By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A Nigerian payments company, Verve International, has been included in the Global Payments Power 50 list in recognition of its impact in the payments sector.

Since its launch in 2009, the subsidiary of Interswitch Group has had a spectacular trajectory against daunting odds, carving an impressive niche for itself as Africa’s first world-standard EMV chip and PIN payments card, starting from Nigeria and expanding its issuance and acceptance across over 25 African countries.

Verve Payment Cards in Nigeria, Africa’s largest consumer market and its pioneer country of issuance have, to date, surpassed 70 million issued payment cards.

Over the last few years, Verve has grown to become the payment card of choice across various tiers of banking service and particularly within the burgeoning fintech/neobank space in Nigeria.

This growth has been driven by significant strategic partnerships across commercial and microfinance banking spheres, as well as fintechs, OFIs, and the public sector supported by sustained innovation and demonstrated understanding of the requirements of its local markets.

In recognition of these feats, Power 50, established in 2018, included the Nigerian firm in its Global Payments Power 50 list.

“Each year, The Power 50 celebrates the standout talent within the fintech community, showcasing ground-breaking companies and influential leaders from across the globe.

“Earning a place on The Power 50 is a testament to the impact individuals and businesses are making in shaping the future of fintech. It also serves as a trusted benchmark for excellence in the industry,” the chief executive of Power 50, Mr Jason Williams, said.

Also commenting, the chief executive of Verve International and Payment Cards and Tokens at Interswitch, Mr Vincent Ogbunude, said, “We are thoroughly delighted at Verve International and Interswitch with this global recognition on the Payments Power 50 list for 2025, as we continue to consolidate our delivery of global-standard payment solutions essentially tailored to economic and operational realities of the markets where we play across Africa, whilst leveraging value-adding partnerships that ensure we scale our impact and turbo-charge financial inclusion on the African continent.

“We are grateful to all our customers and partners, and indeed all our colleagues at Verve and Interswitch whose passion and consistent hard work have invariably facilitated global acclaim.”

In the last three years, Verve has gained merchant acceptance with platforms such as Google, Spotify, Netflix, Showmax, Amazon Prime, Facebook, Microsoft, Uber, and Flywire, to mention a few, underscoring a strong resolve to continue to drive relevant partnerships that provide its users in Africa with convenient opportunities to access global services in local denominations.

By Dipo Olowookere

A leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services across 14 African countries, Airtel Africa Plc, has increased its range of Value-Added Services (VAS) for customer with the introduction of a ground-breaking artificial intelligence (AI)-powered Spam Alert Service.

The Airtel AI Spam Alert Service will be available to all subscribers of the GSM provider at no cost. It gives real-time alerts for suspected spam SMS messages and malicious weblinks sent to Airtel smartphone and feature phones.

In addition, it filters all SMS through a proprietary dual-layer protection: one layer at the network level and the other at the IT systems level, processing over 1.5 billion messages in 2 milliseconds.

At the launch of this service on Thursday in Lagos, the chief executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr Aminu Maida, commended Airtel for this innovation, saying, “The Airtel Spam Alert Service is of obvious benefit to the entire sector.”

“Security is one of the major challenges to subscribers and such an innovative service from Airtel helps us tackle this issue while boosting consumer confidence,” he declared.

The Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, also praised Airtel for its continued investment in Nigeria’s technology ecosystem and for specifically investing in a service that is geared towards enhancing online security for millions of Nigerians.

“As we expand our digital infrastructure and prioritise digital literacy, solutions like Airtel AI Spam Alert Service will enforce the importance of leveraging artificial intelligence, not only for security but also for economy empowerment,” he stated.

On his part, the chief executive of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Dinesh Balsingh, said, “Enhancing customer experience is our foremost priority, and we are proud to launch Africa’s first AI powered spam alert solution.

“This is a gamechanger for the telecoms industry in Africa and as we move forward, we will continue to address customer challenges through proactive tech-driven solutions.

“We are proud to launch this innovative initiative in Nigeria, our largest market in Africa, while the other countries will launch in the coming months.”

Airtel explained that it came up with this service, which does not require additional application downloads, as part of its efforts to protect its customers.

The Airtel AI Spam Alert Service, which is automatically activated for all Airtel customers in Nigeria, would be subsequently rolled out across other countries where Airtel Africa operates.

According to research from Quartz, as of 2019, nine of the top 20 countries in the world with the highest spam rates are in Africa.

With Africa’s smartphone penetration on the increase, spam messages have become a widespread issue, targeting an expanding demographic of unsuspecting individuals.

Hundreds of thousands of mobile users often receive unsolicited SMS or calls claiming to be from their network provider or government and offering irresistible benefits.

In these communications, users are asked to click on links and provide personal information to claim the benefits. This action allows the scammer to gain access to users’ security information, which can then be used to commit fraud.

In response, Airtel Africa developed this innovative AI-powered solution that classifies suspicious SMS messages as Suspected SPAM.

Without reading specific SMS messages, the AI analyses in real-time over 250 parameters, including the sender’s usage patterns such as SMS frequency and geographical spread of targets.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The number of interns for the 2025 edition of the Women in Tech initiative of Moniepoint Incorporated has been increased to 15 from 10 in the spirit of the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), Accelerate Action.

A statement from the digital financial services provider disclosed that expansion was to further its commitment to bridging the gender gap in the technology sector.

It is also a testament to Moniepoint’s dedication to offering young women the tools they need to succeed in technology, a field where they are still underrepresented but essential to its evolution.

The program is a vital part of Moniepoint’s ongoing efforts to elevate women in the technology space, particularly in Nigeria, where women remain underrepresented despite the country’s significant gender parity in population.

The initiative will provide successful applicants with the chance to join diverse teams, including Cloud Engineering, Backend Engineering, Technical Product Management, Data Engineering, Systems Administration, Technical Support, and User Experience.

Known as the Dream 15, these women will engage in a six-month internship, during which they will receive direct mentorship, a salary, work tools, branded merchandise, and the opportunity to be considered for full-time employment based on performance.

“With the Women in Tech initiative, we are not just inspiring inclusion – we are actively creating sustainable pathways for women to thrive in the tech industry.

“This is a space where diversity fuels innovation, and through programs like this, we are empowering women to take on leadership roles, develop crucial skills, and shape the future of technology.

“The progress we’ve seen in past editions, where alumni have gone on to make significant contributions to the company and the wider tech ecosystem, fills us with pride, and we look forward to nurturing even more female talent in the years ahead.

“This initiative has been instrumental in our mission to power the dreams of millions while transforming the careers of talented women for the past four years,” the Vice President of People Operations at Moniepoint, Ms Chinaza Nduka-Dike, stated.

Also, a systems administrator and member of the third cohort of Moniepoint’s Women in Tech program, Ms Daniela Uzosike, said, “The opportunity to work with Moniepoint not only transformed my career but also allowed me to be part of a program that truly values the potential of women in technology.

“I’m thrilled to see the increase in roles this year, and I’m excited to see more women take part in this initiative, gain the experience they need, and shape the future of tech in Africa.”

The technology sector is essential to driving growth and innovation, but the role of women within it remains limited.

Recent statistics from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveal that while women make up nearly half of Nigeria’s population, they account for just 25 per cent of the tech workforce, despite representing 22 per cent of STEM graduates annually.

These disparities highlight the need for more focused efforts to increase female representation and foster gender inclusion in the tech industry.

The Women in Tech initiative aims to address these gaps by providing young women with hands-on experience, mentorship, and the opportunity to work on live projects that will shape the future of digital finance in Africa.