Our Reporter. Ugandan Financial Technology (FinTech) companies have been advised to involve more women in the conceptualization, designing and development of Fintech products and solutions that can tap into the underserved market segment of Ugandan women entrepreneurs. Damali Ssali, a Chartered Accountant, Business and Trade Development Expert, says that in a country where 48 per […]
For Immediate Release. 17th, September, 2020 – Doreen Lukandwa; the Head of Marketing and Customer Success at Beyonic Uganda has urged start-ups to pay special attention to both customers’ acquisition and retention as these two are core pillars of business success. While delivering the final mentorship session at the just concluded Women in FinTech Hackathon […]
For Immediate Release. 16th, September, 2020 – Primera Muthoni; a Products Specialist at MTN Uganda, Leading Innovator and Entrepreneur has today challenged young developers to always ensure that they execute a proper product roll-out plan because ‘Going to Market’ is as important as Product Development. Primera Muthoni said this while delivering a mentorship session around […]
For Immediate Release. 15th, September, 2020 – Damali Ssali; a Ugandan Chartered Accountant, Financial Inclusion Advocate, Business and Trade Development Expert has today urged start-ups to prioritize both proper financial management and quality products development because both are critical to the success of any business. Damali Ssali made these remarks while delivering a mentorship session […]
For Immediate Release. 14th, September, 2020: Prof Maggie Kigozi; a Ugandan Business Champion, Investment Promotion Expert, Entrepreneur, Farmer, Feminist, Chairperson of the Africa Scout Foundation and Senior Consultant at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has today asked young developers to work on their confidence and also respect humble beginnings. “Confidence is key for […]
For Immediate Release. 13th, September, 2020: The first of its kind Women in FinTech Hackathon is currently underway in Kampala with 15 women led and dominated teams taking part. The participants are conceptualizing and developing different financial inclusion products with special focus on women in areas such as payments, lending, saving, e-commerce, e-education and e-agriculture […]
For Immediate Release. 09th, September, 2020: As part of its on-going Financial Inclusion efforts in Uganda and across Africa, HiPipo is implementing the Women in FinTech hackathon and summit this month. Today, 15 women led teams have been announced for the Women in FinTech hackathon slated for 12th to 17th September at Hive Colab, Kamwokya, […]
Story by Daily Monitor. An initiative aimed at having more women involved in the Financial Technology (FinTech) ecosystem has been unveiled. This development comes at a time when there is negligible women involvement in FinTech; a fact that according to Louise Brett, the head of FinTech at Deloitte UK somewhat makes FinTech “an industry […]
For Immediate Release. 17th, August, 2020: As part of its on-going Financial Inclusion efforts in Uganda and across Africa, HiPipo has today unveiled the Women in FinTech hackathon and summit. Slated for 12th to 17th, September, the Women in FinTech hackathon will have developers convening to develop financial inclusion solutions that address their communities’ needs, […]
Published by New Vision. With financial technology companies (fintechs) increasingly gaining prominence as facilitators of financial transactions and drivers of financial inclusion across markets, the rate of their vulnerability to cyber risks is also equally growing. Cyber risk is any risk associated with financial loss, disruption to operations or damage to an organisation’s reputation from […]
Our Reporter. Electronic commerce platforms have been urged to settle financial obligations they have with partner businesses on the same day to enable them have sufficient cash flows to keep them afloat. Speaking during the fintech Landscape exhibition at Sheraton Kampala Hotel, Damali Ssali, a trade development expert said that small businesses rely on daily […]
Our Reporter. Financial technology companies (fintechs) have called for a conducive environment to enhance the adoption of digital financial solutions. The appeal was made by Oscar Ofumbi, the Head of Business at Lend in a Box, a financial technology company during the two-day fintech landscape exhibition at Sheraton Kampala Hotel last week. According to Ofumbi, […]
Our Reporter. Financial technology companies (fintechs) have been urged to ensure customer centricity in the development of digital financial products, as it will be key in enhancing financial inclusion. Speaking during the two-day fintech landscape exhibition to mark the end of the 40-days-40-fintechs project at Sheraton Kampala Hotel, Wendy Nanfo, the customer delivery supervisor at […]
By Our writer While the COVID-19 crisis has taught people the importance of digital technologies in all aspects of life, its importance has been greatly felt in the financial space. An increasing number of transactions are progressively going online as social distancing and the lockdown proved that it is only technology that can be harnessed […]
Our Reporter. If there is anything that the corona virus crisis has taught business people in Uganda and world over, it is the power of technology in providing goods and services. With the lockdowns that cut across nations as countries implemented measures to curb the spread of the dreaded virus, the only businesses that managed […]
Our Reporter. While some people and businesses in Uganda would be willing to pay taxes, the cumbersome procedures make it difficult for many to comply. This explains why the Uganda Revenue Authority, the body charged with collecting taxes on behalf of the government, is still failing to increase the country’s taxable base, despite there being […]
