Author: Kaluka wanjala

Visa has appointed Victor Makere as Country Manager for Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda. Victor will be at the helm of Visa’s strategic efforts across these key East African markets in his new role. He will be responsible in driving the adoption of digital payment solutions and deepening client relationships. Victor has experience in digital financial services, mobile money, and strategic partnerships. His role will include managing a broad client portfolio, driving revenue growth for both Visa and its partners, and handling initiatives that promote financial inclusion and innovation. Commenting on the appointment, Chad Pollock, Vice President and General Manager…

The Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK) is set for a major transformation by the government. The government wants to reposition the state agency to help it keep up with the digital age. With the rise of e-commerce and digital logistics, the government hopes to turn Posta into a key player in this sector. Speaking during a meeting with PCK officials, State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke said that modernizing PCK is part of the government’s broader effort to align State Agencies and Government Authorities (SAGAs) with current technological trends. “Posta holds immense potential for growth, especially…

Jumia Technologies has updated its 2025 outlook, expressing confidence in its path to profitability. This was revealed even as headline revenues fell in Q1 2025. The e-commerce company posted mixed results for the quarter ending March 31. The company revealed that strong operational execution, growing customer activity, and better financial discipline as signs of an ongoing turnaround. Revenue for the quarter stood at $36.3 million, which is a 26% drop year-over-year. The drop was largely due to a steep decline in high-margin corporate sales in Egypt. This segment is vulnerable to macroeconomic shocks and currency devaluations. Despite this, Jumia’s core…

Bokra, the MENA goal-based digital investment platform, has announced a $3 million Sharia-compliant financing agreement with iSUPPLY, a digital pharmaceutical and medical supply distribution. The deal will power iSUPPLY’s next phase of growth and at the same time expand access to critical medical supplies across Egypt. Unlike traditional funding methods, this collaboration introduces a revenue-based, revolving financing model, entirely structured in line with Islamic finance principles. For Bokra, “This partnership reflects Bokra’s mission to unlock high-impact, Sharia-compliant investment opportunities that generate meaningful economic and social value,” said Ayman ElSawy, Founder and CEO of Bokra. “By backing a data-driven healthcare disruptor…

Airtel Kenya has today rolled out a new AI-powered Spam Alert Service. This service is available to all Airtel subscribers at no extra cost. This service was launched in Nigeria back in March.  This new service is designed to help Airtel customers using smartphones and feature phones detect and avoid suspicious text messages. The system works in the background and flags suspicious texts as “Suspected SPAM”. Spam texts in Kenya have become a nuisance. They can be fake promotions to cleverly crafted scams meant to harvest your personal data or steal money. These SMS messages are now a real threat.…

Bayobab Uganda, the digital infrastructure arm of MTN Group, has officially launched a major connectivity milestone, a brand-new fibre optic route running from Malaba at the Kenya–Uganda border to Kampala. This 260-kilometre stretch might be the shortest in Bayobab’s network, but its impact is expected to be anything but small. The new route links directly to subsea cable landing stations in Mombasa in Kenya via Bayobab’s infrastructure in Kenya. With this in place, it effectively creates a seamless digital path from Kampala to the Kenyan coast. The unveiling ceremony in Kampala was led by Bayobab Uganda Managing Director Juliet Nsubuga,…

In just under three months, Kenyan-based music streaming service Mdundo has recorded over 125,000 subscriptions and more than 5 million streams via MiniPay, Opera’s blockchain wallet integrated into Opera Mini.  The announcement was made via X (formerly Twitter) by both Mdundo and MiniPay, celebrating the success of their recent partnership. “People aren’t just saving stablecoins, they’re vibing on-chain,” read a tweet from MiniPay. Mdundo has been one of the dominant players in Africa’s digital music space. It offers affordable access to music through downloads and ad-supported models. The MiniPay integration introduced a new dimension to make it asier for users…

Ghanaian fintech Zeepay has raised $18 million in senior secured venture debt. This funding will help its expansion across Africa and the Caribbean. Structured by investment firm Verdant Capital IMAP, the deal marks a major step forward for the fintech, which has positioned itself as a critical bridge between international remittance inflows and local mobile wallets. Unlike equity funding, this round of financing focuses on working capital and float financing. Float enables liquidity so that users can send and receive money seamlessly, without system downtime or delays. For Zeepay, maintaining that liquidity across multiple countries and currencies is very important. …

Pesalink recently partnered with Strathmore University to launch the 2025 Pesalink AI Fintech Hackathon. Through this initiative, Pesalink aims to cultivate the next generation of fintech developers and leaders. It hopes to achieve this by creating opportunities to solve current payment industry challenges that impact Pesalink ecosystem participants. “At Pesalink, we are passionate about innovation as a means to creating more inclusive and seamless payments,” said Plounne Oyunge, Chief Growth Officer at IPSL. “This hackathon is more than a competition—it’s a practical step toward solving real infrastructure challenges, while nurturing the next generation of fintech innovators who will shape the…

The Technopolis Bill, 2024 that is currently before the Senate, seeks to have Counties design and develop their smart cities to be overseen by a new authority. It provides a framework for the development of high-tech innovation zones called Technopolises, which will serve as engines for research, entrepreneurship and economic transformation. The main aim of the Bill is the creation of the Technopolis Development Authority. This is a dedicated body to oversee the planning, development and regulation of these futuristic zones. This Authority will be in charge of allocating land to investors, setting up science and technology parks, managing cutting-edge…