Visa, a global leader in digital payments and Pesaflow, a Kenyan fintech firm have partnered to streamline and enhance digital government ecosystems while fostering financial inclusion.

Pesaflow has made a significant impact in digital government ecosystems with its groundbreaking solutions that create government platforms for government services and offer a simple and reliable way to collect payment services from the public and helps track all transactions made by enhancing collection of revenue and reducing leakages.

By partnering with Visa, Pesaflow will leverage Visa’s extensive reach and robust security infrastructure to deliver enhanced services to the public sector and to citizens accessing government services.

 “We are thrilled to partner with Pesaflow and believe that this collaboration will revolutionize how the public sector offers government services. Together, we will enhance a digital government ecosystem that is efficient, cost-effective, secure, transparent and inclusive, empowering the public sector to better serve citizens. This is also part of our initiative to support the growth of fintechs through partnerships that bring about innovative solutions”, Said Eva Ngigi-Sarwari, Country Manager, Visa Kenya

The partnership will focus on creating seamless, user-friendly digital payment platforms integrating virtual, digital cards and secure gateway services that ensure transparent, secure transactions while promoting financial inclusion.

“We are incredibly excited about this strategic partnership with Visa. This collaboration marks a pivotal moment for Pesaflow, as we unite our innovative digital payment solutions with Visa’s global network and security infrastructure. Together, we aim to revolutionize the landscape of digital payments within the public sector, ensuring accessibility, security, and efficiency. This alliance underlines our commitment to driving financial inclusion and transforming the way transactions are managed in the public sphere.” David Kiprono, Director of Government Relations and Communications, Pesaflow

The Visa Government Solutions team will work closely with Pesaflow to digitize government services and integrate Visa solutions to create robust options for payments to citizens and collection of revenue by government   to enhance digital government ecosystems.  This will enable the government and other public sector players to efficiently manage their finances, reduce costs, and provide better services to their citizens.

LG Electronics (LG) has introduced its new cutting-edge LG Styler, featuring a handheld, high-pressure steamer, Dynamic Moving Hanger™, and Dual TrueSteam™ technology.

Unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024 in Las Vegas, USA, this advanced clothing care solution offers faster and more effective clothes-refreshing cycles with improved drying, dehumidification, and de-wrinkling performance. This groundbreaking innovation resonates with LG’s dedication to creating technologies that empower you to ‘Live your Moment’.

The high-pressure steamer within the LG Styler simplifies the process of removing wrinkles from shirts and garments, eliminating the need for a separate iron. Users can effortlessly hang their wrinkled clothes inside the styler and initiate the steam process with the touch of a button. The powerful, high-pressure steam penetrates garments, leaving them smooth and soft, significantly reducing the necessity for ironing¹. Additionally, the compact size of the high-pressure handy steamer enhances convenience and allows for easy storage inside the Styler.

The exclusive Dynamic Moving Hanger system in the LG Styler caters to various garment types and fabrics, providing enhanced care compared to its predecessor. Unlike the Moving Hanger, the new system employs a Twisting Motion, a rotating mechanism that contributes to improved dust removal, deodorization, drying, and wrinkle mitigation. It also supports upgraded cycles, such as the Fine Dust cycle, which vigorously shakes clothing items to remove both large and fine dust particles.

Key to the new Styler is LG’s Dual TrueSteam technology, utilizing two heaters for precise control of steam spray volume and strength. This technology is particularly beneficial for delicate fabrics like silk and cashmere, ensuring gentle fabric care through optimized steam-flow control. Dual TrueSteam excels in sanitizing, eliminating over 99.9 percent of germs and 11 harmful bacteria in clothing².

The Styler incorporates a built-in ventilation system that automatically circulates air throughout the room and a dehumidification function capable of collecting up to 10 liters of moisture³, creating a pleasant indoor environment and preventing clothes from becoming damp after removal.

For added convenience, the Styler features a time-saving Pants Press with an upgraded hanging structure for sharper, wrinkle-free creases. The intuitive-to-use LCD touchscreen streamlines course selection for efficient management.

Lyu Jae-cheol, president of LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company, highlighted the LG Styler as a versatile clothing care solution, ensuring optimal care for diverse fabrics and convenience for customers. As a pioneer in clothing care systems, LG aims to continually enhance the Styler’s capabilities, redefining wardrobe management and simplifying the task of keeping clothes fresh.

