• Registered customers for M-Pesa Ethiopia rose to 3.1 million from 1.2 million as of half the Financial Year 2023/2024, transacting worth $115.63 million.
• Ethiopia’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2021–2025 aims to increase financial inclusion from 45 to 70 per cent of all adults by 2025, partly by scaling digital payments through mobile money services.
• The country also aims to increase the use of digital payments from 20 per cent of all adults in 2020 to 49 per cent by 2025.

Revenue growth for M-Pesa Ethiopia

Safaricom’s M-Pesa in Ethiopia reported revenue returns of $277,139.43 over the nine months ending in December 2023.

Following its August 2023 launch, the operations generated $45,000 over the first four months, with further commitment to grow the numbers.

Registered customers for M-Pesa Ethiopia rose to 3.1 million from 1.2 million as of half the Financial Year 2023/2024, transacting worth $115.63 million.

However, the opportunity for …

• Tanzania-based clean energy company, TRí, is introducing electric tricycles to the country’s transportation sector to reduce carbon emissions.
• On average, the oil-powered motorcycle is estimated to be 10 times more polluting per mile than a passenger car, light truck, or SUV.
• The move to roll out electric motorcycles aligns with Tanzania’s Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) Program, which aims to promote zero emissions by 2030.

The transport industry accounts for a significant amount of carbon emissions in Tanzania and around the world. Through players in the private sector, Tanzania is turning the tide with green transport startup, TRí, launching electrical tricycles in the market.

These tricycles promise cost savings for thousands of riders, especially small-scale traders who dominate the country’s transport industry.

With the rising cost of fuel, electric tricycles are becoming the go-to option for traders who are keen on protecting their margins, with TRí’s market survey showing that their …

• Scams to watch for this year will include Investment scams that can appear as trustworthy financial organisations promising incredible returns. 
• Scammers build trust with their victims by using fake profiles on dating sites or social media.
• Posing as IT technicians, these scammers try to convince you that there’s something wrong with your computer and offer to fix it.

Watch out! In 2024, scammers have some new tricks, such as deepfake impersonation. Fostering a zero-trust mindset can help keep you safe from these scams. Cyber security platform  KnowBe4 Africa Senior Vice President Anna Collard highlights key scams for this year.

Deepfake impersonation scams

Imagine receiving a voice note from your CEO instructing you to transfer money to a bank account. You follow the instructions without realising that the voice note is a deepfake. And just like that, you have fallen for a scam.

Deepfakes make use of AI technologies to create

The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) in South Africa recently fell victim to a cyberattack, potentially compromising the sensitive data of at least three million entities and individuals registered with the commission.

The breach occurred earlier this March and exposed a wide range of sensitive information, including addresses, credit card details, ID numbers, and company names. The CIPC has urged its clients to remain vigilant for any unusual requests or messages and to be cautious when receiving emails, even those appearing to be from the CIPC email address.

Lungile Dukwana, the organization’s Chief Strategy Executive, stated that the attack appeared to be targeted. Upon discovering the breach, the CIPC’s ICT technicians promptly shut down part of the systems to prevent further unauthorized access. However, the full extent of the breach and the data compromised are still under investigation.

This breach underscores the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures to …

• The digital revolution has transformed how we approach education. Today, we have the world at our fingertips – literally.
• From researching to drafting and editing, every step of creating a college assignment can be enhanced with technology.
• Utilizing these resources saves time and ensures that your references are credible and up-to-date.

Navigating through the labyrinth of college assignments can be quite a challenge. It’s like being an explorer in the vast world of academia, where each assignment is a new territory to conquer.

But what if you had a map and compass in the form of technology? In today’s digital age, tech tools are not just accessories but essential allies in the quest for academic success.

The Digital Revolution in Education

Remember the days of poring over stacks of books in the library? While traditional methods are charming, the digital revolution has transformed how we approach education. Today, we have …

• The economic benefits of green innovation primarily manifest through increased investment in the initial years.
• Research indicates that doubling green patent filings can elevate the gross domestic product by 1.7 percent after five years.
• The IMF advises against the use of government policies that restrict international trade to support domestic industries, cautioning against the act of protectionism.

The IMF states that the momentum of low-carbon innovation has now slowed, as promising technologies are not spreading rapidly enough to lower-income countries including in Africa where they can be particularly helpful.

This is in spite of the progress made in the recent past when green innovation reached its peak at 10 per cent of total patent filings in 2010.

“Since then, it has experienced a mild decline, reflecting various factors, including hydraulic fracking lowering the price of oil and technological maturity in some initial technologies such as renewables, which slows the pace …