💸 dLocal and AZA Finance Unite for Africa

Today’s Menu ☕️

💸 dLocal and AZA Finance Unite to Enhance Cross-Border Payments in Africa
🚙 Estonian Rival Bolt Launches Hopp Ride-Hailing Service in Canada, Challenging Uber and Lyft
💻 Bento’s Financial Missteps Leave Ghanaian Businesses In Limbo
🪙 The Role of Digital Currencies in Strengthening African Economies
📱How African Influencers Can Monetize Threads by Meta in 2025

If you haven't subscribed, join over 7,000 people curious about Innovation, New Products, New Technologies in Africa.

💸 PAYMENTS

dLocal and AZA Finance Unite to Enhance Cross-Border Payments in Africa

dLocal, a leading cross-border payment platform, and AZA Finance, a prominent fintech company specializing in payments and foreign exchange in Africa, have entered into a strategic partnership designed to expand both companies’ service offerings through mutual cross-selling. By integrating dLocal’s robust cross-border payment infrastructure with AZA Finance’s specialized foreign exchange capabilities and extensive network of regional licenses, customers of both firms are set to experience improved payment processing, broader reach, and enhanced financial services.

This collaboration marks a significant milestone for both companies as they work to streamline international transactions and foster financial inclusion across the continent. With this partnership, merchants and consumers in key African markets will benefit from seamless foreign exchange conversion and faster, more reliable cross-border payment solutions. The joint effort is expected to enhance service delivery particularly in countries like Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Egypt, Cameroon, and Zambia........…continue reading

🚙 RIDE-HAILING

Estonian Rival Bolt Launches Hopp Ride-Hailing Service in Canada, Challenging Uber and Lyft

In a bold move to challenge established ride-hailing giants in Canada, Estonia-based Bolt has launched its Hopp service in the Greater Toronto Area. This expansion marks a significant step in Bolt’s recent push into the North American market, as the company seeks to extend its global reach beyond its stronghold in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Hopp made its Canadian debut in key urban centers including Toronto, Mississauga, Markham, Vaughan, and Richmond Hill, adding to the 600 cities in 50 countries where Bolt already operates. Despite entering a market where Uber has been dominant since 2012 and Lyft since 2017, Hopp’s general manager for Canada, David Riggs, remains optimistic. “Ride hailing isn’t a winner-takes-all marketplace,” Riggs explained. “Monopolies get challenged in these marketplaces all the time, and regional players have successfully contested large competitors in recent years.”......…continue reading

STARTUPS

Bento’s Financial Missteps Leave Ghanaian Businesses In Limbo

In recent developments, several Ghanaian businesses have reported difficulties due to Bento Africa’s failure to remit taxes and pension contributions on behalf of some of its Ghanaian customers.

Back in 2021, Bento Africa expanded its operations into Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda. The firm, which has already faced criticism in Nigeria for neglecting tax and pension remittances for its Nigerian clients, now appears to be struggling in Ghana as well. Two sources familiar with the matter claim that inadequate documentation and a high staff turnover rate have hindered Bento from processing these funds correctly. One source stated, “Bento has neglected to record information that clients have provided over the years.”

The same sources explain that Bento’s inability to meet its pension and tax obligations in Ghana is largely due to poor record-keeping and frequent employee departures. This has led to delays, and in some instances, Bento has collected funds from clients without filing the necessary tax documents........…continue reading

🪙 DIGITAL CURRENCY

The Role of Digital Currencies in Strengthening African Economies

Digital currencies seem to facilitate the new-world economy. This revolution has made waves across Africa in recent years, whether a person indugles in Bitcoin transfers in Lagos or mobile-based stablecoins in Nairobi, digital currencies seem to have pervaded every nook and cranny of the continent.

Even though, as it stands, the idea of digital currencies is largely theoretical, Africa’s unique issues are ushering in their everyday use. In a continent that is infamous for its economic challenges, from inflation to currency instability and even restricted access to financial institutions, it seems like digital currencies are increasingly becoming more than just speculative assets but rather tools for survival and empowerment in African economies.......…continue reading

📱SOCIAL MEDIA

How African Influencers Can Monetize Threads by Meta in 2025

In 2025, Threads by Meta has been titled one of the fastest-growing platforms for influencers in Africa. Though it began as a text-based extension of Instagram, Threads has since expanded with video, community spaces, and – most importantly – several features to monetize.

In today’s financially competitive landscape, African creators can build a brand and earn money, as the platform gives some unique opportunities to monetize their social media movement. Here is how Africans can make Threads pocket-savvy for themselves in 2025.

One of the most significant ways to earn on Threads is through paid subscriptions. A common feature on social media platforms, it allows followers to pay for exclusive content, giving influencers a chance to show their more authentic selves for a higher pay......…continue reading

OPPORTUNITIES

• Applications are now open for the latest edition of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP), designed to support startups through comprehensive training, mentorship, and a funding opportunity of US$5,000 Deadline = 1st Mar 2025……..continue reading

• Global payment card network Visa has announced the opening of applications for the fourth edition of its biannual Africa Fintech Accelerator. Deadline = 15th March 2025…….continue reading

Do you know you can join and follow us on our WhatsApp Channel?