PalmPay users hit 25 million
PalmPay, a financial technology platform, has revealed in a statement made available to the press that its smartphone app has reached a milestone of 25 million users.
Sofia Zab, the Global Chief Marketing Officer said that it has an extensive network of 500,000 mobile money agents and 300,000 merchants in its payment ecosystem.
Zab added that its rapid growth within the first four years of its market entry in Nigeria is a reward for its robust strategy focused on offering secure, user-friendly, and inclusive financial services.
She said, “We are proud to be a driving force of financial inclusion and cashless payment adoption in Nigeria.
“PalmPay’s growth validates our approach and illustrates the increasing demand for innovative fintech solutions that address the unique needs of Africa’s underserved population.”
Read also:Nigerians flock to Opay, Palmpay, others amid naira crunch
Lekki port receives first transshipment vessel
Lekki Deep Sea Port has announced the arrival of CMA CGM RIMBAUD, the first transshipment vessel to call at the container terminal of Lekki Deep Sea Port.
This announcement was made by Du Ruogang, the Managing Director of Lekki Port, in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos on Thursday.
According to Ruogang, the vessel, which arrived at approximately 1 p.m. on June 29, contains cargo from two of the largest container shipping lines in the world, CMA CGM and Maersk.
“The service originated from the Far East, passing through Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou, Nansha, Tanjung Pelpas, Singapore, and Kribi, Cameroun, before finally arriving at Lekki Port this afternoon.
“The vessel is carrying 411 Twenty-foot Equivalent units (TEUs) of transshipment cargo and has a nominal container handling capacity of 6,900 TEUs,” he said.
Ruogang expressed his appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Nigerian Ports Authority for supporting and ensuring the start of transshipment activities at Lekki Port.
FirstBank introduces 1st humanoid robot to engage customers
Folake Ani-Mumuney, Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, FirstBank Nigeria Ltd., said in a statement on Thursday in Lagos that the bank has launched a humanoid robot, an industry first, at its Adetokunbo Ademola VI, Lagos Digital Experience Centre (DXC) Branch, to engage customers.
Mumuney said that the robot was part of the phased configuration of the bank’s state-of-the-art digitally led self-service branch.
The robot, it is said, is equipped with video banking and Artificial Intelligence (AI), taking on the role of friendly branch staff.
The statement read in part, “In furtherance of its role in providing innovative financial solutions in Nigeria, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd., Nigeria’s premier financial institution and financial inclusion services provider, has announced the launch of a humanoid robot, the first of its kind in the financial services space in Nigeria.
“The robot is equipped with video banking and artificial intelligence, taking on the role of friendly branch staff.
“The robot can engage customers through conversations as well as through a touch screen strapped to its chest.
“The services performed by the robot include responding to customer inquiries on cash deposits, withdrawals, and ATM cards.”
COP28 President-Designate, IMF, others issue statement on climate finance
Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President-Designate, and Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, IMF, co-chaired a roundtable discussion as part of the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact.
Also co-chairing the roundtable were Ajay Banga, President, World Bank Group, and Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance and Co-Chair of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ).
A statement issued by the IMF Press Centre said the summit, which took place at the Palais Brongniart, Paris, was a high-level roundtable that had become a key forum for an informal exchange of high-impact ideas to drive substantive progress on the climate finance agenda.
Ethiopia asks to join BRICS bloc of emerging economies
Ethiopia, one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, has asked to join the BRICS bloc of emerging markets, the foreign ministry said on Thursday.
“We expect BRICS will give us a positive response to the request we have made,” foreign ministry spokesman Meles Alem told journalists, according to the state-run news agency ENA.
Ethiopia will continue to work with international institutions that can protect its interests, he said.
