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GITEX Africa 2023 and Fujn Join Forces for the Representation of Women in Tech

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Fujn

Fujn has a community of over 100,000 women from diverse backgrounds, educational levels, specialties, and expertise

SOUSSE, Tunisia, May 25, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Fujn might be one of the few tech startups, if not the only startup, exhibiting at GITEX AFRICA 2023 (https://GITEXAfrica.com/) with 10 women coming from 6 countries and 4 continents. It is a privilege for us to be representing women in a significant way and in a historic technology event inaugurated for the first time in the African continent. Fujn is headquartered in Boston, USA. It is a tech startup designed by women, built by women, developed by women, executed by women, and funded (bootstrapped) by women, for women’s future of work. Fujn is founded in 2022, operates with a team of 20 women across 10 countries. Our upskilling platform has 5,000 women actively learners. Our community has 100,000 women living in 22 countries. So far, the most traction we have received, is in Africa and Southeast Asia. We have launched 6 services as of today and have 10 additional services to follow. We are fusing upskilling, work, and life of women, seamlessly. Hence, the word Fujn, which stands for fusion.

When we had the idea, a few years ago, to tackle the future of work of women, generative AI was not yet in the public spotlight. However, we knew then that the digital adoption has only one expected trajectory, which is becoming mainstream, across the globe. At that moment, we understood that the AI genie was out of the bottle, and no one could stop it. We can only manage it, be innovative about it, and implement sensible guardrails for the good of humans. We only knew that we must work harder and smarter to direct this zeitgeist to a positive outcome. The mission we have chosen is to help women thrive, with or without AI.

Fujn is honored to be taking on the role of representing women in a prominent technology conference, such as GITEX AFRICA 2023. Technology has become the brain of all economies. And women represent 50% of the markets within these economies. We believe representation is a sign of civilization advancement. We are convinced that representation is the logical illustration of human rights and democracy. We pursue this mission of representing women in technology in a material way. By material, we mean to represent women in the GITEX AFRICA 2023 event as tech founders, tech architects, tech investors, tech strategists, and tech enthusiasts. We are traveling to Africa to tell our story. More importantly, we would like to inspire many more stories, even better than ours, to come. Our big picture is anchored on the belief that digitalization is women’s historic chance to achieve gender equity if they pursue it. Digital brings:

  • Learning, upskilling, knowledge, and know-how to their homes
  • Remote and flexible jobs, freelance, gigs, entrepreneurship to their homes
  • Global mentors, career counselors, and experts’ guidance to their homes
  • Role models in one big global ecosystem that will inspire them how to start and execute
  • Funding, if the idea is solid and the business plan is convincing

Gender equity, if enacted well, is estimated to boost Africa’s economy with an additional 1 trillion dollars and the Moroccan economy with an incremental $150 billion, by the year 2025.

For Company Recruiters:

At Fujn, we are working and hoping to build both a culture and a community of women who are self-aware but selfless, ambitious but balanced, expert but well-rounded in knowledge. We are working to inspire women to strive for a high IQ, but also for a high EQ. And now we are also aware of a thing called AQ, which stands for Adaptability Quotient. This word emerges with the shift happening in the future of work, accelerated with generative AI. AQ means workers must quickly adapt or inevitably become irrelevant. Fujn has a community of over 100,000 women from diverse backgrounds, educational levels, specialties, and expertise. Fujnistas, as we address our users, are doctors, architects, attorneys, scientists, psychologists, sociologists, creatives, artists, and engineers… Our community is growing fast, and we are offering recruiters access to a large pool of women talent with a high self-drive and a growth mindset that would advance any organization. Recruiters get many benefits from hiring women. They get the talent they require and the diversity they need. They get a workforce that represents 50% of their market who starts thinking with them, designing products with the right market fit for women, articulating messages that resonate with women, and setting HR policies that suit the non-linear lives of women thereby ensuring productivity, sustainable diversity, and the company’s long-term performance.

