Author: Akin Naphtal

With over 23 years of expertise, Mike Ogbalu III is a stalwart in Africa’s digital and financial technology sectors. His experience in enterprise-wide IT infrastructure and in retail, commercial, and e-business banking is evidence of his impeccable skills and leadership. Ogbalu, a seasoned engineer, has many feathers to his cap in his quest to transform commerce on the continent Having worked as an intern at ExxonMobil, at the Primary Place of Assignment in fulfilment of his mandatory service with the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), Ogbalu was positioned as Head of Hardware and Networks at Standard Trust Bank, kicking off…

Telecommunications giant, Globacom has launched three innovative Artificial Intelligence AI-focused services designed to enhance the customer experience and provide opportunities for monetization and prizes. This initiative aims to offer invaluable insights into harnessing AI for everyday needs while allowing subscribers to win exciting prizes through lottery draws. The three new AI-focused services introduced by Globacom include “Glo Awoof Win EverWage,” a game service that offers subscribers the chance to win a lifetime salary or participate in a monthly draw with a prize of N12 million; “Glo Awoof Win SMS-to-AI,” which provides instant and accurate information on any topic without the…

The West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) has set aside some cogent initiatives to facilitate infrastructure sharing among West African countries to reduce internet costs for telecom subscribers. The Executive Secretary of the telecom regulation body, Aliyu Aboki, announced this development during a meeting with stakeholders. According to him, infrastructure such as gateways, and data centres are facilities that could be shared by countries in the region. Admitting that the cost of internet across West African countries is still high, Aboki said a lower cost of internet access would enhance the digital economy for the respective countries in the region…

Liquid C2, a subsidiary of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, has extended its Cloudmania business into Egypt. Recall that Cloudmania is Liquid C2’s distribution business unit for cloud and cyber security solutions with operations in 35 countries across the Middle East and Africa. Its strategic partnership with Microsoft has paved the way for equipment and agreements with several cloud and cyber security services and solutions, including Microsoft 365 and Azure solutions, within a fully supported ecosystem. In his reaction to this landmark expansion the Vice President of Operations at Liquid C2, Sherif Shaltout said: “Extending Cloudmania’s reach to Egypt reflects our confidence…

South Korean electronics maker, Samsung has launched its newest version of foldable smartphones, the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6, along with Galaxy Buds3 and Galaxy Buds3 Pro. The company unveiled these new products at their second Galaxy Unpacked event, held in Paris, France. It would be recalled the firm ushered in the era of mobile AI through the power of Galaxy AI. With this introduction of the new foldables, Samsung is opening the next chapter of Galaxy AI by leveraging its most versatile and flexible form factor perfectly designed to enable a range of unique mobile experiences. Samsung…

Kenya’s Principal Secretary for the State Department of ICT and Digital Economy, Eng. John Tanui, has met with a delegation from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) East Africa, led by Chief Technical Advisor Ms. Caroline Njuki, to discuss initiatives to expand Kenya’s digital jobs ecosystem. Eng. Tanui shared the news on his LinkedIn page, highlighting the key areas of discussion, namely the development of a comprehensive Digital Job Creation Strategy, implementation of fair labour policies, establishment of digital skills guidelines, and execution of capacity-building programs. These efforts aim to create a strong framework for digital job opportunities in Kenya. The…

New research from digital identity security specialists, ID Crypt Global, has revealed a 230% increase in the number of fake social media accounts on TikTok over the past year, adding to content-related challenges such as harassment, self-harm encouragement, misinformation, and child sexual exploitation. The analysis by ID Crypt Global highlights a troubling trend, specifically the rise of fake accounts on social media platforms. In Q1 2024, Facebook removed 631 million fake accounts, marking a 48.1% increase from 426 million in Q1 2023. However, TikTok’s figures are even more alarming, with a 232.5% increase in fake account removals over the past…

Global smartphone shipments have seen a notable increase of 6.5% in the second quarter of 2024, according to preliminary data released by International Data Corporation (IDC) on 15th July. The surge in shipments is attributed to the efforts of leading smartphone manufacturers like Samsung Electronics and Apple. Both companies have been at the forefront of leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to appeal to price-sensitive consumers and expand their market share. According to Reuters, Nabila Popal, research director with IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team, highlighted the growing excitement in the smartphone market fuelled by higher average selling prices and the anticipation surrounding next-generation…

Network International, a leading enabler of digital commerce in the Middle East and Africa have agreed with Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK), in the bank’s efforts to improve e-commerce solutions for its merchants. Through this partnership, ABK merchants will benefit from Network International’s expertise in digital payments, gaining advanced capabilities to accept credit card transactions on their websites and provide convenient payment links. This initiative aims to streamline online payment processes and offer merchants the flexibility to generate and share payment links, significantly improving customer convenience. Additionally, the merchants will accept payments through popular digital wallets, including Apple Pay,…

Huawei has held its 2024 edition of Africa Connect, focusing on the impact the of digital era in sectors like finance, transportation, internet service provision (ISP) and Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Africa. Held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, the event marked a new era for enterprise-focused annual gathering, with Huawei senior leaders expressing their commitment to the continent. The Executive Director of the Board and Chairman of the ICT Infrastructure Managing Board for Huawei, David Wang emphasized that the company’s investment of $156 billion in Research and Experimental Development (R&D) over the last decade…