Namaste,
Victoria from Techpoint here,
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
- Chowdeck rolls out insurance for 20,000 riders
- Can scan-and-go win outside Nigeria?
- MTN Ghana profit jumps 56%
Chowdeck rolls out insurance for 20,000 riders
Food delivery riders in Nigeria just got a rare win. In a gig economy where most workers hustle without safety nets, Chowdeck has rolled out personal accident insurance for more than 20,000 of its riders.
The company has partnered with MyCoverGenius to provide automatic accident coverage for all active riders on its platform. Effective since November 2024, the plan covers accident-related medical bills, temporary disability compensation, and other work-related risks. It’s fully integrated into Chowdeck’s system, meaning riders are covered once they’re activated, with no paperwork, no extra sign-up stress.
What this means is simple: if a rider gets into an accident while working, their income doesn’t instantly disappear. In Nigeria’s chaotic traffic conditions, where delivery riders navigate congestion and road hazards daily, one crash can wipe out weeks or months of earnings. By embedding insurance directly into its platform, Chowdeck is tackling one of the gig economy’s biggest problems — lack of protection.
Why should you care? Because this could shift the standard. As competition intensifies among delivery and ride-hailing platforms, worker benefits may become a differentiator. If Chowdeck’s move resonates with riders, other companies may feel pressure to match — or exceed — this level of protection to attract and retain talent.
The timing is notable. Since launching in October 2021, Chowdeck has grown rapidly, recently crossing 2 million users and expanding across major Nigerian cities. Its rider network powers that growth. This insurance partnership not only strengthens rider loyalty but also signals a broader trend: Nigerian startups are starting to bake financial protection into their platforms, not bolt it on as an afterthought.
Can scan-and-go win outside Nigeria?
When Jump n Pass launched in Nigeria, it felt like the future had finally landed in African retail. Scan your items, skip the cashier, pay a small fee, and walk out. No queues. No holiday chaos. No awkward “the POS isn’t working” moments. On paper, it made perfect sense. In reality, adoption moved more slowly than expected. Retailers hesitated, customers tried it but didn’t always stick, and the frictionless dream didn’t fully translate.
Victoria Fakiya – Senior Writer
Techpoint Digest
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Now, a Nigerian founder in Canada thinks the idea deserves a second shot, just not at home. Samuel Ayo Oyedemi, the Lagos-born entrepreneur behind SKAAP, is building his own scan-and-go system, starting in Canada and eyeing expansion into the US. He insists it’s not a copycat move. According to him, he had been thinking about the concept already; seeing Jump n Pass simply confirmed that the problem was real.
Oyedemi’s journey didn’t start in a tech lab. He grew up in Lagos, hustling early, selling doughnuts in secondary school, washing cars, running small ventures with his parents, and even working at Access Bank to understand how money and investments move. In 2023, he relocated to Canada, cutting his teeth in commission-based sales before landing at athletic apparel giant Lululemon.
It was there, during a chaotic holiday rush, that SKAAP clicked. Customers were waiting up to 30 minutes to check out. One shopper he assisted via mobile POS finished in ten. The contrast was hard to ignore. Why should paying be the slowest part of shopping in 2026? That moment sharpened his resolve to build a self-checkout system designed for markets with stronger retail infrastructure and higher trust thresholds.
SKAAP is now positioning itself as a smarter evolution of the scan-and-go concept, built for North American retail realities. Whether it succeeds where others struggled remains to be seen. But if you’re curious about how the company actually works and what makes it different, check out Bolu for the full breakdown.
MTN Ghana profit jumps 56%
MTN Ghana has posted a 55.9% jump in profit after tax to GH₵7.8 billion for the year ended December 31, 2025, riding a wave of strong data usage, Mobile Money growth, and improving economic conditions. Service revenue climbed 36.2% to GH₵24.4 billion, helped by a near 49% surge in data revenue and a 35.7% increase in MoMo income. EBITDA rose 43.5%, with margins widening to 60.1%, signalling stronger operational efficiency.
What this shows is simple: MTN’s strategy of doubling down on data, fintech, and network expansion is paying off. Subscriber numbers are growing steadily. Total users rose to 31.2 million, while active data and MoMo users also saw double-digit growth. The company invested GH₵6.4 billion in capex, largely into expanding 4G coverage and improving service quality. It’s also rewarding shareholders with a higher dividend of GH₵0.40 per share.
Why it matters goes beyond Ghana. Just days earlier, MTN Nigeria reported a dramatic turnaround from a ₦400.4 billion loss to a ₦1.1 trillion profit, as currency stability and rising data demand strengthened its recovery. Together, MTN’s two largest West African markets are driving renewed investor confidence, with the group’s share price rallying roughly 77% over the past year on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
There was, however, a technical accounting wrinkle. MTN Ghana disclosed a prior-period error related to network infrastructure leases under IFRS 16 and has restated comparative figures in line with IAS 8. The adjustment is non-cash and expected to slightly improve prior earnings per share figures. With plans to roll out 500 new network sites in 2026 and maintain revenue growth in the mid-to-high 30% range, MTN Ghana is betting that a strengthening macroeconomic environment will keep the momentum going.
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Have a lovely Tuesday!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa
