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For a while now, Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, has been known for its near-immaculate environment. But that’s not all. This fast-growing city has witnessed a lot of infrastructural development in recent times, which has been largely made possible by the state government.
However, the government isn’t just stopping at beautification or infrastructure and Uyo particularly has more to offer than being spruce. There’s a tech community taking shape and it’s happening fast.. Continue reading.
This week on Techpoint
Student Apprenticeship: Imitating the learning culture of the Igbos. University of Nkwo Nnewi (UNN) in Anambra state was one of our stops during the recent Techpoint Innovation tour.
Well, this is no regular university, in case you are wondering when a new university hit the area. It's just how Onyinye Eze, the director of Sach, a motorcycle spare parts distributorship company, describes the commercial hub in Nnewi that has birthed so many businesses and entrepreneurs. Read more.
Resolving Nigeria's eCommerce trust issues. How do you solve a problem like Nigerian eCommerce? By putting a stop to the Cash on Delivery (CoD) model?
Yusuf Hassan, our first guest contributor this week, believes that stopping CoD without any consideration for consumer protection is as bad as the old system. He has some interesting ideas about the best approach to take.
How to operate a profitable internet business in Africa. You might need to grab a cup of coffee/tea and your notepad for this one.
During the week, Yemi Johnson - "Chief" at Hotels.ng - penned this 4000-word expose which everyone running an internet business in these climes should definitely read.
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Startup Weekly
Every weekday at noon (WAT), we feature up and coming startups attempting to break into the market.
This week's featured startups
- JostKYC — verify customer identity online
- Placements — access internship opportunities online
- Omugwo — get a qualified caregiver or nanny for your child
- HotNewAfro — get needed support as an upcoming African artiste
- GrainCapitals — get lucrative returns from investing in grains
- FarmCrowdy raises $1m seed fund to expand into more states in Nigeria. Read
- Tech hub for people living with disabilities launches in Lagos. Read
Opportunities: $120,000 investment for fintech startups, global accelerator programme in London and other opportunities this week.
Around Africa this week
- No more PINs? The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is reportedly planning to replace ATM PINs with biometric IDs. Link.
- MTN Ghana has announced a $113 million syndicated loan facility, arranged jointly by Ecobank Ghana Limited and Ecobank Development Corporation (EDC), that will be used to finance infrastructure expansion and working capital needs across the country. Link.
- Regulating Bitcoin. The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is in discussions with some of the top technology companies in the world to enable it to track cryptocurrency trades more efficiently in the country. Link.
- Oromo protests. Ethiopia’s government has blocked the internet following days of protests and unease that resulted in deaths and injuries in universities and towns across the country. Link.
From around the world
- BBM isn't dead. BlackBerry Messenger(BBM) is about to make another shot for stardom in a market that is super competitive, as Uber plans to incorporate its ride-hailing service inside the BBM app. Link.
- Here’s why your old(er) iPhone is slow. If you've noticed that your iPhone has become unusually slow, you are not alone. Link.
- Fifth Generation Internet (5G). For years now, 5G connectivity has been the stuff of dreams and sci-fi movies but all that is about to change. Link.