LG showcased the Styler among several dozen innovations at CES 2024. For more information, visit www.lg.com/ces2024 and LG Global YouTube channel.

ThriveAgric,a Nigerian Agricultural technology company focused on food security has flagged off its 2023/2024 dry season farming cycle with the distribution of agricultural input over 100,000 smallholder farmers in northern Nigeria to facilitate the production of over 300,000MT of grains.

As part of the initiative, the company aims to provide farmers with irrigation facilities, drought-resistant input, access to technology, storage, and premium markets to help optimise output in this farming cycle.

According to Oshone Anavhe, Vice President of Operations at ThriveAgric , “In Sub-Saharan Africa, approximately 95% of food production relies on rainfed agriculture. The dry season however remains mostly under-utilised for farming due to the absence of necessary infrastructure and widespread unavailability of drought-resistant inputs.

For the 2023/2024 farming cycle,  ThriveAgric intends to leverage partnerships to impart thousands of smallholder farmers, especially those in the wheat, rice and maize value chain, by providing them with access to technology, irrigation facilities, drought-resistant input and premium markets.

If harnessed at a national scale, dry season farming has the potential to jumpstart food sufficiency in Nigeria, therefore we call on the government to invest in enabling infrastructure that would in turn attract investors and engage more farmers for dry season farming.

The flag-off was announced at an event in Jigawa state, Nigeria. The event brought together various stakeholders including financial institutions, government officials, farmers, and representatives of the farming communities from Jigawa, Bauchi, and Kano.

Conversations centred on the challenges and opportunities of crop cultivation during the dry season. Participants shared valuable insights on optimising crop yields, implementing effective water management, and developing coping mechanisms for the drought conditions often associated with this period.

Smallholder farmers encounter challenges during the dry season, stretching from August to September in the South of Nigeria and September to April in the North. With sparse rainfall and high temperatures, dry-season farming is extremely dependent on irrigation – access to water sources and drought-resistant seeds become crucial, affecting food security.

Matthew Omega, Regional Manager, Sterling Bank commented, “We believe in the transformative power of agriculture to drive economic growth and sustainability. Our collaboration with ThriveAgric exemplifies our commitment to providing innovative and accessible financial solutions for farmers. By joining forces, we aim to empower smallholder farmers, and the agricultural communities, promote responsible financial practices, and cultivate a future where prosperity and sustainability co-exist.”  

MultiChoice, Comcast’s NBCUniversal and Sky have finally announced the new Showmax platform powered by Peacock streaming technology with Moment payment technology integration for seamless payments.

The new Showmax is the world’s first standalone Premier League plan for mobile, with all 380 games offered live on Showmax Premier League for just Ksh 500 a month.

“Africa is incredibly important to the Premier League and our clubs; 20% of TV audiences on any given matchday come from Africa,” says Richard Masters, Premier League CEO. “We are delighted with this Showmax initiative, which puts the Premier League in your pocket at a new price point so that millions more can enjoy our fantastic competition.”

Available as Showmax Entertainment on mobile for an unbelievable Ksh 300 a month and Showmax Entertainment plan with monthly price falls from Ksh 760 to Ksh 650 per month. The Showmax plans are available to customers in 44 African countries.

“There are currently just over 450 million smartphones in the hands of individuals across Africa … and more than 250 million avid football lovers on the continent,” says Marc Jury, CEO of Showmax. “Showmax Premier League is a game-changing product that gives individuals a ticket to the football they love, wherever they are, on the device they always have with them, at a price that’s impossible not to love.”

Showmax’s Peacock streaming platform will be active in more than 70 countries and is continually enhanced by the combined expertise of thousands of engineers. The platform will host among others Super Bowl LVI, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final, the Olympics and WrestleMania 39. On 13 January, Peacock’s exclusive AFC Wild Card Game became the biggest live-streamed event in US history, reaching 27.6 million viewers and a record 16.3 million concurrent devices. In 2023, Comcast won a Technology and Engineering Emmy Award for its sports viewing experiences across Peacock, Sky and Xfinity.

“The Peacock platform was designed from day one to support both live and on-demand content, including the biggest live sporting events, so we look forward to extending that capability and reliability to the new Showmax,” said Patrick Miceli, Executive Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Direct- to-Consumer & International, NBCUniversal.

