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Terragon, Microsoft Partner to Take African Businesses to New Heights

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Microsoft, through its Africa Transformation Office, is partnering with Terragon to support its cloud capabilities; Terragon plans to leverage Microsoft’s cloud technologies to provide brands with powerful consumer insights.

Business owners in Africa will have access to a wide range of powerful customer insights thanks to a partnership between Terragon and Microsoft. The three-year agreement will further Terragon’s work in the marketing technology (MarTech) space, while also driving Microsoft’s ambition to enable digital transformation using the cloud.

Terragon is a leading data and marketing company with a mission to build Africa’s largest and most unique data-powered marketing cloud ecosystem to help businesses on the continent better understand their customers. The marketing company leverages data and technology to help brands reach, engage and deliver more meaningful mobile experiences to consumers. Using cloud-based solutions, Terragon is able to provide its customers with in-depth analytics and insights into customer engagement that better tells the story of the African consumer.

Terragon’s customers include both enterprises and SMBs that cover a range of industries such as fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), financial services and consulting services. The company supports brands in the management of first-party data, and improved targeting and segmentation to deliver personalised engagements online and offline.

The partnership with Microsoft will support Terragon’s vision of using innovation to make mobile meaningful while also helping businesses on the continent to harness the power of cloud technology.

“We evolved into an enterprise solution company in 2018, and since then we’ve worked with a wide spectrum of over 30 multi-national enterprises and 8,000 SMBs, helping them achieve better ROI on their marketing spend and improving customer experience through the power of data-driven marketing,” says Chimezie Okonkwo, Senior Vice President of Data, Infrastructure, and Platforms at Terragon.

“This Microsoft partnership is exciting because it validates our mission which has been to build the largest data-powered marketing cloud ecosystem in Africa.

“Deploying Microsoft tools and solutions will help us accelerate our goal of adding value to businesses by increasing marketing cost efficiencies, becoming more intelligent in our insights and delivering more meaningful and personalised engagements to customers on mobile.”

Gerald Maithya, General Manager, Africa Transformation Office at Microsoft, emphasised that the collaboration underscores Microsoft’s dedication to fostering sustainable digital growth in Africa.

“Working with businesses like Terragon that prioritise cloud-based solutions in their own operations and with their own customers better supports the acceleration of digital transformation on the continent,” says Maithya.

“Through our work with Terragon, businesses of all sizes will have access to the latest cloud technologies to achieve their business goals and contribute to Africa’s economic growth and development. This partnership supports our efforts to be the preferred and trusted partner for cloud innovation on the continent.”


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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IFC Invests $45m to Green African Telecom Sites

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Clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will be expanded following a $45 million investment by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in IPT PowerTech.

The investment targets countries where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation, the institution stated earlier this week.

To enable this expansion, the IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A-loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance.

The blended portion is sourced from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Programme and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.

The initiative marks the IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years.

It will help scale solar- and battery-based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.

By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centres, and small businesses can depend on consistent digital services, said the IFC.

The funding supports the modernisation, operation, and maintenance of 2 235 telecom sites across the three nations. More than 90% of these are located in off-grid or weak-grid locations.

With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages and improved service quality.

Optimising the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30% in Liberia, 26% in Sierra Leone, and 52% in Ethiopia.

This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Furthermore, the partnership will promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector, says the IFC.

This agreement reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry and empowers the company to scale its innovative energy platforms, according to Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group.

Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC regional director for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.

Through this partnership, the institution is supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably, added Kouassi-Akon.

The project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.


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Expedier Launches Platform to Ease Cross-Border Payments for African Firms

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Expedier has unveiled “Expedier for Business,” an online pro-banking platform to simplify global payments, multi-currency transactions, and financial operations for expanding companies.

Expedier Launches Platform to Ease Cross-Border Payments for African Firms

Kingsley Madu

The tool centralizes payments, invoicing, payroll, and treasury into one secure dashboard, tackling challenges like fragmented systems and poor visibility that hinder international scaling.

Kingsley Madu, Co-Founder and CEO of Expedier, said: “African businesses are increasingly global… Expedier for Business was built to simplify how companies manage money across borders while maintaining visibility, control, and compliance.”

Key features include customizable dashboards for payments, invoices, and workflows; support for USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, and more; virtual cards; automated payroll/invoicing; currency swaps; and real-time tracking.

Security measures cover two-factor authentication, KYC/KYB verification, and team access controls.

As cross-border trade and remote work boom in Africa, the platform aids firms dealing with international suppliers, teams, and customers. It is now available for organizations scaling globally.


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Moniepoint Seals 78% Stake in Kenya’s Sumac Bank for East Africa Push

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Nigerian fintech unicorn Moniepoint Inc. has finalised its acquisition of a 78% stake in Kenya’s Sumac Microfinance Bank, gaining a key deposit-taking licence for credit expansion in East Africa’s biggest economy.

Moniepoint Seals 78% Stake in Kenya's Sumac Bank for East Africa Push

The deal, marked by a Nairobi reception, bypasses the Central Bank of Kenya’s licence freeze, letting Moniepoint rival giants like Safaricom and Equity Group after a stalled Kopo Kopo bid.

It signals Africa’s fintech shift to licensed banking and mergers, equipping Moniepoint to roll out high-speed SME lending via Sumac’s 20-year-old infrastructure and branches.

The acquisition builds a cross-border merchant ecosystem beyond fees, integrating recent Orda buyout (cloud restaurant software) for “business-in-a-box” tools like inventory, payroll, and capital amid Kenya’s digital lending scrutiny.

Moniepoint, which hit $294 billion annualised transactions in 2025, eyes Kenya’s SMEs with Nigeria-honed retail expertise.


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