Author: Akin Naphtal

MTN South Africa is ramping up the rollout of its 5G coverage in the coming months, with the group aiming to have at least 25% of the population covered by the end of 2022. “We want to have 5G connectivity across almost every part of South Africa. Our aim is to bring the benefits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to more people in an efficient and cost-effective way. “This means expanding our 5G coverage every day, with a strong focus on investment into main metros, peri-urban areas, and larger townships initially,” said Charles Molapisi, MTN SA’s chief executive. Molapisi said…

Nigerian auto-tech startup Autochek has partnered with Kenyan fintech Pezesha to enable SMEs in Kenya to access asset financing. Autochek aims to build digital solutions that will enhance and enable a seamless and safe automotive commerce experience across Africa, starting with Nigeria and Ghana. It plans to use technology to transform the automotive buying and selling experience for African consumers, by creating a single marketplace for consumers’ automotive needs, from sourcing and financing to after-sales support and warranties. Having expanded to Kenya late last year, Autochek has now partnered with Pezesha in a move that will enable SMEs to acquire…

Nigerian “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) startup CredPal has raised funding from the Cairo Angels Syndicate Fund (CASF), a micro-venture capital fund that invests in early-stage startups in the Middle East and Africa. Launched in 2018 by Fehintolu Olaogun and Olorunfemi Jegede, CredPal is a consumer credit platform that gives buyers the freedom to buy now and pay later, and helps merchants acquire more customers to increase sales. The Y Combinator and Google-backed CredPal has over 85,000 active customers and over 4,000 onboarded merchants, and announced in March it had raised US$15 million in funding to expand its consumer credit…

Uber, a global ride-hailing company, will be introducing new features on its app for drivers in Kenya. This includes being able to choose routes in which they want to operate. According to Business Daily, the drivers will be able to use the Nairobi Expressway and toll charges will be passed on to passengers. The new features will be very convenient for drivers who want to work close to home or their other jobs. They will also reduce the travelling time, ensuring that passengers get to their destinations much quicker. “The idea is when you switch on the app and say…

Verizon Business has announced that it is teaming up with Mastercard and First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) to launch a credit card designed to bring value to small business owners. According to a statement, existing Verizon Business wireless customers with less than 100 lines and an online account will be eligible to apply for the Verizon Business Mastercard®, which rewards purchases on everyday business expenses, such as eligible office supplies, technology, and fuel, and more. “Mastercard has been a key partner to us on our journey to help our customers of all sizes transform their businesses and ensure they…

By Zintle Nkohla Google has announced 1,000 scholarships in Kenya for small businesses in the country to open online shops. According to Techweez, the new development was announced as part of a month-long commemoration of International SMEs day this month. Google will be working with Coursera, an open online course provider, to develop an online certificate course in digital marketing and e-commerce. “E-commerce presents an opportunity for small businesses in Kenya to reach new customers and grow,” said Agnes Gathaiya, Google Country Director for Kenya and East Africa. “Through the digital marketing and e-commerce career certificates, and specialized training to…

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has finally signed a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with its consultant, 3R Company Nigeria Limited, for the execution of the Revenue Assurance Solutions (RAS) to strengthen and manage the integrity of revenue generation process in the Nigerian telecommunications industry. The agreement-signing ceremony, which took place at the Commission’s Head Office, Abuja on Friday, June 17, 2022, was witnessed by representatives of the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC). The ICRC has been guiding the partnership implementation process to give expression to the decision to procure the Solution within a PPP framework due to the scope…

Huawei, more specifically its Consumer Business Group (CBG), has launched its all-new HUAWEI MateBook D15 laptop in South Africa. The all-purpose HUAWEI MateBook D15 is made for everyone and continues the design elements established by the MateBook D Series, which utilises Huawei’s ‘Pure Shape’ minimalistic design philosophy with its thin and light metal body. The HUAWEI MateBook D15 features a new 11th Gen Intel Core Processor built on the 10nm SuperFin technology. This quad-core, eight-thread processor boats faster performance to handle everyday usage scenarios and features integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics to provide graphics performance rivalling entry-level discrete counterparts. The…

Amazon, a global e-commerce technology company, is reportedly set to expand to African countries including South Africa and Nigeria in 2023. Belgium, Chile, and Colombia are also among the five markets that the giant e-commerce company is set to penetrate next year, according to leaked documents that were seen by Business Insider. This development would mean serious competition for e-commerce platforms like Jumia and Takealot. Amazon currently has a presence in 20 countries and it aims to scale up in the main market in the US. “South Africa, codenamed Project Fela, is also expected in February 2023. The marketplace in…

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, has reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment as the nation’s apex IT regulatory body toward creating enabling policies for the development, use and adoption of Digital Technology in supporting and enhancing the living standard of women entrepreneurs across the country. The DG said this at the first edition of the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA) Women and Youth Leadership Symposium which was held in Abuja. Inuwa who was represented by the Deputy Director, Digital Economy Development Department of the Agency, Dr Amina Sambo Magaji, noted that given NITDA’s mandate,…