Category: Strategy

A Mobile Money CEO Takes Over Retail? What Is Absa Actually Doing ?

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One of the ways I tend to deduce the strategy of an organization is to observe who they hire, so when Absa Group appointed Sitoyo Lopokoiyit, CEO of M-PESA Africa, to lead its Personal and Private Banking operations across the continent, effective April 1, 2026. a continental role spanning both personal and private banking. And hiring someone who built Africa’s largest everyday, money ecosystem rather than a traditional banker signals something fundamental: retail banking in Africa is being re, architected around daily transaction flows, not product, led strategies. I was intrigued about what that meant for Absa strategic direction .

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Locked Out, Then Forced to Innovate: Let’s talk about  PayPal’s Nigeria move

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For years, PayPal access in Nigeria created an asymmetry: Nigerians could buy from the world, but getting paid by the world was constrained and uneven at scale.
When a global platform that acts like the default “trust badge” for online payments limits receiving in a market as large as Nigeria, it doesn’t just frustrate users. It shapes what gets built, what gets funded, and which business models survive.
So yes, there is resentment. And it is justified. Because the opportunity cost isn’t a feeling ,it’s a decade of limitation

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What Airtel Money’s Comeback against M-Pesa in Kenya teaches about Challenging Market Giants

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What Airtel Money’s Comeback against M-Pesa in Kenya teaches about Challenging Market Giants
For years, Safaricom’s M-Pesa was the immovable force in Kenya’s mobile money market. It dominated not only customer wallets but also public imagination, with over 90% market share and a network so vast it became synonymous with mobile money itself.
But quietly—and strategically—Airtel Money has staged a comeback. It didn’t happen overnight, and it didn’t happen by mimicking M-Pesa’s dominance. Instead, it was a masterclass in what challenger telcos can do right when facing a Goliath.
Kenya’s story offers rich lessons—and data—to learn from.

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AI for Africa: The What’s, How’s and When’s

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AI is projected to add a staggering $2.9 trillion to Africa’s economy by 2030, increasing the annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth by three percent. Despite Africa’s immense potential, it currently represents only 2.5% of the global AI market, underscoring the need for increased investment and development in this field.

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Reevaluating the European Union’s Influence on Africa’s Tech Policy Landscape

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The European Union is significantly influencing Africa’s digital transformation through funding, training, and regulatory support. While beneficial, concerns arise about policy suitability for Africa’s unique context. EU initiatives in infrastructure, skills, and cybersecurity are highlighted, alongside recommendations for Africa to adopt more flexible, locally adapted tech policies and learn from global best practices.

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#Selfie with US Ambassador

Why 100K of My Followers Lied……

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A recent social media poll showed 80% of respondents preferred earning $1 million while their friends earned $2 million, implying a focus on absolute income. However, research by Solnick and Hemenway (1998) reveals people value relative income more, preferring to earn less if it means they earn more than their peers. This has implications for workplace satisfaction, social media influencer dynamics, and housing market choices. Understanding relative income’s influence can help improve job satisfaction, societal well-being, and create fairer economic policies.

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The Sachetization of Products:The FMCG Way of Serving the Underserved in Emerging Markets , Lessons for Digital Products?

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The concept of “sachetization” refers to packaging products in small, affordable quantities to improve access for low-income consumers, particularly in emerging markets. Beyond consumer goods, this strategy can apply to digital products, promoting frugal innovation, digital inclusion, community empowerment, and resilience by making services accessible to marginalized communities.

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