TechCabal Daily – New business, who this?

Careem’s Chief Finance and Strategy Officer Ankur Shah has announced his exit from the company a week after Uber concluded its acquisition of the ride hailing /sharing service. “Having completed our acquisition by Uber, and with profound gratitude to our board, Magnus and Mudassir for their trust, I am stepping down from the CFO/CSO role,” Shah wrote on LinkedIn. Uber announced it was acquiring Careem for US$3.1 billion in March 2019 and has recently completed the acquisition having met some stipulated conditions laid down by competition watchdog, Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA) in fulfilment of the transaction.

The French government is looking to invite 1,000 African entrepreneurs to come to Bordeaux to present their solutions at The City of Solutions, a show dedicated to projects geared towards sustainable cities and territories .The show is to be held during the 28th edition of the Africa-France Summit from June 4 – 6, 2020. Entrepreneurs with innovative solutions to promote the emergence of sustainable cities are invited to apply before January 31, 2020 for a chance to be selected.

Applications are open for Andela’s 5-month training program, StackUp, targeted at aspiring and entry-level engineers in Kigali, Rwanda. The intensive remote program will provide engineers with the necessary technical and soft skills to become FullStack JavaScript Engineers and boost their experience level to meet market demands as they seek employment. Interested applicants should visit this page to apply before January 17. 

The countdown to Afrobytes 2020 continues. Afrobytes is the premier event that brings together entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, and more to explore business opportunities between the African tech ecosystem and players in the global tech world. Here are key reasons why you should attend Afrobytes 2020:

• Finance: pitch world-leading Africa-focused tech funds
• Network: connect with global companies and African tech leaders
• Scale: find tech partners at the largest startup campus
• Feature: talk to international media covering African markets

Get your early bird ticket here

Come February 28, 2020 the next TechCabal townhall will focus on:
Emerging technologies including 5G, Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality, Cryptocurrencies, Robotics and 3D Printing. TC Townhall: Emerging Tech will examine how these technologies are changing (and will change) how Africans live and do business.

Want to attend?
Indicate interest by filling this form. Are you a member of the press, fill this form to qualify for a pass. Do you have a startup or project with any of these technologies at the core? Tell us about your project or startup here.

Have any ideas about the event or suggestions about speakers? Send us an email via team@techcabal.com and we just might make your wish come true. For sponsorship inquiries, please email Chidi via chidi@bigcabal.com.

Previously known as Mines.io, credit-as-a-service company Migo spent just four years in the Nigerian market before making a move into North America, a location which at first glance seemed an unlikely place to expand into. Brazil’s credit accessibility landscape is, in fact, not very different from Nigeria’s where Migo says it has disbursed more small loans than any other fintech company in the country. In this insightful article, Alex details the thought behind Migo’s expansion into Brazil and how it is thinking about where it berths next. A lesson worthy of attention.

Internet shutdowns are not news anymore. Sadly. Across Africa, governments are stifling free speech by shutting off all or critical parts of social media and access to the internet usually in the guise of an attempt to curb the spread of false information during tense political moments. Well, in 2019, these shutdowns cost Sub-Saharan Africa US$2.16 billion just behind the Middle East and North Africa region (US$3.14 billion). Sudan (US$1,866.3 million), Chad (US$125.9 million) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (US$61.2 million) were the biggest losers.

The Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN) in its predictions for 2020 has warned cybersecurity will gain traction globally this year as new technologies emerge in regulatory grey areas. Business Email Compromise, insider threats, ransomware and phishing among many others will be on the rise. Even dated cyberattack methods will be successfully used to endanger data and privacy. The organisation has urged governments, organisations, individuals to pay closer attention to cyber threats and to nipping them in the bud as digital innovation continues its upward trajectory.