Author: Akin Naphtal

Google has marked the 20th anniversary of its navigation app, Google Maps, a platform that has transformed how over 2 billion users navigate and explore the world each month. In celebration of the milestone, the company highlighted the most-reviewed locations in Nigeria, showcasing the app’s growing influence on travel and local discovery. Speaking on the anniversary, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Affairs Manager at Google West Africa emphasized the evolution of Google Maps from a basic navigation tool into a dynamic platform that enhances global mobility. “In the past two decades, Google Maps has provided over one trillion kilometers of…

Global data center capital expenditure is projected to exceed $1 trillion, with AI infrastructure driving a significant share of investments, according to a new forecast from Dell’Oro Grou The firm’s latest Data Centre IT Capex 5-Year Forecast Report anticipates a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21% in data center spending. By 2029, AI training and domain-specific workloads are expected to account for nearly half of global data center infrastructure investments. The long-term outlook remains positive despite concerns over the current return on AI investments. “While AI spending has yet to meet desired returns and efficiency improvements, long-term growth remains…

Nokia has announced a four-year contract extension with Orange France to upgrade its 5G radio infrastructure using Nokia’s energy-efficient AirScale portfolio. The agreement aims to enhance customer experience with improved speed, capacity, and performance across Orange’s network in Southeastern and Western France. As part of the deal, Orange France will also trial Nokia’s 5G Cloud RAN solutions to assess the transition towards Cloud RAN technology, marking a step forward in network evolution. Nokia will provide equipment from its O-RAN-compliant 5G AirScale portfolio, including next-generation AirScale baseband solutions, high-output Massive MIMO Habrok radios, and FDD multiband remote radio heads from its…

YouTube, the Google-owned video streaming giant, has reported a record-breaking $10.5 billion in advertising revenue for the fourth quarter of 2024, marking a significant increase from the $9.2 billion recorded in the same period the previous year. This milestone also marks the first time YouTube has surpassed $10 billion in ad revenue within a single quarter. The platform continues to dominate the ad-supported streaming market, with the latest Nielsen Gauge report indicating that YouTube accounted for more than 11% of all video viewership. Google’s Chief Business Officer, Philipp Schindler, attributed the surge in revenue to the 2024 U.S. presidential election,…

Ericsson has announced the appointment of Charlotte Levert as its new Chief People Officer, Senior Vice President, and Head of Group Function People, effective February 10, 2025. Levert will also join Ericsson’s Executive Team, reporting directly to President and CEO Börje Ekholm. Levert, who currently serves as Vice President and Head of People for Business Area Cloud and Software Services, will succeed MajBritt Arfert, whose departure was announced in October 2024. Arfert, a longtime Ericsson executive, will remain available to the company through the spring before officially departing at the end of May 2025. With extensive experience in human resources…

Smart Africa, a coalition representing 40 African nations and over a billion people, has unveiled the Africa Artificial Intelligence (AI) Council to position the continent as a key player in the global AI economy. The Council, comprising stakeholders from government, private sector, civil society, academia, and leading AI experts, will spearhead Africa’s efforts to harness AI for economic transformation. Smart Africa emphasized that with the continent’s youthful and rapidly expanding workforce, AI-driven productivity gains could significantly enhance economic growth. The launch comes amid industry forecasts suggesting that AI could contribute up to $30 billion to Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy by 2030.…

Microsoft has appointed Samer Abu-Ltaif as the new President of Microsoft Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), succeeding Ralph Haupter, who will transition to lead Microsoft’s newly established Small, Medium Enterprises, and Channel Partner organization. In his new role, Abu-Ltaif will oversee Microsoft’s operations across more than 120 markets, focusing on accelerating digital transformation, fostering collaboration, and leveraging AI-driven solutions to drive innovation and economic growth. With over two decades at Microsoft, Abu-Ltaif brings a wealth of experience, having previously served as President for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (CEMA). Under his leadership, Microsoft strengthened strategic…

Chris Wood, CEO of the West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC) Group, discusses the company’s unwavering commitment to Africa’s digital infrastructure, strategies to combat subsea cable outages, and its vision for the continent’s technological future. For over 15 years, WIOCC has played a pivotal role in Africa’s digital evolution, solidifying its reputation as a key enabler of connectivity. Since its establishment in 2008, the company has invested more than $500 million in digital infrastructure to support the wholesale telecommunications community across Africa. “We are a fibre-pair owner on the Equiano and 2Africa cable systems and a major operator on all…

The company announced that Vodacom Group has reported significant growth in its financial services sector, with Vodafone Egypt’s financial services revenue surging by 77.7%. The telecom giant highlighted strong commercial momentum in Egypt, where financial services customers grew by 40.7% to 10.5 million, alongside a 25.6% increase in data traffic. Egypt’s contribution to Vodacom’s overall performance has also expanded, with service revenue reaching R6.8 billion, accounting for 22.3% of the Group’s total. The quarter closed with 50.7 million customers in Egypt, marking a 6.2% rise. Vodacom’s push into fintech continues to gain traction across Africa. The company revealed that its…

TikTok has reinforced its footprint in Kenya by partnering with Aleph Holdings and Wowzi to enhance advertising operations and provide greater support for local content creators. The collaboration aims to bolster TikTok’s local infrastructure while opening up new opportunities for businesses and digital creators in the country Aleph Holdings, a digital advertising company, focuses on making online advertising more accessible, while Wowzi is an influencer marketing platform connecting brands with African content creators. “These collaborations empower not only Kenyan advertisers with unmatched access to cutting-edge digital ad formats and tailored local support but also open new doors for the immensely…