Technology
Financial Inclusion: Nigerian Start-up, 9 Others Jostle for $200,000
By Dipo Olowookere
A Nigerian start-up firm, RecyclePoints, has been listed among the 10 African finalists of the 2018 Zambezi Prize for Innovation in Financial Inclusion.
The list was released by the Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in collaboration with the MasterCard Foundation.
The shortlisted companies are jostling to win the $200,000 cash prize put on by ground by the competition established in 2015 to discover Africa’s most promising and innovative early-stage start-ups that promote and advance financial inclusion on the continent.
Other selected companies are Apollo Agriculture (Kenya), Bidhaa Sasa (Kenya), FarmDrive (Kenya), Farmerline (Ghana), LanteOTC (South Africa), MaTontine (Senegal), OZE (Ghana), Tulaa (Kenya) and Wala (South Africa).
“We are pleased to welcome the 2018 finalists into the MIT Zambezi family”, said Georgina Campbell Flatter, the Executive Director of the MIT Legatum Center. “They represent some of the world’s most innovative change agents.”
“The finalists demonstrated strong leadership and innovation in the way they are solving financial inclusion challenges”, said Ali Diallo, the Global Programs Manager of the MIT Legatum Center. “We also want to thank the hundreds of great startups that applied to this competition and shared with us their inspiring ventures, visions, and insights for advancing financial inclusion. We hope to keep them all engaged through our upcoming initiatives”.
The finalists will join leaders from the MIT and African tech ecosystems on August 28th and 29th at the 2018 MIT Open Mic Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. The two-day event will include a VIP reception followed by the award ceremony at Strathmore University where the Grand Prize Winner will be awarded $100,000. Two runners-up will each receive $30,000 while the seven remaining finalists will each receive $5,000 in cash prizes.
Additionally, the Legatum Center will award $5,000 to an African entrepreneur who demonstrated great leadership qualities to unify Africa’s tech ecosystem. All finalists will participate in cohort-building and mentoring activities with MIT leaders and Zambezi alumni companies during the event.
The winners will be invited to attend the Zambezi boot camp during the MIT Inclusive Innovation Challenge (IIC) (www.MITInclusiveInnovation.com) gala on the MIT campus in Boston on November 5-9, 2018.
They also will be fast-tracked to the IIC global grand prize with up to $1 million available in funding for the winner. The IIC event is part of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy and, along with the MIT Legatum Center’s initiatives, exemplifies MIT’s global commitment to the future of work.
Past Zambezi finalists have included Kifiya, PlusPeople, MFS Africa, Tugende, Chamasoft, Nomanini, FirstAccess, AgriLife, MChanga, and mJara.
The Grand Prize Winner, Umati Capital, received funding from Accion Venture Lab, Blue Haven Initiative, and Lundin Foundation.
The Zambezi Prize and the Open Mic Africa tour are pillars of the Legatum Center’s Africa Strategy – a global vision to leverage MIT’s ecosystem to improve lives through principled entrepreneurial leadership.
The Legatum Center’s Africa strategy is also a core component of the MIT-Africa initiative which encompasses the Institute’s global priority for collaboration with the continent.
Technology
Interswitch Inducts New Interns into Developer Academy to Fortify Tech Talent Pipeline
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A cohort of developer interns has been inducted into the Developer Academy of Interswitch as part of efforts to deepen Africa’s tech talent pipeline.
The new cohort emerged through a rigorous multi-stage process involving technical assessments and interviews. They were chosen from over 20,000 applications.
The talents were sourced from across key engineering tracks, including Backend Development, DevOps, Mobile Development, Frontend Engineering, and Quality Assurance.
Their induction highlights both the scale of interest in software engineering opportunities in Nigeria and Interswitch’s role in nurturing the next generation of highly skilled technology professionals.
During the 9-month programme, participants will benefit from mentorship by experienced professionals, exposure to enterprise-grade systems, and the development of workplace readiness skills essential for today’s dynamic work environment.
Designed as an intensive and structured learning experience, the Developer Academy combines theoretical instruction with real-world application, equipping participants with the skills required to thrive in an increasingly global and competitive technology landscape.
At the end of the programme, top-performing interns may be offered full-time roles within Interswitch, while others are well-positioned to pursue opportunities across the broader technology landscape.
