OyaPay, a Nigerian mobile-based point-of-sale startup, has shut down after a year in business thanks to a funding dispute with one of the founder’s family members.

OyaPay was one of several Nigerian startups looking to help wean the country off of cash, enabling small businesses to accept payments via mobile phones and also offering customers the chance to order ahead.

However, in a blog, co-founder Abdulhamid Hassan says that “our grand experiment is at an end”, promising to reimburse users before a complete shutdown this month.

In an interview with Techpoint Africa, Hassan says that the reason for the decision is unrelated to OyaPay’s product or market performance.

Rather, he lays the blame at a family dispute: an uncle acted as the firm’s initial seed investor and was reluctant to see his stake diluted to bring more backers in.

“For months we couldn’t resolve it, I became frustrated and decided to call it quits,” says Hassan.

Meanwhile, another Nigerian fintech firm, Paystack, tells Techpoint that rumours that it has bought OyaPay are false, although some of the latter’s staffers have been hired.

https://innovation-village.com/not-again-nigerias-oyapay-closes-shop-over-family-feud/

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) crazes didn’t die out with Pokémon GO. This dynamic-duo is alive, well, and benefit businesses. AR and VR technologies are living up to and surpassing expectations in terms of creating riveting user experiences.

Using this technology has a unique way of increasing brand engagement, and generating new ways to interact with services and products. If your company hasn’t yet experimented with AR or VR technologies, explore the following innovations. The answer to improving your numbers this year may be to implement AR/VR into your business today.


Virtual reality is an interactive computer-generated experience taking place within a simulated environment. It incorporates mainly auditory and visual feedback, but may also allow other types of sensory feedback like haptic. This immersive environment can be similar to the real world or it can be fantastical.

Augmented reality is an interactive experience of a real-world environment where the objects that reside in the real-world are "augmented" by computer-generated perceptual information, sometimes across multiple sensory modalities, including visual, auditory, haptic, somatosensory, and olfactory.


Revolutionize product testing and free trials

Why mail out hundreds of sample products when your customers can test them on your website using AR and VR technologies for a fraction of the cost? You could potentially build an AR or VR system that lets customers “use” your products in a virtual environment — helping them through the buyer journey. This saves you and your company the exorbitant investment in test products or samples. You will be interested in how much your “true” clients and customers want to help you and give you information. Innovative brands are using AR and VR technologies to give customers trial runs in retail, automotive and construction etc

Provide a more exciting user experience

Go ahead and be the company that goes above and beyond in an age that emphasizes engaging, immersive user experiences (UX). Implement AR or VR technologies into your company or website to give unforgettable UX users will talk about with their friends and family. Something as simple as giving a virtual tour of your establishment in 3D can be enough to increase clicks and decrease bounce rates. Generate a buzz and get people talking about your brand with exciting immersive UX.

Create personalized employee learning systems

The emphasis on personalization has grown in business as brands discover the benefits of tailoring the user experience to achieve greater engagement. Yet personalization isn’t only valuable in the consumer sector — it’s also making waves in-house. Personalizing the employee experience can garner amazing results, especially when it comes to worker hiring, training, and retention. AR and VR offer exciting new ways to provide personalized learning experiences to your employees, potentially boosting productivity and cutting HR costs. AR and VR also make it possible for companies to develop personalized training programs that can enhance learner engagement.

Attract a millennial audience

Millennials (those born between 1980 and 2000) are unarguably the largest generation They are the most important consumer type to most businesses, with an estimated spending power of around $10 trillion over their lifetimes. Millennials are also unique in terms of what they respond to when it comes to branding and advertisements. They are the first “digitally native” generation and keen on companies that keep this in mind. One of the fastest ways to get to the hearts of millennial shoppers is by offering a modern e-commerce experience. Millennials love technology, and they value experiences and excitement. Combine all three of these wish-list items by immersing visitors in an AR or VR shopping experience. Attract and impress a younger audience by implementing AR and VR user experiences on your website.

Stand out from the competition

Your augmented- or virtual-reality technology doesn’t have to be especially complex or sophisticated. Something as simple as building your own AR/VR app can be enough to set your brand apart from competitors. Gaining a competitive edge is all about doing something other brands aren’t doing. AR and VR are still relatively new enough that the chances are high your competitors have yet to fully take advantage of these technologies. Beat them to the punch by adopting AR/VR sooner rather than later. Get creative with your AR or VR technologies. Have your team — or an outsourced provider — create a fun and immersive game for your customers to play. Request that customers submit their email addresses to access the game, helping you build your contact list for campaigns.

https://innovation-village.com/how-to-implement-ar-vr-into-your-business-today/

If you have ever thought that someone is spying on you, or that your government has a secret program to watch over you, it’s probably true. It’s also possible that your computer is already infected with spyware and has been sharing your information with the perpetrator for some time now. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look at the different ways you could be being spied on right now.

Mass surveillance

It is almost certain that your government or a foreign intelligence agency has been watching you from your footprints on different channels of communication. In the U.S. for example, the National Security Agency (NSA) has been legally collecting private data in the following ways:

Data from Facebook, Microsoft, YouTube, Google, Yahoo, Skype, and other personal services such as messages and emails.
Tapping Internet traffic which goes through undersea fiber-optic cables. The NSA does this in partnership with other governments.
Collecting up to 5 billion cell phone location signals of foreign countries outside of the States.
The U.K. is another prominent example of an aggressive surveillance government, where the Tempora Program partnering with the NSA and UK’s telecom companies intercept internet traffic for surveillance purposes.

Keeping in mind that these programs came to light from whistleblowers leaks, it’s highly likely that more has been spying on us.

Facebook’s private user data problems

Cambridge Analytica, which became embroiled in a scandal when it was revealed that the company received around 50 million Facebook users’ data through improper channels without their permission.

This information was used by the company to build a prediction algorithm in an attempt to influence voters’ behavior to boost Donald Trump in the 2016 U.S. elections.

Weak security of your internet connection

You might already be using a firewall and security software and have an authenticated connection to your ISP. However, can you be sure that the path your data is taking while it is being transmitted over the internet is secure?

If you are not using a VPN service, then the answer is no.

When you receive or send data packets, you may be aware when they reach their destinations. However, whether it passes through a secure network or not, is something you can never be certain of. Your data might well be intercepted in an eavesdropping attack it’s on its way to its destination and you’ll never know. Data interception or rerouting is extremely hard to detect, especially when it does not slow your transmission lead time significantly. That’s how third parties and governments might be spying on you right now if your internet connection isn’t secure.

Malware

There is also the possibility that you are being spied on if your laptop has malware (malicious software) for the benefits of advertisers, hackers, and thieves. You should always watch out for these:

Adware – it tracks your browsing history and sends it to third parties who use it for targeted advertising.
Keyloggers – they record and send any keystroke you make to third parties which use it to track your activity on the internet and steal valuable info, for example, your credit card numbers.
Spyware –a software which claims to provide a useful service while also stealing valuable data such as bank details, account credentials, chat logs, and many more.
Tracking cookies

Each time you open your web browser and see an ad on a web page, the web advertising distributor will collect a cookie. This is a problem as your cookie will provide data such as IP addresses and your browser’s unique identifier which can be used to identify you.

Big ad distributors can gather a greater amount of your cookies as they can display their adverts on more sites. This helps them to track you better and target their ads towards you in a more effective way.

Almost all commercial website will give you a warning that they use cookies in order to improve the experience of the users. You can decide based on your own perspective whether this is spying or not but tracking someone’s cookies is undoubtedly a sneaky a violation of privacy.

How to fight back

Knowing about the ways you might be monitored already gets you halfway there. Anti-spying tips are ubiquitous online, and here are a few to get you started:

#1: disable your third-party cookies on the browser you use, such as Chrome, Internet Explorer, or Firefox.

#2: install security software to protect your laptop or any devices you use from malware. Be sure to keep it up to date.

#3: get a VPN service as it can encrypt your internet traffic so no one can see your data packets, even if they are able to intercept them.

You can never be too careful where third parties have so much to gain from stealing your data and monitoring your digital behaviour. Privacy protection is not a one-time job, it’s a habit that practice form. Always look out for unknown software that might be leaching on your devices, and read up on journals frequently to keep yourself up to date on the latest threats and technological pitfalls.

https://innovation-village.com/heres-how-you-might-be-spied-on-right-now/

THE THIN LINE BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA SYMPATHY AND SOCIAL MEDIA OUTRAGE-A LOOK AT THE CASE OF JUSSIE SMOLLETT

When the story of the attack on Empire star, Jussie Smollett broke on January 29, social media went berzerk as everyone rallied around the gay actor. The attack was reported as a racist and homophobic attack which made the reactions more intense.

