Ghana Leads Africa with Seamless Interoperable Instant Payments Systems (IPS)

Mobile-Money-in-Ghana-Blog-Header-01-scaled-1

Ghana has emerged as the number one African country with fully interoperable multiple instant payment systems. This was revealed in the 2024 West Africa Banking Industry Customer Experience Survey report from KPMG.

Highlights from the State of Inclusive Instant Payment Systems in Africa Report 2024 revealed that Africa boasts 28 IPS across 20 countries, with only seven countries operating multiple IPS. According to the report the country stood out amongst the 7 leaders outperforming regional peers such as Morocco, South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania, thereby setting a new standard for the continent.

“Ghana’s leadership in this space is evident, being the only African country with fully interoperable multiple instant payment systems” the report stated.

Ghana’s two primary IPS, the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) Instant Pay (GIP) and Mobile Money Interoperability (MMI), have been interacting flawlessly over the years, winning over admirers from across the world and customers locally.

Instant Payment Transactions See Significant Growth

The impact of instant payment systems in Ghana has been noteworthy. Here are some highlights from October 2024:

– GIP transactions surged by 174% in value and 32% in volume compared to the same period in 2023.

– Mobile money transactions dominated, reaching GHS 2.36 trillion, marking a 55% year-on-year growth.

– The number of mobile money transactions increased by 20% to 6.6 billion.

The report’s findings underscore the importance of interoperability between systems, with 73% of retail customers indicating they use mobile money weekly. The ease of transferring money between accounts and mobile wallets also remains a top priority for customers.

While Ghana excels in instant payment systems, the report also highlights areas for improvement, including concerns over service reliability, cybersecurity, and the need for innovative features in mobile apps and internet banking.

As Ghana continues to lead the way in instant payment systems, the country is poised to drive financial inclusion, convenience, and economic growth, setting a benchmark for other African countries to follow.

ATC and ProFuturo to Bring Educational Innovation With Technology to Brazil, Peru, Mexico and Nigeria

ATC

ProFuturo, an educational innovation program by Fundación Telefónica and Fundación “la Caixa”, and American Tower announced the expansion of their Digital Communities alliance to schools in Brazil, Peru, Mexico and Nigeria. Initially launched in Chile, Colombia and Kenya, this initiative aims to transform children’s education through technology, reducing the educational gap in underserved communities. Thanks to this expansion, the program will now support nearly 30,000 children and more than 1,000 teachers by providing quality digital education and fostering an international network of educators dedicated to improving learning worldwide.

Magdalena Brier, Managing Director of ProFuturo, emphasized the potential of such alliances to promote digital inclusion and strengthen educational projects. Mneesha Nahata, Senior Vice President, Legal and Chief Sustainability Officer of American Tower, emphasized the commitment of both organizations to bridging the digital divide in Africa and Latin America. The collaboration aligns with the United Nations Global Compact and Sustainable Development Goals, aiming to reduce poverty and inequality by ensuring access to quality education in complex environments. Through this strategic partnership, ProFuturo and American Tower are set to enhance educational digital transformation and promote innovative practices for lasting impact.

Source: americantower.com

Telecel Cash director pushes investment in connectivity and innovation to unlock Africa’s digital future

Philip Amoateng

Director of Telecel Cash and Digital Transformation, Philip Amoateng, has underscored the importance of digital infrastructure, innovation, and technology as fundamental pillars for the continent’s economic growth and integration.

Speaking on how Africa can leverage digital infrastructure, innovation and technology to connect the continent on day two of the Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2025, Mr Amoateng said there is a need for strategic investments in technology with a unified approach to drive the continent’s shared prosperity.

“We live in a time where the future of our continent is being shaped not only by the physical roads we build, but by the invisible networks that power our economies, our communities, and our relationships.

“These are the digital highways of technology, which is now the lifeline of our socio-economic development,” he said, speaking to an audience of business leaders, industry stakeholders, government officials, private sector stakeholders and influencers from across the continent.

