Author: Akin Naphtal

In the rapidly evolving ecosystem of digital governance, Nigeria stands out as a regional leader. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) G5 Benchmark, The West African nation has reached the advanced standard, sharing this distinction with Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa. This achievement underscores Nigeria’s progressive approach to regulation and digital transformation, setting an example for other countries in the region. Nigeria boasts one of the largest economies and ICT sectors in Africa, supported by a complex institutional framework for ICT, IT, and digital transformation. The country’s path to G5 regulation offers valuable insights for regulators and policymakers…

The CEO of Microsoft UK, Clare Barclay has expressed strong support for the new Labour Government’s emphasis on driving economic growth. However, she emphasized the critical need for an advanced, reliable, and robust digital infrastructure to achieve these ambitions. In response to the recent King Charles’ Speech, which outlined the Government’s mission to remove barriers to economic progress, Barclay welcomed the initiative. She remarked that this message signals the UK’s openness to business and readiness to attract investment. Such investment, she noted, could fund public services, alleviate the cost-of-living crisis, and create widespread opportunities. On the topic of regulation, Barclay…

Africa Data Centres, a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies, has announced a significant expansion of its CPT1 facility in Cape Town. The expansion, supported by a loan of up to $300 million from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), will add 1,000 racks of white space, effectively doubling the facility’s capacity. The expansion includes the addition of three new state-of-the-art halls, comprising two colocation data halls and one hyperscale hall, bringing an extra 6MW of IT load to the campus. The President & Group CEO of Cassava Hardy Pemhiwa, , emphasized the strategic importance of the expansion, stating, “This expansion…

Showmax has teamed up with South African consumer electronics manufacturer QVWi to introduce a new line of streaming hardware. The centerpiece of this collaboration is a set-top box designed to transform standard televisions into smart TVs, making smart TV technology more accessible to a broader range of consumers. Starting from August 1, 2024, all QVWi devices will come preloaded with the Showmax app and will include a complimentary two-month subscription to Showmax Entertainment. This initiative aims to offer consumers an easy and cost-effective way to access a wide range of streaming content. QVWi, based in Durban and owned by television…

South Africa’s leading independent buy now pay later (BNPL) service provider, Payflex, has announced the launch of its latest payment feature, ‘Pay in 3′, which allows consumers to split their purchases into three interest-free monthly payments, providing greater flexibility and convenience. CEO of Payflex, Bruce McIntosh, highlighted the company’s journey and the evolving market demands. “As the first-to-market BNPL service provider in South Africa, we initially offered a single payment term. However, as the market evolved and customers’ requirements became more complex, we recognised the need to offer additional repayment options to meet their diverse needs. ‘Pay in 3’ is…

British telecoms regulator, Ofcom has fined TikTok £1.9 million ($2.4 million) for not promptly providing accurate safety data. Ofcom criticized the platform, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, for providing incorrect information last year and not addressing the issue quickly. TikTok admitted to giving Ofcom inaccurate data regarding the usage of its parental controls tool, significantly underestimating the number of users. The company apologized for the delay in correcting the error and stated that they are committed to cooperating with Ofcom and improving internal processes. Ofcom acknowledged that TikTok’s breach was not deliberate and noted that the company self-reported the mistake.…

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, announced in its Q1 2024 Adversarial Threat Report, removing 63,000 accounts associated with the “Yahoo Boys” scam group. The accounts were used for financial sextortion scams and distributing blackmail scripts, primarily targeting adult men in the United States. A smaller network of 2,500 accounts, connected to about 20 individuals, was also dismantled. Meta identified these accounts using advanced technical signals and comprehensive investigations, enhancing its automated detection systems. The company stated that “Yahoo Boys” are cybercriminals, mainly operating from Nigeria, specializing in various scams. Meta also removed a set of Facebook…

Cybersecurity giant, CrowdStrike has detected a bug in the faulty testing software behind the crash of 8.5 million Windows machines around the world. Recall that there was an outage that impacted multiple companies worldwide including airlines, broadcasters, and many organizations. This problem forced Windows machines into a boot loop, with technicians requiring local access to machines to recover (Apple and Linux machines weren’t affected). Many companies, like Delta Airlines, are still recovering. “Due to a bug in the Content Validator, one of the two [updates] passed validation despite containing problematic data. It promised a series of new measures to avoid…

The Africa Digital Economy Awards (ADEA), the ‘Oscars’ of Africa’s ICT industry, is preparing for its 9th edition of the award event, on September 13th, 2024, at the Emara Ole Sereni Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. This prestigious award event recognizes and celebrates the achievements of leading and innovative Africa’s digital leaders who are shaping the future of the continent’s technology and digital economy. The golden theme for this year’s edition, “Excellence in Digital Innovations” gives prominence to the achievements and transformative impact of technology across the continent, delving into the innovative strides being made in various sectors, from fintech and…

Dublin’s Skippio has secured €540,000 in seed funding to expand its innovative fan experience platform overseas, especially in the United Kingdom. The company, founded in 2022, is in the quest to resolve the issue of long queues for food and drinks at large-scale events such as sports matches and concerts. The funding round was led by private investors, with additional backing from Enterprise Ireland’s High-Potential Start-Up (HPSU) funding. Skippio plans to use the investment to enter the UK market, enhancing its platform’s capabilities and growing its team. Skippio’s app enables users to order and pay for food and drinks from…