Our Reporter. Merchandise Uganda, an e-commerce platform that connects sellers to buyers is increasingly gaining prominence in Uganda, owing to its ability to connect businesses to market across the globe easily. Established in March 2019, the platform allows merchants to open mini-showrooms through which they market their products to potential buyers by posting product photos […]
Our Reporter. Digital agriculture is increasingly gaining prominence across the world. It is predicted that by 2021, the digital agriculture market, including value of software, algorithm, platforms and links between farming and technology hardware, would triple to $15 billion. To tap into this growing market so as to transform agriculture through enhanced production and productivity, […]
Our Reporter. Mobile wallets have over the past few years become a buzzword in most countries across the world, including Uganda. However, one name stands out in Uganda when it comes to mobile wallets; that is Yo Uganda, a technology solutions company that braved to venture into the world of the unknown. Established in […]
Our Reporter. Mwanjala Technologies, a Zambian company based in Kitwe Lusaka seeks to connect buyers and sellers with proper delivery lines and digital payment integrations. It further seeks to enhance e-commerce through connecting people to various products and services and allowing them the option to pay through integrated digital financial services platforms such as […]
Our Reporter. There is growing demand in developed nations for schools to teach children coding from an early age. This is because most schools and parents believe that learning how to code at a young age sets up a child for a lifetime of success. In most developing countries, including Uganda, however, the earliest one […]
Our Reporter. While previously life for most Ugandans, especially those living in rural areas, would come to near standstill after sunset due to lack of electricity, the emergence of innovative lighting solutions is helping rewrite the story. Hundreds of people now have access to solar power, thanks to products like StarTimes Solar, which is lighting […]
Our Reporter. While the Covid-19 pandemic caught nations unware, paralyzing businesses and service provision in many countries, it also sparked off a wave of invention as people thought of innovative ways to remain relevant even during the lockdown. Among the innovations that emerged during the lockdown in Uganda was the Gombe Education Service (GES) Online […]
Our Reporter. Reimagining finance in emerging markets by extending financial services to the underserved and the excluded has been JUMO’s goal since inception. This explains why it chose to specialize in social impact financial products where small businesses that are financially excluded can access loans and savings products. Launched in 2014, the company so far […]
Our Reporter. The evolution of Financial Technology companies (FinTechs) is increasingly playing a critical role in salvaging informally operated Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which for long were unable to access credit from banks and Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs). One such FinTech that has come in handy to serve businesses operating in this grey area […]
Our Reporter. While Sub-Saharan Africa countries are among the largest recipients of diaspora remittances, the region also suffers with some of the highest transfer costs than any other region in the world. A 2018 World Bank report shows that on average, the cost of sending USD 200 to and from a country in the region […]
Our Reporter. With financial exclusion still a big challenge globally, players in the financial technology space are increasingly working towards breaking the barriers by using technology to ensure that more people have access to affordable financial services. It is estimated that over a billion people globally are still financially excluded. Uganda has, however, gained progress […]
Our Reporter. While education experts in Uganda put the ideal teacher-pupils ratio at one teacher to 53 pupils, most schools have three times the number, a condition that is straining Uganda’s education system. This brings about a problem for both teachers and learners, as slow learners are always left behind because teachers have a huge […]
Our Reporter. Jumia, an e-commerce retail and logistics service platform that connects sellers with consumers has been hailed as one of Africa’s greatest success stories and yes, it is. Established in 2012 in Lagos, Nigeria, it has within just a period of eight years posted great milestones, including spreading to about 11 countries in Africa, […]
Our Reporter. A growing number of businesses and buyers in Africa are increasingly embracing e-commerce, thanks to COVID-19 that saw governments enforce restrictions on people movement to control the spread of the deadly virus. The shift to online shopping has not only opened a window of opportunities for businesses to sell within their country but […]
Our Reporter. It may still be a nascent industry but Uganda is increasingly making huge leaps in the digital payment technologies space. Huge sums of money; be it person-to-person payments or business transactions, are being transacted conveniently, thanks to the innovativeness put up by Financial Technology Companies (FinTechs) such as Pegasus Technologies. Established in 2007, […]
Our Reporter. While Europe, America and Asia, the main trading partners with Africa are increasingly getting cashless, over 90 per cent of the population in Africa still adores cash. This not only renders the continent uncompetitive but has also played a great part in promoting money laundering on the continent. According to Brookings, illicit financial […]
Our Reporter. With huge traffic congestion in most African cities, the easiest way for one to travel from one point to another is by using a motorcycle, commonly known as Boda Boda in Uganda. Although this is the fastest means of transport that beats any manner of traffic jam, the only challenge comes with safety, […]
