Today on the Techpoint Africa Podcast, we take a trip down memory lane with two special guest who share unusual insights on the hot topics in Africa”s tech space this week.
We have TAP OGs, Muyiwa Matuluko and Omolara Oseni join us this week, and they begin today’s episode by sharing how the podcast began. Fun fact: the pilot episode went live on September 06, 2019 and featured Tage Kene-Okafor (now of TechCrunch fame) and Titilola Oludimu (now at AltSchool Africa).
It was an emotional and heartwarming moment that you definitely want to check out.
Then, the news.
First, the CBN, in a circular to Nigerian banks, stated that by April 2024, all accounts not linked to a National Identification Number (NIN) and a Bank Verification Number (BVN) will be blocked. The hosts share their views on this, including the hardships it may cause, the necessity of it, and how the CBN can take more innovative steps in closing the gaps in the banking system.
It seems startup shutdowns are the new trend because this week, Lidya, a credit assessment and loan recovery fintech company, announced that it would be shutting down operations in The Czech Republic and Poland in order to focus on the Nigerian market.
And Pivo, a fintech startup for logistics, announced that they would be shutting down operations completely just a year after raising $2 million. Why are these startups shutting down despite raising so much? Is there more to fundraising than we know? Our hosts share their thoughts on these questions and more as they discuss the news.
We wrapped up with a surprise acquisition that took the Nigerian tech ecosystem by storm a few days ago.
Crypto exchange and cross-border payment platform, Bitmama has acquired self-acclaimed neobank for the gig economy, Payday. Muyiwa Matuluko, CEO of Techpoint Africa, shares all the details on this story.
You can catch up on the conversation on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and anywhere you get your podcasts. You can also send your questions and observations to [email protected] or share your thoughts using the hashtag #TechpointAfricaPodcast.
