Author: Akin Naphtal

The World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO’s) Global Innovation Index (GII) 2022 has announced Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, and South Africa as some of Africa’s most innovative countries, edging out Nigeria. The GII2022 report tracks the current state of global innovation and identifies areas where innovation is essential to drive the creation of ideas, businesses, and solutions that address challenges faced by citizens, including support for entrepreneurship, food security and local food production, digital innovation for the future of work, and energy solutions. In the report, Kenya is noted as having registered 30,300 companies and being one of the continent’s biggest adopters…

Tech giant Microsoft has announced that it has increased conversation limits on Bing AI to 60 total chats per day. Last week, the tech giant implemented limits of 5 chat turns per session and a total of 50 per day. However, now, the company has increased the chat turns per session to 6 and total chats per day to 60. “Since placing the chat limits, we have received feedback from many of you wanting a return of longer chats, so that you can both search more effectively and interact with the chat feature better,” the company said in a blogpost…

UAE-based fintech startup, Tabby, has announced the closure of its operations in Egypt, just five months after launching its buy now, pay later (BNPL) service in the country. According to the fintech startup firm, the decision is in response to Egypt’s tough macroeconomic environment caused by the falling value of the Egyptian pound, which has seen a 53% loss in its value since March 2020. In a statement, Hosam Arab, founder and CEO of tabby, expressed his company’s continued belief in the Egyptian market and the potential of its consumer lending sector. He added that the company will shift its…

Quantum Analytics, a provider of innovative technology solutions and data analytics services, recently announced its official registration and approval as a United Kingdom Learning Provider. The registration reflects the company’s commitment to providing high-quality, industry-aligned training programmes to individuals and organisations seeking to enhance their technology and data skills. Co-founder, Quantum Analytics, Janet Jonathan, said the listing is an important one to the African tech ecosystem at a time where the continent is experiencing an unprecedented number of Africans migrating to Europe and the UK. READ ALSO:Vodafone signs second major solar power purchase agreement (PPA) in UK Meta announces paid…

Kita, a London-based insurtech focused on reducing the risks associated with carbon purchases, has raised a £4m funding round. https://e76e96a520f2aa85d8943d5b3e4d68f8.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html Founded in 2021, Kita believes that insurtech is a key way to achieve carbon emission removal goals that are essential to combating climate change. “To prevent the worst impacts of climate change, we must remove gigatons of CO2 from the atmosphere annually for the remainder of the 21st century,” said Natalia Dorfman, co-founder and CEO of Kita. “This is a mammoth task, and it requires de-risking and access to capital for carbon removal solutions. Insurance can act as a fundamental…

In a bid to promote development of Artificial Intelligence in Ghana, AIDEC Digital has opened its ultra-modern Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence at AIDEC Plaza, East Legon, Accra with co-location at Academic City University College, Accra, Ghana. The two AI centers of excellence is a result of a Consortium Partnership between them, the Institute of ICT Professionals (IIPGH), Ghana, and their International Partners, 7W Artificial Intelligence company Limited of Slovenia. The Centre will provide both in-person and virtual training, educational programmes and consulting services to organisations, and institutions in the private and public sectors. Speaking at the launch of…

Open Systems, a leading cybersecurity and networking provider for the enterprise cloud, has redefined the managed detection and response (MDR) market with the launch of Ontinue, its new MDR division. Ontinue is the only managed extended detection and response (MXDR) provider that leverages AI-driven automation, human expertise and the Microsoft security platform to continuously assess and protect an organisation’s environment and advance its security posture for digital transformation. Unlike other MDR services available today, Ontinue’s newly launched MXDR service, Ontinue ION, delivers Nonstop SecOps with 24/7, always-on protection. The Ontinue ION service has advanced capabilities baked into its platform that…

Kenyan human resource (HR) and payroll solution startup WorkPay has raised Sh341.3 million from international investors to expand to 40 African countries. The pre-series A round was led by Acadian Ventures, Fondation Botnar, P1 Ventures, and Kara Ventures, among others. In 2020, it raised Sh238.7 million (US$2.1 million) in seed funding to fuel its growth. “On the tech side, we have integrated with nearly everyone who is processing payments to allow us to send money to as many countries in Africa as possible,” the firm’s CEO and co-founder said.“Non-tech means we have established a presence in these countries, and have…

Facebook parent Meta is launching subscription services that will include additional security and features and also account verification. According to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says that there will be a roll out of meta verified a subscription that enables one to verify account with a government ID, get a blue badge, get extra impersonation protection against pseudo accounts, and also get direct access to customer support “This new feature is all about increasing authenticity and security across meta services” Zuckerberg said in a statement on his Facebook account. READ ALSO:Kenyan HR payroll startup WorkPay secures Sh341.3mn, plans to expand to…

Vodafone has signed its second major corporate solar power purchase agreement (PPA) in the UK. The deal gives Vodafone UK access to clean, high-quality and affordable renewable electricity for the next 10 years, offering price certainty and improved energy security. Combined with agreements already in place, this new solar PPA means around 44% of the company’s annual energy needs will be fulfilled by UK-based renewable power sources by 2025. It is already the case that, of the grid electricity used by Vodafone in the UK, 100% is from certified renewable sources. The five solar farms, located in Norfolk, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire,…