Connect with us

Business

Cellulant joins forces with Lusaka Chamber of Commerce to digitize payments for businesses in Lusaka

Published

on

Cellulant

Tingg’s uptake across Africa is in high gear, with products like In-store payments which leverage mobile money and mobile banking as payment methods through USSD and QR Codes

LUSAKA, Zambia, October 13, 2022/APO Group/ — 

Cellulant Zambia (https://www.Cellulant.io) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)  with the Lusaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) to offer digital payments to its member businesses. Lusaka Chamber of Commerce members can now readily access payment solutions that will enable them to accept payments from their customers’ preferred mobile money wallet.

Cellulant’s payment platform, Tingg (https://bit.ly/3yC4m7K), which integrates over 290  banks across Africa, is a one-stop payments aggregator for Multinational Corporations and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), hence the significance of this partnership.

Tingg’s uptake across Africa is in high gear, with products like In-store payments which leverage mobile money and mobile banking as payment methods through USSD and QR Codes. This streamlines business administration processes for merchants while expanding the range of payment options they can offer customers, ensuring maximum choice and flexibility offline and online.

The Minister of Technology and Science, Felix Mutati stated  that “Cellulant has bridged the digital payment gap and is delighted to note that businesses are migrating to technologies that will enhance efficiency and effectiveness in payment acceptance.” In a speech read on his behalf by his Acting Permanent Secretary Mrs Chikatizyo Musonda he further urged businesses to be part of the shift to cashless financial transactions that will work for the greater good of the economy.

Since Tingg went live, we have over 700 stores across the country who can receive mobile money payments as well as view and reconcile all transactions via a single platform

Cellulant’s Country Manager in Zambia, Gilbert Lungu  also noted that “Since Tingg went live, we have over 700 stores across the country who can receive mobile money payments as well as view and reconcile all transactions via a single platform. The unison of mobile payments negates the need to sign up to multiple payments providers, and we will soon offer banks as an option, giving the consumers more choices from the comfort of their mobile phone.”

As part of its mandate to be the ‘voice of businesses’, the LCCI has noted with dismay the growing fragmentation in digital payments as most businesses offer mostly card-swiping options and rarely have a platform for mobile payments other than peer-to-peer options. As a private sector-driven organisation, ensuring that business is done with the utmost convenience to the customers is of great importance as highlighted by the LCCI President, Mr Alexander Lawrence said, “We are now in the digital era and businesses must rise to the occasion by offering more digital payment acceptance points as this will not only reduce cash handling but further economic gains through the reduction of leakages. Paying with Tingg provides all businesses full control over their finances whilst enabling them to make better business decisions.”

There is growing evidence that the Zambian market is ready for intuitive payment technologies that ease doing business. According to the 2022 Zambia Information  Communication Technology Authority(ZICTA) Annual Market Report, the number of active mobile money subscribers increased from 8.6 million in 2020 to 9.9 million subscribers in 2021. Similarly, the volume of mobile money transactions increased from 746.5 million to 843.1 million transactions representing an annual increase of 11.7% while the number of transactions grew from ZMW 105.6 billion in 2020 to ZMW 169.4 billion in 2021 representing a growth rate of 60%.

This partnership will enable LCCI members to access digital financial solutions to take advantage of these opportunities which herald the acceleration of economic growth for businesses through payments.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Cellulant

Business

Ministers among hundreds of energy-sector leaders to attend AOW event

Published

on

Sinclair

The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors”

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

AOW: Investing in African Energy (https://AOWEnergy.com) – Africa’s leading oil, gas and energy event – has confirmed attendance for more than 80 ministers and senior officials, representing African governments, energy departments and regulators at next month’s event.

These influential stakeholders will be among the more than 1 600 senior delegates and industry leaders who will be attending the event to develop policy, share discoveries, secure investment, and shape Africa’s energy future.

The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors.”

Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention

Among the officials and government ministers attending will be energy leaders from South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Eswatini, Uganda, CAR, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Gabon, Malawi, Morocco, Zanzibar, Liberia, Senegal, Congo Brazzaville and Sierra Leone.

