Temenos, the banking software company, has announced that Barko, one of the leading microfinance company, plans to enter the retail banking market in South Africa with a new digital bank built on Temenos Transact and powered by The Temenos Banking Cloud

MFS Africa, one of the largest pan-African digital payments hub, has signed an agreement to acquire Baxi, one of Nigerias leading super-agent networks

Orange and the German Development Cooperation are inaugurating an “Orange Digital Center” in Abidjan, an ecosystem entirely dedicated to the development of digital skills and innovation, attended by the highest political and administrative authorities from Côte d’Ivoire

According to the the first DCB Index developed by Evina and Telecoming, Bahrain, Egypt, and Qatar are the most attractive markets for DCB

Analysts from Evina, experts in DCB protection, and Telecoming, experts in DCB implementation, have developed the first Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) Index. This rating aims to provide market players with a comprehensive overview of the current state of the DCB business and its overall potential.

The innovative tool measures the maturity of this mobile payment method in 18 countries. The development of the DCB Index is one of the commitments established in the alliance signed earlier this year by both companies.

Bahrain, Egypt, and Qatar lead the list according to the results of the first DCB Index created to measure the development of this market in MEA. The innovative tool uses four KPIs focused on Fraud Protection, Mobile Payments Innovation, DCB penetration levels, and DCB growth potential.

As a result, the DCB Index establishes a ranking based on the score achieved by each country. It is presented on a scale from one to five, with one as the lowest indicator and five being the most advanced pointer.

According to the analysis, Bahrain (3.7) stands out for its extensive DCB protection against fraud. The country shows full support for DCB, seeing that all local mobile operators have implemented this payment technology, yet innovation remains a weak point to develop.

Local mobile operators and merchants are working together to promote DCB as an effective payment method in Egypt (3.3). It’s a true breeding ground for the development of DCB, and efforts must continue to strengthen DCB protection to realise its full potential. Forward-thinking MNOs have enabled in-app purchases in Qatar (3.2). Its overall innovative approach to mobile payments, such as paying employees via mobile money, demonstrates the country’s predisposition to implement new uses of DCB.

South Africa has a high DCB uptake but has had to deal with fraudulent mobile payment attempts. Hence, increased protection is vital for the sustainable development of DCB as an easy and reliable payment method in the region.

According to Roberto Monge, COO of Telecoming, said, "DCB has been gaining presence in the regions digital economy. This innovative indicator shows that many countries are on the right track. Technology is already in place, but there are still some challenges to face. All the payments tech industry players need to work together to develop a new, reliable, secure and stable mobile economy that benefits the whole market. "

David Lotfi, founder & CEO of Evina, stated, “the DCB Index indicates that fraud on DCB remains as a top barrier to countries maximizing the potential of direct carrier billing. These findings strongly suggest that anti-fraud measures need to be more extensively and consistently implemented so that DCB becomes not only a widely used effortless payment method but a source of greater revenue for mobile players.”