Ilara Health raises $1 million from United States International DFC

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January 20, 2025
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5 min read
Ilara Health co-founders

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Hallo,

Victoria from Techpoint here,

Here's what I've got for you today:

  • Ilara Health scores $1M from DFC
  • CBN launches DocFlow and the MDA Naira Payment Solution
  • DStv and Netflix go head-to-head

Ilara Health scores $1M from DFC

Ilara Health co-founders

Ilara Health just scored a $1 million loan from the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to level up private outpatient clinics in Kenya. The funds will help them bring better healthcare to underserved communities by investing in diagnostic devices, health tech, and pharmaceuticals.

This move follows the company raising $4.2 million in a debt-equity pre-Series A round in 2024 to grow its business in the country. 

Ilara Health was founded in 2019 by Emilian Popa (CEO), Maximilian Mancini, and Sameer Afzal Farooq to supply pharmaceuticals and diagnostic equipment to private clinics, helping improve healthcare access. 

Initially, Ilara Health started by leasing diagnostic equipment to clinics. Over time, the company expanded to offer health centres the option to buy pharmaceuticals and other items like hospital furniture on credit.

Safi Organics, another Kenyan venture, got $237,500 in technical assistance. They’re using it to explore biochar manufacturing and roll out high-quality, affordable fertiliser for farmers. Bonus: they’ll also develop carbon credits from the biochar, which means more economic empowerment for local farmers.

Both companies are part of DFC’s latest round of funding, which approved $3 billion across 22 projects worldwide. These investments tackle global priorities like health, energy, food security, infrastructure, and small business growth — while aligning with US foreign policy goals.

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For those who don’t know, DFC works with the private sector to fund big solutions for global challenges. Since its launch five years ago, they’ve poured investments into 114 countries, directly impacting over 200 million people. They’re all about building supply chains, promoting energy security, and financing transformative infrastructure projects — all while advancing US interests.

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CBN launches DocFlow and the MDA Naira Payment Solution

CBN building
The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. [PHOTO CREDIT: Ehud Kaduna]

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is stepping up its game with two new digital solutions: DocFlow and the MDA Naira Payment Solution. Launched in Abuja by Governor Olayemi Cardoso, these tools are about cutting costs, speeding up processes, and improving service delivery.

DocFlow is here to put an end to endless paperwork. It’s a fully digital document management system designed to streamline approvals and reduce the hassle of physical documents. Governor Cardoso called it a big step in the CBN’s ongoing digital transformation journey, which kicked off with the “Digital First” strategy back in December 2023.

On the other hand, the MDA Naira Payment Solution is focused on making payments for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) faster, more accurate, and more secure. By automating payment processes, it’s also expected to cut down on errors and curb fraud.

The best part? Both systems were developed in-house, saving the CBN a ton of cash. Cardoso highlighted this as proof of the bank’s commitment to efficiency, sustainability, and innovation.

Emem Usoro, the Deputy Governor of Operations, added that the MDA Naira Payment Solution, already tested by a few MDAs, could improve payment turnaround times by up to 70%. She said these solutions show how serious the CBN is about putting stakeholders first and embracing automation.

This isn’t the first time the CBN has made bold moves in the digital space. Last year, it announced plans to expand the use of its digital currency, the eNaira, to handle payments into government accounts and even enable MDAs to pay vendors and beneficiaries.

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DStv and Netflix go head-to-head

DStv
DStv dish. Source: <a href="https://www.capetowndstvinstallation.com/">capetowndstvinstallation.com</a>

The competition in the pay-TV market is heating up, and MultiChoice knows it. With streaming giants like Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video stealing the show, DStv is rethinking its strategy to stay in the game.

According to a recent report by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), DStv has been losing customers to these over-the-top (OTT) platforms. 

When MyBroadband asked how MultiChoice plans to keep up, CEO Byron du Plessis made it clear: it's time to shake things up. “We’re reimagining how we go to market and adapting to the changing trends shaping the future,” he said. In short, DStv’s looking to innovate its way out of this slump.

One way they’re doing that is by leaning into their OTT platform, DStv Stream. If you’re already a DStv subscriber, you get it for free. But for those who just want streaming, you can snag a discounted subscription. And it seems to be working — DStv Stream saw a whopping 71% growth in 2024, with 150 million views per month on average.

Of course, DStv’s biggest weapon is its sports monopoly. Whether it’s football, rugby, or cricket, SuperSport dominates, thanks to exclusive broadcasting rights that no one else can seem to outbid. 

“Sports remain a core part of what we offer,” said Du Plessis. While Icasa isn’t sure if DStv’s dominance is due to its deep pockets or lack of competition, they noted that other players, like Amazon and DAZN, have made some moves. DAZN even snagged IPL rights in the past, proving that competition is possible.

Meanwhile, Openview, a free-to-air satellite TV service, is quietly gaining ground. Owned by eMedia, Openview has grown from just over 112,000 users in 2015 to more than 3.4 million by March 2024. It’s not a direct competitor to DStv since it’s free, but it’s definitely giving people an alternative.

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Despite the cost of switching decoders, Openview added 262,000 new users in just a year, which shows people are open to ditching pay-TV.With all this competition, it’s clear the pay-TV landscape is changing fast. MultiChoice is banking on innovation and its sports dominance to stay relevant, but the rise of streaming and free-to-air platforms means they’ve got their work cut out for them.


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Have a productive week!

Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa.

She's autistic and interested in mental health and how technology can help Africans with mental disorders. Find her on Twitter @latoria_ria.
She's autistic and interested in mental health and how technology can help Africans with mental disorders. Find her on Twitter @latoria_ria.
She's autistic and interested in mental health and how technology can help Africans with mental disorders. Find her on Twitter @latoria_ria.

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