Ethio Telecom selects Subex’s AI-first HyperSense Fraud Management to replace the operator’s legacy system.
The solution, which is built on Subex’s AI orchestration platform, HyperSense, will replace Ethio Telecom’s existing legacy fraud management system, thereby enabling them to move from a traditional rules-based approach to an AI-first approach. This approach will, in-turn, enable them to detect new and unknown threats in real-time.
“The Ethio Telecom has recently launched a pre-commercial 5G network within the country. In order to sustain its market leadership by providing high-quality, and innovative offerings, Ethio Telecom wanted to enhance and broaden its risk management strategy by having a holistic defense mechanism,” said Subex on its statement sent to Capital.
As indicated on the statement with Subex’s AI-first Fraud Management system on HyperSense, which leverages AI in every step of the Fraud management process, Ethio Telecom will be able to bring in enhanced accuracy, coverage, and time-to-detect. These capabilities will, in turn, enable the operator to adopt a proactive approach to combatting risks such as SIM Box, Spoofing, SMS frauds, roaming frauds, subscription frauds, device frauds, mobile money risks, and credit risk management. Furthermore, with its earlier deployment of Subex’s business assurance, Ethio Telecom will now be able to consolidate its revenue assurance and fraud management approach to ensure the breaking down of silos and enhance operational efficiency.
“This win marks another chapter in our long-standing relationship with Ethio Telecom and it comes close on the heels of our recent Business Assurance deployment. With the implementation of our fraud management solution coupled with the existing Business Assurance solution, Ethio Telecom will now benefit from a holistic risk management approach as they gear up to provide 5G services. Today, our risk management portfolio sets itself apart by adopting an AI-first approach to mitigate threats accurately and faster,” said Shankar Roddam, Whole-Time Director and Chief Operating Officer at Subex whilst commenting on the partnership extension.
Ethio Telecom has consistently been at the forefront of adopting proactive measures to combat telecom risks and safeguard their business and customer as the operator recognizes the value of an approach which places AI at the core.
“Subex’s AI-first fraud management system will be vital in safeguarding our business and customers. We see this as a future-proof investment that aligns with our digital services initiatives,” said Tsegaye Emmanuel, Chief Information Security Officer at EthioTelecom indicating that for over two decades, Subex has been the leading group in the fraud management space.
Ethio Telecom selects HyperSense Fraud Management
GIG ECONOMY CHAMPIONS
Each year, the Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) prize competition- a flagship philanthropic initiative spearheaded by the Jack Ma Foundation aims to identify, support and inspire the next generation of African entrepreneurs who are making a difference in their local communities, working to solve the most pressing problems, and building a more sustainable and inclusive economy for the future.
One of this year’s competitors is Amadou Daffe – a driven entrepreneur with a robust background in IT. Amadou who is an impact driven individual aims to place Ethiopia in the start-up map on the continent with Gebeya, Inc. – a Pan-African online talent Marketplace that identifies the Best of African Talent, and matches them with cutting-edge projects from selective customers.
With Africa’s emerging gig economy sector and the rise of remote work, opportunities are on the rise for the youth to become entrepreneurs and business owners, thus reducing unemployment and contributing to economic prosperity. Amadou to this end has assembled a leadership team of multilingual and multicultural Africans on the continent and in the diaspora, to launch a managed digital marketplace connecting businesses to the skilled talent on Gebeya’s platform. Capital reached out to Amadou for a candid interview on what led to the formation of his company as well his perspective on entrepreneurship in Africa among other things. Excerpts;
Capital: Introduce yourself, your company and what inspired you to build this innovative platform?
Amadou Daffe: My name is Amadou Daffe. I am the CEO and co-founder of Gebeya.com. I have 3 passions in life: Technology, Africa, and Talent – in that order. I consider myself a true pan-Africanist, having lived in several African countries, although I spent half of my life in the US. I moved back to Africa and settled in Ethiopia 6 years ago with the only goal of building a Pan-African Tech company that can compete on a global scale.
Gebeya, the company I co-founded, is a Pan-African online freelance platform created to bridge the labor gap between skilled freelancers and companies in Africa while strengthening the continent’s presence and competitiveness throughout the global gig economy.
The world’s youngest continent is looking for work. Every African country and most humanitarian and financial institutions deal with the painful challenge of creating jobs for Africa’s growing population. Africa’s working-age population is expected to grow by 450 million people, or close to 70 percent, by 2035.
There are several industries and innovations out there that are trying to solve this job creation problem. I fundamentally believe that the gig economy will become the new working-class norm and the most obvious way to put millions of African youth at work. Gebeya is on its way to building a super freelance marketplace aggregator of thousands of niche-specific gig marketplaces in every country in Africa where young people are looking for work.
Capital: How do you define being an entrepreneur in Africa?
