Author: Brand Spot

During Customer Service Week celebrated this year, one of the key themes was elevating service through the adoption of new technologies, specifically the role of innovation in enhancing service to customers. First, even as we continue to reflect on the value of the customer to the business, we must pay equal attention to re-defining the value of the business to the customer. Second, from a technology perspective, we must go beyond how the latest tech innovations serve customers better to how they enable them to live healthier, more meaningful lives. Technology is an indispensable aspect of modern life and is transforming…

Leading African digital payments company DPO Group launched DPO Pay Mobile, a new version of their payments app. With several new features, DPO listened to merchant feedback to redesign and redevelop the payment app. DPO Pay Mobile app, previously called DumaPay, now offers a variety of new features to allow for easier, more convenient transactions no matter where in Africa their businesses are. DPO Group Chairman and co-founder Offer Gat said: “We took our merchants and their customers into consideration, and together, our teams transformed our existing technology to create a mobile application that now will help businesses across Africa grow…

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics survey released in 2018 indicated that approximately 400,000 Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) do not celebrate their second birthday, and very few reach five years of on-going business growth, leading to concerns of sustainability in this critical sector. Further thousands of SMEs were ravaged by COVID-19 and have had to re-imagine how they do business, with digital being at the core of their transformation. To address these challenges, I&M Bank has enhanced its digital banking offering to MSMEs through a customised, end-to-end cash management, transactional and lending solution, dubbed “On The Go (OTG)”…

Africa Data Centres has been approved to be the colocation provider for the first ICANN Managed Root Server (IMRS) cluster deployed in Africa. The IMRS cluster deployment is intended by ICANN to assist Internet users in Africa to have faster access to services on the Internet and better protection from cyberattacks, which is aligned with the Cassava group’s vision of a digitally inclusive Africa. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), in cooperation with its regional partners, recently announced that it is deploying a new ICANN Managed Root Server (IMRS) cluster in Africa, located in Nairobi, Kenya. ICANN…

LG Electronics has today awarded more than 320 young technology leaders with disabilities from 16 countries for their effective participation and skills exhibition in executing computer-based activities. Drawn from across the globe, the leaders were hosted and awarded at the 11th Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities (GITC) which not only inspired them but also tested their skills for computer-based activities in a series of four timed challenges – eTool, eLifeMap, eContent and eCreative. Commenting on the awards and empowerment of the young leaders, Chairman of the GITC Organizing Committee Kim In-kyu said, “Technologies can help all of us to overcome obstacles in our daily lives…

Liquid C2 has opened the doors of its first Cyber Security Fusion Centre (CSFC) in Nairobi, Kenya, making this the second centre of its kind in Africa. “Kenyan businesses have seen increased digital adoption, and the country’s connected population in early 2021 was nearly 22 million. The increased number of digitally transformed businesses and individuals means that the target pool for malicious entities is also becoming wider. As a result, we have witnessed immense interest from customers wanting to partner with us to benefit from the services our Fusion Centre offers in South Africa. And now, we have brought the…

Tanzania’s fintech company,  Ramani, has today announced the close of its $32million series A round of equity & debt. The round was led by renowned global technology investors Flexcap Ventures and revered founder/CEO of Infoscout, Jared Schreiber. Ramani also raised an undisclosed seed funding in 2021 that included participation from Village Global, Goat Capital, Musha Ventures, Hustle Fund, Future Africa, Launch Africa Ventures, Raba capital, and renowned angel investor, James Beshara. Ramani was originally backed by Y combinator. With this new capital funding, Ramani will scale its network of micro-distribution centres (MDCs) and also launch a new micro-credit offering for select…

Cellulant and Solv Kenya have signed a financial services partnership that will enable Solv Kenya’s expanding MSME partners to access digital payment and collections services offered by Cellulant. Following the announcement of Solv’s commercial operations in Kenya last month, this partnership will enable MSMEs using the Solv Kenya platform to reconcile, receive, and view all their payments on the go under one roof. In a 2021 report released by the Kenya Bankers Association, Micro, Small Medium-Enterprises (MSMEs) employ over 15 million people in the country contributing significantly to supporting livelihoods and creating growth in the Kenyan economy. However, despite this,…

Avenews, a multinational financial technology company, is building the first financial super app for Kenya’s Agricultural Small and Medium Enterprises (agri-SMEs).  The super app provides a comprehensive financial management tool that enables advanced ML (machine learning) algorithms to process hundreds of data points and create personalized financial products – including access to digital credit. The one-stop-shop app assists agribusinesses with operations and team management, as well as digital invoicing and payments. Avenews’ Country Manager, Emmanuel Murai notes: “Agri-SMEs are the driving force behind Africa’s economic growth, but their financial needs often go unmet. With Avenews, agri-SMEs can finally make informed…

Microsoft, through its Africa Transformation Office (ATO) has announced a partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to support digital transformation in Africa’s agricultural sector.  In a session during the Adaptation and Agriculture Day at COP27 in Egypt, the two organisations highlighted the partnership that aims to deliver digital agriculture products that support African agribusinesses to strengthen food security and develop greater resilience against climate change.  Through the partnership, digital tools such as Microsoft’s AgBot and Community Training applications are integrated with IFC’s Agribusiness Leadership Program to provide better information, newer technologies, and management capacity training to agribusinesses, farmers and…