Author: Akin Naphtal

The Gate London City, a premium aparthotel in the heart of the City of London, has partnered with Inntelo AI to introduce an advanced agentic AI solution, making it the first hotel in the UK capital to adopt the platform. The property, managed by EQ Group, a European hospitality platform with nearly 10,000 rooms across the UK and Europe is using the technology to enhance guest experiences while prioritising staff development. In a notable departure from typical AI implementations, The Gate London City has paired the rollout with a comprehensive training and upskilling programme for its team. Rather than using…

Paystack has announced the early access launch of Paystack Index, an experimental product developed in collaboration with TSG Labs, the venture studio and emerging technology arm of The Stack Group. The new product builds on Paystack’s existing payment infrastructure, including Paystack Checkout, by allowing users in Nigeria to complete purchases with supported merchants directly through AI agents. It aims to explore how people want to use AI for everyday transactions, beginning with familiar tasks such as buying airtime and mobile data, funding wallets, sending money, and ordering food. Paystack Index is now live in Nigeria and currently integrates with supported…

MTN Group, Africa’s largest telecommunications operator, has achieved a remarkable global milestone by securing the second position in the prestigious 2026 Ranking Digital Rights (RDR) Index. The company becomes the first telecommunications operator headquartered in an emerging market to break into the top three worldwide. This strong performance underscores MTN’s sustained commitment to transparency, robust governance, and the protection of digital human rights across its operations. The RDR Index serves as the leading global benchmark for how technology and telecommunications companies uphold fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and privacy through their policies, practices, and disclosures. MTN earned a…

Digital innovation must go beyond technology to deliver meaningful societal impact through trust, adaptive regulation, and human-centred design, Dr. Peter Ndegwa, Group Chief Executive Officer of Safaricom PLC (Kenya and Ethiopia), has said. In a long-form LinkedIn post, Dr. Ndegwa noted that Africa’s youthful population will see one in four people on Earth being African by 2050, positioning the continent at the centre of global conversations on labour markets, consumption, investment, climate strategy, and the future of work. “Digital is the default foundation from the outset in many sectors,” he observed. However, he stressed that technology alone is insufficient without…

MTN Nigeria has elevated long-serving executive Bukola Ajayi to the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO), placing one of its most critical technology leadership roles in the hands of a veteran with over two decades of experience within the organisation. Ajayi, who previously served as General Manager, Architecture and Engineering at MTN Nigeria, takes over at a pivotal time as the company accelerates investments in cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence, automation, and digital services to strengthen its position in Nigeria’s highly competitive telecoms market. With 27 years of experience in technology, Ajayi has played a central role in shaping MTN’s enterprise…

Deloitte UK is set to open a new AI Studio at its London campus in late July, in partnership with Google Cloud, marking a major push to help British businesses scale autonomous “agentic” AI systems that deliver real-world outcomes beyond basic productivity gains. The studio will function as a co-innovation hub where Deloitte experts and clients collaborate to build and deploy production-ready agentic AI solutions. It will initially focus on high-impact sectors including the public sector, financial services, retail, healthcare, and technology, media and telecommunications (TMT), with particular emphasis on transforming business models and workflows in healthcare and TMT. Speaking…

As businesses across Zimbabwe and the continent seek faster, more secure, and seamless financial solutions, Ecobank is positioning itself at the forefront of digital payments transformation, according to Blessed Chimbgha, Head of Payments, Cash Management, and Digital Client Access for Ecobank Zimbabwe. In a detailed reflection on his role, Chimbgha described the bank’s payments business as the “engine room” for delivering next-generation digital platforms tailored for mining companies, corporates, and SMEs. “At Ecobank, we treat our collective expertise as the engine room for building next-generation digital platforms for the mining and business clients to deliver world-class payment solutions,” Chimbgha said.…

Telecommunications giant Ericsson has announced the appointment of Per Narvinger as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, following the decision of long-serving CEO Börje Ekholm to step down from the role. According to the company, Narvinger will officially assume the position on October 1, 2026, succeeding Ekholm, who will retire after nearly a decade as Ericsson’s CEO. Ekholm will step down on September 30, 2026, and will remain with the company as an executive advisor to support the leadership transition until June 15, 2027. Narvinger, who joined Ericsson in 1997, brings nearly three decades of experience across multiple areas…

Avanti Communications and SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation have signed a satellite purchase agreement for the Ka-band communications satellite HYLAS 3, currently owned and operated by Avanti in geostationary orbit. The acquisition forms part of SKY Perfect JSAT’s broader strategy to strengthen its space business. The satellite is expected to begin operations under the new name JSAT-144D in early fiscal year 2027. HYLAS 3 is equipped with advanced Ka-band multi-spot beams, offering high-capacity communications and flexible network configurations. By integrating it with SKY Perfect JSAT’s existing Ku-band satellite fleet, the Japanese company will create a highly reliable multi-band communications network capable…

Spiro has appointed Anant Badjatya, the former chief executive officer of Indofast Energy, as its new Group CEO in a significant leadership restructuring aimed at accelerating its growth across the continent. The appointment comes shortly after the company secured a $215 million equity investment, one of the largest disclosed funding rounds in Africa’s electric mobility sector. As part of the leadership changes, Kaushik Burman, who previously served as Spiro’s CEO, will now head the company’s mobility services division. The unit oversees electric vehicle deployment, rider leasing programmes, battery subscription services, and fleet operations. Badjatya joins Spiro with extensive experience in…