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  • Feature- Squad: The next generation payment solution for African merchants

    Feature- Squad: The next generation payment solution for African merchants

    When it comes to internet penetration and adoption of mobile payments, most African countries are still very much below the global average. Even where the internet penetration is improving, the mobile payments adoption rate is still low, meaning an overall lag. For instance, in Kenya where mobile payment adoption is the most on the continent, only about 23.1% of the internet users actually use mobile payment methods.

     So, even though the internet infrastructure allows business owners access to a wide market, mostly outside their location, sending and receiving payments with ease still remains a struggle for many. But this is only for businesses that are not taking advantage of Squad – the newly launched Integrated Payment Solution that is set to revolutionise digital payments in Africa.

    Squad is a payment service that is set to drive the future of mobile payments in the African Continent. If you have imagined an Africa where every payment is digital, it is an Africa where every business uses Squad. The features show that this might be the most online and offline payments option for merchants.

    Squad will be empowering businesses by taking care of their payment problems and helping to make every payment digital whether it is made online or offline. It features offline as well as online payment acquisition channels like the Payment Gateway and the Soft POS. If you are worried about getting or handling a POS, the software Point of Sale (Soft POS) allows merchants and vendors to accept payments directly on their phones or devices without the need for any additional software. And isn’t this what every merchant needs?

    Also, there are several value-added services like the bulk payment collection, automated reconciliation of offline and online payments, fraud prevention tools and instant settlement among others.

    There is a need to get on board the use of Squad considering the need to adopt more cashless based transactions in Africa, growing cases of transmittable diseases, tightened cash liquidity, insecurity amongst others.

    The best way to sum it is that Squad is the one-stop payment solution for every business in Africa. Squad is that single product that brings technology and user experience and satisfaction for a meet-and-greet. The features are designed for and targeted at micro and small business owners like Kiosk owners and petty traders, medium business owners like digital sellers, online vendors; Tech talents; and even big enterprises.

    It is interesting to note that the adoption of cashless-based transaction help businesses especially small and medium scale enterprises to increase their top line (revenue). According to a survey by Khatabook, about 45% of SMEs report a boost in sales after adopting mobile or digital payment services.

    Therefore, with Squad bringing in a solution that features ease, convenience, and security from fraud, businesses can jump on this train and improve their chances of success.

    It makes so much sense that such a product is coming from Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO). Indeed, if any brand has the relevant pieces to define new frontiers in payment and dominate the payments landscape in Africa, it is GTCO.

    The GTCO Squad behind Squad

    Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc is a fully-fledged financial services group, on a mission to make financial services accessible to all Africans. GTCO Plc metamorphosed from Guaranty Trust Bank Ltd which has really been around since the 1990s, and now present in several African countries including Uganda, Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda and Kenya.

    In June 2011, Segun Agbaje took over as Chief Executive of the Bank and since then led the team to blaze a trail in innovation and efficiency. Within the space of a decade, Agbaje raised the Bank’s profit by N1.3 trillion and expanded the balance sheet by 12.07% on average annual growth. The assessment indices show positive growth for the financial institution not just in Nigeria, but in every African country where GTCO is present.

    Shareholder’s wealth has also seen a major boost during the period with total equity rising from N230.393 billion in 2011 to N814.395 billion in 2021, an average 13.46% growth per annum. Earnings per share also grew 15.45% on the cumulative average growth rate, from N1.69 per share outstanding in 2011 to N7.11 in 2020. Total assets grew by at least by 12.07% annually in the decade, from N1.598 billion in 2011 to N4.944 trillion in 2020.

    What we can all attest to is that the numbers don’t lie, and GTCO has a track record filled with numbers that demonstrate efficiency and profitability, even in the face of the harsh and challenging economy which crumbled several other businesses. Only a formidable leadership could have sustained such records.

    GTCO has always had a digital-first, customer-centric strategy that builds digital products and helps individuals and businesses thrive. Expectedly, the bank was the recipient of several awards at the Electronic Payment Incentive Scheme (EPIS) Efficiency Awards organized by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in conjunction with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS). The bank clinched 8 out of the 13 awards available for the banking industry at the 2019 EPIS Efficiency Awards including Best Customer Experience Award; Cashless Driver, Point of Sale (POS) Transactions; Real-Time Payments Transaction Efficiency; Cashless Driver, USSD Channel Champion among others.

    The Holding company is now home to several trusted brands that are driving innovation and creating viral product adoption, ensuring great experiences and growing valuable customer engagement. Squad is only the latest addition to this list.

    Culled from Nairametrics

  • The Rockefeller Foundation injects USD 55 million to get COVID-19 shots

    The Rockefeller Foundation injects USD 55 million to get COVID-19 shots

     The Rockefeller Foundation announced the launch of the Global Vaccination Initiative, a USD 55 million investment over two years to support country-led efforts to fully vaccinate 90% of the most at-risk populations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. With this new initiative, the Foundation is focusing its global health resources on supporting locally-driven interventions to increase vaccine demand – access, trust, and information – that have been consistently underestimated, misunderstood, and underfunded in the global COVID-19 response to date, while leveraging data from trusted, credible sources to strengthen health systems and ensure they are meeting the needs of the most vulnerable populations.

    Covid-19 vaccines still represent the world’s best chance at sustainably managing and overcoming the pandemic, yet two years into the pandemic, vaccination rates remain severely inequitable: only 15% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose, while high-income countries deploy third or even fourth booster shots.

    “The world has every tool it needs to make Covid-19 endemic for everyone, everywhere — but only if those tools are in the hands of the people who need them most,” said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. “With this new commitment, The Rockefeller Foundation will help countries across the Global South reach at-risk populations, simultaneously increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates and building health systems capable of addressing future COVID-19 outbreaks and other public health threats.”

    While global supplies of vaccines increase and stabilize, challenging demand-side issues are preventing countries from accelerating vaccination campaigns. The Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator estimates that an additional USD 6.8 billion is needed to support Covid-19 demand generation and expects funding to come directly from countries themselves along with development banks and other international grant financings. This is occurring at a time when the World Bank estimates that low-income nations need 24-30% of their GDP to respond to and recover from the pandemic’s health and economic crises, but with interest rates rising, their external debt outstanding has grown to more than two-thirds of GDP.

