Connect with us
Anglostratits

Business

Direct Carrier Billing Industry Consolidates in Africa and the Middle East

Published

on

Direct Carrier Billing

Direct Carrier Billing is a payment technology that allows mobile users to pay for any service by charging the purchase to their carrier bill

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, December 27, 2022/APO Group/ — 

The global rating of the region keeps stable at 2.8 points; 4 countries enter the DCB Index for the first time; Data shows promising DCB potential for countries such as South Africa, Morocco, UAE, Nigeria, and Congo

Download document here: https://bit.ly/3Gi9t16

Evina (www.Evina.com), a cybersecurity for Carrier Billing company and Telecoming (www.Telecoming.com), a tech firm developing DCB experiences, released the 2022 edition of the DCB Index today. This initiative is part of the strategic alliance between the two companies to place Direct Carrier Billing at the forefront of the payments industry and reinforce their commitment to developing a transparent, secure, and stable mobile economy. The DCB Index provides insights into the Direct Carrier Billing market of countries in the Middle East and Africa region (MEA), ranking them according to their current DCB status and potential to further develop this growth-boosting mobile payment method.

Direct Carrier Billing is a payment technology that allows mobile users to pay for any service by charging the purchase to their carrier bill.

The results of the Evina & Telecoming DCB Index reveal that South Africa is the leading country in the ranking, with the highest score (3.4 out of 5)

The classification ranges from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest DCB potential. The ranking is based on 4 main factors: mobile players’ actions to prevent fraud on DCB, their bent to innovate in DCB, the country’s overall DCB penetration and the DCB growth potential.

Download the complete DCB Index here (https://bit.ly/3FTez2a).

For ready reference, the results of the Evina & Telecoming DCB Index reveal that South Africa is the leading country in the ranking, with the highest score (3.4 out of 5). All mobile operators are deploying DCB, and there is an overall increase in fraud protection compared to last year.

In the Middle East and North Africa, Morocco and UAE steal the show, surpassing last year’s leader Bahrain. Morocco (3.3) has significantly increased DCB deployment and invested in cybersecurity measures to protect this payment technology, while in UAE (3.2) all mobile operators offer end users DCB to pay for various types of services yet major organizations still have to implement adequate protection.

Nigeria (3.1) and DR Congo (3.0) follow close behind, differentiating themselves by opening more opportunities for DCB deployment and increasing their level of protection against fraud attempts on Direct Carrier Billing.

“The DCB Index seeks to provide the market with a standard indicator of an industry we know well. MEA is an extraordinarily dynamic and very mature region regarding mobile payments. In fact, the average level of innovation in DCB has increased by 13% compared to 2021 with the enlargement of new uses of this payment technology, such as sports subscriptions, that has grown considerably during the last year.”, said Roberto Monge, Chief Operations Officer at Telecoming. And he added, “we want to go along with operators and brands that wish to develop the market in a safe, sustainable, and profitable way. The countries analyzed have demonstrated their commitment to Direct Carrier Billing as a strategic growth lever for the so-called mobile economy in the region.”

David Lotfi, CEO of Evina explained that “the overall fraud prevention of mobile players across the Middle East and African region has increased by 0.2 compared to 2021, showing a collective willingness to safeguard the powerful payment tool that is Direct Carrier Billing. Businesses have yet to understand that DCB can become even more powerful than credit cards and that mobile operators already have all the advantages to elevate DCB and become the biggest fintech companies. DCB is without a doubt a major opportunity for the African continent alongside mobile money, if protected with the right cybersecurity solutions. This DCB Index has been created with the sole purpose of giving mobile players an overview of the development of DCB in the MEA region in order to better understand how to improve their business in their own country, or what conditions to consider when deploying in these countries.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Telecoming.

Energy

Venezuela Energy Week Confirms 19 August Date for Houston Industry Showcase

Published

on

Officially supported by Venezuela’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and national oil company PDVSA, the Houston Industry Showcase will take place on 19 August, convening U.S. energy leaders ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2027 in Caracas

HOUSTON, United States of America, August 10, 2026/APO Group/ –The organizers of Venezuela Energy Week (VEW) have confirmed that the Houston Industry Showcase will take place on 19 August 2026 at The Post Oak Hotel. Officially supported by Venezuela’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and national oil company PDVSA, the event will bring together U.S. energy companies, investors and policymakers to explore commercial opportunities ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2027 in Caracas in February.

The showcase will feature Minister of Hydrocarbons Paula Henao as a keynote speaker, providing an update on Venezuela’s energy priorities, investment agenda and opportunities for international partnership. Her participation underscores the country’s commitment to strengthening engagement with global industry as it seeks to expand production and unlock new upstream investment.

Bringing together exploration and production companies, independent operators, oilfield service providers, engineering firms, technology companies and financial institutions, the Houston Industry Showcase will examine opportunities across exploration, production optimization, infrastructure rehabilitation and field development.

As Venezuela works to increase oil and gas production, demand is expected to grow for the technical expertise of U.S. service providers in drilling, well intervention, completion services, production optimization, artificial lift, digital oilfield technologies and infrastructure rehabilitation. Houston-based industry leaders – including SLB, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Weatherford and a broad network of EPC contractors, equipment manufacturers and specialized service companies – are well positioned to support the modernization of mature fields, improve operational efficiency and deliver the technologies and services needed for future upstream projects.

The Houston event follows a successful Industry Showcase in London, which brought together international investors, operators and energy service companies to explore Venezuela’s evolving investment landscape. Building on that momentum, the Houston edition will deepen engagement with the U.S. energy industry and strengthen commercial dialogue ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2027.

