Amesiere,
Victoria from Techpoint here,
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
- DStv subscribers in Ghana to pay less for more
- VitalSwap to fix the hidden costs in remittances
- Lendsqr makes loan reporting free for Nigerian lenders
DStv subscribers in Ghana to pay less for more
Ghanaians are about to get more bang for their buck on DStv. Starting yesterday, October 1, 2025, subscribers will enjoy up to 50% more value on their packages, thanks to a deal struck between the government and MultiChoice Ghana.
Communications and Digital Tech Minister, Samuel Nartey George, broke the news at a press briefing in Accra, saying the arrangement means viewers will either pay less for more or enjoy significant upgrades on their current bouquets. “This is an unprecedented value offer, available only in Ghana,” he said.
Here’s how it works: customers on the GHC59 Padii plan will be bumped up to the GHC99 bouquet at no extra cost, gaining 35 channels. Those paying GHC190 for Family will now get Compact worth GHC380, with access to live football. Even Compact Plus users paying GHC570 will be upgraded to Premium, which normally goes for GHC865. Premium subscribers won’t be left out; they’ll be entered into draws for fully paid trips to Premier League matches.
It’s a big win after weeks of back-and-forth. In August, the government gave MultiChoice an ultimatum: slash subscription fees by 30% or risk suspension plus a GHC10,000 daily fine. Officials argued that Ghanaian viewers were paying way more than other African countries — DStv Premium cost $83 in Ghana compared to $29 in Nigeria.
MultiChoice initially resisted, offering only to freeze prices and halt profit repatriation. But Sam George rejected that, insisting on actual reductions, especially since the cedi had gained 40% against the dollar this year. Finally, by September 5, the company agreed to cut costs, and now, this October 1 upgrade deal is rolling out.
The government says this is only the start. George promised further efforts to make digital services fairer and more affordable, while keeping pressure on operators to give Ghanaians the best possible value.
VitalSwap to fix the hidden costs in remittances
There are only so many times you can hit the same wall before deciding to break it down. For Akinsola Jegede, that wall was the nightmare of moving money across borders, and after three particularly painful experiences, he decided to do something about it.
The first time was when he landed in the US and couldn’t buy a simple bus ticket with his Nigerian debit card. Then came the frustration of losing $5,000 to currency swings when he tried to send $20,000 for a business deal. But the final straw was failing to get money quickly to a relative who was critically ill. That’s when Jegede knew he had to build a better way.
“I felt like I was in the middle of a lot of payment problems for myself and other people. There was just one problem or the other when it came to payments,” he tells Techpoint Africa. In 2022, he launched VitalSwap, starting as a mobile app that made it easier for people in the US to send money to Nigeria, but with a structure designed to cut costs.
Unlike most cross-border processors, VitalSwap is built to eliminate middlemen. Usually, when money moves between countries, it passes through partner banks and liquidity providers, each taking a slice and pushing up fees. For senders and receivers, that means higher costs and slower transfers.
VitalSwap flips the model by streamlining currency exchange and cutting out those extra layers. The result? Lower transaction fees, faster transfers, and a product targeting professionals who need to move high volumes without getting burned. Find out everything about VitalSwap’s model and its offerings in Sarah’s story.
Lendsqr makes loan reporting free for Nigerian lenders
Lendsqr is teaming up with Nigeria’s two biggest credit bureaus — CreditRegistry and CRC Credit Bureau — to make loan reporting free and fully automated for lenders in the country. The move is aimed at cleaning up Nigeria’s lending space, where many borrowers have been able to default on loans without facing consequences.
For years, credit reporting has been touted as the backbone of responsible lending, but it’s been messy. From the high cost of registration, to the hassle of monthly reporting, and the tech headache of integrating with multiple systems, many lenders have simply avoided it. The result? Defaulters can easily pick up new loans elsewhere, leaving lenders exposed.
“With lending, accountability doesn’t just happen; it takes consistent reporting,” said Adedeji Olowe, CEO of Lendsqr. “But lenders have been stuck with expensive, complicated processes. This partnership removes those barriers. Any lender on Lendsqr can now report automatically, without lifting a finger.”
The partnership means every licensed lender using the Lendsqr platform will now have direct, no-cost access to CreditRegistry and CRC reporting. Better still, reporting is fully automated through Lendsqr’s infrastructure, keeping lenders compliant with Central Bank rules that require every loan to be reported to at least two bureaus.
This is a big deal for microfinance banks, cooperatives, and money lenders who make up a large chunk of Nigeria’s credit ecosystem but often skip connecting to all bureaus. By making reporting easy and free, Lendsqr and its partners are plugging loopholes that bad borrowers have long exploited, while strengthening trust in the credit system.
It also builds on Lendsqr’s earlier push to reshape lending in Nigeria. Back in April, the company announced AI-powered credit scoring, which uses over 300 data points, from mobile phone usage to digital payment histories, even voice and video, to help lenders assess borrowers with little or no credit history. Put together, these moves show Lendsqr is betting big on technology to make lending in Nigeria safer, smarter, and more inclusive.
In case you missed it
- Social media becomes a rallying point for Moroccan youths protesting state spending
What I’m watching
- Why Dating Destroys Your Mental Health
- The Cancelled Professor: Men Are Hardwired To Cheat! – Dr Gad Saad
Opportunities
- Airtel is hiring Enterprise Key Account Manager. Apply here.
- Financial Times is recruiting a West African Correspondent. Apply here.
- Moove is hiring a Marketing Manager. Apply here.
- Standard Bank is looking for a Data Engineer. Apply here.
- Kuda Business and Techpoint Africa invite you to an exclusive webinar: Managing Payment Operations at Scale with APIs on October 2, 2025, at 12 p.m. WAT. Register here to attend.
- Food Court is looking for a Marketing Coordinator. Apply here.
- FairMoney is recruiting Head of Business Banking Product. Apply here.
- Max.ng is looking for a Platform Support Intern. Apply here.
- Businessfront, the parent company of Techpoint Africa, is hiring a Sales Associate. Apply here.
- Businessfront, the parent company of Techpoint Africa, is looking for a Managing Editor (FMCG). Apply here.
- Flutterwave is hiring for several roles. Apply here.
- Paystack is recruiting a performance marketing specialist in Nigeria. Apply here.
- Paga is recruiting for several positions. Apply here.
- Moniepoint is hiring for several positions. Apply here.
- Are you building a startup can feel isolating, but with Equity Merchants CommunityConnect, you can network with fellow founders, experts, and investors, gaining valuable insights and exclusive resources to help you grow your business. Click here to join.
- Help us make Techpoint better for you! Your feedback shapes what comes next (your responses may potentially save my job. A bit dramatic, but still). It will only take 30 seconds to tell us what works and what doesn’t. Fill it here.
- To pitch your startup or product to a live audience, check out this link.
- Have any fresh products you’d like us to start selling? Check out this link here.
- Follow Techpoint Africa’s WhatsApp channel to stay on top of the latest trends and news in the African tech space here.
Have a superb Thursday!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa
