Category: FinTech

  • Verve partners GhIPSS to introduce verve cards in Ghana

    Verve partners GhIPSS to introduce verve cards in Ghana

    Verve, a leading Pan-African card brand has extended it’s reach to Ghana. They made this possible by partnering the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems Limited (GhIPSS).

    Verve allows its users to make transactions in 185 countries around the globe with 22 African countries with Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Gabon, all included.

    CEO of Verve International, Mike Ogbalu III, made it known that Verve and GhIPSS have a common vision of growing digital payment in Ghana. “We are excited about this occasion. It marks the beginning of a great collaboration between two organizations with similar aspirations to drive the growth of digital payments across Africa. Because we typically share the same payment and economic challenges in various African countries, it’s also logical that the solution should be made through an African collaboration. In our attempt to solve these challenges, we realize the importance of partnerships. We also realize that GhIPSS’ vision for Ghana is consistent with that of verve, to drive the growth of digital payment in Africa. So today, we are witnessing the commencement of partnerships between Verve International and the Ghanaian financial and payment ecosystem, to grow digital payments, intra-African trade and ultimately drive economic prosperity.” He said.

    Archie Hesse, CEO of GhIPSS said the partnership will help develop the digital payment systems in Ghana just as it has started making digital payment systems in Africa in the world. He said, “we are excited to collaborate with Verve International and to midwife Verve acceptance in Ghana. We are positive this will open a new vista of opportunities for improved services and development of more home-grown solutions. The card portfolio within our banks will increase and Ghanaian cardholders will have more exciting world-class services and benefits to enjoy. Together, GhIPSS and Verve will develop the digital payment ecosystem across the sub-region and beyond.”

    Verve’s first International transaction using the new card, Verve Card Global was launched in Swarovski, New York.

    The Cards, Verve Classic and Verve Global will be accepted as a mode of transaction across Ghana.

  • The Best Crowdfunding Platforms In Ghana 

    The Best Crowdfunding Platforms In Ghana 

    The internet today has become the number one place for seeking help from a wide variety of people. With the emergence of mobile money and the increase in the usage of debit cards (Visa and Master), online fundraising is becoming well-known in Ghana.

    NGOs, business, individuals and even political parties have now come to embrace crowdfunding as their number one method of seeking help from the public. Gone were the days when people rely on family and loved ones to seek help, today, anyone who is in need of help can utilize some of the fundraising websites to crowdfunded their intended project.

    If you have a project or an idea that you are planning of putting into action but due to financial constraint or funding issues, then the only option you may have is to seek help from the public through a method known as crowdfunding. Most of the well know crowdfunding websites accept visa master card or PayPal as their method of payment, a manifestation of the high level of financial technology in Ghana.

    But as people began to get much interested in crowdfunding, there necessitated the integration of our number one popular method of payment (mobile money payment).

    The goal of this article is not to tell you the history of crowdfunding and how it works but rather to show you some of the best crowdfunding websites in Ghana that you can use to seek help for your next or incoming project. Below are some of the best crowdfunding space in Ghana.

    Here are crowdfunding platforms in Ghana:

    Payputt

    Payputt is a crowdfunded website that has help Individuals, social and economic groups, charity organizations and media houses in Ghana to raise funds for all manner of causes they are on. It uses the best security methods to ensure that your project contributor’s data and donations are safe.

    When using this website for running your fundraising project, each of the contributor is given the chance to check campaigns and know how much is raised and the amount each donor has contributed.

    Payputt has all the mobile network payments in Ghana integrated with their campaign and this means a contributor does not need an internet connection before he or she can contribute.

    Funding Africa

    Another fundraising platform that helps individuals to easily source funds from the general public without complication is Funding Africa.

    It helps individuals, organizations or business ventures Raise money online for anything they care about. This crowdfunding site can be used for personal or social projects, ideas, and causes. they offer local and international donation options and free support for all fundraisers.

    The site also has the option for your contributors to make a donation using mobile money payments if they wish to do so. Check out the funding Africa website for more information and see the various campaigns run by them.

