressure works for good. Starting next week, we’ll highlight the different African tech communities we’ve found and share their details and benefits. Don’t worry, we’re not selling you anything except the opportunity to find a village that will grow your tech career for free. The Entering Tech Shorts This edition of Entering starts with a question on if product marketers do the same thing door-to-door salesmen do. Martha Kingsmike, a product marketer at PiggyVest, tells all in one minute! Watch the 1-minute YouTube Short here! Ask a techie Q. As a law student who has a niche in finance but now wants to break into the tech space, is it really possible to combine the both? I hear a lot of techies say that finance and tech can’t really be intertwined, this isn’t about the fintech space. This is a bit difficult, because the combination of finance and tech is fintech, whatever way you look at it. Whether it’s building new solutions like Interswitch did, or digitising existing traditional solutions as with online banking and ATMs. For you, we’d suggest considering a career in compliance which is basically where you ensure that finance solutions are compliant with whatever laws that regulate the space. A great person to look to here would be Moe Odele and the Vazi Legal team. Although Moe isn’t into finance exclusively, she’s built a successful and exemplary career on helping tech companies achieve and maintain compliance by
Read More
Print 2023 JAMB admission letter using phone or PC
After successfully completing the JAMB exam and passing your preferred institution’s post-UTME screening, you’ll most likely be offered provisional admission. As such, students are required to print their admission letter. The admission letter serves as proof of admission and is needed for registration and clearance at your new institution. In this article, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to print your JAMB admission letter in 2023. Meanwhile, if you want to learn how to print your JAMB original result slip, check here. Step 1: Visit the JAMB portal The first step to print your JAMB admission letter is to visit the JAMB portal at https://efacility.jamb.gov.ng/ and log in. You can log in by entering your JAMB registration number and password in the appropriate fields and click on “Login”. Step 2: Locate the menu bar on your JAMB profile home page Once on the homepage, locate the “Print Admission Letter” tab on the menu bar and click on it. This will redirect you to the admission letter printing page and you’ll see a Transaction ID generated for this service. Wait till this page fully loads. Step 3: Review the details before paying to print your JAMB admission letter Now, review the details displayed on the “Confirmation Page”. Also, take note of the Transaction ID written in bold red text. This notation is because the Transaction ID is useful for all future references concerning the transaction like failures or errors. A copy of this transaction ID will be sent to your email address too. Step 4: Make payment The next step to print your JAMB admission letter in 2023 is to click on the “Continue” button. If you would like to pay with your debit card, it’ll be an instant payment. In fact, it is the fastest. If you wish to use other payment channels like ATM, Bank payment or Quickteller, please note the transaction ID, you’ll need it as payment reference. But if you’ll be paying with your debit card, the Interswitch Payment page will require you to enter your card details and click on the Pay button. The cost of this service is between ₦1,000-₦2,000. Step 5: Confirm your transaction success Your payment status will be visible in the “My Payment Section”. And immediately your payment is successful, you will receive an SMS and email with your specific Transaction Identification and payment status. Then hit “Continue”. Step 6: Print your JAMB admission letter Once you complete your payment, you’ll need to enter the following into the appropriate fields: a. Exam year b. JAMB Registration Number. After entering the above correctly, punch the enter button and you’ll see a new tab with the letter pop on your screen. Click on the “Print” or the download icon and wait for the page to load then print if you have a printer. Ensure to save a soft copy on your computer or mobile device. This will serve as a backup in case you misplace the hard copy. Final thoughts on how to print your JAMB admission letter 2023 Printing your 2023 JAMB admission letter is a straightforward process. All you need is access to the internet, your JAMB registration number, and a means of payment. Please note it is important to print your admission letter as soon as possible to avoid any delays in your registration and clearance at your institution.