Our Reporter. When RG-Consult started working on the Nakasero Market portal that would allow people to order for groceries from the market and have them delivered to their residences, little did they know that it would become popular in a short time. However, the lockdown that followed the COVID-19 outbreak in Uganda, forcing the government […]
Our Reporter. The payment industry is increasingly experiencing a high level of disruption that is reshaping the payments space, thanks to a surge of new technology-driven processes. Operated by Financial Technology Companies (FinTech), the digital applications are enabling users to take payments to the next level in terms of speed, efficiency and convenience. And one […]
By Our Writer The Ugandan economy is heavily weighted in international trade, especially as an importer, mainly from China. Despite this, traders were finding challenges with cross-border payments as they involved multiple parties, currencies, regulations and risks. However, in a bid to make international payment more accessible and efficient to businesses, Ugmart, a Financial Technology […]
Our Reporter. Making financial services available to more people by lowering costs and barriers to access is increasingly becoming a key focus area for Financial Technology Companies (FinTechs) that seek to ensure financial inclusion for all. Their transformative power owes to their ability to serve the once financially excluded people, using technology to facilitate mobile […]
Our Reporter. While most Ugandans describe land as the key to wealth, leaving it idle for years is not a smart idea. In Uganda, it is not unusual for one to leave their piece of land vacant for years because they do not have funds to develop it. Even though it appreciates in value […]
Our Reporter. Blockchain technology and Cryptocurrencies – digital representation of value that are digitally traded and act as a medium of exchange, a unit of account and a store of value, are increasingly being adopted across the world. They are steadily playing a critical role in helping countries across the globe drive their financial inclusion […]
Our Reporter. There are many people who have missed out on their favorite sports games, music shows or comedy just because they were unable to buy their ticket from a location which was far from where they were. However, all that is history, thanks to Ticteq, a Xopa Limited online ticketing system that houses revelers […]
Our Reporter. Talk about Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) in Uganda and they will tell you how majority die before celebrating their fifth birthday. According to experts, this is due to a number of reasons but top on the list is poor record keeping and poor inventory management. However, a group of entrepreneurs saw […]
Our Reporter. While there has been effort from the various governments across Africa to shift their respective countries from cash to cashless economies, the World Bank estimates that about 90% of retail transactions on the continent are still cash based. However, there seems to be renewed effort, from all corners to migrate Africa from a […]
Our Reporter. Ugandans across the country could soon be able to access safe and convenient financial services if Cytrone launches its free financial inclusion product. Established in 2016, Cytrone Limited – a payment technology company that offers a domestic, open- loop, multilateral system that facilitates electronic payments, is in final stages of product development according […]
Our Reporter. While micro, small and medium enterprises account for over 80% of businesses in Uganda and employ the largest number of the country’s working population, they still find it hard to access bank credit. This is mainly because majority are informal, fragile, lack collateral and thus considered risky. However, in a bid to close […]
Our Reporter. Over the past few years, distinctions between financial institutions and telecom service providers have been gradually breaking, thanks to the emergence of Financial Technology Companies (FinTechs) that are providing the needed bridge. FinTechs are transforming lives in Uganda and the entire African region for the better; facilitating payments, boosting financial inclusion and enhancing […]
While access to affordable financial services plays a vital role in enabling refugees cope with negative shocks, reduce exposure to risk and stimulate economic activity, it is still a luxury to many. This is partly because of a mismatch between the financial products available on the market and the cost and financial needs of refugees. […]
By Our writer With an increasing number of Ugandans having busy work schedules, it is increasingly getting clear that the future of television is going to be mobile. A growing number of Ugandans, especially those with smartphones are increasingly using them to watch their favorite television programme at their convenience while on the move. Watching […]
By Our writer Many small farmers in Uganda usually sell their produce at giveaway prices as middlemen often exploit them by offering low prices even when the prevailing market prices are higher. This mainly happens because of lack of market information. However, this could soon be history, if all farmers adopt online technologies that seek […]
Our Reporter. While financial management skills are key for the survival of any enterprise, most micro, small and medium size enterprises and savings groups lack this key aspect. This has seen many die before even celebrating their first birthdays. However, Computing Palace Technologies, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) firm that specializes in software […]
By Our writer While Uganda started efforts to boost a cashless economy over a decade ago, majority of Ugandans still prefer cash. Available statistics indicate that about 99 per cent of the economy is cash-based and only 1 per cent is cashless. However, over the years, several Financial Technology Companies (FinTechs) have heavily invested in […]