News & Views

Content posted in July 2024

Omdia View: June 2024

Guest Perspectives
7/31/2024

Telecoms highlights in the Middle East and Africa during June 2024 included Orange Smart Energies opening up its digital platform across Africa, a 5G network trial in South Sudan, the world's first triple-band mobile radio unit in Egypt and a partnership between Ooredoo Group and NVIDIA to advance AI capabilities within MENA.

Five sustainable companies to watch in 2024

Matshepo Sehloho
7/31/2024

Connecting Africa has compiled a list of five sustainable companies and startups using innovative technologies to improve the lives of those in the communities they serve.

Hot startup of the month: Ethiopia's Kubik

Matshepo Sehloho
7/31/2024

Connecting Africa's hot startup this month is Ethiopia's Kubik, which transforms plastic waste into eco-friendly, affordable construction blocks.

The rising tide of sustainable ICT in Africa

Guest Perspectives
7/30/2024

With discussions on climate change picking up pace, ICT analyst Francis Hook discusses how African companies are embracing sustainable ICT practices and how telcos, data center operators and manufacturers are striving to go green.

Nigeria's 9Mobile sells majority stake to LH Telecommunication

Paula Gilbert
7/29/2024

Nigerian telecom operator 9Mobile has sold a 95.5% stake in the company to UK-based LH Telecommunication Ltd. for an undisclosed sum.

Africa faces increased cyberthreats, security skills gap – Cisco

Paula Gilbert
7/26/2024

A new whitepaper from Cisco, Access Partnership and the University of Pretoria shows that Africa faces escalating cyberattacks alongside a severe shortage of cybersecurity professionals.

Africa Data Centres adding 6MW capacity in Cape Town

Paula Gilbert
7/25/2024

Africa Data Centres is expanding its data center facility in Cape Town, South Africa, to add another 6MW of IT load, effectively doubling its current capacity in the city.

VC investment into South African ICT startups rises

Paula Gilbert
7/24/2024

Venture capital (VC) investment for startups in South Africa reached $178.8 million in 2023, with investments in the ICT sector almost doubling compared to 2022, according to a new report from SAVCA and VS Nova.

Ghana's regulator addresses mobile data cost complaints

Matshepo Sehloho
7/23/2024

Ghana's National Communications Authority (NCA) has responded after a public outcry over high Internet and mobile data prices as well as MTN Ghana being declared a Significant Market Power (SMP).

Connecting Africa Podcast: S3 Ep. 4 – Africa's future as a tech talent powerhouse

Paula Gilbert
7/22/2024

In this episode, Utiva CEO Eyitayo Ogunmola returns to the podcast to talk about Africa's opportunity to become a tech talent powerhouse. The discussion covers upskilling African talent for the global job market and how outsourcing local tech professionals can provide opportunities for the youth, with a focus on growing female talent.

Nigerian watchdog fines Meta $220M for data abuse

Matshepo Sehloho
7/22/2024

Nigeria's Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has imposed a US$220 million fine on Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, over alleged data abuse of Nigerian users.

Leadership Lessons: Networking towards career advancement

Guest Perspectives
7/19/2024

Nollie Maoto, FNB Compliance CDAO and Africa Tech Festival Leadership Council member, reflects on the importance of networking for career growth especially for African women in data analytics.

Vodacom Tanzania unveils Digital Accelerator Program winners

Matshepo Sehloho
7/19/2024

Mobile operator Vodacom Tanzania has announced the season three winners of its Digital Accelerator Program.

Competition expected in South Africa's growing MVNO market

Paula Gilbert
7/18/2024

A battle in South Africa's mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) market is heating up as more local mobile network operators (MNOs) plan partnerships with MVNOs, challenging a market that has for many years been dominated by Cell C-enabled MVNOs.

NuRAN, MTN Benin sign 200-site NaaS agreement

Matshepo Sehloho
7/18/2024

Canadian telecoms infrastructure provider NuRAN Wireless and telecom operator MTN Benin have signed a 200-site Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) agreement.

WiDEF offers enterprises support to close digital gender divide

Paula Gilbert
7/17/2024

The Women in the Digital Economy Fund (WiDEF) is offering private sector enterprises technical assistance worth up to US$150,000 to help close the digital gender divide.

Orange Burkina Faso, Vox Solutions ink A2P SMS & voice gateway deal

Matshepo Sehloho
7/17/2024

Pan-African operator Orange's Burkinabé unit has chosen Vox Solutions as the international application-to-person (A2P) voice and SMS gateway for traffic into its network.

AI's potential in African agriculture, energy and climate action – GSMA

Paula Gilbert
7/16/2024

A new GSMA report examines the huge potential for artificial intelligence to support Africa's socio-economic growth in areas including agriculture, energy and climate action.

Liquid C2 expands Cloudmania into Egypt

Matshepo Sehloho
7/16/2024

Liquid C2, the cloud computing arm of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, has expanded its cloud distribution business, Cloudmania, into Egypt.

