TechCabal

Following the social media boom, the art of photography now plays an increasingly important role in the lives of the young. In this respect, smartphones, with their cutting-edge tech, have become a fully-fledged photography tool, easily transportable and highly compact. Photography has now become a key indicator for assessing smartphone performance.

Among all the products available, the TECNO CAMON 12, TECNO CAMON 12 Pro and TECNO CAMON 12 Air, a range of smartphones that TECNO Mobile has recently released, have all the attributes expected of a top-quality camera from any viewing angle, and to become a portable technological success.

The triple rear camera with 16+2+5 megapixels (MP) for the TECNO CAMON 12 Air and 16+2+8 MP for the TECNO CAMON 12 and TECNO CAMON 12 Pro, which kick starts a new era for photography and offers budding photographers the chance to capture unique shots from any viewing angle.

First of all, 16MP main lens with f2.0 aperture focuses on AI scene detection and AI HDR, developed by mainstream algorithms, covering various common shooting scenarios and offering corresponding AI optimization, user could take more natural and exquisite photos via it. With AI HDR on, the photo is 21.4% clearer than no AI HDR in backlighting. The remarkable bokeh effect highlights the main portrait and blurs background sundry, making the portrait the best visual sense.

Moreover, the secondary lens brings 120° super wide-angle shots with 300% higher frame area and 2cm extreme macro photography experience. The public eye is open to the world with an even broader perspective and captures all the small aesthetic details surrounding it at the same time

Finally, the grouped 16MP main camera and secondary camera offer a Bokeh effect, which focuses on the main photography subject and blurs a thousand and one lights in the background, giving portraits a more relevant visual sense and bring impressive portrait-taking with highlighted human figures and blurred backgrounds. 

Continuing the DNA of crystal-clear selfies provided in previous TECNO CAMON models, the TECNO CAMON 12 smartphones have fine-tuned their cameras with a high-res, brighter viewfinder. The 4-in-1 tech and mosaic algorithms make photos much brighter and clearer. Again, ignoring the notch screen limitation, two flashes are housed on the screen, allowing shadows in dark scenes to be removed and guaranteeing glamorous photos. Its beauty mode has been fully enhanced and offers an AI-assisted 3D aesthetic. Not merely simple adjustments, but a face aesthetic displayed in relief, making selfies more natural and charming. Beauty mode also now extends to the whole body and videos.

In addition to the photographic options, there are also functions that give TECNO CAMON 12 even more autonomy. With 64GB Big ROM, the user significantly increases his storage space allowing you to archive photos, music, videos and files in larger quantities. In addition, the 4GB RAM makes the system more fluid and faster, allowing users to perform multiple tasks at once. Finally, the large 4000 mAh battery allows the user to spend more time connecting with the world. 

Vodacom Business Nigeria received multiple awards at the just concluded 3^rd Nigeria Tech Innovation & Telecom Awards. 

The awards, according to the organizers – Instinct Wave and the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), celebrate the strides of Vodacom Business Nigeria in providing affordable communications and connectivity for economic growth in the country. 

At the awards presentation, for the second consecutive year, Vodacom Business Nigeria won awards for Telecom Business of the Year and Enterprise Solutions Provider of the Year, Internet of Things Solutions Provider of the Year for the third consecutive year and for the first time ever the award for the Unified Communications Provider of the Year.

Speaking on behalf of Vodacom Business Nigeria, Managing Director, Wale Odeyemi said ‘as the leading pan-African total communications solutions provider, we will continue to sustain the quest to drive economic growth in Nigeria and Africa with our value-driven products and services. 

“It is pleasing and inspiring for Vodacom Business Nigeria to win in key categories at this awards presentation. These awards identify with our contributions and impact in our capacity as an enterprise-focused brand. In the course of our business, we have deepened economic growth in critical sectors such as health, financial technology and education in Nigeria.

“. We are motivated by the recognition of the work we do, and we intend to keep pushing the frontiers that will shape the future of commerce and business in Africa as we help connect our societies for good.”  

Commenting for the organizers, Chief Executive Officer Instinct Wave, Akin Naphtali noted: “Now, in its third year, Nigeria Tech Innovation & Telecom Awards has grown to become the industry’s definitive celebration of excellence in the telecommunication and Information communication technology sector. We created this awards ceremony to recognize individuals and organizations at the forefront of digitization with innovative products and services that keep the ICT sector exciting.” 

“We are proud to promote success stories in one of the most dynamic sectors in Nigeria. We are equally pleased to honour Vodacom Business Nigeria’s exceptional performance and efforts in making a genuine impact on the market and its contribution to the growth of the ICT sector. With the 2019 awards ceremony, Vodacom Business Nigeria maintains its trailblazing position in the sector has emerged winners in some of our top categories.’’

About Vodacom Business Nigeria:

Vodacom Business (Africa) Nigeria, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Vodacom Group, is a leading pan-African total communications solutions provider. We provide services to the continent’s largest businesses in key sectors including oil and gas, retail, banking, mining, distribution, and tourism; helping these businesses stay connected across Africa and to the rest of the world. 

Our core infrastructure connects over 580 million people, across more than 40 African countries and includes over 50 satellite transponders, 24 dedicated teleports and access to multiple sub-sea cable landing ports. Vodacom Business’ mission is to build the future of African communications through continued investment in infrastructure, products and services, creating the best value for its customers and the communities in which it operates.

Patricia Technologies Limited users now have something to be excited about as the company, Africa’s number one Giftcards and Bitcoin trading company recently launched a fleet of new Features ranging from Bank Account Number System, A Unique Bitcoin Wallet and Refill into the market recently available for Nigerian Users.

PATRICIA WALLET

The company expanded the Patricia Wallet to now include a  Naira Wallet, A Bitcoin Wallet and Bank Account Number system. 

With the Patricia wallet feature, users would be able to hold balances with Patricia and use these balances to perform transactions within and outside the Patricia ecosystem. 

The Patricia Wallet has two main wallet systems and they are:

1. The Naira Wallet which allows users to hold Naira Balances with Patricia. This wallet can be funded using the following methods:

a. Bank Transfer (newly launched account number assigned to every user)

b. Debit/Credit Card

c. Successful completion of Trade of an item on Patricia. 

What this means is that Patricia users will have a unique 10-digit Nigeria Uniform Bank Account Number (NUBAN) that can be used for transactions. Just like every other Bank Account, you can send and receive money using this account while performing other transactions right from the comfort of your home.

2. The BTC Wallet allows users to hold BTC Balances with Patricia. Users would have unique a wallet address that can be used to send and receive BTC to and fro BTC other/any BTC platform.

The e-commerce giant has moved from just buying and selling, to also storage as anyone can now store BTC with Patricia.

REFILL

This is where it gets even more interesting-the Patricia REFILL. This allows you to do a lot with Refill, you can make all your bills payments and subscriptions like Dstv subscriptions, electricity payment, airtime and data subscriptions. How do you do this? That’s simple, with your Patricia wallet balance (Naira or Bitcoin) you can do more with life, no stress, no hassle, just a tap on your button. 

This is where it gets even more interesting-the Patricia REFILL. This allows you to do a lot with Refill, you can make all your bills payments and subscriptions like Dstv subscriptions, electricity payment, airtime and data subscriptions. How do you do this? That’s simple, with your Patricia wallet balance (Naira or Bitcoin) you can do more with life, no stress, no hassle, just a tap on your button. 

This is where it gets even more interesting-the Patricia REFILL. This allows you to do a lot with Refill, you can make all your bills payments and subscriptions like Dstv subscriptions, electricity payment, airtime and data subscriptions. How do you do this? That’s simple, with your Patricia wallet balance (Naira or Bitcoin) you can do more with life, no stress, no hassle, just a tap on your button. 

In an interactive session during the product launch, the Founder/CEO of PATRICIA Mr. Fejiro Hanu Agbodje, said “we are excited to introduce these products– We keep on pushing the limits of what is possible for us, this is one move closer to building an ecosystem, an ecosystem where business online is Faster, Smarter and More convenient. These new products will allow us to offer even more selections and faster delivery to new and existing users”.

  “This is the latest among the many products we intend to push out this year, and there is still many more to come,” he concluded. Patricia expects these new products to create more than 300 new full-time jobs over time as operations reach full capacity. Job seekers interested in learning more about Patricia’s new positions and how to apply for open roles should visit[www.patricia.com.ng/careers]

UBA could be kicking other banks to the curbs with its never-ending banking innovations. Focused on providing a whole new level of banking experience for its customers, the united bank for Africa now has its virtual Banker ‘LEO’ on the messaging app on iOS. Here it is www.ubagroup.com/apple-business-chat

For those that do not know, Apple Business Chat is an iOS platform that allows its users and businesses to communicate directly. With LEO on Apple Business Chat, this means that UBA customers who own iPhones and iPads now have the opportunity to communicate directly with the bank using the Message app on their iOS device. Through the iOS app, customers can conveniently perform basic transactions such as; opening an account, making fund transfers, buying airtime, checking account balance, making enquiries, paying bills and more.

However, customers need to set up with the Apple Business Chat… To begin, click the – Chat with Messages – button on UBA’s website or in mobile banking app. 

A conversation with UBA’s agents will open instantly in the Messages app, and users can take their time responding when it’s convenient. This service is available in beta for users and businesses around the world and is built into iOS 11.3 and higher.
In today’s techy – savvy world, this innovation simplifies banking needs and services further for customers like you and I. Try it out and share your thoughts on UBA’s LEO on IOS in the comment box. 