“At Interswitch, we have always believed in the capacity to see beyond the immediate challenges and focus on long-term impact. While the migration of skilled talent remains a reality, our approach is to actively shape the outcomes by building a strong and sustainable pipeline of technology professionals,” the chief executive of Interswitch, Mr Mitchell Elegbe, said.
“We are therefore committed to equipping individuals with the capabilities to contribute meaningfully to the broader technology ecosystem, locally and globally, not just for our own needs at Interswitch. In doing so, we are not only strengthening the industry but also reinforcing Nigeria’s position as a source of globally competitive engineering talent,” he added.
Also commenting, the Human Resources Officer, Mr Franklin Ali, said, “The Developer Academy reflects our long-term commitment to building talent at scale. We are equipping these young professionals not just with technical skills, but with the mindset, discipline, and adaptability required to thrive in diverse environments.
“Whether they build their careers within Interswitch, contribute to the local ecosystem, or explore global opportunities, they represent the strength and potential of Nigerian talent and carry forward the standard of excellence we are committed to building.”
Beyond its immediate training objectives, Interswitch’s Developer Academy is anchored on a broader strategic vision, one that addresses the ongoing migration of skilled talent from Nigeria and other developing economies.
As global demand for software engineers continues to rise, many highly skilled professionals are increasingly recruited by international organisations.
Interswitch’s approach reframes this trend, positioning talent development both as a means of local capacity building and as an opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s reputation as a global hub for technology expertise.
Technology
Flexmobile to Disrupt Nigeria’s Telecom Landscape
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Nigeria’s telecom landscape is about to be abuzz, with the much-anticipated launch of Flexmobile from Hazon Technologies.
Feelers indicate that the company will soon make a commercial debut, as the regulatory approval is now in the final stage.
It was gathered that the commercial rollout for Flexmobile should be June 1, 2026, as this depends on the authorisation of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which regulates the sector. The telco will have the distinctive 081 number series.
Early signals suggest a product ecosystem engineered around flexibility, data-centricity, and user control—an approach aligned with the evolving expectations of Nigeria’s digitally connected population.
For seamless operations, Flexmobile has sealed commercial agreements with its MVNE, IMBIL, and Airtel Nigeria.
“What lies ahead is more than a launch—it is the beginning of a new way to experience telecoms in Nigeria,” the chief executive of Hazon Technologies, Mr Victor ‘Gbenga Afolabi, said at a recent media briefing.
“After years of building the right partnerships and infrastructure, we are approaching a defining milestone. Flexmobile is designed to challenge conventions and introduce a smarter, more flexible telecom experience for Nigerians,” he added.
While full details of its offering will be unveiled at launch, Flexmobile is expected to introduce a suite of value-added services designed to go beyond traditional connectivity—positioning the brand at the intersection of telecoms, lifestyle, and digital enablement.
Backed by strong institutional partnerships and a robust MVNE framework, Flexmobile enters the market not just as another operator, but as a platform with the potential to reshape how telecom services are consumed and experienced.
Technology
ipNX, NCC to Drive Inclusive Digital Growth Across Nigeria
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A leading Information and Communications Technology (ICT) company, ipNX Nigeria, is joining forces with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to accelerate broadband penetration and drive inclusive digital growth across the country.
Recently, an executive delegation of the organisation paid a visit to the chairman of the regulatory agency, Mr Idris Olorunimbe.
“We are pleased to engage with the new chairman of the NCC and show our support as he takes on this important role.
“Strong leadership and a clear policy direction are essential to unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s digital economy.
“At ipNX, we remain committed to working closely with the commission and other stakeholders to expand broadband access, enhance connectivity in educational institutions, and ultimately bridge the digital divide.
“This collaboration will empower millions of Nigerians and further position the country as a leader in Africa’s technological evolution,” the Managing Director of ipNX Nigeria, Mr Ejovi Aror, said at the visit.
In his remarks, Mr Olorunnimbe thanked the firm for the show of support, reiterating the commission’s commitment to fostering an enabling environment for private sector participation in achieving universal broadband access across Nigeria.
This collaboration is expected to advance Nigeria’s transformation agenda in technology and help boost the federal government’s broadband agenda for the country.
ipNX Nigeria has said it remains at the forefront of delivering cutting-edge broadband and ICT solutions, and this engagement underscores its unwavering dedication to supporting national development through technology-driven initiatives.
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