Visa and Bank of Abyssinia Launch E-Commerce Acquiring Business using CyberSource Payment Gateway

Posted on by Initiator | 8485 Views | 11 min read

Visa and Bank of Abyssinia (BoA) have announced a strategic partnership to drive of e-commerce acquiring through Visa CyberSource payment gateway, therefore becoming a member of Visa’s global payments ecosystem. This partnership also makes BoA the first bank in Ethiopia to drive e-commerce acquiring thus enabling businesses accept online payments using credit cards. The e-commerce

World Class Customer Service Training Academy Launched at Vivo Energy Uganda

Posted on by Initiator | 14524 Views | 9 min read

Shell customers are set to benefit from an enhanced customer care experience each time they drive into any of the over 150 Shell service stations countrywide. The development is a result of Vivo Energy’s recent launch of a customer service training facility, the Retail Academy, whose core mandate is to upskill its entire spectrum of

Ugandan E-Commerce Platforms Power Recovery from COVID-19 Crisis

Posted on by Initiator | 14318 Views | 21 min read

Partnerships with development agencies and government efforts to boost the digital economy are helping soften the economic blow of the pandemic David Akanshumbusha sells groceries at a stall in Nakawa market on the outskirts of the Ugandan capital, Kampala. He’s also on SafeBoda, a motorcycle (‘bodaboda’) taxi hailing app that recently launched an e-commerce platform

Hima Cement Partners with Jumia Uganda to Drive Convenience for the Customer

Posted on by Initiator | 14681 Views | 7 min read

Hima Cement and Jumia Uganda have announced an exciting Partnership which is aimed at driving flexibility and convenience for cement customers. Starting 1st July 2020, customers can now access the wide selection of Hima cement solutions on Jumia, Uganda’s number one e-commerce platform. The service starts in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono, giving customers the chance

Uber Launches its Largest Region-Wide Initiative in Partnership with Mastercard to Provide 120,000 Free Trips to Frontline Workers in the Middle East and Africa

Posted on by Initiator | 29670 Views | 11 min read

The partnership with Mastercard is setting the benchmark for Uber across the MEA region. Our teams are working 24/7 to assist health and medical care authorities as well as workers supporting our communities in responding to the pandemic. We have partnered with Mastercard, who have committed 120,000 free trips and meals to workers who are

Visa Launches New ‘Where You Shop Matters’ Initiative to Support Small Businesses in Kenya

Posted on by Initiator | 13853 Views | 14 min read

Initiative comes as new study finds consumers are increasingly embracing ecommerce and digital payments over cash and cheque. Study finds consumers are considerably more cautious with 69% avoiding rush hour. Shopping habits transformed during COVID-19 with 69% of consumers only visiting shops for essentials, though 30% of consumers say that they still use cash on

Nestlé Partners with Kenya Red Cross to Support COVID-19 Response Efforts

Posted on by Initiator | 12067 Views | 10 min read

With the gradual increase of COVID – 19 infections across the country, Nestlé Kenya has stepped in to support the Kenya Red Cross Society and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ efforts to respond to the pandemic. Nestlé Kenya is donating KSh17.99million in cash to bolster sensitization, food relief, water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives by the

Vivo Energy Uganda Launches ‘IGNITE’ Health and Safety Initiative at Shell Service Stations

Posted on by Initiator | 14168 Views | 11 min read

Vivo Energy Uganda, the distributor and marketer of Shell branded fuels and lubricants in Uganda has embarked on a deep cleaning and sanitizing exercise at its Shell service stations countrywide in preparation for the resumption of vehicular traffic on the roads and consequently, the increased demand for fuel and complementary non fuel related services. The

COVID-19: UNDP, JUMIA Uganda Partner to Link Market Vendors with Consumers Online

Posted on by Initiator | 13568 Views | 19 min read

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with Jumia Uganda, the leading e-commerce company,  have launched an online platform – to enable small and medium enterprises to connect with consumers to sustain livelihoods in view of restrictions on movement, stay at home measures and social distancing guidelines which were instituted as part of the

