- The Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has instructed Starlink to halt its operations in the country due to a failure to comply with local licensing requirements. CRAN revealed that the SpaceX subsidiary has been providing services in Namibia without obtaining the necessary…
- A hacker group known as “Waste” has successfully stolen $17 million from the Central Bank of Uganda. Initial investigations suggest that the attack may have been an inside job, involving compromised bank employees. However, the transfer of funds to accounts in Japan and the UK points to an…
- Solarbox,a Senegal-based startup operating at the crossroads of renewable energy and electric mobility, has secured $1 million in pre-seed funding. This investment is set to drive the development of its innovative solar-powered e-mobility solutions within Senegal and support its expansion into…
- Kenya’s parliament has introduced the Business Law (Amendment) Bill 2024, aimed at regulating business process outsourcing (BPO) and IT-enabled service (ITES) companies amidst increasing scrutiny over worker conditions. This move comes in the wake of a September 2024 court ruling that permitted BPO…
- Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has granted approval for Safaricom’s second money market product, Ziidi. This new offering, developed in collaboration with Standard Investment Bank, ALA Capital Limited, and Sanlam Investments East Africa Limited, aims to meet Kenya’s growing demand for…
- Before being acquired by Apple in 2011, Siri was a standalone app designed to revolutionise the way users interacted with their iOS devices. Under Apple’s leadership, Siri became a trailblazer in voice assistant technology, setting a standard that inspired competitors like Google Assistant and…
- Africa, covering 20% of Earth’s land area and home to over 2,000 languages, stands as the second most linguistically diverse continent. Yet, despite this rich diversity, the continent often lags behind in the global race to preserve, integrate, or promote its languages within modern services. Only…
- The CBE’s plan to implement card tokenisation by 2025 marks a major advancement in securing Egypt’s digital payment ecosystem. This innovative cybersecurity measure replaces sensitive card information with unique digital tokens during online transactions, effectively reducing fraud risks and…
- Access Bank is driving a groundbreaking economic initiative through its strategic acquisitions across Africa. These recent developments underscore the bank’s dedication to promoting financial inclusion, boosting cross-border trade, and fostering a more unified African economy. With a presence in…
- As the year comes to a close, it’s the ideal moment to acknowledge some of South Africa’s most impressive innovations. These groundbreaking tech startups were celebrated by Startup Club ZA on the evening of 26 November in Cape Town, where the winners of the South African Startup Awards were…
- Africa’s financial landscape is undergoing a seismic transformation, with embedded finance at the heart of this evolution. This innovation is driving financial inclusion, transforming e-commerce, and facilitating cross-border payments across the continent. The potential is immense, with the…
- TikTok has launched the second phase of its #SaferTogether online safety programme, collaborating with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Data Science Nigeria. The initiative aims to create a comprehensive digital safety network across Nigerian communities. First…
- Fɛlei Techcity is excited to partner with Nomadic Minds to host the Startup World Cup Regional Semi-Finals in Sierra Leone. This landmark event will bring top investors and industry leaders to the country, offering valuable networking and investment opportunities for Sierra Leone’s emerging startup…
- Nigeria’s Central Bank has increased its interest rate to 27.5% in its last meeting of the year, following a surge in inflation in October. The Monetary Policy Committee lifted the key interest rate by 25 basis points to tackle the growing inflationary challenges. The meeting was conducted in light…
- A new Bootcamp Series is set to give a major uplift to Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem in Southern Egypt. This initiative marks the launch of the Aswan Bootcamp Series by Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), designed to support tech startups and encourage…
- Breega, known for its five Europe-focused early-stage funds supporting startups like Alice&Bob, Moneybox, and Curve, has secured $52m for its new $75m African fund, with the final close expected by year-end. The firm has expanded its presence by opening offices in Lagos, Nigeria, and Cape Town…
- Roam, a Kenyan electric mobility company, is advancing efforts to make clean transportation more mainstream. With support from ENERGICA, a European Union-funded initiative, the company is establishing 10 new solar-powered Roam Hubs across Nairobi. These hubs will provide battery swaps, charging…