A smartphone camera with premium features – amazing imaging, speed, latest innovation and technology with all-round beauty certainly answers every question a potential buyer would have when in the market to buy a phone. TECNO has over the years proven to have a knack for making this possible with each flagship released into the Nigerian mobile market. The brand has just released a phone that delivers premium features at a sweet price point. What phone?

TECNO just unveiled the 6^th generation of its Camera-centric line, the Camon 12 series, which has the Camon 12, Camon 12 Pro as well as the Camon 12 Air. It is important to state that these devices are an evidence of TECNO’s advanced innovation and perfect designs.  

WHAT IS IN THE BOX?

Out of the box, the Camon 12 comes in a Nebula gradient inspired look, which is patterned after the star lines. This is one element that cannot be overlooked, as it gives the device an impressively stylish and glossy look that reflects under light conditions.  Also, the Camon 12 has three colours – the Bordeaux Red, Aqua Blue and Midnight Black variants. This gives you three lines of choice to pick from when choosing one that best suits your personality.

Did I also mention that the device is impressively light? Yes, its 8.2mm thickness does not only make it very light, but also trendy and fits the hands properly when held.

In the box, you would find an anti-slip phone cover, white earphones, a white USB cord, a three-pin charger, an instruction manual; a warranty certificate; a Sim ejector as well as the Camon 12. In my box, I got the Aqua blue and to be honest with you, the look and feel of the Camon 12 is remarkable. 

THE CAM*ERA

The TECNO Camon 12 is a further proof that the brand is big on Smartphone photography, having packed into this device a handful of advanced camera feature updates.

As a user of the Camon 12, you get to enjoy a 16-megapixel front Camera, which is flanked by dual flashlights to enable you take crystal-clear selfies under lowlight conditions. It is great to state that this is a visible upgrade from its precedent, which was launched last year with a single front flashlight.

The device also has an upgraded Beauty mode, which includes an advanced 3D stereoscopic facial beauty to make your selfie more natural and charming, interestingly, the beauty mode also expands its scope to body beauty and video beauty.

A Micro Image Taken with the Camon 12

Far from the usual selfie DNA of the Camon Series, the Camon 12 packs a lot of improvements with its Max Triple AI Rear Camera of 16MP + 2MP + 8MP which indeed guarantees you the perfect picture output – as you can now enjoy close-up shots without losing the smallest details due to the inclusion of a 2cm Macro photography feature on this new device. The macro photography mode will come in handy in scanning documents, showcasing close-up details of a product or just simply goofing around capturing close-up images for fun.

A Detailed Macro Picture Taken with The Camon 12

The above image shows the exact picture quality you can get when using the Rear Camera of the Camon 12 to take close-up shots, no fears TECNO has got you covered with the littlest of details when taking the perfect picture within a close range.

Also, with the rear camera, wide-angle photography takes a new stand, as users can enjoy up to  120° super wide-angle shots – giving you the ability to capture amazing landscape, cityscapes and indoor architecture, without any hassle.

Sample wide-angle picture taken with the Camon 12

Close up shot of an Ant

You do not have to worry anymore about that not so fantastic background when taking your pictures, the Camon 12 has an impressive Bokeh effect that helps you blur out the background, leaving you with a flawless image. You could give it a try.

Sample of Bokeh Effect from The Camon 12

THE CHIPSET

Powered by MediaTek’s Helio P22 chipset which makes possible Smart AI imaging, AI Camera, reliable connectivity and power efficiency – trust me, with all the power packed in the Camon 12, the device would not get hot while performing powerful functions due to this new premium chipset.

I must commend the longevity of the Camon 12 battery after a single charge. I sent a lot of emails, instant messaging, took photos, watched movies, listened to music and played games on its 6.52-inch HD dot-notch screen (which by the way guarantees an amazing cinematic experience), and I still had some juice (battery) left at the end of the day.

The Camon 12 comes with top-notch security features, worthy to mention is the rear-mounted fingerprint and Face ID unlock, which makes the device really cool. The speed the Face ID works makes it my most preferred method of unlocking the phone.

All these features, and the Camon 12 sells for only ₦47,500 in Nigeria. That is premium features at sweet price point as I mentioned from the onset. 

There is more. When you purchase the Camon 12, you’ll also be given a raffle ticket that entitles you for a raffle draw to win a trip to Europe courtesy of TECNO.

VERDICT

If you are looking out for my evaluation of the device, then here you have it, the Camon 12 is an amazing device to have. I score it an 8/10. 

The TECNO Camon Series is well known for their photography prowess, hence when a new one is being introduced, people already know it is about the camera.

The new Camon 12 Pro brings a lot of camera improvements compared to last year’s Camon 11 Pro. The device focuses on delivering better nightlife, wide-angle and macro photography experiences.

Here we will be unboxing the Camon 12 Pro in its full glory.

Key Specs of the Camon 12 Pro

• 6.4″ AMOLED HD+ display
• 720 x 1548-px resolution
• 16MP + 8MP + 2MP Main cameras with quad-LED flash
• 32MP front selfie camera featuring Uniquely Placed front LED flash
• Octa-core 2.0 GHz Mediatek Helio P22 CPU
• 6 GB of RAM
• 64 GB of built-in memory
• HiOS 5.5 based on Android v9 (Pie)
• 3500-mAh non-removable battery
• In-display fingerprint scanner; AR and Emoji Stickers

The Camon 12 Pro comes wrapped in a white box has the name of the product name, the brand name and a schematic of the phone

So when you opened the box, you are greeted with the phone, then a small pack containing the back cover and finally the other accessories can be found underneath.

These accessories include a charger, a pair of headphones, a free pouch, SIM ejector tool and user manual.

Just like the Phantom 9, the Camon 12 Pro is quite a looker with its perfect blend of Nebula gradient inspired design at the back.

Display-wise, the device is occupied by a 6.4-inch AMOLED screen. There is a Dot-hole cut-out that houses the 32MP front-facing selfie snapper followed by a dual-LED flash. 

The mouthpiece is also placed at the top which is something interesting if you consider how slim the chin at the top is.

Down at the bottom of the screen, you will find the multitasking button followed by the home button and the exit button.

You also get a single firing speaker followed by the USB 2.0, noise-cancellation mic and the 3.5mm audio jack. At the top, you have nothing

When it comes to the placement of a button, you get the volume controller and the power buttons at the right-hand side while at the left-hand side of the phone, you get a dedicated Google Assistant button and a SIM slot which can take two Nano-SIMs and a micro-SD card.

The back of the phone houses back a triple rear camera set up consisting of a 16MP main camera, a 2-megapixels depth sensor and a wide-angle 8-megapixels sensor

The device will be available in Nigeria in the coming weeks and customers will be able to purchase it across retail outlets and TECNO exclusive stores.

However, the Camon 12 is now available for purchase for a retail price of N47,500

Africa’s most preferred smartphone brand TECNO has once again proven that it is for Nigerians and would continue to push the limits with its empowerment schemes, which have immensely contributed to the development of the country.  

The brand has at various times shown that it has gone beyond providing smartphones to creating an enabling environment that encourages its consumers and society as a whole to reach their full potentials. The brand has done this through several CSR activities and partnerships for social causes.

At the recently held ACADAFEST, a concert put together by ScholarX and iManage, organizations, celebrities and the general public came together to sponsor 20 deserving students through university. TECNO NIGERIA, through its PR and Strategic Partnership Manager Jesse Oguntimehin, announced that TECNO is sponsoring 3 of the 20 students for the duration of their university education to the tune of 400,000 Naira each per student.

 According to him ‘At TECNO, we have carried out various social activities such as our Give the Nigerian Child A Future initiative– where we visited selected schools around the country to empower bright students, awarding them scholarships for their academic excellence. We also provided pupils within these schools educational materials to ease their learning journey. There was also the annual Light Up Your Dream competition where we rewarded 2 young Nigerian Entrepreneurs with 1 Million Naira each to grow their businesses’

He also added that this year as always TECNO has taken into consideration its sense of nurture, which accounts for the brand’s collaboration with the organisers for the maiden edition of the ACADAFEST – where it awarded three Nigerian students scholarships reiterating the commitment to the development of the Nigerian society. 

Aside from the fundraiser, attendees were thrilled to the charming voices of top Nigerian musical acts such as WAJE, The Cavemen, Johnny Drille, Bez and Show Dem Camp who all performed from their collection of hit songs to the entertainment of the crowd. Guests at the event also had the opportunity to experience the recently released Camon 12 Series at the TECNO experience centre set up at the venue. There were also giveaways held with 7 lucky guests winning TECNO gifts and smartphones.

Here are pictures from the event that you might have missed: 

For updates on the brand, you can follow all of TECNO Nigeria’s social media handles – @TECNOMobileNigeria On Facebook, @tecnomobileng on Instagram, and @TECNOMobileNG on Twitter.

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Last week, we announced the launch of QuickCheck’s new loan app to our email community and talked about the strides the brand has taken to improve customer experience with every QuickCheck touchpoint: the website, the social pages, the app and so much more. We decided to discuss with the brains behind the refreshing of the brand, the CEO of QuickCheck Nigeria, Fabiano Di Tomaso and he shared the QuickCheck Journey with us:

• 

How did Quickcheck begin?

In 2017, on a lovely weekend, Luis Rodrigues, CTO and Product at QuickCheck, built and published a mobile app. His aim was to validate whether such a solution of offering loans from a smartphone was viable in helping to solve the problem of access to credit in Nigeria. The response was overwhelming and we had to stop because handling all the requests manually was not possible. We then invested in building our own credit scoring technology. Today we have a team of 6 people working only on that, on what we believe is core for such a business.

With the rise of so many microloan and fintech apps in Nigeria, what’s so special about Quickcheck Nigeria? 

