Author: Akin Naphtal

Music streaming platform, Spotify Technology, has released its quarterly report, showcasing growth in all regions, and exceeding expectations. Additionally, the company projected that it would reach 601 million monthly listeners by the end of 2023. Notably, Spotify achieved a quarterly profit of €32 million, its first since 2021, due to improved gross margin and reduced marketing and personnel expenses. During the July-September period, Spotify experienced a significant increase in its gross margin, reaching 26.4%, which was 166 basis points higher than the previous year. Despite investing over €1 billion in its podcast business, the company has been focused on cost…

KCB Bank Kenya has partnered with Mastercard to launch the World Elite Exclusive Credit Card, catering to high-end and private banking customers. This collaboration is a significant step for the bank in providing a top-tier offering for its high net-worth clientele. The Mastercard-branded cards will be available in two categories: World Elite KES Credit for transactions in Kenyan Shillings, and World Elite USD Credit for frequent international transactions in US Dollars. In addition, the Kenyan bank has introduced the World Debit card, offering exclusive benefits and a personalized banking experience. Managing Director of KCB Bank Kenya, Annastacia Kimtai, highlighted the…

South African mobile operator, Vodacom, has been fined R1 million by the National Consumer Tribunal for its contract cancellation policy, following an investigation by the commission into 21 complaints against the company. The complaints referred to Vodacom’s contract cancellation policy, and how customers were treated when they sought to cancel their contracts. The complaints under investigation all relate to the 2021 and 2022 financial years. The tribunal found that in some instances, customers were charged for periods after they had requested the cancellation of their contract due to a delay in the timeous cancellation of the contracts upon request by…

Oppo has unveiled its latest flagship device, the Find N3 foldable smartphone, which boasts a taller and longer design. The device features a 6.31-inch AMOLED panel with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a dynamic 10-120 Hz refresh rate, offering up to 2,800 nits of peak brightness. When unfolded, the device reveals a 7.82-inch display with a 1-120 Hz dynamic refresh rate and the same maximum brightness. The Find N3 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The device has a 4,805mAh battery with 67W SuperVOOC charging, which Oppo says can…

The 2023 Digital Nigeria Conference, which begins on Tuesday, 24th October, is set to be major event for technology enthusiasts in the Nigerian startup ecosystem. The conference will provide support, education, and solutions to the challenges faced by startup founders, while also highlighting the role of the government, particularly the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in supporting Nigerian startups. The conference will focus on emerging technologies such as blockchain, Web3, IoT, startup ecosystem, investors, AI, XR, and the metaverse, providing an ideal platform for brands to showcase themselves to industry peers, international technology experts, the press, and a wider…

Nigerian company, Mowana International, has launched a digital marketplace designed to enable Nigerian and African manufacturers reach international markets, while facilitating payments in foreign currencies. The company lauched the Mowana Mobile app to drive its efforts. The app teems with features to support African manufacturers, including a marketplace connecting African vendors with global buyers and multicurrency capabilities. The platform offers a vibrant marketplace which seamlessly connects African vendors and global buyers. The Mowana Mobile app which has been designated a download site, is set to be a game-changer for African manufacturers seeking to expand their horizons across international borders. CEO…

IHS Nigeria in partnership with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy has announced a three-year partnership to establish the 3MTT Learning Community, a nationwide learning initiative to empower Nigerians with critical digital skills The partnership will facilitate the setting up of learning communities in Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT, and provide opportunities for the 3MTT participants to gather weekly, learn, collaborate and build projects. The establishment of these learning communities will also help facilitate the strengthening of local innovation ecosystems across Nigeria. Under this partnership, IHS Nigeria will provide financial support and industry expertise to the…

Nokia has announced the launch of its latest carrier-grade Wi-Fi 7 portfolio, designed to ensure that end-users enjoy the ultimate broadband experience, whether they’re streaming content, engaging in online gaming, or making video calls. This innovative range of devices encompasses dual-band, tri-band, and quad-band configurations to address regulatory constraints and meet diverse market demands. Nokia said. Nokia’s Wi-Fi 7 portfolio introduces an array of unique capabilities. The Beacon 24, for instance, features an innovative antenna design and orientation that enables omnidirectional coverage. This results in the best overall horizontal and vertical coverage, making it ideal for Wi-Fi devices across different…

Ghana’s Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD) in partnership with the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE) and the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) will start training for the third batch of the Girls-In-ICT programme (23rd-28th October) under the third Phase with the aim of training 340 upper primary and Junior High School girls in Information Communication Technology (ICTs). The programme also seeks to encourage young girls to take up career courses in ICT and develop an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The training modules include; Introduction to Computer Programming, Cyber Security,…

MTN has appointed former Liquid Intelligent Technologies executive David Behr as CEO of its new ICT Centre of Excellence. In the new role, which he will assume on 1 November, Behr will “accelerate” MTN’s cloud, cybersecurity, internet-of-things and platform solutions for enterprise customers. The Centre of Excellence (CoE) is a centralised unit in MTN that will “develop and promote best practices, processes and standards for the business”. It will “drive platform and solution development to deploy to business units for execution and customer implementation”. “Behr’s experience in developing CoEs will help MTN achieve the enterprise scale it requires across its…