Author: Akin Naphtal

Orange Group has announced key changes to its executive leadership, effective this summer, as part of a strategic realignment within its global operations. Jérôme Hénique, currently Executive Vice President and CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA), has been appointed Executive Vice President and CEO of Orange France, effective June 1, 2025. He will continue to serve on the Group Executive Committee and report directly to Christel Heydemann, CEO of the Orange Group. Additionally, Hénique will join the Board of Directors of Orange MEA on the same date. He replaces Jean-François Fallacher, who is stepping down to pursue new…

Vertiv has announced a major upgrade to its SmartAisle solution, expanding its capabilities for edge computing deployments of up to 180 kW. Now available across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), the enhanced system integrates power, cooling, racks, and intelligent monitoring into a single, pre-engineered unit aimed at streamlining and accelerating edge deployments. Designed with energy efficiency in mind, the updated SmartAisle aligns with the European Union’s Energy Efficiency Directive. It features built-in Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) monitoring, allowing organisations to track operational sustainability and meet responsible business objectives. “The upgraded Vertiv SmartAisle really changes the game when it…

Digital Afrique Telecom (DAT), a leading provider of digital solutions in West Africa, has partnered with European identity verification firm IDCanopy to introduce a comprehensive Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) platform designed to meet the latest compliance mandates issued by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). The collaboration aims to support financial institutions across the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) in aligning with BCEAO’s Instruction No. 001-03-2025, which strengthens anti-money laundering (AML), counter-terrorism financing (CFT), and customer due diligence (CDD) requirements. The new solution integrates advanced features, including real-time screening for sanctions…

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is expanding its Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance to the United Kingdom, with an ambitious goal to train 100,000 people in artificial intelligence (AI) skills by 2030. The initiative is designed to prepare learners for entry-level technology jobs by bridging the digital skills gap that continues to challenge UK employers. Under the programme, AWS will collaborate with schools, universities, businesses, and government bodies to offer a mix of online courses, real-world challenges, hands-on learning, and direct connections to employers. Key focus areas include AI, cybersecurity, and big data—fields in high demand as the digital economy rapidly…

Microsoft has announced plans to increase its data centre capacity in Europe by 40% over the next two years, as part of a broader initiative to reassure European customers amid rising concerns over data sovereignty and geopolitical tensions. The announcement was made by Brad Smith, Microsoft’s Vice Chair and President, in a blog post addressing fears that recent actions by the U.S. government, including trade tariffs on the UK, could push European customers to shift away from American cloud providers. “Given recent geopolitical volatility, we recognise that European governments likely will consider additional options,” Smith wrote. “Some of these may…

Zeepay, a rapidly expanding fintech company in Africa’s digital remittance and mobile money sector, has secured $18 million in debt funding to strengthen its operations and support its cross-border payment solutions. The funding round, reported by Africa Global Funds, was arranged by South African financial advisory firm Verdant IMAP. Structured as senior secured debt, the funding provides Zeepay with essential working capital to bolster its float financing activities, key to sustaining the company’s mobile money and remittance operations across Africa. To accommodate future investor participation, Verdant IMAP developed an innovative shared-collateral framework. Under this structure, both existing and new lenders…

In a landmark move to accelerate the transition toward net-zero emissions, Orange has signed a first-of-its-kind decarbonization agreement with the Camusat Group, a global leader in sustainable telecom infrastructure solutions. The partnership is part of Orange’s ambitious ‘Partners to Net Zero Carbon’ program, which engages suppliers in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its supply chain. The agreement sets clear and measurable targets for reducing CO₂ equivalent emissions associated with the products and services provided by Camusat. Key areas of focus include minimizing energy consumption of technical infrastructure, incorporating sustainable materials, and improving logistics efficiency. Orange, which aims to achieve…

Cross Switch, a leading provider of innovative digital payment solutions, has achieved a major milestone in its African expansion by securing a Third-Party Payment Processor (TPPP) licence in South Africa, granted by the Payments Association of South Africa (PASA) and sponsored by Absa. The newly acquired licence positions Cross Switch as a key player in South Africa’s payments ecosystem, enabling the company to independently onboard merchants, fintechs, and non-profits. This development follows the firm’s recent certification as a Visa Payment Facilitator (PayFac), further enhancing its capabilities and reach. “This is a vital step in expanding our network and strengthening our…

MTN Group has unveiled a strategic leadership reshuffle across its East African operations, appointing new chief executives for its Rwanda and South Sudan subsidiaries. The changes are part of the Group’s Ambition 2025 strategy, aimed at accelerating growth across its fintech, digital, and enterprise platforms throughout the continent. Mapula Bodibe, the outgoing CEO of MTN Rwanda, has been appointed to lead MTN South Sudan. Since assuming her role in Rwanda in 2022, Bodibe has spearheaded key initiatives including the launch of MTN’s proprietary 4G network, a government-backed low-cost smartphone project called Ikosora, and a significant network upgrade in Kigali in…

Digital Realty, a global leader in cloud- and carrier-neutral data centers, has expanded its ServiceFabric® interconnection platform to Nigeria, deploying it at its LOS1 and LOS2 facilities in Lagos to deliver low-latency, high-performance connectivity for regional and global enterprises. This strategic expansion reinforces Digital Realty’s commitment to enabling seamless global interconnectivity for businesses, providing enterprise customers in Nigeria with the ability to connect whenever, wherever, and to whoever they need to. The presence of ServiceFabric® in Lagos will support the growing demand for hybrid IT and multi-cloud connectivity, empowering businesses with a secure, software-defined interconnection platform. As part of Digital…