    GoGetFunding

    GoGetFunding is a crowdfunding website that lets you raise money for anything that matters to you. From personal causes to events projects and more. GoGetFunding helped people from all over the world raise millions of dollars online.

    Recognized by Forbes as one of the top global crowdfunding websites, their campaigns have been featured in a vast number of leading press publications in the world.

    See the list of their latest campaigns and all that you need to start your own cause from the platform’s official website.

    Gofundme

    GoFundMe is a platform that helps individuals to easily share their story via email, text, and social media to solicit support from the general public for a cause.

    GoFundMe is trusted by many around the world for its simple and reliable fundraising platform. You can personalize and share your GoFundMe link in just a few minutes. Harness the power of social media to spread your story and get more support.

    GoFundMe has an app that you can easily launch and manage your campaign whenever and where you find yourself. Visit the homepage for more info.

    Mightycause

    Mightycause is another online fundraising platform that enabled institution such as nonprofits, churches and businesses to crowdfunded the causes they believe in. Individuals, families, classrooms, sports teams, companies, and initiatives of all shapes and sizes make a difference by using Mightycause for raising funds for their cause.

    Organizations like Giving Tuesday, run their fundraising projects on Mightycause year after year. Get full information about this crowdfunded platform from their website.

    Myaidfund.Com

    This crowdfunding platform is built and managed by a Ghanaian based, startup technology firm. It can be used for both online and offline fundraising. The platform gives Individuals, organizations, political parties, friends, family, colleagues, donors, the chance to contribute to a cause via social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, WhatsApp etc.

    Contribution can be done using Visa/Mastercard, PayPal or mobile money. Even though the site has now paused its operation for some reasons known to them, a chat from the developer shows that they are organizing things to bounce back with more improved service.

    Conclusion

    Crowdfunding has been in operation for some time now but in our part of the world it seems is now that people are beginning to take advantage of this method of soliciting help from the general public. Because of the earlier low patronage of the fundraising sites, there are still a few of these platform in Ghana.

    The above are some of the best ones that we think are worth knowing. If you have any you would want to share with us, kindly list them below.

  • Is Bitcoin the solution to keeping your savings “safe” as financial institutions continue to close down?

    Is Bitcoin the solution to keeping your savings “safe” as financial institutions continue to close down?

    According to reports, a massive ‘clean up’ of Ghana’s banking system has left tens of thousands of people wondering where their savings have gone. The crackdown has reduced the number of lenders by a third and resulted in the closure of 23 savings and loans firms. It also triggered a run on fund managers which caused a selling spree and mass liquidation of holdings.

    An estimated $1.6 billion has been wiped out, which is over a third of the assets that private fund managers supervise for retail and institutional investors. Ghana’s primary financial regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission, has increased pressure on at least 20 fund managers it suspects of violating the rules.

    The SEC has blocked asset managers from receiving any new investments as they may be used to pay out existing investors. The massive run on holdings has left as many as 70,000 people desperately seeking answers as to where their savings have gone. Lord Mensah, a senior finance lecturer at the University of Ghana, commented;

    It’s cutting across all the finance houses and when it happens like that the government needs to step in to build confidence again. There’s nothing we can do apart from making sure that we create that necessary environment to regain investors’ confidence again.

    The issue Ghana faces is more about having adequate system and controls in place to ensure that there is no room for such things to happen.

    Bitcoin is The Solution

    Crypto industry observer ‘Rhythm Trader’ said that financial management should not need a middleman and bitcoin, with its ever-expanding network, is the answer.

    The savings of tens of thousands wiped-out overnight. This is why saving your wealth should be simple and not need a middleman. Bitcoin fixes this.

    Many would argue that bitcoin’s volatility is keeping the masses at bay, coupled with the fact that it is a high-risk investment. But for thousands of Ghanaians, what they perceived to be traditional investments have proved to be a much higher hazard.

    Can bitcoin solve the savings crisis? Add your comments below.

