Privet,
Victoria from Techpoint here,
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
- Zambia goes paperless to save $15M
- Why SA’s PayShap is not catching on
- Worldcoin loses face in Kenya
Zambia goes paperless to save $15M
Going paperless isn’t just a trend anymore. It’s becoming a government-wide mission in Zambia. This week, SMART Zambia Institute kicked off a smart office customisation workshop in Chilanga District, marking another step in the country’s digital transformation. It’s all part of a bigger plan by the Ministry of Technology and Science, which recently told all tech agencies to start ditching paper.
At the heart of this push is a pretty compelling reason: cutting costs. According to SMART Zambia’s national coordinator, Percy Chinyama, the government spends nearly ZMW400 million (about $15 million) every year just on stationery. That’s a lot of paper. By switching to smart office solutions, they aim to save money, speed up service delivery, and finally deal with headaches like missing files and messy records.
But this isn’t just about saving money. It’s also about acc0untability and transparency. Digital systems are harder to manipulate or “lose,” which could mean fewer corruption loopholes and a smoother experience for everyday Zambians trying to access public services.
That said, it won’t be an easy ride. Chinyama pointed out that the biggest hurdle might not be the tech itself but getting people to embrace it. “This isn’t just an upgrade, it’s a cultural shift,” he said. And like all big changes, it’ll take time, training, and a willingness to let go of old habits.
For Zambians, this move could mean faster processes at government offices, less paperwork, and maybe even fewer queues. It’s a long-term plan, but if done right, it could make public services more efficient and accessible for everyone.
Why SA’s PayShap is not catching on
When Nomsa Dlamini* was asked to send money through PayShap, her first reaction was a firm no. “It’s hard to find in the banking app,” she said. “I’d rather just use instant transfer.” But after a friend activated it for her, she gave in and used it, still convinced that banks make it intentionally hard to access because they earn more from pricier transfer options.
PayShap launched in March 2023 with big dreams: make instant, low-cost payments easy for everyone in South Africa. Built into major bank apps, it was supposed to let users send money — up to R3,000 (about $165) — instantly using just a phone number, no bank account details needed. It was a move to cut down on cash use and get more people into the digital economy.
But over a year later, that vision hasn’t quite landed. Most South Africans still prefer cash. According to BankservAfrica, a whopping 90% of transactions in the country still happen in cash. And even though PayShap is right there in banking apps, many users either don’t know it exists or don’t trust it enough to try.
Kganya Molefe, a former J.P. Morgan payments expert, says she spent more time explaining PayShap than using it. The lack of awareness, even among tech-savvy users, means adoption has been painfully slow. It’s hard to drive change when the people who are meant to benefit don’t even know it’s an option.
So why isn’t PayShap catching on? In Sarah’s latest for Techpoint Africa, she digs into what’s holding it back — from poor promotion by banks to deep-seated cash habits — and what needs to change for South Africa’s digital payments dream to take off. Read it all here.
Worldcoin loses face in Kenya
Worldcoin has just hit a major wall in Kenya. The High Court has ordered the company to delete biometric data it collected from over 300,000 Kenyans, and it has just seven days to do it. The ruling follows concerns that the company didn’t follow due process when it gathered people’s iris and facial scans.
Justice Roselyne Aburili ruled that Worldcoin, co-founded by OpenAI’s Sam Altman, violated Kenya’s Data Protection Act by failing to get valid consent and skipping a mandatory Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA). The court also banned the company from collecting or processing any more biometric data in Kenya.
The case was filed by the Katiba Institute, a civil society group, which argued that Worldcoin lured citizens with around Ksh7,000 ($50) in crypto to give up sensitive biometric data without really understanding the risks. This, they said, was a clear breach of ethical data collection practices.
Worldcoin launched in Kenya in 2022, using its infamous “Orb” device to scan people’s irises in exchange for digital tokens. It was popular at first, but authorities soon raised red flags. By August 2023, the Kenyan government had suspended the project, citing national security and privacy concerns.
Even with that suspension, Worldcoin had been planning a comeback since June 2024, after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) closed a criminal probe. But with this fresh court ruling, those plans are now hanging by a thread.
Globally, Worldcoin has been facing heat in other countries too, including Indonesia, which also suspended the project over privacy concerns. Kenya’s ruling sends a clear message: if you’re collecting sensitive data, you’d better do it by the book.
In case you missed it
- Google and Tesla back Nigeria’s Platos Health with $1.4 million
What I’m watching
- The Hidden Reason You Feel Empty & Lost — And How To Finally Find Meaning | Alain de Botton
- How to Find Your True Path in Life (ft. Robert Greene)
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Have a superb Thursday!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa.
