Author: Akin Naphtal

Tunisia is positioning 5G as a key driver for accelerating digital transformation across various sectors of its economy. According to the country’s roadmap, the issuance of licenses and the commercial launch of ultra-high-speed internet are scheduled for September and November 2024, respectively. The Ministry of Communication Technologies has announced the launch of a tender for 5G operating licenses. Telecom operators interested in deploying fifth-generation technology in Tunisia must submit their applications to the ministry between July 3 and September 2. This tender follows the government’s approval of the 5G launch roadmap on June 13. Under this plan, each Tunisian telecom…

Nigeria’s Bamboo has extended its services to South Africa, enabling customers to invest in US stocks through their smartphones. The new development was followed by the company’s acquisition of a financial services provider license from the South African Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA). The Nigeria-based online stock platform, which already operates in Nigeria and Ghana, was founded in 2019 by Richmond Bassey and Yanmo Omoregbe. In 2024, Bamboo added Nigerian stocks, broadening its investment options. Its growth was significantly bolstered by a $15 million Series A funding round in January 2022, led by Greycroft and Tiger Global. Despite challenges, including…

The Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has visited three ICT labs within the Kotobabi 2 & 3’ Basic School, the Our Lady of Assumption R/C Basic School, and the St Joseph Anglican Basic School in the Greater Accra region, to encourage girls to partake in ICT. The tour, which will end on Wednesday, 3rd July, is part of a week-long exercise to furnish these ICT centres with laptops, and introduce students, especially girls, to computer programming, animation, website design, and cybersecurity, among others. The project is being supported by GIFEC, GI-KACE, the NCA, MTN, GES, ATC Ghana, and…

The energy was electric as top Nigerian banks and esteemed speakers gathered for the Infobip business dinner; a significant event aimed at discussing the future of banking in the omnichannel conversational era. Among the notable attendees were Adebayo Osagie Olarewaju (MBA Sheffield) FIMC from FirstBank Nigeria, Taiwo Bashorun, Country Manager Representative from Microsoft, and Infobip’s own Olatayo L-Ajai and Orediretse Ore M. The evening centered around harnessing the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionize the banking sector. Discussions focused on strategies to elevate customer experiences and unlock endless possibilities in the financial industry. Adding to the dynamic atmosphere,…

IHS Holding Limited, one of the world’s largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure, has announced the results of its 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. At the meeting, all the proposals put to the vote of shareholders were adopted, including the re-election of Frank Dangeard, Phuthuma Nhleko, Mallam Bashir El-Rufai and Nicholas Land as Independent Directors until the Company’s 2025 Annual General Meeting. Furthermore, the proposal to amend and restate the company’s memorandum and articles of association, with the following key items now also included in the second amended and restated articles: • declassify the Company’s Board…

Vodacom teamed up with Huawei Technologies to support the third season of Vodacom Digital Accelerator (VDA), taking seven startups on an exhilarating journey to Shenzhen, China. For these startups, nearing the end of their acceleration program, the trip proved to be an inspiring adventure, igniting fresh ideas and endless possibilities. Shenzhen, renowned as a nexus for entrepreneurs, innovators, and tech firms, provided the perfect setting for this immersive experience. The city’s remarkable evolution from a fishing village to a global tech hub offered the group invaluable lessons in visionary leadership and strategic planning. During the visit, the cohort explored leading…

The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) recently held a two-day workshop aimed at enhancing the skills of technical teams from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). The workshop, which was conducted in partnership with the Tanzania Internet Service Providers Association (TISPA), at TCRA Mawasiliano Towers in Dar es Salaam However, the event focused on key topics such as Internet Exchange Point (IXP) peering, IP version 6 implementation, and DNSSEC validation. ALSO READ: BURNA BOY HITS OVER 530,000 STREAMS ON SPOTIFY WITH “HIGHER” It also served as a platform for technical discussions on the Tanzanian Internet ecosystem, addressing…

Can anyone stop Burna Boy? Nigerian afrobeats/afro-fusion star, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, famously known as Burna Boy, has skyrocketed to global stardom, smashing African records with his chart-topping hits, albums, and sold-out concerts. His latest single “Higher” racked up 530,792 streams on Spotify Nigeria within its first day, surpassing Wizkid’s previous record of 518,000 streams. “Higher” now holds the title for the most opening-day streams for a solo song by an African artist. ALSO READ: TANZANIA: VODACOM LAUNCHES GOLF TOUR WITH TECH INTEGRATION, PARTNERS WITH LUGALO GOLF CLUB In addition, Burna Boy broke his own record with “City Boy,” a Grammy-nominated…

Having boasted over 40,000 towers across 10 markets, IHS Towers CEO, Sam Darwish addressed the telecom industry’s pressing challenges in meeting the growing global demand for data connectivity. He emphasized the critical need for robust infrastructure, leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support the increasing communication requirements worldwide. In a detailed discussion, Darwish highlighted how the continuous surge in consumer data and AI-driven demands presents a unique growth opportunity for the telecom industry. He explained how IHS Towers is actively exploring this potential while committing to ethical leadership in emerging markets across Africa and Latin America. IHS Towers ranks among the…

Zambia’s Minister of Science and Technology, Felix Mutati, has unveiled the nation’s ongoing efforts to establish an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Framework, outlining the country’s progress and future plans in AI development. Mutati announced via an X post during the Future of AI in Africa Conference launch in Lusaka. He revealed that the government is crafting an AI Strategy in collaboration with the Tony Blair Institute, an organisation renowned for its expertise in advising governments on strategy, policy, and implementation. Additionally, Zambia is partnering with the European Union (EU) to create a Startup Bill aimed at fostering a supportive environment for…