COVID-19: Jumia & Mastercard Incentivize Consumers to use Cashless Payments for Essential Products in Africa

Posted on by Initiator | 34881 Views | 8 min read

Jumia, Africa’s leading e-commerce platform and Mastercard today announced a partnership to incentivize the use of cashless payments platforms as people look for safer ways to pay in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this initiative, consumers who purchase essential products using their Mastercard on the Jumia platform will receive up to a 10

Visa & Mydawa Partner to Ease Access to Essential Medication

Posted on by Initiator | 10715 Views | 8 min read

Following a partnership announced between Visa and MYDAWA, it is now simpler and safer to purchase medication through the online pharmacy. The partnership is part of a drive to encourage consumers to embrace cashless payments and avoid leaving their homes where possible in support of calls by the government for citizens to observe social distancing

Shell Gas Introduces Free Home Delivery Solution

Posted on by Initiator | 14419 Views | 11 min read

Vivo Energy Uganda has announced the introduction of a free home delivery solution for Shell Gas. This is in a bid to bring services closer and offer greater convenience, safe transportation and doorstep delivery of Shell Gas to customers. The move follows restrictions put in place by the Uganda government to stem the spread of

Vivo Energy Uganda Boosts Covid-19 Fight with Fuel and Material Support

Posted on by Initiator | 13799 Views | 11 min read

Vivo Energy Uganda, the distributor and marketer of Shell branded fuels and lubricants in Uganda, has contributed 50 Million Uganda shillings worth of fuel (about 13,000 litres) to support the mobility of the Ministry of Health Emergency teams countrywide in a bid to further mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic. In addition, the

SPUR Corporation First Half Profit Up 20%

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 21244 Views | 12 min read

Spur Corporation today reported an increase of 8.4% in group revenue to R525 million as middle income consumers came under increasing financial strain in the six months to December 2019. The group’s profit before tax grew by 19.5% to R161.8 million, boosted by the recovery of an impairment provision of R10.8 million related to its

Innervation Pan African Payment Solutions scales retail offering with Loyalty Box acquisition

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 29004 Views | 9 min read

Innervation Pan African Payment Solutions (Innervation) has announced the acquisition of an African loyalty business, The Loyalty Box from Tritech Media. Innervation forms part of Crossfin Transactional Solutions (CTS), South Africa’s largest independent payments and merchant acquiring solutions platform. Under the terms of the deal, Innervation has acquired The Loyalty Box business for an undisclosed

Carrefour Opens its First Hypermarket in Uganda

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 16842 Views | 5 min read

On Tuesday, 14 January, the Carrefour Group opened its first hypermarket in Uganda, Kampala capital city. The Group is establishing a foothold in this new country through its Partnership with the Majid Al Futtaim Group, which has been partnering Carrefour in more than 25 countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. This first store

The Government of Ethiopia and Alibaba Group Sign Agreements to Establish eWTP Ethiopia Hub

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 13901 Views | 12 min read

H. E. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma, and Alibaba Group Director and Ant Financial Services Group Chairman and CEO Eric Jing witnessed the signing of three Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between the Ethiopian Government and Alibaba establishing an eWTP Hub in Ethiopia. The eWTP (electronic world trade platform) Hub is

Vivo Energy Kenya is on a Growth Path with 23 Shell Service Stations

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 8522 Views | 8 min read

Vivo Energy Kenya, the company that distributes and markets Shell-branded fuels and lubricants in the country, is on a growth path. The company has responded to motorists’ need for fuel convenience and has added 23 Shell service stations to its retail network. The new service stations, are located in eleven counties, namely: Laikipia, Kiambu, Nairobi,

Vivo Energy Uganda Expands Shell Network Countywide

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 17326 Views | 12 min read

Vivo Energy Uganda has today announced the addition of 16 new Shell service stations, expanding the Shell network countrywide and bringing the total number of service stations in Uganda to 152. The expansion is part of the company’s strategy to make Shell fuels, lubricants and services more accessible and deliver ultra-convenience to motorists and shoppers

