Fintech PR

OSN+ and Anghami Sign Landmark Transaction Set to Transform MENA Entertainment

Published

11 months ago

November 21, 2023

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The combination of OSN+ and Anghami Inc. will be the first regional platform that provides video and music, backed by up to $50 million cash investment in Anghami and bringing together over 120 million registered users, 2.5+ million subscribers and $100+ million revenue at closing

The OSN Group will invest in Anghami at a valuation of $3.65 per share, 3.9x the stock’s average price for the past month

ABU DHABI, UAE, Nov. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — In a milestone transaction set to reshape the MENA media and entertainment landscape, OSN+, the region’s leading streaming platform for premium content and Anghami Inc. (NASDAQ: ANGH) (“Anghami”), the leading music and entertainment streaming platform in the Middle East and North Africa have announced a deal that will combine their businesses. A first of its kind in the region, the combination of the two local home-grown brands will offer consumers unprecedented digital aggregation of the best and latest in premium movies, TV shows, music, podcasts and more while providing a rich and seamless user experience.

Backed by a cash investment of up to $50 million from OSN Group in Anghami, the deal will bring together over 120 million registered users, more than 2.5 million paying subscribers with over $100 million in revenue at closing, transforming Anghami Inc. into one of the region’s largest streaming platforms. Anghami boasts a catalogue of over 100 million songs, with exclusives from artists such as Amr Diab, the all-time best-selling Middle Eastern artist, while OSN+ has over 18,000 hours of video content and exclusive partnership with premium international studios such as HBO, NBC Universal, Paramount, and leading Arabic and Turkish studios.

With customer-centricity at its core, the new platform will be committed to offering the best product and content experience in the region. Recognizing the power of both brands, the platform will leverage Anghami’s strong tech stack and rich music catalogue coupled with OSN+’s library of premium video content to deliver a unique digital streaming experience with AI-driven hyper personalization that prioritizes recommendations based on user preference.

Elie Habib, co-founder of Anghami and set to be the CEO of the combined business commented: “Joining forces with OSN+ is a leap in Anghami’s journey to reinvent entertainment in the Arab World. We’re bringing together technology, music and video to build a comprehensive media ecosystem. It’s a chance to deepen our connection with our users and to create something they will truly love.”

Joe Kawkabani, CEO, OSN Group, added: “This is a major milestone in OSN’s journey as we continue to scale up our streaming business. Combining OSN+ content with Anghami’s technology enables us to deliver the best of entertainment all in one place for our customers, ensuring we are continuously evolving our offering to meet their needs. As two home-grown entities with an unmatched understanding of the local market, we are confident that this new offering will change the face of the regional streaming landscape.”

The OSN Group will invest in Anghami at a valuation of $3.65 per share, 3.9x the stock’s average price for the past month. Anghami intends to maintain the listing of its ordinary shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market following the closing of the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Following the closing of the transaction, OSN Group will own a majority stake in Anghami Inc. The final amount of the OSN Group’s cash investment in Anghami and the final number of Anghami securities to be issued in a private placement to the OSN Group is subject to adjustment based on the terms of the definitive transaction agreement. In addition to its stake in Anghami, OSN will continue to run its linear TV business OSNtv, with Joe Kawkabani as Group CEO.