The actor, 35-year-old Jussie Smollett, had flown into Chicago from New York on the night of the attack to continue filming the new season of “Empire.”

“The alleged assailants made racially charged comments to the victim implying that they knew he was a star from the show,” police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. From celebrities to civil right activities and the LGBTQ community offered their support to Jussie Smollett after being hospitalised following the attack.

The outrage as a result of the attack was deafening and perhaps Smollett was basking in the euphoria of the many reactions. However, as they say in Nigerian parlance, kasala don burst!

Smollett is now in the soup as reports have emerged that he allegedly staged the attack because his character is gradually being phased out of Empire. To remain relevant, he decided to stage the attack. But before the report that he orchestrated the attack surfaced, some people express doubt about the story after he redacted some content of his phone record he submitted to the police.

And the solidarity/sympathy began to crumble like a pack of cards… The frenzy the media used in reporting the attack is the same frenzy they reported the arrest of two Nigerian- Abimbola “Abel” and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo. Their arrest shattered all that Smollett claimed about the attack.

The brothers were reported to have told Chicago Police that Smollett paid them $3,500 to stage the attack adding that a further $500 will be paid later on. They presented the receipt for buying the noose used in the attack to the police. They were subsequently released.

Since then, everything changed has those who previously supported him either deleted their tweet or requested that everyone should wait for the police to finish their investigation before casting doubt on the story. Smollett himself hired high-profile lawyers as police are investigating if the attack was a hoax or not.

Jussie Smollett is an outstanding actor and superb singer. However, with the way the case is going and the stories being told online, there is more to the Smollett attack. The first blow for Smollett is that his role in Empire has been slashed. The lesson is that there is just a thin line between social media sympathy and social media outrage and condemnation. People will always support on social media but the turn around will be swift if they smell any iota of doubt in your story. Hence, be careful with your actions when as social media can be sympathetic and at the same time unforgiving! Beware.

Source: https://innovation-village.com/the-thin-line-between-social-media-sympathy-and-social-media-outrage/

There is no that social media networks and messaging apps have revolutionalised the way people interact, engage and communicate. Today the communication has gone beyond just individuals, it is now being used for business purposes. One of such social media platforms that have proven to very relevant for businesses is WhatsApp which has more than 1.2 billion users globally. The question now is how can your business use WhatsApp? This article discusses some of the ways.

Real-time customer service
Let’s face it, providing real-time customer service is a luxury that many small businesses cannot afford, but with WhatsApp, you and your small staff can answer any questions your customers might have quickly. And because the app supports a variety of media, you can use text, audio or video to provide a personal customer service experience.

Gather feedback
Research has discovered that the open rate for WhatsApp messages is between 70% and 98%. So instead of calling customers for feedback, you can create questions for your group that will deliver answers that are relevant to your business. This is marketing research at its best, and it is free. With the feedback you receive from your customers, you can respond to their requests and improve the products and services you provide.

Personalised interactions
As your WhatsApp group continues to grow, you can personalise the interaction with your customers using one-on-one communication. This is especially important for small businesses because you can have a direct relationship, where customers can message you if they need a particular product, have a question or need support. WhatsApp can be accessed on your smartphone, tablet or PC so you will be able to talk to your customers anytime if you choose to make yourself available.

Creating and targeting groups
Your small business probably specializes in a particular product or service, and by creating or targeting groups in WhatsApp that are interested in related topics, you can increase your customer base. If you have created video content and provide live-support, members will share it with contacts that are outside of the group. This can lead to more users consuming the content, joining the group and eventually even becoming customers.

Share promotional codes, flash sales
With the new Status feature, you can create special promotional codes your customers can share to redeem at your business. Using the instant photo and location feature, Status can let everyone in your group know about the promotions you are running. This could include a two-hour flash sale or a one day special to drive in traffic and create buzz. Based on interaction levels, you can expand the promotion with WhatsApp-Status exclusive coupons or promotions.

Demo your product
Whether you make your own products or just sell them as a retailer, you can demo them on Status and let your group know when you have a new item in your inventory. Even if the customer doesn’t need this particular product now, knowing it is available, what it does, and how to use it will keep the product — and your business — top of mind when the time comes to buy.

Giveaways
You can have weekly, monthly or even daily giveaways to bring traffic to your store, or visitors to your website. Since WhatsApp and Status are free, the only cost of such promotions are the promotional products or services you give away. This considerably lowers the overhead of any marketing venture.

Source: https://innovation-village.com/how-to-use-whatsapp-for-your-business/

With the many advantages of the World Wide Web and its impact on businesses, you would think the bandwagon impact would be massive.

Apparently, this is not the case as there are still a good number of businesses that are yet to bring their business online. Surprisingly, some of these businesses are struggling and are ready to jump at any ready-made solution to recover. Unknown to them, the solution is right under their noses which is to bring the business online.

There many online businesses that traditional stores can emulate. A good example is Jumia. Jumia is over 5 years in the online business and for these years, Nigeria's no 1 shopping destination has encouraged millions of Nigerians to shop online. This has, fortunately, being aided by the fact that many customers now own smartphones and can afford the internet, they will no doubt, result to the internet to perform their transactions. Hence, the convenience of an online platform like Jumia is driving a lot of people to purchase, book and order things on the internet.

Reasons you need an online presence

24/7 hour availability

There are very few traditional or offline businesses in Nigeria that can run for 24 hours every day. It is impossible. A key benefit to having a website is that your clients and prospects can read about your products and place orders at any time. On regular business days or holidays. Imagine what being open 3-4 times longer could do for your business.

Better customer support

The diversity of the internet is immeasurable. It allows you to answer questions and solve customer problems in real time. You can also create a video, a product spec sheet or a FAQ (frequently asked question) section once, and you can direct clients to that information. Not only does it save you time, but you’ll be providing better service.

Very low start-up costs

Starting out online means very low startup costs. You have no buildings to construct, no vehicles to buy and few (if any) staff to hire. Simply build your site and start selling. If you are already selling offline, then the transition can be very smooth. You continue selling the same products that you know and have a good supply of. Putting your company online simply gives you a new source of customers.

Your customers are online

This is perhaps the most important reason for building an online presence. This is because your customers are online using search engines to search for your services.

How struggling businesses/retailers can improve business by coming online

Know your market

One of the biggest keys to success with an online business is to know the market. Where do your potential customers spend their time online and how can you reach them? The better you know your market, the more success you will have reaching them with the right message and offering them the right products and services. You don't necessarily have to be an expert in your market and, you can learn as you go along.

Push your business on social media

Social media is absolutely free except you want to run a promotion campaign. You can also do a free push of your business on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. This will definitely give you brand recognition as you continually interact with your customers online.

Own a website

You need a website to complement your social media efforts. This is because search engines now have a huge impact on business because many people usually visit Google or Bing to search for what they want. If your website is fully optimised, then you will get more patronage. This, plus your social media, will help your business recover.

Publish an email newsletter

Capturing the email addresses of your website visitors is critical to the growth of every online business. However, a large and growing list is only valuable when useful and relevant information is sent on a regular basis to these individuals. The goal of an email list is to turn prospects into clients and clients into repeat customers and they will eventually become ambassadors for your company/product.

Keep them interested with content marketing

Content marketing refers to the strategy of marketing to potential customers with different types of content. The content used in this method can vary from blogs to videos; but they all share the same end goal: to convince visitors to your website that they should buy from or partner with you.

Over 60 million Nigerians are unbanked. This simply means there is a huge banking gap that needs to be bridged. Unfortunately, a large population of the unbanked or underbanked are located in rural areas. In these areas, there are just a handful of financial institutions. This is one of the reasons why Nigeria’s apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria is encouraging banks to open more branches, especially in rural areas. The question now is for how long? This question arises because there is a dire need to bridge the gap.

Fortunately and thanks to technology, the concept of fintech came up and it has unarguably disrupted the financial scene. The most staggering impact it is having is that it is making inroads in helping to close the financial gap between the banked and the unbanked. So, how are fintechs pulling this off? Read to know some of the ways.

Online lending

Online lenders are on the rise, and with that blooming industry, the need to drive to a local branch and sit down with a banker to apply for a loan is fairly obsolete. Instead, rural residents can apply for loans from their smartphone wherever they are. Many traditional banks allow online application and they will take forever before they respond. However, for fintechs, they will lend you huge sums of money within 24 hours, as long as you meet their criteria.

