Author: Akin Naphtal

Silas Adekunle, the visionary Nigerian-British inventor and co-founder of Reach Industries, is igniting hope for young Africans aspiring to conquer the worlds of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), urging them to harness their unique perspectives and collaborate to reshape the continent’s technological landscape. Known for pioneering an intelligent gaming robot that seamlessly blends lifelike robotics with augmented reality, Adekunle shared his insights in an exclusive interview today, emphasizing that aspiring innovators should not be deterred by limited resources. “Your ideas are valid, and the world is waiting for them,” he declared. “Collaboration is vital—find others who share your vision and…

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the GSMA have officially launched the Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection (COP), marking the continent’s first multi-stakeholder platform dedicated to safeguarding children’s safety, rights, and well-being in the digital age. This pioneering effort aims to coordinate and advance child online protection across Africa, bolstering national and regional capacities to shield young users from escalating digital risks amid the continent’s rapid technological growth, with the task force set to foster collaboration among mobile industry leaders, tech innovators, regulatory bodies, law enforcement, and civil society to implement robust safety frameworks. The launch builds on…

In a bold move to meet the surging demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Vertiv, a global titan in critical digital infrastructure and a key Solution Advisor within the NVIDIA Partner Network, has announced a landmark distribution agreement with PNY Technologies, a renowned provider of NVIDIA-based solutions in the region. Unveiled today, this collaboration aims to streamline the deployment of high-density power and cooling infrastructure tailored for the latest AI platforms, empowering System Integrators and resellers to fast-track AI adoption with validated, efficient solutions that reduce risks and enhance operational performance. The…

Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and Executive Chairman of Econet Group, including Cassava Technologies and Econet Wireless, has issued a compelling call to action for Africa’s youth to harness artificial intelligence (AI) as the continent’s next economic frontier. In his Linkedin newsletter tagged “#Reflection: A brave new world in progress Don’t be afraid… Be brave!” and from his visionary perspective honed through decades of building telecom giants across Africa, Masiyiwa drew a striking parallel between AI and the historical taming of fire, arguing that just as early humans transformed fire into a tool for progress—powering cars, airplanes, and even space rockets—AI holds…

Kalaam Telecom and Riedel Networks have announced the renewal of their strategic partnership, solidifying their commitment to delivering mission-critical communications across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Building on their successful collaboration from 2022 to 2024, which powered high-performance connectivity for major motorsport events in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, the extended agreement aims to enhance regional network infrastructure and expand services for sports, media, and enterprise clients. Since 2022, the partnership has leveraged Kalaam’s fully-owned terrestrial KNOT cable system, anchored by a key Point of Presence (PoP) in Manama, Bahrain. This PoP integrates seamlessly with…

In a bold stride toward dominating Africa’s experience economy, Wakanow, the continent’s leading online travel group, has snapped up Nairabox, Nigeria’s premier digital platform for event and cinema ticketing. The acquisition catapults Wakanow from flight bookings to a seamless empire where travel, entertainment, and payments collide—unlocking richer, more connected adventures for millions. This isn’t a random pivot; it’s the culmination of Wakanow’s meticulously crafted strategy. Just last year, the company restructured into a powerhouse group entity, unleashing innovative arms like Kalabash for fintech solutions and RoomDe for accommodations. Group CEO Bayo Adedeji laid out the vision at the Wakanow Unpacked…

Moniepoint, a leading Nigerian fintech and one of Africa’s fastest-growing unicorns, has raised an additional $90 million to finalize its Series C funding round, just one year after achieving unicorn status with a $110 million initial raise. The latest investment, led by Development Partners International’s African Development Partners III (ADP III) fund and anchored by impact investor LeapFrog Investment, positions Moniepoint for aggressive growth across Africa and into international markets. A robust lineup of global investors participated in the funding round, including Lightrock, Alder Tree Investments, Google’s Africa Investment Fund, Visa, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Proparco, Swedfund, and Verod…

MTN Group announced it has achieved its Ambition 2025 strategic target of serving 300 million customers, just three decades after launching its first commercial operation in South Africa. The milestone was unveiled at the company’s annual Ambassadors Appreciation Dinner, where African diplomats, public sector leaders, MTN market CEOs, and Group Executive Committee members gathered to toast collaboration, investment, and policy alignment driving the continent’s transformation. “The time is now for Africa to take charge of its own socioeconomic progress. We need to look within for solutions and to develop our own communities,” declared MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita,…

Vertiv, a global leader in critical digital infrastructure, is extending its collaboration with Airtel Africa through Nxtra, its data centre division. Starting with Nigeria, this collaboration is a first step in Nxtra’s strategic objective of establishing one of the largest high-capacity data centre networks in Africa, strategically located in major cities and bolstered by its extensive operations experience in India. “Nxtra has been a valued customer for nearly three decades,” said Karsten Winther, president of Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) for Vertiv. “This next chapter in our collaboration demonstrates the power of combining local support in Africa with international…

Vodafone has partnered with Ericsson in a five-year strategic agreement to modernize its radio access network (RAN) infrastructure across key markets, including Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Germany, Romania, and Egypt. The deal positions Ericsson as Vodafone’s sole RAN vendor in Ireland, Netherlands, and Portugal, and a major vendor in Germany, Romania, and Egypt, deepening a decades-long collaboration between the two companies. The partnership will see Vodafone deploy Ericsson’s cutting-edge, Open RAN-compatible Massive MIMO radios, RAN Compute solutions, and 5G Advanced RAN software to enhance network performance. This modernization effort is designed to support the widespread rollout of 5G Standalone, enabling…