Author: Akin Naphtal

Vodacom Group has entered a landmark strategic partnership with Google Cloud that will fast-track the pan-African telecom giant’s digital transformation and bring cutting-edge artificial intelligence services to millions of customers across the continent. Announced today, the collaboration will see Vodacom migrate its vast data estate onto Google Cloud’s secure, scalable infrastructure and deploy Google’s most advanced generative AI tools – including the Gemini, Veo, and Imagen models – to reinvent everything from network operations to customer experiences. Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub described the deal as far more than a technology upgrade. “This is a deep commitment to Africa’s digital revolution,”…

MTN Group has cemented its place as Africa’s undisputed telecommunications giant, becoming the first operator on the continent to surpass 300 million active subscribers. As of November 2025, the pan-African mobile powerhouse now serves 301.3 million customers across its 16 markets – meaning roughly one in every five Africans carries an MTN SIM card.With Africa’s total population standing at 1.56 billion and an estimated 416 million active mobile users (excluding children and the elderly), MTN’s footprint has reached an unprecedented scale. “This is a formative milestone,” said MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita. “Crossing 300 million customers is a…

Global critical infrastructure giant Vertiv and power-systems leader Caterpillar have signed a strategic agreement to develop fully integrated, pre-engineered energy solutions that dramatically cut deployment time and energy waste for high-density data centers. The partnership combines Caterpillar’s natural-gas turbines, reciprocating engines and Solar Turbines’ expertise in Combined Cooling, Heat and Power (CCHP) systems with Vertiv’s industry-leading power distribution, modular cooling, and lifecycle services portfolio. The result: factory-validated, plug-and-play reference architectures that allow data center operators to bring megawatts of new capacity online faster than ever before.Under the new collaboration, customers will gain: -Faster time-to-power through modular, pre-designed building blocks that…

Mastercard and Zenith Bank Plc have partnered to introduce the Essential Debit Card, a cost-effective and secure payment solution tailored for low-income earners and other underserved Nigerians who have been historically excluded from formal banking services. Launched in July 2025, the card is now available nationwide through Zenith branches and digital channels, in both physical and virtual formats. It features simplified onboarding, lower issuance costs, and is built on Mastercard’s global network to ensure acceptance wherever digital payments are growing fastest. The timing is significant. Nigeria’s digital payments explosion continued unabated in 2024, with electronic transactions hitting a record ₦1.08…

Google, in partnership with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, has officially launched the ‘AfCFTA Digital Inclusion & Entrepreneurship Programme’, a free initiative aimed at equipping 7,500 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the continent with cutting-edge AI and digital trade skills. The programme, powered by Google’s successful Hustle Academy, seeks to bridge Africa’s digital skills gap by delivering practical, localised training that helps entrepreneurs leverage AI-powered tools and navigate cross-border e-commerce under the AfCFTA framework. Since its inception in 2022, the Google Hustle Academy has already supported more than 18,000 African SMEs, providing a proven foundation for…

Nokia has won a significant three-year contract from Telecom Italia (TIM) to expand and modernize the operator’s 5G network across underserved regions of Italy, in one of the Finnish vendor’s largest recent victories in the Italian market. The deal, awarded after a competitive tender process, will substantially strengthen Nokia’s presence in Italy and support TIM’s ambitious nationwide digital transformation strategy. Under the agreement, Nokia will deploy its latest AI-ready 5G AirScale portfolio, including Habrok 32 Massive MIMO radios and Pandion FDD multi-band remote radio heads, to boost coverage and capacity with a strong emphasis on smaller towns and rural areas.…

The United KingdomGovernment has unveiled plans to slash electricity costs for new data centres in Scotland, potentially saving billions on consumer bills while transforming deindustrialized heartlands into hubs of digital innovation, a bold move to supercharge the region’s role in the global AI revolution. The proposal, announced by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), targets “constraint costs” – the hefty payments made to renewable energy producers to curb output during peak generation – and positions central Scotland as the UK’s most competitive site for AI infrastructure, rivaling low-cost Nordic powerhouses like Norway. Under the initiative, spearheaded by DSIT’s…

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure, today announced it will supply next-generation infrastructure for ROM1, Digital Realty’s first data centre in Italy with a planned capacity above 3 MW. The agreement extends the comprehensive suite of Vertiv solutions and existing technology implementations with Digital Realty across European locations, including Paris, Madrid, and Amsterdam. The ROM1 facility will feature advanced cooling and power infrastructure designed specifically for high-performance computing (HPC) environments. The technology implementation includes innovative free-cooling systems that leverage Rome’s climate conditions, and highly energy-efficient power management systems designed to support high-density workloads. The project will be implemented…

Cassava Technologies, a global technology leader of African heritage, has made significant progress with its landmark project to establish Africa’s first network GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) offering. As the first preferred NVIDIA Cloud Partner (NCP) in Africa, these secure data centre facilities, located across South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and Morocco, will mark the company’s long-standing leadership in providing world-class digital solutions on the continent. “Cassava’s commitment to growing Africa’s AI ecosystem is not just about technology; it’s about empowerment. Securing the position as the first preferred NVIDIA Cloud Partner in Africa enables us to play a crucial role in the continent’s…

According to Visa’s Monetized Report, the creator economy has transformed into a formidable business ecosystem, empowering individuals to turn their creative passions into thriving enterprises. The study found that 73% of UK creators now consider their work a small business, while more than half (54%) identify as successful entrepreneurs. This entrepreneurial mindset is translating into financial success. The report found that nearly half of UK creators are earning £1,600 or more per month, with over a third (34%) bringing in between £1,600 and £3,999. Furthermore, their reach is increasingly global, with 51% of creators receiving international payments. “UK creators are…