Annyeonghaseyo,
TGIF!!!! 💃
How are you doing and how has your week been so far?
The week has undoubtedly been eventful for Nigerians, as President Bola Tinubu passed several bills into law.
We discuss this on this week’s episode of the Techpoint Africa Podcast. Watch or listen here.
Please, have a good time this weekend. if you can, spend time with your loved ones, too.
Here's what I've got for you today:
- Airtel Money customers can buy electricity with zero fees in Kenya
- Peach Cars' $5m seed
Airtel Money customers can buy electricity with zero fees in Kenya
Kenya Power, the country’s electricity distribution company, and Airtel Money have partnered to waive transaction fees on electricity bills for the next six months.
Customers previously paid between KSh 4 and KSh 65 to purchase electricity tokens.
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However, the cost savings on the transaction charge will allow them to put their money towards other purchases.
To pay, users can dial the USSD code, *334#, select Airtel Paybill, followed by KPLC.
This offer is only available to both new and existing Airtel Money users.
For the first time, Airtel Money users can purchase tokens directly through the Airtel network rather than relying on the interoperability agreement that Safaricom's M-Pesa extended to them.
Anne-Kinuthia Otieno, Airtel Money Managing Director, stated the zero transaction fees would benefit postpaid and prepaid Kenya Power customers.
While there's no specific price, Kenya Power MD and CEO, Joseph Siror, stated that after the six-month window has passed, it plans to offer an "affordable cost" for purchasing electricity tokens.
This news follows a 13 - 20% increase in power costs in January 2023.
Peach Cars' $5m seed
Kenyan automotive marketplace, Peach Cars, has closed $5 million in a seed round to grow the company.
The round was led by the University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners (UTEC), with participation from angel investors like Shintaro Yamada, Founder and CEO, Mercari; Peter Kenevan,VP, Head of Japan, PayPal; and Hiroaki Ohta; General Partner, Japan's Waseda University Ventures.
Kaoru Kaganoi and Zachary Petroni founded the company in 2020 to democratise car ownership in sub-Saharan Africa, starting in Kenya.
The company claims to have created a smart engine check device that uses Peach's specially developed software to automate vehicle inspection.
Peach charges service fees and commissions on successful transactions between sellers and buyers.
It generates additional income by offering value-added services, such as administrative support for contracts, inspections, ownership changes, secured payments, and handovers.
The company currently generates over $200,000 in GMV per month and has sold "hundreds of cars" with plans to open a nearly fully automated inspection centre in 2024.
With these funds, Peach wants to increase its Research and development (R&D) efforts while expanding its tech solutions and hiring more staff.
In case you missed it
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What I'm reading and watching
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Opportunities
- Applications are open for the AWS Startup Loft Accelerator. It's an equity-free programme focused on supporting early stage startups in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa with technology, product development, go-to-market advice and getting you funding ready. Apply here.
- Substack is hiring a Product Designer. Apply here.
- Messari is hiring a Senior Frontend Engineer (data visualisation). You can apply here.
- SourceGraph is looking for a Product Manager. Apply here.
- Coinshift is looking for a Senior Product Designer, Customer Success Manager, and Senior Product Marketing Manager. Check out this link to apply for any of these remote positions.
- Several companies are looking for remote Product Manager, Software Engineering Manager, Data Engineer, Enterprise Account Manager, Security Researcher and Learning Experience Designer Jobs. Check out this link to see these roles and apply.
- Gelato Network is hiring remote for the following roles: Business Development Intern, Data Engineer, Develop Relations, Product Manager, Senior Frontend Engineer. Apply here.
- Kalepa is looking for a Senior Backend Engineer. Check out this page to apply.
- Paxos is hiring a senior IT engineer. Check out this link.
- Infra is looking for a lead software engineer. Apply here.
- If you are a software engineer, creative designer, product manager, design researcher, or a techie looking for an internship role, please, check out this website.
Have a good time this weekend!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa.