Making payment seamless

Paying for online services is no longer rocket science. It is accessible to everyone notwithstanding whether you are in the rural or urban area. Of course, you must have an internet connection. So, you can order and pay without issues. For example, with Jumia Pay, you can pay for food, hotel and groceries you ordered online and it will be delivered at your doorstep. This has, to a very large extent, reduced cash-on-delivery payments. Therefore, you do not need to keep wads of cash at home just because you want to pay for your order.

Business banking integration

Many rural residents own farms, ranches, and home-based businesses, and so banking access is more than just depositing a paycheck or needing a debit card. Customers with business-based banking needs can also, through fintech, integrate their business banking into those same apps and online access. Accounting software can link bank accounts and accountants as well, offering even more of a streamlined experience. Additionally, people can now easily apply for small business loans without having to travel to a bank or lender, making it much easier to access capital when necessary.

The simplicity of the process

Fintechs are having a gigantic leeway because their modus operandi is not cumbersome. It’s quick, fast and responsive when compared to the banks. Due to this, this has encouraged Nigerians to use them. Also, the number of fraud cases are considerably low in comparison to the banks. Due to this a lot of people are very much attracted to them.

Organisations are not established for charity purposes. Over time, they must grow and become profitable. As such, businesses are always searching for ways to boom. One of such ways that some organisations are yet to explore is the ecosystem model. Jumia, Africa's only e-commerce unicorn has proven over the years that the ecosystem model works.

Jumia started out as an ecommerce startup where you can only order for household items. Presently, the business has gone beyond buying household items. Shoppers can now book hotels & flights, order food and even pay for their orders within the Jumia ecosystem. In fact, it has gotten to the extent there is now Jumia One where you can get almost every service you desire from paying for your subscription to recharging your phone and even reading the news. It is all about keeping the customers within the ecosystem.

Companies in the ecommerce sector that are not looking at adopting this model are either being sold off or liquidated. This said we shall discuss some of the ways the ecosystem model can boost business growth.

Higher chances of attracting investments

Investors are interested in companies that have a solid lifespan. So, when it comes to attracting investment from investors, it has a higher chance of attracting them. Importantly, not just any kind of investor but one that is ready to strive and dive with the business to ensure that it grows and become profitable.

Reduce costs

One of the ways to reduce cost is by adopting the ecosystem model. This is because when processes are efficient, they take less time to execute, can have fewer steps, and can make wasteful activities more obvious and therefore easier to eliminate. So, if you are offering products in different verticals, you will try as much as possible to guarantee quality and efficiency by preventing wastages and ensuring that the right numbers of people are doing the job.

Improve customer experience and revenue

Effective processes on the revenue side of the business drive sales success and improve pricing accuracy and product development. Structured processes mean you can measure and understand what customers want and create a consistently excellent customer experience that the salespeople can use to sell and retain customers. This allows sales managers to actively manage the sales process without clashing with other verticals, improve sell-through rates and control pricing and discounts.

Reduce risk

The risk of running a business ecosystem is reasonably low as long as you have the right people running the different verticals. Simply, ensure that there is a clear line of reporting as well as check and balance. Since rigorous processes make it easier to identify root causes, they reduce the risk of issues existing in your operations for very long.

Make the business easier to manage

Over time, an ecosystem model will become very easy to manage. This is because processes can now be measured and this means that you can put those processes into systems, measure them and know their outputs without needing to directly observe them. This means that good processes allow executives and managers to manage the business without needing to be involved with every operational detail.

The Managing Director of Jumia's hotel and flight services, Omolara Adagunodo has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to grant tax breaks to businesses in the hospitality industry.

Adagunodo who stated this in a press statement hinged the call on the fact that the hospitality industry will contribute more than it is currently to Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the economy if it is granted tax breaks.

Recall in 2017 the federal government released a list of 27 companies to enjoy the Federal Government tax break under pioneer status and the hospitality sector was missing.

Adagunodo, therefore, encouraged the federal government to include the hospitality sector in the pioneer status so that the sector can also enjoy its many benefits.

The hospitality sub-sector is currently faced with an avalanche of taxes: Registration of Hospitality Premises, Stamp Duty, Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSIT), Industrial Training Fund [ITF] National Pension Commission (PENCOM), Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Value Added Tax (VAT), Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Company Income Tax, Withholding Tax, Liquor License, Food Handlers and Health Certificate among others.

"The travel and Tourism sector accounted for 1.9% of total GDP as a direct contribution, and 5.1% as a total contribution to GDP in 2017. In monetary terms, Travel and Tourism contributed N2.298 billion to the GDP as a direct contribution and N6.205 billion as a total contribution to the GDP.

"For jobs, the sector directly generated 1.2 million jobs, that’s 1.8% of total employment (and, it’s expected to rise by 4.7% in 2018 to 1.276 million). Whereas total jobs created - both direct and indirect was 3.3 million, that’s 4.8% of total employment, " Adagunodo added.

“This percentage GDP contribution will significantly increase as these businesses will invest the money on boosting service delivery and overall improvement in the quality of business,” she said.

https://www.tribuneonlineng.com/189332/

Online shopping is no longer a stranger in Nigeria. Nigerians are now used to buying and even selling online. Despite this, some Nigerians still question if online shopping has truly made life easier. The truth is online shopping has truly made life easier and here are some of the ways.

You can find low prices/discounts

The online platform provides cheaper deals and better prices than the physical stores do most times. Many online shops offer discounted coupons and really low prices for their goods and this is super sweet. Who doesn’t want to save money? Many people do agree to get cheaper deals online than they would in the physical local stores and this is beneficial to our finances.

It is convenient

This is the most beneficial factor for me. You don’t have to go looking in different shops to meet your demands nor wait in any queue or for some shop assistants. You can also do your shopping 24/7 right in the comfort of your home or office and have them delivered at your doorstep.

You have more varieties to choose from

Online shops provide amazing varieties. You can get different sizes, shapes and colours, different products from different sellers, all in one place! You can even read up the product reviews from those who have used the product firsthand. This helps your choices. Most times, the local shops do not have this at your disposal.

It limits impulse buying

Assuming you want to buy curtains for your room, you only need to look up the ‘interiors’ category and select from the varieties made available for you and then check out. For the local stores, it is sometimes different. You originally go to buy a bag, the shop assistants skillfully offer you a matching shoe. And all of a sudden, you’re sighting a beautiful dress to go with it.

Avoiding crowd

There is nothing like a crowd when you shop on an online shopping platform like Jumia. You can shop at your own convenience without anyone disturbing you. The experience is smooth and exciting.

Despite the efforts of the Central Bank of Nigeria in ensuring that Nigeria becomes a cashless society, some Nigerians still prefer to settle transactions via cash notwithstanding whether it is online or offline.

Regardless, businesses in the country are doing their utmost best to encourage Nigerians to pay online. A business that is effectively doing this is Jumia. Nigeria's no 1 shopping destination has put various measures in place to encourage Nigerians to prepay for their others. Hence, there are so many reasons for you to prepay for your online orders. We discuss some of these reasons.

It is safe
This works both ways. This is because carrying cash around is quite risky. So, it is better to prepay for the order and the only thing you have to do on your part is to be available to receive the order or assign someone to collect it on your behalf.

Discount

Prepaying for your orders is one of the best ways to enjoy a discount. When you shop on Jumia and prepay for your order with Jumia Pay, you will get 5% off upon checkout. This combined with other discounts you get on the platform will ensure that you are paying far less than the actual cost of your order.

Quick refunds

When a customer returns a product or an order; they expect their refund as soon as possible. And of course, it does not have to necessarily refund only, it can be for cancellation. If you want to get your money ASAP, you should use Jumia Pay. The refund will be sent your Jumia Pay account and you can decide to withdraw the money into your account or use it to purchase another item. Very easy!

Reliable online payment
When e-commerce started in Nigeria, cash on delivery was the only way to trust sellers that customers had never seen before. With cash on delivery, the customer had an assurance that their product was coming, no matter what. Thanks to technology, customers can now pay online and of course, they are very safe and reliable as eCommerce businesses regularly updating their security tech.

Technology plays a huge role in either the success or failure of any business. This applies mostly to small and medium enterprises that do not have the deep pockets of the giant companies. As such, with the limited capital they have, they can ride on the current technology trends to improve business and survive the many challenges SMEs encounter in a country like Nigeria. In line with this, we share 5 ways Nigerian SMEs can take advantage of technology to improve business and guarantee growth.

Have an SEO compliant website

Some small businesses simply establish a website without considering whether it is search engine optimised or not. It is not enough to set up a high-value website. It has to be optimised so that your website will be ranked by search engines like Google, Bing and others. If your website is absent on search engines, you won't be able to attract prospective clients and customers to your business.