    In response, The Rockefeller Foundation’s Global Vaccination Initiative will invest in projects to generate vaccine demand by focusing on three levers:  

    1.   Data and digital tools: Through a demonstrate-and-scale model, investments will support data-driven solutions – applying the latest socio-behavioral insights, digital tools, and data analytics – to provide decision-makers with actionable insights relevant to their contexts and communities to inform the most effective approaches to increase vaccination for most vulnerable groups like at-risk, older adults and frontline health workers.

    2.   Capacity building: To ensure that these data insights are effectively incorporated into vaccination strategies, the Foundation is working with partners on the ground to increase community engagement and mobilization, and build tailored, durable solutions that will prepare health systems for wide-ranging health campaigns for COVID-19 and beyond.  

    3.   Financing: To sustainably support these activities and achieve long-term change, the Foundation will advocate for increased financing to address vaccination demand challenges and additional flexibility in the use of funding to strengthen local health system capabilities for routine immunization and other essential health services.

    “As Covid-19 vaccines are now increasingly available to lower- and middle-income countries, the Global Vaccination Initiative is laser-focused on closing the gap in vaccination rates that exists between richer and poorer countries by addressing the root cause: demand,” said Dr. Bruce Gellin, The Rockefeller Foundation’s Chief of Global Public Health Strategy. “Our approach centers on working together with countries to understand the drivers of demand and barriers to vaccination – only then can we design innovative solutions to swiftly get doses to the most vulnerable communities.”

    Impact Underway

    The Rockefeller Foundation’s Global Vaccination Initiative has already engaged several organizations to implement its strategy, including:

    • United Nations, in collaboration with Purpose, to support Verified, a network of trusted messengers, citizen volunteers and trained media to spread accurate, lifesaving information about COVID-19 vaccinations with the goal of saving lives and countering mis- and disinformation in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Notably, Brazil’s #AllForVaccines movement became a Twitter trending topic with over 50,000 interactions, South Africa’s Zwakala campaign was officially adopted by South Africa’s national government, and India’s hyper-local campaigns activated 150 community leaders, 10,000 vaccinated auto rickshaw drivers and street vendors, and primary health care workers to disseminate urgent messaging across 33 informal settlements in Delhi.

    ·         COVID Global Accountability Platform (COVID GAP), a partnership between Duke University and COVID Collaborative, to provide evidence-based tracking, insights, and recommendations that collectively help hold the world accountable to meet pressing needs, deliver on commitments, and accelerate the end of the pandemic. COVID GAP released a landmark report in March 2022 calling for an urgent shift in the world’s response to the pandemic from emergency crisis management to a sustainable control strategy that supports country-driven goals that reflect local realities and priorities. This includes prioritizing fully vaccinating (including boosters) high-risk populations with the aim of reaching 90% vaccination coverage.

    ·         Social Science Research Council (SSRC), to launch The Mercury Project, a global consortium of researchers dedicated to identifying evidence-informed tools, methods, and interventions that drive behavior change and combat vaccine mis- and dis-information. Responding to calls from the World Health Organization, the U.S. Office of the Surgeon General, and the Aspen Institute’s Commission on Information Disorder, the consortium will be an essential resource for social media and technology companies and for global policymakers as they build an information ecosystem that supports the sharing of accurate and effective health information for both emergency and routine public health. Research team selection is being finalized and grant awards will be announced this summer.

    ·         Africa Infodemic Response Alliance (AIRA), a platform co-hosted by the WHO Regional Office for Africa, to support the development and testing of new data-driven tools and systems to help field teams in the African region anticipate and respond to waves of health disinformation in real-time.

    ·         AVAC, in partnership with Internews, to grow its existing Media Science Café program in Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, to bring journalists together with researchers, implementers, civil society, regulators and policy makers to build relationships that will foster accurate reporting on Covid-19 in those countries. Partners include: Media for Environment Science, Health & Agriculture (MEHSA) in Kenya, Health Journalist Network in Uganda (HEJNU), Media Science Cafe (MESICA) in Zambia and Health Communicators Forum Zimbabwe through a partnership with the Humanitarian Information Facilitation Centre.

    ·         Pulitzer Center to expose the interconnected nature of the systemic inequities made plain by the COVID-19 pandemic – from access to and acceptance of vaccinations to related health-system inequities – bringing these stories to diverse audiences through trustworthy journalism and innovative public engagements.

    The Global Vaccination Initiative, which is part of the Foundation’s historic USD 1 billion commitment to an inclusive, green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, is informed by lessons learned from Precision Public Health, an initiative the Foundation launched in 2019 to modernize public health and provide more equitable public health outcomes, and the Equity-First Vaccination Initiative, which supported hyper-local, community-led vaccination strategies to reach 2 million people of color in 5 U.S. cities. It also builds on the Foundation’s century-long legacy in global public health. Investments established the first schools of public health and the global campaign against hookworm; seeded the development of the yellow fever vaccine; supported translational research for tools including penicillin; and spurred AIDS vaccine development. Learn more about the Global Vaccination Initiative and its current grantees here.

  • BluePeak’s Inaugural Fund announces second investment in ieng, end-to-end infrastructure solutions provider to the telecommunication industry

    BluePeak’s Inaugural Fund announces second investment in ieng, end-to-end infrastructure solutions provider to the telecommunication industry

    BluePeak Private Capital – an alternative asset management firm with a strong focus on impact in Africa – today announced its investment in ieng, a pan-African provider of engineering and construction, operations and maintenance, and hybrid power solutions to Africa’s burgeoning telecom sector.

    The $20 million growth capital supports ieng’s geographic expansion plan across the continent, enabling the company to provide innovative and cost-effective solutions to a broader range of clients and industries, solidifying its position as a leading provider of end-to-end infrastructure services and cutting-edge solutions. In addition, the investment advances ieng’s strategy to meet growing consumer demand for telecom infrastructure services, boosting connectivity for last-mile access and deepening the firms’ footprint by providing catalytic capital for new contracts with blue-chip clients.

    Rami Matar, Partner at BluePeak Private Capital, commented: “Through reliable services and a strong track record, ieng has managed to position itself as a preeminent service provider to blue-chip telecom clients in Africa, competing head-to-head with global service providers. We are excited to support ieng and fund its growth plans as development in telecommunications narrows the gap in Africa’s digital divide and is a critical enabler of economic development, productivity, and inclusive growth.” 