  • The Best Banking Apps you can use in Ghana right now

    The Best Banking Apps you can use in Ghana right now

    The banking system in Ghana has seen great changes in recent times thanks to the advancement in Fintech. With the invention of smartphones and the increase in the development of mobile apps, a lot of mobile banking apps have been released to satisfy the needs to Ghanaian bank customers.

    Gone were the days where you have to walk to the banking hall before you can make a withdrawal or deposit to your account.

    Today, with the help of these apps, one can easily transact business on his/her smartphone right in the comfort of their homes. These days, every banking service in Ghana has an app tailored to meets its customer’s choice.

    Most people even consider banking app before selecting a bank to deal with, an indication that financial technology has huge potential. There are many banking apps out there that anyone can installed and begin to transact. But what we do is to look for the best ones for our readers and anyone who is also on a mission for finding the best banking apps in Ghana.

    All the mobile banking apps listed below are free to download through PlayStore and Appstore. However, using them will attract charges from your cell phone carrier’s messaging, and data usage.

     

    UBA Mobile Banking App

    When talking of the best mobile banking apps in Ghana, there is no doubt that the UBA Banking app is number one. I have been a lover of this app from day one.

    The UBA Mobile Banking App has completely enhanced mobile banking experience to its customers. Using this app, you can easily access all the Banking services offered by this great institution.

    You can quick log-in within a few seconds with the biometric option (facial and fingerprint) on devices that support this feature, send and receive money from the app, mobile top-up, check account balance, see transaction history, pay bills and many more.

    The best thing that, users can easily access their bank and card statement right from this app.

    Download UBA mobile banking app

    ABSA Ghana

    The Absa Mobile App gives you the ability to carry your bank conveniently in your pocket. when you install this app, you enjoy the freedom that comes with doing your banking from anywhere at any time for free.

    With the Absa Ghana app, you can access your accounts, send money, and withdraw cash any time you wish to do so.

    No need to visit the bank hall for that. Buy airtime and pay your bills directly from your phone, use your Mobile Wallet to pay for goods and services on the fly, check your balances and transaction history at the comfort of your home.

    Download ABSA Ghana app

    Fidelity Mobile Banking

    Another great app that is loved by many mobile banking app users is the fidelity mobile banking app. Fidelity bank has been one of the fastest-growing banking services in Ghana and it is of no surprise that their app is liked by many of the users.

    With the app, you have nothing to worry about. No more hustles that people go through before having access to their balance or transaction details, especially when they travel to a place in which the bank has no branch.

    The app allows you easy access to all your accounts at Fidelity Bank Ghana while enabling you to make secure transactions and payments. Manage your money with convenient, safe and easy to use the mobile app from Fidelity Bank Ghana Ltd.

    Download the Fidelity Mobile Banking app

    UMB SpeedApp

    Just like any of the above-mentioned apps, the UMB SpeedApp has also come and added to the list of the best apps we have here in Ghana. The UMB SeedApp gives Customers the benefit of monitoring a real-time account balance in a secure and simplified way.

    When you install the app, you can:

    • Check Account Balances
    • Check Transaction History
    • Airtime top-up for Self & Others
    • Bill Payment Services
    • Request Services – Statement, Cheque Book, etc.
    • Locate Branch & ATM
    • Product Information
    • Bancassurance Services
    • Funds Transfer Services
    • Loan Services
    • Investment Services
    • Card Services
    • Standing Order Services
    • Forex Rates

    Download the UMB SpeedApp

    ADB Mobile Banking 2.0

    This is an app offered by the Agric Development Bank of Ghana. The app is good for accessing all the services provided by this bank.

    From checking of an account balance to getting instant access to all the transactions conducted with the bank. Transfer funds, view loans details and deposit balances, confirm cheques, order cheque books and access forex rates while saving time and cost.

