MTN Platforms Accelerator Awards : Node Eight Beat 22 Others To Win Tech Hub Award.
Ghana's digital ecosystem week in review: The death of Glo, Node Eight Wins MTN Platforms Accelerator Awards, Credit Card fraud Remains high, Voting Commences For GH Fintech Awards, e-Cedi before 2026
Accra Digital Digest No. #101101
Date: 15th - 21st January 2024.
Dear Friends,
Happy new week!🎉Here are the most important news, perspectives, analysis, and insights about the Ghanaian digital ecosystem from last week.
Digital governance
News updates
GSS begins fieldwork for 2024 Ghana Integrated Business Establishment Survey
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has commenced the field data collection for the 2024 Ghana Integrated Business Establishment Survey Phase I (IBES I). According to the GSS, the IBES aims to compile a detailed list of businesses, capturing essential characteristics that contribute to the development of a robust Statistical Business Register and other key statistical indicators to enhance national development.
Digital infrastructure and platforms
News updates
Vodafone and Microsoft Announce 10-year Strategic Partnership
Vodafone and Microsoft have announced a new 10-year strategic partnership that leverages their respective strengths in offering scaled digital platforms. The companies will collaborate to transform Vodafone’s customer experience using Microsoft’s generative AI; hyperscale Vodafone’s leading managed IoT connectivity platform; develop new digital and financial services for businesses, particularly SMEs across Europe and Africa; and overhaul its global data center cloud strategy.
Op-ed
From Glo to Gloom: The Folding OF Glo.
No telecom company in Ghana could boast of 1.5 million SIM cards pre-ordered ahead of the network launch but Glo. The company rolled out enough telecom towers to cover a historic 90% of the country before the network launch. That was historic, and it put the shivers down the spine of the existing players but from Extreme Controls from Nigeria, and Random changes of CEOs to Decommissioning of towers, Glo Ghana started dying. This op-ed explores Glo’s journey to a sad ending.
Ghipss And Visa Ink A Domestic Processing Corporation Deal
The Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems Limited (GhIPSS), Ghana’s national payment systems infrastructure provider, today announced a pioneering partnership with Visa, a global leader in digital payments, that allows GhIPSS to process domestic transactions denominated in Ghana Cedi with Visa cards issued in Ghana.
Digital finance
News updates
Ghana Fintech Awards: Voting commences
The highly anticipated Ghana Fintech Awards, a collaborative effort by the Ghana FinTech and Payments Association, KPMG, and Arkel Limited, has officially commenced voting for this year’s awards. This prestigious awards ceremony aims to recognize and honor outstanding financial technology companies, commercial banks, and allied financial institutions that have set themselves apart by delivering secure, rapid, compliant, and reliable digital financial channels for all stakeholders in the financial sector, including government, businesses, and individuals.
Paystack Introduces Transfer To Bank Feature For Ghanaian Users
Paystack, the fintech company, has introduced a new feature for users in Ghana.
The new Transfer to bank account feature allows businesses to make single or bulk disbursements (Transfers) to any Ghanaian mobile money wallet as well as any Ghanaian bank account.
BoG affirms commitment to launch e-Cedi before 2026
Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Ernest Addison, acknowledging the progress made in the e-Cedi’s development, has reassured the public that the launch of the much-anticipated e-Cedi, the country’s digital currency, will take place before the end of 2026 attributing the delay in its launch to economic dislocation caused by the events of 2022.
Credit Card Fraud Remain Most Prevalent Cybercrime In Ghana – 2023 Fintech Report
Cyber fraud, such as credit card fraud, identity fraud, or romance fraud, remains the most prevalent form of cybercrime in Ghana, the 2023 Ghana Fintech Report has revealed. The Bank of Ghana’s Fraud Report for the year 2022 highlighted cyber email fraud as one of the top five fraud categories significantly impacting the banking industry. Notably, this form of fraud resulted in losses of GH4.3 million in 2022 alone, representing a 65.5% increase from the previous year.
CBG Grants GH₵1.6 billion Loans to 5,600 SMEs
Consolidated Bank Ghana Ltd (CBG) has advanced GH₵1.6 billion in loans to over 5,600 businesses since inception five years ago. In the corporate and institutional banking segment, CBG participated in loans totaling GH₵2.35 billion, either as lead arranger or transaction advisor, benefiting crucial sectors like energy, tourism, and agriculture.
Digital entrepreneurship
News updates
Airbnb’s Africa Host Spotlight Includes Winner From Ghana.
The African continent’s most welcoming, innovative and creative Airbnb Hosts were recognised at the Airbnb Host Spotlight event and Nana from Accra in Ghana was recognised as the Host whose home offered iconic architecture and interiors. Nana’s home is one of the few well-maintained homes of the mid-century modern period in Accra. Guests of the Superhost of 8 years have described Nana’s home as “a small oasis in the heart of Accra.”
Ghana: Node Eight Wins The Ultimate Prize of MTN Platforms Accelerator Awards
Node Eight, a leading digital innovation company with the mission to build a pipeline of ethical digital talents and investment-ready technology-enabled African startups, beat 22 other competitors across the country to win the ultimate prize of the MTN Platforms Accelerator Competition Awards 2023. Node Eight which supported two startups, Wasteman Gh and Aduane Fie Marketplace to participate in the competition received an amount of GH₵50,000, a lifetime partnership with MTN Ayoba amongst other prizes.
Digital talents
News updates
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