Rory Bosman, executive for sales and marketing at Ecentric Payment Systems. The South African informal economy is surrounded by estimates. The economy itself is estimated to be worth around R900 billion, with spaza shops sitting at the heart of this thriving retail sector. The estimated 150 000 spaza shops operating around the country are contributing…
There is a story South Africa has been telling itself about the digital divide, and it is only half true. The dominant narrative frames the problem as one of connectivity: lay the fibre, lower data prices, extend mobile coverage, and the informal economy will follow. It is a tidy story, and not entirely wrong. However,…
Local officials say the death toll could rise as seven people are missing following the attack on New Year’s Eve. Published On 1 Jan 20261 Jan 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share At least three people have been killed and seven remain missing following an attack on an informal mine in…
Annelene Dippenaar Fintech companies have taken a boots-on-the-ground approach to providing fit-for-purpose financial services in township and rural economies – and that’s helping them outpace the banks and drive digital adoption at higher rates. This is according to Annelene Dippenaar, legal, risk and compliance officer at Shop2Shop, who told TechCentral in an interview that fintechs…
From left: Stephen Britto, CFO and Kosta Scholiadis, founder and CEO of Street Wallet. Cape Town-based fintech start-up Street Wallet has raised R6.2 million ($350 000), at a valuation of over R34 million ($2 million), to accelerate its mission of bringing SA’s street vendors and SMEs into the digital economy. This is according to Kosta…
Port Sudan, August 4, 2025 (SUNA) – Sudan’s Permanent Representative to the African Union, Ambassador Al-Zein Ibrahim Hussein, addressed the Peace and Security Council (PSC) meeting held at the African Union Informal Consultative Session on Monday, which preceded the official sitting on Sudan. Ambassador Al-Zein Ibrahim extended a detailed explanation of the developments in the…
Governments should harness the potential of informality as a bridge rather than a barrier to building economic resilience. Nigeria and South Africa are Africa’s largest economies, and their future development significantly impacts their regions and the continent as a whole. Updated forecasts by the African Futures and Innovation (AFI) team at the Institute for Security…
Jonathan Shrier Acting Representative to the UN Economic and Social Council New York, New York June 30, 2025 AS DELIVERED Thank you, Madam Moderator, and thank you to the briefers for your compelling presentations. Human trafficking is a crime that affects over 27 million people worldwide, destroying communities and threatening national security. It is antithetical…
Deepankar Rustagi, CEO of OmniRetail, at the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan Over the past two decades, modern shopping malls and air-conditioned grocery stores have been popping up across Nigeria. Yet, this is not where most Nigerians shop. An estimated 90% of retail transactions still take place through informal channels – a vibrant ecosystem of…
