Author: Akin Naphtal

American mobility giant Uber kicks off its fintech business in Mexico, the latest move from the tech company to ramp up financial services overseas. San Francisco-based Uber, which completely disrupted the transportation industry, recently received a fintech license from the local regulator in Mexico. It will allow the ride-hailing app to enhance its services in Latin America’s second-largest economy, potentially paving the way to virtual wallets and debit and credit card products in a country of 130 million. Almost a decade after its foundation, the tech firm made a global push into the fintech sector. It introduced Uber Money in…

The Enugu State government has introduced an e-ticket scheme to curb the excesses of touts masquerading as government levy collectors. This was revealed by the Head of Media to the state governor, Dan Nwomeh. Called the Enugu State Unified e-Ticket Scheme, the system will become fully operational by August 11. According to Mr Nwomeh, the purpose of the scheme is to make tax and levy payments easier and more convenient for transporters. He also noted that the system will help eliminate multiple taxation and harassment by touts across the state. “The electronic ticket scheme makes it easy and convenient for…

Stratesys – a Spanish digital integration systems company – has set up a UK base at Sci-Tech Daresbury, this was announced by the company. The digital trailblazer works with enterprise companies and SMEs to develop their market strategy and will base itself in the Innovation Centre on the campus. As part of its expansion, the company has appointed Reuben Ash, an experienced ERP, digital, and e-commerce specialist with a background in working with corporates, as director of sales and business development for UK and Ireland. According to the company, it revealed it is looking to grow its team to up…

Nigerian auto-tech startup Autochek, which is aiming to make car ownership and mobility more accessible and affordable across Africa, has spun out a South Africa-based financial services arm that provides a range of vehicle financing solutions for consumers and businesses across the continent. Autochek aims to build digital solutions that will enhance and enable a seamless and safe automotive commerce experience across Africa. The company uses technology to transform the automotive buying and selling experience for African consumers, by creating a single marketplace for consumers’ automotive needs, from sourcing and financing to after sales support and warranties. Armed with a…

A Manchester-based child development app is launching a £200,000 crowdfunding campaign, quoted in a statement announced to the Public. The startup raised £800,000 in angel investment earlier this year having previously raised £1.4m in 2022 and £200,000 in seed funding in 2021. The £200,000 crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube will be used to improve the technology in the company’s app and help launch it into other countries. Johnson said they’d decided to go down the crowdfunding route because it will enable people to invest in the company for as little as £40 allowing more people to support the vision. “We’ve already…

Global tech Africa (GTA) has disclosed its plans, says it is set to empower 13,000 Africans to become ICT experts. In the statement according to GTA CEO, Dr Inya Lawal, announced this at the Global Tech Africa Summit which was held in Lagos recently. He said; “With Information Communication and Technology (ICT), Nigeria is talented in terms of Innovation and talents, which informs the need to be prepared for partnerships and global Investment Speaking on how accessible this programme is to the underserved community, Lawal said GTA is activating programs in various communities across Nigeria in States such as Jigawa,…

British space experts will join forces with organisations around the world to develop cutting-edge technologies that will advance global space capabilities. The UK Space Agency announced the recipients to receive the first phase of its £20 million International Bilateral Fund investments, which will help UK organisations link up with the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, India, Singapore, South Africa and more to form collaborations that will progress space research and catalyse investment in new technologies. The International Bilateral Fund is the Agency’s first fund dedicated to building and strengthening international relationships to help advance the UK’s goals in space. While some…

Airtel Kenya has revealed a positive development that will benefit its customer base, as it moves forward with plans to lower excise duty rates on its telecommunication services. The company issued a statement on Tuesday, sharing its intention to revise the rates, which will take effect from August 1, 2023. As part of this initiative, Airtel Kenya will reduce the existing excise duty from 20 percent to 15 percent for voice calls, data usage, and SMS services. While this reduction in excise duty will be applicable to voice, data, and SMS services, Airtel money services will not be impacted, and…

For the second time in two consecutive sessions, India’s NDS-OM, the online bond trading platform, is grappling with technical glitches, leading to a complete halt in its operations. Traders reported experiencing intermittent connectivity errors, resulting in the platform shutting down at the same time as it did yesterday. Due to the technical issues, several traders have faced disruptions while attempting to use the system. One trader, representing a state-run bank, spoke about the recurring problem but wished to remain anonymous as they are not authorized to speak to the media. READ ALSO: A truly connected and digital Africa is within…

Apple’s latest earnings report surpassed expectations, despite a dip in iPhone sales globally. However, the strong performance of iPhones in China and robust sales in the services segment, including Apple TV+ subscriptions, offset the decline. The company’s research and development spending reached $22.61 billion, largely driven by investments in generative artificial intelligence technology. Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted that AI innovations would be incorporated into future product features, such as real-time voice mail transcription on iPhones. While facing competition in the smartphone market, Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro mixed-reality headset remains highly anticipated. Apple’s sales in the greater China region rose…