News & Views

Content posted in October 2023

Microsoft, YES to train 300K unemployed youth in AI

Matshepo Sehloho
10/31/2023

Microsoft South Africa has partnered with Youth Employment Service (YES) to provide artificial intelligence (AI) training to 300,000 unemployed young people in South Africa.

MTN to appeal tax demand in Nigeria

Paula Gilbert
10/31/2023

MTN plans to appeal a hefty tax demand it has received in its largest market of Nigeria.

Airbnb: Regulation must enable, overregulation is bad

Matshepo Sehloho
10/27/2023

Digital accommodation marketplace Airbnb has warned against overregulation and has called for regulators to become enablers for small businesses.

Airtel Uganda closes IPO

Paula Gilbert
10/27/2023

Airtel Uganda is closing its initial public offering (IPO) on October 27, 2023, ahead of its listing on the Uganda Securities Exchange on November 7, 2023.

MTN Nigeria slapped with $72.6M tax fine

Matshepo Sehloho
10/26/2023

The Nigerian Tax Appeal Tribunal has ordered MTN Nigeria to pay a US$72.6 million fine for unpaid taxes and penalties.

Raxio raises additional $46M for data center growth, CEO plans exit

Paula Gilbert
10/25/2023

African data center operator Raxio has secured an additional $46 million in equity funding from existing shareholders Roha and Meridiam, while CEO Robert Mullins announced plans to step down in the second half of 2024.

Airbnb pledges $500K to Africa's tourism sector

Matshepo Sehloho
10/25/2023

Digital accommodation marketplace Airbnb has announced a commitment of around $500,000 to support inclusive and sustainable tourism growth across the African continent.

Uber's Marjorie Saint-Lot on inclusion and sustainability in Africa

Africa Tech Perspectives
10/24/2023

Uber's Country Manager for Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, Marjorie Saint-Lot, shares how the ride-hailing company is approaching public-private partnerships, environmentally friendly initiatives and gender inclusion in Africa.

Yahsat to launch satellite services in South Sudan

Paula Gilbert
10/24/2023

Satellite communications company Yahsat will launch mobility and data services in South Sudan through its companies Thuraya and YahClick and a partnership with local start-up Gate for Technologies.

Senegal to launch first satellite, Cameroon plans space program

Matshepo Sehloho
10/23/2023

Senegal is set to launch its first satellite, GAINDESAT, while Cameroon gets ready to launch a space program.

MTN appoints Liquid veteran to head ICT Centre of Excellence

Paula Gilbert
10/23/2023

Liquid C2 CEO David Behr is leaving Liquid Intelligent Technologies to become head of MTN's ICT Centre of Excellence.

Omdia View: September 2023

Guest Perspectives
10/23/2023

Highlights in September 2023 in the Middle East and Africa included more 5G spectrum licenses, vendor and operator strategies, and partnerships – that and more in this month's Omdia View.

NuRan Wireless obtains operating license in Cameroon

Matshepo Sehloho
10/20/2023

Canadian telecoms infrastructure provider NuRAN Wireless has been granted a Category 1 license in Cameroon.

MWC Kigali 2023: Closing the mobile usage gap – GSMA

Paula Gilbert
10/20/2023

In sub-Saharan Africa 59% of people who are covered by a mobile network are still not using the mobile Internet – GSMA execs at MWC Kigali 2023 discussed the barriers holding back adoption and why it's important to close this usage gap.

Vodacom makes A2X listing, Safaricom acquires M-Pesa Holding

Matshepo Sehloho
10/19/2023

The Vodacom Group has announced that it will officially trade as a secondary listing on the A2X stock exchange at market open on Oct. 26, 2023, while Safaricom has acquired M-Pesa Holding fully.

Cassava Tech Talks Ep. 2: Solving Africa's energy crisis

Paula Gilbert
10/19/2023

In the latest Cassava Tech Talks podcast we discuss the role of distributed energy as a solution for Africa's energy crisis. Guests are Norman Moyo, CEO of Distributed Power Africa, and Frost & Sullivan consultant Patrick Prestele. #sponsored

Data literacy and infrastructure remain challenges in South Africa

Matshepo Sehloho
10/18/2023

Sithabile Technology Services hosted a media roundtable in Johannesburg, South Africa on Wednesday and panelists agreed that South Africa needs to tap into the data era.

MWC Kigali 2023: Three strategies for digital transformation – ITU

Paula Gilbert
10/18/2023

ITU Secretary General Doreen Bogdan-Martin told MWC Kigali in Rwanda that closing the mobile usage gap, building partnerships and investing in sustainable digital transformation are key focus areas for Africa's digital future.

Orange Energies to provide freezing solutions to 12 African countries

Matshepo Sehloho
10/17/2023

Orange has signed a strategic partnership with the startup Koolboks to provide freezing and refrigeration solutions in 12 African countries.

SA Uber, Bolt drivers shut down apps in protest

Matshepo Sehloho
10/16/2023

South African ride-hailing drivers have suspended their services in protest against Uber, Bolt and InDrive.

Paratus adds two fiber links between Mozambique, South Africa

Paula Gilbert
10/13/2023

Connectivity solutions provider Paratus Group is launching two new cross-border fiber links between Mozambique and South Africa.

Axian Telecom completes majority acquisition of Free Senegal

Matshepo Sehloho
10/13/2023

Axian Telecom has finalized the acquisition of additional shares in Senegalese telecom operator Free, taking its ownership up to 80%.

Hot startup of the month: SA's Contract Understanding

Matshepo Sehloho
10/12/2023

Connecting Africa's hot startup this month is South African Contract Understanding, which uses an AI-powered software-as-a-service solution to help businesses securely store, organize and manage post-signature contracts.

Sparkle, Kush Investments sign virtual fiber deal for Equiano

Connecting Africa News
10/11/2023

Italy's Sparkle has signed an agreement with UAE-based Kush Investments for the provision of virtual fiber services on the Equiano submarine cable connecting Africa to Europe.

Liquid launches second Azure Stack in Tanzania

Matshepo Sehloho
10/11/2023

Liquid Intelligent Technologies has partnered with a provider of carrier-neutral data center services, Wingu.Africa, to launch the second Azure hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) stack in Tanzania.

Telecel Group adds 300 new 4G sites in Ghana

Matshepo Sehloho
10/10/2023

Telecel Group has expanded Vodafone Ghana's network infrastructure by adding 300 new 4G sites.

Namibia grants 5G licenses, Orange tests 5G in Sierra Leone

Matshepo Sehloho
10/9/2023

The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has awarded 5G licenses to three operators in the country and Orange has announced that it is testing 5G in Sierra Leone.

SpaceX's Starlink launches in Zambia

Paula Gilbert
10/9/2023

SpaceX's satellite Internet service, Starlink, has added another African nation to its list, with services now available in Zambia.

Hot startup of the month: Nigeria's Akowe

Matshepo Sehloho
10/6/2023

Connecting Africa's newest hot startup is Nigerian Akowe which is using blockchain to digitize academic records and verification.

Interview: Econet Wireless Burundi CEO Nepias Njaravaza on growing mobile penetration

Connecting Africa Video
10/6/2023

Econet Wireless Burundi CEO Nepias Njaravaza spoke to Connecting Africa at the NOVACOM Africa Summit about ways to boost Internet penetration in Burundi and how fintech is assisting financial inclusion in the country.

Interview: Willie Oosthuysen on Liquid Intelligent Technologies' African strategy

Connecting Africa Video
10/5/2023

Willie Oosthuysen, chief strategy officer at Liquid Intelligent Technologies, spoke to Connecting Africa at the NOVACOM Africa Summit about Liquid's strategy around fiber deployments, satellite, cybersecurity and 5G.

Telkom SA calls for quality connectivity for underserved areas

Matshepo Sehloho
10/5/2023

During a panel discussion at Nextv Series Africa 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa Telkom's Makgosi Mabaso said service providers need to deploy and provide quality connections to underserved communities.

Microsoft, M-Pesa partner to support MSME digital skills

Paula Gilbert
10/4/2023

Microsoft and M-Pesa Africa are partnering to digitize skilling for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, the DRC and Tanzania.

SA's Bank Zero launches app-based business banking

Paula Gilbert
10/3/2023

South African digital bank, Bank Zero, has made the move into commercial banking, taking on traditional banks in the market with its zero monthly fees proposition.

Jumia to sell Starlink equipment in Africa

Matshepo Sehloho
10/3/2023

SpaceX's satellite Internet service, Starlink, has announced a partnership with African e-commerce company Jumia to sell Starlink satellite terminals in Africa.

Morning Coffee with Connecting Africa – Zora Group's Kgomotso Motshidi

Connecting Africa Video
10/3/2023

Zora Group CEO Kgomotso Motshidi joined Connecting Africa's Matshepo Sehloho for some morning coffee and to answer some quick-fire questions.

MultiChoice cans Showmax Pro, prepares for revamp

Matshepo Sehloho
10/2/2023

SA's MultiChoice has closed its live streaming sports platform Showmax Pro as it prepares to revamp the platform later this year.

Interview: Anubkumar Dharmabalan on Techaffinitiy's African expansion plans

Connecting Africa Video
10/2/2023

Anubkumar Dharmabalan, chief growth officer at Techaffinity, spoke to Connecting Africa at Cybertech Africa in Rwanda about the company's expansion plans for Africa.

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Airtel Africa unveils $500K fellowship program in Tanzania

Pan-African operator Airtel Africa has launched its 'Airtel Africa Fellowship Program' for undergraduate students at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

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Google to open AI hub in Zambia, Malawi plans Smart Village Initiative

Tech giant Google is partnering with Zambia's government to set up an Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence at the University of Zambia. At the same time, Malawi's government has announced plans to launch a Smart Village Initiative in partnership with Huawei.

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Africa Tech Perspectives

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Women in Tech: Spotlight on digital skills with Kreative Campus' Keitesi Aisha

Kreative Campus' operations and finance lead, Keitesi Aisha, talks to Connecting Africa as part of our Women in Tech series about how skills development can make Africa's tech ecosystem more inclusive.

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Uber's Marjorie Saint-Lot on inclusion and sustainability in Africa

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The 100 most influential African leaders in 2023

A new report from Africa Tech Festival and Connecting Africa puts a spotlight on the top 100 African leaders in the telecoms and technology sector in 2023.

More Africa Tech perspectives

Guest Perspectives

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Omdia View: August 2024

By Omdia Analysts

August 2024's telecom highlights in the Middle East and Africa included a satellite deal between Eutelsat Group and Bayobab, the sale of MTN Guinea-Bissau to Telecel, and the sale of a 60% stake in Uganda's Utel to Rowad Capital Commercial.

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Understanding African fintech startup failures

By Chiti Mbizule Mutati

Connecting Africa correspondent Chiti Mbizule Mutati investigates the reasons behind the high failure rate of African fintech startups, citing the importance of funding, policy and regulation in the sector.

More Guest Perspectives