News & Views

Content posted in February 2023

Ghana to deactivate unregistered SIMs from March 10

Matshepo Sehloho
2/28/2023

Ghana's National Communications Authority (NCA) will begin disconnecting SIM cards with incomplete registrations from March 10, 2023.

Sonatel Group profit rises by 10% in 2022

Matshepo Sehloho
2/28/2023

Orange subsidiary Sonatel Group recorded a consolidated net profit of 279 billion CFA francs (US$450 million) at the end of the 2022 financial year despite tough competition.

Internet Solutions, Q-KON Africa launch satellite broadband for Mozambique

Connecting Africa News
2/27/2023

Dimension Data subsidiary, Internet Solutions, is partnering with Q-KON Africa to bring OneWeb LEO satellite service to the Mozambican market, to compete with Elon Musk's Starlink.

Airtel Uganda upgrades core network to be 5G ready

Matshepo Sehloho
2/24/2023

Airtel Uganda has completed an upgrade of its core network to pave the way for 5G services.

Five sustainable startups to watch in 2023

Matshepo Sehloho
2/24/2023

Connecting Africa has compiled a list of five sustainable startups that are making innovative impacts in the lives of the communities they serve.

KaiOS ramps up device affordability efforts in Africa

Paula Gilbert
2/24/2023

KaiOS Technologies plans to scale up the migration of African 2G users onto 3G or 4G smart feature phones using a number of innovative financing solutions.

SA's Blue Label Telecoms seeks control of Cell C

Paula Gilbert
2/23/2023

South Africa's Blue Label Telecoms is looking to take over control of mobile operator, Cell C, which it owns almost 50% of already.

Namibia kicks off spectrum auction

Matshepo Sehloho
2/22/2023

The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has commenced an auctioning process for radio frequency spectrum in the 700MHz and 800MHz bands.

Vodafone sells out of Ghana

Paula Gilbert
2/21/2023

Vodafone has completed the sale of its 70% shareholding in Vodafone Ghana to Telecel Group.

Bolt to invest $530M in Africa

Matshepo Sehloho
2/21/2023

Ride-sharing platform Bolt has announced that it will be investing €500 million (US$530 million) in its operations on the African continent over the next two years.

SA networks given deadline for 4G/5G completion

Paula Gilbert
2/20/2023

South Africa's Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, says that telecoms operators have five years to complete the rollout of 4G and 5G networks in the country – including to all rural areas.

MTN, Airtel sign roaming deal in Congo

Matshepo Sehloho
2/20/2023

Congo's Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Post (ARPCE) has announced that mobile operators MTN and Airtel have signed a roaming deal in the country.

MTN to invest $1B in Ghana

Matshepo Sehloho
2/17/2023

Mobile operator MTN has committed to investing US$1 billion in Ghana over the next five years after the Ghanaian government exempted the telco from US$773 million in tax claims.

Ericsson, Tigo to launch 5G in Tanzania

Matshepo Sehloho
2/16/2023

Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson has entered a partnership with Tigo Tanzania to launch 5G services and upgrade the operator's existing 4G network.

Survey: Opportunities for Women in Tech

Africa Tech Perspectives
2/15/2023

Take our new survey for women across Asia, Europe and Africa looking at the biggest challenges and opportunities for women-led enterprises and trends in tech careers for women.

2Africa reaches the shores of Madagascar

Paula Gilbert
2/15/2023

The 2Africa subsea cable system has made another step forward, this time landing in the island nation of Madagascar as it works its way up Africa's East Coast.

Innovative tech contributes to fatality-free mines

Matshepo Sehloho
2/15/2023

Industry experts spoke about the role technology plays in reducing fatalities in the mining industry as part of a panel discussion in Johannesburg, hosted by Spanish technology company Torsa.

Telkom SA shedding 15% of workforce

Paula Gilbert
2/15/2023

South African telecoms operator Telkom is joining the global layoff trend, announcing plans to shed up to 15% of its workforce as part of a group restructuring.

Axian Group launches investment unit to fund African tech startups

Connecting Africa News
2/14/2023

Madagascar-based Axian Group has announced a new investment arm, Axian Investment, aimed at funding Africa's fledgling technology startups.

Orange opens Digital Center in Sierra Leone

Matshepo Sehloho
2/13/2023

Pan-African operator Orange and the German Development Cooperation have opened an Orange Digital Center in Sierra Leone's capital city Freetown, making it the 14th center of its kind across the Middle East and Africa.

North African telcos boost network experience in 2022 – Opensignal

Paula Gilbert
2/13/2023

Operators in Morocco and Egypt have recorded major improvements in network experience during 2022 according to new data from Opensignal.

Safaricom falls victim to $4M SIM card fraud

Matshepo Sehloho
2/13/2023

Kenya's Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has arrested eight suspects for alleged SIM card fraud involving Safaricom's M-Pesa overdraft service Fuliza.