    Rami Shibley, Founder, and CEO of ieng said: “We are excited to start this long-term partnership with BluePeak to support ieng’s continuous growth and development. The investment provides critical capital, enabling ieng to meet the increasing demand for reliable telecom services, improved connectivity, and more efficient power solutions”.

    Established in 2007 in Ghana, ieng gradually expanded its operations and is today a prominent service provider to blue-chip tower companies and mobile network operators across Africa. Over the years, the company has developed an extensive track record and currently maintains a portfolio of more than 23,000 towers on behalf of clients in growing economies across the continent including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and beyond. Further, ieng has established an in-house hybrid power solution to reduce carbon emissions of telecom towers through transformative means.

    The telecommunications sector is poised for onward growth in Africa, on the back of: (i) growing mobile penetration, (ii) increasing number of internet users, and (iii) the rollout of 4G and 5G towers to improve and expand the quality of connectivity. ieng is well-positioned to leverage its competitive geographic reach and long-term relationships with clients to capitalize on the market opportunity and further scale its operations.

    The investment is aligned with the Fund’s impact agenda and will support ieng in strengthening mobile and internet connectivity and promoting evolutionary hybrid power solutions.

    BluePeak’s $20 million investment promotes UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3- Good Health and Well-being, Goal 5- Gender Equality, Goal 7- Affordable and Clean Energy, Goal 8- Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Goal 9- Industry Innovation and Infrastructure.

  • Remittance data shows COVID-19 sparked an increase in money sent globally-WorldRemit

    Remittance data shows COVID-19 sparked an increase in money sent globally-WorldRemit

    The most common countries remittances sent by our respondents were to the Philippines (18%), Nigeria (11.5%), Ghana (10.5%)

    Research from WorldRemit, a leading global payments company, has found that people sending money from the US, the UK and Canada continue to adjust their remittance habits to a new way of living due to COVID-19.

    The results from WorldRemit’s study of more than 3,000 of its customers paint a striking picture of the importance of remittances to the loved ones of immigrants, alongside the impact we know it has on the global economy. 68% of respondents sent money abroad at least monthly, with a further 28% sending multiple times a year.

    The pandemic has had a significant effect on the amounts of money sent, particularly for the key reasons people send money abroad.

    When asked to provide context to the reasons people send money home to loved ones, the most common were daily expenses, gifts, medical expenses, and education. As a result of COVID, people sent more money abroad for the following categories during 2021:

    ●      44% cited the amount they send for medical expenses has increased

    ●      41% cited the amount they send for daily expenses has increased

    ●      38% cited the amount they send for utilities increased

    ●      35% cited the amount they send for education increased

    The most common countries remittances sent by our respondents were to the Philippines (18%), Nigeria (11.5%), Ghana (10.5%), which have all seen significant GDP growth – 4.5% in the Philippines,2 1.5% in Nigeria3 and 5.1% in Ghana.4 This trend is likely to continue as these countries continue to recover rapidly from the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Karen Jordaan, Head of UK at WorldRemit said: “We understand the unique challenges migrants face on a day-to-day basis when supporting  loved ones overseas, whether it be helping to ensure their family members get access to medical care or have money to pay for basic cost of living expenses.

    “WorldRemit understands the needs of our customers and strives to offer a safe, fast and convenient service. We are also encouraged by our customers and how they are investing in the future, namely education and new business ventures.”

    To learn more about WorldRemit, or to see more results from the survey, please visit this website.

    WorldRemit is a leading global payments company and, along with Sendwave, part of Zepz, a group powering two global payments brands.

    The brand disrupted an industry previously dominated by offline legacy players by taking international money transfers online – making them safer, faster and lower-cost. The brand currently send from 50 countries to recipients in 130 countries and operate in more than 5,000 money transfer corridors worldwide and employs over 1,200 people globally.

    On the sending side, WorldRemit is 100% digital (cashless), increasing convenience and enhancing security. For those receiving money, the company offers a wide range of options including bank deposit, cash collection, mobile airtime top-up and mobile money.

    Backed by Accel, TCV and Leapfrog – WorldRemit’s headquarters are in London, United Kingdom with regional offices in the United States, Poland, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Africa, Somaliland, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Belgium.

  • Digital Lab Africa showcases 2021 top 7 Africa digital arts innovators from 5 countries

    Digital Lab Africa showcases 2021 top 7 Africa digital arts innovators from 5 countries

    Leading digital arts innovators platform Digital Lab Africa (DLA) has showcased the work of its winners of the 5th Digital Lab Africa awards at the Fakugesi Digital Arts Festival in South Africa. The award brought to the forefront inspirational and insightful stories from diverse emerging African digital artists.

    This year’s 7 winners were selected based on their artistic, technical and financial criteria in the Animation, XR and Video Gaming categories.

    The winners in Animation include: Ssagala Ndugwa from Uganda – Founder of Sheepish, an animated adult series following the adventures of two small-time hustlers as they try to make it big in a town determined to keep them small; and Brian Wilson from Nigeria who developed a series called Aminah’s journey, about a young Hausa girl who tried to make her way to safety after a violent attack on her village by Boko Haram terrorists.

    The XR winners include: Godisamang Khunou from South Africa who developed an immersive piece called Black Women and Sex, about the tension between black women and the politics of sex and Arome Ibrahim from Nigeria is the creator of Virtuallity Africa, a virtual arts museum on mixed media and immersive technology, showcasing Africa’s rich history in arts.

    The winners in the Video Gaming category include Kare Andriamamonjy from Madagascar who created Kalanoro, a third-person platform adventure game that also explores Malagasy folklore; Ifeanyichukwu Obi from Nigeria who created Mama Julie, an infinite Isometric 3rd runner game centered around Mama Julie who runs through the streets of Lagos to deliver food to her customers and Ismael Daouda Nouhoun from Togo who is the brain behind action-packed video game, I can Transform, a video game available on Android and Web.

    Speaking on the winners selection, Eduardo Cachucho, DLA Programme Manager Says, “The Digital Lab Africa (DLA) remains one of the most exciting opportunities for digital creatives all across Africa. The emerging digital arts talents have been offered a foundation to fast track their project development and are supported by the DLA creative industries ecosystems in the countries of Africa, France and the world. We are grateful for our sponsors and partners for making this a possibility over the years and we are also looking forward to sharing more about our DLA 2022 opportunities which will launch in February 2022.”