For Investors:

When we talk about a tech startup working on gender equity, it is helpful to give the context of this business. Typically, investors do not pay enough attention to understand how investing in startups like ours has a double benefit: the potential for a high IRR and ROI plus the positive social impact as an ESG business. Below are some data for Investors’ thoughts:

  •  As of March 2023, the Biden Administration has proposed the largest-ever US investment in gender equality programs, with US$3.1 billion for gender programs in FY2024. This budget proposal furthers the US administration’s aim to secure gender as a cross-cutting priority on both the domestic and global front.
  •  Assets in U.S. gender equity funds have doubled over the trailing three years to $1.3 billion, as of the end of February 2023, Morningstar found. Yet those funds represent less than 0.01% of total equity fund assets in the US.
  • The total ODA disbursements related to gender equality amounted to $30 billion, with Germany, the EU, the US, the UK, and Canada as the top 5 donors.
  • According to the UN, more than 100 countries have taken action to track budget allocations for gender equality.

We are working and hoping to build both a culture and a community of women who are self-aware but selfless, ambitious but balanced, expert but well-rounded in knowledge

We are a week away from the conference and are pleased to have piqued the attention of 15 investors who either invited us to meet or confirmed our request to meet them. The Fujn team cannot wait to tell these investors how we are executing our vision to build an insanely cool platform for an insanely cool mission of “enabling women to become economically independent skilled leaders.”

Human-Machine Equity (HME):

The time published on May 16, 2023: “Sam Altman, whose company is on the extreme forefront of generative AI technology with its ChatGPT tool, testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee and echoed his previous assertion that lawmakers should create parameters for AI creators to avoid causing “significant harm to the world.”

AI presents significant benefits but also momentous risks associated with many facets of the future: bias, democracy, security, wealth and power distribution, surveillance, freedoms….etc. However, the risk of jobs loss is the most obvious and imminent one:

  • Goldman Sachs Predicts 300 million jobs will be lost or degraded by AI
  • Oliver Wyman says 50 million Chinese workers must be retrained by 2030, as a result of AI-related deployment.
  • The U.S. will be required to retool 11.5 million people with the skills needed to survive in the workforce. 
  • Wells Fargo says robots would eliminate 200,000 jobs in the banking industry in the next 10 years.
  • Well-trained doctors could be pushed aside by sophisticated robots that could perform delicate surgeries more precisely and read X-rays more accurately to detect cancerous cells than the human eye.

This leads us to think: Women have requested, for a very long time, gender equity, because women’s lives are not the same as men’s. Hence, giving men and women the same treatment at work has been NOT equitable. Life’s mysteries are now calling us to advocate for EQUITY between men and women as humans versus intelligent machines. Here is why:

  • Machines do NOT need to sleep and work 24/7
  • Machines do NOT a vacation, fall sick, take sick leave, or need a social life
  • Machines learn in weeks what humans learn in decades
  • Machines do NOT demand a salary and benefits
  • Machines do NOT require a corporate contribution to their retirement account
  • Machines do NOT join unions
  • Machines do NOT retire at their own discretion

Regulators, corporate leaders, legislators, activists, economists, and humanists, all have the duty to advocate for human-machine equity (HME) before it is too late. Fujn will continue to advocate for both, gender equity and Human-Machine equity (HME).

Strategic Partnerships:

We are now working to explain how we want to cooperate with African governments to include women in the next wave of opportunities created by technology, and how to leverage technology to include women, in the economic fabric of societies. When we say include, we mean to include women in a structural way, not as an afterthought. We mean in all sectors, in all occupations, and in all levels of responsibilities starting from the top, not the bottom. We mean to include women in the design stage of everything, technology, legislation, policies, and strategies. We have high anticipation to explore partnership opportunities with participating inter-governmental agencies from Korea, Abu Dhabi, and Japan. We respect the work that the teams at Mastercard and OCP Group are doing in the areas of upskilling and women. It will be our privilege to join forces with them to transform the lives of some women for the better.

We are happy to share that Khadija Khartit, Fujn’s founder, will be speaking on behalf of Fujn team on the stage of GITEX AFRICA 2023 about two topics:

Panel 1-The Importance of Equality, Inclusion, and Diversity in Tech​:

On this topic, She will be share her thoughts on the inclusion of women, immigrants, and minorities. She would like to raise awareness about the inclusion of the neurodiverse and the disabled as the mother of an autistic child and an advocate for special needs individuals. She also wants to raise awareness about the benefits of diverse expertise in tech design: humanities, art, law, social sciences, behavioral sciences, regulation, public administration….and more, in addition to hard science and tech expertise. Tech design done by cross-functional teams who consider eventual unintended consequences is a MUST with AI to avoid major harm to humans.

Panel 2- Building Technical Growth Communities for Women in Tech​: ​

This topic is core to Fujn as our main mission is to help women “be in the know” about technology and to train them on how to leverage it to build minds, hearts, wallets, and better lives. We see technology as a magic tool for women to reimagine their possibilities. When the word technical is mentioned, some women get intimidated when they should not. Women can be senior directors in tech startups without knowing how to code, but it is a plus, if women code. Mrs. Khartit is hoping to inspire women to get curious, to immerse themselves in tech, its landscape, players, and lingo because, after that, their horizons will inevitably expand.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of GITEX Africa.

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China-India ties at 75: ‘Dragon-Elephant Tango’ will benefit both

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diplomatic relations

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 April 2025 – CGTN published an article on China-India relations as the two Asian neighbors celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, exploring the bilateral cooperation and exchanges and emphasizing why working together will benefit both countries, the region and the world.
China and India celebrated the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations on Tuesday with mutual congratulatory messages from their leaders.

In his message to Indian President Droupadi Murmu, Chinese President Xi Jinping described China-India ties as the “Dragon-Elephant Tango,” symbolizing a harmonious partnership between the countries’ emblematic animals. He noted that realizing the “Dragon-Elephant Tango” is the right choice for the two sides, as it serves the fundamental interests of both countries and their peoples.

China-India relations have made positive strides over the past year. Last October, President Xi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in Kazan, Russia, signaling a new phase of engagement. Since then, both sides have worked to implement the important consensus reached by the two leaders, strengthening exchanges at various levels and achieving a series of positive outcomes.

‘Partners of mutual achievement’

Noting that China and India, as ancient civilizations, major developing countries and important members of the Global South, are both at a critical stage of their respective modernization efforts, Xi called on the two sides to be partners of mutual achievement.

In an interview with CGTN, Harsh Pant, vice president for Studies and Foreign Policy at the leading Indian think tank Observer Research Foundation, pointed out that the two major economies should engage with each other much more substantively on economic matters amid simmering global trade tensions.

“If they continue to work according to the principles of free and open global trade, I think that can inspire other countries to do the same,” he noted.

He added the cooperation between the two sides could bring long-term sustainability to the current global economic order.

China reclaimed its position as India’s top trading partner last year, surpassing the United States after a two-year gap, according to the latest report from the Global Trade Research Initiative. Bilateral trade between the two Asian giants reached $118.4 billion in 2024, reflecting a four-percent increase from $113.8 billion in 2023.

Both countries have leveraged their strengths in technology and production. While China remains a vital supplier of industrial goods such as electronics, machinery and chemicals, it imports pharmaceuticals, agricultural products and software services from India.

Beyond trade, cultural exchanges have also played a vital role in strengthening ties. In January, China and India agreed to resume direct passenger flights and take steps to facilitate travel and journalist exchanges.

In the first quarter of this year, around 70,000 visas were issued, representing about a 15-percent year-on-year increase, according to Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong.

‘Sound, steady development’ of ties

President Xi called on both sides to enhance strategic mutual trust, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, deepen communication and coordination in major international affairs, jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the China-India border area, promote a sound and steady development of bilateral relations, and contribute to world peace and prosperity.

In a recent interview, Modi emphasized the need to strengthen ties with China despite past tensions, advocating dialogue over discord and cooperation over conflict.

Recent months saw frequent exchanges between the two sides at all levels. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met several times at multilateral events. The two countries held the 23rd meeting of Special Representatives for China-India Boundary Question in Beijing in December, 2024, as well as China-India Vice Foreign Minister-Foreign Secretary Dialogue in January, reaching broad consensus on bilateral relations, practical cooperation, and boundary issues.

