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Amara’s Hassle With Scammers: How Peppa Saved Her

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1 year ago

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Amara’s Hassle With Scammers: How Peppa Saved Her

Hey there! I’m Mark. You remember? That tech enthusiast who loves just two things more than anything. Tech and my diary: “Amara’s Hassle With Scammers: How Peppa Saved Her.”

I live in Lagos and it is a very beautiful place. Boisterous, but beautiful. Her streets are like a lively painting, with busy people and colorful market stalls making a vivid picture. At sunset, the warm orange glow bathes the city, casting long shadows that stretch across the bustling markets and lively street corners. You definitely can’t ignore the evening air, filled with the savory aroma of street food vendors, with sizzling suya and delicious akara balls tempting every passersby. Amidst the chaos and mothers calling to their kids to pack up for the day, cars weave through narrow and untarred lanes, their honks blending with the sounds of teenagers laughing, loud music, and spirited amebo. It is such beautiful, and chaotic symphony that defines the heart of Lagos.

Let’s Listen Amara’s Narrate Her Hassle

I had just come home after a long day and my body desired nothing more than my bed. Then the knock came. It was my neighbor. Amara, my three year old neighbor had gotten a promotion at work which required her to move into a new place. Great news! I was bone-tired but how could I not open the door to a neighbor moving out?

Two minutes, and a glass of water later, she told me about this really beautiful furniture she saw on an online store. She didn’t want to move into her new place with her old furniture. So she had decided to get new ones. While surfing the internet, she had come upon an online household store filled with exquisite furniture, from very colorful cushions to incredibly beautiful tables and curtains. She couldn’t resist exploring the beautiful collection, and then she found it – a white three piece sofa. To most, it might have seemed like an ordinary piece, but Amara could see its uniqueness. Her rich friend had imported something of that nature last year.

Excited and without hesitation, she told her family to forget about getting sofas from Alaba market. She planned to buy it from the online store.

Besides being a fan of very loud afro music, she was also an intelligent editor, giving her a sharp eye for details. So despite her initial ‘gra gra’ (enthusiasm), several things made her hesitant about making the purchase. First, the prices were incredibly low, too good to be true, which raised a big red flag. Second, the website itself seemed poorly designed and outdated. It made her wonder if this was a trustworthy place to shop. The third ominous sign was the mysterious seller. There were no photos or personal information, just some anonymous silhouette suggesting the seller was a woman. That level of secrecy was concerning. In addition to these, the reviews on the site sounded overly positive, like they were written by the seller. She could feel in her gut that something wasn’t right. Coupled with these, the store only accepted cryptocurrency, which was very unfamiliar to Amara. She wished they would take traditional payments, like credit cards. She also had reservations about the uncertainty surrounding shipping and delivery. The website didn’t provide any clear dates or tracking information. She could figure that out later though, but it still made her nervous.

I already knew my sweet neighbor was on the verge of being scammed. Funny thing is she had the same nudge too, but the allure of the sofa outweighed her paranoia. As usual, I introduced Amara to PEPPA and the concept of Escrow. I explained that PEPPA often acts as a neutral third party that holds funds or assets in a transaction. I added that PEPPA has the responsibility of ensuring that both the buyer and seller meet their obligations as per the agreed-upon terms. Funds are released when the terms are met, and in case of disputes, PEPPA mediates and ensures that the agreement’s instructions are followed. I also pointed out that PEPPA is always ideal for online purchases, and various financial transactions to enhance trust and transparency. As an aside, explaining something to someone who has no idea of it feels incredible! I felt like a renown college professor.

Being a strategist with “smart moves”, we hatched a plan and reached out to the online store, expressing our interest to purchase the sofa. As expected, the mysterious seller was very willing to proceed. After the mysterious seller provided necessary details, I insisted on using PEPPA for the transaction to protect both parties. As I expected, but to Amara’s surprise, our bogus seller hesitated, claiming to have never used an escrow service before. Without breaking a sweat, I explained how it worked – PEPPA would hold the payment until Amara received the sofa and was satisfied with the purchase. After much persuasion, our seller reluctantly agreed. I helped Amara create a PEPPA account and set up the App. She transferred the funds, and the sofa was scheduled to arrive in there days.

We started the waiting game. Weeks passed, and our ridiculous seller continued to blame Amara for the hold-up, urging her to pay directly instead of using PEPPA so that the sofa could arrive quickly. I sincerely can’t forget the look of relief on Amara’s face when she came to my house about three weeks later. She had escaped being scammed by a hair’s breadth. As for me? I had the look of “I told you so” properly plastered on my face.

Thankfully, PEPPA allows verified and registered sellers display their goods on the PEPPA site. We did a quick browse and we found really lovely pieces of furniture at reasonably affordable prices. We ordered a similar three piece sofa and took delivery in 2 days! Amara was beyond thrilled! She had her new house beautifully arranged and looking perfect.

Conclusion

I still miss Amara. Definitely not her loud music. I’m really glad PEPPA saved her from the pit scammers dug for her. I’ll close my diary for now, I need to take my evening stroll!

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BUSINESS

African Development Bank signs $45 million grant agreement with Chad for asphalting of the Kyabé-Mayo road section

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African Development Bank signs $45 million grant agreement with Chad for asphalting of the Kyabé-Mayo road section

The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) and the government of Chad have signed a grant agreement worth $44.9 million to finance the asphalting of the 49.5-kilometre Kyabé-Mayo section of the Kyabé-Singako road, including the construction of a 55-metre bridge.

The agreement was signed in N’Djamena on 19 February 2025 by Tahir Hamid Nguilin, Minister of State for Finance, Budget, Economy, Planning and International Cooperation, and Claude N’Kodia, the Bank’s Acting Representative in Chad. Several members of the Chadian government were also present, including the Minister for Infrastructure, Access-Improvement and Road Maintenance, Amir Idriss Kourda, and the Secretary of State for Finance and Budget, Ali Djadda Kampard. Also present was a delegation from the International Monetary Fund, led by its head of mission for Chad, Julien Reynaud,

African Development Bank signs $45 million grant agreement with Chad for asphalting of the Kyabé-Mayo road section

African Development Bank signs $45 million grant agreement with Chad for asphalting of the Kyabé-Mayo road section

The funding will support one of the Chadian government’s key development objectives through strategic infrastructure improvement.

“The [Moyen-Chari] region, including Kyabé, Singako and Am Timan, has strong economic potential. It is Chad’s main agricultural basin and livestock area, rich in fish resources. Fish are supplied from Moyen-Chari to a large part of the country’s south and even to foreign markets,” stated Nguilin, also the Bank’s Governor for Chad.

The road project will open up southern and eastern regions of Chad, reduce vulnerability, and strengthen the resilience of local populations, especially women and young people. It will improve the transportation of goods and people between Kyabé and Singako by providing an all-weather road, facilitating the flow of agricultural and animal products from the rich areas of Moyen-Chari and Salamat to the consumer centers of Sarh, Moundou, N’Djamena and Abéché. It will also enhance accessibility to Moyen-Chari from neighboring Sudan.

The agreement paves the way for support from the Islamic Development Bank to finance the second section of the 205-kilometer Mayo-Singako-Am Timan at an estimated cost of $275.5 million.

“The African Development Bank is a strategic partner of Chad, particularly in the transport sector. The construction of the road section will reduce the overall cost of transport in Moyen-Chari […] and improve the living conditions of local people thanks to easier access to health and education facilities and to the country’s main consumer centers,” said N’Kodia.

The Kyabé-Mayo section of the Kyabé-Singako road is one of the missing links in the N’Djamena-Moundou-Sarh-Kyabé-Am Timan-Abéché corridor and forms part of the priority structuring network that the Chadian government aims to develop to ensure nationwide coverage and permanent accessibility.

The African Development Bank Group remains a strategic financial partner for Chad, with its strategy paper focusing on two priority pillars: developing infrastructure to achieve strong and diversified economic growth and promoting good governance to increase the effectiveness of public action and the attractiveness of the economic environment.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) Maintains Leadership in Global Ranking of Islamic Syndications for 4 Consecutive Years

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The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) Maintains Leadership in Global Ranking of Islamic Syndications for 4 Consecutive Years

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) Maintains Leadership in Global Ranking of Islamic Syndications for 4 Consecutive Years

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-IDB.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), has reinforced its position as a key player in the Islamic syndications market, achieving prominent rankings in the 2024 Bloomberg and Refinitiv League tables.

