General News
AfriTech 2020: Sanofi Selects 11 Start-Ups For Online Finale On June 11

Following the cancellation of the 2020 edition of Viva Technology, Sanofi will maintain its four AfricaTech Challenges by organizing an online pitch day on June 11, 2020.

The objective is to continue Sanofi’s commitment to encourage innovation in Africa, improve access to healthcare and transform the health ecosystem throughout the continent.
For this 3rd edition, Sanofi has received 268 applications (compared to 222 last year) from 34 countries. 11 finalists were selected, based on five criteria: project maturity, early results, relevance of the solution, market potential and business model, as well as the skills and expertise of the team.
These are the four challenges and the 11 selected startups: Challenge #1: How to support patients with a digital health book in order to access information and make decision?
- Bypa-ss (Egypt) is digitizing healthcare information exchange through its platform HealthTag that allows patients to get their diagnosis, latest check-ups, medical scans as well as test results.
- Keeplyna (Tunisia) is an eHealth platform for telemedicine. It offers a free digital medical book to all African citizens and includes all health information of all family members.
- EYONE (Senegal) offers a shared medical file. Patients have their medical records in real time everywhere and are connected to 35 online health professionals that have partnered with the startup.
Challenge #2: How to help healthcare systems leapfrog from manual to smart logistics solutions at point of care?
- Doctor 4 Africa (India) is an integrated online platform offering a digital health solution in African countries. It connects patients to health care professionals in underserved communities where there is a shortage of specialists, so they can receive affordable quality care.
- Mobilhealth International (Nigeria) is Africa’s first fully integrated telehealth electronic medical records and video app. Its mission is to use telemedicine to provide people in developing countries with access to quality healthcare services in the most cost and time effective way, anytime, anywhere.
Challenge #3: How to improve financing and impact of innovative health solutions in Africa?
- SOSO CARE (Nigeria) is a low-cost digital tool enabling 100 million Nigerians to access health insurance and care in 1,170 clinics.
- MamaPrime (Kenya) is a health fintech company that enables mothers and their families to prepay for their prenatal & postnatal care and child wellness services in installments throughout their pregnancy.
- JokkoSanté (Senegal) is a digital payment platform that secures the use of money intended for health, with a new payment method. It can also be used to manage drug traceability and online prescriptions.
Challenge #4 - Sanofi Espoir Foundation: How to improve maternal and neonatal health in sub-Saharan Africa?
- Teheca (Ouganda) connects new and expectant mothers to qualified nurses for at home post-natal checkups and supports by using low cost and low-tech solutions. The accessibility increase to post-natal cares aims a timely identification and a referral of life-threatening complications during post-natal period.
- The University Agency Innovation (Cameroun) is a hub of scientific, technological and enterprise-based innovations. Its spin-off AUI Techno designs and produces an interactive infant incubator connectable to doctors’ smartphones, in order to reduce the neonatal mortality rate.
- Natal Cares (Nigeria) is an integrated solution providing healthcare, medical monitoring and emergency services to at-risk pregnant women and nursing mothers belonging to disconnected rural communities.
At the 2020 AfricaTech live virtual pitch, these startups will compete in their respective challenge categories before an online audience and a jury made up of global professionals, investors and thought leaders in technology and healthcare.
Folake Odediran, Sanofi’s General Manager, General Medicines, Nigeria & Ghana and Country Lead, Nigeria, commenting on the upcoming live pitch, said: “The AfricaTech initiative is in line with our purpose of empowering lives. We are so far impressed with the progress of the 2020 Challenge and are happy for all the finalists who have made it this far.
“We are even more excited that three of them emerged from our Nigeria-Ghana affiliate and we hope that the best techpreneurs win”.
After Viva Technology 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the selected startups will now be invited to pitch their solutions at 2:00pm CET (Paris time) on June 11, 2020, during a special Sanofi Africatech day by video conference.
The live virtual event will be hosted by Sanofi Africa zone and will comprise of four pitch sessions, each of 30 – 45 minutes duration. Attendance is open to external audiences through prior registration.
General News
Shareholders of MTN Nigeria Okay N152Bn Fintech Restructuring

Shareholders of MTN Nigeria have approved a major restructuring of the company’s digital financial services arm, clearing the way for a N152.06 billion transaction that will see the telecom giant relinquish majority control of its fintech subsidiaries.

