News & Views

Content posted in August 2023

Five African healthtech startups to watch

Matshepo Sehloho
8/31/2023

Connecting Africa has compiled a list of five African healthtech startups that have been making an impact in the lives of the communities they serve and are worth keeping an eye on in 2023.

Vodacom, Eskom sign 'virtual wheeling' power deal in SA

Paula Gilbert
8/31/2023

Telecom operator Vodacom has signed a "virtual wheeling agreement" with state-owned power company Eskom, which aims to help accelerate efforts to solve South Africa's energy crisis.

Power cuts, Cell C impact SA's Blue Label Telecoms earnings

Paula Gilbert
8/30/2023

South Africa's Blue Label Telecoms' full year earnings have again been negatively impacted by its investment in mobile operator Cell C, as well as rolling blackouts that plagued the country over the past year.

MTN invests in Cameroon, signs 5G enterprise deal in Nigeria

Matshepo Sehloho
8/30/2023

MTN Group has committed to invest US$225 million over three years in Cameroon in a bid to rectify a legal dispute, while MTN Nigeria is set to deploy 5G services to facilitate business optimization to Seplat Energy.

African fintechs raised $2.7B since 2021 – Disrupt Africa

Paula Gilbert
8/29/2023

Disrupt Africa's 'Finnovating for Africa' 2023 report found that the number of African fintech startups grew 17.7% over the past two years and they raised more than $2.7 billion in funding.

Testify equips Nigerians with software testing skills

Matshepo Sehloho
8/29/2023

Nigerian software testing consultancy firm and academy Testify aspires to equip 5,000 people with employable tech skills through software testing by 2025.

Connecting Africa Podcast S2 Ep. 10 – Financial inclusion reality check

Connecting Africa News
8/28/2023

On the final podcast episode for season two, hosts Tobi Lafinhan, Paula Gilbert and Matshepo Sehloho discuss financial inclusion in Africa and whether fintech services like mobile money are making the impact they promise.

Malawi, Zambia ink affordable Internet MoU

Matshepo Sehloho
8/28/2023

Malawi and Zambia have signed an agreement to establish a 'Diplomatic Data Corridor' aimed at enhancing Internet connectivity and reduce data prices between the two countries.

Ghana to establish neutral shared infrastructure for 5G

Paula Gilbert
8/25/2023

Ghana will establish a neutral shared infrastructure company to deliver nationwide 4G and 5G services, according to Communications and Digitalisation Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful.

Mauritania mandates SIM registration process

Matshepo Sehloho
8/25/2023

Mauritania's telecommunications regulator, ARE, has told mobile subscribers to register their SIM cards before October 6, 2023.

Google launches AI accelerator for Africa

Connecting Africa News
8/24/2023

Google has announced a new Startups Accelerator: AI First program aimed specifically at startups looking to use artificial intelligence to solve local challenges.

Hot startup of the month: South Africa's Quro Medical

Matshepo Sehloho
8/24/2023

This month's hot startup is Quro Medical, a digital health company offering various remote patient monitoring solutions in South Africa.

Somalia bans TikTok, Telegram and 1XBet

Matshepo Sehloho
8/23/2023

Somalia's communications minister, Jama Hassan Khalif, has banned online platforms TikTok, Telegram and 1XBet over concerns related to the spread of explicit content, blackmail and promotion of gambling.

South Africa's comms bill could impact investment – MTN CEO

Matshepo Sehloho
8/22/2023

MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita has slammed South Africa's Electronic Communications Amendment Bill saying that it could impact on investment opportunities for the private sector.

What lies ahead for digital regulations in Africa

Connecting Africa News
8/22/2023

ICT Analyst Francis Hook outlines the future of digital regulations in Africa.

Airtel Chad fined $8.3M for deteriorating network

Paula Gilbert
8/21/2023

Chad's telecoms regulator has slapped Airtel Chad with a fine of 5 billion Central Africa CFA francs (US$8.3 million) for poor network quality.

InDrive enters Lesotho, Bolt announces African milestones

Matshepo Sehloho
8/21/2023

Ride-hailing platform InDrive has expanded into Lesotho while Bolt has completed 400 million rides in South Africa as well as 100 million in Kenya.

MTN SA CTIO leaves, two execs replace him

Paula Gilbert
8/18/2023

MTN South Africa's Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO) Michele Gamberini has resigned, and his role has been split with two new execs appointed.

2Africa submarine cable lands in Mozambique

Paula Gilbert
8/17/2023

Vodacom has landed the latest section of the 2Africa submarine cable in the city of Nacala in northern Mozambique.

Safaricom launches M-Pesa in Ethiopia

Paula Gilbert
8/17/2023

Mobile financial services platform M-Pesa is now officially live in Ethiopia, three months after Safaricom Ethiopia was given a license to operate mobile money in the country.

MAZIV embarks on $21M SA fiber expansion project

Paula Gilbert
8/16/2023

MAZIV, the parent company of fiber infrastructure providers Dark Fibre Africa (DFA) and Vumatel, has embarked on a R400 million (US$21 million) infrastructure expansion project in South Africa.

