Author: Akin Naphtal

Nigeria has incorporated Bridge Open Access (Bridge OA), an independent special-purpose vehicle established to oversee Project BRIDGE, the Federal Government’s $2 billion nationwide broadband infrastructure programme, according to Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Minister Dr. Bosun Tijani. Tijani announced the incorporation through his official LinkedIn page, describing the development as a significant transition that moves Project BRIDGE from its planning and financing stages into actual nationwide infrastructure deployment. Project BRIDGE is designed to deploy 90,000 kilometres of new open-access fibre-optic cable across Nigeria, increasing the country’s existing national fibre backbone from an estimated 30,000–35,000 kilometres to more than 120,000 kilometres.…

MTN Digital Infrastructure, the parent company of Bayobab, has appointed Nour Alkhatib as General Manager: Customer Success, effective 1 September 2026. Alkhatib brings extensive experience across the telecommunications value chain, spanning marketing, communications, category management, customer experience and commercial strategy. Her career has covered markets in Africa and the Middle East, with senior leadership roles across MTN Group, MENA and SEA operations, where she has consistently delivered strong commercial, brand and customer outcomes. Since joining MTN, she has played a key role in shaping brand and commercial strategy. As Principal: Marketing & Media Category at MTN Group GSSC in Dubai,…

Nvidia has agreed to provide a guarantee of up to $105 billion to support OpenAI’s lease of a massive data center in Ohio, which SoftBank-owned SB Energy is developing as part of one of Nvidia’s largest infrastructure financing commitments. The Jensen Huang-led firm stated on Monday that it will invest $1.5 billion in SB Energy, following a $1 billion investment from OpenAI and SoftBank to expand data center infrastructure and support the growing demand for artificial intelligence computing. The latest agreement represents another major step in Nvidia’s strategy of financing infrastructure built around its chips, supporting future demand while raising…

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy has partnered with Meta, 3MTT and RAIN to launch an AI academy. The initiative aims to expand Nigeria’s AI talent pool and strengthen the country’s growing technology ecosystem. Meanwhile, the programme will help participants develop practical AI skills for the digital economy. The academy will move participants from basic AI awareness to practical applications through training, technical support and commercial opportunities. According to Meta,the programme will feature three components: AI skills development, a startup pitchathon and a six-week developer bootcamp. The skills programme will target the wider 3MTT community and provide…

Hubtel, Ghana’s leading fintech and digital payment company, lends its support to MoMo from MTN for the launch of the MoMo Fintech Lab as its Official Technology Partner. As Official Technology Partner of the 2026 MoMo Fintech Lab, Hubtel will help power a national initiative designed to give fintech innovators a major boost. The launch took place on 12th August 2026 at the Accra Marriott Hotel. The company was represented by four senior executives: Nana Owusu-Marfo, Francis Wilson, Patrick Asare-Frimpong, and Augustine Gyawu Adjei, who lead Brand and User Experience, Infrastructure and Payments, Product Management, and Engineering in attendance respectively,…

Airtel Africa has officially activated satellite-to-mobile connectivity in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The announcement, made in Kinshasa on August 14, 2026, marks a major milestone, as the technology has moved from the pilot stage to full commercial rollout in Africa, according to telecom reports across the continent. Through its partnership with SpaceX, Airtel has consequently positioned the DRC as the first market within the Airtel Africa group to offer direct satellite-backed mobile services to customers. With the new service, subscribers with compatible smartphones can connect directly to Starlink’s satellite network in areas without traditional mobile coverage, provided they…

Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has expanded its international technology collaborations by signing strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Canadian technology companies Goose FL and Fireflies AI in Toronto, Canada. The partnerships are aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s engagement with global technology players and creating new opportunities for innovation and digital development. Witnessed by NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the agreements are designed to accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation, strengthen its technology ecosystem, and deepen the country’s partnerships with global technology companies. This initiative will aim for three major areas, starting with financial inclusion. Through these partnerships, NITDA and its…

Kenya is intensifying its collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to expand digital skills, cloud computing capacity and artificial intelligence capabilities, following a high-level visit by Cabinet Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy, Hon. William Kabogo Gitau, to the company’s Nairobi offices. The Cabinet Secretary, accompanied by senior government officials, held discussions with Robin Njiru, OGW, Public Sector Lead for Sub-Saharan Africa at AWS, and the local AWS team. The engagement built on earlier talks with Jyoti Ball, General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, and focused on accelerating Kenya’s digital transformation through skills development, innovation and connectivity. A key highlight…

According to John Tanui, Principal Secretary in Kenya’s State Department for ICT and the Digital Economy, technology-driven mining, supported by digital skills and local value addition, could become a key driver of Kenya’s economic transformation. Following the meeting held with Joseph Kitilit, Chief Executive Officer of National Mining Corporation (NMC), Tanui said this initiative is set to increase productivity geological mapping, data management, traceability, and connectivity across the value chain while attracting commercial investment. Kenya needs to shift from raw mineral extraction to processing, value addition and local manufacturing to retain more economic value and increase its export potential, Tanui…

Jean-François Fallacher, CEO of Eutelsat, a global leader in satellite communications, announced that the successful completion of the IRIS² programme’s First Rendez-Vous marks the transition from planning to execution for Europe’s sovereign multi-orbit connectivity infrastructure. The expanded constellation will run to 348 satellites: 330 in low Earth orbit from Eutelsat, 18 in MEO from SES. 66 of the LEO satellites are earmarked specifically for defence, security and emergency services, with launch planned from 2029. Separately, Eutelsat is extending its existing OneWeb network through 2034 with 229 additional satellites on top of the 440 already procured, a roughly €1 billion investment.…