In today’s read;
- RX Africa’s new model for event sustainability.
- Verve and Providus Bank launch a travel card for visitors to Nigeria.
- PAPSS and Afreximbank to convene a payments conference in Lagos.
RX Africa implements African event sustainability.
The global events industry often talks about sustainable goals.
Now, the conversation shifts to real action, especially across Africa.
RX Africa, organizer of events like WTM Africa and Comic-Con, is leading this charge with a distinctly African vision.
Their approach to event sustainability is rooted deeply in the continent’s resourcefulness and resilience.
It moves beyond simple mitigation, aiming for true regeneration within the communities it touches.
Carol Weaving, RX Africa’s Managing Director, explains this as driving systemic change.
This is sustainability designed by local voices, addressing local priorities, and grounded in lived realities.
It offers a practical blueprint for the future of events.
RX Africa’s model champions regenerative events, which do more than just lighten an environmental footprint.
They actively uplift communities and foster lasting economic prospects.
Consider WTM Africa’s Responsible Tourism Awards, where handcrafted trophies narrate a story of circularity.
These awards, made by children with Uthando SA from recycled corks, celebrate Africa’s craft heritage and build local skills.
Such community-first initiatives extend to long-standing partnerships with NPOs like Oliver’s Village, supporting hundreds daily.
Another partner, 18twenty8, seeds future leadership by offering university scholarships to young women in tourism and PR.
The Crafters Nexus at WTM Africa creates vital platforms for artisans, often securing international contracts.
FAME Week Africa further demonstrates this impact, bringing African design thinking into global business discussions.
Behind these efforts lies a commitment to creating cleaner footprints, one event at a time.
RX Africa contributes to RX Global’s ambitious goal of reaching net zero by 2040.
This includes close collaboration with venues like the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).
CTICC, a signatory of the Net Zero Carbon Events pledge, works to reduce event-related emissions.
Organizers themselves implement numerous low-waste initiatives across their shows.
These include digital-only catalogues, seed-paper badge holders, and recycled-plastic lanyards.
Decorex is embracing modular, reusable area builds to lessen construction waste.
Simple yet effective shifts, like reusing lanyards and eliminating plastic bottles, are now standard practice.
To reinforce this intentional approach, RX Africa launched its new Events Sustainability Scorecard.
This scorecard is more than a checklist; it guides decision-making from the earliest planning stages.
It opens important conversations with venues, suppliers, and partners across key areas like energy and logistics.
For Carol Weaving, genuine sustainability encompasses a broad spectrum.
It means education, representation, and equitable economic access.
It empowers people to build something that endures long after an event concludes.
Africa is defining a practical, contextual, and community-driven model for event sustainability.
Its leadership in this vital area continues to pave the way forward.
Verve, Providus Bank Launch Travel Card for Nigeria Visitors
Verve, in a new partnership with Providus Bank, has launched a significant payment tool for Nigeria.
They have introduced the ProvidusVerve Travel Card.
This naira-based card is specifically crafted for individuals visiting Nigeria, whether for leisure or business.
It aims to provide inbound travelers with a smoother, safer, and highly convenient method for managing their finances during their stay.
This introduction is particularly relevant as Nigeria prepares to welcome a substantial number of tourists, expatriates, business visitors, and conference delegates.
It offers a streamlined financial experience for all, including the returning diaspora during peak seasons.
The ProvidusVerve Travel Card simplifies everyday transactions immensely.
Visitors can effortlessly pay for transportation, hotel stays, dining experiences, and shopping.
It also covers entertainment options and essential daily purchases across Nigeria.
Beyond local use, the card extends its utility to selected global merchant platforms that accept Verve.
This includes popular digital services such as Netflix and Google Play, ensuring travelers maintain access to their familiar online subscriptions and content.
The card removes the common inconvenience of sourcing local naira currency or dealing with foreign currency conversions upon arrival.
This innovative card provides instant and secure financial transactions.
It significantly reduces the need for carrying large amounts of physical cash.
This approach supports the Central Bank of Nigeria’s ongoing cashless policy, promoting a more digital economy.
Importantly, it mitigates various risks associated with cash, such as potential loss, theft, or fraud.
The ProvidusVerve Travel Card presents a secure and regulation-aligned option for both online and in-person payments.
Paul Ohakim, Vice President of Issuing and Acquiring Management for Africa at Verve International, expressed strong confidence in its positive impact.
He highlighted the card as a timely solution for travelers seeking reliability, security, and simplicity while navigating Nigeria’s economy.
Ademola Adeniran, Divisional Head of Product Management and Solution Delivery at Interswitch, emphasized the card’s responsiveness to real user needs.
He noted that the card supports a wide range of daily experiences, from booking rides and hotels to enjoying streaming services and dining out.
It offers inbound travelers a secure, compliant, and digital-first way to experience Nigeria without financial impediments.
As Nigeria gears up for its busiest travel seasons, this card marks a considerable step forward in enhancing the visitor experience.
It is poised to support the continued growth of the country’s vibrant tourism and creative economy.
This development directly benefits the MICE sector by fostering an environment of ease and efficiency for international visitors.
PAPSS, Afreximbank Convene Payments Conference in Lagos
Africa’s MICE landscape is preparing for a significant gathering in December 2025.
Lagos will host the inaugural PAPSS COWRY—Conference on Worldwide and Regional Payment.
This event is poised to be a pivotal moment for the continent’s financial future.
It is set to bring together financial leaders, innovators, and policymakers.
Their collective focus will be on building a sovereign and interoperable payment ecosystem.
The Lagos Continental Hotel will provide the setting for this landmark assembly.
The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), in partnership with Afreximbank, the African Union, and the AfCFTA Secretariat, is orchestrating this forum.
It forms a central part of the maiden PAPSS Participants Forum.
The forum’s theme, ‘Building an Interoperable and Sovereign African Payment Ecosystem for Trade and Economic Growth,’ underscores its ambitious vision.
This two-day conference will convene decision-makers from across Africa’s financial spectrum.
Central banks, commercial banks, fintech operators, and payment service providers will all be represented.
Regional economic institutions will also join these discussions.
The primary objective is to examine the transformative power of PAPSS.
This system holds the key to significantly boosting intra-African trade.
It also promises to accelerate the continent’s economic integration.
Attendees will explore PAPSS as a dedicated stage for financial technology innovation, dialogue, and collaboration.
Throughout the event, participants will explore how PAPSS can redefine cross-border payments.
It aims to enable instant, secure, and affordable transactions in local currencies.
Panel sessions and networking engagements will highlight the system’s potential.
PAPSS seeks to eliminate third-party settlement barriers.
It also aims to cut transaction costs across the continent.
This will unlock the full benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Speakers will emphasize that PAPSS is more than just a payment platform.
It represents a strategic pillar for Africa’s economic sovereignty.
Stakeholders agree that this initiative offers a clear pathway to a unified financial market.
Such a market can strengthen trade efficiency and support business expansion.
It will also accelerate regional integration efforts across Africa.
The PAPSS COWRY conference is positioned as Africa’s flagship leadership forum on payments.
It is a celebration of African ingenuity and foresight.
Delegates will be encouraged to embrace collective ownership of PAPSS.
This system is envisioned as “built for Africa, by Africa, for the world.”
It embodies the continent’s vision for a modern, self-sustaining, and globally competitive payment infrastructure.
That’s it for today, thank you for reading.