Author: Akin Naphtal

Vodacom Group has appointed Mohamed Abdallah as the new chief executive officer of Vodacom International Markets and Vodafone Egypt, marking a significant step in the company’s Vision 2030 strategy to streamline operations and drive growth across Africa. Abdallah, previously the CEO of Vodafone Egypt, will now oversee Vodacom’s operations in Egypt, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Mozambique, and Tanzania. This unified leadership structure aims to enhance operational excellence and deliver on Vodacom’s strategic priorities, the company announced. The CEOs of Vodacom DRC, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Tanzania will report directly to Abdallah, who in turn will report to Vodacom…

Heirs Technologies, a key driver of Africa’s digital transformation, is advancing its mission to nurture the continent’s next generation of tech innovators through its i-Academy training program. The company’s Supplementary Technical Engineering Program (STEP) recently organized a transformative visit for trainees to the Cisco Edge Centre, offering hands-on exposure to state-of-the-art cloud networking technologies. The 2025 Cloud and Security Cohort, launched in April, welcomed 100 aspiring engineers selected from over 3,600 applicants across Nigeria. The program, designed to equip young Africans with globally recognized skills, integrates best practices from CompTIA, expert mentorship, and industry-leading certifications. Trainees are positioned to excel…

MTN Nigeria is set to launch a new 1,500-rack, Tier 4 data centre before the end of the current quarter, according to Yahaya Ibrahim, the company’s chief technical officer. The facility, announced in June 2024, is part of MTN’s strategy to strengthen Nigeria’s ICT infrastructure amid surging demand for data services. Ibrahim said, “Our new data centre is almost complete and is scheduled to go live this quarter. It is part of our broader strategy to support the continued growth of ICT services across the country.” This follows Airtel Nigeria’s groundbreaking for its first data centre in Lagos in March…

Nigerian-based fintech PalmPay has earned top honours as the fastest-growing financial services company in Africa, according to the Financial Times’ prestigious Fastest-Growing Companies in Africa 2025 list. Ranked second overall out of 130 firms, the recognition comes just six years after the company’s launch in 2019. Compiled in partnership with research firm Statista, the ranking spotlights Africa’s most dynamic businesses based on revenue growth, customer adoption, and scale of operations. PalmPay recorded a staggering 583.6% compound annual growth rate between 2020 and 2023. With over 35 million registered users and up to 15 million daily transactions, PalmPay has quickly cemented…

Vodafone and CK Hutchison have officially completed the merger of Vodafone UK and Three UK, creating a new mobile powerhouse with 29 million customers. The newly formed company, VodafoneThree, is 51% owned by Vodafone and 49% by CK Hutchison Group Telecom Holdings Limited. Vodafone will fully consolidate the entity into its financial results. Max Taylor, former CEO of Vodafone UK, has been appointed CEO of VodafoneThree, while Darren Purkis of Three assumes the role of CFO. Described as “one of the most important structural changes in the history of UK mobile” by CCS Insight analyst Kester Mann, the merger sets…

The Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations (MoCDTI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today (29-05-25) with the Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) and Presight AI to establish the Ghana-UAE Innovation and Technology Hub. The hub aims to position Ghana as a continental leader in digital transformation and technological advancement, creating a platform for investment, innovation, and job creation. The partnership is expected to drive economic growth, build export capacity in advanced technologies, and strengthen diplomatic ties between Ghana and the United Arab Emirates. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Hon. Samuel George, Minister for Communication,…

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to face a significant digital divide. New initiatives are emerging to address this challenge, including the Smart Village Project, which aims to reduce digital inequality and expand access to essential services The DRC signed a partnership agreement with Chinese tech multinational Huawei to launch a pilot smart village. The project is designed to improve living conditions in rural communities by integrating digital technologies into an ecosystem of connected services and smart devices. “I was honored to represent Prime Minister Judith Suminwa at the signing of the partnership agreement with Huawei for equipping a…

IHS Holding Limited, one of the world’s largest independent owners and operators of shared telecommunications infrastructure, has announced an agreement to sell its Rwandan subsidiary, IHS Rwanda Limited, to Paradigm Tower Ventures. The deal, which includes the transfer of approximately 1,465 tower sites, is valued at $274.5 million and reflects a transaction multiple of 8.3x adjusted EBITDA after leases. Pending customary regulatory and government approvals, it is expected to close in the second half of 2025. “This agreement to sell our Rwanda operations to Paradigm Tower Ventures was carefully considered as part of our broader strategy to enhance shareholder value,”…

M-PESA, the mobile money platform jointly powered by Vodacom and Safaricom, has once again demonstrated its dominance in Africa’s digital financial services space by processing over $450.8 billion in transaction value during the financial year ended March 2025. The latest figures, released as part of Vodacom Group’s annual financial results, underscore M-PESA’s vital role in driving financial inclusion across the continent. According to Vodacom, the platform recorded an 18.3% year-on-year increase in transaction value, highlighting robust demand for mobile money services across its seven operating markets. Financial services revenue—which includes M-PESA, grew by 17.6% on a normalised basis and accounted…

South African network provider Reflex has adopted Nokia’s advanced Broadband Network Gateway (BNG) technology as part of a major upgrade to its network infrastructure. The move aims to streamline operations, enhance connectivity for Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and extend high-quality broadband access to underserved communities and businesses nationwide. With Nokia’s scalable BNG solution—anchored by its 7750 Service Router platform—Reflex is positioned to deliver improved broadband services with reduced energy use, greater efficiency, and faster ISP onboarding. The upgrade is expected to support future growth, with Reflex benefiting from better use of space and power in its network design. “This collaboration…