    Below are some of the things you can do with the app:

    1. View recent transactions and check your balances
    2. Pay someone new or someone you’ve paid before
    3. Transfer money between own accounts
    4. Perform instant payment to other banks
    5. View term deposit
    6. View loan balances
    7. Reset forgotten password
    8. Pay bills online
    9. Air time top-up
    10. Account statements
    11. Forex Rates
    12. Find your nearest branch or cash machine

    Download the ADB Mobile Banking 2.0

    Slydepay

    Slydepay is not affiliated to any bank but has the all in one integration of most of the banking service in Ghana. The app has come to make the life of an ordinary Ghanaian easy and simple. People who were previously considered unbanked can now use this app to make all the transaction that any bank account user could do.

    Using the Slydepay mobile banking app, you can pay bills, transfer money from the app, top-up Airtime from any service provider, cross transfer cash from one mobile money service provider to the other, link and Verify your debit/credit card in your Slyde account and keep track of all your transactions in one place.

    Download Slydepay

    Final Words

    Banks keep adding new features to make your banking experience a favourable one on these apps. Each update from the developers comes with new features or make an improvement to some already existing feature. It is also worth mentioning that, some features mention in these apps (like fingerprint-based features) may not work on all device due to compatibility issues.

    But what we do know is that you can have some of the basic ones, when you install your desired app.

  • Wave Money Transfer: Send Mobile Money To Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya

    Wave Money Transfer: Send Mobile Money To Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya

    Money transfer from the USA, UK, Canada and other European countries to Africa can sometimes be hectic and time-wasting, especially with the, increase in cybercrime and the introduction of measures to counter money laundering in the system.

    A lot of people abroad find it difficult to send money to their relatives and loved ones in Africa. Some also tried in the past and have had bad experiences with some of the companies.

    MoneyGram used to be the best but these days because of the bad experience and other limitations from this company, a lot of people are looking for other alternatives for sending money from abroad to Africa.

    If you have your relative abroad and want he or she to send you cash without going through all the difficulties then this post is for you.

    This pot is going to introduce you to a company that offers the best service when it comes to sending money from abroad to Africa. This company we are going to talk about in this article is wave money transfer.

    Wave is a company that centres in sending money to African countries like Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda using a mobile app. Wave was founded in the year 2014 by a team of young engineers who love and live in Africa.

    During this period, the platform has grown to become a fully functional money transfer service with much improvement in security. This makes Wave the world’s leading remitters to East and West Africa today.

    Wave so far has the best cost-effective service as compared to other companies in this filed. According to wave, they don’t charge any transaction fees and that all their transactions are encrypted so your personal information is always secure.

    Unlike other companies which charge transaction fees, wave makes their “profit” on the exchange rate.

    Features of the App

    1. Instant, NO FEE transfers from your debit card to mobile money accounts in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, & Kenya
    2. Send money easily and quickly as a text message
    3. 24/7 Personal support to all customers
    4. Real-time updates on the status of your transfer so you always know where your money is

    How To Get Started With Wave App

    Wave uses the mobile app technology which can be downloaded from Google Play for Android and the App Store for iOS.

    Once the wave app is installed on your mobile device, you need to register by following some simple process which includes registering your debit card.

    After a successful registration on the app, you can instantly send money directly from your mobile in the US, UK or Canadian to Ghana, Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania with completely no transfer fees.

    How To Send Money to Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya With Wave App

    To send money using this app, first, open the app from your phone menu and then enter your recipient details (Name and Phone)

    Now choose how much money you want to transfer and press ‘Send.’

    Once everything goes well, your recipient in Africa will receive the money on their mobile instantly!

    Now, this recipient can go to any mobile money venture and cash out the money sent. This is mostly possible in Ghana and Kenya. But with some countries like Nigeria, the receiver of the money can also cash it out at the bank and the cashing out process should also be fast and instant.

  • Compete in the Betway Fintech Challenge to win GHS 20,000

    Compete in the Betway Fintech Challenge to win GHS 20,000

    Innovative online sports betting company Betway, has launched a three-phase competition, titled the Betway Fintech Challenge, with the winner taking home GHS 20,000.

    Betway, whose success can be attributed to the ease-of-access, have introduced for sports betting fans using digital platforms from banking and security to betting, announced the competition today at the Accra Digital Centre.

