Author: Akin Naphtal

Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has ranked Xiaomi 29th on its 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2023 list, two places higher than last year. The designation is recognition that Xiaomi makes innovation a priority, commits investment and talent to it, and works to transform investment into results. In this year’s first quarter, Xiaomi’s research and development (R&D) expenses increased by 17.7% compared to the year before, reaching RMB4.1 billion. As of March 31, 2023, the number of R&D personnel reached approximately 16,500, which was more than 50% of Xiaomi’s employees. Xiaomi’s R&D efforts have yielded the company more than 32,000 patents…

Yellow Card, a leading pan-African fintech and cryptocurrency exchange, and Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin provider, are pleased to announce the successful completion of Phase 1 of their strategic collaboration across three key African markets. The two-month collaboration focused on raising awareness, providing education and driving adoption of USD₮, Tether’s stablecoin, among students and young professionals in Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana. Activities included Financial Literacy Tours in universities and a canvassing campaign which involved Yellow Cards Brand Ambassadors engaging with individuals across major cities in the three countries. Over 10,000 young people were reached – including students drawn from the…

Kaspersky, a Global Leader in Next Generation Cybersecurity Solutions and Services, researchers have uncovered an ongoing mobile Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) campaign targeting iOS devices with previously unknown malware. Dubbed as ‘Operation Triangulation’, the campaign distributes zero-click exploits via iMessage to run malware gaining complete control over the device and user data, with the final goal to hiddenly spy on users. Kaspersky experts have uncovered a new mobile APT campaign while monitoring the network traffic of its corporate Wi-Fi network using the Kaspersky Unified Monitoring and Analysis Platform (KUMA). Upon further analysis, company researchers discovered the threat actor has been…

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Government of Lesotho launched an innovative geospatial platform that will enhance governance, evidence-based decision-making on national concerns, and overall governance. Hon. Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane, Prime Minister of Lesotho. at the launch, thanked the WFP for their financial and technical support in bringing this project to fruition, saying their partnership and commitment to the nation’s development have been instrumental in realizing this transformative initiative. “With the Geospatial project, we have a powerful tool at our disposal to enhance the efficiency of territorial planning. The launch of the Geospatial project is just the…

Amr Talaat, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, has officially opened the annual recruitment forum organized by the Information Technology Institute. The forum, running from 29th May to 20th June, is dedicated to graduates of the Institute specializing in disciplines that support the electronics industry. The event aligns with the Ministry’s strategy “Egypt manufactures electronics”. The forum, themed “Egypt Makes Electronics”, kicks off at the Smart Village and features the participation of 60 local and international companies from various technological sectors. A total of 1,800 job opportunities will be available for the graduates. READ ALSO:Mindware Launches Cloud Marketplace in…

Mindware, a leading IT Value-Added Distributor in the Middle East and Africa, has announced the introduction of its Cloud Marketplace in Morocco. The launch took place during the company’s participation at GITEX Africa. The Mindware Marketplace aims to accelerate Cloud adoption by providing an exceptional transactional experience and a wide range of Cloud solutions and services to the channel community. Clients and partners with branches in Morocco will now have access to the Marketplace for local purchases. Mindware’s goal is to become the preferred ‘Cloud Distributor of Choice’ in Morocco by offering a diverse array of Cloud solutions and helping…

Liquid C2, a division of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a pan-African technology group, has formed a strategic partnership with INOVO to offer an omni-channel cloud contact center solution to clients in several African countries. The partnership will benefit businesses in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and South Africa, allowing them to optimize their customer contact channels and enhance the overall customer experience. INOVO’s cloud contact center solution enables businesses to streamline their channels, processes, data and workforce, driving operational efficiencies and improving customer interactions. The solution is highly flexible and scalable, empowering businesses to add functionality as needed while maintaining robust…

Dapi, a fintech company based in the UAE and part of Hub71’s global tech ecosystem, has announced a strategic partnership with global technology company Mastercard. The collaboration aims to introduce account-to-account (A2A) payments on Mastercard Payment Gateway Services (MPGS). The partnership was formalized at Seamless Middle East, a prominent event focusing on the evolving landscape of digital commerce. The partnership leverages Dapi’s expertise in open banking and Mastercard’s extensive range of payment solutions to offer businesses in the UAE a secure and streamlined A2A payment solution within the MPGS ecosystem. This collaboration addresses the changing needs of consumers and aims…

Swiss fintech pioneer Centi and global digital cash wallet Centbee have joined forces to revolutionize remittance services from Switzerland to Africa. This partnership aims to make cross-border money transfers more efficient, cost-effective and inclusive, showcasing the transformative potential of blockchain technology in reshaping global remittance services. The collaboration between Centi and Centbee brings us closer to achieving financial inclusion for all in Africa. READ ALSO:Oman’s 44.01 and Ministry of Energy and Minerals to Launch Commercial-Scale Carbon Removal Project Shams and Smartt. Studio Partner to Transform MENA’s E-commerce Landscape First integrated drone-based delivery solution for laboratory samples and medical supplies in…

Oman-based carbon removal and storage technology company, 44.01, has partnered with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals (MEM) to establish the world’s first and largest commercial-scale peridotite mineralisation project. Set to commence in 2024 in the Hajar mountains, the project aims to permanently remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. The chosen site for the project is Al Qabil, where 44.01 has already completed a successful pilot project, validating the effectiveness, safety and permanence of their process. In their approach, 44.01 captures CO2 from the atmosphere or industrial processes, dissolves it in water and injects it deep underground into peridotite…