    One of the winners, Arome Ibrahim from Nigeria who is the creator of Virtuality Africa, recently represented Nigeria at the GITEX Technology Week held at the Dubai World Trade Center.

    Speaking on his selection and participation at GITEX, Arome said:  “I am extremely grateful to the whole Digital Lab Africa Team for this opportunity and I can’t wait for you all to experience Virtuality Africa platform by the end of the year. At the GITEX Technology Week, I had the opportunity to engage with some fantastic developers, startups and organizations building experiences with virtual & augmented reality technology.”

    Also speaking, DLA Awards guest speaker  Hugo Obi, founder of gaming studio Maliyo Games said, “It has been quite a great journey. This is my second year as a judge on the DLA gaming stream and it is always a pleasure discovering new creators on the continent and the interesting things they come up with. I feel Africa still remains significantly untapped in the gaming segment because we do not have a lot of local content creators in that space, but I see this changing in the next 2-3 years as we are seeing a lot more investment in this space with programmes like DLA supporting creators in this segment.”

    Now in its fifth year, the DLA has an alumni group of 48 recipients of incubation, showcasing the best minds and projects in digital arts across the continent.

    Digital Lab Africa is an initiative of the French Institute and the French Embassy in South Africa and is supported by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the French Embassy in South Africa, THE French Embassy in Nigeria, SACEM, TV5Monde as well as a network of incredible partners. The programme is managed by the South African innovation hub Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct since 2016. It has supported 48 digital artists since its inception.

  • Absa L’Atelier 2021 celebrates diverse talent from across the African continent

    Absa L’Atelier 2021 celebrates diverse talent from across the African continent

    Absa in partnership with the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA) proudly announced the four category winners of the prestigious 2021 edition of the Absa L’Atelier at an online event hosted on the Absa Art Hotspot. The audience was enthralled by the music of the Mzansi Youth Choir, while dancers from Mzansi Ballet graced the platform.

    After receiving a record number of registrations, hundreds of eligible entries were judged by an independent panel of adjudicators, and one Ambassador per group was chosen from the three groups of African countries.

    • In Group A (Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia), the winner was Adelheid von Maltitz from South Africa.
    • In Group B (Mauritius, Nigeria, Seychelles and Tanzania) the winner was Ayobola Kekere-Ekun from Nigeria.
    • In Group C (Botswana, Ghana, Kenya and Namibia) the winner was Blebo Michael Jackson from Ghana.

    These artists now take on the title of Absa L’Atelier Ambassador 2021, while the winner in this year’s Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto category was Cape Town-based artist, Abongile Sidzumo.

    The Ambassadors received trophies that depict hands, symbolising the physical manifestation of creation, designed, and produced by established South African artist Roberto Vacarro, while the Gerard Sekoto trophy depicts a bull, representing prosperity and resilience.

    The criteria for selecting the Ambassador included technical execution i.e. the artist’s expert handling of material and techniques; conceptual and thematic engagement i.e. how they revealed honest and intellectual reasoning or rationale; the freshness of artistic vision within the context of the contemporary African art landscape i.e. how the artist engaged with honest and fresh ways of seeing; as well as aesthetic appeal which implies that the artist must have shown great consideration for visual quality and conceptual concerns, and whether the portfolio of artworks was a cohesive submission carrying the intended message or thematic idea.

    Group A winner, Adelheid von Maltitz, is currently studying towards her Ph.D. in Fine Arts at the University of the Free State in South Africa, where she also lectures primarily in sculpture and drawing. Her winning entry, presented in partial fulfillment of the requirement for her Doctor of Philosophy degree, is concerned with the transformative potential of dynamic threshold places such as roadside shrines. For her, making sculpture and installation art involves processes that allow her to constructively engage personal anxieties around death and loss.

    Her interest in roadside shrines was sparked when she observed, what looked like a mother and sister continually, over months, rebuilding and maintaining a roadside shrine which she passed regularly on her daily commute. By initially examining the nature of roadside shrines in relation to her own art-making processes, she was struck by the similarities in the ways in which death and loss may be engaged with, constructively and in a healing manner, through art.

    Group B winner, Ayobola Kekere-Ekun, hails from Nigeria and, like Adelheid, is also pursuing a Ph.D. in Art and Design from the University of Johannesburg.  Fascinated with lines, her brightly coloured work is driven by three foundation pillars: lines, the neutrality of paper and fabric. Ayobola transforms traditional Nigerian fabric and paper with a technique called quilling, whereby strips of material and paper are individually shaped, placed, and secured to capture pockets of light and shadow, giving her works a three-dimensional effect. It is a methodical and labour-intensive process; a single piece can take her between three and seven weeks to complete.

    Group C winner, Michael Blebo, also known as Troy, was born in Accra, Ghana. Specialising in sculpture, he is a Fine Arts graduate from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. His work combines sculpture, installation and drawing, and explores the environment and the decay of domestic architecture. As an emerging artist, he combines unconventional materials such as white clay, charcoal, natural pigment, brown paper and chipboard to erect large-scale works. Scale plays a major role in his work and he is influenced by the large-scale works of American artists Richard Serra, Laurie Lipton and Adonna Khare as well as fellow Ghanaian, Ibrahim Mahama.

    Established 17 years ago, the Gerard Sekoto award goes to a South African artist, aged between 25 and 35 years, who has continued to demonstrate integrity in the quality of their artwork. The Award is made possible by the Embassy of France in South Africa, the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), which is the cultural arm of the Embassy, and the Alliance Française network in South Africa.

    “With our partners Absa and SANAVA, we are proud to support the Gerard Sekoto award and to accompany young artists to share their work both nationally and internationally. We believe in this award which grants a talented young South African artist an amazing opportunity: to expand his or her horizons with a 3-month artistic residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, and, of course, gain greater exposure as a result. The artists are inspired and inspire. They learn, and they teach. They explore, and exhibit, allowing people in France and in South Africa to learn more about their individual style and vision”, says Aurelien Lechevallier, who is France’s Ambassador to South Africa.

    The 2021 Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto category winner, Abongile Sidzumo was born in Cape Town, where he currently lives and works. Abongile completed his degree in Fine Arts at the Michaelis School of Fine Arts in 2019. He works with leather offcuts and repurposed materials to create works that reflect and interrogate humanity, the way we co-exist and our relationship with nature. He also revisits memories and connects them to spaces he has lived in as well as the everyday life of marginalised communities.

