Сәлеметсіз бе,
Victoria from Techpoint here,
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
- KRA brings back nil returns, but with a catch
- How Mark Essien built a profitable business in four months
- CBN, NCC move to end failed airtime and data debits
KRA brings back nil returns, but with a catch
Kenyans can breathe a small sigh of relief. Why? Nil returns are back. The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has reinstated the option after briefly suspending it in January. But this time, it’s not business as usual. From April 1, 2026, anyone filing nil returns for the 2025 tax year will be checked by an automated system designed to spot people declaring zero income while clearly earning money.
What’s changed is how KRA verifies what you earn. The tax authority has rolled out prepopulated returns, meaning your income details will already be filled in before you even log into iTax. If tax was deducted from your pay, KRA already knows how much you earned, and you won’t be able to erase it and claim nil.
This matters because the taxman has discovered hundreds of thousands of people who had withholding tax deducted in 2024 but still declared zero income. Many thought withholding tax was “final tax.” It isn’t. It’s just an advance, and you’re still required to declare the full income and settle any balance due.
Behind the scenes, KRA’s systems now pull data from almost everywhere: eTIMS invoices, withholding tax certificates, mobile money transactions, customs records, vehicle registrations, and even travel patterns. If your lifestyle doesn’t match what you declare, the system flags it instantly. No grace period, no back-and-forth explanations later.
For taxpayers, the message is simple: be honest and engage early. Mismatches can lead to penalties, interest, audits of previous years, and even denial of a tax compliance certificate — something you’ll need for loans, tenders, and other official processes. The deadline to file is still June 30, 2026, but the era of “nil and hope for the best” is officially over.
How Mark Essien built a profitable business in four months
Fourteen years after launching Hotels.ng, Mark Essien is back with a new product—and this one didn’t need years to find its footing.
Victoria Fakiya – Senior Writer
Techpoint Digest
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Tripdesk, an AI-powered enterprise travel management platform, has generated $2.3–$2.4 million in revenue just four months after launch, with roughly 30% of that as profit. The twist? It has fewer than thirty customers.
The idea for Tripdesk didn’t come from brainstorming sessions or trend-chasing. It came from Hotels.ng’s biggest customers—large enterprises whose travel processes were drowning in approvals, invoices, reimbursements, and endless email threads. Booking hotels was the easy part. Managing travel at scale was the real problem.
TripDesk steps in where Hotels.ng could not. It mirrors how large companies actually work: multi-level approvals, strict policies, budgeting, invoicing, and reimbursements—all in one system. The AI doesn’t generate content; it quietly assists decision-makers by interpreting policies and context so approvals that once took twenty minutes now take seconds.
Essien’s unfair advantage shows up elsewhere too. Tripdesk was built using talent from HNG, the training programme he founded in 2016, giving him rapid access to skilled engineers and product builders.
With clients already asking for pan-African expansion, Essien’s second act is shaping up to be quieter—but no less formidable.
Read the full story to see how distribution, relationships, and execution powered Tripdesk’s rapid rise.
CBN, NCC move to end failed airtime and data debits
Remember this? Nigeria cracks down on delayed airtime refunds
Nigeria’s two biggest digital regulators are finally teaming up to tackle one of the country’s most common everyday frustrations: paying for airtime or data, getting debited, and receiving nothing. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have proposed regular joint audits of banks, telcos, and payment players as part of a new national framework to curb failed airtime and data transactions.
The proposal, published in an exposure draft dated February 5, 2026, lays out how both regulators plan to enforce clearer accountability across the financial and telecoms value chains. Under the framework, banks, mobile network operators, payment service providers, merchants, and other licensed players involved in airtime and data vending could be audited quarterly, or more often if needed, to ensure they are meeting service standards and consumer protection obligations.
What makes this significant is the level of enforcement being proposed. Beyond audits, the framework gives the CBN and NCC powers to penalise erring players and clamp down on unlicensed intermediaries that often create system gaps. The regulators say only properly authorised entities should participate in airtime and data transactions, a move aimed at reducing failed transactions caused by poor integrations and weak backend systems.
The draft also goes after the issue Nigerians care about most: refunds. It proposes real-time transaction notifications and automated reversals within seconds once a failed transaction is confirmed. Refunds for undelivered airtime or data are expected to be completed within 30 seconds in test environments, while banks will be limited to just two retry attempts to prevent multiple debits during network issues.To keep everyone honest, the regulators want to introduce a central monitoring dashboard jointly managed by the CBN and NCC. This system would track failed transactions, reversals, SLA breaches, and consumer complaints in real time. Banks and telcos would also be required to publish quarterly SLA compliance scorecards, a public-facing move designed to boost transparency and restore trust as digital payments become more central to everyday life.
In case you missed it
- Google is expanding WAXAL beyond 21 languages — What it means for African researchers
What I’m watching
- Human Sleep Expert: Don’t Pee In The Middle Of The Night & Why Night Time Sex Isn’t A Good Idea!
- Accountant Explains: Should You Pay Off Your Debt Early or Invest?
Opportunities
- Amazon is recruiting a Partner Development Manager, Africa. Apply here.
- Korapay is looking for Head of Growth and Partnerships (The Curve Africa by Kora). Apply here.
- Misan by Bamboo is hiring a Community and Social Media Manager. Apply here,
- Spend Valentine’s Day meaningfully at no cost with Let Love Lead, a free cultural experience promoting unity through art and music, now open for registration on EventPark here.
- Credpal is hiring for several roles. Apply here.
- Lagos Business School is recruiting a Programme Officer (Delivery and Coordination). Submit a cover letter and your CV here.
- Kuda Technologies is looking for a Head of Product (Credit). Apply here.
- MTN Nigeria is hiring a Specialist – International Remittance (Product Manager). Apply here.
- Moniepoint is hiring for several roles. Apply here.
- Bamboo is hiring a quality assurance manager. Apply here.
- Paystack MFB is hiring for a few roles. Apply here.
- Don’t miss the Cavista Technologies Hackathon happening between February 21 and 22. Register your team and go home with cash prizes here.
- Kuda is recruiting a Head of Product (Credit). Apply here.
- Jumia is looking for a Senior Key Account Manager. Apply here.
- MTN is hiring a Specialist, International Remittance (Product Manager). Apply here.
- Moniepoint is hiring for over 100 roles. Apply here.
- We’re hosting a debate on AI in daily life. Join us to share your insights and perspectives.
- Techpoint Africa is creating a video series where people discuss and debate policies and current events. If you enjoy thoughtful conversations, fill out this form. Apply here.
- 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.
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Have a lovely Tuesday!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa