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) Maintains Leadership in Global Ranking of Islamic Syndications for 4 Consecutive Years

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) Maintains Leadership in Global Ranking of Islamic Syndications for 4 Consecutive Years

For the fourth consecutive year, the ITFC top-tier performance reflects a strategic focus on delivering impactful trade finance solutions. For 2024, Refinitiv ranked ITFC as Globally # 1 Bookrunner and Mandated Lead Arranger (MLA) in their Islamic Syndications League table. Additionally, and Bloomberg also ranked ITFC among the top Bookrunners and MLA in the Islamic Syndications League table. These rankings are a testament to the ITFC ability to consistently deliver value-driven results and maintain a strong position among leading international and regional financial institutions.

The recognition from Refinitiv and Bloomberg confirms that ITFC is a key player in facilitating trade among OIC member countries. This not only reaffirms the ITFC status as the pre-eminent provider of trade solutions but also underscores its remarkable ability to draw investments from a wide spectrum of global investors and financial institutions.

Additionally, it emphasizes the positive impact on the lives and livelihood of people inherent in the ITFC business operating model, demonstrating its effectiveness in meeting the unique financial needs of OIC member countries.

The Refinitiv and Bloomberg League tables rank banks and financial institutions based on their performance in loan syndications, bonds, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions. The rankings, including arrangers, bookrunners, administrative agents, and advisors, are published quarterly and annually.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).
About the International Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC):
The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. It was established with the primary objective of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world. Commencing operations in January 2008, ITFC has provided more than US$83 billion of financing to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for these member countries’ needs. With a mission to become a catalyst for trade development for OIC member countries and beyond, the Corporation helps entities in member countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity building tools, which would enable them to successfully compete in the global market.

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Network International appointed as Payment Processing Partner by MTN Group Fintech

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Network International appointed as Payment Processing Partner by MTN Group Fintech

Network International (Network) (www.Network.ae), a leading enabler of digital commerce across the Middle East and Africa (MEA), has been appointed as a Payment Processor – Issuing partner for MTN Group Fintech, Africa’s leading mobile financial services provider. This partnership marks a significant extension of Network’s portfolio of issuer processing collaborations throughout the African continent.

Network International appointed as Payment Processing Partner by MTN Group Fintech

Network International appointed as Payment Processing Partner by MTN Group Fintech

With a footprint spanning over 50 countries and serving over 250 financial institutions, Network International brings its expertise to this partnership which will enhance MTN Fintech’s cutting-edge mobile services and provide even greater value to stakeholders and customers across Africa.

The partnership will focus on rolling out card issuance products across key MTN Fintech markets, starting with Rwanda which is already operational. Soon   Uganda, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria will also be covered under this collaboration.  Network International will provide a comprehensive range of services, including transaction processing, card management and online fraud prevention. MTN Fintech users will benefit from a seamless experience accessing both traditional mobile services and innovative digital payment solutions.

Dr. Reda Helal, Group Managing Director – Processing, Africa and Co-Head Group Processing at Network International commented: “Our collaboration with MTN Group Fintech marks a major milestone for our outsourced payments services in Africa. It demonstrates our ability to successfully serve Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) via our fully-fledged processing solutions and our continued dedication and commitment to the African region. We are excited to support MTN Group Fintech’s growth strategy, and its business development plans across the continent.”  

Cedric N’guessan, Executive for Payment and E-commerce at MTN Group Fintech added, “This collaboration with Network International is pivotal in enhancing financial inclusion across Africa and beyond. It enables our customers to actively engage in the global economy, aligning perfectly with our strategic goals alongside Mastercard to broaden access to digital financial services across the continent.” Read More (https://apo-opa.co/43aKuII)

MTN Group provides voice, data, fintech, enterprise wholesale and API services to more than 288 million customers in 14 African markets.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Network International.
About MTN Group Fintech:
MTN Fintech, the platform business of MTN Group, is dedicated to revolutionising global financial services through innovative digital technology solutions. Leveraging MTN’s extensive reach and expertise in telecommunications, MTN Fintech is committed to advancing financial inclusion for all and empowering communities in Africa. With a primary focus on pioneering mobile financial services, digital payments, e-commerce, short-term insurance, and remittance capabilities, MTN Fintech strives to establish seamless, accessible, and secure financial ecosystems that shape the future of digital finance.

About Network International:
Network International is the Middle East and Africa’s largest and leading digital payments company. Our purpose is to help businesses and economies grow by simplifying payments and commerce. We operate in 50+ countries serving governments, banks, fintechs, merchants and public sector companies. We have 2,000+ employees based in our markets serving over 250 financial institutions and 130,000+ merchants.

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