    Leather is often associated with luxury, wealth, and power. Through his process of restitching and weaving leather, Abongile proposes that we start thinking about repurposed materials. By his process of stitching, he is connecting to notions of healing trauma and in a sense, his practice also functions as a manner of interrogating the continuous healing of black communities in post-apartheid South Africa.

     The adjudicators for this award were acclaimed artists and directors at BKhz, Banele Khoza as well as Armelle Dakouo, independent curator and artistic director at AKAA Art & Design Fair.

    Though COVID-19 provided its challenges, the past two years were likewise a period of innovation and technological progression. “The pandemic has allowed us to advance our digital art presence with the launch of the Absa Art Hotspot. This unique virtual experience platform made it possible for us to host live events such as webinars, art exhibitions, art masterclasses, and art auctions, while certain elements of our art-related sponsorships and partnerships such as this year’s awards event were also migrated to the platform,” says Paul Bayliss Senior Specialist Art Curator at Absa.

    SANAVA President, Dr Avitha Sooful, commended her partner, Absa, for forging ahead and continuously seeking ways to impact the African visual arts scene even during the ongoing pandemic.

    “The COVID-19 pandemic derailed our plans for 2020 but through some innovative thinking, we were able to come back stronger this year and we actually have more entries than we have ever had for this competition. I commend the work that our partners, Absa, have done in making sure that African artists continue to reap the rewards of their hard work,” Dr. Sooful said.

    “We look forward to working with this year’s ambassadors and Gerard Sekoto winner and providing the next generation of young African artists with the support, recognition, and exposure they need to solidify their careers and build their brands,” concluded Bayliss.

  • Facebook launches Reels Ads on Instagram across SSA

    Facebook launches Reels Ads on Instagram across SSA

    Today, Facebook has announced the launch of Reels Ads in 25 African countries that had the Reels feature on Instagram. Reel Ads will enable businesses on Instagram to reach greater audiences besides allowing people to discover inspiring new content from brands and creators.

    Prior to this launch, Reels Ads was successfully tested in select countries globally. Reels it to 25 countries across SSA including; Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Tunisia, Swaziland, South Africa, Seychelles, Senegal, Namibia, Morocco, Mali, Malawi, Libya, Lesotho, Guinea, Egypt, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Algeria.

    Commenting about the launch, Jocelyne Muhutu, Facebook’s Strategic Media Partnerships Manager, SSA described Reels as the best place on Instagram to reach people who don’t follow you and a growing global stage where brands and creators can be discovered by anyone. “We see Reels as a great way for people to discover new content on Instagram, and so ads in Reels are a natural fit. Brands of all sizes can take advantage of this new creative format in an environment where people are already being entertained,” she added.

    Reels ads will be full screen and vertical, similar to ads in Stories, and will appear in between individual Reels. As with regular Reels content, these ads will loop and can be up to 30 seconds. People can comment, like, view, save and share Reels ads.

    Reels ads will appear in the most popular places to access Reels content. This includes the Reels tab, Reels in Stories, Reels in Explore and Reels in your feed. Once a user taps into a reel from Stories, Feed, the Reels Tab or Explore, they will enter a viewer that exclusively shows reels that scroll vertically.

    Just like any other ad on Instagram, Instagram will also provide people with controls on the Reels ads they see. If people see an ad they don’t like, they can skip the ad, or tap the menu on the post to hide or report it

  • GroupM and Choreograph Expand Offering to 12 Markets in Africa

    GroupM and Choreograph Expand Offering to 12 Markets in Africa

    GroupM SSA and WPP’s Choreograph announced today the expansion of proprietary Audience Origin data service into 12 markets in Africa, in response to a growing need from clients for better quality of data and insights around consumer attitudes, preferences and behaviour.

    Audience Origin, formerly known as LIVEPanel, will be available in the following markets: Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.

    Audience Origin is an integral part of WPP’s newly-created Choreograph, a global data products and technology company operated by GroupM, purpose-built for an era that demands a new approach to data management, usage, and brand growth.

    According to Federico de Nardis, GroupM Sub-Saharan Africa CEO: “Audience Origin provides an unprecedented depth of understanding of the human mindset, through a connected global data foundation that uses privacy-first data collection via our proprietary consumer survey. This is a great opportunity for our key clients to gain insights into the lesser researched African consumer segments.”

    Ramona Daniel, Audience Origin Research Director, added: “The Audience Origin product is even more relevant and urgently needed in Africa, where in many markets advertisers have historically lacked robust and reliable consumer research data, that is not only local, but can be also aggregated for a global point of view”.

    GroupM has had a strong and direct presence in all key markets in Africa for a long time and “by extending the Audience Origin offering to more markets, we empower our clients to be able to access locally-relevant, and actionable data. This ultimately helps them understand their consumers at an unprecedented level of depth, and as a result, run more impactful campaigns and grow their businesses” adds Seni Adetu, CEO, GroupM Nigeria

    About Audience Origin

    • Has a unique combination of panel-based data, digital data, and client data for deep audience understanding and activation.
    • Features a globally consistent Core Survey at its centre, which feeds global and local planning tools while delivering audience insights, including niche audiences.
    • Uses a scaled and flexible approach, allowing clients to access the data they need while also linking to their own data (whether it’s CRM, segment, journey, or tracking) via data fusions.
    • In addition to the 12 markets in Africa, Audience Origin is available in 60+ markets worldwide.

    Created in collaboration with the world’s leading media agencies (Mindshare, MediaCom, Wavemaker) and GroupM, Audience Origin allows access via agency planning tools and cross-tabulation platforms. “This launch will cover all major markets in Africa and is testament to the great commitment, focus and investment from GroupM and WPP on the continent” states Federico de Nardis, who chairs the GroupM Africa Steering Committee, that will harmonise processes across owned and affiliates offices by focusing the attention on three strategic pillars: people, data and technology.

  • Basketball Africa League and Flutterwave Announce Multiyear Partnership

    Basketball Africa League and Flutterwave Announce Multiyear Partnership

    …Inaugural BAL Season Taking Place May 16-30 in Kigali, Rwanda

    The Basketball Africa League (BAL) today announced a multiyear partnership with Flutterwave that makes the payments technology company an associate partner of the BAL.  The inaugural BAL season tipped off yesterday at the Kigali Arena in Rwanda, with 12 teams from across Africa competing in the new professional league.  The first BAL Finals will be held Sunday, May 30.

