Facebook truly likes financial services. It entered Nigerian financial sector when some banks launched Facebook Messenger banking with MasterCard.  Now, it is taking it to the next level: stablecoin on WhatsApp for remittance services.

Facebook Inc. is working on making a cryptocurrency that will let users transfer money on its WhatsApp messaging app, focusing first on the remittances market in India, according to people familiar with the matter.

The company is developing a stablecoin — a type of digital currency pegged to the U.S. dollar — to minimize volatility, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing internal plans. Facebook is far from releasing the coin, because it’s still working on the strategy, including a plan for custody assets, or regular currencies that would be held to protect the value of the stablecoin, the people said.

It is possible very soon we will see a crypto linked to the Nigerian Naira for Facebook users in Nigeria. How? It is simple: if Facebook can make one linked to US dollars, it can easily translate that to the Naira. Possibly, Facebook would emerge as the operating system for consumer blockchain ecosystem for the next Internet. Facebook has the scale to make any coin an immediate winner in the world.

If the U.S. giant does carry out the plan that Bloomberg is reporting it would (easily) be the largest company to embrace consumer blockchain service. That’s both in terms of the size of the business — a $376 billion market cap and annual revenue of more than $40 billion — and the user base it touches. Facebook reaches more than 2.2 billion people for its core social network, 1.5 billion for WhatsApp, 1.3 billion for Messenger and a further one billion via Instagram.

It is looking increasingly clear that one of the ICT utilities would build the unified African currency which can work in any African economy with capabilities to remove the limitations of distance and geography.

Reinvention of Money

Facebook is going to change money for its continent with at least 2 billion citizens: it is hiring blockchain experts and M&A professionals who can do deals in that space. Yes, Facebook may simply have to buy some companies to move this redesign faster.

Facebook’s small blockchain group has ambitious plans to potentially disrupt the entire payments industry, but the company is also running into recruiting challenges amid its many public scandals.

In recent months, the world’s largest social network has been quietly trying to recruit product managers, engineers, academics, and legal experts with experience in cryptocurrencies and payments, according to people familiar with the effort. Nearly 40 employees — including several former PayPal execs — work in Facebook’s ($FB) secretive blockchain group, and the company recently appointed a head of business development to oversee acquisitions and deals in the space.

Since officially forming its blockchain group just eight months ago, Facebook has sent staffers to crypto conferences around the world to recruit researchers, cryptographers, and top academics in the field. At a private dinner Facebook hosted during a recent crypto conference, one attendee told Cheddar that Facebook employees pitched the idea of creating a decentralized digital currency for the social network’s 2 billion users.

Write Nigeria off at your peril – that nation will create a high concentration of new class of business shakers in coming decade. The problems are huge, so are the opportunities. Fix them and experience your moments. This is our time.

Boeing Co and Nigeria’s Green Africa Airways have committed for up to 100 737 MAX 8 aircraft, in a deal that carries a list price of $11.7 billion, Reuters reports. Boeing has it on its website (see below).

The deal is the largest aircraft agreement from Africa, and will be reflected on Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website once finalized, Boeing said. bit.ly/2Bxa38z

The commitment is evenly split into 50 firm aircraft and 50 options, it added.

Full Press on Boeing Website

SEATTLE, Dec. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE:BA] and Lagos-based Green Africa Airways today announced a commitment for up to 100 737 MAX 8 aircraft, evenly split into 50 firm aircraft and 50 options, as the airline gears up to begin commercial operations. The total deal carries a list-price of $11.7 billion, the largest aircraft agreement from Africa, and will be reflected on Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website once finalized.

“Today is a historic day for the Nigerian and African aviation industry,” said Babawande Afolabi, Founder & CEO, Green Africa Airways. “This landmark deal takes us much closer to our long-held dream of building a world-class airline that will unlock a new realm of positive possibilities for millions of customers. Broadly speaking, this deal is a bold symbol of the dynamism, resilience and soaring entrepreneurial drive of the next generation of Nigerians and Africans.”

Green Africa Airways, a value airline based in Lagos, Nigeria aims to offer safe, quality and affordable air travel and be a significant contributor to the economic development of Nigeria and the African continent. The new airline has received its Air Transport License from the Nigerian government and is anchored by a group of senior industry leaders led by Tom Horton, former Chairman and CEO of American Airlines, William Shaw, Founder and former CEO of VivaColombia and Virasb Vahidi, former CCO of American Airlines.

“Nigeria is uniquely positioned to be the home of the next major value airline. The strategic partnership with Boeing positions Green Africa Airways to expand and improve air travel for customers in Nigeria, and further strengthens the relationship between the United States, Nigeria and Africa,” Vahidi said.

The airline initially plans to develop the Nigerian market and then build a strong Pan African network. According to Boeing’s 20-year Commercial Market Outlook, airlines in Africa will require 1,190 new airplanes as the continent boosts both intra-continental and intercontinental connectivity over the next couple of decades.

“The growth potential for air travel across Nigeria and Africa is extraordinary with the airplane fleet expected to more than double over the next 20 years. We are delighted that Green Africa Airways has selected the 737 MAX to serve this expanding market,” said Ihssane Mounir, Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales & Marketing, The Boeing Company. “We look forward to Green Africa Airways building their fleet with the MAX and taking advantage of the jet’s efficiency and dependability to open new options across Nigeria and the African continent. Boeing will be a trusted partner to Green Africa Airways as the MAX is introduced into their operations and through their long-term success.”

The 737 MAX is the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history, accumulating more than 4,800 orders from over 100 customers worldwide. The airplane’s superior performance is enabled by the latest technology in the single-aisle market, including advanced CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets, and other airframe enhancements.

