Author: Akin Naphtal

Convergence Partners, a private equity investment manager focused on the technology sector in sub-Saharan Africa, has acquired a stake in 42Markets Group, an incubator, investor and builder of high-growth specialist businesses in the financial and capital markets sector. Convergence Partners has a 20-year history of investing successfully in digital infrastructure in the region, with more than $600m under management, including the recently launched Convergence Partners Digital Infrastructure Fund, focused on long-term investments in data centres, fibre networks, wireless and towers, edge, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, cloud, fintech and platforms across Africa. READ ALSO:Animal welfare experts raise concerns over Neuralink’s…

Neuralink, the brain-implant company owned by Elon Musk, has filled its animal-research oversight board with insiders who could potentially financially benefit as the company reaches development goals, according to company documents and interviews with six current and former employees. These oversight boards are required by law for organisations conducting experiments on certain types of animals to ensure proper animal care, high research standards and reliable data. The membership of the Neuralink panel raises questions about potential conflict-of-interest regulations aimed at protecting research integrity, a dozen animal-research and bioethics experts told Reuters. Neuralink is conducting animal experiments in order to seek…

Apple Inc has reported an increase in iPhone sales despite a global slump in the smartphone market. The rise was attributed to growth in emerging markets like India, where Apple is attracting Android phone users. Apple saw a 1.5% increase in iPhone sales to $51.3 billion for its fiscal second quarter while global smartphone shipments fell 13% in January to March, according to research firm Canalys. Apple gained market share from Android phones during this period. Apple said it set sales records in several countries across South Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Apple’s biggest focus is India, where…

Trukkin, a techno-logistics firm based in the Middle East, has partnered exclusively with P&E Auctions, a division of Plant & Equipment, to handle all onshore transportation of heavy machinery and equipment sold through its online auction platform, PlantAndEquipment.com. The e-auction unit of Plant & Equipment has become a trusted platform for connecting buyers and sellers of heavy equipment, trucks and machinery, with over 100,000 listings and a wide range of top brands of new and used equipment. Trukkin has announced that the platform is expanding into live online auctions to meet the demand in the Middle East region. Trukkin CEO…

South African data provider, Rain, has entered the country’s mobile market for the first time by launching a 4G mobile network. The move puts Rain in direct competition with the country’s other three players in voice calls – Vodacom, MTN and Telkom. Until now, Rain has primarily focused on the home internet market. Rain launched South Africa’s first 4G data-only network in 2018 and the country’s first commercial 5G network in 2019. However, after acquiring spectrum in the 2022 auction, Rain’s 4G network now has a more comprehensive reach, allowing it to enter the market as a full mobile network…

Nokia, a leading telecom group, has announced that it has signed a deal with Orange Jordan to supply 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment throughout the Kingdom of Jordan. The agreement will enable Orange Jordan to provide enhanced connectivity and capacity to its customers, while also supporting the digital transformation of the country and economy. Nokia will supply 5G RAN equipment from its AirScale portfolio, which is powered by its energy-efficient ReefShark System on Chip (SoC) technology and will replace Orange Jordan’s entire existing RAN network. READ ALSO:Apna joins forces with MongoDB to reduce downtime and enhance the user experience…

Apna, a professional networking and jobs platform, has partnered with database management company MongoDB’s developer data platform Atlas to improve user engagement and reduce downtime. Apna hopes to personalize user engagement and match people with jobs more effectively. Apna has experienced a significant reduction of 90% in downtime incidents and a notable increase of 40% in developer productivity since adopting MongoDB and implementing microservices architecture, according to a company statement. MongoDB Atlas serves as the primary data source for the platform’s content management system, which handles all interactions within the app. READ ALSO:Kenya Introduces New QR Code Standard to Improve…

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has announced the introduction of the Kenya Quick Response Code Standard 2023 (KE-QR), a new standard that will guide the issuance and use of Quick Response (QR) codes for digital payments by Payment Service Providers and banks regulated by the CBK. The KE-QR is based on the Ghana Universal GHQR and is aimed at promoting financial inclusion and improving digital payment processes. The Ghana Universal GHQR was lauded at the Mobile World Congress Africa in Rwanda for attaining maturity in access to financial inclusion. Kenya, represented by CBK, admitted to facing challenges in rolling…

Banque Misr has announced a cooperation protocol with MaxAB, a B2B e-commerce platform, to offer financial and non-financial solutions to micro and small-sized enterprises (MSEs), according to a press release on May 3rd. Through this service, MaxAB’s retailers will be able to receive electronic payments from all e-wallets using the “QR code/Request to pay” service, while also providing financing solutions to MSEs. READ ALSO:Central Bank of Egypt partners with MasterCard to implement payment card coding services Salesforce integrates OpenAI’s GPT model with Slack for conversational AI experiences WebEngage partners with IKEA Saudi Arabia & Bahrain to enhance customer engagement with…

The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), the Egyptian Banks Company (EBC) and Mastercard are collaborating to implement the new rules governing payment card coding services recently issued by CBE. Tokenization technology replaces private customer data such as the payment card account number with a token that securely completes transactions through point-of-sale, in-app or online purchases, without needing physical payment cards. READ ALSO:Salesforce integrates OpenAI’s GPT model with Slack for conversational AI experiences WebEngage partners with IKEA Saudi Arabia & Bahrain to enhance customer engagement with data-driven strategy US microchip export controls have minimal effect on China’s tech sector CBE is…