Author: Akin Naphtal

Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce company, Interswitch has launched an integrated Application Programmable Interfaces (API) to empower African developers on digital products and solutions. The event was held recently in Lagos, where developers were intimated of the benefits of integrating Interswitch APIs on their products. The API Platform comprises Internal APIs, Partner APIs, and Infrastructure APIs; designed to empower Africa’s digital ecosystem. It also serves as a one-stop shop for innovators in the tech ecosystem who seek to build viable, market-fit products that address local needs. Over time, Interswitch has continued to champion the development of the continent’s…

Towards developing its services and expanding its user base, Egyptian startup Bonbell, a mobile app designed to offer seamless food ordering and digital solutions for table and meal reservations, has closed an initial funding round worth US$350,000. Launched early this year, Bonbell offers a wide range of food ordering services, from food delivery to restaurant reservations and dine-in ordering through a QR code. The app offers various payment solutions through cash or credit cards and already has 12,000 customers. The US$350,000 funding round came from a Canadian angel investor, and Bonbell now hopes to have 750 partner restaurants by the…

Kwik delivery, a Nigerian-based logistics platform has launched a new simple digital platform “KwikStore“ to offer a convenient way of selling via smartphones for African merchants. Sellers have the opportunity of linking KwikStores to their social media accounts and also customize their brand in order to generate sales. Payments are made by customers through the payment medium after a vendor approves an order, and goods are immediately sent for delivery. KwikStore also allows business owners or vendors to establish an online store using their smartphones within a short period of time without necessarily having vast technical experience. Using this feature…

Towards building a strong knowledge-based of Information Communication Technology among female gender, Ghana’s Girls in ICT Program, a digital skill for young women and girls has kicked off in some Senior High schools in the Oti region of Ghana. The program is aimed at ensuring that all girls stay safe on the internet. The target is to ensure all girls in the Oti region benefit from the Cyber Security and Data Privacy training. A Huawei Instructor who is also a lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, Mr Julius Yaw Ludu took the children through an interactive session. During…

Uber has appointed Kagiso Khaole as the new General Manager for Uber in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), taking over Frans Hiemstra’s role who has been appointed as the Regional General Manager for the Middle East and Africa at Uber. Kagiso joined Uber in 2021 where he led mobility operations across SSA, and has previously worked in several industries, including eCommerce, Software and Services, Consumer Electronics, Management Consulting, Insurance and Banking. This makes Kagiso well positioned to further grow the business in the region, which is operational in over 50 cities across South Africa, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria and…

Towards preventing fraud cases in government hospitals across the country, Cameroon’s Ministry of Public Health (MINSANTE) plans to digitalise payment processes and revenue collection across public hospitals. According to a report by the country’s Ministry of Finance the public treasury loses 700-billion CFA each year to untraceable cash transactions linked to payment for medical services. The report also found that some employees within the healthcare sector have manipulated loopholes in the manual system to falsify data and commit fraud. At a recent meeting hosted in the capital Yaounde, MINSANTE officials confirmed progress made in its short-term effort to mitigate risk.…

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy and Chairman of the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC), Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), chaired the 58th Regular Meeting of the Council on Thursday, 4th August 2022. The NFMC resolved to remind members of the public, Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Governments that by the provisions of Section 28 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 (NCA 2003), the NFMC is the apex body for Radio Frequency Spectrum Administration in Nigeria. In a statement available to TechEconomy, Dr. Femi Adeluyi, Technical Assistant (Research & Development) to the Minister, said the meeting resolved, accordingly, any…

The Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) has ordered a forensic investigation of Philips Consulting and the United Bank for Africa in line with Article 4 of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulations (NDPR). This follows complaints of data breach filed against PhiIlips Consulting and United Bank for Africa PLC. National Commissioner of NDPB, Mr. Vincent Olatunji, ordered the forensic investigation, according to a statement issued on 15 August 2022. The Legal Enforcement and Regulations Lead, NDPB, Babatunde Bamigboye said that the complaint against Philips Consulting is in connection with the activities of online lending platforms who willfully breach the privacy of…

MTN Group has appointed Willington Ngwepe to the new Chief of Staff in the office of the Group President and CEO. The appointment is with effect from October. Willington joins the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), where he has spent the last five years as CEO. Before that, he was ICASA’s chief operating officer. “Willington brings with him extensive leadership, technology and regulatory experience that will be invaluable as we execute on our strategic intent of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress,” said MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita. “We welcome him to the MTN Group, where…

The Nigerian Communications Commission’s Computer Security Incident Response Team (NCC-CSIRT) has urged organisations to adopt stronger cybersecurity measures like ensuring their employees use strong, unique passwords for every account and enabling multi-factor authentication (2FA) wherever it is supported to prevent ransomware attacks. It also advised organizations to ensure regular systems backup. The NCC-CSIRT’s warning contained in its advisory of August 12, 2022, came after the Yanluowang threat actors gained access to Cisco’s network using an employee’s stolen credentials after hijacking the employee’s personal Google account containing credentials synchronised from their browser. Ransomware is a malware designed to deny a user…