Cautionary Language

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Anghami’s actual results may differ from its expectations, estimates, and projections and, consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as “expect,” “will,” “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “believes,” “continue,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” and similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements because they relate to events and depend upon future circumstances that may or may not occur, such as the consummation of the transaction and the anticipated benefits thereof. Most of these factors are outside Anghami’s control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to, the risk that the completion of the transaction on the anticipated terms and timing may not occur, including obtaining required regulatory approvals, and the satisfaction of other conditions to the completion of the transaction; potential litigation relating to the transaction, including the effects of any outcomes related thereto; the risk that Anghami may not otherwise meet the requirements for continued listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market; the risk that disruptions from the transaction will harm Anghami’s business, including current plans and operations; the ability of Anghami to retain and hire key personnel; potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the transaction; legislative, regulatory and economic developments affecting Anghami’s business; general economic and market developments and conditions; potential business uncertainty, including changes to existing business relationships, during the pendency of the transaction that could affect Anghami’s financial performance; certain restrictions during the pendency of the transaction that may impact Anghami’s ability to pursue certain business opportunities or strategic transactions; unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events, including but not limited to acts of terrorism, pandemics, outbreaks of war or hostilities, as well as Anghami’s response to any of the aforementioned factors; significant transaction costs associated with the transaction; the possibility that the transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the transaction; competitive responses to the transaction; the risks and uncertainties pertaining to Anghami’s business; and other risks and uncertainties identified in Anghami’s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on May 16, 2023, including those under “Risk Factors” therein, and in other documents filed or to be filed with the SEC by Anghami and available at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Anghami cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. Anghami cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as required by law, Anghami does not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy shares of Anghami’s ordinary shares, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

About OSN+

OSN+ is the region’s leading local premium streaming service, featuring an incredible line-up of exclusive global and local curated content. Led by its long-term partnerships with major studios including HBO, NBC Universal, Paramount+, Endeavor Content, MGM, and Sony, the platform ensures the latest content at the same time as the US, including critically acclaimed series and must-see movies, as well as world-class Arabic original content and OSN+ Originals.

OSN+ can be accessed through all your favourite devices, including major TV platforms, all iOS, and Android devices, and from the web. Find out more and stream now at www.osnplus.com

About OSN

OSN is the leading service for premium entertainment servicing the MENA region in 22 countries featuring exclusive and in-demand premium global and local hit tv series and films. OSN delivers content across multiple divisions: OSN+, OSNtv, and b2b offerings in every market. Home to the most compelling content from around the world, OSN spearheads premium content including Western, Arabic, Turkish and more across divisions, distinctively known for broadcasting the latest content on the same day as the US, including popular series, blockbuster movies, and the best in kids and lifestyle programming.

OSN’s ambition is to deliver entertainment everywhere for everyone, which is informed by the company’s three key pillars: A customer-first approach, unrivaled exclusive content, and unbeatable value. By seamlessly bringing together Global Network Partnerships, Studios, and Originals, along with reimagined Linear channels, OSN provides an ecosystem of entertainment.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Cham Alatrach
[email protected]
+971 58 596 7729
Impact Porter Novelli

About Anghami

The first, most-established and fastest-growing music technology platform in the Middle East and North Africa region, Anghami is the go-to destination for Arabic and International music, podcasts and entertainment. With an extensive ecosystem of music, podcasts, events and more, Anghami provides the tools for anyone to create, curate and share their voice with the world. Launched in 2012, Anghami was the first music-streaming platform in MENA to digitize the region’s music. Today, it has the largest catalogue comprising more than 100 million songs and licensed content from leading Arabic labels, independent artists and global distributors, available for 120 million registered users. Anghami has established 40+ telco partnerships to facilitate subscriptions and customer acquisitions, in parallel to building long-term relationships with, and featuring music from, major music labels including Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and the Merlin Network. Anghami is constantly licensing and producing new and original content. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, Anghami has offices in Beirut, Dubai, Cairo, and Riyadh and operates in 16 countries across MENA. To learn more about Anghami, please visit: https://anghami.com

For media inquiries, please contact:

Marian Bahader
[email protected]

Investor Relations:
[email protected]

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Fintech PR

Enabling Regenerative Agriculture for Independent Smallholders in Indonesia: The BIPOSC Project, in Collaboration with Musim Mas, L3F, SNV Indonesia, and ICRAF

Published

11 mins ago

October 18, 2024

CISION (PR Newswire)

enabling-regenerative-agriculture-for-independent-smallholders-in-indonesia:-the-biposc-project,-in-collaboration-with-musim-mas,-l3f,-snv-indonesia,-and-icraf

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Musim Mas Group, the Livelihoods Fund for Family Farming (L3F), SNV Indonesia, and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) are collaborating to improve the knowledge and capacity of independent oil palm smallholders through the Biodiverse & Inclusive Palm Oil Supply Chain (BIPOSC) project.

