Author: Akin Naphtal

In the aftermath of Apple’s Vision Pro launch on Friday, 2nd February, there have been security concerns regarding the product, following MIT PhD student, Joseph Ravichandran’s discovery of a critical kernel vulnerability within the device’s operating system, visionOS. Ravichandran, who specialises in microarchitecture security, noted that the identified vulnerability within visionOS can potentially enable jailbreaking and the creation of malicious software targeting the Vison Pro. In a demonstration conducted on the day following the headset’s release, Ravichandran showcased the device’s response to an attempted kernel exploit through a series of photographs, showing the severity of the uncovered flaw. This discovery…

MTN Group has signed definitive agreements with Mastercard for the payments firm to stake a minority investment of up to $200 million into MTN Group Fintech B.V., at a valuation of $5.2 billion on a cash and debt-free basis. The agreement, signed on 5th February, and revealed by MTN on Tuesday, 6th February, follows an announcement MTN Group’s President and CEO, Ralph Mupita, made in August 2023 regarding the telco’s intention to sell a 30% stake in its fintech division. This investment, though not categorised under the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) Listings Requirements, is subject to customary closing conditions. It…

The GSMA 2023 State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money showed that since 2022, over 184 million people across Africa have embraced mobile money. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) now boasts 763 million registered accounts, nearly half of the 1.6 billion users globally, with transaction values jumping 22% in the reported period, reaching $832 billion. These figures are significantly influenced by Kenya, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, which dominate the mobile money and digital wallet landscape. Kenya, which has wholly embraced M-PESA, or Nigeria, with a staggering 120 million users do not necessarily reflect the reality in markets like South Africa (SA), which…

Global payments technology company, Mastercard, has announced a strategic partnership with Boost, to provide digital payment wallets and embedded supply chain finance to empower and expand small businesses in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector in Africa. This collaboration aims to provide support to distributors, wholesalers, and retailers in the FMCG sector, all of whom will be provided with Boost’s innovative platform as a service to access essential working capital and Mastercard’s acceptance solutions. As part of the partnership, Mastercard will allow Boost to offer digital payment and credit solutions to their micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) customers across…

The Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Masubir Mahama, has revealed that the ECG’s PowerApp has acquired 3.5 million users, growing from the initial 250,000 users when the app was launched two years ago. Speaking during a radio interview on Peace FM, Mahama attributed the app’s success to its user-friendly interface. He noted how it has facilitated convenient access to ECG’s services for customers, allowing them to manage electricity-related matters from the comfort of their homes. He expressed appreciation for the positive response and urged all customers to actively participate in the ongoing nationwide meter…

Executive Chairman of IBURU, Ebenezer Essoka, has been appointed Chairman of MTN Cameroon’s Board of Directors, with the company’s directors electing him during a Board Meeting held in Johannesburg on Friday, 2nd February 2024. A post on MTN Cameroon’s LinkedIn page stated that the new Board Chairman will be replacing outgoing Chairman, Colin Mukete, who has been Chairman since 2002. Mukete had previously announced to the Board his intention to step down as Chairman, feeling that after 21 years, “now was the right time to step aside.” He’ll, however, be working with Essoka “to ensure a smooth transition,” and will…

A multinational company has reported a loss of HK$200 million (US$25.6 million) after a scam where deepfakes of the firm’s chief financial officer (CFO) were used during a video call to deceive employees at its Hong Kong branch to transfer the funds. The perpetrators fabricated convincing representations of the CFO and other meeting participants by transforming publicly available video and other footage into lifelike simulations of the real individuals. According to reports, everyone present on the video calls, except for the employee who was convinced to make the transfer, was a fake representation of actual people. Acting senior superintendent of…

US electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, Tesla, Inc. is recalling approximately 2.2 million vehicles due to a font size issue on the instrument panel that impacts brake, park, and antilock brake system warning lights. The recall, affecting nearly all Tesla cars sold in the United States, was prompted by a violation of federal safety standards, because the font Tesla used on the instrument panel for its brake, park and antilock brake system warning lights was too small. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which filed the recall notice, warned that “warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical…

Elon Musk’s Starlink project, aimed at providing global satellite internet coverage, has encountered a setback in its expansion plans in Africa, with the Botswana Communication Authority denying the satellite company permission to operate in the African nation. Starlink submitted its application in May 2023, but the regulatory body flagged the company for not providing all the necessary information. The specific details of the missing information have, however, not been disclosed. A source within Botswana’s Communication Authority mentioned, “There were issues regarding missing requirements with the application, which were identified and pointed out. They are yet to respond to the issues.”…

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has inaugurated the DevsinGovernment community in his bid to foster innovation and efficiency within the government. The inaugural gathering, which was held on Thursday, 1st February, brought together over 400 civil servants actively engaged in technology, marked a significant step towards Nigeria’s goal of building a technologically empowered workforce. On his LinkedIn page, Dr. Tijani shared his belief in the critical role of a technologically savvy workforce for the development of a more efficient and effective government. The minister expressed optimism about the commitment and dedication of the technical…