Venezuela Energy Week – the country’s largest energy investment platform to date – has been confirmed for 22–25 February 2027 in Caracas. Organized by Energy Capital & Power, the event will bring together government leaders, investors and industry stakeholders from across the global energy value chain.

To register for the Houston Industry Showcase on August 19, visit https://apo-opa.co/4g0TncR. To learn more about delegate, sponsorship and partnership opportunities for the showcase or to secure your place at Venezuela Energy Week 2027 in Caracas, contact info@venezuelaenergyweek.com.

Supporting Venezuela’s Earthquake Recovery
Our thoughts are with the people and communities affected by the recent earthquakes in Venezuela. As the country begins the long process of recovery, we encourage members of the global energy community to support relief and reconstruction efforts through the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela, which channels contributions from individuals, companies and organizations to emergency assistance, essential services and long-term rebuilding efforts.

To learn more or make a contribution, please visit the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela (https://apo-opa.co/4hkvteE).

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

Continue Reading

Business

Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) Secures New Patent for Smart Stabilization System from Intellectual Property Office of Singapore

Published

on

IsDBI

The Smart Stabilization System is a pioneering digital market infrastructure designed to stabilize asset markets by intelligently managing supply-demand gaps and mitigating excessive volatility

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, August 10, 2026/APO Group/ –The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) (https://IsDBInstitute.org) is pleased to announce that the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has granted a new patent for its innovative Smart Stabilization System.

 

The patent was granted on 10 July 2026 under Singapore Patent No. 10202250873B for the invention titled “A Computer Network Stabilization System and Method.” The patent application was filed on 1 September 2022 and was formally granted following a comprehensive review process.

This achievement reflects our commitment to translating pioneering research into practical solutions that contribute to economic resilience and sustainable development

The Smart Stabilization System is a pioneering digital market infrastructure designed to stabilize asset markets by intelligently managing supply-demand gaps and mitigating excessive volatility. Leveraging sophisticated algorithms and advanced simulation models, the system is designed to anticipate supply and demand imbalances and implement programmable stabilization measures before they escalate into market disruptions.

Unlike traditional stabilization mechanisms that rely on capital reserves, buffer funds, or external interventions, the Smart Stabilization System introduces a next-generation framework for achieving autonomous market stabilization through proactive and programmed stabilization mechanisms. By incorporating distributed ledger technology and cryptographic trust mechanisms, the platform enhances transparency, trust, and operational resilience for digital asset and commodity markets.

The successful patent grant reflects IsDBI’s growing contribution to technological innovation and its commitment to developing knowledge-based solutions that address contemporary economic and development challenges.

Since filing the patent application back in 2022, the Institute has continued to advance the Smart Stabilization System through ongoing development and testing, aimed to expand its practical applications and support future capitalization opportunities. These advancements have positioned the system as a potentially transformative solution for enhancing stability and resilience in increasingly digital and interconnected economies.

Commenting on this occasion, Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDBI, said, “The grant of this patent by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore further strengthens the Institute’s position as a leader in developing innovative knowledge-based solutions that leverage modern technologies to address complex development challenges. This achievement reflects our commitment to translating pioneering research into practical solutions that contribute to economic resilience and sustainable development.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI).

Continue Reading

Business

Liberia to Preview Next Oil & Gas Licensing Round Strategy at Houston Investor Day

Published

on

The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority will host operators, investors and partners in Houston on August 19 to preview future licensing opportunities and showcase the exploration potential of its offshore basins

HOUSTON, United States of America, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) will present its strategy for the country’s next offshore licensing round at Liberia Investor Day Houston on August 19, bringing together international exploration companies, investors, service providers and energy leaders to discuss the next phase of Liberia’s upstream development.

Hosted in partnership with Energy Capital & Power, the event will provide a platform for the LPRA, led by Director General Hon. Marilyn T. Logan, to outline Liberia’s regulatory framework, investment priorities and plans to attract new participation across the country’s offshore sector. Discussions will focus on upcoming licensing opportunities, exploration prospects and the subsurface data supporting future investment decisions.

Liberia’s offshore sector is entering a new phase of exploration activity, with renewed international participation and a growing pipeline of opportunities. Following the award and ratification of eight Production Sharing Contracts in 2025, Liberia has re-established itself as a frontier exploration destination, with international operators advancing work programs designed to further evaluate the country’s petroleum potential. TotalEnergies is progressing exploration activities that include offshore geochemical surveys, 3D seismic acquisition and seabed mapping, while Oranto Petroleum has also signed contracts to explore Liberia’s offshore.

At the Liberia Investor Day Houston, the LPRA will provide industry stakeholders with insight into the priorities shaping the next licensing round, including the anticipated process, qualification requirements, available acreage and access to technical data. The engagement will give prospective investors a clearer view of Liberia’s exploration landscape and the opportunities emerging across its offshore basins.

The event will also facilitate direct dialogue between LPRA and the global upstream community, connecting companies with policymakers and industry stakeholders involved in shaping Liberia’s next chapter of petroleum development.

As exploration companies continue to seek new frontier opportunities, Liberia Investor Day Houston will highlight the role of regulatory certainty, data availability and strategic partnerships in unlocking long-term investment across Liberia’s offshore sector.

Registration is now open for attendees. Companies interested in Liberia’s emerging offshore opportunities are invited to join LPRA, investors and upstream leaders in Houston for insights into the country’s licensing strategy and exploration outlook. For more information contact info@energycapitalpower.com.

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

 

Continue Reading

Trending