The approval, granted at the company’s Annual General Meeting on April 30, endorses Resolution 9, which transfers a 60 per cent stake in MoMo Payment Service Bank Limited and Y’ello Digital Financial Services Limited to MTN Group Fintech B.V.
Under the arrangement, the group’s fintech arm will inject fresh capital into the businesses while also acquiring shares from MTN Nigeria through a hybrid structure combining primary and secondary investments.
Following the transaction, both parties will consolidate their interests into a newly created holding company to be registered with the Central Bank of Nigeria, a move designed to streamline oversight and position the fintech operations for future investment.
The restructuring marks a significant shift in MTN Nigeria’s strategy, effectively transferring a larger share of the financial and operational responsibility for the fintech business to the parent company, while allowing the local entity to refocus on its core telecommunications operations.
Industry observers say the move aligns with the broader “Ambition 2030” roadmap of the MTN Group, which prioritises scaling digital and financial services across its markets.
The company acknowledged that its fintech subsidiaries are currently loss-making, reflecting the capital-intensive nature of building digital payment platforms.
By reducing its direct exposure, MTN Nigeria is expected to free up resources to strengthen its connectivity infrastructure, while the fintech arm gains the financial backing required to accelerate expansion.
The planned holding company structure is also expected to enhance investment flexibility, enabling the business to attract strategic partners and scale operations in areas such as rural penetration, merchant acquisition and digital payments.
General News
Guinness Nigeria Celebrates 76 Years of Brewing Greatness

Guinness Nigeria Plc is set to mark 76 years of operations on April 29, a milestone for one of the country’s most enduring corporate institutions and widely regarded as Nigeria’s foremost total beverage alcohol business.

Established in 1950 and with its first brewery commissioned in Ikeja in 1962, Guinness Nigeria holds a distinct place in industrial history as the first Guinness brewery built outside Ireland and the United Kingdom. What began as an imported stout has evolved into a deeply rooted local enterprise, growing alongside the country through decades of change, expansion, and reinvention.
From its early years to its listing on the Nigerian Exchange in 1965, the company steadily expanded its footprint, building a nationwide network of brewing and distribution operations, alongside a diversified portfolio that reflects both heritage and shifting consumer tastes.
Guinness Stout remains its most iconic brand, long associated with depth and character, while Malta Guinness has become a household staple across generations. Complementing these are spirits and contemporary offerings including Orijin, Gordon’s, Don Royale and Smirnoff, each firmly embedded within Nigeria’s evolving consumer culture.
Today, Nigeria ranks among the most important markets for Guinness globally, underscoring a relationship that extends well beyond consumption into culture, identity, and shared moments of celebration.
This connection has been reinforced by a long-standing commitment to social impact. As far back as 1962, the company established the Guinness Eye Centre at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, setting a precedent for healthcare interventions that continues today with a second eye centre in Onitsha. Its Water of Life initiative continues to deliver clean water to underserved communities, while sustained campaigns around responsible drinking and road safety reflect an ongoing commitment to societal well-being.
These efforts have shaped Guinness Nigeria’s identity, not just as a manufacturer, but as an active and consistent partner in the development of its host communities.
This interplay between enterprise and impact has been central to the company’s longevity, enabling it to remain both relevant and trusted, even as it evolves.
The 76th anniversary comes at a moment of renewed financial strength and transformation, following a return to profitability and the restoration of shareholder payouts after an extended period of consolidation.
Managing Director and CEO, Girish Sharma, described the milestone as the result of decades of deliberate choices. “In Nigeria, Guinness is part of the national story. The progress we have made reflects discipline, continuity, and a commitment to remaining a business that Nigerians trust, while growing in step with the communities around us,” he said.
Looking ahead, the company’s ambition is captured in its ‘Build for More’ agenda to become Nigeria’s premier and most celebrated total beverage alcohol company by the end of the decade. With a modernised portfolio, a strengthened balance sheet, and a sharper understanding of evolving consumer needs, that ambition is already in motion.
The mission, however, remains simple: to help Nigerians celebrate life, every day, everywhere.
General News
Glo Commends Nigerian Workers on May Day

Digital solutions powerhouse, Globacom, has paid tribute to Nigerian workers, whose steadfast industry and enduring commitment continue to propel NIgeria’s march towards development.

As the world observes the 2026 International Workers’ Day, the company acknowledged the indispensable role of labour as the unseen engine that keeps the machinery of national advancement in measured, purposeful motion.
Globacom, in a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday, appreciated the role of labour in oiling Nigeria’s wheel of development and also affirmed their importance in the progress of the country.
Glo urged employees across both public and private sectors to remain resolute in their pursuit of excellence, emphasizing that the collective discipline of the workforce is central to realizing Nigeria’s aspirations for sustainable growth and prosperity.
“We encourage all workers not to relent in their noble task of advancing the nation through conscientious service and professional dedication,” the statement affirmed.
The International Workers’ Day, commemorated annually on 1 May, celebrates the dignity of labour and the enduring significance of workers in shaping the fortunes of societies across the world.
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