In Nigeria, according to https://www.efina.org.ng/ only 4% of the adult population has access to credit through formal financial institutions. There are 3 credit bureaus but covering a marginal part of the population, in the country you pay fees like rent, doctor, upfront, and there are no credit cards. We are closing this gap! With the role of educating people about financial instruments and the risks related to credit.

• 

Who is QuickCheck for?

QuickCheck is for the underserved Nigerian who deserves access credit. The majority of our customer base are millennials, either micro-entrepreneurs who want to buy inventory and grow their own business or employed who cannot reach the end of the month with their salary because of an emergency or extra fees such as school tuition, wedding, utility bill,… It is for the Nigerian adult with integrity, an android phone, and the QuickCheck app. 

Tell us about QuickCheck right now. What have you achieved?

We bootstrapped, we have our own credit scoring technology based on artificial intelligence, a partially automated credit recovery process, which help create positive unit economics. In the last 4 months, we pushed down the accelerator, resulting in an average growth of 40% month-on-month basis. While experiencing this fast growth, our top priority is to keep the default rate under control, not just growth at all costs.

In terms of impact, how will you measure that of QuickCheck?

Paraphrasing a representative of CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria) during a round-table a couple of months ago: digital lenders like QuickCheck are succeeding in a consumer segment where banks and microfinance institutions are still struggling – we have a competitive advantage given by technology, customers appreciate our speed and hassle-free access to credit → no paper, no queues, no collateral no guarantors, just your smartphone and QuickCheck app, which is often not the case with traditional financial institutions. So we are making great financial impact in Nigerian homes, one individual at a time.

What challenges do you face as a business and what does it take to address those challenges in the country? 

Despite this phase of organic exponential growth, we are currently closing a couple of strategic partnerships, in order to get even closer to our customers. It is important to keep your focus on your core offering but we strongly believe in product innovation, therefore investing in the exploration of complementary products – stay tuned ; )

What is QuickCheck’s  biggest strength? 

In this type of business, there are 2 key points that drive your performance: how good you are at listening and selecting customers (credit scoring technology) and how good you are at recovery when customers do not manage to pay on time. We invested a lot in these 2 areas. There are a lot of hard skills involved but it is only thanks to the exceptional people we hire (we got quite a hard recruitment process) that we can be proud of what we have achieved so far.

How do you see the Quickcheck’s role in shaping a startup environment in Nigeria? 

As a Seedstars investment, we believe in businesses that are economically sustainable and socially impactful at the same time – this is QuickCheck, aiming at a meaningful financial inclusion of Nigerians, by enabling consumers’ participation in the economy through our digital financial services.

What do I have to do to get a loan from Quickcheck?

If you live in Nigeria, need quick cash to settle emergencies and have an android device, all you have to do is

Step 1: Download the QuickCheck loan app for free

Step 2: Sign up to create an account

Step 3: Apply for a loan and instantly

Step 4: QuickCheck will run a credit scoring using its own algorithm. No collateral needed.

Step 5: If eligible, the cash loan will be disbursed to your account within minutes.

If you are not eligible, please wait 2 weeks and apply again

QuickCheck is not only bridging the financial inclusion gap in Nigeria, they are also educating people on financial literacy and the importance of great credit history on a global scale. Their strides are laudable. Visit QuickCheck’s website, Instagram, and Facebook to experience the new look. Most importantly, apply for a loan now. 

Infinix Mobile, a premium online-driven smartphone brand in the emerging markets around the world, has today presented the HOT 8, an #EmpoweredAndBigger smartphone, the latest addition to its entertainment product line-up HOT. Coming in with a 5,000mAh battery, a 6.6-inch HD+ waterdrop display, a triple rear camera, and a DIRAC Sound & Party Mode as the key features, HOT 8 will allow consumers to enjoy a world of entertainment at their fingertips. 

HOT is a mid-budget series phone designed for young people who are passionate about entertainment in the interconnected world. Inheriting Infinix’s brand spirit of providing the most cutting-edge technologies at affordable prices, HOT series has been committed to breaking the boundaries of combining the most relevant features in one device, letting customers amplify their entertainment experience in the digital space.

“The Infinix HOT series aims to empower young people with boundless entertainment experience fueled by transformative mobile technology. We observe the trends of online and offline entertainment in global emerging markets where technologies apply. We found that young people desire to connect and share their life with their communities in various ways, such as social networking, gaming, streaming, and partying.” Said Benjamin Jiang, Managing Director of Infinix Mobile. Which is one of the reasons why campus launch concerts like the one that will be happening at Unilag for the Hot 8 on the 20 September will be consumer-focused.

“The launch of HOT 8 is a great example of how Infinix spares no efforts in delivering on its promise. By integrating a bigger battery, a bigger display and other key features, we not only aim to satisfy consumers’ entertainment desires but also inspire them to explore a world of creativity with one device at a smaller cost.” Jiang further added. 

Let’s review the features that make the HOT 8 stand out as a great entertainment smartphone:

Non-stop entertainment experience with a 5,000mAh battery

HOT 8 comes with a 5,000mAh battery in a compact body. It enables 4 days of battery life with just 3 hours of charging through the 2A fast charge technology. Consumers will be able to enjoy non-stop entertainment throughout the day, whether it is social networking, watching videos, capturing images, or playing games. To further satisfy consumer demand of long standby time, HOT 8 also adopts artificial intelligence to optimize power consumption. By learning consumer app usage habit and executing an intelligent power saving strategy, HOT 8 creates a 10% increase in overall standby time.

Better entertainment experience with a 6.6-inch HD+ waterdrop display

The consumer will be able to indulge in video streaming, gaming, and social networking on HOT 8’s large 6.6-inch HD+ waterdrop display. With an expansive field of view, HOT 8 can leave you breathless, transcending you into the virtual world. Fully immerse yourself in the amusement waiting for you!

Clearer images with a triple rear camera

The HOT 8 features a 13MP rear triple camera, consisting of a 13MP lens, a 2MP lens and an AI lens that combine to capture more detailed clearer pictures. It is also equipped with a Quad flash and an F1.8 aperture to further enhance the camera performance. The triple rear camera will empower consumers with better image capturing and broadcasting experience, allowing them to explore more entertainment.

Fun party with the DIRAC Sound & Party Mode 

The fun DIRAC audio technology has been well received by consumers in the previous HOT generation smartphones. It has now been combined with an innovative software technology called Party Mode in HOT 8. The creative DIRAC Sound & Party Mode allows multiple devices to be synchronized together to be a single sound output source. A group of friends with two or three HOT 8 smartphone devices can make their phones become a Bluetooth speaker, allowing them to maximize their party experience.

Enhanced privacy with face unlock and fingerprint technology

Infinix has always been designed to provide users with more complete security services. This concept has also been implemented in the HOT 8, and it is achieved both via fingerprint and facial recognition schema, which is more powerful in protecting user’s information and can unlock within 0.5s.

More trendy colour options

The HOT 8 released four colour schemes, in addition to the classic colours: Midnight Black, Champagne Gold, Aqua blue, also released the first gradient of the HOT series – Cosmic purple, the entire phone back from the bottom. The dark purple to the top of the light purple gradient, soft colour transition, making the fuselage more colourful, and an outstanding visual impact. Highlight the consumer’s refined pursuit of fashion.

More organized device with the Google Files app

The HOT 8 is preinstalled with the Google Files app to keep the device more organized and cleaner. It enables consumers to free up space regularly, search files quickly, and transfer files without consuming mobile data. 

Notes to editors
Phone specifications 

Infinix HOT 8/8 Lite Specifications:

Network: 4G/3G/2G

OS Version: AndroidTM 9 Pie -> 64GB+4GB, 32GB+3GB & 32GB+2GB /AndroidTM 8.1 (Go edition) -> 32GB+2GB

Display: 6.6″HD+ Waterdrop Display

Processor: MT6762 -> 64GB+4GB edition /MT6761-> 32GB+3GB & 32GB+2GB editions /MT6580-> 32GB+2GB edition

Dimensions: 165.4*76.3*8.7mm

ROM + RAM: 64GB + 4GB, 32GB + 3GB & 32GB + 2GB models

Battery: 5000mAh

Front Camera: 8MP

Back camera: 13MP + 2MP + AI Lens

About Infinix

Launched in 2013 and targeting the young generations, Infinix Mobile is a premium online-driven smartphone brand. With “THE FUTURE IS NOW” as the brand essence, Infinix aims to allow consumers to stand out in the crowd and to show the world who they really are. Infinix is committed to providing the most cutting-edge technologies, bold and stylish designs, keeping consumers on-trend and up-to-date. Infinix’s portfolio spans five product lines – ZERO, NOTE, HOT, HOT S, and SMART; empowering users to own innovative technologies and experience an intelligent lifestyle! Infinix has a presence in more than 30 countries around the world, covering Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South Asia. For more information, please visit: http://www.infinixmobility.com/

The Federal Government TraderMoni programme is a compendium of several success stories and a few weeks back, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) marked their third year of creating amazing impact. While the evident impact of the government credit program for over two million petty traders seems to be the loudest of these stories, there are quite a number of underlying successes that ultimately led to the overall success of the first phase of the GEEP. 

The Federal Government TraderMoni programme is a compendium of several success stories and a few weeks back, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) marked their third year of creating amazing impact. While the evident impact of the government credit program for over two million petty traders seems to be the loudest of these stories, there are quite a number of underlying successes that ultimately led to the overall success of the first phase of the GEEP. 

