USSD for eNaira, Gozem & IFC $10m fund, Kenya’s ridiculous ICT Bill

To our Nigerian readers, Happy Democracy Day, in arrears.

Starting June 12, you, and your people—outside the US—will no longer need a COVID-19 test or vaccination to enter the United States. The Order that mandated the provision of a negative COVID-19 test was rescinded on June 10, 2022. This is good news as it is one less thing to worry about, but, as a Nigerian, good luck finding a US Visa application slot.

In other top-line news, Interswitch—a legacy tech company founded in Nigeria—has turned on some “startup-level” perks. I’m not surprised. Last year, I had the rare privilege of speaking with the Group Managing Director, Mitchell Elegbe and he told me that a Talent acquisition and retainment strategy was in the works. What I didn’t see coming was how far they were willing to go! So, big ups to Interswitch on actually rolling such perks out.

Last updated: February 5, 2026