Amadou Daffe: I believe entrepreneurs are the same wherever they are located on this planet. Entrepreneurs are intricately problem solvers. Africa is full of problems to solve, whatever country you are in. Furthermore, Africa stands out as a hotspot for entrepreneurship due to its potential for digital innovation and its sizeable and expanding youth population that will drive innovation across the continent. An African entrepreneur’s advantage over others is contextualizing local solutions to local problems. In some cases, some solutions can be borrowed from other places, but they need to be adaptable.
Capital: Entrepreneurship in Africa is a bit challenging compared to the rest of the world. What main challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
Amadou Daffe: Let me reformulate this question differently by saying that being an African entrepreneur is much more exciting, impactful, and rewarding than anywhere else. Whether they are in Africa, Asia, Europe, or America, entrepreneur’s role is to solve challenges, whether big or small. It is indeed easier to start a business in one African country than in another, but being an entrepreneur means much more than just starting a business. There are different levels of entrepreneurship. As Vusi Thembekwayo said, there are 4 reasons why entrepreneurs start businesses: to live well (lifestyle), to leave something for your kids (legacy), to sell the business (exit), or to change the world
(philosophy). I do believe that the philosophical reason to start a business is more challenging for entrepreneurs in Africa because of the multiple environmental, financial, familial, psychological (i.e., fear of failure), and social pressures we face daily in the countries we do business in. However, many African entrepreneurs have done very well for themselves in terms of lifestyle and legacy.
My team and I are building a business that will change the world. I honestly think the only main challenge I faced in the past was to find a team that was crazy enough to join me on this journey. Once I found the men and women who bought into the vision and mission, everything became more of learning rather than challenges.
Capital: Tell us about the recent rounds of the Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) competition? How has the process been like?
Amadou Daffe: In comparison to the other 50 competitors, once I knew the rules and what the expectations were, I felt pretty confident that I was going to be part of the top 20. I have done hundreds of business pitches in my life. Moreover, Gebeya’s vision is not just a business for me, it is part of who I am and the impact I want to have for a better Africa. This critical factor allows me to express what, why, and how I do what I do. It is easy to be confident if you are an expert in what you do and have a dogmatic passion for it.
Going into the second round, I saw the judges as investors and board directors. I had the privilege of pitching to dozens of investors in the past and even convincing some of them to invest in Gebeya. That kind of past experience gave me an advantage when submitting my application and eventually talking to the judges as part of the top 50 finalists.
I am looking forward to being part of the top 10. They will be picked based on who scored the highest during the due diligence process. Gebeya has been through intense due diligence during its last investment round. I believe we have what it takes to pass the ABH due diligence requirements. Then I will look forward to pitching in front of seasoned judges and hundreds of guests in Kigali. I believe that will be where the real challenge is since you have to be able to deliver the message under pressure. I am eagerly looking forward to that.
Capital: What have you so far learned from the ABH competition? What new thing did it add to your career?
Amadou Daffe: I have learned that it is really Africa’s time. With ABH, I have encountered so many people in every corner of this continent, entrepreneurs, ABH team members, advisors, and judges who are genuinely interested in creating an Africa 3.0 with prosperity, alleviating poverty, financial inclusion, food self-sufficiency, digital economy, creating jobs, and boosting education. I have read many data reports, press releases, and assumptions about African entrepreneurs, but meeting so many of them in such a short time validated that the continent is in good hands. I learned something new from every entrepreneur, ABH team member, and judge I encountered all throughout this journey. I added a new set of rich connections from different sectors and countries to my network.
Capital: What do you expect in the coming rounds?
Amadou Daffe: I am expecting to be part of the top 10. I had never personally applied for an award before. I always put Gebeya up front. This is a new journey for me. Being part of the top 10 will maybe set a new trend for me to go for more awards. Moreover, being part of the 3 finalists will be exciting. You see, in the African Startup Ecosystem, Ethiopia is really underrepresented. This is no longer acceptable as Ethiopia is the second largest African country in terms of population, second to Nigeria, and has been consistently part of the top 5 fastest growing economies in the continent. Yet, when it comes to startups, we are barely on the map. It will be truly my honor to be part of the top 3 finalists and represent Ethiopia at this very prominent ABH stage.
Capital: What is your plan for the future?
Amadou Daffe: My plan in the future is to turn Gebeya into a group with several different, but connected business verticals. I want to take the Gebeya group to every corner of the continent and then eventually make this Ethiopian-born startup, global in the next 5 years. My objective is to emulate what Ethiopian Airlines has done over the past 70 years, being the top Airline company in Africa that is competing globally.
Capital: Do you believe there is a winning formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur? What is yours?
Amadou Daffe: Well, I am not sure about a winning formula since entrepreneurs are different depending on the environment they come from, status in life, and their upbringing. But there is a common pattern that I see with each successful entrepreneur: they dream big but start small, they are problem solvers who don’t let their current situations define who they are, and finally, they are extremely resilient and will continue to grind no matter what they are going through. I kind of fit into those 3 cases, I left my comfort zone in the US to come to Ethiopia to start up a new kind of business that was never heard of before. I was told 6 years ago that it is extremely difficult to run a tech company in Ethiopia, FOREX is an issue, regulations are high barriers to entry, there are states of emergencies on the regular, and the internet is unstable and is cut off sporadically. I have heard it all. But because of my resilient mindset, the fact that I don’t get deterred by current environments, and that my dream was too big to let someone else do it, I stuck to it. Six years later, I am being interviewed by one of the most prominent newspapers in Ethiopia: Capital Newspaper, for being part of the African Business Heroes competition. What a journey! I believe in Ethiopia because it is a modern nation in the building. You are in for the long haul, or you are not in it at all.