Expand your reach with social media

Wonder why Jumia is everywhere you go online? It is because Nigeria's no 1 shopping destination has a strong social media presence (Facebook, Twitter & Instagram). These platforms are free and there is nothing stopping any SMEs from interacting and engaging customers on them. It can be used to get new customers and boost your business online profile

Use online invoice

Invoicing a client is no longer rocket science. There are thousands of free online invoicing software that you can use to bill customers. So, if you provide invoices to clients or track expenses, having a working system is non-negotiable.

Email newsletter

The regular publication of email newsletter is one of the surest ways to interact and connect with your audience. Before sending out the newsletter, you should concentrate on understanding what your customers want and then creating offers that may interest them.

Improve customer service

The fact is the customer is king and no business can survive without them. Therefore, you should use technology to improve your customer as the returns will be massive. Some of the cheap and affordable ways to improve customer service are through interactive websites, online chat support services, chatbots and customer service via social media. This will no doubt make your business unique.

Chatbots are now widely used because getting quick feedback is essential to today's customers. Many businesses have recognised this fact and are deploying chatbots to assist the customer service team to drive customer engagement and interaction. This, in turn, will impact the Net Promoter Score (NPS), thus making customers more loyal. This said, here are 5 ways chatbots add value to the buying experience of customers.

24-hour customer service

Your customer service representative can sometimes be overwhelmed and cannot respond to all requests. This is where chatbot comes in. Because they use artificial intelligence to process information, they can respond and reply accurately to enquiries and queries at any time of the day.

Seamless live chat

The clarity of the response of a chatbot has made so many people think that they are actually chatting with a customer rep. Unknown to them, they are talking to a chatbot. For example, you can use Jumia Bot from the stables of Jumia, Nigeria's no 1 shopping destination to make enquiries about your shopping preference and resolve complaints.

Allows you to personify your brand

With chatbot, you can easily personify your brand depending on your brand vision. Chatbot can feature with various conversational styles that range from being friendly to helpful and playful. These different personalities will ensure that customers keep coming back.

Can handle endless queries

Chatbots have been set up to use human intelligence to sort out customer queries. As a result, chatbots can handle endless queries with little or no mistake. Despite the fact that chatbots can do the job, it doesn't mean you should remove the human touch.

Smoother purchase journey

Chatbot can do so many things that will ensure that the consumer's purchase journey is smooth. The bot can offer relevant information, video content and even voucher code. In addition, chatbots can also assist customers with aggregating information like the item they desire to purchase, the method they want to pay for the order, and how they want the order shipped.

The importance of travel insurance cannot be overstated whenever you travel. Travel insurance is insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight accident and other losses incurred while travelling. Despite the many advantages of travel insurance, only a handful of travellers buy a travel insurance policy.

Imagine this scenario: you have exited your office and you are on your way to your long-planned vacation. Everything is going smoothly and you are excited and looking forward to it. However, your baggage disappears. To make matters worse, all your travel documents are in your suitcase. This is definitely a nightmare and it is exactly why you need travel insurance.

Where to buy travel insurance

Buying travel insurance is not rocket science. In fact today, you do not need an insurance company to buy insurance. You can buy your travel insurance from Jumia's hotel & flight services. There are pocket-friendly plans like Business/Tourism, Students Plan and Pilgrimage Protection. So, if you are visiting Europe (Schengen), for a business trip, you will pay as low as N2,740.23, if you are between the ages of 0 and 79 years. This covers you for up to 7 days.

How to tap travel insurance for a smooth and safe trip

Your lost luggage will be replaced

A lot of travellers go on tour with different types of items from clothes to home appliances and jewellery. If you do not have travel insurance, you will be the one to bear the cost of these lost items. Due to this, it’s advisable to buy a travel insurance cover so as to prevent any kind of loss of cash theft.

Your medical expenses will be covered

Whether you are on a business or leisure trip, you do not know when you are going to fall ill. If you happen to fall ill, you may be unable to cover your medical expenses because the medical bills may be too expensive for you to settle. To avoid this kind of unpredictable situation, just buy travel insurance.

You won’t pay cancellation fees

Every traveller books a trip in anticipation that nothing will disrupt your travel plans. From nowhere, you got an email summoning you to the office, you have no choice than to cancel your trip. For this, you will be charged a cancellation fee. You do not need to pay this fee if you have travel insurance.

Beyond planning and hoping for a smooth trip, you should have it at the back of your mind that uncertain and unpredictable things happen. To forestall and deal precisely with these uncertainties and actually guarantee a smooth trip, then you should never travel without a travel insurance cover.

Tapping Travel Insurance For a Smooth & Safe Trip

The importance of travel insurance cannot be overstated whenever you travel. Travel insurance is insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight accident and other losses incurred while travelling. Despite the many advantages of travel insurance, only a handful of travellers buy a travel insurance policy.

Imagine this scenario: you have exited your office and you are on your way to your long-planned vacation. Everything is going smoothly and you are excited and looking forward to it. However, your baggage disappears. To make matters worse, all your travel documents are in your suitcase. This is definitely a nightmare and it is exactly why you need travel insurance.

Where to buy travel insurance

Buying travel insurance is not rocket science. In fact today, you do not need an insurance company to buy insurance. You can buy your travel insurance from Jumia's hotel & flight services. There are pocket-friendly plans like Business/Tourism, Students Plan and Pilgrimage Protection. So, if you are visiting Europe (Schengen), for a business trip, you will pay as low as N2,740.23, if you are between the ages of 0 and 79 years. This covers you for up to 7 days.

How to tap travel insurance for a smooth and safe trip

Your lost luggage will be replaced

A lot of travellers go on tour with different types of items from clothes to home appliances and jewellery. If you do not have travel insurance, you will be the one to bear the cost of these lost items. Due to this, it’s advisable to buy a travel insurance cover so as to prevent any kind of loss of cash theft.

Your medical expenses will be covered

Whether you are on a business or leisure trip, you do not know when you are going to fall ill. If you happen to fall ill, you may be unable to cover your medical expenses because the medical bills may be too expensive for you to settle. To avoid this kind of unpredictable situation, just buy travel insurance.

You won’t pay cancellation fees

Every traveller books a trip in anticipation that nothing will disrupt your travel plans. From nowhere, you got an email summoning you to the office, you have no choice than to cancel your trip. For this, you will be charged a cancellation fee. You do not need to pay this fee if you have travel insurance.

Beyond planning and hoping for a smooth trip, you should have it at the back of your mind that uncertain and unpredictable things happen. To forestall and deal precisely with these uncertainties and actually guarantee a smooth trip, then you should never travel without a travel insurance cover.

The importance of travel insurance cannot be overstated whenever you travel. Travel insurance is insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight accident and other losses incurred while travelling. Despite the many advantages of travel insurance, only a handful of travellers buy a travel insurance policy.

Imagine this scenario: you have exited your office and you are on your way to your long-planned vacation. Everything is going smoothly and you are excited and looking forward to it. However, your baggage disappears. To make matters worse, all your travel documents are in your suitcase. This is definitely a nightmare and it is exactly why you need travel insurance

Technology keeps advancing year after year, improving the way we live and do business. One of the best things that technology is changing is the financial element of the online world, most notably e-commerce. What used to be unavailable is now more reachable and available than ever. An eCommerce platform like Jumia, Nigeria's no 1 shopping destination has contributed in no small measures in making this very feasible and possible.

Fintech and payment innovation have greatly affected the world – they brought mobile payments, online payments, shopping online and digital money. Here is how they will continue to affect e-commerce:

It will help companies target the unbanked

The Central Bank of Nigeria reported in July 2018 that Nigeria's unbanked population stood at 37%, with the majority from rural areas. Interestingly, developments in digital money and fintech have enabled the kind of financial inclusion that banks can’t. Fintech offers safe and simple alternatives to regular banks and it powers a good financial inclusion in these regions. It also facilitates money transfers between users, mobile payments, increases the popularity of digital currencies etc.

It will continue to improve digital payments

To make online payments seamless for its customers, Jumia introduced Jumia Pay. Since inception, it has encouraged pre-payment because it’s very secure and has a fast refund timeline. This success can be attributed specifically to the development of fintech and payment innovations. The payment process used to be much more complicated. For a user to purchase something online, they had to stand in lines at the bank to complete the payment and everything was much slower. Now, because of fintechs, people can pay for products and services from the comfort of their home with just a few clicks.

