Author: Akin Naphtal

Orange has inaugurated the Orange Digital Center (ODC) Guinea-Bissau, an ecosystem dedicated to the development of digital skills to promote innovation, strengthen the employability of young people and support local entrepreneurship. The ceremony is taking place in the presence of high-level political authorities, including the Minister of Transport, Telecoms and the Digital Economy, members of Orange Guinea Bissau management team and members of the Orange Africa and Middle East Management Committee. Orange Digital Center (ODC) is an ecosystem that brings together in a single location a range of free programs open to all. These range from hands-on digital training for…

Infobip has announced its recognition as a leader in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) for the second consecutive year. The Croatian-based IT and telecom firm believes this recognition highlights its commitment to providing CPaaS solutions that empower businesses to deliver exceptional customer experiences by seamlessly integrating omnichannel communications. Gartner is an American technological research and consulting firm, that conducts technology research and shares its findings through private consulting, executive programs, and conferences. CPaaS is a cloud-based platform that provides Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for businesses to integrate real-time communication features like SMS and…

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has called on the Kenyan government to increase investment in technological and infrastructural development to facilitate the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the country. The recommendation was presented by Peter Ngure, Kenya’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to UNESCO, during the conclusion of the East African Nations AI course at a UNESCO-supported forum. Ngure emphasized the need for Kenya to establish more technology hubs and incubation centers to boost AI integration. Ngure stated: “Expand investment towards infrastructure development to address cross-cutting issues for AI. Establish ICT innovation and technology hubs and…

Chinese automaker, Neta announced its entry into the Kenyan market, with Moja EV Kenya, a motor dealer, as its distributor. The Business General Manager, Neta, Zhou Jiang, said that the firm will initially offer the Neta V model, which will retail for about $31,000 and has a range of about 380 km on a full charge. “The electric vehicle is ideal for the Kenyan market because it offers affordability combined with low operational costs compared to conventional vehicles,” Zhou said. Neta chose to establish a presence in Kenya because it is a regional economic hub and will serve as a…

Projections indicate that Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will experience a significant surge in 5G technology adoption, positioning the region to become the second-highest globally in terms of 5G penetration rates in the world by 2029. The GCC countries are Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar, Oman. In a 2024 Ericsson Mobility Report, North America led the global market in 5G subscription penetration rates at 59 per cent, setting a benchmark for other regions to aspire towards. Notably, the GCC countries followed closely behind with a 5G penetration rate of 34 per cent, showcasing a burgeoning appetite…

The Zambian government has unveiled an ambitious plan to construct 520 new communication towers across the country by the end of 2025. This initiative aims to achieve 96 per cent nationwide coverage for phone and internet services. The country’s minister for Technology and Science, Felix Mutati announced the plan while commissioning a communication tower in Itezhi-Tezhi. “The construction of these communication towers is intended to help Zambians access online services provided by the government,” Mutati stated. Of the 520 towers, the government will construct 340, while the private sector will build the remaining 180. Once completed, Zambia will have a…

The Senegalese Space Study Agency (ASES) has agreed to collaborate with SatNav Africa Joint Programme Office (JPO) to unlock the power of space technology in Africa. According to a statement posted on the Space in Africa website, ASES and SatNav Africa JPO signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to create a comprehensive framework for collaboration in satellite navigation and space applications. The MoU focuses on fostering innovative business clusters in Senegal and across Africa,” reads part of the statement. The SatNav Africa JPO champions the development of Satellite Navigation (GNSS/SBAS) services in Africa based on European solutions EGNOS and Galileo.…

U.S.-based tech giant, Apple has launched Apple Vision Pro in its stores across China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore. Vision Pro is a cutting-edge device that integrates digital content with the physical world, offering powerful spatial experiences that revolutionize work, collaboration, connection, memory reliving, entertainment, and more. In the aim of providing them with an exclusive guided demo, Apple team members celebrated the arrival of Vision Pro alongside the first customers in these regions, to have experience of the new technology at Apple Retail stores. Meanwhile, customers can visit the Apple Store online to book a personal one-on-one demo of…

A new program that will benefit over 180 million people by 2032 is poised to significantly increase access to the internet and the inclusive use of digitally enabled services and transform the digital landscape in Eastern and Southern Africa. Digitalization is one of the most potent tools available today to eradicate poverty on a livable planet. Yet, the Eastern and Southern Africa region has the slowest pace of digitalization globally, with only 64 per cent of the population covered by high-speed internet, and just 24 per cent of the population using the internet as of 2023. To accelerate digitalization, the…

By Huawei In Shenzhen, which is one of the most efficient cities in China, the time needed for new enterprise registration and approval is less than one minute. Governments worldwide are seeing the value of strengthening their digital infrastructure to better deliver innovative and inclusive e-services. In establishing e-government services with the help of Huawei, headquartered in Shenzhen, 53 government departments in the city have been able to migrate more than 230 core services to the cloud. Around the world, more governments are seeing the value of digital and intelligent transformation. By strengthening their digital infrastructure, they can better deliver…