Ambassador Xu noted that such frequent and constructive interactions have been rare in recent years, signaling that China-India relations are at a crucial stage of improvement and development. Moving forward, both sides will need to further overcome obstacles, remove disruptions, and take proactive steps to sustain and build on this positive momentum, he said.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-02/Why-realizing-Dragon-Elephant-Tango-is-right-choice-for-China-India-1Cf7KsMpJiU/p.html

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Centurion Law Group (CLG) Granted CEMAC Tax Accreditation, Reinforcing Position as Regional Legal Partner

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Centurion Law Group

As the CEMAC region pursues accelerated growth across its oil, gas and mining industries, CLG’s accreditation will strengthen its position as a partner for multinational companies active across the region

SANDTON, South Africa, April 3, 2025/APO Group/ –Legal, tax and business advisory conglomerate CLG (www.CLGGlobal.com) – formerly Centurion Law Group – has officially been approved as a Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) tax advisor by the CEMAC Standing Committee on Fiscal and Accounting Harmonization. CLG Tax and Legal will provide its full suite of tax services across all CEMAC member countries, supporting business and transactions across various strategic fields, including oil, gas and mining.

The tax certification not only comes as part of a broader restructuring of CLG’s tax and legal services offerings, aimed at positioning the firm to better serve clients throughout the region with integrated solutions, but as the CEMAC region pursues accelerated growth across its strategic economic sectors. Specifically, the region’s oil and gas sector is on track for rapid growth, as nations implement ambitious production targets. The Republic of Congo aims to produce 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) by 2027; Gabon targets 220,000 bpd in the short-term; while Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon are scaling-up gas monetization. These targets require significant levels of investment and CLG stands ready to support transactions and broader economic growth.

Given the potential of the CEMAC region’s natural and mineral resources, project developers and investors have already begun to expand their presence across the region. In the Republic of Congo, TotalEnergies is investing $600 million in the Moho Nord project; Trident Energy recently acquired stakes in the Nkossa, Nsoko II, Lianzi and Moho-Bilondo fields; while Perenco increased production at the Tchibouela II and Tchendo II fields following a $30 million investment. In Gabon, wildcat drilling is underway on Blocks BC-9 and BCD-10 while Perenco advances the $1 billion Cap Lopez LNG terminal toward a 2026 start. In Equatorial Guinea, the country is preparing to launch an oil and gas licensing round while Cameroon drives a gas-to-industry agenda. Further developments in Chad are underway, highlighting the region’s potential as a major producing hub.

The CEMAC accreditation aligns with our strategy to support impactful transactions in Africa and we look forward to strengthening our presence across the continent

Stepping into this picture, CLG’s accreditation will serve to further support current and future transactions. Over the past decade, CLG has significantly grown its tax practice, providing comprehensive tax advisory and compliance services to numerous multinational companies operating across Africa. This sustained growth reflects CLG’s commitment to meeting the complex tax needs of investors and businesses on the continent, from corporate tax planning and regulatory compliance to cross-border taxation strategies.

“By bolstering our tax practice in the CEMAC region, CLG continues to establish itself as a one-stop-shop for investors in the region and across the continent. The CEMAC accreditation aligns with our strategy to support impactful transactions in Africa and we look forward to strengthening our presence across the continent,” stated Zion Adeoye, CEO and Managing Partner of CLG.

CLG already has a strong presence in Africa, with offices in South Africa, Nigeria, Mauritius, Ghana, the Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia and South Sudan. The company caters to a diverse portfolio of multinational companies operating globally, delivering bespoke solutions tailored to address the unique challenges and complexities faced by clients in different industries. CLG’s expertise covers energy, infrastructure, mining, agriculture and ESG, to name a few. For the CEMAC region, CLG’s extensive network and growing expertise positions the firm as strategic partner for regional and global firms. As companies expand their presence across the region, CLG’s agile, integrated approach – underpinned by its local roots and depth of experience – demonstrates the rising prominence of African advisory firms on the global stage. The CEMAC tax certification not only expands CLG’s regional service coverage but also solidifies its reputation as a trusted partner for businesses navigating Central Africa’s evolving tax landscape.

