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Mukuru Expands Services and Unlocks Value for Africans with New Campaign

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4 years ago

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Mukuru Family

The campaign recognises Africa’s rising global stature in both fintech and sport

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, July 14, 2022/APO Group/ — 

Mukuru (www.Mukuru.com), a leading next generation financial services platform in Southern Africa, launched a new campaign following the announcement of a series of sponsorships, including English Premier League side Crystal Palace and Springbok legend Tendai “The Beast” Mtawarira.

The ad campaign features Crystal Palace forwards Wilfried Zaha and Jordan Ayew, alongside versatile midfielder Jeffrey Schlupp, as well as Mtawarira, Mukuru’s 2022 brand ambassador, and it aims to highlight the fintech’s evolution from a remittances-based business to a broader financial services provider for emerging African consumers.

“Mukuru has provided innovative digital solutions to our customers on their journey toward financial inclusion for since 2004,” says Bronwyn Pretorius, Executive Head of Marketing at Mukuru. “We continue expanding our tech, products and services, and communications to customers globally. The new ad campaign highlights our commitment to unleashing possibilities through a broad range of relevant financial services for Africans worldwide.”

The fintech business prides itself in walking with its customers and meeting people where they are on their journey of digitisation to unlock financial value for previously underserved communities. Mukuru has enabled financial inclusion through robust digital platforms and uses the latest mobile technologies in a way that is accessible to people in urban and remote rural areas.

“The campaign captures the passion the continent has for sports and culture, but also the tenacity of our customers, people that rise each day, regardless of their circumstances, to earn a living and provide for the needs of their families. We want to reassure you that whether sending money across Africa, paying for DStv, buying electricity, airtime and groceries, or saving money, there’s Mukuru for that!

“Mukuru is a business for Africans, by Africans, and the representation of iconic African talent, as showcased in the new campaign, was key to illustrating the opportunities and possibilities for our customers. The new ad highlights the different ways the brand aims to take Africans forward – which is why we used top African forwards playing for Crystal Palace in the upcoming 2022/23 EPL season,” says Pretorius.

Mukuru Family
Mukuru Family

The new ad encapsulates our brand purpose of unleashing possibility by placing iconic African people at the centre, as we do daily with our customers

The ad opens with Wilfried Zaha holding the new Mukuru Card with a wallet feature for digital payments and purchases. Zaha was born in the Ivory Coast and moved to the UK with his family, where he was snapped up by the Eagles’ Academy as an 8-year-old and eventually became one of the club’s top-performing football talents, representing Ivory Coast in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. His story is accentuated by the advert’s recurring motif of a boy travelling around with an orange soccer ball.

The ad also features Palace striker Jordan Ayew, a Ghanaian who enjoyed a landmark season in 2019/20, finishing as the Eagles’ top scorer as well as Jeffrey Schlupp, who represented Ghana in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, recognised as one of the most reliable and versatile players in recent Palace history.

The campaign recognises Africa’s rising global stature in both fintech and sport, and the star player in the ad is rugby legend Tendai “The Beast” Mtawarira. The Beast is a Zimbabwean-born South African professional rugby union player who represented the South African national team and the Sharks in Super Rugby. Mtawarira went on to become a highly respected global star and Roc Nation Sports International client. With 117 caps, he is the most capped prop in South African history and the third most-capped Springbok of all time. He is also a 2019 Rugby World Cup Winner.

“Mukuru started in my homeland in Zimbabwe and what this brand does is amazing in the way it connects Africans all around the globe, giving them the ability to provide for their families back home. I remember a certain time when I was trying to provide for my mom and family back home in Zim and Mukuru is that solution, making it easy to send money back home. This brand is truly something special,” says Beast.

“We are honoured to have worked with top African agencies to bring this campaign to life,” says Pretorius. Joe Public United, the largest independent, black-owned brand and communications agency group in South Africa, was the lead agency responsible for the concept and Mukuru’s rebrand, whilst content production house Indie Village filmed and produced the TV ad.

“The new ad encapsulates our brand purpose of unleashing possibility by placing iconic African people at the centre, as we do daily with our customers. Our mission is understanding their pain points, working together as a partner and not just a service provider, to tap into opportunities through financial solutions that address the limitations and challenges they face each new day,” concludes Pretorius.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mukuru.

