Tag: Africa

The State of Mobile Money in Africa 2024,it’s evolving use cases and a couple of tough questions

The “GSMA State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2024” underscores mobile money’s critical role in global financial inclusion, notably in Sub-Saharan Africa with 548 million accounts driving significant GDP growth. West Africa’s boom in mobile money, spurred by innovative regulations and non-MNO services, contrasts with East Africa’s MNO-led model. Use cases are expanding beyond transactions to remittances and merchant payments, fueling economic development. Technological advances and regulation prompt this sector’s promising future, offering transformative potential especially in underbanked regions.

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Are these Accelerator programs wasting African startups time?

Are these Accelerator programs wasting African startups time?

This article was sparked by a thought-provoking LinkedIn post from Victor Asemota, where he delves into the phenomenon of African startups being caught in a seemingly endless loop of acceleration. It’s like watching a hamster on a wheel, except the hamster is a startup, and the wheel is the myriad of accelerator programs out there. Victor’s musings were in the context Visa acceleration program, where he noted that the startups involved were already so seasoned in the accelerator circuit that another round seemed more like a victory lap than a necessity

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An Examination of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement: Has the Promise Been Fulfilled or Is It a Bust?

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a monumental agreement, was designed with the aspiration of establishing the world’s largest free trade area. This ambitious initiative was intended to bring together 1.3 billion people across 55 countries, creating a combined GDP of US$3.4 trillion. The vision of AfCFTA was painted as a future where seamless trade across the continent would be a reality. The dream was that purchasing professional work clothes from Rwanda or a book from Nigeria would be as simple as a few clicks, without the burden of exorbitant shipping costs. However, the question that arises is whether this promise has been fulfilled or if the AfCFTA is a bust.

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Practical Steps to Staying Ahead of the curve: Future-Proofing Your Job for AI

Industries heavily reliant on data analysis, automation, and repetitive tasks experience the most significant impact from AI. Sectors such as manufacturing, transportation, logistics, customer service, and administrative support have witnessed significant transformations already due to AI-driven technologies. For instance, self-driving cars have disrupted the transportation industry, and chatbots have revolutionized customer suppor

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