Read MoreFinancial institutions in Africa say cybercrime is a bigger risk than political instability
For the second year in row executives of financial institutions in Africa have put cybersecurity concerns ahead of every risk factor in the financial services sector. 74% of the participants in the 2023 African Financial Industry Barometer survey say cybersecurity regulation needs improvement. According to the 2023 Africa Financial Industry Barometer, developed in partnership with the Africa Financial Industry Summit and Deloitte, 97% of surveyed executives at top financial institutions in Africa consider cybercrime a significant threat. Macroeconomic conditions (97%), political and social instability and security risks were also identified as the most prevalent threats facing financial institutions in Africa. Political or social instability and security risks are a close second perhaps signally some unease over the spate of military coups (5 in 2022 and 6 in 2021) and or internecine conflict in some regions. Across the continent, cybersecurity incidents result in losses estimated at between $3.5 billion and $4 billion every year. 97% of surveyed leaders of financial institutions in Africa rank cybercrime and regulatory constraints on cybersecurity as the leading threat to the financial services industry alongside worsening economic conditions. According to the report, the increase in the volume and sophistication of attacks explains why financial institutions consider cybersecurity a top concern. Four days ago, David Sennaike, a Nigerian cybersecurity professional published an article on social networking site, LinkedIn, claiming to have found a post Breached.co, offering leaked data containing customer data, login details of employees and API access of 43 Nigerian banks. Breached.co, is a dark web forum founded in 2022 after European Police shut down RaidForums, its predecessor. Sennaike says he tested the sample data and was able to verify its authenticity and view bank customers’ data including bank verification numbers (BVNs) and other customer information. Bidding for the dataset on the dark web forum started at $50,000 and was at $250,000 on the 7th of February this year, per a screenshot from Sennaike’s LinkedIn article. According to Sennaike, fintechs were also implicated in the leaked data. Several banks and fintechs in Nigeria have suffered cyber attacks or fraud incidents between 2022 and 2023, including MTN, which sued several banks in the country after losing $53 million from its mobile money service. TechCabal previously reported several alleged attacks on Flutterwave (the company denies this) which led to the company suing several recipients of the funds and freezing the bank accounts of 295 others, TechCabal reported. The worrying spate of cyber attacks and fraud has led to the creation of several groups to fight against fraud by sharing data, including Project Radar of which Flutterwave is a member alongside other fintechs and eKYC firms. The Africa Financial Industry Barometer report also shows the trend towards more data sharing. African financial institutions are becoming more willing to share incident risk data (approximately 50%), fraud data (42%) and data to enable interoperability of digital payments (50%). On average only 24% of financial institutions surveyed say they share data (on risk incidents, fraud, money laundering or cyber incidents). 36% say they plan to establish partnerships that will enable them to share data in the short to medium term. Only 15% of surveyed financial industry leaders consider how cybersecurity is regulated in Africa to be effective. 74% say there needs to be improvement and 11% of leaders do not know how cyber and information security is regulated or believe regulation is non–existent. Declining economic fortunes is also a major headache for financial institutions in Africa ranking side by side with cybersecurity concerns. The World Bank says economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa dropped to 3.6% in 2022 from 4.1% in 2021 and is expected to dip to 3.1% in 2023. Alongside sluggish growth globally, persistent inflation, and tough financial conditions with record debt will contribute to this decline in growth. However, despite concerns about the impact of poor economic outlook, banks, insurance firms and other financial institutions remain optimistic about their business prospects. Only 15% of respondents predict that unfavourable macroeconomic conditions will persist over the next three years in Africa.