Bigger stake in Ethio Telecom now up for grabs

Paula Gilbert
2/10/2023

Ethiopia will sell up to 45% of state-owned Ethio Telecom, an increase on the 40% stake it previously publicized, as the country moves forward with further liberalization of its telecoms sector.

Survey: Challenges & opportunities for East African startups

Africa Tech Perspectives
2/10/2023

A new survey for startup founders and leaders based in East Africa to find out what challenges and opportunities they foresee in 2023 and how they are gaining access to funding.

How AI can accelerate sustainability in 2023

Paula Gilbert
2/9/2023

IBM South Africa's GM Ria Pinto speaks to Connecting Africa about how artificial intelligence can help African companies accelerate their sustainability efforts.

Cameroon puts brakes on e-hailing platform Yango

Matshepo Sehloho
2/9/2023

Cameroon has suspended Russian ride-hailing app Yango for allegedly failing to comply with the country's transport regulations.

2Africa subsea cable makes final SA landing

Paula Gilbert
2/8/2023

The 2Africa subsea cable system has made its fourth and final landing in South Africa, this time in Amanzimtoti near Durban in KwaZulu-Natal and installed by WIOCC.

DRC's first open-access data center to go live in April

Matshepo Sehloho
2/8/2023

The Democratic Republic of Congo's first open-access, carrier-neutral data center is scheduled to become operational in the second quarter of 2023.

Korea Telecom Rwanda Networks loses 4G infrastructure monopoly

Matshepo Sehloho
2/7/2023

The Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) has announced that it will modify KTRN's license to allow other companies to deploy 4G networks.

Fintech Mama Money expands Malawi reach with TNM partnership

Connecting Africa News
2/7/2023

SA fintech Mama Money is partnering with Malawian network TNM to expand its cross-border money transfer services in the country, following a similar deal with a major bank in Zimbabwe last month.

African tech startup funding hits $3.3B in 2022

Paula Gilbert
2/6/2023

Investment in Africa's tech startup ecosystem passed $3 billion for the first time in 2022, with Nigeria taking the biggest piece of pie and fintech dominating other sectors, according to a report from Disrupt Africa.

Ghana cancels MTN's hefty tax bill

Matshepo Sehloho
2/6/2023

The Ghanaian government has scrapped the US$672 million tax bill charged to mobile operator MTN Group.

MTN Nigeria profit soars in 2022

Paula Gilbert
2/3/2023

MTN Nigeria has reported a strong set of results for 2022, with profit up over 20% and users growing 10% despite SIM registration challenges, high inflation rates and macroeconomic pressure.

Etisalat Egypt signs $132M financing deal for expansion

Matshepo Sehloho
2/3/2023

Telecoms operator Etisalat Egypt has signed a funding agreement with Commercial International Bank to support its expansion plans in the North African country.

Zimbabwe's EcoCash to grow USD mobile money transactions

Matshepo Sehloho
2/2/2023

Mobile money operator EcoCash plans to grow its US dollar transactions distribution footprint across Zimbabwe.

Airtel Africa reports double-digit revenue and customer growth

Paula Gilbert
2/2/2023

Airtel Africa grew its customer base by 10% and revenue by 12%, for the first nine months of the financial year, as it increased capex and spent more on 4G and 5G spectrum across Africa.

Connecting Africa Podcast: S2 Ep. 4 – Agri-fintech, from kibbutz to Kenya

Paula Gilbert
2/2/2023

The Connecting Africa Podcast team speak to Israeli-Kenyan startup Avenews' co-founder and CEO, Shalom Ben-Or, about his fintech super app that has been built specifically for Africa's agriculture industry.

Elon Musk's Starlink goes live in Nigeria

Matshepo Sehloho
2/1/2023

Nigeria has become the first African country to have access to SpaceX's satellite Internet service, Starlink.

SA regulator appoints a new CEO

Paula Gilbert
2/1/2023

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has appointed Tshiamo Maluleka-Disemelo as its new CEO.

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Ivorian fintech takes Ecobank Challenge top prize

Pan-African banking group Ecobank has announced Côte d'Ivoire's Daba Finance as the winner of its flagship Ecobank Fintech Challenge 2024, walking away with the US$50,000 grand prize.

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Elon Musk hosts African leaders while Starlink faces challenges in Kenya

Elon Musk's Starlink satellite Internet service is making waves across Africa, while it navigates competitive dynamics with local telecom companies. He recently engaged with various African leaders.

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Women in Tech: Spotlight on tech talent with RedAcademy's Jessica Hawkey

RedAcademy's founder and MD Jessica Hawkey spoke to Connecting Africa, as part of a Women in Tech series, about how digital skills development programs are growing Africa's tech talent pipeline while creating jobs for the youth.

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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

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.

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US-Kenya tech exchange aims to bridge digital gap, boost STEM education

By Eden Harris

Connecting Africa Correspondent Eden Harris investigates the USAID Edtech Africa initiative which aims to enhance tech education in Kenya and the US and teach the skills needed to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the digital age.