New payment companies are breaking through

Along with big and popular payment companies, there are some new payment companies finding their way and their customers. Some of the payment gateways are Flutterwave, Paystack and Jumia Pay for example. These young companies have discovered their own way of doing things. They have all made payment for online transactions less stressful.

It drives technology advancements

Most of the impact of fintech and payment innovations you can notice on e-commerce platforms. They have changed and developed in the past decade from simple websites to these vehicles of modern trade.

Fintech promotes collaboration among countries

Given that the countries are not always at their best when it comes to global transfers, syncing and finding payment solutions, fintech greatly improves the relationship between them. E-commerce companies which intend to work with locally based suppliers have to understand the basics of how the local economy works and what the preferred payment options are. They have to understand the laws, keep up with quality technological platforms and all in all, stay on top of things that happen in that country. This is one of the ways fintech improves the world – by helping it bridge the differences.

In recognition of its contribution to promoting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria and for remaining the most trusted and recognised online retailer, the Board of Editors of Leadership Group Ltd., is set to recognise Jumia, Nigeria's no 1 shopping destination, with the eCommerce Company of the Year Award (2018).

The Group Managing Director of the newspaper, Abdul Gombe disclosed this in a letter to the CEO of Jumia Nigeria, Mrs Juliet Anammah. The award will be conferred on Jumia at a ceremony slated to hold on Thursday, February 7, 2019, at the Abuja International Conference Centre.

The letter read in part: "On behalf of Leadership Group Ltd, I am delighted to convey to you the decision of our enlarged Board of Editors which at a recent meeting for this purpose, chose your company Jumia as the LEADERSHIP E-COMMERCE COMPANY OF THE YEAR 2018.

For being the most trusted and recognised online retailer in Nigeria, assisting and providing the needed platform, for Nigeria's micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to sell their products and services profitably and with ease, the selection board found you most suitable for this prestigious Award."

Commenting on the award recognition, Jumia Nigeria CEO, Mrs Juliet Anammah said: "This award is a recognition of the painstaking efforts invested over the years in delivering convenience to the Nigerians across the country and at the same time empowering millions who are earning directly or indirectly from Jumia.”

While thanking the management of Leadership Newspapers, Anammah reinstated Jumia’s commitment to remaining relevant to the Nigerian customers and powering the country’s economy by supporting local entrepreneurs.

Nigeria’s House of Assembly recently passed N30,000 as the minimum wage. This is good news for many Nigerians. However, do you know that as a Nigerian, you can earn much more than 30k? Here, we will discuss the sure and legal ways to earn more than the approved national minimum wage.

Affiliate Marketing

You do not need to have your own laptop to earn money through affiliate marketing. By enrolling in the Jumia Jforce, you have the opportunity to earn commissions through an ongoing monthly sales. What makes this more interesting is that you are provided with all the tools you need to be successful, what you only need to do is to get buyers to buy the products and you will earn cool cash. The more you sell, the more you smile to the bank.

Online surveys
An increasingly popular way for you to make money is to fill out online surveys in your free time. The more you fill the more you are and in a week you can earn more than the minimum wage depending on your consistency. This is because research companies are always recruiting new members worldwide to answer surveys and test new products.

Freelancing/Blogging

We are in the digital age and if you have good writing skills, you will earn good money. You only need to use freelancing platforms like Jumia Production Services, Fiverr and Freelancer.com to get freelance gigs and you will start earning more than the minimum wage.

Social media management

If you build a reputable brand on social media as an influencer, you stand a chance to make money. Companies will contact you to market their products on your page for a reasonable amount.

Coaching and consulting Online

If you are knowledgeable about a certain topic, you can teach such a topic online. You only need to take advantage of communication and technology to connect with those that may be interested in your course. With tools like Skype, video conferencing, and webinar technology you can offer one-on-one calls and group coaching calls.

https://www.techawk.com.ng/2019/02/01/how-to-legally-earn-more-than-the-minimum-wage-via-online/

Don Jazzy record Label, Mavin Records, has received an undisclosed multi-million dollar investment from Kupanda Holdings. According to Mavin, the investment will be used to scale its operations under the Mavin Global brand in order to meet “rapidly growing international demand” for African music. This will include growing its roster and strengthening its services across A&R, touring, marketing, distribution, publishing and partnerships.

Music mogul and owner of Mavin Global, Michael Collins Ajereh, better known as Don Jazzy, said that “Our mission is to grow Mavin Global into the music powerhouse of Africa.”

“By collaborating with artists, African creatives, local and international partners, we can become a globally recognized household name and the go-to platform for connecting African music with the world.” He adds.

Mavin records has mega stars like Tiwa Savage, Dr. Sid, D’Prince, Korede Bello and more under its label.

Tega Oghenejobo, Chief Operating Officer of Mavin, said: “With the resources and operational capacity Kupanda Holdings brings along with their investment, Mavin is now ready to grow our artist roster across the continent, and partner at a global scale. We are looking to build an institution that will support the fantastic creative ecosystem in Africa, and move Afrobeats to the forefront of the global industry.”

Bobby Pittman, a Managing Partner of Kupanda Holdings, said: “Between Don Jazzy’s legacy of defining the sound of modern Afrobeats and developing top African artists, Mavin Global has a unique advantage and opportunity to build the record label that will accelerate bringing African popular music to the world.

“We are impressed by the Mavin team’s experience and are pleased to partner with them in their next phase of growth.”

Founded in 2012 by Don Jazzy, Mavin Records came to life from the ashes of Mo’ Hits Records, a record label owned by the aforementioned producer and D’banj.

Kupanda Holdings is a joint venture between pan-Africa investment company Kupanda Capital and TPG Growth. If the name TPG rings a bell, that’s because the funding house is already a significant investor in the likes of Spotify, CAA, Uber, AirBnB and STX Entertainment.


https://www.techawk.com.ng/2019/01/31/don-jazzys-record-label-secures-multi-million-dollar-investment-from-kupanda-holdings/

African tech startups smashed funding records in 2018 as 210 startups secured US$334.5 million worth of investment, with Nigeria emerging as the premier investment destination on the continent.

This is according to the annual African Tech Startups Funding Report 2018 released by Disrupt Africa, which is now in its fourth year.

The report, which tracks the total amount of funding raised by African tech startups each year, found 210 startups raised a total of US$334,520,500 in funding in 2018. This represented the best year since records began, and a substantial leap on 2017. The number of startups that raised grew by 32.1 per cent, and total funding jumped by an impressive 71.5 per cent.

A key finding of the report was the emergence of Nigeria as Africa’s startup funding hub, after years of playing second fiddle to South Africa. With 58 startups raising a total of US$94,912,000 in investment, the country was clearly top dog; while South Africa fell behind with 40 businesses raising US$59,971,000. Kenya ranked third in terms of the number of startups that raised.

https://www.techawk.com.ng/2019/01/29/nigeria-received-the-most-startup-funding-in-africa-in-2018-disrupt-africa/

However, other African countries are emerging as more than viable alternative destinations for funding as investors increasingly look beyond the traditional “big three” startup ecosystems. This has been a trend that has been slowly developing over the last few years. Whereas in 2015, South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya accounted for more than 80 per cent of total funding raised, in 2018 that had fallen to 61.8 per cent.

Much of that is attributable to the rise of Egypt as a destination for funding, with the country’s startups raising US$58.9 million in 2018, clearly establishing Egypt as a leading startup hub on the continent. Companies in 16 other African countries secured investment.

In terms of sectors, the fintech space continued to dominate, remaining a clear favourite among investors and, at US$132.75 million, accounting for 39.7 per cent of total funds raised. This was an increase on previous years, but nonetheless, there are strong signs of progress in other sectors, with multiple ed-tech, e-commerce, e-health, transport, logistics and agri-tech startups raising funding as investors saw opportunities in a large number of areas.

“It has been an incredible year for tech startups in Africa – and it’s a real pleasure to release this report and the impressive figures it contains. The continent’s entrepreneurs have grabbed the attention of investors, accelerators, and media both locally and globally this year with their innovative solutions and business models, and it’s great to be able to report on such strong results across our ecosystem,” said Gabriella Mulligan, co-founder of Disrupt Africa.

“The African tech space continues on its upward trajectory, with more startups than ever before securing record levels of funding in 2018. Investment levels are not the only way of gauging the health of local ecosystems, but they are a valuable way of following the sector’s progress and demonstrate that, increasingly, if you have an innovative tech solution to a problem, with a strong business model, there are pathways to funding should you require it to scale,” said Tom Jackson, co-founder of Disrupt Africa.

https://www.techawk.com.ng/2019/01/29/nigeria-received-the-most-startup-funding-in-africa-in-2018-disrupt-africa/

There are lots of good reasons to have a Netflix account; these days it hosts some of the best TV shows and movies on the planet, including Polar, Revenge, Shooter, Black Mirror, LionHeart and more. Whether you’re on a TV detox or are just sick of your ex-logging into your account behind your back, here’s how you can delete your Netflix subscription once and for all. 