    The contest, is open to legal Ghanaian residents aged 18 and above and would accept applications from 19th February to 8th March this year.

    This competition consists of five (5) entry categories:

    1. Customer Connection & Experience Innovation – Solutions that enable merchants and customers to make payments in new ways. Any product that meets the need for cheaper, faster and easier payments processing capable of engaging and activating the under-served and under-banked populations.
    2. Data-driven Design – Solutions that are characterized by their capacity to leverage the data gathered in a primary business into financial services and may reduce transaction costs and improve decision-making, including using analytics to enhance risk and customer segmentation decisions.
    3. Investment & Wealth Management – Solutions that will enable the provision of wealth management/investment services in new and unique ways.
    4. Blockchain – Solutions that will use the concept and principles of blockchain technology to build trust and transparency in financial services that will promote greater financial inclusion.
    5. Organizational or Process Transformation – Solutions that focus on disrupting a traditional process in any industry that requires payments and new ways to enhance service delivery.

    Shortlisted finalists would be taken through training and workshops designed to equip them with knowledge on raising funds, pitching, branding and marketing amongst others, as well as new models and applications in the financial services space.

    To enter into the Betway Fintech Challenge, interested persons should visit the challenge page or pick up a form from the Concept Stores at Adabraka in Accra and Amakom in Kumasi.

    The five finalists will be invited to pitch their start-up vision to a panel of judges. At the end of each pitch, the judges will evaluate finalists based on problems addressed, market size and growth potential, differentiated solution and performance and traction with customers.

    Three winners will be announced on May 17 where the grand winner, first runner-up and second runner up will take home GHS 20,000, GHS 15,000 and GHS 10,000 respectively and all the final five will receive GHS 1,000.

    Speaking at the launch, Betway Country Manager of Operations, Magnus Rex Danquah Jnr. stated that the main objective of the challenge was to create a competitive environment for entrepreneurs to come up with solutions to help address challenges in bringing Ghanaian society to adopt digital mediums when it comes to banking, transacting, personal finance and investing.

    “The Betway Fintech Challenge will offer developers in Ghana an opportunity to design applications which will help address some of these problems identified in our society,” he said.

  • Ecobank Launches ‘Ecobank Xpress Money Promotion’  for easier money transfers

    Ecobank Launches ‘Ecobank Xpress Money Promotion’ for easier money transfers

    Ecobank Ghana in its effort to work around the cash-lite and financial inclusion mentioned by the government has taken a step further to launch Ecobank Xpress Money Promotion as an incentive to provide an enabling financial environment for sustained economic growth.

    Ecobank Xpress Account is needed to give Ghanaians the platform to transact business and make payments across 34 countries online.

    According to the Managing Director of Ecobank Dan Sackey, the Xpress Account is “one of the surest ways by which we can contribute to making Ghana a cash-lite, society.”

    “If the country does not need to print note of currency, we are saving the resources of the country. It is a must that Ghanaians engage in cash-lite economy and indeed cashless communities,” he urged.

    Speaking at a press launch, Mr. Dan Sackey said the Ecobank mobile application sets the pace in the banking sector to take in Ghana’s unbanked population; adding that the financial inclusion campaign requires a concerted effort and cannot be done alone.

    The Ecobank Express Account is a self-service, real-time, online digital account or wallet that is easily operated on the mobile phone.

    With a registered SIM, one can download the Ecobank Mobile App, open an Ecobank Xpress Account instantly and start transacting business.

    “Currently, you can withdraw or deposit money into your Xpress account from any of the over 1,500 designated Ecobank Xpress Point locations around the country. You can also send and receive money to and from any bank account or mobile money wallet in Ghana as well as send and receive money across the 34 countries we operate within Africa,” Mr Sackey stated.

    Explaining how the promotion works, Head of Consumer Banking at Ecobank, Tara Squire said a deposit of Ghc50 or more into the Ecobank Xpress Account at any Xpress Point gives the customer the chance to win their share of over Ghc500,000 in cash and instant airtime or data.

