Financial Services in Africa Archives

13Sep

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech

Fintechs need to overcome regulatory barriers that limit access to financial services for underserved communities

Nikki Kettles, Executive: Licences and Payments Regulation at Mukuru Genuine financial inclusion is vital if we are to bring millions of unbanked and underserved communities in Africa into the mainstream economy. This doesn’t just benefit the communities, it has a knock-on effect for economies, regions and the continent. Financial services are tightly regulated and this presents a challenge for fintechs — how do you innovate while working effectively within differing regulatory frameworks on the continent? While these frameworks may differ substantially, there are common barriers fintechs need to overcome. Before we get there, it is important to start at the beginning. Not many people understand what financial inclusion actually means. There is a misconception that financial inclusion me...

19Sep

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech

Digital wallets as an enabler for financial services in Africa

By Juan Seco, Chief Growth Officer and East Africa MD of Mukuru The recent GSMA 2023 State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money highlights how mobile money has become a mainstream financial tool in many African countries. Since 2022, more than 184 million people across the continent have embraced mobile money. The Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region now boasts 763 million registered accounts, nearly half of the 1.6 billion users globally with transaction values jumping 22% in the reported period to reach $832 billion. Of course, SSA figures are significantly influenced by Kenya, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, which have dominated the mobile money and digital wallet landscape. Hyper-digital markets like Kenya, which has wholly embraced M-PESA, or Nigeria, with a staggering 120 million users do not ...

15Jul

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, South Africa News

Avoiding Instant Electronic Funds Transfer payments Risks

In 2020, e-commerce in South Africa spiked by 66%, driven by COVID-19-induced lockdowns and a drop in brick-and-mortar retail sales[i]. This increase was accompanied by an upsurge in the use of instant Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) payments. Towards the end of last year however, the SA Reserve Bank, Payment Association of South Africa (PASA), and Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) issued a joint statement warning consumers to be aware of the risks associated with this payment method, particularly the use of screen scraping, "which makes it possible for third parties to access bank account data and automate actions on behalf of a consumer using that consumer’s online banking access credentials". The statement went on to detail some of these risks such as the potential for fraud and...

Future proofing banking through the power of data, APIs and automation

15Jul

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech

Future proofing banking through the power of data, APIs and automation

The global pandemic has ushered in a new paradigm for the Retail Banking sector, one which demands quicker transformation to a customer-centric service that is digitised, personal and convenient. A recent Financial Industries panel discussion held by Kearney, a global consultancy, shed light on how the power of data, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and automation could be leveraged to satisfy these expectations and invigorate the sector. Hentus Honiball, Partner at Kearney, maintains that large, traditional banks with complex, cumbersome operating models and legacy technology architecture are now being threatened by agile new fintech entrants. In contrast with the siloed, product-centric approach of traditional players, responsive new players are looking to build customer-centric...

22Jun

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, South Africa News

Fintech, Ofin, tackles behavioural changes needed to address financial inclusion

It is a common belief that financial access should lead to financial prosperity. According to the World Bank, financial inclusion is defined as all people and businesses having access to useful and affordable financial products and services that meet their needs. Sakhile Mabena, CEO, Ofin, a venture-backed fintech startup specialising in Behavioural Data Analytics, Financial Process Automation, Behaviour-based Financing and SME Behaviour Nudges, says that to successfully address financial inclusion in Africa it is important to address the financial behaviours and leverage technology to better enable users to become more bankable. Mabena, previously a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, has together with his team, developed an app that focuses on changing financial behaviour, which will ...

Affordable digital banking to revolutionise price-sensitive East African payments market

21Apr

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, Kenya News

Affordable digital banking to revolutionise price-sensitive East African payments market

In a region still dominated by cash and mobile money options, like M-Pesa, new collaborations between fintechs are looking to capture the price-sensitive market with innovative, open-loop digital payment solutions in East Africa. According to Mark Dankworth, President International, Ukheshe Technologies, the region is poised for a surge in digital banking growth, with the likes of MCQR and virtual cards likely to make the biggest impact. This follows the Kenyan retail-tech startup, Tanda, leveraging Ukheshe Technologies’ cutting-edge Eclipse API to increase their digital banking offering in Kenya and East Africa to include QR payments, digital wallets and the issuing of physical and virtual cards. The move will empower Tanda agents and merchants throughout East Africa to implement 100,000 ...

22Mar

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech

The Rise Fund to invest $200 million in Airtel Africa’s mobile money business, at $2.65 billion valuation

Airtel Africa to explore potential listing of mobile money business within four years. Airtel Africa, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, with a presence in 14 countries across Africa, announced on 18th March the signing of an agreement under which The Rise Fund, the global impact investing platform of leading alternative investment firm TPG, will invest $200 million in Airtel Mobile Commerce BV (“AMC BV”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Airtel Africa plc (the “Transaction”). AMC BV is currently the holding company for several of Airtel Africa’s mobile money operations; and is now intended to own and operate the mobile money businesses across all of Airtel Africa’s fourteen operating countries. The Transaction values Airtel Africa’s mobile money business at $...

Efficient Payment Solutions Essential for SME Survival

14Mar

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, South Africa News

Efficient Payment Solutions Essential for SME Survival

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) have long been hailed as the lifeblood of the economy. Now, in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, they are critical for its recovery. Not only do they contribute 35-50% of national GDP globally, they also drive over two-thirds of new job creation[i]. Ultimately, the more SMEs succeed, the better our economy performs. However, their success – and survival – hinges largely on cash flow management. This is according to Francois Hamer, Business Development Lead at Pay@ - a leading payment aggregator and provider of secure payment solutions. With cashflow management being the reason why 82% of small businesses fail[ii], Pay@ has developed Yap – an electronic bill presentment and payment tool for on-the-go invoicing and payment requests, specifically for ...

Development Trend of African Startups and Fintech

3Dec

By Shahina ParvinNo Comments

Fintech, Kenya News, South Africa News, Startups

Development Trend of African Startups and Fintech

Africa is a land of opportunity long neglected. It is unique and the diversity in cultures may make it difficult for something new to be accepted in society. However, the scenario has changed and African markets have started to gain attention from the past couple of years. Therefore, we can see the rise of African startups as regions progress with time accepting change. Consequently, poverty is going down and the African society promises a safe future and a solid education system for generations to come. Amidst this progress, the number of fintech companies in South Africa is emerging at a rather very fast pace. As the country is starting to embrace digital payment and banking systems instead of the traditional banking system, it has become easy for African tech startups to grab a hold of ...

10Apr

By Johan BurgerNo Comments

Business, Egypt News, Ghana News, Main, Nigeria News, Rwanda News, Tech, Uganda News

Friday@Noon on Financial Services in Africa: 2018

by Johan Burger The NTU-SBF Centre for African Studies publishes a weekly newsletter on issues relevant to Africa. This paper is based on issues addressed in the newsletter. The financial services industry in Africa has seen a lot of development throughout the past few years, as was the case in 2018. Mobile telephony has driven the US$300 million monthly transactions in Africa from 7.2 million new people (up 250% from 2012) using digital financial services and 45,000 new banking agents due to a financial inclusion project. Financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa has increased from 23% in 2011 to 43% in 2017. Mobile money solutions and agent banking now offer affordable, instant, and reliable transactions, savings, credit, and even insurance opportunities in rural villages and urban neigh...