Read MoreNigerians want virtual dollar cards, but chargebacks make it complicated for fintechs
There’s a huge demand for virtual cards in Nigeria, and many fintechs are ready to supply. Fintechs are finding out the hard way that providing virtual cards also means dealing with expensive chargebacks. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you: international payments in Nigeria–and much of Africa–are a pain. A self-inflicted FX crisis in Nigeria has seen the Central Bank place monthly limits on international payments. Every Naira card user can only pay $20 per month. But people need to pay for way more than that, creating a business case for fintechs to offer virtual cards that let you make international payments with no limits. The appeal of virtual cards is that they make FX payments easy and also help people sidestep the bank charges that come with domiciliary accounts. For fintech startups, it’s a no-brainer. Virtual cards are a low-hanging fruit and a decent way of acquiring customers. Most of the work it takes to issue a virtual card is done by partnering with issuers like Visa. But virtual cards are difficult businesses. Every now and then, we get a glimpse into some of the more difficult parts of offering what seems to be a simple service. Because many Nigerian fintechs are reliant on foreign card issuers, they’re at their mercy. So service downtimes and shutdowns are common, and you’re likely to hear a lot about chargebacks. Chargebacks are a big problem for fintechs Chargebacks happen when customers request the return of their monies after transactions have been completed, usually because they were unable to access the service or product they paid for. But fraudulent players often attempt to get their cash back even after obtaining the service, creating problems for fintechs in the process. In March, the CEO of Union54, a fintech startup whose APIs allow other companies to issue physical and virtual dollar debit cards, gave an uncharacteristically frank interview to TechCrunch. The publication quotes him as saying, “We noticed a lot of fraud being attempted on our platform, which we detected and stopped. What people were trying to do was effectively use funds that they didn’t have…they were trying to use the cards for over $1.2 billion of attempted fraud.” Union54 eventually paused its card-issuing business, leaving many other fintechs that depended on them for card issuing in the lurch. In the last week of April, most Nigerian virtual card issuers deactivated their services. The root cause again was traced to Mastercard’s displeasure with the increasing frequency of chargebacks in Nigeria. (Mastercard requires merchants to maintain a chargeback rate of less than 1.5% of transactions). “Nigeria is a high-risk market for virtual card providers. It’s so bad that global providers like Mastercard have to constantly shut us down. Many users of virtual cards here have specialised in cashback fraud, lying to fintechs and requesting their money after successfully obtaining a service online. Others exploit the time gap between card payments and the actual debit to withdraw their money and escape payment. It’s just a big mess for us,” says an anonymous staff of an African-focused fintech with virtual card operations in Nigeria. Damilola Robert, a growth marketing manager at Bitnob, another African fintech that provides virtual dollar card services shared that vendors affected by chargeback fraud and failed transaction attempts kept reporting to the likes of Mastercard until something had to be done about it; including the recent 7-day switch-off that left thousands of Nigerian dollar card users in the lurch. Fintechs are taking a stand For the affected fintechs, chargebacks mean more operational expenses because the issuer charges a fee even for declined transactions. Fintechs initially put up with these costs over the years as they strived to gain market share. But in an environment where capital efficiency has become a watchword, those costs are being passed on to customers. Chipper Cash’s recently introduced a ₦500 ($1.09) fee for transactions declined due to insufficient funds. “We have unfortunately had to introduce the decline fee on our Chipper Card product, as a result of the high card network and third-party provider charges for these types of transactions,” Tefiro Serunjogi, Chipper Cash’s Head of Consumer Products, said in an email response to TechCabal Several other fintechs are taking steps to limit fraud cases and costs arising from transactions. Robert told TechCabal that startups, including Bitnob, will charge customers about $0.5 for such declined transactions, while fintechs still looking to attract customers are taking a milder approach: creating reminders for customers to top up and deactivating cards after a maximum of three failed transactions. “Many virtual card providers have also cut down the possible number of virtual cards each customer can obtain on their platform. They realised that giving a fraudulent customer five cards was tantamount to strengthening him to commit fraud in multiple volumes,” Robert added. Such moves by fintechs also underscore a determination to spend responsibly, stay EBITDA positive and remain compliant with their third-party providers, says Christian Bwakira, the CEO of Global Technology Partners, an MFS-Africa subsidiary that provides fintechs with the infrastructure to issue virtual cards. Can collaboration save the day? The common issue with chargeback fraud is that perpetrators are able to replicate their tricks and milk multiple startups connected to a common provider. This was the exact trend in Union54’s shutdown. To avoid this, fintech startups can leverage the power of collaboration by designing systems that restrict fraudsters from jumping across platforms, especially as they often do so with a unique ID. This solution may bear some semblance to Project Radar, the move by 13 African fintechs—including Flutterwave—to collaborate in an attempt to check repetitive fraud. However, data privacy concerns remain associated with these kinds of solutions. But when push comes to shove, and a handful of fraudsters are consistently shutting down an essential service for a whole country, then maybe a concession—or at least some considerations—have to be made.