The largest Social Investment Programme in the country was recently awarded as the most impactful Financial Inclusion program in Africa. GEEP commenced in 2016 and has empowered over 2 million micro-enterprises with collateral-free, interest-free loans to grow their businesses, making it the largest government-led microcredit program globally. The vast majority of these micro-enterprises are petty traders, merchants, enterprising youth, and agricultural workers in over 1600 clusters and markets across all 36 states of Nigeria, and the Federal Capital.

As enormous as the impact of the project has been on its millions of beneficiaries, there remains an unpublicized feat the program has achieved. GEEP is the only program of such magnitude that comes to mind as one 100% locally designed and implemented solutions. This is to say that every technology employed in the 4 distinct loan acquisition processes (Enumeration, Verification, Disbursement and Repayment) are all carried out by technology solutions fully designed and developed by core Nigerian tech start-ups. The success of this program is proof of the effectiveness of using local technology to drive widespread impact. 

With 7,102,016 lines of code written across all solutions and 16.6 terabytes of data and records for making informed decisions on the eligibility of all beneficiaries, GEEP is not just clearly more than an economic program but a technological feat that reveals the inert capacity of Nigerians to create local solutions to solve our most pressing issues. 

The enumeration records are collated through GDM Group enumerators on the field and a data collection solution software called Mobile Forms, a product of CrowdForce, a Nigerian company using mobile technology and the largest agent network to help businesses, banks, digital wallets, multinational organizations, NGOs and government agencies reach the underserved population in the emerging market.  Other digital data like facial capture, thumbprint capture, and security verification technologies were developed by RIBY another locally owned and operated company. RIBY is a leading digital platform for cooperatives and trade groups in Nigeria. 

Other local solutions deployed through the program are the Eyowo and Aku mobile wallet platforms used for disbursement of funds to over two million beneficiaries, the Bank of Industry Command Centre, the call center (EBIS) and repayment of loans via USSD recharge codes.   

Having an average age of 26.3 years and a staff number of 4,764, including field agents and ad-hoc staff, the Federal Government GEEP team is the youngest team of experts taking on such magnitude of project in Africa. 

Other significant numbers include 2,023,145 new mobile wallets, 2,202,399 Loans Disbursed, 53% of Beneficiaries are women and over 4,769,335 minutes of support calls in local languages.

Watch Video Here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3MBghN1mJU

As part of its plans to broaden its retail reach while enhancing capabilities to handle a more diverse clientele, United Capital a leading investment banking group in Africa, has released its Investnow app on iOS. InvestNow is a simplified investment application developed to boost the accessibility of investment options while enabling one to make returns on their investments.

The new InvestNow iOS app debuts with an improved, intuitive and user-friendly interface allowing users to easily sign up, choose an investment product, open an account, fund it and gain returns all from their mobile phones. It also allows users to set up recurrent direct debit transactions, which automatically make deposits into their investment accounts from their regular bank accounts. 

According to the Group Chief Executive Officer, United Capital, Peter Ashade, “While aligning with our ongoing retail strategy, these upgrades represent another step in the series of innovations aimed at positioning United Capital as a future-facing organization. By providing seamless and delightful user experience to our clients we are taking our award-winning investment options to more people to help them make the intelligent choice and in the long run, deepen our financial inclusion drive.”

InvestNow is available for free to Android and iOS users on their respective app stores. Individuals can now set up accounts like the Money Market Fund, Eurobond Fund, Securities Trading, Heritage Trust and the Private Investment Trust. For the not so savvy mobile phone users, they can also take advantage of its upgraded website investnow.ng which offers the same level of intuitiveness and smoothness as the other InvestNow channels.

United Capital Plc is a leading financial services group in Africa focused on leveraging technology to empower businesses, individuals and governments with excellent financial services while contributing to economic growth and prosperity across Africa by supporting financial inclusion.

 Left-Right; Mr Henry Ojiokpota, Zonal Controller, NCC (Nigerian Communications  Commission); Rami Osmani, Director Middle East Africa, Media Tek; Luke Pan, Brand Manager, Tecno Nigeria; Jeff Tang, Marketing Manager, Tecno Nigeria; Mr. Chidi Okonkwo, the General manager of Tecno Nigeria; Mr Mutawalli Kukawa, Acting Director, Investor Relations, NIPC (Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission); Eugenia Ilozor, Representative of DG SON.

Africa’s most preferred smartphone brand, TECNO, has launched a new device under its camera-centric flagship, the Camon smartphone series.

The new device, which is a testament of the brand’s improvement and development of smartphone photography comes with a number of enhanced features that in many ways validates the brand’s ability to always raise the bar with every device it releases into the Nigerian mobile market. 

The Camon 12 spots a lot of upgraded features, one of which is the inclusion of an AI Triple Camera as against the dual rear-camera spotted on the Camon 11 Series, which was launched last year. 

Speaking at the Launch held in Lagos, PR and Strategic Partnership Manager Jesse Oguntimehin stated that: 

The Camon 12 is more than just any device, it is the device. It comes with a lot of physical and inbuilt upgrades from the Camon 11 launched last year, ranging from its look and feel, to its camera, to its security feature upgrade, the brand has it all covered. 

He further added that: 

This is the 7^th generation of the Camon Series and with this device, we are unlocking a new era of smartphone photography. This time around, we at TECNO have worked round the clock to make it possible for our users, to see the world through our device. 

Mr. Rami Osman, Director, Middle East Africa, Media Tek

NEBULA GRADIENT INSPIRED LOOK

Coming a few months after revealing its new philosophy for users to Expect More in terms of creativity and quality, the Camon 12, comes with a nebula gradient glossy back that gives it an extraordinary look and feel unlike other devices in its flagship line and would be available in three colour options a Bordeaux Red variant, an Aqua Blue variant and a Midnight Black variant, which gives users a line of choices to pick from when making a device choice. 

MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHY FOR MORE

The Camon 12 Pro gives users more in terms of smartphone photography with its 32 MP and dual front flash, which solves the problem of lowlight selfies.  The device also comes with an upgraded Beauty mode, which has an advanced 3D stereoscopic facial beauty to make your selfie more natural and charming. The beauty mode also expands its scope to body beauty and video beauty.

Far from the usual Selfie DNA of the Camon Series, the Camon 12 spots an AI Triple Rear Camera set of 16MP+2MP+8MP, which is a total upgrade from last year’s Camon 11 experience. 

Users can now enjoy, up to 120° super-wide-angle shots and 2cm extreme macro photography experience, making it possible for the camera’s output to capture the littlest of details when taking pictures with the device’s camera.

Other features include Bluetooth 5.0 which makes connecting one device to another easier and transferring files faster; 4G LTE capacity for smooth high-speed browsing; and a sizeable 3,500mAh Battery.  

The new device comes in three size variants the CAMON 12 with a 64GB ROM+ 4GB RAM (16 MP selfie camera), the CAMON 12 Pro with a 64GB ROM + 6GB RAM (32 MP selfie camera), the CAMON 12 Air with a 32GB ROM + 3GB RAM (8 MP selfie camera).

The Camon 12 Series is powered by MediaTek’s Helio P22 chipset which makes possible Smart AI imaging, AI Camera, reliable connectivity and power efficiency—with all the power packed in the Camon 12 Series, it won’t get hot while performing powerful functions. 

The Camon 12 will start selling for NGN47,500 from 6^th of September 2019. Camon 12 Air and Camon 12 Pro will be available soon. 

Every consumer who purchases the TECNO Camon 12 Series will have a chance to win a trip to Europe as they will be given a raffle ticket once they make a purchase. At TECNO, our drive is to keep our customers winning. 

About TECNO Nigeria

TECNO is the premium mobile phone brand of TRANSSION Holdings with a comprehensive mobile device portfolio that cuts across feature phones, smartphones and tablets. As a brand, TECNO is dedicated to transforming state-of-the-art technologies into localized products under the guideline of “Think Globally, Act Locally”. Established in 2006, TECNO has presence in more than 50 countries across the globe. It is now one of the top three mobile phone brands in Africa and a major player worldwide. TECNO is also the Official Tablet and Handset Partner of Manchester City Football Club. For more information, please visit: www.tecno-mobile.com

Find Out More

• TECNO News Hub
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A recent survey conducted by AutoTrader revealed that 42 per cent of car shoppers use their digital devices to research their new vehicle. This shows how much technology has changed the way customers interact and conduct business with their dealer. Convenience is a key factor for every customer, and it is one of the values driving the rapid adoption of technology in Nigeria’s automotive industry.

The question, however, is this, Is convenience all that is needed to access quality cars or get good cars at fair prices?

Nigeria has witnessed a number of platforms using technology to enhance the buying and selling of cars, but there are still major grumblings among many customers about the quality of cars in the market and the prices they are going for. While technology solves accessibility, it is yet to solve the bigger concerns – quality and affordability.

This is what informs the introduction of Betacar – an integrated e-commerce automotive platform which is set to disrupt buying and selling of used cars in Nigeria. The platform is driven by technology which offers convenience in accessing quality cars at affordable fees. Furthermore, buyers will be able to shop online on www.betacar.ng and visit the car lot located at Lekki, Lagos to test drive before making a final decision.

Betacar’s CEO, Mr Lou Odunuga comes with massive Silicon Valley experience, having worked with top technology brands like Yahoo, Accenture, and as Director in Etisalat. In his speech at the launch, he said “When we decided to start Betacar, at the top of our mind were customers who desire access to affordable quality cars. Our goal is to be Nigeria’s most preferred destination for used cars.”

The company has set its priority on ensuring that users can find quality certified cars at best prices from the comfort of their digital gadgets anywhere they are. Betacar also offers value-added services such as quality checks, diagnostic reports, car history among others, to ensure that buyers can make an informed decision and get good value for their money.