    “The Ecobank Xpress Money Promotion is aimed at rewarding customers with a deposit of Ghc50 or more. Every week, 133 customers will be rewarded and a deposit of Ghc50 into your Xpress Account gives you one slot and so the more the money, the more your chance to win big. First deposit attracts instant reward in the form of airtime or data. The interest rate on this promotion is 4 percent and it is running now up to March 8, 2019,” he explained.

    He reiterated that the launch is a mass drive aimed at encouraging customers and the public to use the Ecobank Xpress Account for payments in place of cash transactions; thus the Xpress Point has created job opportunities for Ghanaians.

    “Non-customers are encouraged to open the Ecobank Xpress Account instantly, fund it and use it for transactions for cash prizes as the promotion lasts for 3 months,” he added.

  • All Set for Ghana’s Biggest Night in eCommerce

    All Set for Ghana’s Biggest Night in eCommerce

    All is now set for the biggest night in Ghana’s ecommerce industry as nearly 200 guests and nominees gear up for the maiden Ghana eCommerce Awards tomorrow at the Swiss Spirit Alisa Hotel!

    Organized by OML Africa and under the theme, “Celebrationg Excellence and Innovation in Ghana’s Online Business Industry”, this important event will see over 30 individuals and organizations walking up the stage to win the bragging rights and a deserved recognition of their hardwork.

    Some Of The Categories Are:

    • Best Male Ecommerce Entrepreneur
    • Best Online Retailer Of The Year
    • Best New Online Retailer
    • Best Small Independent Retailer (2-10 Employees)
    • Best Online Retail Marketing
    • Best Site Optimization & Design
    • Best Mobile Ecommerce Experience
    • Best Ecommerce Innovation
    • Best Multi-channel Retailer
    • Best E-government Experience
    • Best Social Media Campaign
    • Best Omni-channel Customer Service
    • Best In-store Initiative
    • Best Delivery/courier Service-ecommerce
    • Melcom Best Female Ecommerce Entrepreneur
    • Best Ecommerce Payment Company/fintech
    • Best Innovation In Ecommerce-payments
    • Esoko Best Online Food Delivery Platform
    • Best Online Hotel Booking Site
    • Best Online Taxi
    • Best Online Betting Site
    • Best Bitcoin Company

    Honorary Awards

    • Best eCommerce Entrepreneur
    • Best eCommerce Entrepreneur
    • Best Ghanaian-Owned eCommerce Company
    • Pioneering Role in Development of Ecommerce in Ghana
    • Outstanding Contribution to Fighting Cyber Fraud
    • Outstanding Contribution to Fighting Cyber Fraud (Corporate Division)
    • Outstanding Contribution to the Digitized Agriculture
    • Best Online Superstore of the Year
    • The Entertainment

    It will be an enchanting night of poetry, cultural extravaganza mixed with modern Ghanaian r&b and soul, with the likes of legendary Rhyme Sonny, budding songstress Mabiina and the silky smooth Trigmatic all performing on the night!

    Tickets!

    So, join us for the celebration of the year! Come cheer your favourite online shops and their teams to victory! Tickets are GHC550 per ticket with huge discounts for double or group tickets.
    Call 0206367515 or click hereor email: [email protected] or dial 714*42#

    Programme

    6.30-7.30pm Registration/ Cultural Display/ Business Networking

    7.30 pm Organizers’ Speech

    7.35 pm Dinner/ Live Band featuring Mabiina

    8.35 pm Poetry-Rhyme Sonny

    8.40 pm Honorary Awards

    9.00 pm Trigmatic Musical Performance

    9.15 pm Competitive Awards

    10.15 pm DJ’s Jam till u Drop

    Almost every household has an unsolved Rubiks Cube but you can esily solve it learning a few algorithms.

  • Visa and leading banks bring mobile payments to Ghana

    Visa and leading banks bring mobile payments to Ghana

    Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments, in partnership with leading Ghanaian banks, has announced the launch of Visa on mobile, its innovative mobile payment service in Ghana.