Read MoreMeet the African streaming platform trying to take on Netflix
As content streaming takes off in Africa, Wi-flix is hoping that its Africa-first approach to content production and distribution will help it stand its ground against global streaming giants like Netflix. Spurred on by a young population and increasing internet connectivity, London-based business intelligence firm, Digital TV Research, projects subscriptions of video-on-demand in Africa to reach 15 million by 2026. For context, this figure stood at 5 million in 2021 . Additionally, revenues from the industry are expected to triple from the $623 million recorded in 2021 to $2 billion in 2027. As the race for subscriptions heats up in North America and Europe, growth is slowing down. This has made leading streaming providers realise the need to divest away from their core markets into emerging ones, and Africa represents that next frontier in the streaming wars. But as they make their way into the continent, global streaming providers should not expect indigenous streaming services, including the likes of Wi-flix, to lay down and get rolled over. Having recently launched in Zambia to add to its presence in Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana, the two-year-old proverbial new kid on the block is ready to bring the fight to streaming incumbents in an industry which has recorded steady growth over the last few years and will continue to for the foreseeable future, according to estimates. Co-founded by Louis Manu and Bright Yeboah in 2020, Wi-flix mission, unlike the like of existing platforms like Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and even Multichoice’s Showmax, who focus on what Manu calls “top-tier” clientele who comprises of upper middle-class earners, Wi-flix’s focus on the alternative market segment who comprise of low-income earners. A Wi-flix subscription costs $2.99 and for context, the cheapest Netflix package starts at $9.99. “The play for us is to let the big guys chase the high-income earning customers while we focus on the previously neglected low-income earners who make up about 85% of the African population,” Manu tells TechCabal in an interview. Despite offering a more affordable product compared to incumbents, Manu adds that the quality of content offered on Wi-flix is still premium and well suited for an African audience who, despite a steadily increasing internet and smartphone penetration rate, still have to deal with one of the most expensive internet rates in the world. Creating an enabling environment for content consumption In order to deal with the barrier of expensive internet which bars low-income users from consuming content even though they want to, Wi-flix has focused on bundling its market expansion with strategic partnerships which avail data to users to use the service. “In Africa, for a month of decent internet, users have to shell out amounts between $50 and even $70. Additionally, they also have to pay between $10 and $50 to subscribe to the streaming platforms. That is a whole lot of money in a continent where household incomes are very low and to address that, we have partnered with network operators in some of our markets to offer data bundles for Wi-flix subscribers,” said Manu. That rationale has led to strategic partnerships in Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria where it has partnered with Safaricom, Vodafone, and MTN respectively. That strategy seems to be working as of March 2022, just over a year since its inception, Wi-flix reached one million paid subscriptions. For context, Showmax had 861,000 subscriptions at the time despite having a five-year headstart on Wi-flix. “To reach 1 million-plus subscriptions by over 300,000 customers in just a little over a year is a remarkable benchmark for any streaming platform that we don’t take for granted. We have recorded a 51% and 61% growth in revenues and subscriptions simultaneously in the first quarter of 2022,” said Manu at the time. “We believe in the unbeatable product proposition we offer to our customers and the incredible team of experts we assembled since we launched, however reaching this milestone in this short while affirms that indeed we are on the right track to greater achievements.” [African] content is king Last month, Netflix put out its sub-Saharan socio-economic impact report, purporting to show the impact that the streaming giant has had on the continent since its entrance into the market in 2016. In the report, Netflix claims to have supported the creation of over 12,000 jobs and generated $218 million to the GDPs of South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria, where they are operational. Additionally, the company claims to have funded economic activity which created over $44 million in tax revenue and an increase of over $200 million in household income. The investment into the creation and distribution of African content via Netflix originals and other shows, the streaming giant proceeds, has shown the potential that African content has on par with the rest of the world. When it comes to the topic of the quality of African content, Manu shares the same sentiments as the competitor. “In Africa, Nigeria has a