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⚖️CBN Grants Final Licenses to 82 BDCs

⚖️CBN Grants Final Licenses to 82 BDCs

Plus: 🤖ChatGPT Mobile App Surpasses $3B in Spending

Innovation Village
December 22, 2025

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Good Morning Valued Subscribers👋

Detty December always looks good on the surface, packed events, sold-out shows, busy restaurants, nonstop transactions, and money moving everywhere. But beneath the celebration and constant swiping is a quieter problem many businesses only realize after the music fades. As transactions spike, so do disputes, reversed payments, and fraudulent chargebacks that quietly eat into revenue weeks later.

For merchants, fintechs, and platforms, the festive rush isn’t just about handling volume; it’s about surviving what comes after. One bad chargeback cycle can undo a month of “record sales,” strain cash flow, and even threaten relationships with payment providers. Today’s edition takes a closer look at that hidden side of the season, the risks that grow alongside the festivities, and why Detty December can be as financially dangerous as it is lucrative if businesses aren’t paying attention.

Let’s dive in.👇

Today’s Menu ☕️

⚖️CBN Grants Final Licenses to 82 BDCs
📰Kenya Hands Smart Driving License Rollout to Private Firms
💼How SeamlessHR Is Rethinking Hiring in a Japa Economy
💵Detty December’s Hidden Cost to Nigeria’s Economy
🤖ChatGPT Mobile App Surpasses $3B in Spending

⚖️REGULATION

CBN Grants Final Licenses to 82 BDCs

The Central Bank of Nigeria has issued final operating licenses to 82 Bureau-De-Change operators under its revised forex regulatory framework, marking a key step in its efforts to reform the retail FX market. The newly approved BDCs emerged from a stricter screening process that emphasized higher capital requirements, stronger corporate governance, and tighter AML and KYC compliance. By sharply reducing the number of licensed operators, the CBN aims to curb illicit currency trading, reduce market distortions, and strengthen transparency and oversight..........….continue reading

📰NEWS

Kenya Hands Smart Driving License Rollout to Private Firms

The Kenyan government has approved the transfer of its second-generation smart driving license rollout to private companies after years of delays and missed targets under the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA). Since launching in 2017, the programme has issued just 2.1 million licenses out of a planned five million, with audit reports revealing large volumes of unused cards and weak deployment planning. Under the new public-private partnership model, private firms will manage issuance and technology, introducing advanced features such as digital license wallets, automated fines, and a merit–demerit points system............….continue reading

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💼BUSINESS

How SeamlessHR Is Rethinking Hiring in a Japa Economy

SeamlessHR’s latest Recruitment Management System upgrade tackles one of Africa’s biggest talent challenges: hiring fast in a market shaped by emigration and global competition. By embedding employee referrals directly into its platform, automating hiring workflows through webhooks, and introducing structured, data-driven interviews, SeamlessHR shifts recruitment from a slow, HR-only function into a company-wide, strategic process. The update prioritises speed, collaboration, and mobile-first experiences—critical advantages for African companies competing for scarce talent in a borderless job market............….continue reading

💵PAYMENTS

Detty December’s Hidden Cost to Nigeria’s Economy

Detty December fuels one of Nigeria’s most intense spending cycles, driving massive transaction volumes across events, hospitality, e-commerce, and fintech. But behind the festive boom is a growing risk: fraudulent chargebacks. As rushed purchases, same-day deliveries, informal vendors, and diaspora spending collide, merchants face higher dispute rates—often over legitimate transactions. Weak delivery proof, unclear merchant descriptors, and overwhelmed support teams leave businesses vulnerable long after the celebrations end...............…continue reading

🤖ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

ChatGPT Mobile App Surpasses $3B in Spending

OpenAI’s ChatGPT mobile app has surpassed $3 billion in global consumer spending, marking one of the fastest revenue milestones in mobile app history. Since launching in May 2023, the app has reached the figure in just over 31 months through subscriptions such as ChatGPT Plus and Pro. The rapid growth highlights rising consumer willingness to pay for AI-powered tools and underscores the growing role of mobile-first AI assistants in everyday productivity, learning, and creativity............…continue reading