Alongside the Premier League, over 1 300 hours of Showmax Originals, there will also be popular content from Universal Pictures, Focus Features, NBC, Peacock, DreamWorks Animation and Telemundo plus the hit Fast franchise, Fast X, and Wes Anderson’s comedy-drama Asteroid City; procedural drama series such as NBC’s The Irrational starring Jesse L. Martin; and Peacock original comedy series Killing It, from the creative team behind Brooklyn Nine-Nine, starring Craig Robinson.

Data saving settings

Showmax will also continue to draw from the likes of Paramount, including Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning and Halo S2 in February, and HBO, with new seasons of House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, True Detective, and The White Lotus on the way.

This payment ecosystem is facilitated by Moment, another MultiChoice joint venture partner. Working with more than 200 payment partners such as banks, mobile money providers, retailers and payment schemes, Moment is building the broadest pan-African payments network. In addition, DStv customers will continue to have the option of adding Showmax to their DStv bill each month and benefitting from significant discounts. Showmax will be announcing additional partnerships soon that will offer even more value to customers.

Pricing table

The new Showmax app will become available in app stores from 23 January 2024 onward, as part of a staggered migration process across 44 markets. This is an ongoing process that starts next week and will be completed in February this year. Existing Showmax customers will begin receiving communication with information on how to access the new app this week and by 12 February 2024 the new Showmax will be live in all markets.

The LG Electronics’s booth at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2024) in Las Vegas continues to be a star attraction as visitors remain captivated with the dazzling offerings in its webOS Zone. The webOS smart TV platform comes to life with immersive visuals, unparalleled picture quality, and enhanced sound engineering, creating an enticing experience for attendees.

Since its establishment in 2014, LG’s webOS platform has evolved into one of the most widely used smart TV platforms globally, continuously expanding its user base. With partnerships with over 3,500 content providers, LG ensures a compelling selection of content for LG Smart TVs worldwide. The company’s decade-long commitment to fostering strong relationships with streaming service partners has significantly enhanced the home entertainment experience for millions of customers.

At the heart of LG’s CES 2024 webOS Zone, guests are treated to a diverse array of video clips sourced from content partners. A standout feature is the exclusive preview of ‘Masters of the Air,’ an eagerly awaited series from Apple TV+ produced by Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Gary Goetzman. The series, known for its breathtaking visuals and dynamic soundscape, will premiere exclusively on Apple TV+ on January 26 and be accessible on LG Smart TVs via the Apple TV app.

The captivating storytelling continues with the live-action reimagining of ‘The Little Mermaid’ now streaming on Disney+, where filmmaker Rob Marshall brings to life the tale of a spirited young mermaid, creating a mesmerizing experience on OLED displays with the soothing sounds of the ocean.

The exploration of also space takes center stage with clips from the ‘Rebel Moon’ Netflix series and a sneak peek into the highly anticipated ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ from Paramount+, promising enthralling encounters with unexplored planets and intricate space battles.

For adventure enthusiasts, the webOS Zone presents scenes from Prime Video’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,’ inviting spectators to step into the epic landscape of Middle-earth and experience sweeping action, harrowing journeys, and the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron.

Gaming enthusiasts are not left out, as a clip of Tekken 8, set for release on January 26, 2024, by Bandai Namco Entertainment, delights with the promise of being a standout production in the genre.

The above are just some of the excitements that are available at LG’s booth, which fans in Kenya and around the world can engage with by visiting LG’s dedicated CES site (www.LG.com/CES2024) and the LG Global YouTube channel. The CES extravaganza started on January 9 and runs until Friday, January 12, 2024.

Software giant SAP has agreed to pay nearly $100 million to resolve bribery accusations in the US and South Africa, marking the end of a scandal that spanned multiple countries and several years.

According to reports, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) found that the Germany-based firm paid bribes to government officials through third parties to secure contracts in South Africa, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Indonesia, and Azerbaijan between 2014 and 2022.

These bribes were disguised as legitimate business expenses, exposing weaknesses in SAP’s internal controls and oversight of subsidiaries.

The penalty includes $85 million in disgorgement and $13.4 million in prejudgment interest, but will be partially offset by SAP’s previous $59 million settlement with South Africa.

The SEC’s order also requires the company to implement stricter anti-bribery and corruption measures.

SAP has admitted its wrongdoing and emphasized its cooperation with authorities. The company claims that those responsible for the bribery left years ago and that its current internal controls and compliance programs are robust. However, the SEC order suggests that further improvements are needed.

This settlement serves as a reminder to companies of the importance of ethical business practices and strong anti-corruption.