Author: Akin Naphtal

The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD) has launched a two-day Mentorship and Climax session, to end its 10-day National Girls-in-ICT programme, themed, “Leadership.” The Mentorship session, held on Tuesday, 9th July, 2024 was held at the University of Ghana’s Cedi Conference Centre, where prominent female tech leaders shared their experiences to inspire the girls selected for the program. Chairing the event was Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann, an Associate Professor and founding Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Ghana, who encouraged the participants to seize opportunities, emphasizing that, “No experience is ever waste,” and that…

Ericsson has been named leader in the 2024 edition of Gartner Magic Quadrant for Communications Service Providers (CSPs) 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) Infrastructure Solutions. It would be recalled that Magic Quadrant is a series of market research reports published by Gartner- an American technological research and consulting firm, which relies on proprietary qualitative data analysis methods to demonstrate market trends, such as direction, maturity and participants. Gartner’s report unearths a comprehensive market overview of essential 5G radio access network (RAN) infrastructure capabilities, evaluating vendors based on Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute. The 2024 report exclusively focuses on…

American tech giant, Microsoft has increased prices of Xbox Game Pass, including the popular Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, in South Africa. This development will increase the cost of Game Pass Ultimate from $7 to $10 per month in the country. Additionally, the price of Game Pass Core, which offers a more limited experience, will increase from $26 per year to $43 per year. The increase occurs despite the South African rand maintaining relative stability against the euro and the dollar over the past year. For instance, in the US, the price of Game Pass Ultimate will go up by 17.7%,…

Global advocate for mobile operators, GSMA, has collaborated with TikTok, the leading short-form video platform, to transform digital literacy in Africa. This agreement paves the way for the TikTok module into the GSMA’s Mobile Internet Skills Training Toolkit (MISTT), a comprehensive set of free resources designed to impart essential digital skills. This initiative builds on previous digital literacy efforts, such as the TikTok and ThinkWifi partnership in South Africa, demonstrating a continued commitment to advancing digital access and knowledge. Integrating the TikTok module into the MISTT aims to equip individuals with the tools needed to navigate the digital landscape effectively,…

In the quest to drive Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reiterated its commitment to accelerate collective prosperity through technical efficiency in the digital ecosystem in the country. In a press release signed by the Executive Secretary, of Citizens Watch Advocacy Initiative (CWAI), Kenneth Aigbegbele, the agency emphasized that it’s necessary to leverage technology to bring the right level of economic opportunity. The Director-General of NITDA Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, made this statement while emphasizing on the need for a safe and inclusive online environment, responsible for human and artificial intelligence practices. Inuwa Abdullahi said:…

In a world where communication is key, Google Translate has committed efforts to break language barriers, enabling people to connect and understand each other better in the global digital ecosystem. Harnessing the latest technologies, Google aims to make this powerful tool accessible to a wider audience than ever before. In 2022, Google Translate made a significant leap by incorporating 24 new languages through Zero-Shot Machine Translation, an innovative method where a machine learning model learns to translate a language without any prior examples. This breakthrough was part of Google’s ambitious 1,000 Languages Initiative, a project designed to support the world’s…

US-based Esports organisation, Turner Esports, and Ghana’s KiddieeSports, have announced a partnership aimed at empowering children in Africa through the realms of video games, Esports, and innovative technology. This collaboration is driven by the belief that beyond entertainment, video games and Esports can be powerful tools for education, skill development, and personal growth. The partnership has five objectives, namely: Read2Play Flagship Program A cornerstone of this partnership is the flagship program, Read2Play. Now in its fifth year at the 21st Ghana International Book Fair, Read2Play merges books, literacy, and gaming, creating a unique platform for children to explore and discover.…

Kenya is making significant strides in its digital transformation and smart governance initiatives, as seen by a recent meeting between key stakeholders from the Kenyan State Department of ICT and Digital Economy, Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), and GIZ Kenya. The meeting, chaired by Kenya’s Principal Secretary for the State Department of ICT and Digital Economy, Eng. John Kipchumba Tanui, focused on enhancing collaboration and synergy between the involved partners. Discussions revolved around the progress of various collaborative projects, including the Digital Transformation Centre, Smart Governance initiatives, and capacity building programs for civil servants. Eng. Tanui, in a LinkedIn…

The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD) has overseen the graduation of 530 participants of its DigSMART Scale-Up training, themed “Fast track digitisation for service delivery,” as part of the government’s efforts to enhance digital skills in the public sector. The Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, delivered the keynote address, emphasising the critical need for public servants to be adept in using digital tools. “We realised that digital competence was very crucial, which led to the launch of this program,” she stated. The training, divided into three cohorts—leaders, managers, and officers—was launched in February 2024 with a comprehensive…

Huawei has unveiled Smart Village project in quest to provide solar energy, telecoms networks and internet services to approximately 150,000 pupils across Zambia. The company’s project, Smart Village which was in collaboration with the Zambian government underscores its commitment to enhancing connectivity in rural communities. The project will be progressively rolled out across nine provinces, ensuring that rural areas are prioritized. The Vice President at Huawei Southern Africa, Phil Li, emphasized that the project would not only enhance connectivity but also provide reliable and sustainable energy to these communities. The Chinese embassy’s chief of mission, Wang Sheng, urged Chinese companies…