Author: Akin Naphtal

The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications (GCT) and the Digital Chamber of Ghana (DCG) have named Sylvia Owusu-Ankomah as their new Chief Executive Officer. With nearly two decades of leadership in Ghana’s telecommunications, digital, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sectors, Owusu-Ankomah brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of driving transformative change to her new role. Owusu-Ankomah’s career includes high-impact roles at major multinational organizations such as MTN Ghana, Tigo (Millicom Ghana), AirtelTigo (AT Ghana), and Guinness Ghana Breweries PLC (Diageo/Castel Group). Her work has significantly shaped Ghana’s telecom and digital landscape, from securing regulatory approvals for the…

Integrated Payment Services Limited (IPSL), the operator of PesaLink, has partnered with pan-African payments company Cellulant to revolutionize customer-to-business (C2B) payments for online services across Kenya. The strategic collaboration integrates Cellulant’s Tingg payment platform with PesaLink’s extensive network, connecting over 80 financial institutions, to enable seamless direct payments from consumers’ bank accounts to businesses. This partnership tackles persistent challenges in digital transactions, including payment delays, reconciliation errors, and limited payment options. By leveraging PesaLink’s robust infrastructure and Tingg’s innovative payment solutions, the initiative enhances Kenya’s digital economy, fostering connectivity among banks, fintechs, and merchants. Customers can now make transactions up…

Ooredoo Group, a leading international communications provider operating across the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia, has announced a strategic partnership with Innovatix Systems LLC to deliver advanced cybersecurity services to its diverse markets. The collaboration aims to fortify digital defenses for millions of users amid the global surge in cyber threats, particularly in regions undergoing rapid digital transformation like Africa. The new cybersecurity offerings are already operational in Qatar, Tunisia, Kuwait, and the Maldives, with plans to extend coverage to all Ooredoo operating companies before the end of 2025. Available in Arabic, English, and French, these services ensure…

MTN South Africa, in collaboration with Ericsson, has achieved groundbreaking milestones in its core network modernization, marking global and African firsts in telecommunications innovation. The operator has become the first worldwide to implement an In-Service Software Upgrade (ISSU) on an Ericsson Packet Core Gateway (PCG) node with a collocated Packet Core Firewall, seamlessly handling 2.52 million active user sessions and 40 Gbps of data without interruption. Additionally, MTN South Africa is the first in Africa to execute an automated ISSU on a production PCG node, reinforcing its leadership in cloud-native infrastructure. The modernization, aligned with MTN Group’s Unified Cloud Acceleration…

Deutsche Telekom has unleashed a suite of innovative 5G enhancements across Germany, solidifying its position as the nation’s pioneering network operator. The upgrades, rolled out to deliver tangible benefits to everyday users, include advanced network slicing for specialized applications, RedCap technology for power-efficient devices, and optimized gaming features— all now accessible to more than 98% of the population through the company’s expansive 5G footprint. Abdurazak Mudesir, Chief Technology Officer at Telekom Deutschland GmbH, highlighted the company’s customer-centric vision in a recent blog post. “From the very beginning, we were driven by the idea of offering real added value for our…

NALA has officially expanded into Kenya through a strategic partnership with Equity Bank and payment utility PesaLink. This move aims to capitalize on Kenya’s robust remittance inflows, positioning NALA as a key player in East Africa’s highly competitive payments market.’ The collaboration bypasses the typically lengthy and complex licensing process for foreign entrants by leveraging PesaLink’s instant payment network and Equity Bank’s settlement infrastructure. Diaspora transfers will now be routed seamlessly, with recipients in Kenya receiving funds in real time to mobile wallets or bank accounts, eliminating the delays that have long frustrated users. “Every year, billions are lost to…

Equinix Inc. is exploring the establishment of a second data centre in Johor, a move that could inject billions of ringgit into the region’s economy. The announcement followed a meeting between Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi and Equinix representatives, during which the company reaffirmed its commitment to local talent development and economic growth. In a statement , Onn Hafiz revealed that Equinix expressed keen interest in expanding its footprint in Johor, building on its existing presence at Nusajaya Tech Park in Iskandar Puteri. The first data centre, launched with an initial US$40 million (RM188 million) investment, became operational…

Paratus, Africa’s leading integrated network operator, has unveiled its new Paratus Cloud service at a state-of-the-art point-of-presence (PoP) within iXAfrica Data Centres in Nairobi. This strategic partnership positions Nairobi as a digital hub for East Africa, delivering enterprise-grade cloud solutions to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), government agencies, internet service providers (ISPs), and large corporations. The collaboration, formalized by Joseph Kibwot, Managing Director of Paratus Kenya, and Arthur Wanyoike, Sales Manager at iXAfrica, introduces a powerful cloud platform hosted at Kenya’s first hyperscale, AI-ready data centre. To incentivize early adoption, Paratus is offering free cross-connects, waiving installation costs for businesses…

Google has announced plans to establish four new subsea connectivity hubs spanning the continent’s north, south, east, and west regions. The initiative, unveiled by James Manyika, Senior Vice President for Research, Labs, Technology, and Society at Google, marks a significant expansion of the company’s Africa Connect infrastructure scheme, aimed at boosting connectivity and fueling AI development across the continent. The project seeks to create new digital corridors within Africa and enhance global linkages, building on Google’s existing Equiano subsea cable and the upcoming Umoja system, both set to connect the continent this year. The Umoja cable, announced in 2024 and…

In a huge deal valued at SEK 12.5 billion (approximately £1 billion), Ericsson has been tapped to spearhead the next-generation mobile network for VodafoneThree, one of Europe’s largest communication service providers. The eight-year partnership, announced today, positions Ericsson as the sole UK nationwide core network vendor, marking a significant milestone in the UK’s ambitious network consolidation project. The collaboration will see Ericsson’s cutting-edge Radio System products and software solutions power the bulk of Vodafone Three’s enhanced radio network, serving its nearly 29 million mobile broadband customers. Central to the rollout is the deployment of Ericsson’s 5G Standalone (5G SA) technology,…