In what was quite an electronic year, 2020 data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System shows that Nigeria recorded $13 billion worth of POS transactions and over $415 billion in Inter-bank tran…
Nigeria’s apex bank releases framework for fintech sandboxes, QR payments
Nigerian fintech startups to face new regulations as the Central Bank of Nigeria publishes updated regulatory frameworks for fintech sandbox operations and QR code payments…
Kenya eyes $45 million in revenue as it implements digital services tax
Kenya’s tax regulator eyes millions in revenue as it implements digital taxes on local and foreign Internet companies and entrepreneurs pay a 1.5% tax on goods and services sold and offered online…
What you should know as SEC plans to regulate Chaka, Trove, other investment-tech apps
In 2020, Nigeria’s Securities regulator sent a court order restricting investment platform, Chaka from offering or advertising stocks. The details of this move suggest it wants to regulate how every N…
Fintech predictions for 2021: Visa, Mastercard, to acquire Nigerian fintech giants
From huge upticks in cashless transactions to the landmark acquisition of Paystack, Nigeria’s fintech space witnessed immense growth In 2020. Let’s take a look at some of the financial predictions for…
9 game-changing policies that rocked Nigeria’s tech community in 2020
Dubbed ‘The year of the pandemic,’ 2020 will also be remembered as the year of significant game-changing policies for Nigerian startups and the broader technology space. Let’s take a look.…
How Africa’s AfCFTA agreement will impact startups and policymakers
Africa is set to enter a new economic era, as the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement launches today, January 1, 2020. While it presents several opportunities for startups, it is only one ke…
Reviewing Nigerian fintech predictions for 2020
In January 2020, a seasoned financial expert, @dejiolowe, made what is best described as educated and fun guesses for Nigeria’s financial sector: He walks us through the happenings of the year.…
The state of Nigeria’s automotive industry and its far-reaching effects
Nigeria was once a hub for automotive companies, but a series of events have left the industry in uncertain waters. In the meantime, indigenous companies have been making strides in the face of ever-c…
Nigeria’s apex bank bans Mobile Money Operators from receiving remittances
Citing alleged defaults in its recent directive, Nigeria’s Apex bank has banned mobile money operators from receiving remittances. It has also ordered payment switches to stop processing remitta…
Kenyan government takes another shot at infringing privacy and digital rights
The Kenyan government has passed a new bill that will allow it to demand the private mobile phone data of its citizens in the name of national security. These come against the backdrop of digital righ…
Burning questions arising as the Nigerian government plans to block SIM cards without NIN
Following the Nigerian government’s latest directive, millions of mobile subscribers without a National Identification Number could be blocked in two weeks. We explore some questions this move b…
After Ekocab, Lagos yellow taxis partner with new ride-hailing company
Amidst backlash a few months ago, ride-hailing company, Ekocab, partnered with Lagos yellow cab drivers. However, a new ride-hailing company appears to have struck another deal. We try looking behind …
Why you can no longer buy or register new SIM cards in Nigeria, for now
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has temporarily suspended the sales, registration and activation of new SIM cards for all telcos and ISPs. With laudable plans at play, we explore what thi…
Analysing OPay’s entry into Africa’s remittance market and plans for expansion
In recent months, Nigerian fintech company, OPay, entered a partnership with WorldRemit and launched an open API platform for developers. Dotun Adekunle, Vice President, Product and Engineering, expla…
How the Nigerian Stock Exchange plans to win over SMEs, startups
Startups typically access funding through various means like grants, venture capitalists, and angel investors. We take a glance at the new investment route introduced by Nigeria’s stock exchange.…
Nigeria needs talent, infrastructure, and regulations to leverage crypto surge
Nigeria is ranked 8th in the world in crypto adoption, and has recorded staggering trading volumes so far in 2020. Luno Country Manager and Patricia CEO, explain how Nigeria can leverage this.…
US, UK, approve visa policies to attract foreign tech talent
The US and the UK have made changes to their visa policies that could, once more, attract skilled workers from across the globe. We take a quick glance as what this means for Africa’s tech talen…
GIG Group Chairman, Chidi Ajaere on policies and how young tech entrepreneurs can cause changes
There has been a clear thought gap between policymakers and young innovators in Nigeria. According to Chidi Ajaere, CEO of GIG Group, young entrepreneurs have to become an active part of the policy ma…
Lagos executive discusses unified fibre project and the future of technology in Africa’s largest city
In July 2020, Lagos began a massive project to unify the city’s entire fibre networks. Olatubosun Alake, special adviser to the Lagos State Governor provides some perspective and future plans for Afri…