KaiOS targets merchant market for growth, digital inclusion

Paula Gilbert
7/15/2024

KaiOS Technologies, the creator of a mobile operating system for smart feature phones, is piloting affordable merchant payment terminals - which look like feature phones - in Africa to help underserved merchants and transport providers accept digital payments solutions.

Telecom Egypt partners with Nokia to deploy 5G

Matshepo Sehloho
7/15/2024

Telecom Egypt and Nokia have partnered to bring fifth-generation (5G) technology to Egypt.

Ilara Health aims to improve quality of care in Kenya

Matshepo Sehloho
7/12/2024

Kenyan healthtech startup Ilara Health aspires to improve the quality of care in the country's clinics by providing equipment financing and digitizing facilities with its software.

Leadership Lessons: The importance of mentorship for career growth

Guest Perspectives
7/12/2024

Nollie Maoto, FNB Compliance CDAO and Africa Tech Festival Leadership Council member, reflects on the importance of mentorship for career growth for African women in data analytics.

Safaricom surpasses Airtel in Kenyan 5G sites

Paula Gilbert
7/11/2024

Kenyan operator Safaricom has now overtaken Airtel Kenya in the number of active 5G sites it has in the East African country.

Zambia's prolonged power blackouts negatively impacting telcos

Matshepo Sehloho
7/11/2024

The Global System for Mobile Association of Zambia (GSMAZ) has complained that prolonged power cuts have negatively impacted Zambia's telecommunications sector.

Global coalition promises more affordable smartphones for Africa

Paula Gilbert
7/10/2024

The GSMA, World Bank, African mobile operators and other global institutions have announced a new coalition to improve handset affordability for lower-income populations, focusing on sub-Saharan Africa.

Tanzanian fintech Nala secures $40M Series A funding

Matshepo Sehloho
7/10/2024

Tanzanian payments company Nala has raised US$40 million in Series A funding to be used for its global expansion plans and enhancing its payment systems on the continent.

South Sudan unveils approved Starlink tariffs

Matshepo Sehloho
7/9/2024

South Sudan's National Communications Authority (NCA) has released approved tariffs for SpaceX's satellite Internet service, Starlink.

UPDATE: Ghana regulator instructs ATC to reconnect Telecel

Matshepo Sehloho
7/8/2024

The National Communications Authority (NCA) of Ghana has instructed network tower provider American Tower Corporation (ATC) to reconnect the power supply to the network equipment of operator Telecel Ghana.

Google Translate adds 25+ African languages

Paula Gilbert
7/5/2024

Google Translate is using artificial intelligence (AI) to add 110 new languages to its translation service and about a quarter of the new languages come from Africa.

ATC, Telecel Ghana at loggerheads over payment disputes

Matshepo Sehloho
7/5/2024

Network tower provider American Tower Corporation Ghana (ATC Ghana) has suspended power supply to Telecel Ghana's power network equipment due to the latter not fulfilling its payment obligations.

Maroc Telecom loses appeal against $635M fine

Paula Gilbert
7/4/2024

A Moroccan appeals court has upheld a previous ruling ordering Maroc Telecom to pay 6.3 billion Moroccan dirhams (US$635 million) to competitor Inwi for unfair competition practices.

SA retailer Shoprite launches wholesale e-commerce platform

Matshepo Sehloho
7/4/2024

South African retailer Shoprite Holdings has launched an online bulk shopping and delivery service for small businesses, including informal stores like spaza shops.

PAIX Data Centres adds capacity in Ghana

Paula Gilbert
7/3/2024

PAIX Data Centres is expanding its facility in Accra, Ghana, and Africa50 has invested over $30 million in growth equity to support the company's expansion plans in Africa.

Orange opens digital center in Guinea-Bissau

Matshepo Sehloho
7/3/2024

Pan-African operator Orange has opened an Orange Digital Center (ODC) in Guinea-Bissau.

Ericsson appoints Patrick Johansson as head of MEA

Paula Gilbert
7/2/2024

Swedish ICT company Ericsson has appointed Patrick Johansson as the new senior VP and head of its market area for the Middle East and Africa (MEA), replacing Fadi Pharaon in August.

Tunisia calls for tenders to provide 5G

Matshepo Sehloho
7/2/2024

The Tunisian Ministry of Communication Technologies has called for tenders to award 5G operating licenses in the North African country.

Solly Malatsi appointed as South Africa's new communications minister

Matshepo Sehloho
7/1/2024

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Solly Malatsi as the country's minister of communications and digital technologies.

Starlink beams into Madagascar

Matshepo Sehloho
7/1/2024

SpaceX's satellite Internet service, Starlink, has launched its high-speed, low-latency Internet service in Madagascar.

MWC Shanghai 2024: Huawei to train 150,000 African youth

Paula Gilbert
7/1/2024

Huawei has committed to providing digital skills training for 150,000 young people in sub-Saharan Africa over the next three years, it announced at MWC Shanghai 2024 in China.

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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.

Story

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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Africa Tech Perspectives

Story

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.

Story

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.

Story

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.

More Africa Tech perspectives

Guest Perspectives

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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.