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Energy

Building a Knowledge Hub for China-ASEAN Energy Cooperation

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4 hours ago

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September 22, 2026

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ASEAN

NANNING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 September 2026 – During the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, China Southern Power Grid showcased a range of innovations designed to support energy cooperation between China and ASEAN. These included the DaWatt – Lao Language Large Language Model (LLM) for the Energy and Power Sector V2.0 and the Flexible Grayscale Intelligent Monitoring & Analysis Platform for power system cybersecurity, highlighting expanding opportunities for cooperation in digitalization, intelligent technologies and green energy.

The Lao-language LLM has been deployed at Electricité du Laos Transmission Company Limited (EDL-T), where it can automatically analyze thousands of inspection images within a short period of time. After its algorithms were optimized for Laos’ mountainous and rainforest terrain, the model completed intelligent inspection analysis for four transmission lines, processing 26,000 drone inspection images and identifying more than 3,600 equipment defects.

 




 
 

Liu Ying, general manager of the Digitalization Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd., said the company has been building multilingual professional corpora for the power sector, covering ASEAN countries including Laos, Vietnam and Malaysia. Drawing on the capabilities of the DaWatt foundation model, the company is developing energy and power models tailored to ASEAN languages and real-world power industry applications.

Talent development is another focus of the cooperation. The China-ASEAN Institute of Energy, jointly established by Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and Guangxi University, is exploring an industry-university training model with a strong emphasis on practical experience. So far, two cohorts totaling 53 students from ASEAN countries have enrolled.

Cooperation is also evolving from one-way training toward joint innovation. Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and the Royal Academy of Cambodia have jointly established a laboratory for artificial intelligence and safety equipment, while the company has also launched peer-to-peer exchanges with Electricité du Laos on improving power supply reliability.

To address language barriers in cross-border technical exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has developed an AI-powered translation platform backed by a specialized database containing terminology for more than 1,800 types of power equipment. The platform supports accurate translation between Chinese and English, Chinese and Lao, and Chinese and Vietnamese.

At a recent training program for Chinese and overseas engineers, the system supported one-click generation of bilingual course materials and real-time speech translation, helping participants navigate highly specialized power-sector terminology.

To support regular international exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has also established an international talent pool covering management, technical and skilled personnel. It has developed 24 hours of courses on international affairs as well as 20 short-form video courses.

“This year, we will also explore joint postgraduate programs with universities in ASEAN countries,” said Sun Xiaohua, deputy director of the Human Resources Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd.

Looking ahead, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. plans to further advance a development model featuring “R&D in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong, integration in Guangxi, and application in ASEAN.” The company will continue expanding its multilingual power-sector corpora and explore a “Token Goes Global” model for power-sector AI, with computing resources and models based in Guangxi while knowledge services are delivered overseas. The effort is aimed at creating new forms of China-ASEAN energy cooperation and supporting the green development of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0.
 




 

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Events

24th Sichuan Guangwu Mountain International Red Leaf Festival to Showcase Asia’s Spectacular Autumn Colors

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4 hours ago

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September 22, 2026

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Red Leaf Festival

BAZHONG, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 September 2026 – The 24th Sichuan Guangwu Mountain International Red Leaf Festival will run from October 1 to November 18 at the Guangwu Mountain Tourism Area in Bazhong, Sichuan Province, China.

Located in southwest China, Guangwu Mountain boasts a forest coverage rate of 97%, earning its reputation as a “natural oxygen bar.” Each autumn, 680 square kilometers of mountain forests burst into a dazzling palette. Over 40 tree species, including Fagus pashanica, maples and lindens, weave the mountains into a stunning autumn landscape.

Known as “Asia’s longest natural red carpet,” the Mountain has become a top autumn destination for backpackers, photographers and travelers seeking immersive cultural and nature experiences, and is widely recognized as one of western China’s signature autumn attractions.

 




 
 

The tourism area caters to international visitors who prefer slower-paced, in-depth, off-the-beaten-path travel. The new Yanziling Loop Boardwalk, launched in May 2026, winds along mountain cliffs, with a sea of clouds rolling beneath visitors’ feet and brilliant foliage unfolding alongside the trail, creating the feeling of “stepping into a painting.”

Guangwu Mountain offers a wealth of outdoor attractions. Highlights include the 1,888-meter Red Leaf Coaster and a glass water slide certified by Guinness World Record, combining thrilling experiences with stunning natural scenery.