     

    Flutterwave, which was founded in 2016 and recently named among Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Companies, provides innovative payment solutions to more than 290,000 businesses and has an infrastructure reach in more 33 African countries, including Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.  The partnership will leverage the BAL and Flutterwave’s shared commitment to driving economic growth across the continent through the launch of a digital campaign that will provide select African entrepreneurs and small businesses with the opportunity to travel, connect and engage with other African markets.

    “As a lifelong Basketball fan, I am excited that we are able to team up with the BAL as it tips off its inaugural season,” said Flutterwave Chief Commercial Officer, Ifeoluwa Orioke.  “There’s progress going on in Africa, and this is the time to tap into the enthusiasm of young people to unite the continent and open doors for young Africans through sports.”

    “Technology plays an important role in basketball and our ability to make our content and products accessible and convenient for fans to consume,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall.  “This partnership also reflects our ambition to play a role in the industries that will shape the continent’s economic growth, facilitate entrepreneurship and strengthen the continent’s position on the global stage.”

    Champions from the national leagues in Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia earned their participation in the inaugural season.  The remaining six teams, which come from Algeria, Cameroon, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique and Rwanda, secured their participation through BAL qualifying tournaments conducted by FIBA Regional Office Africa across the continent in late 2019.

     

  • FirstWave signs Level 1 Partner Agreement with pan-African technology company, Moja Access

    FirstWave signs Level 1 Partner Agreement with pan-African technology company, Moja Access

    Leading Australian-headquartered, FirstWave has announced the signing of a three-year Level 1 Partner Agreement with Moja Access, part of CSquared Group, a pan-African technology company. FirstWave provides safety through the most accessible and adaptive cloud-based cybersecurity solutions that are affordable and easy to implement. Its unique proprietary cloud platform orchestration is available for service providers and enterprises of any size, anywhere.

    Moja Access is the Kenya-based operating company of CSquared, with a goal to make commercially driven investments to improve and increase connectivity and internet access in Sub-Saharan Africa. Internet users across the African nations can now be protected on CSquared’s network from cyber intruders, on a consumption basis, at an affordable monthly price.

    In the initial phase of this partnership, FirstWave has deployed its recently launched FirstCloud WebProtect DNS platform for each of CSquared’s four territories for use by CSquared’s operating companies and Level 2 partners. The partnership builds on other recent signings opening further opportunity for FirstWave’s cybersecurity-as-a-service portfolio in Africa, first revenues to flow immediately under ‘opt-out’ path to market.

    CSquared currently operates fibre and last mile WiFi networks in several cities across Kenya, Uganda, Ghana and Liberia, with over 40 mobile operators and internet service providers relying on its infrastructure for serving mobile consumers and corporate customers. These four African nations had over 10 million Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and over 70 million internet users at the end of 2020.

    FirstWave’s CEO, Neil Pollock, said, “I’m delighted to welcome CSquared Group’s Moja Access as our 8th Level 1 partner and see initial revenues already flowing from the partnership. CSquared is a fast-growing pan- African service provider backed by two large global corporations Google LLC and Mitsui & Co. CSquared already delivers robust fibre connectivity and internet access to thousands of end-customers via its 40+ mobile operator and ISP clients. With revenues already delivered, the partnership has had a really positive start.”

  • Spotify berths in Nigeria

    Spotify berths in Nigeria

    …launches revolutionary audio discovery of over 2.2 million podcast titles, 70 million tracks, 4 billion playlists and personalisation features

    Spotify (NYSE: SPOT), the world’s most popular global audio streaming subscription service, is now available in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda as of 23 February. With a worldwide community of more than 345 million monthly active listeners, Spotify will offer a world-class audio listening and music discovery experience to listeners. The Spotify service is available for free or with an upgrade to Spotify Premium, a subscription service that offers an ad-free music listening experience.

    Spotify launches in Nigeria with its unrivalled mix of features that have made it the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service, including more than 70 million international and local songs, 2.2 million podcasts and over 4 billion playlists. The platform offers everyday new music and podcast discovery, algorithmic recommendations personalised to each listener’s audio taste, and the freedom to engage Spotify across a wide range of devices and app integrations with Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Samsung, Tinder, Google Maps, Nike, and more.

    “We are incredibly excited about the opportunity to bring together creators and listeners around the world. As we’ve expanded our international reach over the years, we’ve connected over 8 million artists with listeners across nearly every continent, putting Spotify firmly at the heart of the global audio economy,” said Alex Norström, Chief Freemium Business Officer of Spotify. “Launching in these new markets is a key next step to fulfilling our ongoing commitment to building a truly borderless audio ecosystem.”

    “African creators have always pushed boundaries, innovating and creating incredible sounds and starting from today we are giving them access and the opportunity to connect with a global audience of fans. By bringing in a best in class product and a localized experience made for Africa, we will contribute to boosting the growth of the local streaming ecosystem,” said Phiona Okumu, Spotify Head of Music Sub-Saharan Africa. “We hope our new listeners are going to love the revolutionary audio experience we are bringing to the rest of the continent.”

    Spotify’s most-popular feature “playlists” are made for Africa

    Spotify has uniquely tailored its music experience for Africa, expertly curated and updated regularly with more than 100 playlists across some of the most popular genres in the continent.

    o TOP Playlists: Hot Hits Naija, Hot Hits Ghana and more.

    o Genre Playlists: Bongo Flava, Made in Kenya, Gbedu, Naija Bars, Be Lifted, (+)233 Bars, Gwarn, Asakaa, Gengetone Fire and more.

    o Thematic Playlists: Paper Chase, Chill Bops, Party Dey!, Troski Rhythms, Soloku, Sound Semester, Pump It Up and more.

    o ‘Starring’ playlists: This Is Tekno, This Is Yemi Alade, This Is Stonebwoy, This Is Sarkodie, This Is Sauti Sol, This Is Diamond Platnumz and more.

    Listeners will also have access to Spotify’s Afro genre hub that encompasses a wide range of African music, including AmaPiano Grooves, Afropop, African Heat, Phenomenal Woman. In addition, RADAR Africa, a playlist uncovering the most exciting artists on the rise from the African continent and diaspora, is part of Spotify’s global emerging artist program.

    Over and above these playlists for Africa, Spotify has a playlist for any mood and moment, with billions of creator and fan built playlists to this mix.

    Spotify also offers:

    · Spotify Free to listeners: To build an experience that adds value to the rich African music industry and to amplify the music experience, the Spotify app is available for free to listeners in Nigeria.

    · Personalised music recommendations and discovery features: Spotify’s music recommendation engine allows local listeners to enjoy personalised discovery features including Daily Mix (up to six individual playlists combining your favourite tracks with new songs we think you’ll love), Release Radar (a personalised playlist of new music based on the artists you follow and listen to most, updated every Friday) and Discover Weekly (a playlist based on your unique listening habits).

    · Spotify Lite: Regardless of your network connectivity, data plan, and whether or not you have the latest phone, Spotify Lite allows listeners to enjoy the full Spotify experience. Lite is a small, fast, and simplified version of our unparalleled music experience that works much like the main app. Listeners will still be able to search and play their favorite songs and artists, save them, share with others, discover new music, and enjoy personalized playlists, but with a few extra features making it ideal for older devices and operating systems.

    · Play everywhere: With Spotify Connect your phone can become your universal remote for all of your listening experience.

    · Spotify for Artists: The platform offers tools that help artists, managers, and labels track real-time statistics for new releases, understand their audience, connect more deeply with fans, and run their business.

    In Nigeria, listeners can upgrade to Spotify Premium for the ultimate Spotify experience for 900 NGN per month. The Premium Family plan is available for 1,400 NGN for up to 6 family members living under one roof. The Spotify Premium DUO (1,200 NGN) is a subscription plan for two people living at the same home address, which includes Duo Mix, a regularly updated playlist made just for the two subscribers to discover audio they both love and enjoy together. Spotify Premium for Students will cost 450 NGN per month.

    Over the coming days, listeners in more countries across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and Latin America will have instant access to a world of audio, and the most talented creators will be empowered to turn their passion into a profession.

    The Spotify app is available to download for free or with an upgrade to Spotify Premium. To enjoy music the way you want it, download the Spotify app today via the Android or iOS app store or by heading to www.spotify.com/free.

  • Access Bank Lagos City Marathon rescheduled for April 10

    Access Bank Lagos City Marathon rescheduled for April 10

    Organisers of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon have announced the postponement of this year’s edition of the event earlier slated for February 13 to April 10.

     

    The Chief Executive Officer of Nilayo Sports Management, Bukola Olapade, put out this statement. Bukola Olapade asserted that the postponement became necessary as a result of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

    He, however, maintained that the decision to reduce the total number of athletes to participate in this year’s edition from 100,000 runners to 300 remain sacrosanct. This, according to him was in compliance with COVID-19 safety protocol.

    He said the 300 tickets would be distributed to athletes from the country and those coming from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, United Kingdom, USA, and other countries.

    “We are not going to increase the number from 300 runners even though a lot of foreign athletes want to use the silver label Access Bank Lagos City marathon to cement their qualification for the Tokyo Olympics,” he said.

    “As we speak, this Lagos city marathon has been listed by World Athletics as qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics. Even the April 10 date is already on their website.

    “The 2021 Lagos City Marathon would be exclusive for the 42km race. The 10km race and the wheelchair race won’t be part of this year’s edition. The health of the athletes and everyone, who will attend the event, is very important to us. The absence of the 10km race won’t take away the glamour of the event.”

  • Burna Boy & Diamond Platnumz lead in MAMA Kampala 2021’s Second Nominee’s list

    Burna Boy & Diamond Platnumz lead in MAMA Kampala 2021’s Second Nominee’s list

    The second list of nominees for the upcoming MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 (MAMA) on 20 February spotlights Nigeria’s Burna Boy and Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz who top the list with three nominations each. Five talented African musicians – Innoss’B, Master KG, Nomcebo Zikode, Simi, and Wizkid – also topped the second nominees list with two awards each.

    Consistent to previous MAMAs, category announcements are phased over several weeks in lead up to the main event on 20 February. The six categories in total announced in the second round of nominations comprise – Best Collaboration, Best Alternative, Best Fan Base Award, Best International Act, Personality of the Year and Song of the Year. The remaining three categories – the MAMA Legend Award, the Video of the Year Award and the MAMA Generation Change Award – will be revealed on the night of the MAMA Kampala 2021.

    Monde Twala, Senior Vice President and General Manager at ViacomCBS Networks Africa (VCNA) said, “Congratulations to all our nominees who have been recognised as we build up to the MAMA Kampala 2021 virtual awards ceremony. African artists deserve the recognition and must be celebrated for their commitment and dedication in driving the power of creativity and music to inspire the youth on the continent to take African culture to the world.”

    For the category of Best Collaboration, Burna Boy was nominated twice, for his song ‘Monsters You Made’, with global artist Chris Martin, and with South Africa’s Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode for ‘Jerusalema Remix’. Diamond Platnumz also made this list with his collaboration with Innoss’B, ‘Yope Remix’. Other nominees in this category include Yemi Alade and Angelique Kidjo for ‘Shekere,’ Wizkid and H.E.R. for ‘Smile,’ and ‘Already’ by Beyoncé, Shatta Wale and Major Lazer.

    The Best Alternative category features some of the continent’s most successful alternative artists, including Nigeria’s Adekunle Gold and Simi; Ami Faku, who hails from South Africa; Ghana’s Amaarae; AfrotroniX from Chad and Kenya’s Matata.

    The most highly contested category is the Song of the Year, which features 12 nominees in total, including artists from South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Equally a heated contest category is the Best Fan Base Award which features a diversity of 10 nominations across the continent from eight countries to compete for fan favourite.

    “Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, is excited to bring the best of Africa’s musical talent to the world,” noted The Honourable, Godfrey Kiwanda, State Minister for Tourism, Uganda. “It is an honour to be part of the MAMA Kampala 2021 and support its commitment to the growth of African music. This is also a great opportunity for Uganda to share its heritage and culture beyond music to its people, landscapes, wildlife and history.”

    The nominees are selected by the MAMA Kampala 2021 Academy, an esteemed group of music industry, opinion formers and tastemakers from across the African continent who are tasked with selecting the very best of African talent who have received airplay on MTV Base over the previous year. In addition, the nominees they select must bring Africa’s culture, music and pulse to a global audience and serve as an inspiration to the youth. 