- WhatsApp has launched an exciting new feature: voice message transcripts! Now, instead of listening to every voice note, you can read a text version — perfect for noisy environments or when you prefer not to hit play. To enable it, go to Settings > Chats and toggle on the “Voice message…
- MTN is seeking partnerships with Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite providers to extend its network coverage to Africa’s rural and remote regions. This is a significant step, particularly given that these regions frequently face challenges with limited or no broadband and fiber connectivity. LEO…
- A voice-controlled bank app, smart PoS, and AI-powered lending solution won $9,500 at the Payaza Hackathon 3.0, held from November 20 to 21, 2024. The event focused on AI-powered financial inclusion for MSMEs. Seven teams competed to impress judges with fintech solutions that used AI to support…
- Africa Global Logistics (AGL), formerly known as Bolloré Transport & Logistics, has launched its “Accelerate” program in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, aimed at supporting African startups in the logistics sector. Six startups were selected for the program’s inaugural cohort, including Lomé-based Eazy…
- UAC Nigeria has unveiled the 1879 Tech Hub, a groundbreaking initiative designed to drive digital innovation and integrate technology into the heart of African businesses. The hub, named after UAC’s founding year, reflects the company’s dedication to harnessing technology as a catalyst for growth…
- Ghana and The Gambia have forged a landmark telecommunications agreement to implement the ECOWAS Free Roaming initiative. The partnership, established through Ghana’s Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, Mobile Network Operators, and the National Communications Authority, aims to…
- Egyptian home furnishing company Ariika has secured $3 million in Series A extension funding from Beltone Venture Capital and Citadel International Holdings. The investment positions the company to expand its presence across the Middle East and North Africa’s $20 billion home and décor market. The…
- Global technology leader Salesforce has unveiled its strategic entry into Nigeria, marking a significant expansion of its African footprint. The company, renowned for its customer relationship management (CRM) solutions, is taking an unconventional approach by prioritizing talent development over…
- South African fintech company Mama Money unveils an innovative banking solution through strategic partnerships with Pick n Pay and Access Bank. The collaboration introduces a WhatsApp-powered bank card designed to transform financial services accessibility across the country. The new banking…
- Yellow Card reaches a significant milestone with its newly acquired Crypto Asset Service Provider license in South Africa. The cryptocurrency platform strengthens its position in Africa’s financial technology sector through this regulatory achievement, following successful partnerships with global…
- Zimbabwe launches its most ambitious urban development project with an artificial intelligence-powered traffic management system in Harare. The sophisticated technology aims to tackle the capital’s persistent congestion issues while enhancing road safety through smart monitoring and control systems…
- Egypt’s financial landscape is set to transform as the Central Bank of Egypt announces its plans to implement card tokenisation technology by 2025. This advanced security measure represents a crucial step in protecting the nation’s rapidly expanding digital payment ecosystem. The technology works…
- Vodacom Group has launched an ambitious digital education initiative targeting one million young Africans across eight countries by 2027. The telecommunications company has partnered with industry leaders Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Skillsoft to deliver comprehensive digital training…
- A strategic partnership between Swedish technology provider Telness Tech, VAS2Nets, and Lebara heralds the introduction of a new Mobile Virtual Network Operator in Nigeria. The collaboration merges international expertise with local market knowledge to deliver enhanced telecommunication services to…
- VistaJet has launched an ambitious expansion of its premium aviation services into East and Southern Africa, following successful operations in West Africa. The global business aviation company has initiated promotional activities in major urban centers including Nairobi, Johannesburg, and Cape…
- Orange Egypt has committed $52.7 million to accelerate technology innovation among African youth, marking a significant development in the continent’s startup landscape. The investment coincides with the telecommunications company’s recent agreement with Egyptian authorities for the second phase of…