Cell C CFO Lerato Pule resigns

Matshepo Sehloho
8/16/2023

South African mobile operator Cell C CFO Lerato Pule has resigned less than a year after taking over from Zaf Mahomed.

MTN not pursuing Telkom SA buyout

Matshepo Sehloho
8/16/2023

MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita has refuted rumors that there are fresh merger talks between the Group and Telkom SA.

Liquid Intelligent Technologies launches Gaborone metro fiber ring in Botswana

Paula Gilbert
8/15/2023

Liquid Intelligent Technologies has launched its Gaborone Metro Ring, aiming to boost connectivity for businesses in Botswana.

Digital transformation needs security to be sustainable – BlackBerry

Matshepo Sehloho
8/14/2023

BlackBerry executive Neelam Sandhu believes that for digital transformation to succeed on the African continent, cybersecurity needs to be at the forefront.

Mastercard to buy stake in MTN's $5.2B fintech business

Paula Gilbert
8/14/2023

MTN Group announced that Mastercard plans to become a minority investor in its fintech business, which the pan-African telco values at $5.2 billion.

Senegal's national roaming live

Matshepo Sehloho
8/11/2023

Senegal's Regulation Authority for Telecommunications and Posts (ARTP) has welcomed the implementation of roaming arrangements between the country's mobile network operators.

South Africa's CompCom says no to Vodacom-MAZIV deal

Matshepo Sehloho
8/10/2023

South Africa's Competition Commission (CompCom) has recommended that Vodacom's $696 million acquisition of a stake in fiber operator MAZIV be blocked.

WACS, SAT-3 undersea cable breaks slow SA's Internet

Matshepo Sehloho
8/8/2023

The West African Cable System (WACS) and the South Atlantic 3 (SAT-3) undersea cables have experienced breaks causing slow Internet in South Africa.

Safaricom Ethiopia closes $257M IFC deal

Paula Gilbert
8/8/2023

Safaricom Ethiopia has closed a deal with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) which includes an equity investment of $157.4 million and a $100 million loan.

Podcast: What's the Story? SA regulator cracks down on Big Tech

Connecting Africa Video
8/8/2023

Connecting Africa's Paula Gilbert joined the podcast to discuss why global online platform giants Google, Apple, Booking.com and Uber Eats as well as local online retailers and classifieds are in trouble with South Africa's Competition Commission.

Edtech app G-Quiz helping Gambian students pass exams

Connecting Africa News
8/7/2023

Gambian edtech app G-Quiz is helping secondary school students prepare for exams and has ambitions to expand into both anglophone and francophone countries in West Africa, as well as parts of North Africa.

Powertel to invest $50M in Zimbabwe's fiber network

Matshepo Sehloho
8/7/2023

Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) subsidiary Powertel Communications will be investing $50 million toward expanding the country's fiber network.

Uber Eats pledges $10.7M investment in SA, after competition watchdog report

Paula Gilbert
8/4/2023

Uber Eats promised to invest R200 million (US$10.7 million) to create economic opportunities for youth in South Africa's low-income areas just days after landing in hot water with the country's Competition Commission.

There are no borders in cybersecurity – Gambian Comms Minister

Matshepo Sehloho
8/4/2023

Ministers and deputy ministers from five African countries agreed that to protect their citizens from cybercrime, they needed to stop working in silos, they said during a panel discussion at Cybertech Africa in Rwanda.

Emtel launches 5G in Mauritius

Paula Gilbert
8/3/2023

Telecoms operator Emtel has become the second operator to launch 5G services in the island nation of Mauritius.

5G launches in Uganda, Zambia

Paula Gilbert
8/2/2023

MTN and Airtel have both launched 5G services in the Ugandan capital of Kampala, and Airtel has begun rolling out 5G in Zambian capital Lusaka.

Africa must work together to fight cybercrime – Rwanda ICT Minister

Matshepo Sehloho
8/1/2023

Speaking at Cybertech Africa, Rwanda ICT Minister Paula Ingabire urges African countries to collaborate on cybergovernance. 'The importance of a reliable digital ecosystem cannot be overstated,' she says.

SA competition watchdog takes on Google, Apple, other online platforms

Paula Gilbert
8/1/2023

South Africa's Competition Commission has taken aim at global tech companies Google, Apple and Uber Eats, as well as local online retailers and classifieds, demanding remedial actions to improve competition for smaller players.

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Innovation hub

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VC investment into South African ICT startups rises

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.

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

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.

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Leadership Lessons: Networking towards career advancement

By Nollie Maoto

Nollie Maoto, First Rand Group's compliance chief data and analytics officer and Africa Tech Festival Leadership Council member, reflects on the importance of networking for career growth especially for African women in data analytics.

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Leadership Lessons: The importance of mentorship for career growth

By Nollie Maoto

Nollie Maoto, First Rand Group's compliance chief data and analytics officer and Africa Tech Festival Leadership Council member, reflects on the importance of mentorship for career growth for African women in data analytics.

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