The project began in 2021 and takes a long-term approach to sustain a deforestation-free supply chain, regenerate degraded land, restore local biodiversity, and improve the livelihoods of independent smallholder farmers in Labuhanbatu, North Sumatra. BIPOSC will achieve this through implementing regenerative agriculture, locally adapted agroforestry models, capacity-building for sustainable businesses, and others.

The independent palm smallholders taking part previously received complementary training from Musim Mas. Following the training, these smallholders formed a smallholder’s association, Labuhanbatu Independent Oil Palm Smallholders Association (APSKS LB), North Sumatra. Musim Mas encourages smallholders to form associations to get better access to resources and obtain certification by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO).

“Musim Mas has long saw that smallholders are key to achieving palm oil sustainability, and that’s why we lead Indonesia’s most extensive smallholder program. We believe that the way forward is to collaborate with more partners to achieve a wider impact. With our BIPOSC partners, we hope to advance the skills and knowledge of smallholders through regenerative agriculture and related techniques. Regenerative agriculture and agroforestry have the potential to help smallholders be part of a sustainable palm oil supply chain. It could help them develop alternative sources of income, especially during the replanting period where their palm oil crops are unproductive, typically for three years,” said Rob Nicholls, General Manager, Projects & Programs, Musim Mas Group.

Musim Mas, SNV and APSKS LB share the result of 3 years BIPOSC project on promoting Regenerative Agriculture at a Press Conference in Jakarta, Indonesia on 17 October 2024

In the face of climate change and threatened biodiversity, regenerative agriculture can play a role for small farms because it maintains soil health, prevents erosion and water runoff, and can potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen leakage.

“As a global development partner organization, SNV aims to support Indonesia in achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To achieve this, we need to implement effective and impactful programs to transform agricultural and food systems, energy, and water. In the BIPOSC program, we promote a comprehensive regenerative agriculture and agroforestry model to maintain soil fertility and biodiversity, providing maximum benefits for farmers’ livelihoods and economy,” said Rizki Pandu Permana, Country Director of SNV Indonesia.

The key regenerative agriculture techniques taught include the application of bio-input, mulching to protect topsoil, planting cover crops, integrated pest management that reduces the need for chemical pesticides, and application of compost that reduces the amount of chemical fertilizers needed. To date, 1,032 independent smallholders received training and implement these techniques on their farms, representing a total land with a total area of 1,063.68 hectares. The project trained 25 village facilitators to provide hands-on assistance to smallholders, and seven demo plots established as pilot areas and learning facilities for regenerative agriculture.

“When I visited palm oil smallholders a few years ago in the area, their biggest concern was access to more fertilizers. While fertilizers play a key role in boosting yields, there was a noticeable gap in understanding how to protect the soil from long-term degradation. Smallholders needed more knowledge about maintaining soil health, preserving soil structure, and other critical factors. This is exactly what the BIPOSC project aimed to address, and we’re pleased to see that the farmers involved are now reporting not only higher yields but also healthier soils on their plots,” said Bernard Giraud, President & Co-Founder, Livelihoods.

The projectalso looks into capacity-building. In addition to home composting, the project enabled the local farmer association, APSKS LB, to develop and manage a composting unit with a capacity of 100-150 tons/month. Producing compost at scale with inputs from nearby mills and farmer plots, the unit offers compost to member farmers at half of typical market prices. In 2023, its first year of operation, the unit produced 588 tons of compost, and generated a profit of IDR 421 million. The project partners believe it is a model that can be replicated elsewhere.

The Composting Unit Established Under the BIPOSC Project

“One of the most impactful outcomes of this project for smallholders is the Composting Unit as the business model around it. It enables smallholders to obtain compost affordably, and the profits are shared among member farmers. This is a practical solution to promote the adoption of composting, and all ASPKS-LB smallholders are now using compost in their plots,” said Syahrianto, Chairman of the Labuanbatu Independent Oil Palm Smallholders Association.

As of 2023, independent smallholders manage about 41% of oil palm planted areas in Indonesia, representing 6.94 million hectares. This figure is expected to increase to 60% by 2030, making projects like BIPOSC critical in shaping the future of sustainable palm oil production.