Mr Amoateng believes that Africa’s prosperity is closely linked to its ability to harness digital infrastructure and connectivity to advance the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the continent’s blueprint for inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development.

With over 300 million people still without internet access, making the continent one of the least connected in the world, Mr Amoateng said without reliable and affordable access to the digital space, millions of Africans remain locked out of the global economy.

“We need to prioritise investments in broadband networks, fibre-optic cables, and 5G infrastructure to close the connectivity gap, specifically in rural and remote areas. This expansion will ensure that every African can access the opportunities of the digital economy.”

Organised by the Africa Prosperity Network and in partnership with the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) Secretariat, APD 2025 was on the theme “Delivering Africa’s Single Market through Infrastructure: Invest. Connect. Integrate.

The three-day gathering convened Heads of State, political leaders, private sector stakeholders, industry captains and financial players to forge partnerships, bridge Africa’s infrastructure gaps, and drive economic integration through strategic investments.

Citing the success of mobile money interoperability, which has transformed financial inclusion across sub-Saharan Africa, through the power of cross-collaboration, Mr Amoateng called for tech integration across sectors like agriculture, healthcare, education, and finance.

With more than 60% of Africa’s population under the age of 25, he stressed the need to create an environment that empowers young Africans to solve real-world challenges using digital tools like artificial intelligence.

He also shared an example of Telecel Ghana’s efforts through its Connected Learning programme, which has already exposed over 20,000 children to digital technologies like AI and robotics.

“We are equipping the next generation with the skills to not only understand AI but to build AI solutions from scratch. This ensures we have the right talent to drive Africa’s digital future,” Mr Amoateng said.

Source: telecelglobal.com

Ericsson appoints Charlotte Levert as Chief People Officer

Charlotte Levert
  • Effective as of February 10, 2025
  • Becomes member of Ericsson’s Executive Team, reporting to the CEO

Ericsson has announced the appointment of Charlotte Levert as its new Chief People Officer, Senior Vice President, and Head of Group Function People. Charlotte Levert who is currently Vice President and Head of People Business Area Cloud and Software Services will replace MajBritt Arfert, whose departure Ericsson announced in October 2024. Charlotte Levert will take up her new position on February 10 and will be based in Sweden.

Charlotte Levert has held executive positions within Ericsson across several business areas. She has most recently held the position of Head of People Business Area Managed Services. Before joining Ericsson, Charlotte Levert was Head of HR Sweden & Global HR business partner at Tieto and has held various senior management positions within human resources. She holds a Bachelor in Business Management & Human Resources.

Börje Ekholm, President and CEO of Ericsson, says: “Charlotte will be an integral part as we are entering the next chapter of Ericsson’s strategy and in the continued evolution of the People agenda. She brings a strong track record from different organizations including different parts of Ericsson and I’m very much looking forward to having Charlotte join the Executive Team.”

Commenting on the appointment, Charlotte Levert says: “I am truly honored to take on this role and grateful for the trust. Working at Ericsson means we all get the chance to be part of shaping the future. I am looking forward to co-creating a future-proof organization and where Ericsson remains a great place to work.”  

In October 2024 Ericsson announced that MajBritt Arfert would step down after having been with Ericsson for over 38 years and a member of the Company’s Executive Team since the autumn of 2016. MajBritt Arfert will be available for Ericsson during the spring and leave Ericsson at the end of May 2025.

Source: Ericsson.com

Sam George announces team to address needs of stakeholders in Ghana’s digital landscape

Sam George

Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation Minister Sam George has announced the formation of a new team that will work towards developing a comprehensive roadmap aimed at addressing the needs of all stakeholders in Ghana’s digital landscape.

A statement shared via social media said the team’s efforts will focus on identifying common ground that balances the interests of citizens, the telecommunications industry, and the government.

The team comprises representatives from key institutions, including the Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology & Innovation, the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Finance, the National Communications Authority (NCA), the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), and the Association of Content Creators, among others.

Expressing optimism on the outcome, the Minister said, “It is my hope that this team will come up with a workable plan that sees an increase in value on data offerings across the board.”