The money continues to rain for Nigerian digital-focused companies: Wakanow got an early Father Christmas present as Carlyle Group, one of the world’s premier private equity firms, announced to drop $40 million to help the Nigerian digital travel agent pioneer scale.

Founded in 2009 in Nigeria, Wakanow is one of West Africa’s largest full-service online travel companies, providing its customers with a one-stop online booking portal for flights, hotels, holiday packages, and other travel services and ancillaries.

Part of the press statement.

Global alternative asset manager, The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG), Thursday announced that it had agreed to invest $40 million in Wakanow.com Limited (Wakanow), an online travel agency focused on West and East Africa, with principal operations in Nigeria.

Equity came from Carlyle’s Sub-Saharan Africa fund and further financial details were not disclosed.

Founded in 2009 in Nigeria, Wakanow is one of West Africa’s largest full-service online travel companies, providing its customers with a one-stop online booking portal for flights, hotels, holiday packages, and other travel services and ancillaries.

This investment adds to Carlyle’s experience in the online travel sector, where it has invested in companies such as C-trip, one of the major online travel agencies operating across China, the Latin American travel and tour operator CVC Brasil, and Vasco Turismo, one of the largest travel operations groups in Peru.

Obinna Ekezie, Co-Founder and CEO, Wakanow, said: “We are excited to partner with Carlyle as we continue to grow and expand in Africa and beyond. Carlyle’s global footprint and scale as well as its extensive experience and network in the online travel sector will help us to further develop our offerings and broaden our customer base.”

Idris Mohammed, Managing Director, The Carlyle Group, said: “Wakanow has experienced incredible growth since inception, disrupting the travel market and taking market share both online and offline. We believe that this strong growth trajectory will continue as Wakanow benefits from an expanding middle class across the continent in addition to increasing internet penetration and mobile connectivity, which is driving increased online traffic. We look forward to working with Wakanow’s management team to help them deliver on their vision for growth and expansion.”

Mayowa Ayodele, Chief Investment Officer, Platform Capital, one of Wakanow’s lead investors, said: “We are happy to partner with Carlyle and look forward to working together with them to strengthen Wakanow’s market position, accelerate innovation, deepen its systems and processes to realise the vision of a truly world class online travel agency with African roots.”

I am honored and readily available to support this mission of preparing creators of technologies over mere consumers. Yes, a nation of making things over agents of consumerism.

A media outfit has disclosed that it has gone into a partnership with the Association of Africa Initiatives and Inventors (AFII), to harness skills in the country.

Speaking at the event, the founder, Luz De Calcio, Femi Akinola, said the aim of the partnership with AFII was to lay down necessary foundation that will facilitate discoveries of untapped scientific and technological ingenuity and traits of young Nigerians.

According to him, “We want our children to become inventors that is why we are introducing them to established inventors in the likes of Innoson auto mobile company, Ndubuisi Ekekwe, microchipa, Cyprian Emeka, Yemi Adesokan, Ume Ifeanyi Charles among others.

SCADA Services Simply Life as a Digital Manager

As project management becomes more and more linked to the digital world, it is not surprising that SCADA services are becoming a popular tool across the industry. In short, services such as this help managers keep control over data through different software programs.

SCADA stands for supervisory control and data acquisition, and there are several different programs on the market depending on what one is required for their business purposes. They are most useful in controlling information intake and analysis in real time for businesses, such as factories or communication firms. The computer program will gather all of the data to help operations move efficiently and effectively.

Comparison Shop for the Best Scada Services

A good SCADA service will make the job of the project manager seamless and easy. The learning curve will be simple, and it will provide added value to the daily operations management team in general. Many managers are forced to deal with an abundance of contractors that can make their job more difficult. However, SCADA services can help simplify their tasks. These software programs have made innovative strides to change this industry for the better. If you are in the market for SCADA software, then check out Telstar Instruments for a one-stop shop that will help you find the best SCADA and Automation services available.

It doesn’t matter if you are in charge of a power plant or a government agency, a SCADA service can help simplify your daily life. This is where comparison shopping will help you see which services will be the best fit for your needs. The program you pick can vary depending on your industry, as each sector relies on different mandates and needs. However, Telstar can help narrow down your choices, according to your criteria, making your search simple and effective.

What Type of SCADA Platform is Best?

Just as there are different industry needs, there are SCADA services designed to best help each of these sectors. In general, SCADA systems were designed to gain control and monitor various aspects of different factories or distribution. They are usually linked to the ebb and flow of society, such as the oil and gas industry or even waste management. These often include (but are not limited to) electricity, water, and pipeline management. It can even extend to public transportation and stoplight timers which rely on careful planning and oversight. The overall goal of the SCADA system is to ease time management and provide a set of eyes where the manager might not have had one before.

There are several different types of SCADA systems that have been put in place due to the rise of their popularity over the years. There are at least 4 main types of SCADA architectures, but the most prevalent used today include networked and distributed systems. Each of these programs are used to bring synchronization to the project manager’s control room where it can help transform the tasks at hand into a seamless operation. This, in turn, will increase profitability and cut down on extra corners that might not have been possible without the SCADA system in place.

Overall, SCADA helps add a level of control over various systems in a given industry. The most prevalent companies in energy and society at both the public and private level have these in place to build a competitive and well-oiled machine that works to the best of its ability. SCADA provides a centralized unit where the project manager can monitor the processes as they occur in real time. Data is handled as it enters the system to create a seamless production from the beginning to the end.

The help a SCADA system provides can mean the difference between a profitable or failed venture. There is so much data input today that it is virtually impossible to keep track of as a single individual. Thus, SCADA systems allow the project manager to grow their operations without letting quality control slip. This is an important aspect as society relies on many of these SCADA systems to help daily operations run at its best ability. Without a great SCADA system in place, a project manager’s job increases ten fold and the risk is too great without one.