Speaking at the launch event, Head of Marketing, Betacar, Ifeoluwa Dare-Johnson shared that the company is keen on delivering services that put the customers first, giving them the rare opportunity to buy these quality ‘Tokunbo’ cars at affordable prices, with the added feature of spreading payment over a period with Betacar Financing. These are values that are precious to the average car shopper and which makes Betacar the first option for them.
Customers can visit www.betacar.ng to surf through their wide range of foreign-used cars which fits different budgets. There are also value-added services to enjoy, which make the platform the current best choice for every buyer. Welcome to the Future of Car Buying with Betacar.

The HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019, the company’s latest smartphone, is a phone made for every type of user. It is fast, powerful, stylish and packed to the brim with innovations and features that sets it in a league of its own. Some of these features include a stunning new display design and even an innovative front camera placement that will for sure catch the eye of any tech-savvy user. Here are the top five reasons that will make you consider the HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019 as your next smartphone.

The massive Ultra FullView Display

The display is one of the key features of the modern smartphone, be it for entertainment, browsing or even gaming. On the HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019, the display has been improved vastly to accommodate all the user’s needs, stepping up the game in display design and providing an uncompromised vision.

Housing a massive 6.59-inch display, the HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019’s display is purely screen space, made possible by removing all kinds of notches, sliders or bezels. Thanks to this innovative design, users can enjoy an uninterrupted viewing experience at an FHD+ resolution of 2340 x 1080. As immersive as this display can get, concerns of extended use do arise, which is why the HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019 comes with TÜV Rheinland’s certified Low Blue Light Eye Protection that filters out harmful blue light emissions and adjust the color temperature accordingly for protection against eye strain.

An Auto Pop-Up Front camera just when you need it

When you think “bezel-less display”, the first question that comes to mind will be about the location of the front camera. On the HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019, the front camera is tucked away neatly into the top of the phone, and will automatically pop up when turned on, thus removing the need for a bezel and making it possible for a true bezel-less display.

However, this tiny camera is quite powerful as well. It packs powerful 16MP lens and is supported by Huawei’s powerful AI capable of identifying up to eight scenarios for accurate scene and object recognition. Users can also benefit from 3D Portrait Lighting features and an AI backlight that contributes towards stunning selfies.

A Powerful Triple Camera setup at the back

The HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019 also houses a powerful triple camera setup on the back. This setup includes a 16MP + 8MP + 2MP configuration that is capable of producing detailed images with enhanced clarity, contrast and quality. 

Each of these lenses contribute towards creating stunning images. For instance, the 16MP lens comes with an F/1.8 aperture for extra light resulting in bright and colorful pictures, while the 2MP camera assists it with and generates depth of field effects. Finally, the 8MP lens offers a 120° field of view for a stunning wide angle shot. 

Additionally, the camera setup also houses Night Mode with AI Stabilization, which helps in low light photography and videography as well as shooting Super Slow-Motion videos at 480 fps.

A large battery to go all day long

The HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019 comes with an Ultra large battery of 4000 mAh for intensive full day use. Additionally, the phone ensures that the battery is used efficiently thanks to the AI Power Management system for better performance. Be it gaming or entertainment, you can go on for a long time with the HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019.

More storage for more memories

Packed into the HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019 is a massive storage capacity of 128GB, for all your photos, videos, apps, files and more. If 128GB is not enough, you can easily upgrade to 512GB as well.

Supporting all of this is the HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019’s 4GB RAM which ensures that apps load faster, allowing for a much smoother user experience. 

The phone is available on Jumia, SLOT, Pointek, 3CHUB or Raya nationwide. 
Buy Now: http://bit.ly/2XTcNu2 

Leadway Assurance is at the helm of Innovative Insurance again. The Insurance company known for deploying several disruptive ways to go about the business of insurance has just launched a new product, Leadway Student’s Protection Plan – the first-ever digital insurance product in Nigeria. 

The newly launched Student’s Protection Plan is an N1,000 insurance plan designed for students of Federal Tertiary institutions to ensure that their education continues and is completed if there’s an unfortunate loss of a parent, sponsor or guardian who is responsible for their education.

In addition, the insurance plan is a full digital service from sign-up, payment and even claims which is the first of its kind in the industry, this means students can get the insured in 15mintues or less, which makes it an easier and more convenient way to enjoy an insurance product that helps protect their future.

The product is available only for students of Federal/State University, Polytechnic or College of Educations for just N1,000 monthly and in the event of an unfortunate loss the student will receive a one-time payment of N250,000 to enable pay their school fees and continue their education.

Leadway’s mantra, “Insuring Happiness” has proven to be more than just a catchy phrase, rather, it is something you can ‘feel’ in every Leadway product, and it seems there’ll be more groundbreaking insurance products coming from the remarkable Insurance company. 

Click here to learn more about the Student protection plan.

Next-generation bizhub i-Series seamlessly connects the dynamic office

Lagos, Nigeria 22^nd August 2019 – Skysat technologies, the Elite partner of Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe Gmbh in Nigeria, Ghana & Cameroon, proudly unveils the new bizhub i-Series, the next generation IT-enabled multifunction printer line from the award-winning bizhub legacy portfolio.

Inspired by the company’s continuing ambition to create value for customers and rethink the way multifunctional printers work for them, the i-Series is a smart technology hub that fully embraces the way businesses are evolving.

“The launch of the bizhub i-Series is an exciting milestone in the evolution of our MFP strategy, says Managing Director / CEO SKYSAT technologies, Izzat Debs: “By listening to our customers and end-users, and building on our previous office printing solutions, Konica Minolta has addressed the need of our evolving workplace.”

The smart device technology enhances office connectivity while preparing it to be future-ready. From operational improvements to digital transformation, the i-Series streamlines business processes by powering new opportunities for productivity and innovation.

Simple Design and Usability

The stylish, contemporary design boasts an intuitive smartphone-style user interface with a tiltable, floating 10” touchscreen panel and LED status indicators. Interfaces on both the A3 and A4 models function in precisely the same way for ease-of-use across devices.

High-Quality Performance, Enhanced Efficiency and Seamless Connectivity

The i-Series houses a powerful engine, a quad-core Central Processing Unit (CPU), standard 8GB of memory and 256GB Solid State Drive (SSD) for quick-response, high-performance operations. The full-speed media printing range, high-speed dual-scan document feeder, digital skew correction and large capacity trays provide reliable functionality.

The new units come ready to connect to an array of certified solutions to enhance workflow and maximize productivity, eliminating repetitive tasks, cutting costs, and reducing manual and human errors.

In addition, the Konica Minolta Market Place provides the freedom to access applications and personalize devices to bridge gaps in productivity, Efficiently integrating work processes and connections to sophisticated technologies 

Smart Service and Next-Level Security

Minimizing downtime and ensuring uninterrupted use, the i-Series intelligently collects data for self-diagnosis and optimum replacement time predictions of parts and consumables. Moreover, users can experience best-in-class service through SKYSAT’s highly efficient and trained service support. 

The i-Series fosters a secure work ecosystem where data is protected and reliably accessible. Service includes a layer of top-grade security, with bizhub SECURE services that protect documents through data encryption and locked passwords. The BitDefender* anti-virus extension automatically scans all transmitted data to protect data from external threats. All i-Series models are compliant with GDPR and ISO 15408 certified HCD-PP, so data privacy standards and security requirements are met.

Commitment to Sustainability

The new i-Series also reflects Konica Minolta’s strong commitment to environmental sustainability. As part of the top energy-saving bizhub product line, each model is rated EPEAT Gold and meets stricter Blue Angel standards. 

Konica Minolta recognizes the i-Series as the next step – the innovative technology that will allow businesses to perform at their best through high-quality work. And, as businesses continue to evolve, the bizhub i-Series will grow with them.

The new i-Series models are the bizhub C360i/C300i/C250i (A3 Color MFPs), the bizhub C4050i/C3350i, C3320i, C4000i/C3300i (A4 Color MFPs/AIO/SFPs).

Additional models and features will be released in the upcoming months

About SKYSAT Technologies 

Incorporated in 2005, SKYSAT technologies has established itself as a leading provider of DIGITAL PRINTING & DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS in Nigeria & Ghana. 

SKYSAT Technologies is your partner for smart IT services & solutions, multifunctional devices and professional printing. We represent Global Brands offering document management & printing solutions including Konica Minolta (Elite Partner) for office, corporate and Professional printing clients, Brother (Japan) for Small office and home office printers, EPSON (for Large format applications) and more (including software for print management, finishing equipment’s, etc.). We currently operate / support clients in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Gambia, Togo, Benin & Niger and expanding fast across west Africa.

Our Background started by establishing hundreds of Digital Photo Printing Laboratories across Nigeria & Ghana, servicing and maintaining high end printing equipment nationwide and creating value for our customers, entrepreneurs who invested in modern profitable businesses. 

Over the years, SKYSAT has added multiple international brands to its product portfolio, such as Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe Gmbh, KIP SAS France, Brother Inc. Japan, Ysoft, and many more. Today, SKYSAT plays a vital role in the print sector, installing and servicing multifunction printers and copiers, high end IT print & document solutions for corporate clients, large digital presses for the commercial print market, the government, the education sector and many more. 

Starting from a head office in Ikeja Lagos, we have expanded with multiple branches in Victoria Island, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Accra and Kumasi in Ghana. Each location is a showroom, a service centre, a warehouse and a central command that services its own region. With a total staff strength of 150 highly trained staff & 4 call centres, SKYSAT is ready to serve its clients with all their printing needs across both Nigeria & Ghana. 