How to cancel Netflix?

If you have a streaming subscription with Netflix that you want to cancel, you first need to head to the Netflix app or open it up in your web browser. Then, click on your account icon in the top right corner of the page, and select ‘Account’. 

Under the ‘Membership & Billing’ section, you’ll see a button that says ‘Cancel Membership’ – click on this, and you’ll be taken to a new page, where you have the option to either cancel your membership or downgrade your current plan. 

If you’re on an HD Standard or 4K Premium plan, you may want to try downgrading your account to a Standard Definition plan to save a bit of money without losing your access to the streaming platform altogether. 

If not, click on the ‘Finish Cancellation’ button to stop your subscription. Once you’ve cancelled your subscription, you’ll still have access to your Netflix account until the end of the current billing period.

If you have a Netflix gift card or promotional balance left on your account when you cancel, you’ll still be able to stream until the balance runs out – after this, the cancellation will go into effect automatically. 

For up to 10 months after you cancel your subscription, your profile, favourite shows, and account details can be reinstated. All you have to do is re-subscribe to the service, and all your viewing preferences will be there waiting for you. 

https://innovation-village.com/how-to-cancel-your-netflix-subscription/

Bloomberg has released its 2019 Innovation Index. Now in its seventh year, the index analyses dozens of criteria using seven metrics – including research and development spending, manufacturing capability and concentration of high-tech public companies. The 2019 ranking process began with more than 200 economies.

Each was scored on a 0-100 scale based on seven equally weighted categories. Nations that didn’t report data for at least six categories were eliminated, trimming the total list to 95.

The ranking shows that only South Africa made the list coming 51st among 60 countries from sub-Saharan Africa.

Meanwhile, South Korea retained the global crown in the 2019 Bloomberg Innovation index, though improvements by Germany in research and education brought Europe’s largest economy to near-parity in the annual ranking.

According to Bloomberg, Germany almost caught six-time champion South Korea on the strength of added-value from manufacturing and research intensity, much of it built around industrial giants such as Volkswagen AG, Robert Bosch GmbH and Daimler AG.

Although South Korea extended its winning streak, its lead narrowed in part because of lower scores in patent activity.

Sweden, the runner-up in 2018, fell to the seventh spot. Patent activity boosted the scores for China and Israel, which was a big winner by jumping five spots to fifth overall. The Middle Eastern country surpassed Singapore, Sweden and Japan in the process.

South Korea’s staying power at No. 1 should receive a boost from fresh investments in strategic technologies and a regulatory program that encourages startups, according to Khoon Goh, head of research at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group in Singapore.

He sees the challenge, though, in moving innovation beyond the highly concentrated large chaebols’, or family-run conglomerates.

“Innovation is becoming increasingly important to drive economic performance, particularly in the higher-income Asian economies where there is no longer a demographic dividend and higher value-added manufacturing assembly is being shifted to lower-cost countries in the region,” Goh said.

The UK fell one spot to 18th and lost out to China for the first time.

“China’s score reflects a dichotomy in the world’s second-largest economy: it ranked No. 2 in patent activity on the strength of R& from Huawei Technologies Co. and BOE Technology Group, but still lags behind most innovative alums in overall productivity,” Bloomberg said.

The US rose three spots to eighth, after falling out of the top 10 for the first time last year. Faster product cycles and intensifying competition are changing the ways managers have to work, according to Pfizer Inc.’s presentation at a recent conference on health care.

Losers and new entrants

Among 2019’s ranked economies, the biggest losers were Tunisia and Ukraine – which both fell out of the top 50 – while ten economies joined the ranking in 2019 as more reliable data became available.

The United Arab Emirates made the highest debut in 46th place. Brazil rejoined the index in the 45th spot after not being ranked last year.

Also among the new entrants are some of the world’s largest emerging economies: India, Mexico, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia.

Notably, South Africa remains the only Sub-Saharan nation to be ranked.

https://innovation-village.com/south-africa-is-the-only-innovative-country-in-sub-saharan-africa-says-bloomberg-report/

Establishing a startup in a country like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) is a monumental decision due to the fact that the country is just emerging from a two-decade war. So, saying the country is politically and socially unstable is an understatement. This factor alone has worked against the growth of the Congo-Kinshasa tech space.

Despite this instability, an incubator cum accelerator dubbed ‘KivuHub’ was floated by Eliud Aganze Murhabazi. KivuHub is currently contributing its quota to build and support Congolese startups. But How? Murhabazi shares how and much more in this exclusive interview with Innovation-village. Excerpts

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT KIVUHUB AND WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO ESTABLISH KIVUHUB?
Back in 2016 when I finished my studies in Nairobi, I found lack of IT training among our countrymen and women who came from the DRC despite having finished their academic training and graduated. We had to share our experiences in entrepreneurship, innovation, technology as a way to enhance our daily life. we decided to come up with a technology Hub like our friends iHub in Kenya so that we can actively support the development of our country and the east region of DR Congo which was the epicentre of conflict for decades. So, I called a meeting with various friends who had experiences in IT such as programming, networking, telecommunication, robotics and skills in management. Kivuhub is mainly sustained by the co-founders who are providing the necessary financial and material resources. However, as we gain traction and help launch successful businesses into the eastern DRC market and the neighbouring countries, we have agreements that Kivuhub as the enabling partner will have a 5% return on investment for a period of 5 years after tax.

WHAT DOES KIVUHUB HAVE TO OFFER CONGOLESE STARTUPS? HOW WILL YOU DESCRIBE THE RECEPTION OF KIVUHUB?
Kivuhub provides training services on technology, entrepreneurship, Cybersecurity and Digital marketing. We also organize different workshops, Conferences with speakers and experts in the above areas. This also gives you an opportunity to network and the opportunity to collaborate with other entrepreneurs leading to new business opportunities. We expect to have more women involved in technology and coming up with a social solution for the problem we are facing.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE TECH AND STARTUP SPACE IN DR CONGO SINCE THE COUNTRY IS JUST RECOVERING FROM A 20-YEAR CIVIL WAR?
The great lake region (DR Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda) have been a centre of all the human right violation. The lack of electricity is one of the major factors that handicap and slow down the acceleration of startups in DRC. IT equipment is very expensive, which explains low ownership rates. Internet connections are slow, expensive and unreliable. Consequently, chances are high that a connection will disappoint during an online meeting or call.

ARE THERE ANY STARTUP(S) THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING INCUBATED BY KIVUHUB?
The startups in our portfolio are:

Deedasb.org: Deedasb is a network of environmental entrepreneur dealing with renewable energy and other environmental issues.

Upasso.org: Upasso which is a local NGO providing financial support to marginalized women

Afrikaaffaire.com: an e-commerce site

Kivu10: job seeker site

Kwanzatechnologie: an e-waste startup working on recycling electronic waste and create different products from the waste.

YOU CAN COUNT THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN THE TECHNOLOGY SPHERE, WHAT IS YOUR TECH HUB DOING TO ENSURE THAT MORE WOMEN AND GIRLS FEATURE IN THE CONGOLESE TECH SPACE?
We are currently working with Noëlla Coursaris Musunka, the founder and director of Malaika School in the south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The model, philanthropist, entrepreneur and mother explains why she is passionate about improving the lives of African children through education – and shares her advice for young girls.

HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY GOVERNMENT SUPPORT SINCE YOU LAUNCHED?
Since the country come from decades of war, the government has not done anything the support local business and startup. Also, the current political instability has pushed away tech investors to invest since any time things can change negatively.

AT THE MOMENT, HOW WILL YOU MEASURE SUCCESS? WHAT ARE YOUR METRICS?
We monitor the progress from the moment when the startups join us our accelerator program and after they leave the program, we keep our eyes on them even if they have graduated.

https://innovation-village.com/meet-kivuhub-the-incubator-braving-post-war-challenges-to-groom-dr-congos/

The eCommerce industry is booming and this is projected to continue. With such a wealth of eCommerce businesses, and competition set to become even more fierce, staying visible and relevant has never been such a challenge for online retailers. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has made competing in this crowded marketplace possible — even for small eCommerce businesses. Here are ways in which AI can help eCommerce businesses.