lot of filmmakers, Ghana has a lot of filmmakers, Kenya, and South Africa too. But most of the guys, whose content is really high quality, are not able to put their content on big platforms where they can monetise it quite handsomely. All they do is put it on YouTube, or make copies to sell on the streets,” said Manu. To provide a solution to that, Manu states that Wi-flix pays creators for every stream they get, in a sort of revenue-sharing model, on top of providing a platform for millions of potential consumers of that content for free. Although he wouldn’t share exact figures of how much they have paid out to content creators, Manu claims that it is a significant amount which has allowed creators on the platform to earn a living. “Our revenue sharing model allows us to bridge the gap between content and the value that creators are able to get from it. Not only do we create a platform for creators’ content, but we also ensure that for every stream garnered, our creators are
Read More
Print your 2023 original JAMB result slip easily
Now that the JAMB 2023 exams are over, you may have checked your results. But if you haven’t, quickly see how to check here with your registration number. After checking, however, you’ll need more than the preliminary JAMB score results check. So, if you want to print out your original JAMB result, you’ll need to follow some specific steps. Here’s how to get your original 2023 JAMB result slip. Step 1: Visit the JAMB website To access your JAMB result, you need to visit the JAMB portal. The website is https://efacility.jamb.gov.ng/. Login with your details. Once you’re logged on to the website, you’ll see a few options in the menu on the left side. Look for the option that says “Print Result Slip” Step 2: Make payment to print your original JAMB result slip On the next prompt, you’ll see “Continue to payment”. This means you’ll need to pay using online payment methods such as your ATM card. You may need to provide your email address or phone number during the payment process. Additionally, the price is about ₦1,500 to get your original JAMB result. Step 3: Enter your details to print your original JAMB result slip Once your payment goes through and the payment portal redirects you back to the JAMB site, you can go ahead to print your original JAMB result slip by selecting your exam year (2023 ) and filling in your ‘JAMB Registration Number’ in the required fields. Step 4: View your result If you’ve entered your details correctly, you’ll be taken to a page that shows your JAMB result. The result will include your name, JAMB registration number, score, and other important details. Make sure to review the result carefully to ensure that everything is accurate. Step 5: Print your original JAMB result To print your JAMB result, you need to click on the “Print Result” button. This will open a new tab that displays your result in a printable format. You can print the result directly from your browser or save it as a PDF file and print it later. You can also request it to be sent to your email. Tips to keep in mind before you print your original JAMB result 2023 Make sure that you have a good internet connection before you access the JAMB website. Slow internet speeds can cause delays or errors. You don’t want your payment hanging. Double-check your details before you click on “Check My Result”. Entering incorrect details can result in you not being able to access your result. If you’re having trouble accessing your result, contact JAMB support for assistance. They can help you troubleshoot any issues you’re facing. Final thoughts on how to print your original JAMB result slip 2023 Printing your JAMB result is a straightforward process that can be done online. However, it’s important to ensure that you follow the steps carefully to avoid any errors. If you’re having trouble accessing your result, don’t hesitate to contact JAMB support for assistance. By verifying your result, you can ensure that it’s genuine and avoid any issues down the line.
Read More
👨🏿🚀TechCabal Daily – Nigeria probes its telecoms
Lire en français Read this email in French. 10 MAY, 2023 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Good morning LinkedIn is gearing up for its second round of layoffs. In February, it laid off an undisclosed number of people from its recruiting division. This time, it’s laying off about 3.5% of its staff—700 employees due to “weak benign economic conditions”. It’s also shutting down InCareer, its China-focused job application. You know times are truly tuff if the app linking people to jobs is letting people out. In today’s edition Nigeria probes its telecoms Khazna plans for $250 million data centre in Egypt Airtel to pay $127 million for licence renewal IMF cautions Zimbabwe on gold-backed token The World Wide Web3 Opportunities NIGERIA PROBES ITS TELECOMS Nigeria’s House of Representatives has launched an inquiry into the state of telecommunications service delivery in Nigeria. Why? Per Nairametrics, the investigation kicked off in Abuja on Tuesday and is focused on getting to the bottom of why some parts of the country, especially rural areas, are still without telecommunications coverage. Despite there being reportedly 126 