How the South African FMCG Space can Learn from Kenya’s Example

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 9556 Views | 17 min read

By Andrew Dawson, Commercial Director at MACmobile The cash problem The simplest way of optimising route to market is through pre-sales, which then creates a predictable order and allows for the best delivery routes to be calculated. However, for much of the market in South Africa this is simply not the reality. To service the

Siemens Contributes to Coca-Cola Beverages Africa’s Vision in Advancing Digitalization

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 6688 Views | 12 min read

Developing digitalization capabilities through skills development; Digitalization provides flexibility to boost efficiency in Food and Beverage. The Nairobi Bottler’s Embakasi Plant based in Nairobi, Kenya, which is a fully owned subsidiary by Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA), received a Totally Integrated Automation training rig from Siemens Digital Industries South Africa to enable skills development in Digitalization

Glovo Partners with News Cafe in An Aggressive Market Expansion Push

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 5941 Views | 6 min read

Global on-demand courier service company Glovo, which links motorcycle riders to consumers wishing to buy and deliver products, has partnered with News Cafe in a move aimed at expanding their market footprint in the country. The firm, which uses an app to enable its deliveries has partnered with the South African franchise to enable it

Vivo Energy Uganda Introduces the Shell Club, a Nationwide Customer Loyalty Programme

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 23589 Views | 9 min read

Vivo Energy Uganda has today announced the introduction of a pioneering nationwide customer loyalty programme, designed by Shell, called the Shell Club. The user-friendly platform will enable customers to earn and accumulate points for all their purchases at Shell service stations, which can be converted into rewards. Speaking at the launch, Vivo Energy Uganda’s Managing

Shoprite Kenya Continues to Create Jobs with Opening of Its Fourth Store

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 5193 Views | 5 min read

With the opening of its fourth supermarket in Kenya this week at The Waterfront Karen, the Shoprite Group has created another 120 jobs bringing the total number of people now employed by Shoprite Kenya to 475, of which 65% are women. In addition to job creation, the Group is committed to the growth of the

Shoprite Continues March into Kenya with Opening of Third Store

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 5663 Views | 5 min read

Further strengthening its position in the East African market, the Shoprite Group launched its third supermarket in Kenya, and the first outside Nairobi. The opening of Shoprite City Mall in Nyali, Mombasa on 29 August, has created 115 new job opportunities, of which 65% are occupied by women. This is in addition to the 240

Jumia Food Looks Beyond Africa’s Middle Class for Growth

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 6035 Views | 5 min read

Jumia Food, a unit of New York-listed e-commerce platform Jumia Technologies is offering cheaper menu options in its African home market to attract lower income earners as it seeks to boost growth, the delivery company said. The platform, which delivers food and drink in 11 African countries, joins other international companies such as ride-hailing firm

Majid Al Futtaim to Open its First Carrefour Stores in Uganda

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 15331 Views | 10 min read

Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across Middle East, Africa and Asia, is set to open its first Carrefour stores in Uganda in the upcoming months, as the retailer seeks to cater to evolving customer needs and accommodate the growing demand for modern retail in Kampala and its surroundings.

Training of Joint Venture to Accelerate Growth of KFC Franchise Portfolio in East Africa

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 20506 Views | 9 min read

Vivo Energy plc (Vivo Energy), the pan-African retailer and distributor of Shell and Engen-branded fuels and lubricants, has agreed to a non-fuel joint venture to accelerate the roll-out of KFC restaurants in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda . The 50:50 joint venture Kuku Foods (Kuku Foods), who will remain the local KFC franchisee. Completion of this

KOKO Launches First Network in Nairobi

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 9427 Views | 10 min read

Venture-backed technology company KOKO Networks has launched its first network of 700 “KOKOpoints” inside neighbourhood shops across Nairobi. KOKOpoints are multi-purpose consumer access machines, combining a fuel ATM, an e-commerce kiosk and an in-store digital media experience. KOKO builds technology for life in the world’s fastest-growing cities. The first consumer solution on the Network is

Kenya Online Restaurant Platform Partners Indian Firm to Expand Foot Print in East Africa

