Szia,
It is Fridayyy. ☺️😊💃How are you? Trust your week went well.
Be mindful of your well-being this weekend. Sleep, rest, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and exercise; your physical, mental, and sexual health is very important.
I have two things to share with you.
One: The Techpoint Africa Podcast editorial team discussed several stories on this week's episode, including Payday suspending its partnership with Mastercard, South Africa's Information Regulator fining the Department of Justice R5 million, and PoS users in Lagos paying higher transaction fees. You can listen or watch it here.
Two: Pitch Friday is next Friday, July 14, 2023. Don’t miss it! To register for the event, click here.
Here's what I've got for you today:
- Nigeria's President suspends 5% excise tax on telcos
- Moove raises $8m
- Masroofi's $1.5m funding
Nigeria's President suspends 5% excise tax on telcos
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu issued an executive order yesterday suspending the 5% excise tax on telecommunications.
This occurred as the President enacted four executive orders, including the change in the date of the implementation of the Finance Act 2023, to stop the nation's arbitrary taxation practices.
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The President delayed the implementation of the Act's changes from May 23, 2023 to September 1, 2023.
This is to ensure compliance with the 90-day minimum notice requirement for tax changes outlined in the 2017 National Tax Policy.
Dele Alake, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communication, and Strategy, stated that the status of the tax is unclear, as industry participants complain about the imposition of multiple taxes on their operations.
In 2022, the Nigerian federal government announced that telecommunications subscribers would be subject to a 5% excise duty on calls, SMS, and data services.
Former Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed, said that, in addition to the 7.5% VAT already levied on telecom services, the government would impose an additional 5% tax.
However, telecom operators and the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, kicked against the 5% tax.
Moove raises $8m
Moove, a mobility fintech, has received $8 million in funding from Absa Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB).
The funding will allow Moove to significantly expand its existing fleet of Suzuki S-Presso vehicles, which will be assembled in Ghana.
This creates new manufacturing jobs in Accra and allows the company's new clients to work with Moove to launch their businesses.
Moove says the expansion will accelerate the its growth in Ghana, where it claims to have already financed vehicles and insured over 3,000 for its users and their dependents via its health and life insurance policies.
This comes after Moove announced in June 2022 that Absa would provide a $20 million financing facility for its operations in South Africa.
The company says the new funding would support Moove's expanding vehicle fleet in Ghana and further the company's mission to democratise vehicle ownership and create jobs in global gig economies.
Masroofi's $1.5m funding
Egyptian fintech startup, Masroofi, recently raised $1.5 million to expand its customer base and meet evolving market needs.
Founded in 2022 by Mostafa Abdel-Khabeer and Sayed Hosni, Masroofi focuses on electronic payment services for children, aiming to provide new solutions with room for expansion.
Masroofi plans to improve financial inclusion for children aged 5 to 15 by providing policies tailored to the needs of Egyptian families. This is consistent with the government's plans for digital transformation and the adoption of financial technology.
Masroofi wants to reach 2 million children nationwide within the next five years. Its initial target audience consists of 4 million children in Cairo, Giza, and Alexandria and 2 million children in compounds, international clubs, and schools.
Masroofi plans to grow with its customers by catering to their shifting needs across several market segments, including offering Neobank services.
In case you missed it
- Top 8 payment gateways for businesses in Nigeria - 2023
- Meta’s Threads app launches in 100 countries, hitting 10 million users in 7 hours
- Mastercard partners with SomBank to issue 100,000 debit cards in 2023
What I'm reading and watching
- YouTube is experimenting with a new lock screen feature for Premium users
- Jordan Peterson on the Purpose of Life
- How to Discover Your Authentic Self -- at Any Age
Opportunities
- Netflix is looking for a remote software engineer. Apply here.
- Carbon Counts Tech is looking for a Product Manager. Apply here.
- Proof is looking for a Software Engineering Manager. Apply here.
- Customer Engagement at Square is looking for a Product Designer. Apply here.
- 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.
- 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 restful weekend!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa.
