As we wrap up for the year 2023, we’re looking back at some of our big stories of 2023.
Here are five of our biggest stories of 2023:
Surfline Ghana To Cease Operations Due To Financial Issues
In May 2023, the Ghana 4G LTE provider, Surfline, ceased operations in the country due to financial constraints. The company had done “dark” earlier in the year and hadn’t provided an explanation to its customers for the downtime of its services.
Surfline Ghana entered the Ghanaian marketplace in 2014. The company was the first to offer 4G LTE to consumers.
Since then, the company has faced competition from MTN (which launched its 4G service in 2016), as well as Vodafone which also offered 4G services a couple of years ago.
Multiple Red Flags Raised About The Tingo Group And Its Operations In Nigeria and Ghana
In June 2023, Hindenburg Research, a company specializing in forensic financial research raised several red flags about the Tingo Group, its CEO Dozy Mmobuosi, and its operations in Nigeria and Ghana.
The research company published a posted a lengthy article about the company’s improprieties in Ghana and Nigeria.
Ghanaian Fintech Dash Is Officially Shutting Down
Dash, the Ghanaian fintech in October 2023 officially shut down its operations. Before the company shut down, it laid off 50% of its work staff.
The company made news in 2021 by raising a staggering $32 million in seed funding. But the company soon ran into several issues including its services being shut down in Ghana by the Bank Of Ghana for failure to acquire a license.
The CEO, Prince Boakye Boampong, was suspended from his position after an audit discovered financial improprieties including the fabrication of figures.
Amazon Officially Launching Its Services In South Africa in 2024
In October 2023, Amazon announced that it would launch Amazon.co.za in 2024 in South Africa. The company will be providing South African-based sellers the ability to reach customers across the country starting next year.
Starting October 17, 2023, independent sellers in South Africa can register their businesses on sell.amazon.com/south-africa.
Digital Transport Fee Introduced For Ride-Sharing Players In Ghana
In April, it was reported ride-sharing apps in Ghana would be introducing a digital transport fee (DTF) for all riders in Ghana. This was a directive from the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA).
The decision prompted immediate backlash from riders and Ghana’s DVLA asked ride-hailing companies to temporarily halt the collection of the digital transportation fee.
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