Mobile presents a unique solution to a wide number of inherent challenges created by a growth in digital finance across Africa. While mobile technology has enabled the delivery of financial services across the continent, it is also increasingly being used to secure these services. Users’ mobile numbers are being used as a critical component of…
With mobile payment volumes and transaction values soaring in Kenya, HF Group has innovated in this space by becoming the first bank in the region to launch a banking service on the WhatsApp platform this week. Mobile payments are well-established in Kenya, with Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) data showing that mobile money transactions stood…
Fraud has become a significant problem for organisations across the continent, with a Myriad Connect study in Kenya last year finding that 61% of financial services CIOs cite fraud as one of the top 5 challenges facing their institutions. Over 1 in 5 Kenyans have been the victims of financial fraud including mobile money, fraud, online…
Fraud is increasing globally – across all sectors. The Association for Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) says in its 2018 Report to the Nations global study on occupational fraud and abuse that global fraud losses could amount to as much as USD4 Trillion in 2017 alone, with 53% of victims recovering nothing and 32% making only a…
Data has been described as ‘the new gold’, proving to be a priceless resource for businesses and a key to unlocking personalised services and online convenience for consumers. But as an increasingly digital market trades personal information in return for convenience, some entities have exploited consumer data – and even used it to commit wide-scale…
As every brand moves into the online space, security vs usability are increasingly pitted against each other. Online retailers and services striving to protect customer data and transactions tend to require customers to set ever-more complex passwords, and to change them regularly. Meanwhile, information security experts warn that consumers should not use the same (easy-to-remember) passwords…
Chat banking, allowing users to transact simply and easily on the messaging apps they prefer, is likely to become the next big thing in banking across Africa. The continent’s highly mobile-enabled population already embraces messaging apps and an emerging younger consumer base is more comfortable texting than speaking on their devices. GSMA’s The Mobile Economy…
Open Banking is revolutionising the financial services landscape across the world, and presents opportunities for transformation and financial inclusion throughout Africa too. However, the African markets should use the successes and failings from the experiences of other markets to leapfrog directly to the next era of Open Banking. Open Banking, in which banks share certain…
Because SIM swap fraud has been so prevalent across Africa in recent years, African consumers are well aware of the potential for financial losses during unsecured financial transactions. But the incidence of SIM swap fraud is increasing both across Africa and internationally, and fraudsters are finding new ways to profit from this particular mode of…
Robust ID and authentication are central to the development of a digital economy. However, traditional systems of ID are insufficient to meet the needs of a digital economy. As the default ID system for many digital services, email and password provide a very weak system, which is easy to exploit.To protect against users when their…