Capital: What piece of key advice would you like to share with new entrepreneurs?
Amadou Daffe: Have a purpose that is much bigger than you. Then be extremely resilient about your purpose and make it part of your destiny. You need all the faith you can get to be a successful entrepreneur. Start your purpose small and grow as your confidence level grows from all the learning along the way. Finally, learn how to communicate with emotional intelligence and lead a team. The ultimate successful entrepreneur must have the best team that fits her or his venture’s vision and mission.
Capital: Is there anything else you want to add?
Amadou Daffe: I will ensure more Ethiopian entrepreneurs hear about ABH and apply for the upcoming competitions.
Ethio-Djibouti Railway becomes a game-changer
Ethio-Djibouti Railway (EDR) embarks on an eco friendly vehicle cargo transporting operation. In a single voyage the company which is jointly owned by Ethiopia and Djibouti has the capacity to move 240 vehicles to the centre.
In the past few months relevant offices and logistics companies of the two countries have been working to introduce vehicle freights through the cross country electrified railway system.
“The new initiative will save energy and cargos will be transported in bulk in less than 20 hours. This is great progress since vehicles transported via trucks take at least four days, in addition to the huge fuel consumption,” Abdi Zenebe, CEO of EDR said, adding, “Most importantly, the new service apart from saving time is environmentally friendly.”
EDR has 20 wagons that can transport about 240 vehicles in a single fleet. According to the CEO, a single wagon can carry up to 14 vehicles and the number depends on the size of the vehicles.
Although dependent on the size of the cargo cars, the vehicles shipment capacity of EDR on average is about 24 folds of car carrier trucks on its single fleet.
In the ended budget year, the joint company registered a marvelous achievement despite constrains on the logistics sector.
For instance, according to the CEO, from the total coffee consignment in the 2021/22 budget year, 98 percent have been stuffed and shipped through the EDR line.
“Containerizing the commodity locally has allowed the country to save USD 2.07 million in foreign currency besides job creation in the stuffing operation,” he explained.
If the commodities were to be stuffed outside the country, which is mostly done at the port area, it may cost USD 108 per container.
Compared with the preceding year in terms of incoming containers, export containers, and bulk cargo, the company handling capacity has increased by 42, 56 and 9 percent respectively.
The railway system that has a capacity to move massive cargos in a single fleet plays a crucial role to reduce freight expense. Regarding this, Abdi said that the company contributed to save up to 54 percent cost in the import export activity.
In the year, EDR has handled 14,570 TEU and 56,781 TEU export and import containers in addition to 1,465,900 quintal bulk cargo.
“The railway mass freight transportation has saved 939 million birr which could have been spent if cargos were transported through trucks,” the CEO explained.
Through centric focus on the containerization and stuffing, the EDR has expanded the export commodity local stuffing capacity to 62 percent from 48 percent of the preceding year.
“Through modernizing the logistics handling as a nation, the country has saved 2.4 billion birr and of that almost half of it is our contribution,” Abdi explained.
In the year, EDR has also supported the export sector by supplying empty containers for export commodities mainly for coffee consignment at half price.
The CEO told Capital that in the budget year, the company has transported 50 million liters of edible oil from Djibouti.
“We have been engaged with CCECC Djibouti to diversify the operation and through the bulk cargo containerization agreement, we have 500 containers that allow us to transport bulk cargos with containers besides box wagons,” the CEO concluded.
Sustaining Ethiopia’s peace and stability
The Ethiopian civil society organization council holds a consultative dialogue with political parties on the importance of national dialogue in supporting peace and stability in the nation.
The forum was organized by the Council of Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations and the Ethiopian Political Parties Joint Council. It is recalled that the councils recently signed a memorandum of understanding in June to work together on current national issues.
Speaking on the forum, the Director General of the Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations Council Henok Melesse, emphasized that civil society organizations have an important role to play in keeping a close watch on the issues of the society and influencing the relevant
key stakeholders. He added, “Since the development of transparent and inclusive dialogue cultures is widely supporting our efforts to achieve peace, I call on all of us to develop this experience.”
Members of various political parties including the ruling party, members of the National Consultative Commission and representatives of various civil society organizations participated in the joint forum.
Participants mentioned that the active involvement of the two parties in the National Dialogue could play a key role in helping the nation to overcome challenges. As the objective of the National Dialogue is bringing sustainable peace and stability in the country, the councils are expected to effectively discharge their respective responsibilities and create fertile ground for the success of the deliberation.
