News & Views

Content posted in December 2022

SA female-owned ISP connecting the underserved

Matshepo Sehloho
12/29/2022

Sky Internet SA is connecting underserved South African communities by offering cost-effective fiber Internet connectivity.

Sub-Saharan Africa's 5G subs will top 150M by 2028 – Ericsson

Paula Gilbert
12/27/2022

The equipment maker believes that sub-Saharan Africa's 5G subscriptions will grow from just 7 million in 2022 to 150 million by the end of 2028.

Hot startup of the month: Nigeria's Womenovate

Matshepo Sehloho
12/23/2022

This month's hot startup is a Nigerian female-focused online learning platform that offers women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Mathematics (STEAM) access to resources, training courses and jobs globally.

Connecting Africa Podcast: S2 Ep. 3 – Building fintech in Ghana

Paula Gilbert
12/21/2022

In this episode the Connecting Africa Podcast team speaks to BezoMoney co-founder and CEO Mubarak Sumaila for a deep dive into Ghana's fintech ecosystem and how it differs from its counterparts in other countries in Africa.

O3b mPOWER satellites to connect Africa's underserved

Matshepo Sehloho
12/19/2022

The first two O3b mPOWER satellites were successfully launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and they promise ten times more throughput than their predecessors.

Qualcomm in search of African 5G innovators

Paula Gilbert
12/16/2022

The chipmaker is looking for African startups to come up with unique 5G use cases as part of a startup mentorship program called 'Make in Africa.'

Visa to invest $1B in Africa's digital transformation

Paula Gilbert
12/15/2022

Visa has pledged to invest $1 billion in Africa by 2027 to scale operations, deploy new technologies and deepen collaboration with African partners.

2Africa subsea cable lands on SA shores

Paula Gilbert
12/14/2022

The Meta-backed 2Africa subsea cable – which will connect Africa, Europe and Asia – has landed on South African shores.

Equinix eyes SA expansion with $160M data center investment

Matshepo Sehloho
12/14/2022

Digital infrastructure company Equinix will enter the South African market with a $160 million data center investment in Johannesburg that will open in mid-2024.

Solar-powered Wi-Fi hotspots connect SA rural residents

Matshepo Sehloho
12/13/2022

Indio Networks and its partners are giving residents near the town of Louis Trichardt, in South Africa's Limpopo province, affordable rural Internet connectivity.

Vodacom completes Vodafone Egypt acquisition

Paula Gilbert
12/13/2022

Vodacom Group has completed its long-awaited purchase of a 55% stake in Vodafone Egypt for $2.7 billion.

New SA digital migration date set for March 2023

Matshepo Sehloho
12/12/2022

South African Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has set a 'final' analogue switch off deadline of March 2023 after numerous delays.

Orange Cote d'Ivoire to list on BRVM stock exchange

Paula Gilbert
12/12/2022

Orange's operation in Côte d'Ivoire plans to list a portion of shares currently owned by the government on the local BRVM stock exchange.

Vodacom's DRC accounts frozen, office sealed over tax dispute

Paula Gilbert
12/9/2022

Vodacom's offices in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been sealed and its bank accounts frozen over a tax dispute with the local Directorate General of Taxes.

Seacom to launch West African hub in 2023

Paula Gilbert
12/9/2022

Seacom Chief Digital Officer Prenesh Padayachee told Connecting Africa the company plans to expand its footprint into West Africa and wants to set up a hub in either Nigeria or Ghana next year.

Airtel sole bidder in Nigeria's second 5G spectrum round

Paula Gilbert
12/8/2022

Airtel Africa has emerged as the sole bidder for 5G spectrum in Nigeria in a second round of licensing after another bidder failed to pay its deposit in time.

SA's Ukheshe secures funding, eyes international expansion

Matshepo Sehloho
12/8/2022

Fintech enabler Ukheshe has raised money from Development Partners International and Fireball Capital to fund its growth plans.

Turkcell not giving up on MTN Iran battle

Paula Gilbert
12/7/2022

Turkcell looks set to continue a court battle with MTN over a license in Iran; while the case was dismissed by the South African High Court, Turkcell is preparing to appeal.

Angola begins re-privatization of Unitel

Matshepo Sehloho
12/7/2022

Angola's Institute for Management of State Assets and Stakes has started a re-privatization process for state-owned operator Unitel.

Airtel takes $194M IFC loan for African investment

Paula Gilbert
12/6/2022

Pan-African operator Airtel has taken out a $194 million loan facility with the International Finance Corporation to support its operations and investments across Africa.

Kenya reinstates mobile money fees

Matshepo Sehloho
12/6/2022

The Central Bank of Kenya says as of January 2023, charges for sending money between mobile money wallets and bank accounts will be reinstated.

Microsoft invests to help African startup growth

Matshepo Sehloho
12/5/2022

US-based software company Microsoft is investing and partnering to accelerate the growth of 10,000 African startups over the next five years.

MTN Ghana blocks 5.7M unregistered SIMs

Matshepo Sehloho
12/2/2022

MTN Ghana has complied with the government's directive to block subscribers who have not completed the country's SIM registration process, blocking 5.7 million users on December 2.

Orange targets data & digital growth in Africa

Paula Gilbert
12/2/2022

Orange Deputy CEO for the MEA, Brelotte Ba, spoke to Connecting Africa about the group's strategy to grow its African data, fintech and digital customers.

MTN's $4.2B battle with Turkcell is over

Paula Gilbert
12/1/2022

MTN has won a ten-year legal battle with Turkcell over a license in Iran.

SA minister says AI institute should execute ideas

Matshepo Sehloho
12/1/2022

South Africa's Communications and Digital Technologies minister, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, has officially launched the country's Artificial Intelligence Institute.

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Hot startup of the month: Pan-African fintech KamaPay

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Challenges and opportunities for women's tech careers

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Omdia View: February 2023

By Omdia Analysts

In February 2023 key events in the Middle East and Africa included a major Internet project for Africa's underserved by Liquid Intelligent Technologies and Microsoft as well as a 5G launch in Tanzania – that and more in this month's Omdia View.

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Omdia View: July 2022

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Kenya and Zambia move towards 5G with new spectrum allocations while Tunisie Telecom plans to shut down its 3G network - that and more in this month's Omdia View.

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