Devane Sharma
[email protected]

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Fintech PR

BRI Partners with Nium to Expand Real-Time Cross-Border Payment Solutions

Published

1 hour ago

October 18, 2024

CISION (PR Newswire)

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JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Nium, the leading global infrastructure for real-time cross-border payments, is thrilled to announce a partnership with Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) to provide Indonesian customers with real-time international money transfer capabilities. This collaboration aims to enhance the cross-border offerings for BRI’s individual and corporate customers, delivering more accessible and cost-effective financial services across Indonesia.

This partnership empowers more than 150 million BRI account holders, including those in remote regions of Indonesia, to access modern, real-time cross-border payment services. The offering includes a variety of real-time payment mechanisms, supporting bank account destinations, a global electronic card network, and digital wallets. These innovations are closely aligned with BRI’s ongoing mission to provide affordable and customer-focused financial products, particularly for traditionally underserved communities.

BRI’s Corporate Secretary, Agustya Hendy Bernadi, emphasized BRI’s dedication to constantly improving customer convenience through innovations in its global network and cross-border transaction services. “This collaboration reflects BRI’s continuous efforts to enhance productivity and efficiency by expanding its digital payment channel network to meet the growing demand for global transactions,” he said. Agustya added that the partnership with Nium aligns perfectly with BRI’s vision to be Southeast Asia’s most valuable banking group and a champion of financial inclusion by 2025. “With Nium’s global transaction network, BRI strengthens the digitalization of its business processes and enhances retail banking capabilities in line with our 2025 strategic vision.”

Anupam Pahuja, General Manager and Executive Vice President for Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa at Nium, shared his excitement about the partnership, highlighting BRI’s extensive presence across Indonesia’s 17,000 islands. “By integrating Nium’s advanced technology into BRI’s platform, we are dedicated to providing BRI’s customers, no matter where they are, with access to exceptional financial services. This partnership will remove the risks associated with cash handling and provide faster, more cost-effective transactions—whether individuals are sending money to family members abroad or businesses are making international payments.”

Cross-border payments are projected to grow significantly in Indonesia, with a forecasted year-on-year increase of 15% through 2025, driven largely by the digital transformation in financial services (Statista, 2024).

This partnership between BRI and Nium is expected to transform the way Indonesians engage with global financial services, meeting the rising demand for modern payment infrastructure and enhancing the overall experience for BRI’s customers in their international transactions.

About Nium

Nium, the leading global infrastructure for real-time cross-border payments, was founded on the mission to deliver the global payments infrastructure of tomorrow, today. With the onset of the global economy, its payments infrastructure is shaping how banks, fintechs, and businesses everywhere collect, convert, and disburse funds instantly across borders. Its payout network supports 100 currencies and spans 220+ markets, 100 of which in real-time. Funds can be disbursed to accounts, wallets, and cards and collected locally in 40 markets. Nium’s growing card issuance business is already available in 34 countries. Nium holds regulatory licenses and authorizations in more than 40 countries, enabling seamless onboarding, rapid integration, and compliance – independent of geography. The company is co-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore.

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Fintech PR

Grexie Signchain Launches on November 1st, 2024: Enabling Smart Contract Developers to Bring Off-Chain Data On-Chain with Seamless Gas-Paid Signing

Published

8 hours ago

October 17, 2024

CISION (PR Newswire)

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Grexie Signchain enables developers to sign off-chain data into smart contracts, with self-hosted or secure vault signer wallet management.

MANCHESTER, England, Oct. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Grexie Limited proudly announces the launch of its innovative smart contract solution, Signchain, on November 1st, 2024. Designed specifically for developers, Signchain introduces a powerful way to bring off-chain data on-chain through user-paid gas fees and secure signing of data into smart contract methods using its extendable smart contract, Signable.

In the growing landscape of blockchain technology, securely managing off-chain data and integrating it into on-chain smart contracts has posed significant challenges for developers. Signchain eliminates these hurdles by offering a robust, gas-efficient system for signing and authenticating data in real-time.