    From today, the partnership commences with four Ghanaian banks who have either enabled Visa on mobile on their mobile banking applications and/or have acquired merchants to be able to accept the service. CAL Bank and Zenith Bank customers will access the service via their banking application. Ecobank customers have the USSD and banking application option while GTBank customers will access via USSD. Merchants aggregated through Expresspay will also accept Visa on mobile.

    Visa on mobile is an easy and secure payments solution for Ghanaian customers. It allows customers to directly access funds in their bank accounts to pay merchants (person-to-merchant or P2M) or individuals (person-to-person or P2P). The payment goes straight from the consumer’s bank account into the merchant’s account and provides real-time notification to both parties at no cost. The introduction of this solution reduces cost and friction for accepting electronic payments as these mobile transactions are processed with the same scale, security and reliability as any other Visa transaction

    Speaking at the launch, Oluwakemi Okusanya, Group Country Manager for Visa West Africa said, “Visa and its financial institution partners are providing the benefits of digital commerce to potentially everyone, everywhere across Ghana and the African continent, bringing more people into the formal financial system. More and more small and medium scale merchants come on board every day as they begin to understand the benefits that Visa on mobile brings, including real-time notifications of payments entering their bank account and access to sales and transactions history.”

    Adoma Peprah, Country Manager for Visa Ghana said, “According to the Global Findex report, Ghana is among the most successful and fastest growing mobile money markets in Sub-Saharan Africa. In four years, mobile money penetration rose from 13 per cent to 39 per cent. The launch of Visa on mobile is significant to the expansion of an already vibrant mobile payment ecosystem as it is accepted at thousands of locations across the country, with plans to have more banks and merchants join the network over the next few months. We have communications campaigns lined up for the coming months to support our bank partners, merchants and educate customers on Visa on mobile at various locations across Ghana”

    The Visa on mobile implementation in Ghana benefited from the Visa Developer Platform, which allowed all partner banks the ability to integrate the Visa on mobile APIs directly into their mobile banking apps. While rolling out a new solution with a bank typically can take a very long time from development to implementation and testing, utilizing the Visa Developer Platform interface reduced the time taken significantly. This helped to speed up the number of banks who have been able to roll out the Visa on mobile solution in Ghana.

    Visa on mobile is now live in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, India, Rwanda and Egypt with plans to launch in other African countries underway.

  • Ghana eCommerce Awards: 7 Shortlisted for Melcom Best Female Entrepreneur Award

    Ghana eCommerce Awards: 7 Shortlisted for Melcom Best Female Entrepreneur Award

    OML Africa, organizers of the maiden Ghana eCommerce Awards, recognizes entrepreneurs are exceptional people and they build a better working world for all of us. They dare to dream that life could be different. They have the courage and passion to make their dreams a reality – to build something of lasting value that benefits us all.

    The Melcom “Best Female eCommerce Entrepreneur of the Year” recognizes the most exceptional among a unique group of people who have made and continue to make strides in doing business online in Ghana.

    The nominee must be a female, resident in Ghana and who is an owner-manager of a private or public company, primarily responsible for the recent performance of the company and has been an active member of senior management for at least a year.

    Judging Criteria

    Criteria used by the judges to select the Female eCommerce Entrepreneur Of The Year winners are:

    • Entrepreneurial Spirit
    • Value Creation
    • Strategic Direction
    • National and Global Impact
    • Innovation
    • Personal Integrity/Purpose-driven Leadership

    Nominees

    Titi Ademola, Founder, Creative Director, KikI Clothing

    Titi, a Ghanaian/ Nigerian fashion designer, is the brain behind KIKI Clothing. is the brainchild of Titi Ademola.

    After undertaking a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design from the London College of Fashion, Titi transferred her degree to the American InterContinental University in Atlanta, Georgia, with a concentration in Marketing.

    Staying true to her desire to relocate back to West Africa, KIKI Clothing was eventually born with a focus dedicated to creating African inspired collections that are meticulously made in Ghana.

    To vote for Titi, text GEA BFE TITI ADEMOLA to 1903 on all mobile networks

    Anju Adwani, Founder, Papyrus Creations

    Since the founding of Papyrus Creations in 2016, Anju has grown to become a leading name in the gifting sector of Ghana.