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 5984 Views | 9 min read

EatOut, a Kenyan based eatery discovery service has partnered DineOut, Indian firm in the launch of a regional restaurant platform dubbed as InResto as they seek to tap a wider market in the regional expansion drive. According to a report by Business Daily, the partnership will see EatOut launch the Dineout’s restaurant technology platform for

Alibaba Gains E-commerce Edge in Kenya With Safaricom Deal

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 5380 Views | 15 min read

In a bid to bolster its e-commerce presence further, Alibaba BABA has teamed up with Safaricom, a Kenya-based provider of voice, data, financial services and enterprise solutions. Per the deal, Safaricom’s customers will be able to make payments via the company’s mobile-money wallet, M-Pesa, while shopping on AliExpress.com, an online shopping portal of Alibaba. Further,

Shoprite Opens Second Supermarket in Nairobi

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 5697 Views | 5 min read

Africa’s largest retailer, the Shoprite Group, opened its second supermarket in Kenya on Thursday, 21 March 2019 at the Garden City Mall in Nairobi. With more than 2 700 stores in 15 African countries, the Shoprite Group’s business is built on the promise of lower prices. It is now looking to establish a firm presence

Vivo Energy Completes Engen Transaction Adding 230 Service stations in Eight African Countries

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 38723 Views | 10 min read

Vivo Energy plc is pleased to announce the completion of the transaction with Engen Holdings (Pty) Limited, previously announced on 18 September 2018. The transaction adds operations in eight new countries and 230 Engen-branded service stations to Vivo Energy’s network, taking its total presence to over 2,000 service stations, across 23 African markets. The new

More in Store for African Retail & Consumer Businesses

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 35632 Views | 29 min read

Africa’s economy has seen modest growth in the wake of falling commodity prices, slowing revenues and volatile currencies. The moderation in growth impacts a range of industries and sectors, including retail and consumer products that must contend with rising costs, and a fall in prices. Despite the decline in growth, the long-term outlook remains positive.

Kenya: End of an Era As Iconic Retailer Ebrahim Supermarket Shuts

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 5428 Views | 7 min read

One of Kenya’s oldest retailers, Ebrahim Supermarket, has closed down its Moi Avenue branch in a move that ends its 75-year run in Nairobi. The retailer sold all of its stock on discounted prices throughout last week in a massive clear-out that ended on Saturday, marking its last day of operations. The building that housed

6 Sites Driving eCommerce in Africa

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 14638 Views | 16 min read

eCommerce in Africa is booming but that doesn’t leave out any struggles which include uncertainty around receiving orders satisfactorily. There are currently 65.4 million eCommerce users in Africa and the Middle East, with an additional 20 million users expected to be shopping online by 2021. When it comes to eCommerce sales in Africa, three of

Survey Reveals Kenya’s Customer Experience State in 2018

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 6369 Views | 14 min read

Kenya’s second largest telco Airtel, Equity bank and pay TV service provider DSTV have emerged to be among major brands offering their customers remarkable services and satisfaction. In a recent integrated customer experience company mSurvey has revealed the results for the year 2018 in their quarterly Customer Loyalty Benchmark Report. The report which highlighted the

Rwanda Seeks to Jumpstart Ecommerce in Africa

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 10892 Views | 11 min read

Internet users in emerging markets outnumber those in developed markets by a ratio of 2:1. Yet many emerging markets have struggled to access the benefits of digital commerce. The global market in digital commerce is estimated to reach more than $3 trillion this year, yet Africa claims less than $20 billion in ecommerce revenue. Rwanda

Carrefour Kenya Inks Deal with Online Platform Jumia to Boost Grocery, Beverages Sale

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 7218 Views | 10 min read

French multinational retailer, Carrefour has entered into a definitive agreement with Jumia, a Nigeria-based e-commerce platform to boost online grocery, beverages and other sales. A Business Daily report indicates that the deal will allow Carrefour customers purchase a wide selection of products from its six Nairobi stores on Jumia’s online platform starting January. Carrefour is