Social listening

So much information is shared on social media through listening to what potential customers are saying. Businesses can gain insight into new markets and understand how their current products and strategies are working. Keyword or brand name tracking in social media can be performed efficiently through data mining. This data can then be condensed into actionable feedback to improve the customer experience and the brand’s reach.

Predictive marketing

Predictive marketing is a marketing technique that involves using data analytics to determine which marketing strategies and actions have the highest probability of succeeding. There are tools like Weka, KNIME, and MatLab that can be used to analyse consumer data and optimize eCommerce sites to provide targeted marketing. Each consumer sees what they want to see — how they want to see it — and when they want to see it. The more customer data gathered, the better the optimization will be for that customer. This is achieved with the aid of artificial intelligence.

Product personalization

With so many companies and products vying for attention, consumers gravitate towards those sites that are personalized to them. Personalization is taking over how we buy. By utilizing information on customers that is widely available through their online presence, businesses can provide personalised ads, make relevant recommendations, and craft specific content for them. This would not be possible without the power of AI to sift through the data.

Customer service

By next year (2020), 80 per cent of all customer interactions will be handled by AI. This is because Chatbots are fast becoming an indispensable tool in customer service as a replacement to call centres, they are significantly cheaper and more efficient. Chatbots can be integrated into shopping carts, online support, and order processes. When it comes to a chatbot, Jumia is already ahead of others. Nigeria's no 1 shopping destination has a chatbot dubbed Jumia Bot. So whether you are in a shopping mood, hungry or planning a trip, you can use the Jumia Bot. The experience is just like you are talking with a Jumia customer service agent.

Allows businesses to be localised

No matter where an eCommerce business is based, mining location-based intelligence from customer data allows them to appear local. By offering location-based offers, location-specific advertising, and predicting locational trends, local customers can raise the efforts of businesses in their own towns. This extra level of personalization significantly impacts the utility of a site for users by prioritising offerings that appear unique to their area.

Efficient data analysis

No human team has the capacity or time to accurately and thoroughly record, analyze, and digest the volume of data available from potential customers all over the world. eCommerce businesses that rely on user-driven feedback are falling behind those that use AI to gather and use information.

Facebook has announced plans to integrate its messaging services on Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger.

While all three will remain stand-alone apps, at a much deeper level they will be linked so messages can travel between the different services.

The plan was first reported in the New York Times and is believed to be a personal project of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Once complete, the merger would mean that a Facebook user could communicate directly with someone who only has a WhatsApp account. This is currently impossible as the applications have no common core.

In a statement, Facebook said it wanted to “build the best messaging experiences we can; and people want messaging to be fast, simple, reliable and private.” It added: “We’re working on making more of our messaging products end-to-end encrypted and considering ways to make it easier to reach friends and family across networks.”

The work to merge the three elements has already begun reported the NYT, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2019 or early next year.

https://www.techawk.com.ng/2019/01/26/facebook-to-merge-instagram-messenger-whatsapp/

Microsoft has confirmed that access to its Bing search engine in China has been restored after an outage. The tech giant did not offer any explanation for why the search engine had been inaccessible. The outage caused concern that the service might have been blocked by the Chinese authorities. Authorities in China operate a firewall that blocks many US tech platforms, including Facebook and Twitter.

“We can confirm that Bing was inaccessible in China, but service is now restored,” Microsoft said in a statement. China-based censorship monitoring group GreatFire says the outage was unlikely to be government-related. GreatFire tests whether URLs are accessible in China, and to what extent their domains show evidence of censorship. The group says Bing China is hosted in China on Chinese servers, which means it’s already subject to local censorship directives.

The government’s internet censorship regime, often known as the “Great Firewall”, uses a series of technical measures to block foreign platforms and controversial content. Chinese authorities have also cracked down on Virtual Private Networks, which allow users to skirt around the firewall.

China-based messaging services and social media are restricted, with keywords and expressions blocked if they express dissent or ridicule senior political leaders.

Microsoft has continued to operate in China, even as many other US tech companies have been blocked or have pulled out. Facebook, Twitter and Google are all blocked on the mainland.

Google shut down its search engine in China in 2010, after rows with the authorities over censorship and hacking. Bing has a small market share among search engines in China, where locally-grown Baidu dominates the market.

https://innovation-village.com/china-restores-microsofts-bing-search-engine/

Spilling a drink on your laptop doesn’t have to be a kiss of death and a ticket to a replacement — if you know what to do and act quickly. Liquid can destroy electronics quickly, but your computer may be salvageable if you act fast.

Turn it off right away

The first thing to do is actually unplug the power cable, then hold down the power button for five to seven seconds until it’s totally off. Don’t waste the time properly shutting down. If the computer is left on, even for a few extra moments, you could cause a short circuit, leaving the components inside with permanent damage. The quicker you can turn off the machine, the better chance you have of saving the computer. If you can easily remove the battery, that should be your next step. Some laptops still have batteries that come out with a simple latch, while others make you unscrew the entire backplate to access the battery.

Turn it upside down and let it drain

Take a dry cloth and wipe up any excess liquid from the surface of the laptop — especially near the keyboard, vents or ports — and open the lid as far back as it will go. Turn the laptop upside down, put it over a towel or something absorbent, and let the water drain out of it. You don’t have to open the laptop if you aren’t comfortable doing so, but if you are, remove the backplate and wipe off the components with a lint-free cloth before letting it sit to drain.

Take it to a repair shop

At this point, you could plug the laptop back in and turn it on. In many cases, it should boot back up again. But if nothing happens, you should probably take it to a professional repair shop, just in case. Just because something works after you dried it out doesn’t mean it’s fixed. Once the fluid intrudes, even after it’s dried, it can leave behind minerals that carry electricity where it doesn’t belong — causing increased corrosion damage over time. This is especially crucial if you spilled something other than water — like soda or coffee — since those will undoubtedly leave damaging residue behind. A good repair shop will clean the components with powerful solvents or ultrasonic cleaning machines that do a very thorough job.


https://www.techawk.com.ng/2019/01/24/what-to-do-if-you-spill-on-your-laptop/

Nigerian logistics startup, Kobo360, which raised $6m from the International Finance Corporation in December last year, has expanded its operations to Togo.

Kobo360’s Co-Founder, Obi Ozor, said in a statement that their mission was to build the global logistics operating system.

He stated, “This is part of our expansion across Africa which has been in effect since last year. Our mission is to build the global logistics operating system that will power trade and commerce across Africa and emerging markets. Togo is a key part of that drive.”

According to him, the visit to Togo is aimed at meeting with government officials, partners and interview applicants to fill several open positions in the company’s Lome branch.

Ozor said, “The roles to be filled include operations, business development, customer development, technology and others. The company will be moving into the Ghanaian and Kenyan markets soon.

“We use big data and technology to reduce logistics frictions while empowering rural farmers to earn more by reducing farm wastages and helping manufacturers of all sizes to find new markets.

“We also enable unprecedented efficiency and cost reduction in the supply chain, providing 360-visibility while delivering products of all sizes safely, on time and in full.”

https://www.techawk.com.ng/2019/01/24/nigerian-logistics-startup-kobo360-expands-to-togo/

The MBTN Africa Innovation Accelerator program aims to identify, support and fund the next generation of technology-enabled start-ups solving problems in African Markets. Join the program to grow your company and get ready for global scaling.

We support entrepreneurs with a strong purpose by connecting them to the brightest business minds in the industry. The program provides access to the African startup ecosystem, industry specialists, corporate partners, talent, capital and coaching.


We’re interested in startups that are creating the future of Africa’s development story, using promising new technologies to make a positive impact. For the MBTN Africa Innovation Accelerator program, we are looking for founders with:

Domain Expertise

We are looking for deep expertise and knowledge in one specific domain. The perfect founder profile has vast experience working in one specific industry and deeply understands the challenges in and around this industry.

Deep Tech Solutions

We are looking for core proprietary tech solutions. We are open to businesses in any industry, however, you will be addressing a need in at least one African market, leveraging technology to tackle the specific problem you are trying to solve.


What you will learn

Pitchbook Preparation, Business plan development, Achieving product-market fit, KPI’S & performance metrics, Business development/sales, Networking, Hiring tactics & Fundraising.

https://www.techawk.com.ng/2019/01/24/applications-open-for-the-mbtn-africa-innovation-accelerator-program/

There’s no denying it; video marketing has been on the rise over the past few years, growing ever more popular and accessible for brands. And while popular sites such as SnapChat, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and even your own website are great places to invest, YouTube remains the giant in the space, with individuals spending a billion hours each day watching videos on this platform. Often referred to as the world’s “second largest search engine,” YouTube can help your content be found quickly and engaged with thoroughly – if you know a few tricks. Here are effective ways you can grow your YouTube channel.