    Her passion and dedication for personalizing led her to establish an online portal which gives access to clients to customize and order stationery items and gifting products according to their choices.

    Inclined to her spirit for innovative and unique business solutions, Anju is solely responsible for the corporate strategies at the firm.

    To vote for Anju, text GEA BFE ANJU to 1903 on all mobile networks

    Esther Asante, Founder, Organic Trade & Investments

    Esther isn’t someone content with just one job; in fact, she’s not even satisfied running just one company.
    In 2009, this powerhouse entrepreneur founded Virtual Linguistic Solutions. She spent the next several years developing it into one of the leading copywriting and translating companies in Ghana.

    But by 2015, she was ready to spread her wings even more and decided to start another company: Organic Trade & Investments (OTI).

    Asante’s goal for OTI is to build a responsible online store that specialized in promoting and selling organic, non-GMO commodities, all of which is sourced directly from the small towns and villages where the raw ingredients are produced.

    To vote for Esther, text GEA BFE ESTHER to 1903 on all mobile networks

    Farida Nana Efua Bedwei, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Logiciel (Ghana) Ltd

    Farida is Co-Founder of Logiciel, Software Company developing banking systems for the microfinance industry. Her role involves assessing the industry and coming up with practical solutions, which are easy to use by persons with no formal banking training. She believes the informal sector, which makes up between 60%-70% of the population across Africa, deserve the same banking services as those in the formal sector.

    Prior to co-founding Logiciel, Farida worked in the telecom software industry, developing mobile gateways and services for mobile networks and content providers.

    To vote for Farida, text GEA BFE FARIDA to 1903 on all mobile networks

    Regina Honu, CEO, Soronko Academy

    Regina Honu is a Ghanaian Social Entrepreneur, software developer and founder of Soronko Solutions, a software development company in Ghana.[1] She opened Soronko Academy, the first coding and Human-centered design school for children and young adults in West Africa.

    Regina has received multiple awards for her tireless efforts, including being named by CNN as one of the 12 inspirational women who rock STEM. She was also named as one of the six women making an impact in Tech in Africa and one of the ten female entrepreneurs to watch in emerging economies.

    To vote for Regina, text GEA BFE REGINA to 1903 on all mobile networks

    Mabel Simpson, Founder, mSimps

    Mabel Simpson is one of the most celebrated entrepreneurs in Ghana. Mabel started mSimps two years after graduating from the university with about 200 Ghana Cedis ($50) and a sewing machine her granny gave her as a gift.

    mSimps, an accessory manufacturing company and creative enterprise in Accra, now manufactures handmade leather and wax print handbags, laptop bags, backpacks, leather slippers, loafers, travel luggage and throw pillows with the primary goal of producing quality and innovative Made-In-Ghana products for the global market.

    To vote for Mabel, text GEA BFE MABEL to 1903 on all mobile networks

    Evita Joseph Asare, Founder, ejbeautystore.com

    Having received two awards as a pacesetter in online retailing of makeup products, the Evita Joseph Beauty Store continues to gain recognition in the Ghanaian beauty industry.

    The story of the brand begins with the story of Evita Joseph Asare, an erstwhile mechanical engineer whose one visit to Paris changed the course of her life. Starting from an engineering class of only 4 women in a class size of 126, Evita has channelled her passion for designing and building machinery to designing and producing makeup products to enhance the modern woman.

    To vote for Evita, text GEA BFE EVITA to 1903 on all mobile networks

    Event Details

    Ghana eCommerce Awards
    Date: 30 Nov 2018
    Venue: Alisa Hotel, Ridge-Accra

    Your Ticket Includes:

    Pre Dinner Reception

    • 3-Course Dinner
    • Drinks Served all Night
    • Awards Entertainment
    • Awards Ceremony

    Single Ticket: GHC550 (Group Discounts Available)

    For more enquiries, call 0206367515 or 0302 973370 or email: [email protected]