“CLG’s deep understanding of its clients’ businesses, collaborative approach with local authorities, multinational orientation and highly experienced local teams are some of the factors that set our tax practice apart in the region,” stated Daoudou Mohammed, CLG Tax and Legal Director.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of CLG

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Emerging Markets-Focused Fintech Platform PalmPay Unveils New Debit Card in Nigeria with Verve

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PalmPay

The new PalmPay Debit Card brings advanced features such as savings yield on deposits and merchant rewards within reach for mass market users in Nigeria

LAGOS, Nigeria, April 3, 2025/APO Group/ –PalmPay (www.PalmPay.com), a leading digital bank and fintech platform focused on emerging markets, has launched the PalmPay Debit Card in Nigeria in partnership with Verve, Africa’s largest domestic card scheme.

The launch of its debit card represents a key milestone in PalmPay’s evolution – from a mobile wallet known for it’s fee-free transfers and cashback rewards into a full-service digital banking platform offering an integrated ecosystem for payments, savings, credit, insurance, and now, card access.

The new PalmPay Debit Card brings advanced features such as savings yield on deposits and merchant rewards within reach for mass market users in Nigeria. With zero maintenance fees, a simple in-app application process, and nationwide delivery, PalmPay aims to convert millions of its 35 million users to become cardholders this year. The card is accepted at all merchants in the Verve network, and supports both debit and contactless transactions.

“This launch is another step forward in our mission to deliver accessible, reliable and rewarding financial services.“ said Sofia Zab, Chief Marketing Officer at PalmPay. “With the PalmPay Debit Card, we are expanding our ecosystem and enabling our users to pay and earn rewards at even more touch points, including across offline and online commerce. And for merchants, this opens up new opportunities to reach millions of Nigerian digital consumers and collaborate with us to build reward-driven experiences that boost loyalty and sales.”

Alongside the standard debit card, PalmPay is also rolling out PalmPay Premium, a new reward scheme and card designed for high-volume users. It offers enhanced perks such as priority support, advanced financial tools, and exclusive merchant benefits.

With the PalmPay Debit Card, we are expanding our ecosystem and enabling our users to pay and earn rewards at even more touch points, including across offline and online commerce

With over 35 million users and a growing network of 1.1 million agents and merchants in Nigeria – and operations in Tanzania, Ghana, and Bangladesh – PalmPay is building a next-generation financial ecosystem designed to empower consumers and businesses in emerging markets. PalmPay processes up to 15 million transactions daily, underscoring the scale and reliability of its platform.

In addition to its digital banking services, PalmPay provides a suite of B2B offerings for local MSMEs and international merchants, including:

  • Smart POS terminals and a business app
  • Payment orchestration and checkout solutions
  • Bulk payment tools via a self-service merchant portal
  • APIs for embedding and reselling PalmPay’s services
  • Direct integration of services into the PalmPay consumer and business apps

 

“At PalmPay, we believe that building a thriving digital economy requires collaboration. From lending and insurance providers to card schemes like Verve, our ecosystem is powered by strategic partnerships.”, said Jiapei Yan, Chief Commercial Officer of PalmPay. “The launch of our debit card is another example of how we are combining cutting-edge technology with our partner strengths to deliver inclusive financial services at scale – and in doing so we empower businesses targeting Africa to grow faster, reach more customers and unlock more revenue streams.”

Vincent Ogbunude, Managing Director of Verve International, added: “We are proud to partner with PalmPay on this important milestone. Our alliance reflects our shared mission of accelerating financial inclusion and delivering payment innovation that meets the needs of African consumers.”

From zero-fee transfers and high-yield savings to instant credit, insurance, and now cards, PalmPay is redefining what digital banking in emerging markets can look like – personalised, comprehensive, and accessible to everyone.

As international businesses seek entry into Africa’s dynamic digital economy, PalmPay offers a trusted platform with the infrastructure, user base, and reach to help them scale.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of PalmPay

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