Build videos around a single keyword/topic

It may seem obvious, but building your video around a single topic/keyword is the best way to get the traffic you want and grow your audience. Many people who are unaware of SEO best practices skip this step, but it’s crucial if you want your videos to get the maximum amount of viewers. Try using a keyword tool like KeywordTool.io, which is specific to YouTube, to look for the most searched keywords in the niche you’re looking to target. It’s important to pick your keyword before you even build your video content because it helps you construct the best information around that specific topic.

Reformat existing quality content

Of course, the easiest way to grow your channel is to build great content. But that content doesn’t always have to be built from scratch. Some of your best videos can be built from engaging, valuable, useful and actionable content you’ve already created. Many people go to YouTube to find answers and how-to tutorials for the issues they’re facing, so content that solves problems is a great fit. Look at the blogs, guides, and other high-performing pieces you currently have and think about how to make them into cool videos.

Engage with your audience

It’s important not to overlook the fact that YouTube is a social media channel, and therefore demands social interaction. If you’re just posting videos without encouraging comments and discussion, you’re missing a trick. YouTube rewards channels with great engagement, including overall time spent on the channel, watch time, likes and dislikes, and most importantly, comments. Try to respond to every comment you receive (if possible!) and ask users to engage with audio/visual prompts.

Get branded

So your content is great. But is your channel itself visually appealing? If you want visitors to take your YouTube channel seriously and subscribe to your channel, you need to look professional. Branding your channel will also help users immediately recognize your content. If you have a blog or website, you probably already have some sort of look and feel you use to differentiate yourself from other individuals and/or companies, so it only makes sense to carry over that branding to your YouTube channel as well.

Promote your YouTube videos on other social channels

One of the beautiful things about social media is that you can cross-promote content on different channels. Promoting your YouTube videos on your other social channels is the easiest way to grow your audience. What channels are you on? Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, Twitter? There are many from which to choose. And if there’s a channel (such as Facebook) on which you want to post videos directly, you can always do a teaser for the full-length video on YouTube so that you have optimum engagement on all channels. Don’t forget about your blog; you can post your videos there as well!

Post great thumbnails

They may seem like a small thing (because they are), but thumbnails can have a big impact. YouTube advertises other videos via thumbnail in its sidebar, so you want yours to stand out among the pack. The same goes for YouTube search. Videos with a catchy title and appealing thumbnail usually rank higher, even if the content itself isn’t as valuable because they have a higher click-through-rate (CTR). To get your CTR where it needs to be, try using tactics such as highlighted areas, arrows, large text, and unexpected or unusual images.

Push for subscriptions

One of the ways you know for sure that viewers are engaged with your channel is when they “subscribe’ to see any new videos that are posted. Ask viewers to subscribe to your channel in each video that you upload, and keep engaged with your existing subscribed users. Never pay for subscribers. This will only bring down your engagement and hurt the authenticity of your account in the long run. Remember, if you don’t ask your viewers to subscribe, you may be missing out on a lot of potential followers.

Increase your uploading frequency

This tip may sound intimidating at first, but to grow your audience, you need to increase your posting frequency to at least one video a week. Don’t worry; you don’t need a design firm or fancy advertising budget to get this done. Today’s smartphones offer excellent video recording ability and tools such as Animoto make editing videos easy for anyone. Consistency is of the utmost importance. Try to post at the same time each day or week (depending on your frequency), and keep your subscribers updated about when new videos will arrive. Then stick to your schedule.


Source- https://innovation-village.com/how-to-grow-your-youtube-channel/

Many of us use multiple accounts for some Android apps. Usually, we have one where we have fun with our friends, and the other, professional account, where we deal with customers. However, some apps support multiple accounts, but most of the social networks like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and many others are still limited to just one account. So, what you can do about it? Furthermore, as with many other Android “problems,” running more than one account on Android apps is not an issue that has only one solution. In this article, we will share with you various ways to run multiple accounts on any Android app, without rooting your phone.

APP CLONER
App Cloner is the first app on our list that will allow you to run more than one account on Android apps. It is the most customizable app on our list, and it is free for use. Additionally, App Cloner has a paid version with additional customization features of various aspects. What App Cloner allows you to do is basically explained in its name. You can clone your existing apps and run simultaneously 2 instances of the same app on one Android device. App Cloner also supports Android Wear apps, and all cloned apps can run in multi-window mode.

If you think that this one is the perfect one for you, App Cloner does not support all Android apps. However, it is worth trying.

2FACE
If you are looking for the simplest app that will get the job done, 2Face is the right one for you. It is fast and characterizes with the lowest battery consumption, compared to the other apps on our list. The other good thing about 2Face is that it allows you to clone almost any app. Additionally, it offers you an entirely incognito mode for web browsing which can be pattern secured. The switching between apps is smooth and easy, without any lag or stuttering.

PARALLEL SPACE
Simplicity and performance are the primary goals for Parallel Space. This app allows you to clone any app you want. One thing that really makes this app to stand out is that Parallel Space allows clone updates whenever the original version of the app gets updates. So, with this app, your cloned apps will always be up to date. Another thing worth mentioning, about Parallel Space, is that it offers you an easy way to share content with your cloned app. You just need to select that option from the share menu and then choose the cloned app.

January has earned the reputation of being the longest month in the history of a calendar year. Mostly because people engaged in heavy spending during the yuletide season last year. So, most employees’ spending power in January is cut by more than half of what they need to survive until the next paycheque. Survival at work especially as regards transportation and feeding will demand some topnotch management skills. In line with this, Jumia's food marketplace, shares ways to eat at work despite your low budget.

Bring food from home

Planning is very important if you really want to take food to the office from home. You have to cook a day before or very early in the morning so that you will simply microwave your meal in the morning. This is way easy because if you decide to cook in the morning, you are likely to arrive late at your workplace.

Stop buying junk food

Eating junk food is a no-no when you are at work. Before you know, you’re craving for more food. So, cut out junk food from your diet. You would be surprised to see how much you may be paying for prepackaged meals and processed foods. Despite the fact that they offer very little nutrition and are packed with unhealthy ingredients, they are also very expensive.

Reduce the number of times you eat in the office

If you eat two or three times in the office, this is when you should reduce it to once. For some foodies, this may be unacceptable, however, since you are low on a budget, waiting for the big miracle to happen by month end, you have no choice than to take these extreme measures. This is better than going through the day without eating.

Avoid high-end restaurants

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with patronising high-end restaurants when you have the money. However, it will be unwise to still visit these restaurants if you have little money to spend. You should go to a ‘Mama Put’ to eat, provided it is neat, clean and hygienic. The foods there are very much inexpensive.

Order meals on Jumia's food marketplace

The fact is you cannot always have the time to cook. The healthiest and most nutritious alternative for you is to order food online when you at work. Which online food delivery platform will you use? Look no further than Jumia's food marketplace. There are a variety of foods on Jumia's food marketplace which you can select from and the catch is they are very affordable and nutritious. Interestingly, the foods are delivered at your doorstep at the quickest time. This will definitely help you save a lot of money.

Online retailers seem to be becoming more innovative and creative these days to score big with shoppers. However, if you are a smart deal hunter or want to save money, try using these clever and helpful online shopping tips shared by Jumia, Nigeria's no 1 shopping destination.

Take part in the ongoing clearance sales

The Jumia clearance sales is presently on and it features amazing discounts, flash sales and vouchers. It affords you the opportunity to save a lot of money despite the fact that we just hit the new year. The clearance sales started yesterday and it will run up until January 31st. So, what are you waiting for? Download the Jumia App and start shopping and saving at the same time.

Organise your emails

Signing up to newsletters and promotion lists can save you a lot of money, but are you too reluctant about getting your email spammed? If this is the case, now is the time for you to organise your emails. One important thing you can do is to unsubscribe from junk emails. Additionally, you should activate email notification so that you will be alerted as soon as newsletters and other promotions are sent.

Leave items in your cart

Leave the products in your cart for a day or two. Firstly, you’ve just avoided making an impulse purchase. Secondly, most retailers dislike unclosed deals and will try to retain you. Remember the trick works only when you have an account on the merchant’s website and you are logged in when you leave your cart.

Shop at the right time of the day

Sometimes you have to be strategic when you shop online. There are certain times of the day when some product items are sold at give away prices. For example, for this Jumia clearance sales, there is the Mega Flash Sales at 12 noon daily. To wow you further, a 92k Bruhm air conditioner was sold for 40k and it sold out within minutes. So, ensure that you shop at the right time of the day this new year.