Author: Akin Naphtal

Kitsoft, an international GovTech company with Ukrainian roots, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Smart Africa Secretariat to strengthen cooperation around the digital transformation of Africa’s public sector. The partnership will centre on three major areas: Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), e-governance and artificial intelligence. Through the collaboration, Kitsoft and Smart Africa will share practical knowledge and experience in digital government, organise joint expert and training programmes, and explore opportunities to develop digital public services using low-code technologies. Smart Africa is an alliance comprising 42 African countries focused on accelerating digital transformation across the continent and supporting…

SNB Group and Mastercard have expanded their strategic partnership to strengthen digital commerce and payment capabilities for merchants across Saudi Arabia. As part of the expanded collaboration, SNB will continue using Mastercard Gateway under Mastercard Merchant Solutions, a unified global payments platform that gives businesses access to a broad range of technologies and services through a single integration point. The partnership is expected to enable SNB to provide merchants with secure, seamless and scalable payment solutions while helping businesses respond to changing consumer preferences and grow their digital operations. The collaboration combines SNB’s established position in the Saudi financial market…

Kenya’s ICT Authority (ICTA) has launched an international tender to expand the country’s national fibre-optic backbone and improve cross-border and metropolitan connectivity. The project is being implemented under the World Bank-supported Kenya Digital Economy Acceleration Project. The procurement notice, identified as KE-ICTA-538567-NC-RFB, is divided into two lots. Lot 1 covers the expansion of National Backbone Links, while Lot 2 focuses on Cross-Border and Metro Links. Both framework agreements will initially run for three years, with the possibility of extensions of up to two additional years. “This investment will strengthen the resilience and redundancy of our national infrastructure,” said Eng. John…

Senegal has secured a commitment from US-based cybersecurity company Cybastion to mobilise approximately $300 million for digital transformation projects, as President Bassirou Diomaye Faye seeks to attract greater technology investment and strengthen the country’s digital ecosystem. The commitment was announced after President Faye met a Cybastion delegation led by Chairman and CEO Dr Thierry Wandji in Washington on 14 September 2026, during the first day of his working visit to the United States. The meeting formed part of his engagements with US private-sector stakeholders ahead of discussions with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The proposed funding will support…

Bujeti, a Nigerian fintech backed by Y Combinator, is expanding its financial management platform with an artificial intelligence (AI) workforce designed to automate routine finance operations for businesses. Its new system can process financial documents, follow up on unpaid invoices, monitor transactions and respond to employees’ finance-related questions. Called the Real-time Agent Intelligence Network (BRAIN), the system uses four AI agents, which Bujeti refers to as “Teammates”. The agents work with financial information already stored on the platform, including accounts, budgets, vendors, contracts and transactions. Bujeti said the Teammates will become publicly available on September 30. The launch comes as…

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has officially commissioned its new headquarters, marking a major development in the country’s efforts to strengthen data protection and privacy. The facility was commissioned by the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, and hosted by the National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji. Speaking at the commissioning, Dr Tijani praised Dr Olatunji for his leadership and commended the Commission for its role in supporting Nigeria’s digital transformation. He also recognised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s contribution to strengthening the country’s data protection ecosystem, including the…

Vision Bank, Saudi Arabia’s first Islamic bank built around artificial intelligence and regulated by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), has entered into a strategic partnership with Publicis Sapient, a technology company specialising in enterprise AI platforms and services. The agreement was announced at Money20/20 Middle East in Riyadh and is aimed at accelerating product innovation and enhancing the bank’s customer experience. Under the agreement, Publicis Sapient will support Vision Bank in developing, launching and putting into operation its Innovation Strategy and Innovation Hub. The initiative will be tailored to the bank’s growth plans, customer groups, regulatory environment and evolving technology…

Kenyan students, developers, startups, small business owners and career professionals are set to gain access to free artificial intelligence training and equity-free funding opportunities following the launch of AI Academy Kenya, a new initiative by Meta and African AI accelerator This Is Digital. The programme is designed to strengthen practical AI skills among local talent while encouraging Kenyan innovators to develop solutions that address challenges within their communities and businesses. Founded in 2025, This Is Digital has trained more than 800 “AI Champions” across over 10 countries through masterclasses and consultancy programmes serving individuals and enterprises. Mercy Ndegwa, Meta’s Public…

Space42 and Viasat have signed an agreement to formally establish Equatys, a shared space and ground infrastructure platform designed to expand mobile connectivity to areas where terrestrial networks have limited or no coverage. The agreement was signed at World Space Business Week in Paris on September 14, 2026, with the two companies committing up to $1 billion in initial equity funding once Equatys is formally established. Under the funding arrangement, Space42 and Viasat will each contribute an initial $400 million, while Space42 is expected to provide an additional $200 million through a future funding round involving third-party investors. The companies…

AXIAN Telecom, the pan-African telecommunications group behind the Yas brand, has announced that it will adopt Yas Group as its new corporate identity. The new name will replace AXIAN Telecom in the company’s external communications, investor relations and regulatory engagements. The move follows the November 2024 rebranding that brought the group’s mobile network operators in Madagascar, Comoros, Senegal, Togo and Tanzania together under the Yas brand. Since its introduction, Yas has established a strong presence and growing brand recognition across its markets. The brand was included in the 2026 Brand Finance Telecoms 150 report, where it recorded a value of…