By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A WhatsApp-based self-service chatbot known as Airtel Assist has been introduced by Airtel Nigeria to offer real-time support to millions of customers on its network.

This is another bold step taken by the foremost telecommunications and mobile money provider to boost its service delivery.

Built to meet the growing needs of today’s digital consumer, Airtel Assist provides round the clock full-service experience that allows customers to check balances, buy airtime or data, make secure payments, troubleshoot issues, and access personalised assistance all from the convenience of WhatsApp.

The new chatbot highlights Airtel’s continued integration of AI-powered tools to scale service delivery, reduce wait times, and maintain secure customer interactions, solidifying its position as a customer-first, innovation-led brand in Nigeria’s telecom landscape. It also demonstrates the company’s clear ambition to lead innovation in Nigeria’s telecom sector by adopting tools that are secure, scalable, and inclusive.

All Airtel subscribers may activateAirtel Assist by sending a WhatsApp message to +2348028800000 or clicking https://wa.me/2348028800000.

The chief executive of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Dinesh Balsingh, while speaking on the launch of the initiative, said, “This is Airtel meeting Nigerians exactly where they are, on platforms they trust and use every day.

“With Airtel Assist, we are adapting technology at the personal level. It’s fast, secure, and always available, designed to serve real people with real needs, in real time. As a company with a constant focus on customer satisfaction, this is one of the ways we make customer care more accessible.”

Also, the Director of Marketing at Airtel Nigeria, Mr Ismail Adeshina, explained that Airtel Assist was developed with both convenience and empathy in mind.

“Everything about Airtel Assist is designed to simplify and enhance the way our customers engage with us. Whether it’s to check data balance in the middle of a conversation, buying data while commuting, or resolving issues after hours, Airtel Assist is always available, right there on their phones,” he said.

On his part, the company’s Head of Digital Products and Innovation, Mr Oyebowale Akideinde, noted that the product’s intuitive design and ease of use is a demonstration of adaptive technology, adapted for the nuances of local consumers.

“With Airtel Assist, we’re unlocking a human way to connect on one of Nigeria’s favourite digital platforms: WhatsApp! You can now recharge, check balances, and get help instantly,” he said.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

To enable seamless cross-border payments for licensed International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) across Africa, Airtel Money Africa has partnered with pawaPay.

This collaboration officially launches pawaPay’s service for inbound remittances into Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, Gabon, Congo Brazzaville, and Tanzania.

Remittances remain critical for millions of Africans, enabling family support, entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion.

This partnership ensures secure, instant mobile wallet transactions, key to advancing Africa’s digital economy. pawaPay will extend this capability to additional Airtel Money Africa markets in coming months.

The partnership allows IMTOs to efficiently deliver funds globally directly to recipients’ more than 161 million Airtel Money customers wallets, leveraging pawaPay’s renowned reliability, scalability, and 99.9 per cent platform uptime.

Building on five years of trusted collaboration in domestic mobile money, this expansion strengthens and simplifies Airtel Money Africa’s backend processes, using pawaPay’s robust payment service provider infrastructure, which processes over four million transactions daily.

“We’re pleased to expand our partnership with pawaPay to advance international remittances across Africa. Their proven reliability and commitment to African consumers make them an ideal partner.

“This integration empowers International Money Transfer Operators to securely connect with Airtel Money’s growing footprint, delivering real-time payments that support financial inclusion and economic growth,” the chief executive of Airtel Money Africa, Ian Ferrao, said.

Also, the chief executive of pawaPay, Nikolai Barnwell, said, “Our mission is to simplify payments for businesses in Africa, and remittances are pivotal.

“Deepening our relationship with Airtel Money allows International Money Transfer Operators to leverage our world-class infrastructure for seamless cross-border payments.”

By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigerian food delivery platform, Chowdeck, has raised $9 million in Series A funding to expand its operations in Nigeria and Ghana.

The equity round was led by Novastar Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator, AAIC Investment, Rebel Fund, GFR Fund, Kaleo, and HoaQ, among others.

The investment points to the profitability of Chowdeck in a sector that seen multiple exits, including Bolt Food and Jumia.

According to the chief executive and co-founder of Chowdeck, Mr Femi Aluko, the new round will help boost the company’s growth plans

“We’re thrilled about this round as it brings us closer to our vision of becoming Africa’s number one super app. This funding will supercharge our growth plans, enabling us to expand into more cities, reduce delivery times, scale our grocery footprint, and attract the best talent to drive innovation and customer satisfaction,” he said.

Founded in October 2021 by Mr Aluko, Mr Olumide Ojo, and Mr Lanre Yusuf, Chowdeck operates in 11 cities across Nigeria and Ghana, serving 1.5 million customers with a network of more than 20,000 riders. Its logistics system averages 30 minutes per order, and in dense areas, more than half of deliveries arrive by bicycle.

In 2024, the value of meals delivered through Chowdeck grew more than sixfold from the previous year. This year, the company says it passed its 2024 total before July.

The new funding will help Chowdeck roll out quick commerce, ultra-fast delivery backed by a network of dark stores and hyperlocal logistics hubs.

The company plans to open 40 dark stores by the end of this year and 500 by the end of 2026, with two to three new stores launching each week.

The raise builds upon Chowdeck’s $2.5 million seed round raised last year.

It will also be looking to build on its recent moves after the food delivery platform entered Ghana in May.

There have been results as within three months, it was handled 1,000 daily orders without paid advertising, which, according to Mr Aluko.

He said the company aims to quintuple that volume to 5,000 daily orders by the end of September 2025.

Mr Aluko says Chowdeck plans to apply the same playbook to dark stores, which will complement its restaurant and grocery delivery operations.

In June, the startup acquired Mira, a point-of-sale provider for African food and hospitality businesses. With this, it is able to manage inventory and orders in real time, making Chowdeck’s operations smoother.