Author: Akin Naphtal

Smart Africa, in collaboration with the Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Digital Economy, has organised the Digital Skills Forum, a pan-African event focused on promoting the development of digital skills in Africa. The event, held through the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA) in partnership with the Centre Africain de Recherche sur l’Intelligence Artificielle (CARIA) and the Africa Digital Academy (ADA), aimed to broadcast the importance of digital skills for African pupils and students. The three-day forum, themed, “Building a digital talent pipeline for Africa,” covered topics such as digital education, professional training, digital inclusion, access to…

In a bid to foster technological improvement in Senegal, a pan-African group, AXIAN Telecom has announced that Free au Sénégal has secured its 5G license. This achievement underscores Free au Sénégal’s dedication to advancing technology and delivering cutting-edge solutions to the local community. With the advent of 5G, the company envisions a transformative impact across various sectors, including industries, education, and healthcare. The broader community is invited to join in celebrating this milestone, recognizing the potential positive effects that 5G connectivity will bring to Senegal. As AXIAN Telecom embraces the power of 5G, the company anticipates contributing to the overall…

Chinese tech giant, Xiaomi, has officially entered the electric car market with the introduction of its first electric vehicle (EV), the SU7, a high-performance sedan featuring “super electric motor” technology capable of accelerating faster than Tesla and Porsche electric vehicles. Speaking at the unveiling, Xiaomi CEO, Lei Jun, also spoke on the company’s ambitions, noting that “by working hard over the next 15 to 20 years, we will become one of the world’s top 5 automakers, striving to lift China’s overall automobile industry.” Despite the challenging backdrop of a saturated Chinese automobile market with slowing demand, Xiaomi aims to leverage…

Driverless cars could be on some UK roads by the end of 2026, the transport secretary has said in a recent statement. Mark Harper also said he expected to see the owners of those vehicles being able to travel without having to watch where they’re going by the end of that year. Last month the government announced plans for new legislation to bring automated driving to UK roads. But, critics argue if the tech is not ready it could cause serious accidents. Mr Harper said he has personally seen the technology being used in California adding he wants people to…

Apple’s wearables, home and accessory business, which includes the Apple Watch, AirPods earbuds, and other products, brought in $8.28 billion in revenue during the third quarter of 2023. Apple can for now resume sales of its flagship smartwatches, after a U.S. appeals court this week paused a government commission’s import ban on the devices imposed in a patent dispute over its medical monitoring technology. The tech giant had filed an emergency request asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to halt an order from the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), which had ruled that Apple had infringed…

Infobip, a global cloud communications platform, introduces AI Hub – an extensive artificial intelligence upgrade – enabling businesses to enhance end-to-end conversational experiences throughout the entire customer journey. Integrating advanced analytics, AI, and generative AI features with Infobip’s core Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) portfolio, AI Hub supports digital transformation. It enables businesses and brands to build end-to-end conversational customer journeys, enhancing customer engagement whether for marketing, sales or support and driving business growth with minimal effort and no coding knowledge. In launching Infobip AI Hub, the global cloud communications platform collaborated with Microsoft to develop new ways of integrating generative AI within…

Israel’s government has approved a $3.2 billion grant for US chipmaker, Intel’s, upcoming $25 billion chip plant in southern Israel, which marks the largest-ever investment by a company in the country. The announcement comes amid Israel’s ongoing hostilities with Palestinian militant group Hamas, and it showcases a significant display of support by a major US company during a period of increased pressure on Israel to minimise civilian casualties. Intel’s expansion plan for its Kiryat Gat site, located 42 km from Gaza, is part of the chip company’s broader strategy to strengthen the global supply chain. The investment follows Intel’s recent…

US tech giant, Nvidia, along with its employees from over 30 countries, has raised $15 million for non-profit organizations supporting civilians affected by the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. Nvidia disclosed on Sunday, that its employees donated over $5 million, with the company doubling that amount to reach the $15 million figure. This initiative has been noted as the largest humanitarian fundraiser in GPU company’s 30-year history. According to Reuters, the contributions made by Nvidia’s employees’ contributions were directed to various organisations in the region, including Asor Fund (JGive), American Friends of Magen David Adom, Doctors Without…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has lifted its ban on cryptocurrency transactions, stating in a circular dated 22 December, that it was acknowledging global trends that indicate the necessity of regulating such activities. Initially implemented in February 2021, the ban prevented banks and financial institutions in Nigeria from engaging in or facilitating transactions involving crypto assets, with the CBN citing concerns about money laundering and terrorism financing as the reason for its decision. Following this, Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) introduced regulations in May of the same year for digital assets, signalling the country’s attempt to strike a…

ChatGPT parent company, OpenAI, has reportedly entered discussions to secure a new round of funding, aiming to raise at least $100 billion according to sources who spoke with Bloomberg News. Currently, the terms, exact valuation of funds, and the timeline for this potential funding round remain subject to change, as per the report. Additionally, OpenAI has engaged in talks regarding funding for a new chip venture, potentially partnering with G42, a company based in Abu Dhabi. However, the relationship between this chip venture and the broader funding initiative remains unclear. The discussions with G42 have allegedly involved considering raising funds…