Author: Akin Naphtal

MTN Digital Infrastructure, operating commercially as Bayobab, has named telecommunications veteran Lloyd Mphahlele as Managing Director of Bayobab South Africa FibreCo, effective 1 January 2026. In this role, Mphahlele will oversee the FibreCo operations in South Africa, focusing on strategic execution, maximising returns on investment, and managing end-to-end performance across the fibre network. With more than 28 years in the sector, Mphahlele previously held senior positions at Telkom SA and Vodacom SA before joining MTN Group as General Manager for Transport & OSS Tools. He has played a key role in advancing Open and Disaggregated Transport technology across Africa, establishing…

stc Group, Saudi Arabia’s leading digital enabler, has signed a new five-year Master Frame Agreement (MFA) with Swedish telecom giant Ericsson to fast-track the deployment of advanced digital infrastructure and enhance technology adoption across the Kingdom. The agreement allows stc to leverage Ericsson’s cutting-edge portfolio, including 5G hardware and software, cloud-native solutions, advanced managed services, and comprehensive network support. It builds on the companies’ longstanding partnership, which dates back to the successful rollout of one of Saudi Arabia’s first 5G networks in 2019. Key focuses of the MFA include accelerating nationwide 5G expansion through technologies such as 5G Standalone, 5G…

MTN Digital Infrastructure, operating under the commercial brand Bayobab, has appointed Rami Farah as its new Chief Technology & Information Officer (CTIO), effective 1 January 2026. Farah will report directly to Mazen Mroué, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Digital Infrastructure. Farah brings over 25 years of deep expertise in network transformation, technology architecture, and large-scale operational delivery. He joins Bayobab from MTN South Africa, where he has served as Chief Technology Officer since 2023. During his tenure, he spearheaded significant enhancements in network availability, achieved benchmark leadership in performance metrics, accelerated the nationwide 5G rollout, and drove substantial improvements in…

ADYA Inc, a Canadian-listed telecom and technology holding company, has made a strategic investment in Karrier One, a decentralized wireless infrastructure provider (DePIN), to deploy the country’s first fully sovereign, SCION-encrypted Internet network. Built on the Sui Layer-1 blockchain, the initiative will deliver carrier-grade, cryptographically secure connectivity across urban centres, rural communities, and Canada’s Arctic territories. The partnership addresses escalating geopolitical and cybersecurity risks by integrating SCION – a next-generation Internet protocol developed at ETH Zurich and already used by global financial institutions and defence networks – with Karrier One’s decentralized model and Ericsson’s programmable radio technology. The result is…

Google Cloud and NextEra Energy, the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from wind and solar, have significantly expanded their strategic partnership to co-develop multiple gigawatt-scale data centre campuses throughout the United States. The companies revealed that three sites are already under development, with additional locations in the pipeline. The collaboration is designed to accelerate the availability of land, power interconnections, and energy resources required to meet surging demand for AI infrastructure while simultaneously modernising America’s electric grid. As part of the expanded alliance, the partners plan to launch their first commercial AI-powered energy solutions in the Google Cloud Marketplace…

Vertiv has completed the acquisition of PurgeRite, a specialist provider of fluid management and liquid-cooling services, significantly strengthening its thermal-management portfolio and expanding its capabilities in high-density data centre cooling solutions. The transaction positions Vertiv to offer fully integrated, end-to-end thermal-management solutions across facility, room, row, and rack levels. By combining PurgeRite’s expertise in fluid quality control, system purging, and coolant management with Vertiv’s existing cooling technologies, the company says customers will benefit from enhanced system efficiency, superior heat transfer, and reduced risk of downtime in mission-critical environments. ALSO READ: CHOWDECK SURPASSES 2 MILLION USERS, MARKS A MAJOR MILESTONE IN…

Chowdeck has officially announced that it has reached 2 million users, marking a significant achievement in the company’s rapid expansion across West Africa. What began as a small operation with just three riders and two restaurant partners has now grown into a robust logistics and technology ecosystem. Today, Chowdeck operates with more than 20,000 riders across 14 cities in Nigeria and Ghana, reinforcing the company’s core belief that on-demand delivery can thrive on the African continent. According to the company, this milestone underscores not only the strength of its technology platform and logistics infrastructure, but also the power of its…

The Tech Innovation Awards (TIA) 2025 honoured top leaders across Africa’s technology ecosystem, recognizing organizations and individuals that drove digital transformation, technological excellence and enterprise innovation across the continent. at the Oriental Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos. Organized by InstinctWave Group in partnership with Digital Economy Magazine, the 9th TIA highs Nigeria’s pivotal role as a hub for technological advancement, inviting submissions from organizations, individuals, teams, and government entities with operations in Africa. The awards highlight the achievements of companies pioneering advancements in fintech, cloud infrastructure, telecommunications, energy, digital public services, and artificial intelligence. CEO, InstinctWave & Convener of TIA,…

French development financier Proparco has sealed a major new investment in Nairobi-based e-mobility pioneer BasiGo, supercharging the start-up’s mission to replace diesel buses with locally assembled electric ones across East Africa and beyond. The funding will fuel BasiGo’s ambitious “Road to 1000” target, expanding local assembly lines, rolling out more charging stations, and deepening its Pay-As-You-Drive model that already saves public transport operators up to 40% in annual running costs. Since launching in 2021, BasiGo has deployed more than 100 electric buses in Kenya and Rwanda, clocking over 1.5 million clean kilometres and carrying more than 9 million passengers. Each…

LOOP DFS, the fast-rising lifestyle digital banking platform backed by NCBA Group, has named Bryan Kariuki as its new Chief Product Officer, tasking him with driving the next wave of product innovation and accelerating growth across consumer, merchant, and platform ecosystems. Kariuki, a seasoned fintech and digital transformation leader, brings a proven track record of scaling high-impact financial solutions for mass-market Africa. He joins LOOP DFS from SeamlessHR, Africa’s leading HR and payroll SaaS provider, where he serves as Vice President for Eastern Africa. Widely recognised for turning strategy into market-leading products, Kariuki has previously held senior roles at Cellulant,…