million active mobile subscriptions in Nigeria, as of February this year, most of these connections are concentrated in major cities. Even the NCC has admitted that there are still gaps in connectivity across Nigeria that need to be addressed through the deployment of more telecom infrastructure. But that’s not all! They’re also digging deep into the Universal Service Provision Fund to determine how much money has been collected and how it’s been spent so far. MONIEPOINT RANKED 2ND FASTEST-GROWING AFRICAN COMPANY Moniepoint is Africa’s second-fastest growing company, as shown in FTs latest report. We also processed 1 billion transactions worth $43 billion in Q1 alone. Read all about it here. This is partner content. KHAZNA’S $250 MILLION DATA CENTRE More data centres are coming to Africa. This week, UAE-based wholesale data centre provider Khazna has announced plans to expand to Egypt with the establishment of a $250 million data centre. Per Zawya, the expansion will see Khazna partner with Egyptian infrastructure firm Benya Group. Fast and furious: Although Egypt has data centres—about 15 of them—including a Huawei one, Khazna’s project will reportedly be Egypt’s largest hyper-scale data centre, which just means it can do a lot of work very quickly. According to partner Bezna, who spoke to Egyptian publication Enterprise, the project has an expected initial capacity of 25 megawatts of IT load, with plans to double its capacity at a later date. Benya did not provide more details. The companies plan to start construction later this year and complete the project in the next three years. The project is set to be built at Egypt’s first specialised industrial zone, Maadi Technology Park. Egypt plans for data centres: There’s more investment in cloud infrastructure coming to Egypt. Earlier this year, the Egyptian ministry of communications and information facilitated an agreement between Gulf Data Hub and Elsewedy Data Centres that could see to the construction of Africa’s largest data centre. The project will reportedly cost $2.1 billion and could take 4–7 years to complete. AIRTEL NIGERIA RENEWS ITS 3G SPECTRUM LICENCE Still on the subject of telecoms, Airtel Networks Limited has hit the renew button on its 3G spectrum. Per Nairametrics, the network provider paid ₦58.7 billion ($127.4 million) to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to renew its 3G spectrum licence. And the licence is going to be valid for 15 years, that is, until April 30, 2037. Zoom out: Airtel launched 3G in Nigeria in 2015. Four months ago, Airtel Africa took a leap and announced that its Nigerian subsidiary, Airtel Networks Limited, bought 5G spectrum from the NCC. The cost? A cool $316.7 million payable in local currency. The 5G includes benefits such as higher speeds, lower latency, significant network capacity as well as an improved user experience. Furthermore, the deployment of 5G can accelerate the availability and efficiency of fixed wireless access products across the country. With 5G, Airtel can offer faster speeds, lower latency, and a lot more network capacity. The company also said 5G will make fixed wireless access products even more widely available across Nigeria. Well, till then, Nigerians have their rusty trusty 5G. ATTEND THE AFRICA SOFT POWER SUMMIT The Africa Soft Power Summit—the premier convening for Africa’s creative and tech industries, as well as women’s leadership, hosted in Africa but focused on growth for the whole world—is returning to Kigali, Rwanda from May 23–27! Learn more. This is partner content. IMF CAUTIONS ZIMBABWE ON GOLD-BACKED TOKEN Zimbabwe believes a gold-backed digital token can help its devaluing currency, but experts think it a futile project. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), yesterday, cautioned the country against using digital tokens to address its macroeconomic problems. ICYMI: On Tuesday, Zimbabwe’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), introduced a gold-backed digital currency to be used as legal tender in the country. For now, the digital currency can only be used for investment purposes, but the next phase of implementation will allow holders use the tokens for commercial transactions. With it, the country hopes to have more citizens buy into its gold industry and fight its currency devaluation and inflation, which jumped to 285% in 2022. Another way exists: The IMF, however, believes that Zimbabwe’s solution may lie in conventional measures like the country tightening its monetary policy stance and removing restrictions on the exchange rate at which banks, authorised dealers and businesses transact. “A careful assessment should be conducted to ensure the benefits from this measure outweigh the costs and potential risks including, for instance, macroeconomic and financial stability risks, legal and operational risks, governance risks, cost of forgone FX reserves,” an IMF spokesman said on Tuesday in an e-mailed response to questions. Big picture: Already, Zimbabwe will be putting a lot of gold on the line for the project. In April, a member of its monetary policy committee revealed that the country will need $100 million of gold to kick-start its proposed bullion-backed digital currency.
