News
Autochek Officially Launches in Kenya
Autochek, the automotive technology company that aims to facilitate auto finance across Africa, has officially widened its operations to Kenya as part of its pan-African expansion. To lead its Kenya operations, Autochek has appointed Bilhah Muriithi as the Country Manager.
Having recently acquired automotive marketplaces Cheki Kenya and Cheki Uganda from ROAM Africa (Ringier One Africa Media), the move into the Kenyan market signals Autochek’s focus on building digital solutions that will increase market adoption for auto loan financing and drive partner prosperity for its core stakeholders, such as dealerships, garages and financial institutions.
With credit penetration in Kenya at 27.5% and over 400,000 car sales per annum, East Africa’s growing market is positioned as a key auto financing hub.
Autochek will leverage its 360-degree automotive solutions to provide vehicle financing and after-sales services through its finance partners such as NCBA Group, Caritas MFB, KKVL, Musoni and Sidian.
With Cheki Kenya’s operations fully integrated with Autochek’s, the company now has over 12,000 unique vehicles listed on the Autochek app and have onboarded licensed brand new car manufactures (Inchcape, CFAO Group & CMC Motors) as well as used car dealers (Al Rahim, Autobox, Newton, Mombasa Khushi & Canon Motors).
To ensure vehicles are kept in good condition, customers in Kenya can access affordable and expert maintenance services from standardised workshops (AutoXpress, Motor Consult, Kei Cars & ) and insurance partners( PesaBazaar & MTEK) via Autochek’s partner network.
Speaking at the official launch event in Nairobi, Etop Ikpe, Founder and CEO of Autochek stated “With a high credit penetration rate, Kenya is an exciting market for us to be expanding into.
The Kenyan market presents an opportunity for us to build on what Cheki Kenya has done over the last decade and to build technology solutions that will drive growth in Africa’s automotive industry.
“We’ve had great success in our pilots by adapting and tailoring our solutions for different consumers. As we expand our operations in Kenya, we are excited to welcome Bilhah on board, who we found to be a strong leader with a solid background in the finance and automotive sector, and is equipped to lead the team in Kenya as we continue to expand our footprint across East Africa and beyond.”
Having started her career at Cheki Kenya, Bilhah joins Autochek from NCBA BANK PLC, Digital Business, where she was responsible for running the Carduka portal, an online motor vehicle platform, as the Business Manager. With over 9 years of experience, Bilhah has built her leadership acumen working with digital brands in Kenya.
As Country Manager, Bilhah will be responsible for overall oversight of the business, growing the marketplace by ensuring that Autochek has all mainstream car dealers, all auto lenders, all car buyers, all insurance & tracking companies.
Commenting on her new role as Country Manager, Bilhah Muriithi said: “We foresee great opportunities in Kenya – not just for Autochek, but also for key stakeholders and consumers. By moving into Kenya, we are able to deliver great opportunities for innovation. I am excited to be joining this highly motivated team, who are passionate about making a real impact across the continent.”
Joining Bilhah, Etop and the Autochek team at the launch event themed “Leveraging Financing to Facilitate Motorization Across Africa” were representatives from key stakeholders including Dr.(Eng) Joseph K.Njoroge, Principal Secretary, State Department of Transport, Major Kipchumba, Chair Kenya Car Bazaar, Hussein Ibrahim, MD, Inchcape, Andreata Muforo-TLCOM Capital & Tony Voorhout, MD, Nissan Kenya.
Launched in 2020 and backed by TLcom Capital and 4DX Ventures, Autochek combines technology underpinned by data analytics to deepen auto finance penetration across the continent. Powered by its residual value algorithm, Autochek is able to pre-qualify customers for financing and disburse auto loans within 48 hours through a single application process.
Autochek’s in-house digital solutions have enabled the platform to partner with over 68 financial institutions, build a 1,000 strong dealer network integrated with 1,000 workshop networks in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya.
News
9mobile Addresses Recent Service Outages, Apologizes for Inconvenience
9mobile has apologized for the recent service outages experienced by its valued customers which has affected their ability to provide voice, data, internet services. “We understand the frustration these disruptions have caused and deeply regret the inconvenience.
“Our technical team has identified the root causes of the outages including a fire incident at our Main Data Centre in Lagos last night which severely impacted services especially in the Lagos and South-West. We are grateful for the swift intervention of the Lagos State Fire Service, which helped prevent further damage.
