Opera appoints Eddie Ndichu to drive company’s Fintech strategy in Africa

Opera, a Norwegian developer of Opera Mini an internet browser app has appointed Eddie Ndichu as the Managing Director and Vice President for Fintech Africa to help drive the company’s Fintech strategy even as plans are underway to set-up an office in Kenya.

Previously, Mr. Ndichu was the Head of Digital Service and Mobile Payments at KCB Bank Group, where he led the formulation and deployment of an integrated fintech and business model.

His new role at Opera will encompass the development of micro-lending, remittances, payments and transaction capabilities using improved technologies in mobile and the Internet.

The new appointment comes weeks after Opera launched an integrated new web payment platform in Kenya called OPay. The service directly runs on the Opera Mini browser, which will bring a new level of convenience to a nation that has become a world leader in leapfrogging its IT infrastructures with innovative, web-based solutions.

The launch, Opera says is part of the Opera’s $100 million investment initiative to grow the African digital economy announced earlier in 2017.

Designed to be a fast and secure payment option, OPay will enable not only Opera Mini but also other mobile browser users to top up their Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom mobile phone accounts, as well as pay electricity, cable TV and utility bills directly through its secure, user-friendly platform.

It will also accommodate multiple payment methods, from major credit cards to Airtel Money and M-Pesa.