Technology
Techstars Accepts Tunji Andrews’ Awabah
By Adedapo Adesanya
Awabah, a digital platform providing pension access to Africa’s self-employed, has announced that it has been accepted into the Techstars London accelerator programme.
The startup is dedicated to making micro-pension services available to those in the informal sector and those whose employers are not legally required to deduct and remit pension. It will join nine other startups in the class of 2021 and secure funding from the accelerator as it sets its sights on African expansion.
The Lagos-based company, founded by Mr Tunji Andrews, Ms Tina Ajishebiyawo and Mr Gboyega Olatunde, is building wealth for Africa’s informal, particularly self-employed population by ensuring that they are able to plan for a dignified life after retirement.
Awabah was launched in November of 2020 and signed up over 700 clients in its first two months. It has since dedicated its strategy to advance the cause for future financial inclusion and security in Africa ever since. It already sees itself as the solution to Africa’s wealth redistribution challenge.
The company has now partnered with three Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) in Nigeria and hopes to increase this to five before the end of 2021. The partnerships will coincide with multi-city rollouts to avail millions more access to the Awabah advantage.
In July 2021, the company raised $200,000 in angel backing from early-stage investors like ODBA and Co Ventures and Correlation Capital. The new funding helped Awabah to roll out its services in Lagos and Ibadan.
The startup has plans to start providing services in 5 more Nigerian cities over the next 6 months.
Speaking on this, the company CEO, Mr Andrews said he believes the company is gathering a lot of acceptance because of its approach to customer acquisition, operating out of Lagos and Ibadan with plans to set up a presence in Ghana.
“Awabah in simple terms is an aggregator of wealth creation tools that are sorely lacking on the continent. We onboard the financial service providers, break their products into bite-size chunks, sprinkle a bit of the Awabah magic on it, and give this leverage to our customers.
“What’s even greater is that our services come completely at no charge to the customer. Financial services should liberate, not enslave,” Mr Andrews said.
Ms Ajishebiyawo, on her part, said she strongly believes that reducing poverty depends on helping those in the informal sector manage and grow their wealth.
She insisted that the reduction was greatly reliant on access to diverse tools to help leverage income that is either infrequent or so frequent it’s spent on daily consumables.
“It’s not that people in informal employment are too uneducated to control their finances. Quite the opposite. They manage highly complicated budgets on very tight margins.
“Effective retirement planning and savings help our customers more effectively confront the problems that keep them stuck in an inefficient cycle. Nigerians and indeed Africans have money – but their incomes are unpredictable and insecure; Awabah is fixing this,” the finance expert said.
The Awabah Model
Off the back of it, the Awabah model has a lot of merits. Nigeria has 70 million people in its labour force (people ready to work and able to work) and of this 70 million, 23 million are unemployed and another 11 million employed in formal jobs, leaving 36 million Nigerians in one form of self-employment or entrepreneurship without any retirement savings.
With a serious decline in economic growth and increased scarcity of resources, the company says it believes Africa’s current labour market will face severe hardship in old age if they don’t take retirement savings seriously.
Nigerians in the informal sector can see the real value by setting aside N100 weekly into a pension fund that is invested at a real return of 4.5 per cent per year for the rest of their working years.
According to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PWC) Africa Asset Management 2020 report, the total assets under management in 12 selected Africa countries (South Africa, Morocco, Mauritius, Namibia; Egypt, Kenya, Botswana, Ghana, Nigeria; Angola, Algeria, Tunisia) were $293 billion in 2008 and rose to $634 billion by 2014 and are expected to reach $1.1 trillion in 2020.
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.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn
