Tech

Safaricom Ethiopia to receive $160m funding from World Bank

Published

1 year ago

August 8, 2023

Safaricom Ethiopia has announced an injection of $160 million funding from World Bank Group after successfully closing the transaction during a funding ceremony held in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital.

The funding, which is coming from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), both World Bank’s private investment arms, will be used in the form of full equity investment, a loan and guarantees, according to Mohamed Gouled, Vice President of Industries at IFC.

In a statement on Monday, Gouled said the funding was “expected to support Safaricom’s ongoing construction and operation of their greenfield telecommunications network to drive digital connectivity across Ethiopia.

“The progress Safaricom Ethiopia has achieved in such a short period is nothing short of remarkable. With the highly anticipated launch of M-PESA, we are excited to witness the profound impact it will have not only on the telecommunications landscape but also on improving financial inclusion for all people across Ethiopia,” Gouled said.

The funding will see IFC holding a minority equity stake in the Global Partnership for Ethiopia BV (GPE), while Safaricom PLC remains the majority shareholder, he said, adding that other members of the consortium included Vodafone, Vodacom, Sumitomo Corporation, and British International Investment (BII).

“With IFC coming on board as an equity partner, their experience in global operations and the stature of their investment brings a lot of praise and respect to the board. We look forward to their input in helping us make strides in the Ethiopian market,” Safaricom Ethiopia Chairman, Michael Joseph, also said in another statement.

Earlier in June, the IFC had announced that it would make a $157.4 million equity investment in Global Partnership for Ethiopia BV (GPE) and a $100 million A-loan to its wholly owned subsidiary, Safaricom Ethiopia.

“This significant investment will expedite the company’s ambitious plans to roll out and operate 4G and 5G mobile networks across Ethiopia, which is Africa’s second most populous country,” the IFC had said in a statement then.

Related Topics:Featured Funding Safaricom Ethiopia World Bank

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Tech

MTN Nigeria set to acquire two more licences for its fintech

Published

8 hours ago

November 7, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s largest telecommunications company, MTN Nigeria, is on the verge of obtaining two licences that will enable it expand its fintech subsidiary, MoMo PSB, signaling an increased focus on digital payments within Nigeria.

The company, in a statement on Wednesday, said it has applied for Payment Service Solutions Provider (PSSP) and Payment Terminal Service Provider (PTSP) licenses for Momo in a bid to upscale it to a full fledge payments platform.

“The PSSP license will enable MoMo PSB to offer payment processing gateways, create financial solutions, and provide merchant aggregation and collection services,” the statement said.

“With this license, MTN can process its payments in-house, reducing its reliance on external PSSPs and minimizing associated costs.

“In addition to addressing MTN’s internal payment needs, MoMo PSB will also be equipped to handle payment processing requirements for merchants and partners.

“The PTSP license, meanwhile, will allow MoMo PSB to deploy and service POS terminals, develop POS applications, and provide training and support to over 302,000 merchants, agents, and 5.3 million users on the MoMo PSB,” it added.

Tech

Kenyan fintech Chumz expands into Rwanda after hitting 200k users

Published

1 day ago

November 6, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Kenya’s fintech startup, Chumz, has announced its imminent expansion into Rwanda after hitting 200,000 registered users in its home market.

Chumz, which helps users set and achieve saving and investment goals through behaviour-based prompts and mobile money deposits, said the expansion drive was part of testing its solution by going live in Rwanda.

Co-founder and CEO of Chumz, Samuel Njuguna, who spoke on the move, said the fintech had built a goal-based mobile app that helped users save and invest money from their mobile money accounts, with as little as $0.05 and wanted to take its offering out of Kenya.

He stated that one of the unique features of Chumz that stands it out is that it encourages users to save based on their behaviour.

“For instance, if a user spends money at a pub, the app suggests investing some of that money instead of spending it all,” he said.

“Similarly, if a user receives mobile money, the app prompts them to save some of the money. Our app offers an easy, convenient and accessible way for users to save and invest, helping them to reach their financial goals.

“Our next big leap is to hit one million users in Kenya by 2026 and be operational in Uganda, Tanzania and Botswana by then as well,” said Njuguna, who is also behind Kenyan mobile money startup Chura.

Founded in 2019, Chumz worked on a prototype in 2020, reaching out to the regulator for a license in late-2020 and receiving one a year later.

According to several reviews, the platform works by channeling funds collected from a user’s mobile money account to a licensed fund manager, who then offers a return to the fund. Earned interest is then redistributed to individual clients.

The startup has also launched a new feature, the Superfan Challenge, where users save and invest based on their favourite football team’s performance.

“For example, if your team wins, the app prompts you to save a set amount. We have seen segments such as parents using the app to educate their kids about financial literacy and at the same time create goals for them on the app. A majority of the savers and investors are women,” Njuguna said.