Author: Akin Naphtal

Barbara Melem, Head of Corporate Communications & Sustainability (Senior Manager) at IHS Cameroon, has been named Telecom Sustainability Personality of the Year at the prestigious 11th Africa Digital Economy Awards (ADEA 2026). The prestigious ceremony, held on September 9, 2026, at the Emara Ole-Sereni Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, celebrated the continent’s most visionary corporate leaders, innovators, and organizations shaping Africa’s digital future. The 11th ADEA edition, powered by Digital Economy Magazine, convened industry pioneers, executive leaders, and policy decision-makers. Among 36 celebrated awardees, Melem’s individual triumph capped a remarkable night for IHS Towers. With over two decades of distinguished experience across…

Liberia’s Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has partnered with Cybastion to establish technology and business innovation hubs for women, alongside childcare centres across the country. The agreement was signed by Cybastion CEO Dr. Thierry Wandji Ketchiozo and Liberia’s Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Gbeme Horace Kollie, during the Corporate Council on Africa’s Trade and Investment Roundtable held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The initiative, known as the Liberia Women’s Digital and Economic Empowerment Program, will focus on improving women’s access to digital skills, entrepreneurship training and business development opportunities.…

The Director-General and CEO of Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has participated in a high-level engagement convened by the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, bringing together technology leaders, investors and digital policy experts to discuss opportunities for accelerating digital transformation. The engagement focused on key areas including artificial intelligence, trusted digital infrastructure, connectivity, technology investment, digital skills and emerging technologies, while examining the growing role of technology diplomacy in supporting economic competitiveness and national development. Inuwa highlighted Nigeria’s youthful population, growing digital ecosystem and regulatory clarity as major opportunities for positioning the country…

Safaricom has become the first internet service provider in Kenya to surpass one million fixed broadband subscribers, reaching 1,024,950 customers by the end of June 2026, according to data from the Communications Authority of Kenya. The milestone gives the telecom operator a 36.1% share of the fixed broadband market, marking a significant expansion of a business that had a limited presence in the sector nine years ago. The growth has been driven largely by Safaricom’s ability to combine its mobile, mobile money and broadband services within one customer ecosystem. By June 2026, the company controlled nearly 70% of mobile subscriptions…

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure, has announced that its 2.3 MW VertiCool Chip coolant distribution unit (CDU) has qualified as a NVIDIA DSX Ready CDU. The model is the first CDU to receive qualification specifically under the NVIDIA DSX Ready programme, which helps AI factory builders identify power and cooling products that meet applicable NVIDIA DSX requirements. Vertiv is among the initial providers of qualified CDU solutions under the programme. The NVIDIA DSX Ready initiative is designed to give AI infrastructure developers a clearer way to evaluate specific infrastructure components as they plan increasingly complex facilities for…

Verto, B2B global payments platform has launched its new Verto Card in partnership with Visa, introducing a multi-currency corporate card designed to help African businesses manage international payments and spending more efficiently. Supporting Global Business Transactions The Verto Card is linked directly to Verto wallets and enables businesses to fund, spend and settle payments across multiple currencies. The card supports transactions in 11 currencies, with zero foreign-exchange markups on eligible currencies, while providing indirect access to an additional 160 currencies. Verto said the new card is designed to address challenges faced by African companies operating internationally, including foreign-exchange costs, payment…

Network International, a fintech company operating across the Middle East and Africa, has launched Network MAX, a new suite of business card solutions designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UAE improve cash flow, strengthen financial control and manage everyday business payments. Network MAX brings together two digital-first solutions designed for different SME needs. For micro and small businesses that often face working-capital pressures while waiting for settlement funds, the service provides instant access to settlement funds through the My Network business app, helping merchants maintain operations while earning cashback on eligible business spending. For established and…

Spectranet Limited has appointed Sumit Gambhir, CA, as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO) as the Nigerian broadband provider strengthens its leadership team and prepares for its next phase of growth. Gambhir, who previously served as the company’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), brings more than two decades of international experience spanning telecommunications, technology and financial services. New Leadership for Spectranet’s Next Phase Gambhir’s appointment comes as Spectranet focuses on improving operational efficiency, strengthening its infrastructure and responding to changing customer expectations. In his new role, he will oversee company-wide operations and contribute to the company’s long-term infrastructure planning and expansion…

Visa has expanded its Visa Direct ecosystem in Saudi Arabia through collaborations with financial institutions including alrajhi bank, Alinma Bank and Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB), supporting faster domestic and cross-border money transfers. Visa Direct Expansion Targets Growing Digital Remittance Demand Visa Direct enables participating banks, fintech companies and payment providers to send money to eligible cards, bank accounts and wallets globally through Visa’s payment network. Visa said transaction volumes through Visa Direct cards in Saudi Arabia increased by more than 50% year over year, while card transaction volume across the KBO region grew by more than 300%. The expansion comes…

Anthropic has announced a partnership with Accenture to carry out independent evaluations of frontier AI models. The initiative supports a commitment outlined by Anthropic’s CEO in the essay “We Must Pace the Frontier,” which called for independent evaluators to be embedded within AI companies. The partnership will be led by Faculty, Accenture’s specialist AI business, and will focus on evaluating and red-teaming AI models, conducting alignment assessments and testing model safeguards. Accenture’s experience helping businesses and governments deploy AI across different industries is expected to provide an enterprise perspective to the evaluation process. ALSO READ: BANKIT REBRANDS AS WAYVEPAY FOR…