Kenya’s Milk Production Rises 6.7% on Favourable Weather Conditions

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 5813 Views | 10 min read

Kenya has recorded a 6.78% increase in milk production between the months of January 2018 to October 2018 as compared to last year attributed to favourable weather conditions during the period under review, reports Business Daily. This is equivalent to an increase to 517.6 million liters from 484.3 million liters recorded in the year 2018

Kenya Meat Commission Suspends Over 60 Staff on a Go-Slow Fiasco

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 6580 Views | 8 min read

The Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) has suspended over 60 workers from its Athi River based factory for allegedly participating in a work go slow that had seen the slaughter operation in the factory impaired, reports the Kenya News Agency. The commission through the Managing Commissioner, James Ole Serian issued an interdiction letter to the workers

Zara Arrives in 106 Markets Thanks to its New Global Online Store

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 27162 Views | 7 min read

Zara’s global women’s men’s and kids’ collections will be available online for the first time to customers in Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Madagascar, Zimbabwe and Ghana, among others. Zara will launch online sales through a dedicated worldwide online platform, thus bringing its fashions to customers in 106 new

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa Invests in State of the Art Manufacturing in Kenya

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 5638 Views | 8 min read

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) is evolving to become a total beverage company in response to changing consumer tastes and buying habits. In this context its portfolio of beverages is expanding significantly with the introduction of new products and the introduction of different categories of beverages. Part of this new way of doing business, CCBA in

Africa’s Entertainment and Media Industry Enters Dynamic New Wave of Convergence – 3.0

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 6756 Views | 40 min read

By 2022, total E&M revenue in South Africa is expected to reach R177.2 billion, up from R129.2 billion in 2017 Africa’s entertainment and media industry has entered a dynamic new phase – a third wave of convergence. The borders that once separated the entertainment and media (E&M), technology and telecommunications industries are blurring in the

What the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement means for SA

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 5693 Views | 9 min read

South Africa has signed the African Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement with the African Union, which will pave the way for the country to benefit from inter-regional trade within the African continent. “This agreement is an important step towards South Africa’s participation in a market of over one billion people and will create opportunities and

Truecaller Partnership with Yum Kenya to Aid Last Mile Food Delivery

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 4524 Views | 7 min read

Truecaller and Yum Deliveries, Nairobi’s premier online restaurant delivery service, announced today that they have partnered to provide an enhanced delivery experience by giving users more context to calls, and letting them know when their meal is about to reach them. Truecaller will now be able to show all customer care and logistics related calls

Vivo Energy Adds Seven New Shell Service Stations in Uganda

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 13594 Views | 14 min read

Vivo Energy Uganda has opened seven new Shell service stations in Uganda, bringing the total country network number to 140 service stations to date. Vivo Energy Uganda, the company that distributes and markets Shell branded fuels and lubricants, has invested in a programme to expand its retail network in Uganda as well as upgrade existing

Spike in Kenyan Consumers Online Shopping Behaviour – Mastercard Love Index

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 4631 Views | 13 min read

The annual Mastercard Love Index indicates that Kenyans are turning to online retail outlets to purchase their Valentines gifts, with a 183 percent increase in the number of e-commerce transactions taking place from 2015 to 2017. Created by analysing credit, debit and prepaid transactions across the past three Valentine periods (11th-14th February 2015-17). The Mastercard

Mastercard Launches Kionect for Nairobi’s Smallest Shopkeepers

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 6074 Views | 10 min read

Mastercard has unveiled Kionect, a digital ordering system that empowers small kiosk owners in Nairobi to order and pay for products from wholesalers via SMS. Orders submitted via a feature phone helps create a digital record for kiosk owners to get access to micro-loans to stock inventory and grow their business. Kionect is currently being

PayPal Launches Seller Protection in Some Sub-Saharan Africa countries

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 5586 Views | 9 min read

PayPal has announced the launch of its Seller Protection Programme in some Sub-Saharan Africa countries, in an effort to empower local businesses to trade online, both locally and globally with confidence and peace of mind. PayPal’s Seller Protection Programme is designed to help protect merchants from buyer’s claims, chargeback, and reversals, so that they are