For more information, please visit https://www.skysat-technologies.com follow Skysat Technologies on Facebook and LinkedIn, or email info@skysat-technologies.com 

follow Skysat Technologies on Facebook and LinkedIn, or email info@skysat-technologies.com 

If you got your hands on the HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019 and your first thought was that this is a phone with no front selfie camera, you are absolutely wrong. The latest addition to Huawei’s Y series comes with a massive viewing display and an auto pop-up selfie camera.

All-screen phone

f you have been on the lookout for a phone that would provide you with a viewing experience like no other, we have got good news for you. The HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019 comes with Ultra Fullview Display that measures 6.59 inches and 19.5:9 in aspect ratio and is free of notches, holes and sliders. This unique form of bezel-less design caters to all your demands of a bigger screen; it is perfect for watching your TV series or watching movies and it is big enough to capture all the action in a game so you are always leading the way.

And for viewing your photos on the screen, you get authentic colours like the true world around you with an FHD+ screen. It reveals all the intricate even those unseen details in your photos in rich and dazzling colours thanks to the 2340 x 1080 resolution and 1500:1 contrast ratio.

And enjoying such a stunning viewing experience may entail you losing track of time and spending long hours on your phone screen. Do not worry! HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019 is certified by TUV Rheinland for low blue light. The screen filters harmful blue light emissions, and intelligently adjusts the colour temperature and brightness, to protect your eyes against strain. 

Cool auto pop-up camera: 

The auto pop-up camera is the reason behind this massive viewing experience. It is 16MP with F2.2 aperture and it is invisible to the eye and hides within the body. It gets you instant and accurate scene and object recognition of eight scenarios thanks to artificial intelligence. When you feel like taking a selfie, activate it and it shows out of the top edge of the phone. It pops up within one second and retracts when you do not want to take any more selfies.

And for those fans of diverse photographic effects, this phone comes with 3D Portrait Lighting so you get studio-quality portraits and selfies wherever and whenever you want.

A triple camera module on the back

On the rear of the device, there are three cameras: 16MP + 8MP + 2MP. Through these lenses, you get pictures that are clear with top quality and high contrast. The 16MP lens lets more light into the sensor so you can still capture vivid and full-of-colours night pictures in low-light places. Thanks to artificial intelligence stabilization, you even get the support of 6 seconds at nighttime for handheld long exposure shots.  And if you want to playback a video in slow motion to savour those moments of your wedding ceremony or graduation party, you can use the slow-motion video recording on HUAWEI Y9 Prime 2019. It records videos at 480 frames per second and plays them back at 1/16^th of the normal speed.

So if you are someone fashionable and like to look different, this phone with a big screen and an auto pop-up camera will certainly give you that eye-catching appearance. It is also available in three colours: Midnight Black, Sapphire Blue, and Emerald Green.

The phone is available at SLOT, Pointek, 3CHUB and Jumia. 

Buy Now: http://bit.ly/2XTcNu2

Today Softcom, an indigenous technology company and technical partners to the Nigeria Federal Government on the N-Power project, hosted a conference with the theme: Combating Poverty: Role of Technology in driving social change in Africa.

The conference, which held at Softcom’s headquarters in Lagos, sought to advance technological solutions to Nigeria and Africa’s socio-economic development challenges in light of upcoming conversations at WEF on shaping inclusive growth and creating high-quality employment opportunities. The SDG Agenda 2030 of ending poverty, ensuring equitable quality education, and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all was also referenced.  

Mr. Afolabi Imoukhuede, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on job creation; Mr Kayode Pitan, Managing Director, Bank of Industry; Mrs. Toyin Adeniji, Executive Director Micro Enterprises, Bank of Industry; Mr Ernest Umakhihe, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and National Planning; Mr. Premier Oiwoh, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS); Dr. Olatunde Adekola, Senior Education Specialist, World Bank Group; Mr Tobias Wolfgarten of German GIZ Operations; and Mrs Hilda Kragha, CEO, Jobberman;  were some of the stakeholders present at the event.

The event also featured a panel and open discussion session with outcomes that sought to drive an agenda for inclusion and social change for Africa’s accelerated development with technology as the driving force.

Speaking at the conference, Softcom CEO, Yomi Adedeji, said the 12-year-old company is focused on addressing fundamental development issues tied to Identity, Payment, Data & Learning. He said these four pillars formed the bedrock upon which any development initiative would rest. “For any development initiative to be successful, we have to first solve the issue of identity. This is because a one-to-all approach at solving development issues will make little impact and limit sustainability. Individuals function within economic clusters or communities. It is important to take cognisance of these peculiarities in designing any intervention programme.”

Mr Afolabi Imoukhuede, SSA to the Government on Job Creation, noted six pillars comprising identity, digital literacy, education, agriculture, financial services and health that would facilitate social inclusion and national development. He added that strong government participation in policymaking, resource allocation and ecosystem development is required to fast track development in these areas.

Imoukhuede lauded Softcom and other partners on their technical expertise in implementing the N-Power project, describing Softcom’s intervention as the ‘eureka’ that brought the government’s objectives to light. “A traditional method of implementing the program would have limited enrolment and training delivery to under 40,000 participants; however, with the aid of technology, the programme was able to enrol over 500,000 beneficiaries for the graduate and non-graduate programme across the 774 local governments in Nigeria”.

Expressing his delight at the successful implementation of the N-Power project, Imoukhuede stated, “Nigeria now has a transparent, replicable and scalable model that can be adopted across all tiers of government and for all types of development initiatives. N-Power will expand into other connected economic clusters that will ensure sustainability and inclusive growth.”

The critical role technology played in the implementation of the N-Power project from the application stage to selection, training and remuneration processes was emphasised. Softcom CEO, Adedeji said “we designed a platform that guaranteed transparent recruitment, and beneficiary verification, which ensured that no ghost worker existed in the N-Power Programme. In addition, the platform enabled effective and seamless multi-stakeholder collaboration.

In his concluding remarks, Adedeji said “In order to lift whole communities out of poverty and ensure inclusive growth, our development must be led by data and planning, not just ideas. We must take advantage of technology to identify and enrol our people into the National identity system so everyone can be known and verified; we must democratize quality education, ensuring equal access for everyone, and aggressively drive financial inclusion to ensure that money and the services associated with it are universally accessible.”

The N-Power Impact Report was also launched at the event. A documented guide for institutions interested in replicating similar socio-economic development initiatives across Africa.

About Softcom

Softcom is a leading tech-solutions company based in Lagos, Nigeria with a mission to connect people and businesses with meaningful innovation. 

In Nigeria today, millions of citizens are constantly on the move and often times they are too busy to sit in waiting rooms for hours to consult with a medical doctor or healthcare specialist. Affordability and accessibility to quality  healthcare is also a huge challenge in Nigeria as well. Earlier this year, the World Health Organization released statistics showing that there are 4 medical doctors to every 10,000 Nigerians. With an estimation of four doctors for every 10,000 inhabitants in the country, More than 40,000 of 75,000 registered medical doctors in Nigeria are practicing outside the country while 70% of the medical doctors in the country are either unemployed or have taken up side jobs to survive. Needless to say, the doctor to patient ratio is alarmingly low in Nigeria and one can imagine how crowded hospitals can be across the country especially in the more urbanized areas.

In response to this, Founder of Tremendoc, Jay Chikezie,who is also the Co-founder of Nairabox relaunched an application that has the capacity to revolutionize the healthcare sector of Nigeria on the 21st of August. The new app, named Tremendoc, is designed to provide a convenient and affordable avenue for users to access licensed doctors one on one at any time of the day via audio call, video call or text. Not only is a healthier life just an app away, doctors also have a convenient avenue to consult. In other words, Tremendoc provides quality healthcare literally at your fingertips. To drive this narrative, Osas Ighodaro, has joined the Tremendoc team as the brand ambassador.

Award winning actress, humanitarian and philanthropist Osas Ighodaro, years ago lost both her sister and her unborn child to the common disease, malaria, she firmly believes early and proper diagnosis would have prevented this tragic and life changing incident. This is why she is so passionate about what Tremendoc stands for. “ After dealing with the traumatic experience of losing my sister, I knew that something had to change in Nigeria’s healthcare system. That’s why I’m so on board with the release of the Tremendoc app. It could have helped my sister and it can help so many lives across Nigeria.” says Osas Ighadoro.

To use Tremendoc, Simply download the application from the App Store or Play store. First-time users have the opportunity for a free 30-day trial that gives them access to licensed doctors 24/7, through video call, audio call or chat. After the trial is over, they can decide to carry on with the service with a subscription fee of  N1000/monthly. 

Tremendoc…the new doctor in your pocket.

For more information on how to use the app, follow their social media: 

@mytremendoc on Twitter

@mytremendoc on Instagram

@mytremendoc on Facebook 

Or visit the website https://tremendoc.com/doctor/

FilmoRealty, a leading real estate services company in Nigeria with a focus in facilities management and project management has partnered with Microsoft to transform the real estate services industry in Nigeria.

With a 25-year track record of delivering real estate services to high-profile companies and individuals spanning 12 states, FilmoRealty is accelerating and investing in the development of technology-driven solutions necessary to better serve its clients and drive forward the evolution of real estate services. Through its partnership with Microsoft, FilmoRealty is now uniquely positioned to execute its new tech-driven business strategy which will optimize real estate service delivery and also place it at the forefront of proptech (property technology) in Africa. 

