Author: Akin Naphtal

The Nakuru County Government has launched a training program aimed at equipping the youth with skills in alternative building technology. The program, which will use cheaper building materials, is expected to increase the supply of affordable housing in the county. Governor Susan Kihika announced the launch of the Alternative Building Materials Technology Center (ABMTC) at Kagoto polytechnic in Bahati Sub-County. The center is equipped with high capacity Hydraform Interlocking Brick (HIB) making machines that will help train the youth in the manufacture of the building blocks. Governor Kihika said that the use of alternative building materials could reduce the overall…

Nigeria has launched a $618 million fund under the Digital and Creative Enterprises Program (i-DICE) to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in the digital technology and creative industries. The fund is made up of contributions from the African Development Bank, Agence Francaise de Development and the Islamic Development Bank, as well as private sector and institutional investors. The Nigerian federal government will also contribute through the Bank of Industry, with a counterpart contribution of $45 million in loans for qualifying startups. The i-DICE Programme will be led by the Bank of Industry, with technical assistance and capacity building provided by Microsoft.…

Siaya residents who operate businesses within Siaya town are calling on the Information Communications and The Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary, Eliud Owalo, to consider launching public Wi-Fi in Siaya. They highlighted the importance of providing them with access to Wi-Fi for easy internet access, especially since many of them engage in online transactions. The residents expressed their dissatisfaction with the fact that other places are already enjoying this service, but Siaya has been left out. They also noted that Siaya town is the heart of businesses in the county and it is oppressive to deny them access to public Wi-Fi.…

Privileged Access Management (PAM) provider Delinea has launched a cloud-native foundation for its PAM solutions called the Delinea Platform. The platform offers end-to-end visibility, dynamic privilege controls and adaptive security for businesses. It provides authorisation for all identities, controlling access to critical hybrid cloud infrastructure and sensitive data, helping to reduce risk, ensure compliance and simplify security. The Delinea Platform is designed to provide a more unified approach to cybersecurity in today’s complex IT environments. Organizations can manage privileged credentials through Secret Server, administer VPN-less secure remote access and session monitoring for third-party vendors and contractors with Remote Access Service…

Capillary Technologies, a customer loyalty SaaS platform, has been recognized as a Leader in the “The Forrester WaveTM: Loyalty Technology Solutions, Q1 2023” report. The report evaluated Capillary’s Loyalty+ across 28 criteria and it received a perfect score of 5/5 in 13 categories. According to Forrester’s Marketing Survey, 2023, “53% of B2C marketing decision-makers plan to increase their spend on loyalty technology in 2023, and economic uncertainty and scrutiny of marketing budgets has renewed marketers’ focus on the profitability of their loyalty strategies”. READ ALSO:Ericsson and Virgin Media O2 extend partnership in boost to UK’s 5G connectivity Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison…

Ericsson and Virgin Media O2 will be bringing greater 4G and 5G coverage and capacity to major cities and towns across the UK as part of a renewed network partnership agreement. The two companies have agreed a new multi-million GBP contract to deploy the latest products and solutions from the Ericsson Radio System portfolio in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Additional service upgrades and small cell solutions are included as part of the network modernization which will see Virgin Media O2 customers in major UK cities including Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Belfast benefit from enhanced mobile…

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison and Ericsson are teaming up to accelerate Indosat’s digital transformation journey and offer new digital services to customers. Through this partnership, Indosat aims to enhance its competitive advantage by leveraging digital networking opportunities such as partner ecosystems, metaverse, new business models, multichannel engagements, network slicing, monetization, contextual journeys and APIs. Ericsson’s Digital Monetization Platform (DMP), a product catalog enabled, convergent charging and billing solution, will help Indosat take advantage of these opportunities. The DMP solution empowers partners and customers to develop new business models for both consumer and enterprise users alike. It provides a way to integrate…

ZIWO, a cloud contact center solutions provider, has announced the opening of its new branch in Cairo. This comes after the company’s revenue doubled last year and is a major step towards its hyper-growth in the MENA region. ZIWO’s cloud telephony solutions are designed to help businesses improve their communication and customer service. Clients include well-known names such as Damac, Carrefour, Tabby, Floward and Deliveroo. The company’s solutions include virtual numbers, call routing and contact center software, which make it easy for businesses to manage their calls and provide excellent customer service. Renaud de Gonfréville, CEO and Co-Founder of ZIWO,…

Informatica, a leader in enterprise cloud data management, has launched its Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC) in the Middle East, marking the first time the platform has been made available in the region. The move includes the establishment of a new Point of Delivery (PoD) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, which underlines the company’s commitment to offering local, scalable cloud-first data management services. This follows a multi-year strategic framework agreement with Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) signed during GITEX Global in October 2021 to support its Data Enablement Program and provide data management services to Abu Dhabi government entities.…

Bazaara, a peer-to-peer resale fashion app that enables users to buy and sell pre-loved fashion items, has successfully raised $230,000 in its pre-seed funding round led by Flat6Labs UAE, with participation from angel investors. Bazaara aims to revolutionize the fashion industry by creating a sustainable and community-driven platform that allows users to earn money from recycling their wardrobe items. The app has gained popularity in the UAE, boasting approximately 20,000 users and over 25,000 listings worth more than $1.5 million. The company plans to expand its platform across the GCC, with a full launch in KSA scheduled for 2023. READ…