Source: MyNewsGh

Bank of South Sudan to Launch First National Instant Payment System

The Bank of South Sudan (BOSS) has announced a groundbreaking initiative to launch the country’s first National Instant Payment System (NIPS), in collaboration with the AfricaNenda Foundation. This transformative project marks a pivotal milestone in the modernization of South Sudan’s financial and payment infrastructure, advancing the bank’s commitment to providing enhanced financial services for all citizens. The initiative also aligns with broader efforts to integrates t other critical infrastructures, such as Automated Clearing House (ACH) and Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) systems and instants fund transfer (IFT)

The National Instant Payment System is designed to enable real-time, secure, and cost-effective transactions, promoting interoperability between banks, mobile money providers, and other financial institutions. As the backbone of South Sudan’s digital payment ecosystem, NIPS will facilitate a wide range of financial transactions, including person-to-person (P2P), person-to-business (P2B), government-to-person (G2P), and person-to-government (P2G) payments, fostering greater inclusivity and efficiency in the financial sector.

The start of the NIPS journey marks a monumental step forward for financial and socio-economic inclusion in South Sudan. This partnership with AfricaNenda Foundation is pivotal in transforming the financial services landscape, fostering greater inclusivity, and creating a more resilient digital economy.

– Johnny Ohisa Damian Governor of the Bank, South Sudan

Key areas of focus for the partnership include:

Developing a detailed roadmap for NIPS implementation, with clear milestones.
Building the capacity of BOSS and financial institutions to effectively oversee and manage the system.
Ensuring integration and interoperability by collaborating with banks, telcos, and other stakeholders.
Following the successful 2023 proof-of-concept phase, which demonstrated high demand and feasibility, BOSS and AfricaNenda are confident that NIPS will reshape South Sudan’s financial ecosystem. Beyond increasing financial accessibility, the system will empower businesses, streamline government operations, and enable citizens to thrive in a modern digital economy.

This initiative uunderscores BOSS’s commitment to building a sustainable, innovative, and inclusive financial future for all South Sudanese citizens.

We are proud to partner with the Bank of South Sudan on this landmark initiative. Instant payment systems are transformative tools that redefine access to financial services and promote inclusivity. With the launch of this system, South Sudan is laying the foundation for a more connected and resilient economy that benefits every citizen.

– Robert Ochola, CEO, AfricaNenda Foundation

Source: extensia.tech

Nigeria, Sweden pen agreement to enhance connectivity

Dr. Aminu Maida, CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Annika Hahn-Englund, signed a grant agreement with SWEDFUND last week to fund a crowdsourcing quality of experience project.

SWEDFUND is Sweden’s development finance institution that invests in viable and sustainable projects in low and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.

On the Nigerian initiative, the NCC stated that it will use real-time data to provide insights into user experience and network performance.

It went on to say this will help inform regulatory decisions and guide the expansion of connectivity in underserved areas across Nigeria.

The NCC added: “It will empower the NCC to monitor network performance in real-time, identifying and addressing issues such as dropped calls, slow internet speeds, and weak coverage.

“With such valuable data, the NCC will hold telecom providers more accountable, ensuring better service delivery for consumers.

“This is a significant step toward enhancing connectivity in Nigeria and has the potential to set a benchmark across Africa.”

Source: extensia.tech

Google drops DEI drive

A Google release of latest updates to its Gemini generative AI product was overshadowed by reports the company had become the latest US tech giant to ditch diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals to pander to the nation’s new President.

The Wall Street Journal led the way, reporting Google told staff it planned to drop recruitment targets involving groups which traditionally were not well represented.

Google also intends to appraise some elements of its DEI programmes, the newspaper wrote.

Forbes explained Google told staff about the move yesterday (5 February), outlining an intention to continue to support “underrepresented staff”, while reconsidering its stance on broader DEI programmes and reporting.

In a video accompanying Google’s 2024 Diversity Annual Report, chief diversity officer Melonie Parker argued the company had learned “making space for diverse perspectives and experiences is inseparable from innovation”.

