Harnessing Africa’s Potential: advancing ESG strategies for a sustainable future

The opportunities for building a sustainable future for Africa are at least as great as the challenges, writes Christian Toben, Head of Financial Institutions for Emerging Markets at Commerzbank. Here, he discusses some of the positive initiatives that are helping to drive forward the continent’s ESG agenda and the crucial role of financial institutions in supporting Africa’s potential to step onto the global stage as a green energy hub.

Africa Fintech Summit Announces Flutterwave as Lead Fintech Sponsor for the 10th Anniversary Summit in Lusaka, Zambia

The Africa Fintech Summit is proud to announce Flutterwave as the Lead Fintech Sponsor for its highly anticipated 10th-edition summit, set to take place in Lusaka, Zambia, on November 2-3, 2023.

Bridging the gap: Using a multi-faceted approach to combatting financial inequality

To address the rampant inequality in many African economies today, companies are demonstrating a customer-centric approach that drives formal financial and economic inclusion. In this article, Mukuru CEO, Andy Jury, shares a multi-faceted approach to addressing barriers to formalisation and how to create a more inclusive and equitable landscape in South Africa – offering accessible, low cost remittance services and digital solutions while maintaining a physical presence.

Leveraging unified commerce solutions for customer-centric retail success

In the dynamic world of retail, understanding the evolving nature of the consumer journey is paramount. With increasing technological advancements and rising customer expectations, retailers need to be agile and responsive, ensuring their customers can seamlessly navigate an unlimited array of shopping experiences. To cater to this demand, unified commerce platforms are stepping up, offering […]

Luxury Lifestyle Awards Recognizes Clifton Homes as Winner in Two Prestigious Categories

Clifton Homes Limited, Ghana’s fastest-growing residential developer since 2010 is thrilled to announce its remarkable achievement as a winner of two distinguished categories at the esteemed Luxury Lifestyle Awards.

Central bank digital currencies: What they mean for financial inclusion and private sector banks

Three pilots, one fully launched digital currency in Africa The world’s central banks understand that the future of money is digital. As payments shift online, the use of cash declines and the fortunes of crypto assets rise and fall, central bankers realise that their ability to command the use of money in their economies could […]

South Africans can now Scan to Pay with Crypto

Scan to Pay, powered by Ukheshe, is the largest QR ecosystem in South Africa and is used by more than 600,000 vendors, 14 banks and fintech companies and 94 payment service providers. Now, this new partnership will seamlessly introduce more crypto payment options to mainstream South Africa through the Scan to Pay app.

Business Tourism in Africa as a Key Driver of Economic Growth

While Africa has long been celebrated for its natural beauty and cultural diversity, it’s now becoming a hotbed for international conferences, conventions and corporate gatherings. The statistics are compelling – a staggering 78.2% increase in tourism arrivals to South Africa in the first half of 2023 compared to the previous year, with business spending constituting 43% of the overall tourism contributions. Beyond economic statistics, this trend has far-reaching effects. It stimulates job creation, empowers local communities, and bolsters various sectors, from hospitality to transportation. In the article, Devi Paulsen-Abbott, Chairperson of the Association of African Exhibition Organisers, lists the key drivers behind this growth.

Merchants around the globe increase spend to tackle E-commerce fraud crisis

Concerned merchants increase fraud budgets and grow fraud teams Increased automation is crucial and will ultimately help merchants save more and improve efficiency New solutions are desperately needed as businesses struggle to address spiralling fraud Most still using expensive and unsustainable in-house solutions Merchants will lose more than  £39 million to fraud in 2023 Businesses […]

What Should You Know About The Forex Market?

The Forex market is acknowledged as a global and decentralized marketplace where you can buy as well as sell currencies. A participant involved in the Forex market ranges from individual retail traders and central banks to financial institutions. This market works 24 hours and five days per week. However, trading activities reach their peak at the time of overlapping hours in some significant financial centers like Tokyo, London, and New York.

Unlocking Socio-Economic Progress: Early-Stage VC in South Africa

The following article sheds light on the critical role that early-stage VC plays in unlocking South Africa’s socio-economic potential. It discusses the challenges, opportunities, and promising changes in the South African startup landscape. As the 2023 South African Innovation Summit approaches, this topic takes center stage, making it a timely and relevant discussion for your readers.

South Africa, as Africa’s third-largest and most diversified economy, holds tremendous potential for economic growth and social development. However, to fully harness this potential, we must address critical challenges such as power shortages and unemployment. The article discusses how a thriving startup ecosystem, as advocated by the South African Startup Act, can accelerate socio-economic development, competitiveness, and economic transformation.

SA’s property sector bets on proptech to weather economic headwinds

There’s no doubt that the South African property sector, like most industries, is currently facing some challenges. One major bank saw credit impairments rise 57% in the first half of 2023 – a result of the impact of higher interest rates, higher levels of inflation and record levels of load shedding. Another bank said its total net […]

29 African Startups in Healthcare Supply Chain Selected to Receive Funding and Impact Support from the Gates Foundation, MSD, and More

The pan-African Investing in Innovation (i3 program) is funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and sponsored by Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen), Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), Microsoft and Chemonics to invest in Africa’s most promising early to growth-stage start-ups in health care supply chains. The second cohort comprises 29 startups chosen from 10 African countries. […]

Modernising customer communication is key to improving customer experience

Modernizing customer communication is essential for enhancing customer experience. Businesses must invest in a digital platform that allows for fast, personalized, and well-designed communication, while also enabling flexibility and making course corrections without extensive coding or disruption to workflow.

Business can unlock growth opportunities through enhanced data insights, advanced analytics and innovation – Experian Innovation Summit

Experian South Africa hosted its annual flagship conference on Thursday 14 September, bringing together industry guests and subject matter experts under one roof to share insights and trends that continue to shape the evolution of business and consumer behaviour.