“Prior to the fire incident, our network experienced major fibre interruptions leading to varying degrees of outages. We had a fibre cut on the backbone links in Lagos which led to a total data outage across the country.
“This was followed closely by two vandalism incidents in Lagos and Abuja, leading to total service outage in South-West and data service outage in the North. Services have now been fully restored in the North & South-South States while restorations work is ongoing in others. We expect to fully restore services as soon as possible”
At 9mobile, customer satisfaction is remains top priority. “We value the trust you place in us and appreciate your patience and understanding during this challenging time. Customers who continue to experience issues can reach out to our customer service team via our social media touchpoints or our experience centres”.
Once again, we sincerely apologize for the disruption and thank you for your continued support.
News
NAF Delegation Visits Zinox Technologies, Discuss Partnership
A high-level delegation from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) recently visited Zinox Technologies, Africa’s foremost integrated ICT solutions company, exploring avenues for a strategic partnership to strengthen the Air Force’s operational and technological infrastructure.
The delegation, led by AVM SK Usman, Chief of Communications Information Systems (CCIS), included notable figures such as Dr. Asogbon, Strategic Consultant on Communication, Air Commodore Isah, Commander of the 041 CIS Dep, Air Commodore AI Hanidu, Director of Information Technology, Air Commodore HC Usman, Director of Electronic Warfare, Squadron Leader Bilawu, and Group Captain Oloretore, Commander of the 641 CIS Group.
During the visit, NAF representatives commended Zinox Technologies for its significant contributions to technological development across Nigeria and Africa. They emphasized the importance of collaboration in addressing critical needs, including the localization and implementation of robust data storage solutions at NAF headquarters and nationwide offices to ensure data security and accessibility, as well as deploying intelligent and advanced video surveillance systems to enhance security and operational efficiency.
Additionally, the discussions highlighted providing reliable and efficient alternative power solutions to support critical operations and establishing and equipping annex facilities to meet the NAF’s growing data storage and processing requirements. Both parties also proposed solutions to support the development of various data centres for the Air Force. These discussions underscored Zinox’s capability to meet NAF’s complex requirements, leveraging its experience and innovative technology offerings to enhance national security operations.
Zinox Technologies, known for its pioneering role in the African tech industry, has a proven track record and a rich history of impactful projects across Nigeria and the continent. The company has been instrumental in driving digital transformation initiatives, providing cutting-edge IT solutions, and supporting numerous sectors with innovative tech products.
The foremost tech company has executed several transformative initiatives, including Africa’s largest ICT voter registration rollout and impactful e-education and e-health projects in Nigeria. Zinox holds prestigious certifications such as the Microsoft Windows Hardware Quality Lab Certification and ISO 9001:2000.
Zinox’s commitment to technological advancement has earned them a reputation as a leader in the African tech ecosystem, making them a trusted partner for the NAF’s ambitious projects.
By partnering with Zinox, the NAF aims to leverage indigenous cutting-edge technology to enhance its operational capabilities and contribute to the overall development of the Nigerian Air Force. This collaboration highlights Zinox’s unwavering commitment to leveraging technology to support Nigeria’s growth and development.
News
Nasarawa Technology Village Attracts 12Bn Investments
Modern Shelter Systems and Services Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading real estate firms has announced that the Nasarawa Technology Village has attracted investments of N12 billion since the project commenced.
The real estate firm added that it has officially commenced feasibility studies for the Aso-Pada Toll Road, which will catalyse the development of the tech-driven innovation hub, creating value for investors and transforming lives along the Keffi-Nyanya-Abuja corridor.
With the signing of the Aso-Pada Toll Road project, Modern Shelter said it is one step closer to realising the vision of Nasarawa Technology Village, which is powered by innovation as the project will connect communities, attract investments, and unlock socio-economic opportunities while providing sustainable, affordable housing for the future.
Commenting on the development, Abdulmalik Mahdi, chief executive officer, said that “The Aso-Pada Toll Road will serve as the backbone of Modern Shelter’s Nasarawa Technology Village, bringing 1,962 homes, a tech incubation centre and more to life.
“The Aso-Pada Toll Road will not only enhance connectivity but also drive the success of our Nasarawa Technology Village project, powered by NGN12.5 billion in investments. Together, we’re creating a hub for innovation, sustainability, and opportunity,” he explained.
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