    Voting for MAMA KAMPALA 2021 is open at www.mtvmama.com, and affiliated Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts. Voting in all categories closes on 31 January 2021.

    The MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 will be broadcast on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and MTV Africa (DStv Channel 130) on Saturday 20 February 2021 at 20:00 WAT / 21:00 CAT / 22:00 EAT. The show will also be aired on MTV channels across multiple continents as a one-hour MAMA-themed MTV World Stage feature.

    For more information on the MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021, go to www.mtvmama.com, like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MTVBaseVerified, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @MTVBaseAfrica. To join the conversation about the awards, please use the hashtag #MTVMAMA2021 #VISITUGANDA.

    MAMA 2021 Award Categories 11 – 16

    Song of the Year

    ‘Amanikiniki’ – MFR Souls featuring Major League Djz, Kamo Mphela & Bontle Smith (South Africa)

    ‘Duduke’ – Simi (Nigeria)

    ‘FEM’ – Davido (Nigeria)

    ‘Jeje’ – Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

    ‘Jerusalema’ – Master KG featuring Nomcebo Zikode (South Africa)

    ‘John Vuli Gate’ – Mapara A Jazz Feat Ntosh Gazi & Colano (South Africa)

    ‘Monsters You Made’ – Burna Boy featuring Chris Martin (Nigeria/UK)

    ‘Munda Awo’ by B2C (Uganda)

    ‘Nobody’ – DJ Neptune featuring Joeboy and Mr Eazi (Nigeria)

    ‘Olandi’ – Innoss’B (Democratic Republic of Congo)

    ‘Suzanna’ – Sauti Sol (Kenya)

    ‘Te Amo’ – Calema (São Tomé and Principe)

    Best Collaboration

    Beyoncé, Shatta Wale & Major Lazer – ‘Already’ (USA / Ghana)

    Burna Boy & Chris Martin – ‘Monsters You Made’ (Nigeria / UK)

    Innoss’B & Diamond Platnumz – ‘Yope Remix’ (Democratic Republic of Congo / Tanzania)

    Master KG, Burna Boy & Nomcebo Zikode – ‘Jerusalema Remix’ (South Africa / Nigeria)

    Wizkid & H.E.R. – ‘Smile’ (Nigeria / USA)

    Yemi Alade & Angelique Kidjo – ‘Shekere’ (Nigeria / Benin)

    Best Alternative

    Adekunle Gold (Nigeria)

    AfrotroniX (Chad)

    Amaarae (Ghana)

    Ami Faku (South Africa)

    Matata (Kenya)

    Simi (Nigeria)

    Best International Act

    Beyoncé

    DaBaby

    DJ Khaled

    Drake

    Megan Thee Stallion

    The Weeknd

    Best Fan Base Award

    A-Reece (South Africa)

    Cassper Nyovest (South Africa)

    Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

    Eddy Kenzo (Uganda)

    Fally Ipupa (Democratic Republic of Congo)

    Nadia Mukami (Kenya)

    Naira Marley (Nigeria)

    Serge Beynaud (Côte d’Ivoire)

    Shatta Wale (Ghana)

    Wizkid (Nigeria)

    Personality of the Year

    Elsa Majimbo (Kenya)

    Mark Angel (Nigeria)

    Sadio Mané (Senegal)

    Siya Kolisi (South Africa)

    Yvonne Orji (Nigeria)

    Zozibini Tunzi (South Africa)

    MAMA Legend Award

    To be announced at the awards ceremony

    Video of the Year

    To be announced at the awards ceremony

    MAMA Generation Change Award

    To be announced at the awards ceremony

  • Google opens first Google Developers Space in Lagos

    Google opens first Google Developers Space in Lagos

    Google has launched its first Google Developers Space in Lagos, Nigeria. Previously referred to as the Google Launchpad Space, the Google Developers Space is a hub for African developers, entrepreneurs and startups.

    Google opens first Google Developers Space in Lagos (Photos)

    Google CEO Sundar Pichai, made a commitment to African entrepreneurs In July 2017,  to start the Launchpad Accelerator Africa program and launch a space to house these efforts in Nigeria. Google is launching the Google Developers Space in Lagos today to provide that home, and space where entrepreneurs, developers, VCs and investors can connect and collaborate with each other.

    Google opens first Google Developers Space in Lagos (Photos)

    “Google is strengthening its commitment to supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Africa by opening the Google Developers Space today. We have partnered with Impact Hub to bring the Space to life and worked with a local company called Spacefinish, which designed it specifically to create an environment that fosters collaboration and innovation. We’re looking forward to working with startups and other players in the ecosystem from across the continent at the Space,” says Launchpad Accelerator Africa head of Operations, Onajite Emerhor. 

    Google opens first Google Developers Space in Lagos (Photos)

    Google does not charge for use of the space, which in addition to housing Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa will support developer meetups, training, experts office hours, Women in tech events, startup programs (outside of Launchpad), partner events that support the wider entrepreneur and developer ecosystem, as well as Google initiatives for empowering people through digital skills training.

    Launchpad Accelerator Africa has worked with 47 startups since the first class kicked off in early 2018. These companies have raised millions of dollars in investments and created over nine hundred jobs across the continent. Launchpad Africa has accelerated startups from 17 African countries so far: Algeria, Botswana, Cameroon, Côte D’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The next class will kick off at the Google Developer Space in May 2020

    Google opens first Google Developers Space in Lagos (Photos)
    Google opens first Google Developers Space in Lagos (Photos)

    “This space is the next step to our support for developers across the continent. From our commitment to training 100 000 developers across Africa and the launch of developer merchant support in the Google Play store, making it possible for developers to earn money through apps they build. We are excited to continue our journey with the African startup and developer communities,” says Juliet Ehimuan, Country Director, Google Nigeriaq

    Through Google Developer Groups and Women Techmakers, Google provides training aligned with real-life job competency requirements. There are 173 active Google Developer Groups (GDGs) in Africa, providing an opportunity for developers to meet other developers with similar interests at GDG meetup events, which include talks on a wide range of technical topics and hands-on workshops. GDGs also host DevFests – community-led developer events focused on community building and learning about Google’s technologies. Last year, more than 100 DevFest events were held across Africa.

    “Africa’s startup ecosystem is growing and this space is our way of supporting and being a part of that growth. We’re looking forward to working with startups and other players in the ecosystem from across the continent at the Space,” says Emerhor.