Author: Akin Naphtal

American multinational, Microsoft has said the African continent has the potentials to shape the future of work as large language learning models (LLMs) evolve and the environment for Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications is still in its infancy. In the company’s whitepaper tagged:” AI and the Future of Work in Africa” in collaboration with industry African experts, said about One billion Africans currently under the age of 35 with the continent projected to be home to almost half of the world’s youth population by the turn of the century, making the continent is poised to make up a significant portion of…

To tackle underlying issues of mental health among youths in South Africa, the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) has launched a pioneering mobile game, The StepWell Saga – Stronger Together. Funded by a groundbreaking grant from Grand Challenges Canada, this initiative aims to reach young people through an engaging platform where they spend significant time: mobile gaming. The StepWell Saga, Africa’s first serious game dedicated to mental health, unfolds as a captivating 2D side-scrolling adventure. Designed to be data-efficient, the game is easy to download and play, even on low-storage phones. Players embark on a journey to restore light to…

The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has announced Ebehijie Momoh as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Ugo Obasi as Chief Operating Officer (COO) AfriGOPay Financial Services Limited (AFSL), a subsidiary of the body. In a statement, NIBSS highlighted these appointments as crucial steps in its mission to revolutionize the payment landscape, enhancing the financial experience for businesses and consumers across Nigeria, Africa, and beyond. “Mrs. Momoh brings an impressive breadth of experience and a forward-thinking vision to her pivotal role as MD/CEO,” the statement read. Momoh’s extensive career spans over 30 years in the financial services industry,…

Mpilo Technologies has announced its new status as an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Select Partner, marking a significant milestone in the company’s mission to transform Africa’s technological landscape. This partnership represents a pivotal moment in the continent’s journey towards becoming a major player in the global digital economy. The tech company reiterated its commitment of changing the narrative, of the continent of being perceived a “late entrant in the international economic arena”. It view the advent of public cloud technologies like AWS as a unique opportunity to redefine Africa’s role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Public cloud technologies democratize access…

Starlink, the SpaceX subsidiary known for providing global broadband internet through low-Earth orbit satellites, is ramping up its efforts to offer direct-to-smartphone connectivity. The launch occurred, June 18, 2024, from Vandenberg Space Force Station in California. The Falcon 9 rocket carried 20 Starlink satellites, with 13 specifically designed for direct-to-mobile (DtC) functionality. This follows a previous launch where another 20 satellites were sent into orbit, 13 of which also had direct-to-mobile capabilities. “Direct-to-mobile is a new and experimental concept that still faces a long road ahead for it to become fully viable,” a report from Starlink noted. Direct-to-mobile functionality operates…

Tala, a U.S. based fintech company, has unveiled plans to tap into the $10 trillion global fintech market by targeting the Global Majority population, which comprises 52% of the world’s population. This announcement was made by the company’s Global Chief Business Officer Jori Pearsall, during the it’s 10th-anniversary celebrations at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Upper Hill, Kenya. Entering the second phase of its operations, Tala will focus on reaching U.S. populations historically excluded by legacy financial institutions. Pearsall emphasized that these communities, located primarily in emerging markets, earn in both formal and informal economies but lack access to essential…

In a decisive move to accelerate the development of generative AI applications, Amazon Web Services (AWS), a subsidiary of Amazon, has announced a $230 million investment aimed at startups around the world. This significant commitment is designed to empower early-stage companies with AWS credits, mentorship, and education, enabling them to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies. The new investment includes funding for the second cohort of the AWS Generative AI Accelerator. This program offers hands-on expertise and up to $1 million in credits to each of the top 80 early-stage startups using generative AI…

Apple has announced that it will delay the launch of three new artificial intelligence (AI) features due to the stringent requirements of the European Union EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which mandates interoperability with rival products and services. In early June, Apple unveiled a series of AI-driven features and software enhancements for its iPhone and other devices, aiming to boost sales. The features included Apple Intelligence, capable of generating text, images, and other content on command, which was set to be available on the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad and Mac with M1 chips and later…

The Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) has signed a significant agreement with Infratel Africa, a leading telecom company, to advance rural telephony projects across Nigeria. This partnership aims to provide robust internet connectivity and migrate 100 sites to the NigComSat-1R Ka-band hub platform, ensuring seamless and reliable communication in rural areas. The NIGCOMSAT’s Chief Executive Officer, Jane Egerton-Idehen, who signed the agreement on behalf of the company, emphasized that the collaboration with Infratel Africa is a strategic development. She highlighted that this partnership not only positions NIGCOMSAT as a key player in the industry but also aligns with the Federal…

Huawei Technologies has announced significant advancements in operating systems (OS) and artificial intelligence (AI), claiming it has achieved in ten years what took some European countries three decades. The Chairman of Huawei’s Consumer Business Group, Richard Yu, made the announcement at the opening of a three-day developer conference in Dongguan, China. He revealed that the company’s Harmony operating system is now available on more than 900 million devices. “Harmony has made major breakthroughs. You can say in 10 years we’ve achieved what it took our European and American counterparts more than 30 years to do, in terms of building the…