Author: Akin Naphtal

Yellow Card has become the first fintech in Africa to launch PayPal USD (PYUSD), This new stablecoin from PayPal, issued by Paxos, will open new horizons for digital financial transactions between Africa and the United States. Crypto adoption in Africa is booming – according to a report by Chainalysis, between 2020 and 2021 the crypto market on the continent grew by over 1200% (to $106 billion). Nigeria, Morocco and Kenya rank in the global top 20 for crypto adoption. A large part of the reason for this growth can be attributed to stablecoins, which have gained popularity with both beginners…

Kenyan e-commerce startup, Copia Global, has embarked on a campaign to drive increased sales through its mobile app after securing $107 million in venture funding across seven funding rounds. The company, known for its extensive network of 50,000 agents facilitating order collection and delivery, aims to capitalize on the rising smartphone ownership among low- and medium-income Kenyans. Copia Global’s CEO, Tim Steel, noted that during the startup’s origins, customers predominantly lacked internet access, but that has changed, reflecting the company’s shift from an offline to an online experience. Now, with a significant portion of its two million customers owning smartphones,…

The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, in collaboration with the School of Continuing and Distance Education at the University of Ghana’s College of Education, officially inaugurated the 75th Annual New Year School Conference today. This year’s theme, “Nurturing Resilience: Adopting Technology and Embracing Humanism for Sustainable Development,” aims to foster an environment conducive to the rapid growth of digital entrepreneurship in Ghana. During her keynote speech at the event, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful (MP), the Sector Minister, announced the creation of the Digital Youth Village (DYV). This initiative is intended to bolster digital entrepreneurship among the nation’s youth. The DYV is…

African technology and broadband company, CSquared, has announced that it has raised $25 million (about R468 million) in new funding from investors including a fund managed by Convergence Partners, a pan-African digital infrastructure investor. The funding will be used to support CSquared’s growth and expansion plans in new and existing markets across the continent. CSquared was founded in 2011 as a project within Google, with the aim of building metropolitan fiber optic networks that would be leased by mobile network operators and internet service providers on a wholesale model, and as a neutral operator of shared infrastructure. The project was…

American astronaut, Neil Armstrong, upon stepping on the moon, famously spoke of that first step as “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Unlike Armstrong, Joseph Anokye has not landed on the moon, but the small, determined step that eventually led to him becoming the Director General of Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) has become a giant leap for Ghana’s communications industry. While still a youth in Ghana, Joseph Anokye attended the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, gaining a Bachelor’s degree in Geodetic Engineering. His desire to grow his knowledge led him to…

Ben Tagoe, VP Africa of Cyberteq Falcon a leading cybersecurity company in Ghana, has admonished internet users about the core components of cybersecurity attacks including the relationship between threats, vulnerabilities, and risks in the cybersecurity industry. According to Mr. Tagoe, vulnerabilities are weaknesses or flaws in systems, applications, networks, or business processes that can be exploited by threat actors, such as hackers, malware, or insiders. Threats are individuals or events that seek to take advantage of these vulnerabilities for malicious purposes, such as stealing data, disrupting services, or extorting money. Risks are the estimated impact and likelihood of an exploit…

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) Dr. Vincent Olatunji has emphasized the importance of continuous learning in the field of data protection, during a session of the D4D Development Hub project in Lagos. The D4D Development Hub project is a joint initiative of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and the African European Union (AU-EU) to enhance the digital skills and employability of Nigerian youth in emerging technologies, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. The project offers free online and offline training courses, mentorship, career guidance, and job placement opportunities to the participants,…

South African streaming service, Showmax, has surpassed Netflix as Africa’s streaming market leader, taking advantage of Netflix’s recent market percentage decrease to claim the top spot with a 40% market share. While Netflix controlled over 40% of the African streaming market in 2021, the US-based streaming service share has suffered a market share decrease to 35%, according to recent data from Omdia Research. Showmax, with 1.8 million subscribers, has experienced a 26% year-on-year growth in paid subscribers over the last four years. The streaming service attributes its success to a primary focus on local content production, with a substantial investment…

Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy, Hon. Eliud O. Owalo has been adjudged the Digital Economy Personality of the Year at the 8th Africa Digital Economy Awards (ADEA) 2023, held on 10th November, at the Emara Ole Sereni Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. The Digital Economy Personality of the Year is in recognition of his impeccable role in driving digitalization in Kenya as well as his role as CS for the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy which has birthed several initiatives and innovations making Kenya a digital hub in the continent.…

In a bid to enhance its e-commerce footprint, Amazon has partnered Snapchat to enable US users to directly purchase certain products listed on Amazon through the social media app, mirroring a recent deal between Amazon and Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta. An Amazon spokesperson has revealed that Snapchat users will have the convenience of shopping directly from Amazon’s ads within the Snapchat platform. The entire shopping experience, from product selection to checkout, can be completed seamlessly without leaving the social media app. As part of this integration, potential buyers will have access to real-time pricing, Prime eligibility, delivery estimates, and detailed product…