Representatives from Microsoft’s US headquarters recently paid a visit to FilmoRealty’s Lagos office to spotlight its tech-focused strategies and processes as an innovative company. The visit resulted in a spotlight feature video which highlights FilmoRealty’s adoption of Microsoft’s cloud-based, highly secure workplace tools to optimize its services and build its growing portfolio of proptech products. One such tool includes Microsoft’s Power BI which supports FilmoRealty’s operations with big data analysis and insights that equips clients with the information needed to make powerful strategic business decisions related to the management of their real estate portfolio.  

“We are moving from just managing sites and responding to situations, to understanding trends in maintenance issues, resolution times, contractors’ SLAs, customer satisfaction levels – everything we need to optimize management services,” says Luqman Edu, FilmoRealty’s Chief Visionary Officer. “Our new operations control centre runs on VAMP, our flagship proprietary software which monitors our clients’ sites and is the engine that supports our services.”  

Through its partnership with Microsoft, FilmoRealty will continue to set the pace for the paradigm shift in the Nigerian real estate industry ensuring the development of innovative tools, technologies and service delivery models necessary to produce breakthrough results for its clients. 

To watch Microsoft’s feature video about FilmoRealty visit: www.filmorealty.com/news or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXLLPVkLHp4&t=6s

FilmoRealty is a leading real estate service and proptech company in Nigeria with a focus on property and facilities management, development and project management and advisory and consultancy services. With over 25 years of industry experience, we now stand at the forefront of real estate services optimization and proptech in Africa. At FilmoRealty, we are invested in technology and big data analysis. 

In 2019 we established PropLab.Africa, a subsidiary of FilmoRealty which develops and invests in proptech solutions. To learn more, visit us at www.filmorealty.com and on Instagram and LinkedIn @FilmoRealty. 

Realtor.ng, a real estate technology company committed to leveraging the use of technology in the real estate industry in Nigeria, recently announced the launch of its newly redesigned website, www.realtor.ng, offering innovative features, a simplified buyer search, and a network of trusted real estate agents. 

The relaunched www.realtor.ng enables buyers to search for property for rent, for sale, and for short-let in any location. The website also enhances the search journey for buyers by allowing users to search by price, specifications, and even send specific requests to their network of reliable real estate agents in Nigeria. This contemporary design allows buyers to search efficiently for the property types they desire without having to weave through property types they are not interested in viewing.

The website includes an energized aesthetic that provides a user-friendly experience for both property searchers and real estate agents in Nigeria. Additionally, the modified design delivers an optimal viewing and search process from any device.

Speaking on the recent relaunch of www.realtor.ng, Diran Otegbade, the Founder and CEO of Realtor.ng, says, “We are committed in our vision of leading a revolution of efficiency, trust, and transparency in the real estate industry in Nigeria. Our relaunched website reduces the time it takes for tenants and buyers to find a place and also decreases the transaction time for prudent sellers and real estate agents”.

It’s quite correct to say an Apple device is one of the most prized possessions of any young person today. For every iPhone purchased, there’s an untold story of someone who didn’t mind spending more to get an iPhone instead of the lower-priced phones in the market because they were convinced that an iPhone was a durable, reliable, secure device and the perfect choice for all their mobile communication needs.

Unfortunately, after so many people have saved up money for their desired iPhone, they get swindled at the point of purchase by unauthorised dealers who sell substandard devices to them. You are robbed of so many extra benefits of using an iPhone when you patronise just any random phone vendor on the street. Here’s what could likely happen when you buy an iPhone from the wrong hands:

1. Doctored Devices

Your device may have been internally tampered by selfish dealers who are seeking the best ways to make a profit off you.

1. Stolen Device

Many unauthorised dealers indulge in untrustworthy ways to procure the iPhones they sell. In many cases, these devices could have been stolen making you an unknown partner in crime for buying from them.

1. Fake Phone

You face the risk of buying a completely fake iPhone when you buy from just any vendor. These days there are black-market manufacturers that are able to make prototypes of iPhones that look so convincing until you use them.   

1. No Warranty

Your unofficially purchased iPhone does not come with warranty benefits, making you helpless and fully responsible in cases of liquid damage, broken screen or similar incidents.

Where You Should Never Buy an iPhone

1. Off the street from a random guy
2. A black market dealer
3. A seller with a ridiculously cheap offer
4. Random online vendors

The Recommended Place to Buy an iPhone in Nigeria?

You should only buy an iPhone from Apple authorized reseller outlets in Nigeria. You can find an authorized list of stores to purchase an iPhone here. Here’s what you enjoy when you purchase an iPhone from the right source:

1. 1 year cover for accidental screen damage
2. Liquid damage cover for 6 months
3. Best price guaranteed for your iPhone Trade-in
4. Free pickup and return from the service centre
5. Assured Buy Back
6. 24 months warranty

So why not #GetItLegit from an Apple Authorized reseller and enjoy value-added benefits including device insurance and free protection. Visit http://www.inigeria.org today, register and get even more benefits.

There has never been a better time to join the iPhone lifestyle in Nigeria!

Landwey, one of Nigeria’s most respected real estate companies with development projects in the commercial, retail and residential property segments has just acquired a 25% stake in Vistafront, a tech platform for funding real estate projects online.

Since investing in real estate can be a capital intensive project for many, Vistafront was established to allow people to fund real estate projects from the comfort of their mobile devices and earn good returns at the end of the project cycle 

Concerning the decision to acquire a stake in the company that is currently causing a disruption on the startup scene, Olawale Ayilara, Founder of Landwey said, “we are always proud when we spot opportunities for our clients and followers to be more involved in real estate projects that will give them the best returns for their money. We understand the need to continually evolve as we serve the industry. We are glad that with this partnership, we can fully support and encourage everyone to fund real estate projects.”

Vistafront will be gleaned from the wealth of experience that Landwey has in the real estate business, to launch different projects that will be made available for funding on the platform. There is an ongoing project called Bloom 1, it is a bridge financing for land acquisition for 14,000 square meters nested in the heart of Lekki Epe Expressway, Lagos State, Nigeria. With as low as  N25,000 per unit, you can fund as many units as you like and make a 12% return in 6 months.

Vistafront’s mission is to provide quality infrastructure for all, so 1% of every unit you fund goes toward Social Infrastructure Impact Project (SIIP) like schools, community homes, hospitals and other social amenities accessible to the less privileged. However, once 1% of your total funding reaches N10,000 for any project, Vistafront will automatically place a cap so that the total amount you pay for SIIP does not exceed N10,000  irrespective of the number of units funded. 

Segun Ajuwon, Managing Director of Vistafront says, “We have gotten a lot of positive feedback since we launched and we have plans to continue to launch new projects. For every project we feature on the site, we also have in place a strict vetting process carried out by our in-house team and our other partners like Nachtwey Advisory Services Limited, an SEC registered Asset Management company, Emerging Africa Capital Group, a licensed Trustee firm and AXA Mansard, a trusted insurance company.

 

Access Bank continues to lead the way in innovative economic digital finance solutions, providing more Nigerians with access to credit as it unveils the Device Finance scheme, a scheme designed to provide salaried customers with the opportunity to purchase smartphones of their choice and pay over a period of twelve months.

 Speaking on the initiative, Executive Director, Retail Banking, Victor Etuokwu said, “Access Bank has taken the initiative to lead the digitization of lending in Nigeria and wants every customer to benefit from the modern connected lifestyle. Through our revolutionary and ground-breaking credit schemes such as Device Finance, we will see more Nigerians get connected to do more in business online and enjoy the social lifestyle of their choice. And that is the kind of change that we want to see.

 “Device Finance is designed to finance the purchase of devices under a contract arrangement. The financing scheme currently includes smartphone devices, where customers can enjoy additional benefits with an optional monthly airtime bundle, which can also be converted to data.

 “Under the Device Finance scheme, we are offering a variety of smartphones from TECNO to the iPhone series ranging from ₦12,500 – ₦325,000, where customers pay anything from ₦1,500 a month to ₦30,000 a month, depending on the selected device.

“The Device Finance airtime bundles range from ₦2,750 – ₦22,750 and our partnership with MTN allows MTN users benefit from huge discounts, where customers can also get some devices for free by adding the monthly MTN airtime bundle subscription” he concluded.

The Device Finance scheme is available to all Access Bank salaried customer and devices can be purchased at competitive market prices, spread across a twelve-month repayment period. 

Customers can access the Device Finance scheme by downloading the QuickBucks app from their Apple iOS App Store or Google Play store and follow the prompt steps. 

For more information and FAQs please click HERE.

Dan Holdings Africa, formerly The Danny Oyekan Group’s African Subsidiary, to launch in Africa, with its main aim; Developing the blockchain and fintech ecosystem in the continent and also invest in Fintech and Blockchain Startups in Africa Through its Venture Capital Subsidiary, Dan Ventures Africa

For the first time in Africa, people can transact and use cryptocurrency with ease and also make payments across borders in a safe, modern and technology-driven infrastructure with a click of a button. Dan Holdings Africa is set to launch several financial services in Nigeria and across Africa. The company will launch the services in different phases starting with Telechat which is a Privacy-focused blockchain-enabled messaging application, with a decentralized wallet that allows users to send and receive money to/from anywhere in the world. Similar to the way one sends a message or a photo. This will address the problem of the time it takes for a transaction to take place. 

In addition, the company will launch Coins App which is a digital wallet for cryptocurrencies. The native cryptocurrency will be backed with actual Gold. This will address the price volatility of the digital coin and also ensure that the value of the coin is retained. This will also aid in remittances across borders around the world. Coins App will allow users to send and receive, request exchange rates, deposit fiat into Crypto and withdraw crypto for fiat and top-up phone bills with crypto. 

