Author: Kaluka wanjala

dLocal, the cross-border payment platform, has announced a new partnership with AZA Finance to expand the service offering capabilities of both partners through mutual cross-selling. AZA Finance specializes in payments and foreign exchange in Africa and this partnership will ensure customers of both companies benefit from improved payment processing, increased reach, and enhanced financial services. This collaboration enhances dLocal’s ability to support merchants in managing foreign exchange conversion, deepens the number of payout corridors dLocal can serve, and broadens the company’s portfolio of cross border payment solutions effectively. It also expands the company’s reach across the continent to Nigeria, Kenya,…

Airtel Kenya has announced the launch of Airtel Lite, a new Progressive Web App (PWA) designed to offer a lighter, faster, and more accessible selfcare experience. With capabilities similar to the My Airtel self-care app, Airtel Lite aims to efficiently cater to smartphones characterised of low storage and processing power. The launch of Airtel Lite coincides with Airtel Kenya’s announcement of zero-rating the My Airtel App, Airtel’s self-care app. With smartphone users conscious of data consumption and highly accustomed to USSD services, Airtel Lite is set to transform how customers engage with Airtel’s wide range of products and services. Lack…

Madica has announced its latest round of investments in four tech-enabled startups which include Medikea, Motherbeing, Pixii Motors and ToumAI. Each startup has received an investment of up to $200,000 and will participate in Madica’s comprehensive investment program. This includes 18 months of support through a highly personalised curriculum, hands-on mentorship, and two fully-funded week-long founder immersion trips to key local and global ecosystems, including Cape Town and London. The portfolio companies will also gain access to executive coaching opportunities and access to Madica’s global network of investors for follow-on funding, all designed to spur growth and ensure the long-term viability of the startups. This…

Equity Bank has announced reduction in interest rates on all new and existing Kenya Shilling-denominated credit facilities, effective February 13th, 2025, for new loans and from 1st of March for existing loans. This follows the recent decision by the Central Bank of Kenya’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to cut the Central Bank Rate (CBR) by 50 basis points to 10.75% from 11.25% and the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) by 100 basis points to 3.25% from 4.25%. The reduced interest rates will comprise a revised Equity Bank Reference Rate (EBRR) of 14.39% plus a margin (based on specific customer risk profile). This…

Fincra has announced the appointment of Emmanuel Babalola, also known as Babz, as its new Chief Commercial and Growth Officer. Babz joins us with lots of experience and success in the African fintech industry, having directly led the efforts of Binance scaling across more than 40 markets in Africa and the Middle East. Under his leadership, the platform grew from serving a small user base to empowering millions of Africans and facilitating billions of dollars in transaction volume, helping unlock new opportunities across the continent. In an announcement, Fincra’s CEO Wole Ayodele described Babz as one of the most respected…

Taager has announced the completion of its $6.75 million  pre-Series B funding round, led by Africa-focused tech growth fund Norrsken22.This round will enable the company to fuel its growth in the Middle East. The oversubscribed round included participation from Endeavor Catalyst and Beltone VC, in addition to all existing investors, including 4DX Ventures, RAED Ventures, BECO Capital and Breyer Capital. Over the past two decades, social e-commerce, which is the process of directly buying and selling products through social media platforms, has evolved from a mere concept to a prominent shopping method poised to overtake traditional retail. It effectively blends…

Vertiv has announced the launch of Vertiv Liquid Cooling Services. This offering provides customers with the tools to enhance system availability, improve efficiency, and navigate the evolving challenges of advanced liquid cooling systems with confidence. The offering is now globally available. Vertiv has been delivering these services for more than a year to regional early adopters, refining best practices and gaining valuable insights that have now enabled the expansion of our liquid cooling service capabilities on a global scale. This experience brings a mature and proven approach, providing data centre operators worldwide with expert support based on real-world application and success. AI…

Pretium, a cutting-edge payment platform designed to bring real-world usability to digital assets, is now available as a standalone app on the Google Play Store. This launch marks a significant step forward in integrating digital assets into everyday transactions, allowing users to shop, dine, and send money using their crypto holdings without needing to convert them through peer-to-peer (P2P) exchanges. Bringing Digital Assets to Everyday Transactions Pretium was created to solve a common problem faced by many crypto holders, the inefficiency of accessing and using digital assets for everyday purchases. Often, individuals who store their money in digital assets to…

ToumAI, a Moroccan AI tech startup, has announced the close of a EUR 1 million (US$1.03 million) pre-seed funding round. The startup will use the funding to help expand the development of its personalised, adaptive, and sustainable Customer experience (CX) solution. The funding was led by Launch Africa and joined by Madica Ventures, Orange Ventures, Digital Africa, GO Ventures, and angel investor Bruno Akpaka, with support from BPI France. ToumAI started operations in June 2020 and uses AI to overcome linguistic and cultural barriers to improve customer experience (CX). “This funding is a pivotal milestone for ToumAI Analytics,” said Odin…

The Company for Cooperative Insurance (Tawuniya), the largest insurance company in MENA, today announced a strategic partnership with MoneyHash, the Middle East and Africa’s leading payment orchestration platform, at LEAP 2025 in Riyadh. This collaboration aims to optimize Tawuniya’s payment performance, deliver a seamless customer experience, and empower the company to stay ahead of the curve with next-generation payment solutions. Optimizing for the Future Through this partnership, Tawuniya leverages MoneyHash’s innovative payment orchestration platform to streamline its payment infrastructure. This collaboration will enable Tawuniya to: A Commitment to Innovation “Tawuniya is committed to embracing advanced technologies that enhance our customer…