- Africa’s linguistic landscape faces a critical challenge with approximately 12% of its 2,000 languages at risk of disappearing. This crisis stems from colonial legacies and globalization’s push toward English dominance in international commerce. UNESCO’s prediction that 40% of global languages face…
- Zenith Bank has unveiled the fourth edition of Zecathon, its flagship startup competition and incubation program. The initiative targets early-stage Nigerian startups developing solutions across multiple sectors, including embedded finance, cybersecurity, fintech, healthtech, agritech, and e-…
- The Bank of Zambia has licensed DigMo, a new financial services company offering gamified wealth-building tools targeting low and middle-income earners. The platform introduces innovative savings products with incentives designed for previously underserved customers. James Chona, former Chief…
- Nigerian healthcare technology company MDaaS has launched operations in Cameroon, marking its first expansion into Francophone Africa. The diagnostic health tech startup seeks to replicate its successful Nigerian model in Cameroon’s growing healthcare market. Founded in 2017 by Oluwasoga Oni and…
- Chad has granted approval for Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite Internet provider, to operate within its borders. The decision follows negotiations that started in 2021 and addresses a critical need in the central African nation, where Internet access reached only 12% of the population in 2022.…
- Embedded finance is changing the payment landscape in Africa. The question now is: what will it take for embedded finance to truly scale across Africa? The global embedded finance market is projected to surpass $228 billion by 2028, according to Juniper Research. As this sector evolves and consumer…
- Today, Pretoria transforms into the heart of blockchain innovation as the highly anticipated Blockchain Africa Conference 2024 kicks off at the prestigious CSIR International Convention Centre. With over 500 participants from more than 50 countries, this event marks a defining moment in the journey…
- Société Générale Sénégal and AUTO24.sn are proud to introduce the AUTO24 Loan, a groundbreaking financing solution designed to make it easier for Senegalese citizens to acquire certified and guaranteed used vehicles. This collaboration aims to address the increasing demand for reliable and…
- Telkom has paused the sale of Openserve, indicating a reconsideration of its approach to managing assets. Retaining Openserve could have implications for Telkom’s financial framework while presenting opportunities to capitalise on South Africa’s growing demand for broadband services. This move…
- Andela, a global talent outsourcing unicorn, has teamed up with the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), a project under the Linux Foundation, to train 20,000 Africans in cloud-native fundamentals. This collaboration seeks to bridge the global talent gap in cloud-native technologies. Over the…
- South Africa’s online grocery sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, with market projections indicating a rise to R80 billion (around $5 billion USD) by 2026. This growth reflects a significant shift in consumer behaviour, particularly among middle and upper-class shoppers. Industry experts…
- A transformative renewable energy project is reshaping the discussion around climate action as nations gear up for November’s COP29 climate talks. This initiative showcases the growing potential of large-scale solar energy implementation, offering critical insights for developing economies,…
- Google is revolutionising creativity within its Workspace tools by introducing Gemini’s image generation feature in Google Docs. Leveraging its advanced Imagen 3 model, the tech giant now allows paid Workspace users to generate photorealistic custom images directly within Google Docs. This…
- Sofri’s newly relaunched digital app is making waves with a series of updates designed to deliver a seamless and secure banking experience. This is more than a routine update; it’s a complete transformation aimed at enhancing user convenience, boosting security, and simplifying financial management…
- Pretoria (Tshwane), Gauteng, South Africa – Bitcoin Events is thrilled to announce the 10th anniversary of its flagship event, the Blockchain Africa Conference 2024, scheduled for November 20, 2024, at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria (Tshwane), Gauteng, South Africa. This…
- There’s a running joke that if you shake any tree, an Africa-focused remittance startup will fall out. The sector is brimming with recognisable names like Lemfi, NALA, Raenest, and Grey. However, these prominent players often rely on the backbone provided by lesser-known payment businesses to…
- South Africa is gearing up to take the driver’s seat in the global automotive industry. With its newly unveiled Automotive Industry Master Plan, the nation aims to secure 1% of global vehicle production by 2035. This is more than just an ambitious number—it’s a bold step towards a greener, more…