In addition, the event will feature high-level delegations from numerous national oil companies, as well as multilateral bodies including the African Union, (AU), African Energy Commission (AFREC), African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).

AOW will see these energy leaders networking with C-suite executives and decision-makers from more than 760 top energy companies at daily networking events, to discuss insights, forge new relationships, and negotiate major energy deals.

“We are so excited to see the calibre of delegates at this year’s AOW event,” says Chief Executive Officer of Sankofa Events, Paul Sinclair. “Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention. The high-powered attendance proves AOW is a key platform to enable this intervention.”

Key themes to be discussed at this year’s AOW will be sustainable upstream development; expanding gas value chains; renewables and new energies; adoption of best-in-class technologies; and access to finance.

AOW: Investing in African Energy will culminate in a special anniversary party at Groot Constantia Vineyard to celebrate 30 years of the AOW event.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AOW: Investing in African Energy.

Continue Reading

Business

Afreximbank approves US$20.8 million for Starlink Global’s cashew factory project in Lagos

Published

on

PAPSS

The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs

CAIRO, Egypt, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has approved a US$20.8 million financing facility for Nigeria-based Starlink Global & Ideal Limited to enable the company construct and operate a 30,000-metric tonne per annum cashew processing factory in Lagos.

We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria

According to the facility agreement signed in on July 22, 2024, Afreximbank will provide the funds in two tranches with the first tranche of US$7.48M going toward capital expenditure for the construction of the factory and the second, totalling US$13.25M to be deployed as working capital for the operations of the factory.

The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs once the factory becomes operational. It is also expected to support about 40 small and medium-sized enterprises.

Commenting on the transaction, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra Africa Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, said that by supporting Starlink Global to establish a modern processing facility, Afreximbank is making it possible for Africa to add value to its agro-commodities, thereby facilitating exports and subsequent inflow of much-needed foreign exchange into the continent.

“We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria. It will contribute to value creation and to the development of the local community while also improving the lots of smallholder farmers and small business suppliers that will work with Starlink across the value chain,” Mrs. Awani added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

Continue Reading

Business

Sonangol to Lead Decarbonized Oil & Gas (O&G) Development, Says Angolan National Oil Company (NOC) Head

Published

on

Sonangol

Participating in an on-stage interview at Angola Oil & Gas 2024, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins emphasized that oil and gas remains a core focus for the national oil company

LUANDA, Angola, October 3, 2024/APO Group/ — 

Angola’s national oil company Sonangol reiterated its commitment to driving sustainable hydrocarbon development during the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference this week. Speaking during an “In-Conversation with” session, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins stated that the company will not abandon oil and gas, but rather advance decarbonized oil and gas development.

We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas

By investing in upstream oil and gas production while prioritizing low-carbon projects, Sonangol aims to boost national crude output, while diversifying and decarbonizing the industry. The NOC is focusing efforts on non-associated gas development, as well as alternative energy sources such as solar.

“We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas. Gas produced from Angola LNG will be used for the production of fertilizer and we are evaluating the utilization of gas in the south of the country, linking gas with steel industries. We also have a blue carbon project, linked to the reduction of carbon through the plantation of mangroves. We have one area in Luanda and have identified four additional areas for this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

Sonangol has undergone transformation in recent years: following the creation of the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG) in 2019, Sonangol transferred its role as national concessionaire and regulator. This transformation has aimed to make Sonangol more competitive and strengthen its capacity as an upstream operator. Concurrently, the government is partially privatizing the NOC, with privatization set to be complete in 2026. This process will enhance financial capacity, allowing Sonangol to drive new upstream projects forward.

“The transformation of Sonangol started several years ago, when we passed the regulatory, concessionaire role to the ANPG. At the time, we transferred almost 600 employees to the ANPG. After that, Sonangol underwent a restructuring program where we created five core business units from 36 different entities – starting with exploration and production. We want to go public, but we want to do it properly. So, we are currently going through all the processes to do this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Continue Reading

Trending