Key Features of Signchain:

1. Seamless Off-Chain to On-Chain Data Integration
Signchain enables developers to securely bring off-chain data on-chain by signing it directly into smart contract methods through user-paid gas fees. This integration ensures that data authenticity is preserved, and its entry into the blockchain remains tamper-proof, streamlining processes for industries relying on real-world data verification. Signchain also supports integration with Google Sheets, AWS, and Firebase, making it easy to pull data from popular off-chain data sources.

2. Extendable Smart Contract – Signable
The core of Signchain’s technology is its extendable smart contract, Signable, which allows developers to customize and build upon existing smart contracts. With Signable, developers can easily implement contract signatures for any data type, offering flexibility across industries from finance to logistics and beyond.

3. Signer Wallet Management
Signchain offers comprehensive signer wallet management as part of its service, empowering developers to manage and authenticate signers effectively. Wallets can either be self-hosted using Signchain’s Docker container for those who prefer their own infrastructure, or they can leverage Signchain’s network of secure vaults for maximum security.

4. Self-Hosted or Managed Service
For developers who want full control of their infrastructure, Signchain provides a self-hosted option via Docker containers, allowing them to deploy the platform on their own servers. Alternatively, developers can opt to use Signchain’s secure vault network, offering a hassle-free solution with enterprise-grade security and wallet management.

5. User-Paid Gas Fees
By integrating a user-paid gas fee model, Signchain allows users to cover the costs of signing and authenticating their data, ensuring the signing process is efficient and doesn’t overburden developers with additional expenses. This makes Signchain an ideal solution for dApps and platforms handling high transaction volumes.

6. Google Sheets, AWS, Firebase Integration with Serverless Model
Signchain supports integration with Google Sheets, AWS, and Firebase in a serverless model, powered by a hosted Sign In With Ethereum (SIWE) implementation provided by Signchain’s API. Developers can simply connect their Google Sheets and configure the contract parameters associated with each column. Signchain will automatically look up the user’s wallet address in the spreadsheet, sign the transaction data, and execute it in the blockchain along with any user-supplied parameters. This creates an easy, efficient way to manage data inputs from off-chain sources without heavy infrastructure setup.

Revolutionizing Smart Contract Workflows

With Signchain, developers now have the tools to handle the complexities of integrating off-chain data into smart contracts. The extendable nature of Signable offers flexibility, allowing developers to cater to various use cases, whether it’s automating financial transactions, supply chain data, or verifying legal agreements.

Tim Behrsin, CEO of Grexie Limited, said, “Signchain is more than just a signing solution—it’s a platform that empowers developers to securely integrate off-chain data into their smart contracts with minimal effort. The flexibility of Signable and our focus on signer wallet management offers developers control and security at every stage of the process.”

Why Signchain Matters

Signchain addresses critical challenges faced by developers, particularly those dealing with off-chain data. By signing data into smart contracts and enabling user-paid gas fees, the platform significantly reduces friction in managing secure, scalable smart contracts. Whether developers need to manage high volumes of data transactions or create bespoke smart contracts, Signchain offers a scalable and secure solution.

In industries like DeFi, real estate, and supply chain management, data integrity and security are paramount. Signchain’s secure vault network and customizable signing workflows allow businesses to handle sensitive information with confidence.

Launch Event and Future Developments

The official launch of Signchain will take place on November 1st, 2024, alongside a virtual event. The event will showcase live demonstrations of Signable, with detailed walkthroughs of the Docker-based self-hosted solution and signer wallet management features. Attendees will also get an exclusive preview of future enhancements, including multi-signature workflows and advanced blockchain network integrations.

About Signchain

Signchain is a cutting-edge platform developed by Grexie Limited, based in Manchester, Cheshire, United Kingdom. Signchain simplifies smart contract development by offering a secure, scalable, and customizable solution for signing and authenticating off-chain data on-chain. Developers can either self-host the solution using Signchain’s Docker container or rely on the network’s secure vault infrastructure. With an emphasis on security, flexibility, and developer experience, Signchain is set to transform how smart contracts handle off-chain data.

For more information, visit signchain.net.