Author: Akin Naphtal

MTN Group’s Ghana operations have successfully met the West African nation’s localization requirements for its 4G license. In its mid-year report, MTN Ghana informed shareholders of this significant achievement. “By the end of the second quarter, the level of local ownership of Scancom PLC was 27.9%. As a result, the regulator has confirmed Scancom PLC’s achievement of the 25.0% localisation requirement for its 4G licence,” the company stated. MTN Ghana reaffirmed its commitment to further localizing Scancom PLC and MobileMoney Limited, vowing to continue collaboration with regulators and stakeholders to reach its goals. Scancom PLC is the registered name of…

The World Bank has announced a call for expressions of interest for a technical assistance project in Cameroon aimed at enhancing digital trust to boost online transactions. Proposals from experts in cybersecurity policy, capacity assessments, trust framework development, e-transactions, e-signatures, and public key infrastructure are welcome until August 12. The selected consultant will assist the Cameroonian government in revising its National Cybersecurity Strategy, which was first enacted in 2018. The project’s objectives include improving the cybersecurity capabilities of individuals and institutions and fostering a secure environment for electronic transactions. According to the World Bank, the consultancy will involve conducting gap…

Cassava Technologies has announced the establishment of Cassava AI, a new business unit dedicated to its artificial intelligence activities. This development follows strategic partnerships with major industry players including Microsoft, Google, AWS, Anthropic, Oracle, Atlas AI, Cerebras, and Palo Alto Networks. These alliances will enhance Cassava’s ability to offer superior systems integration and support to enterprise customers in key international markets. Cassava Technologies, which already provides data centers, cloud services, cybersecurity, fiber connectivity, and renewable energy solutions to multinational and local companies, has trained and deployed over 200 of its 5,000 employees to support the adoption of Generative AI services…

Neuralink, the brain-chip startup founded by Elon Musk, has successfully implanted its device in a second patient, aiming to allow paralyzed individuals to use digital devices through thought alone. This follows the initial implant earlier this year, which enabled the first patient to play video games, browse the internet, and post on social media. The second patient, like the first, suffers from a spinal cord injury. “I don’t want to jinx it but it seems to have gone extremely well with the second implant,” Musk said during an eight-hour podcast with host Lex Fridman. He noted that 400 of the…

South Africa’s railways are the heart of the nation’s transportation network, responsible for nearly 80% of passenger transport and over 30% of ore transport capacity. Despite their crucial role, maintaining this extensive infrastructure has become increasingly challenging. Theft and outdated infrastructure plague the railways, with essential equipment regularly stolen and old locomotives requiring costly maintenance. Enter Huawei, with a cutting-edge solution combining vibration-sensing optical fiber and AI machine vision, poised to revolutionize the operations of Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) the country’s main rail operator. Spanning an impressive 38,000 kilometers, South Africa’s railway system is among the most…

Facebook parent company, Meta, is reportedly in discussions with high-profile actors such as Awkwafina and Judi Dench, as well as influencers, to secure the rights to use their voices for its MetaAI digital assistant, according to a report by the New York Times. The social media giant is also negotiating with comedian, Keegan-Michael Key, and other celebrities, involving Hollywood’s top talent agencies in the process, the newspaper reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. Although specific details on who might ultimately sign on remain uncertain, the report suggests that Meta could potentially pay millions of dollars in fees to the…

President Samia Suluhu Hassan has announced that electric trains will significantly stimulate economic activities across various sectors in Tanzania. Speaking during the official launch of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) electric train between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma, President Hassan emphasized the transformative potential of the new railway system. The President highlighted that the electric trains would particularly benefit industries, agriculture, livestock keeping, tourism, and trade. She expressed optimism that the industrial sector would see substantial growth across different regions due to the reliability and efficiency of the new transport system. Addressing the issue of inadequate transport infrastructure, President Hassan…

In a crucial decision earlier this year, African heads of state convened at the annual African Union summit to endorse a groundbreaking initiative: the Protocol on Digital Trade, known as the “Digital Protocol.” This protocol, approved under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), marks a significant milestone for the continent, promising to revolutionize digital trade and integrate Africa more deeply into the global digital economy. The Digital Protocol aims to foster continent-wide digital trade, empowering individual African nations and the continent to thrive in the digital future. By harmonizing rules, standards, and practices, the protocol addresses critical challenges and…

In a remarkable announcement of executive appointments, the MTN Group has named Mohammed Rufai as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Congo-Brazzaville, while Ayham Moussa will take over as Chief Operations Officer (COO) of MTN Nigeria. Rufai, a recipient of the 2017 edition of the Ghana Information Technology & Telecom Awards (GITTA), who currently holds the position of Chief Technical Officer at MTN Nigeria, will assume the new role on September 1. With over 24 years of experience in the ICT sector, Rufai has been with MTN since 2002. His career with MTN began in Nigeria and later took…

Vertiv, a global leader in digital infrastructure, has aimed to address the challenges of increasing demands driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and the rapidly evolving telecom and technology ecosystem in Africa. The Sales Director for Strategic Telecom Clients of Vertiv in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa EMEA, Jon Abbott while speaking to Kenyan leaders in the local, tower, and colocation sectors in Nairobi, provided valuable insights into the operational and technological transformations anticipated to reshape the communications network landscape by 2030. According to the 2023 Digital Quality of Life Index, which assesses digital well-being for 92 percent of the…