The large-scale immersive production “New Dream of Guangwu Mountain” integrates cutting-edge light and visual technology with Bashan folklore and traditions, transforming the forest into an atmospheric nighttime experience. Visitors can also enjoy welcome performances and interactive robot activities, which offer more ways to discover the mountain’s late-autumn charm.

A major highlight of this year’s festival is the newly completed Micang Avenue. Stretching 85 kilometers, the route connects seven core scenic spots, including Guangwu Mountain, Micang Mountain, and Nuoshui River, reducing a four-hour drive to just one hour. Lined with continuous stretches of colorful forest and layered peaks, the avenue brings brand-new travel experiences for autumn foliage enthusiasts.

The festival will also feature cultural, sports and international exchange activities, including the third season of the “Sending You a Red Leaf” campaign, the China Micang Avenue International Road Cycling Race, and the “World Red Leaf Landmark” global collection campaign.

In addition, 31 scenic attractions and 18 museums and cultural venues across Bazhong will provide special ticket offers and visitor benefits during the festival.

Across mountains and seas, Guangwu Mountain invites visitors from around the world to witness one of China’s most vibrant red-and-gold autumn displays.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
 
 




 

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Business

DHL Invests in Greater Middle East-Africa Connectivity with New Aviation Lane

Published

5 hours ago

on

September 22, 2026

By

DHL Express

The investment also reflects shifting global supply chains, as companies diversify sourcing, manufacturing and customer markets beyond traditional corridors

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 21, 2026/APO Group/ —

  • New weekly B767/F Bahrain-Johannesburg service strengthens Sub-Saharan Africa connectivity and supports growing trade flows between Africa, the Gulf and global markets

DHL Express (www.DHL.com) has marked an important milestone in its regional aviation network with the successful operation of the first direct DHL flight between Bahrain and South Africa.

The inaugural flight arrived at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, opening a new weekly aviation lane operated by a DHL Express B767/F freighter. The route reinforces DHL’s continued investment in strengthening Sub-Saharan Africa network connectivity, expanding heavier-weight capability, improving flexibility and supporting growing trade flows between the Middle East and Africa.

 




  

As trade between Africa and the Middle East develops, businesses need resilient, well-connected logistics networks. The new service provides greater inbound and outbound capacity for South Africa and neighbouring countries through the DHL Johannesburg Hub, one of the company’s key gateways on the continent.

 

The investment also reflects shifting global supply chains, as companies diversify sourcing, manufacturing and customer markets beyond traditional corridors. Bahrain’s position as a gateway between Africa, the Gulf and Asia make it an important link for businesses seeking faster access to international markets.

 

Every new connection we introduce is designed with our customers in mind

“Every new connection we introduce is designed with our customers in mind. As global trade routes diversify and economic ties between Africa and the Middle East continue to strengthen, we are seeing powerful geographical tailwinds creating new opportunities for businesses. Demand is growing across sectors such as healthcare, technology, manufacturing and cross-border e-commerce, all of which rely on fast, reliable international logistics,” said Anthony Beckley, Vice President of Operations and Aviation for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa.

 

“While this first direct DHL flight between Bahrain and South Africa is a significant network milestone, its real value lies in the opportunities it creates for customers.”

 

 

South Africa is one of DHL’s Geographic Tailwinds markets, reflecting its growing role in global trade flows and its potential to drive future trade growth. And Johannesburg remains a critical gateway in DHL’s SSA network, linking South Africa and neighbouring markets to global opportunities through Bahrain and the wider DHL aviation network. Through continued investment in routes, aircraft capacity and hub connectivity, DHL is supporting customers across this dynamic lane.

 

“DHL Express is the only logistics provider operating a dedicated intra-regional air fleet across the Middle East, connecting customers through Bahrain with major global gateways including Hong Kong, Leipzig and Cincinnati,” said Richard Gale, Vice President of Aviation, DHL Express MENA.

 

“Bahrain’s position at the crossroads of Africa and the Middle East makes it an ideal hub for customers seeking faster, more reliable access across these growing trade corridors. We are pleased to add this direct Johannesburg connection as economic ties between Africa and the Gulf deepen.”

 

DHL remains committed to helping customers seize opportunities created by changing trade patterns and expanding economic relationships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of DHL Express.

 

 




 

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