Read MoreHow African startups can find product-market-fit faster
Noel K. Tshiani is the founder of Congo Business Network. He advises major startups on their product development, expansion into new countries and fundraising strategies. He also organizes delegations of leading startups from Kinshasa to participate in the biggest business and tech events in Africa, Europe, and the United States with the goal to look for investors and business partners. The startup scene in Africa continues to get more media coverage at the local and international levels as entrepreneurs across the continent work to create innovative products and services to meet the needs of their local communities. But achieving product-market fit and becoming profitable is a challenge even for the most talented and experienced entrepreneurs. In this opinion piece for TechCabal, I share strategies that African startups can use to discover product demand, find clients, and become profitable faster. 1. Identify a clear target market The most successful startups are those that have a clear understanding of their target market. African entrepreneurs should focus on identifying a specific niche. Entrepreneurs should prioritise understanding the needs and pain points of their target customers through conversations and surveys. Before launching your product or service, take the time to do your research and understand the needs of your target market. Talk to potential customers, read industry reports, and study your competitors. 2. Build relationships with potential clients Building relationships with potential clients is key to discovering demand and building a profitable business. Entrepreneurs should be proactive in networking and building relationships with potential customers, listening to their feedback, and improving their products based on consumer preferences. Offering free trials or discounts is a good means to get potential customers to try your product or service. By using such a low-risk marketing approach, you will generate interest and get feedback from potential customers. 3. Prioritize digital marketing Digital marketing can be a powerful tool for African startups looking to reach a wider audience at the lowest possible cost. Entrepreneurs should invest in building a strong online presence, including a website and social media accounts, and using targeted advertising to reach their ideal customers. Startups that want to stand out from the competition should develop thought leadership content that can be published on social media, including LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. 4. Seek strategic partnerships African startups can benefit from partnerships and collaborations with other established brands and organisations in their ecosystem. Business partners can help entrepreneurs to reach new customers, access new markets, and gain valuable insights from experienced industry players. Attending top events in your industry in your city and abroad is a good way to learn the latest trends in business and meet potential customers, partners, and investors. 5. Focus on profitability from the start Profitability should be a top priority for African startups from day one. Entrepreneurs should focus on building a sustainable business model that generates revenues and profits from the outset. Do not rely only on fundraising to sustain company operations. Providing excellent customer service is essential for any business that wants to succeed. It will enable you to build relationships with your customers while encouraging them to buy again in the future. Loyal customers can also refer you to people they know in their close circle. Achieving product-market fit is a requirement for any startup that wants to succeed. By following these recommendations, African startups can arrive at product-market-fit faster, discover product demand, find clients, and become profitable businesses in a reasonable time period. With a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem and a wealth of opportunities for innovation, Africa’s startup scene has the potential to drive economic growth and create meaningful prosperity across the continent.
Read More
👨🏿🚀TechCabal Daily – Kenya’s content creator tax
Lire en français Read this email in French. 9 MAY, 2023 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Good morning If you’re in South Africa and you heard the news about having to pay in order to listen to the radio in your car, you can rest easy. The SABC has denied the news. Car radios—and the melodramatic karaoke that comes with it—will be free for the foreseeable future. In today’s edition Kenya wants to tax content creators Ghana warns against phishing SA’s plans to get off the naughty greylist Exit receives new licence The World Wide Web3 Opportunities KENYA TO TAX CONTENT CREATORS Sorrows and prayers to all Kenyan content creators, Ruto is coming after you. Over the weekend, the Kenyan government proposed multiple amendments to the Finance Bill 2023, one of which includes a 15% withholding tax on all payments made to digital creators. Mo’ money, mo’ problems: Like many African countries, the Kenyan content creator space has boomed in the last few years. Last year, YouTube revealed that Kenya was the fastest-growing space for African content creators, with about 400 channels having at least 100,000 subscribers, and a 60% YoY increase in creators earning about Ksh1 million ($7,300) monthly. There’s also been a steady growth in users across other platforms. From sponsorship to sales: The 15% withholding tax will cover several sectors of content creation from subscription and membership fees content creators collect to merch sales and crowdfunding raises as well. The proposed tax is also noticeably higher than the 5% withholding tax presently being levied against professional services. WORK WITH MONIEPOINT At Moniepoint, we’re creating the best workplace for global talent using the 4M framework- Meaning, Membership, Mastery and Money. This isn’t an ad designed to convince you to join us, but it has all the reasons why you should. Watch it here. This is partner content. GHANA WARNS CITIZENS AGAINST PHISHING SCAMS Contrary to popular belief, there isn’t a hottie less than five kilometres away waiting to meet you, nor is there a million-dollar inheritance waiting for you somewhere. The Ghanaian government knows these scams, and it wants its citizens to be aware too. Yesterday, the Cyber Security Authority of Ghana released a circular warning its citizens against Google scams that have begun popping up on the internet. A warning for everyone: Ghana might be taking the extra step to warn its citizens, but it’s actually a notice for everyone. Over the past couple of weeks, Google has warned billions of Gmail users over dangerous new phishing scams. According to the platform, users are now receiving notifications that they have won prizes from scammers impersonating brands. Some have the subject line “Online Reward Program” informing people they have won prizes for having the 10th million search. Per its statement, “Google does not offer spontaneous prizes in this format and you will not win a prize by completing the survey or entering your personal information.” What you can do: It’s the same rules for all phishing attacks. Double-check the sender, and don’t share personal information if it’s ever requested. Google also recommends never to click on links in suspicious-looking emails that promise rewards. And, most importantly, take it slow. Scammers are likely to move at a fast pace, and they’ll create a sense of urgency or fear, so take your time, the same way you do when you have critical tasks at work. P.S. TechCabal realises how ironic this message sounds given that we’re offering a $50 gift card to one random user who fills our survey. But we promise, we won’t sell your data…unless it’s the only way to save the world. SA PLANS FOR BETTER FINANCIAL REGULATIONS In February, Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) put South Africa on the grey list for financial crime because it seemed like they weren’t doing enough to stop illicit financial flows and terrorism financing. It sounds pretty concerning, but according to Fundi Tshazibana, a deputy central bank governor, it might not be as bad as it seems for the country’s credit ratings—at least not right away. Especially since the country is working on getting on the good books of FATF. Sidebar: Per Bloomberg, the FATF is also responding to a period of serious corruption in South Africa under the rule of former president, Jacob Zuma. His successor, Cyril Ramaphosa, says that R500 billion (that’s a whopping $27 billion) of taxpayer funds were stolen. Back in October 2021, the country was put on a one-year observation period by the FATF, giving them time to address 67 recommended actions following an evaluation. But fast-forward to January 2023, and South Africa has managed to whittle those 67 recommended actions down to just eight strategic deficiencies. Not too shabby, right? But before the country could breathe a sigh of relief, the FATF decided to greylist South Africa until those remaining deficiencies were addressed. But there’s a deadline for them to shape up: January 31, 2025. How can SA get off the grey list? South Africa is set to adopt a bunch of legislative changes over the next three to five years to make sure they’re aligned with international standards. The country’s national treasury is working on a Conduct of Financial Institutions Bill that will streamline the licensing of financial institutions and increase transparency in their business practices. The Financial Markets Act is getting a revamp, too. By enhancing controls over short selling and securities financing transactions, and adding more disclosure requirements for pre- and post-trading data, South Africa is set to really up its market surveillance game. If things go well, SA will get off the naughty list. Even though South Africa’s deputy central bank governor says the country’s credit rating will be fine, it is worth noting that the country’s credit ratings are reportedly at their lowest point since 1994 when the country first obtained credit ratings. EXITS MENA GETS LICENSE FROM EGYPTIAN FRA Egyptian investment platform Exits MENA has hit some major milestones. Like its name implies, Exits MENA aims to support
Read More
No South Africans, you don’t have to pay for a car radio licence
The SABC has clarified its stance on the topic of introduction of car radio licences. This morning, a memo widely shared on social media stated that South Africans would start paying for car radio licences in order to operate their automobile stereos. The memo was purportedly shared by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). The memo stated that over the course of the last few years, the broadcaster had seen its revenue dwindle as a result of streaming services like Netflix. It added that these services have taken consumer attention away from cable television, reducing the SABC’s television licence revenue. “Under the new section 69 of the telecommunications act of 1996, all South Africans who utilise motor vehicles with radios will be required to always carry a car radio licence with them,” the memo reads. Furthermore, the licences would attract a charge of R401 a year with non-compliance resulting in a fine of up to R750 or up to 90 days in jail. The widely shared memo purported to be from the SABC introducing car radio licences. The memo caused quite a stir on social media with users pointing to the absurdity of the supposed revenue collection initiative. In response, the SABC has released a press statement refuting the validity of the memo. In the statement, the broadcaster stated that it did not make any public pronouncements pertaining to licences for car radios. The SABC has refuted the validity of the memo. Regarding TV licences, research shows that the majority of South Africans don’t pay for them, affecting the SABC’s bottom line. The broadcaster’s annual report for 2022 showed that there was an evasion rate of 81.7% over the course of the year. The SABC has a database of 10.5 million TV licence holders, with approximately 8.6 million currently not holding a licence.
Read More