| First, a quick update
Remember we said Safeboda, the Ugandan motorcycle-hailing company, had launched in Ibadan, south west Nigeria? Well, a company official has told us they are “putting finishing touches” ahead of their launch. It’s not the biggest deal in the grand scheme. But if you were in a hurry to get out of the riotous Lagos and move northward, you may want to hold. Good news is: Safeboda has concluded their driver trainings so it can’t be too long before they take off. |
|
| To the main course
Migo, a Nigerian startup which offers credit-as-a-service solutions, has raised $20m in a Series B round. Formerly known as Mines.io and founded in Nigeria, the company will expand its operations to Brazil. It’s a move motivated by similarities in the addressable market in both countries, according to Adia Sowho, Migo’s vice president for growth. The raise is backed by Valor Capital Group, a VC with a host of investments in Brazil, and is a follow-up to the $13m Migo raised in an August 2018 Series A. Why have they rebranded from Mines to Migo, and how will it affect Kwikmoney users in Nigeria? Find the gist in our report here.
|
|
| Baby, Am I A Yahoo Boy
No, that’s not a question. Those are hit Nigerian songs that, like Adekunle Gold’s Before You Wake Up and much of Burna Boy’s African Giant album, have one thing in common: they are short songs making the artistes considerable money. After listening to a couple of songs, Abubakar Idris picked up on this trend, spoke with a leading producer in the Nigerian music industry and scanned through streaming revenue numbers. What he finds is compelling, if you are in the business of making money from your music in the digital age. |
|
| What’s it like using the internet in China? You probably know it comes with restrictions and censorship – no Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. But how bad is it that even your television goes blank at the mention of a ‘forbidden’ name or subject? That’s what ‘Muyiwa Olowogboyega learned from speaking with someone who recently moved from an African capital city to the powerhouse Asian nation. It’s a gripping read that you should absolutely make time for. Might sober your impression of those dazzling Chinese investments in African tech. |
|
You will soon be able to apply for an e-Visa to South Africa from your bed. According to the country’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA), the pilot programme of the e-Visa system has now been deployed at the OR Tambo and Lanseria airports in South Africa. It is “reliable, client-friendly and convenient for visa applicants, airlines, trading partners and Home Affairs officials,” says Aaron Motsoaledi, the DHA minister. Prospective visitors will be able to apply online for visas, at home, office or place of work when the system is fully rolled out. The pilot covers entrants from Kenya, with China, India and Nigeria to be included in the pilot by early 2020.
|
|
| From Burkina Faso, ‘Black’ has moved the #JollofRoad team to Niger. It’s 7 days before they arrive Nigeria through Sokoto. Till then, the adventure and discovery remains the premium travel content you need as the festive season approaches. Fu’ad has considered spending more days on the road, though the ‘L’ word is kicking in. Keep up with the team as we gradually draw the curtain on what has arguably been the most immersive African road tour in recent memory. Visit jollofroad.com for daily journals and videos. |
|
| Alitheia IDF Fund (AIF) will host its inaugural Demo Day on Wednesday December 4th at the IBM Innovation Center in Lagos. Created to invest in and change the narrative of African businesswomen, AIF invests in high growth SMEs with a deliberate strategy to finance female founders and co-founders. The Demo Day comes after it held its first ever Nzinga bootcamp, a six-week programme for which over 160 companies applied. Ten high potential teams were selected. AIF has a $100 million fund anchored by the African Development Bank. Find out more about them here. |
|
| Alert: Investment opportunity
If you have a solution to last-mile internet connectivity problems in Africa, the first edition of Africa50’s Innovation Challenge is here for you. Africa50, a pan-African investment platform focused on infrastructure development, has launched this challenge to unearth, guide and fund innovative solutions for Africa’s most critical and pressing infrastructure development challenges. What do you need to do? Visit their website and submit your application before December 31, 2019 |
|
| What should you do as a startup to be ready to close investors? Kess Majemite, founder of Lagos-based startup studio, shares practical tips that are worth your time. |
|
| Last week, we read Chinedu Azodoh’s story of co-founding MAX and tackling Lagos unions. Be sure to look out for today’s My Life in Tech feature as we continue putting human faces on African tech. Take a wild guess: who’ll today’s featured techie be? |
|
|
Anticipate!
See you tomorrow
– Alexander
Share TC Daily with your friends!
|
|
|
|
|
|