The report summarised Google’s work in 2023, its 25th anniversary year and one in which Parker said it doubled its efforts to create “a workplace where everyone feels supported”.

“At Google, we’ve seen how the best of technology empowers people of all backgrounds.”

Parker highlighted the creation of “equitable pathways in tech education”, increasing “access to technology” and backing of organisations which advanced “equity in their neighbourhoods and the world beyond them”.

Gemini 2.0
Details of Google’s DEI move broke the same day it advanced development of its Gemini 2.0 Flash agentic AI model by making it widely available through its related API in its various developer studios.

Koray Kavukcuoglu, CTO of Google DeepMind, stated in a blog the release means developers “can now build production applications” using the model, with availability coming two months after the company released an experimental edition.

Google also released an experimental version of its related coding performance and complex prompts model Gemini 2.0 Pro, along with previewing a slimline version of its Flash product which Kavukcuoglu described as its “most cost-efficient model yet”.

Source: Mobile World Live

South Korea agency warns consumers over DeepSeek

Deepseek

The data protection watchdog in South Korea issued a warning to consumers about using the new Chinese AI platform DeepSeek, following a number of ministries blocking its use by employees, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Due to concerns over the start-up’s data management practices, the Personal Information Protection Commission said it is reviewing how the service uses personal data and urged caution when using the generative AI tool.

The commission stated in a briefing it is cooperating with other data protection organisation around the world, including the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office, the news agency wrote.

Earlier in the week, South Korea’s industry, foreign and defence ministries blocked internal assess to the service after the government advised ministries and agencies to use caution when using AI services including DeepSeek and ChatGPT.

Australia’s government announced on February 4 all DeepSeek products, applications and services would be immediately removed from government networks.

Italy and Taiwan also moved to block the AI service.

Source: Mobile World Live

EU forges ahead with controversial AI laws

The European Union (EU) unveiled fresh guidelines under its AI Act focusing on prohibited uses of the technology, as it pushes forward with the regulatory framework that has attracted opposition from industry heavyweights.

The AI Act, first unveiled in 2023, categorises AI technologies into minimal, transparency, high, or unacceptable risk levels, moving to ban systems that pose a threat to safety and fundamental rights. The latest measures, released by the European Commission on Tuesday (4 February), provide detailed guidance on how the rules will apply.

Under the new guidelines, which came into effect from 2 February, AI systems that carry out “manipulative, exploitative, social control or surveillance practices” are barred from the EU. This includes AI practices such as predictive social scoring, mass biometric surveillance and scraping internet sources or CCTV footage to build facial recognition databases.

The legislation also mandates transparency requirements for companies developing “high-risk” AI systems, which serve public service functions including healthcare, credit-scoring, and migration. Developers of more advanced AI models face even stricter obligations including mandatory human oversight of AI systems and risk assessments.

National regulators will oversee the enforcement of the act, with non-compliant companies facing hefty financial penalties of up to €35 million or higher with respect to their global annual revenue. Companies engaging in prohibited AI practices could also be hit with a ban from operating in the EU.

However, the framework exempts select areas from its scope including national security tasks, third-country authorities or international organisations using AI for law enforcement, and pre-market AI research and development.

Industry pushback
Several tech giants including Meta Platforms have raised concerns over the stringent regulations, arguing they could crush AI innovation and investment. In response to the latest announcement, head of global affairs at Meta, Joel Kaplan, announced the company will not join the EU’s AI Code of Practice, calling it “unworkable” and claiming it imposes unnecessary burdens on open-source AI models.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has warned the EU against targeting US tech companies, while hinting at possible retaliatory measures targeting businesses in the bloc. “We have some very big complaints with the EU,” he said last month.

Despite the criticism, an EU official told Financial Times the regulatory body’s stance on AI remains firm. “What we can do is ensure that it is as innovation-friendly as possible, and that’s what we’re doing right now,” he added.

Source: Mobile World Live