The blockchain technology and the use of cryptocurrencies is now a worldwide accepted form of undertaking transactions. Its decentralized quality makes it safe from hackers. It is also borderless hence ease of conducting transactions between different countries. This type of infrastructure is yet to be fully available and accepted in Africa hence the innovations by Dan Holdings will address this gap.

Dan Holding Africa aim is to provide a one-stop centre for all your financial needs. Every customer is assured a secure environment to undertake their businesses and also investments. For the first time ever, all Africans will be in a position to undertake transactions across the globe at a lightning speed. This will be made possible by the launch of Blockfinex, a cryptocurrency exchange. It will set the pace in the market as it is the fastest exchange today at a blazing speed of 27 million transactions per second. 

The launch of these platforms and services has been designed to serve the customers in accordance with their needs. The company will ensure that it understands the customer’s financial needs and formulate the best strategy to use to assist the customer. Dan Holding Africa has also made its platforms and services user-friendly to ensure ease of usage for all ages and people around the globe.

Dan Holding expects Cash will be a game-changer as it will be like the PayPal of Africa offering a variety of services to customers. It will have the functionalities of an online bank offering the following services:

• Peer-to-peer payments between users (Send and receive money to/from Family and Friends)
• Payment processing for merchants and Businesses
• Prepaid debit cards
• Currency Exchange platform
• A cryptocurrency wallet
• Business to Business payments
• Receive payments from anywhere in the world using cryptocurrencies 

Holders with an account on Cash will access these and other services through their mobile devices. This will make transactions and payments while travelling easier as the holder can access their digital wallet remotely from anywhere in the world. It will also save consumers on charges such as currency exchange fees and other transactional costs that accrue during the exchange of one currency to the other.

Cash will be Africa’s first online bank enabling mobile payment service and allowing users to locally transfer money to one another in Naira by simply using a mobile phone app.  This app will also aid in the processing of bulk online payments between merchants and businesses.

The users will be in a position to send and receive fiat money using this app while in Nigeria. They will also have the ability to buy cryptocurrency with their fiat money and also use cryptocurrency to buy fiat money.

Cash will be making it easy and fast to open an account as it will take just minutes compared to opening a bank account. The App will have inbuilt budgeting to help a customer in tracking how they are spending their money. This will help them in knowing where to cut on spending and also have an overview of where they should invest more of their money. The customer will also be notified every time they make a transaction. This is to ensure that it is them with access to their account. If one is suspicious of spending, one can freeze their card in a matter of seconds.

The App will also help a customer in planning and making of regular payments. Payments such as rent, salaries and other expenditures that are recurring can be automatically set and upon maturity, they will be paid. This will help the customer focus on the most important agendas and also not be late with other payments hence avoiding penalties.

When it comes to trading, the app will provide a customer with real-life rates of the exchange market. They will be in a position to study the movement of a cryptocurrency or fiat money over a period of time. This will aid them in making the right decision on which currency is best to invest in. You can also set alerts to tell you when a certain price is attained by a currency.

Cash will allow customers to undertaking transactions online with ease. They will also be able to undertake ATM withdrawals locally and as they travel abroad. Customers are also in a position to use their cards in swiping for various services in places where they accept the use of electronic cards. This will limit the amount of money that one carries around when travelling or when purchasing certain goods and services. 

The security of using the app is optimal. The user will have available options in controlling their account. They may freeze or unfreeze their accounts at their own will in a matter of seconds. This will help them mitigate any loss in case they lose their debit card or someone accesses their password.  They also have an option to set the location of their card and if the card is used in a different location it blocks the transaction from going through. 

The 2019 edTech Challenge is now open for entries!! 

Do you have an innovative, technology-driven solution with the potential to solve education challenges in Nigeria? Are you a student, teacher, developer, designer, fintech or a player in the tech space? Then keep reading because this is for you! 

From July 30 to August 23, 2019, entries will be received from anyone with cutting-edge technological solutions that demonstrate a strong potential to transform the education system in Nigeria. By ‘anyone’, we mean ‘anyone’, including but not limited to students, teachers, developers, designers, fintechs, tech companies etc.

Union Bank acknowledges that innovation is important if we are to achieve the prosperous Nigeria we all dream about. That’s why each year since 2017, we have organised annual editions of The Innovation Challenge with the aim of discovering and supporting innovative ideas and solutions that solve social and business issues. This year, the competition which is being organised in partnership with VHA Services will focus on unearthing education technology solutions, emphasising Union Bank’s focus on supporting the Nigerian education sector. 

At the end of the entry period, up to 10 shortlisted entries will be unveiled and the successful applicants invited to participate in an accelerator programme providing them with access to coach-mentors, and a community of education stakeholders and strategic partnerships. 

Following a pitch, the top three winners will be announced during edu360, Union Bank’s annual flagship education event scheduled to hold in October this year. 

These top three winning entries will receive total funding support of 5 Million Naira towards scaling their solutions and venture support including provision of specialised support based on their specific project needs. They will also receive advice regarding the deployment and management of funding received. 

So if you’re as passionate as we are about developing the education sector, click here to read more information and submit your entry.

For more updates, follow Union Bank on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and the hashtag #UBNEdTech19

Leading Nigerian commercial bank and Africa’s most agile company, Sterling Bank Plc has announced its investment in the global multi-billion-dollar software engineering sector in partnership with Decagon Institute.

Speaking at a press conference recently, Khafil Animashaun, Head, Strategy & Innovation at Sterling Bank, disclosed that Decagon’s mission of training 5,000 software engineers, creating 30,000 jobs, and generating about $1 billion in export revenue over the next five years aligns with the bank’s vision of improving the H.E.A.R.T (Health, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy and Transport) sectors. The partnership with Decagon Institute is part of the bank’s intervention in the education sector through investment in ideas and execution of projects that will advance it.

“Sterling is working with Decagon to identify and transform young talented Nigerians into world-class software developers at scale. We are certain our investment will bridge the software development talent shortage in the country’s fast-growing technology ecosystem while also positioning our youth to compete in the fast-paced global software engineering market”, Animashaun added.

Chika Nwobi, Founder, Decagon Institute with almost two decades experience of incubating startups that include Jobberman, Cheki and MTech, says his dream of working with local talents to solve local problems is about to be achieved through the partnership with Sterling Bank to train 5,000 software developers in 5 years.

He revealed that many startups in Nigeria are modelled after Silicon Valley patterns, but where Silicon Valley has a surplus of talents, many of these startups use the funding to get developers from other countries and this leads to fast depletion of the funds among other disadvantages. Considering that Nigeria has a youthful population with 63% of these youth unemployed, he believes that there remains a huge untapped talent pool and this initiative would help develop software engineers who would be trained to be at par with their mates in other countries.

“Through this partnership, Nigeria can serve the global demand for software engineers alongside countries like India with about 3.9 million software engineers across the world generating over $20 billion dollars annually in revenue which is about four times the value of Nigeria’s 2018 oil revenue”, enthused Mr. Nwobi.

Decagon Institute through the students’ loan acquired from Sterling Bank provides accommodation, feeding, work tools, tutoring and a monthly stipend of N45,000 throughout the six-months training duration.

The admission is gotten purely on merit although there is a desire of having a 50% female inclusion in the program to increase female participation in tech.

The students, who are called ‘Decadevs’, undergo a rigorous training process which is required to produce world-class software developers.

Nigeria’s premier microlender, MKOBO Microfinance Bank has introduced a new digital savings solution that allows customers to save specifically for festive periods.

The solution, called FestiveSave also allows customers to earn up to 10% bonus on their savings. Users will cash out both principal and the bonus as a lump sum at maturity. 

At the moment FestiveSave allows users to save for top four of Nigeria’s biggest festivals including Christmas, Eid Kabir, Easter and Eid Fitr. Each of these festivals comes as a package for which users can subscribe to. 

Speaking at the launch of the product in Lagos on Tuesday, Chief Executive Officer of MKOBO Microfinance Bank, Habeeb Adeokun said: “We came up with FestiveSave because we realized how festive periods have become integral parts of our lives, but can sometimes be an expensive and stressful time if we are unprepared. 

“While they may seem far off, planning and saving as early as possible can take the pressure off your wallet in the months to come. It’s often a good idea to set up a savings account specifically for the festive season with an automatic payment into it every payday to help you save, and that’s where FestiveSave comes handy.”

He added: “With FestiveSave you won’t have to borrow money, you’ll come home relaxed, not restless with money worries when the festive season comes.” 

All the four packages allow users to determine a regular savings amount, start date and how often to save with withdrawal usually set between 4 to 2 weeks before the festive day. 

An important feature of FestiveSave is it’s security features. It is built with bank-grade security at its core. Its payment processor is PCI-DSS compliant for the security of user’s payment information.

New users can start saving by creating an account with FestiveSave and setting up a user profile. They can then select a prefered FestiveSave plan and decide how much they want to save and how often. Currently, only the monthly option is available with more options to be added soon.

To facilitate recurring savings into the account, users would have to link their ATM/Debit Card to their accounts.

They can then watch their money grow monthly and withdraw their funds a few days before the festive celebration.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that through FestiveSave, our customers can begin to take the first major step to have hassle-free festive celebrations. Saving up for a major project ahead, including the festive period is usually a smart personal finance decision, and that is why we believe this product will resonate with millions of Nigerians,” said MKOBO’s Product Manager, David Arogundade.

About MKOBO Microfinance Bank

MKOBO Microfinance Bank Limited is a fully licensed MFB that is regulated by CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria) and insured by NDIC (Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation). The bank’s team is made up of exceptionally talented, committed and passionate individuals with extensive local and international experience within the banking/financial services, technology sectors and beyond. For more information, please visit https://mkobo.com.ng/