Author: Akin Naphtal

Kenya has begun taking steps to regulate digital assets within its borders, as part of the government’s aims to combat scams, fraudulent investments, and money laundering associated with cryptocurrencies. The initiative follows the passing of its Finance Act, which imposes a 3% tax on the revenue generated from citizens trading digital assets. In the wake of Nigeria’s demand for the extradition of Nadeem Anjarwalla, a Binance executive accused of tax evasion, Kenya’s government seeks to avoid such crimes by establishing a multiagency technical working group. This group is tasked with developing a regulatory and monitoring framework for the usage of…

Apple is reportedly planning to introduce a built-in calculator app for the iPad, over 14 years since the device’s inception, as part of its upcoming iPadOS 18 software update. According to a source familiar with the matter, the calculator app will be compatible with all iPad models eligible for the software update. The unveiling is expected to take place during the opening keynote of Apple’s annual developers conference WWDC on 10th June. The absence of an official Calculator app for the iPad has been a recurring topic on social media, with users expressing satisfaction at the rumour about its arrival.…

Music streaming platform, Spotify has seen its quarterly gross profit exceed €1 billion ($1.1 billion) for the first time, driven by tightened marketing spending, though the company fell short of its forecast for monthly active users (MAUs). The Swedish company, known for its aggressive user growth strategies through promotions and investments in podcasts and audiobooks, shifted its focus last year towards cost-cutting measures to enhance margins and profits. These efforts included layoffs and reductions in marketing expenditures, aimed at bolstering financial performance. Despite initial market reaction, with Spotify shares initially falling on the quarterly results, they later reversed course to…

Microsoft has introduced a small language artificial intelligence (AI) model, Phi-3-mini, designed to perform tasks such as content creation and social media post generation while utilizing smaller amounts of data. With this move, Microsoft aims to offer companies with limited resources the opportunity to harness the power of AI to drive innovation, optimise processes, and achieve their digital objectives. Reuters reports that a statement published by the tech giant stated that Phi-3-mini surpasses models twice its size across various benchmarks in assessing language proficiency, coding, and mathematical capabilities. The smaller AI model’s compact design enables it to execute simpler tasks…

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has announced plans to implement a tax on Ghanaians who earn foreign income, including content creators and digital workers using global platforms like YouTube, X, TikTok, Fiverr, and Upwork. This tax is to address a revenue gap resulting from the Ministry of Finance’s suspension of the Value Added Tax (VAT) on electricity in February, which left a deficit of approximately GHC 1.8 billion ($134 million). The new tax, set at 1.5%, will apply to Ghanaians who generate income from online content creation and remote work, and who also reside in the country for at least…

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani has unveiled the country’s inaugural multilingual Large Language Model (LLM), following a four-day National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Co-Creation Workshop held in Abuja, The AI tool, developed through a collaborative effort between Nigerian AI firm Awarritech, global tech giant DataDotOrg, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the relaunched National Centre for AI and Robotics (NCAIR), represents a leap forward in Nigeria’s AI capabilities. Designed to process and respond to queries in multiple languages, the LLM will be trained in five low-resource languages in addition to English, ensuring inclusive…

Ride-hailing company, Bolt, has rolled out its latest safety feature, rider verification, which is aimed at increasing the safety of its drivers in Ghana. The new in-app feature requires riders to submit a selfie before requesting a trip via Bolt. The selfie must depict a physically present individual with a clearly visible face for validation. If the selfie fails to meet these criteria, the rider will be unable to proceed with their order. The verification process typically takes only a few seconds to a couple of minutes, with riders required to complete it only once during their initial booking. Rider…

Meta Platforms has unveiled the early versions of its latest large language artificial intelligence (AI) model, Llama 3, and an accompanying real-time image generator, as part of its efforts to beat rivals like OpenAI in the generative AI market. Llama 3 boasts enhanced capabilities, including computer coding and image processing, with plans for future versions to support multimodal outputs. Meta’s Chief Product Officer, Chris Cox, noted that the company’s long-term goal has always been to streamline users’ tasks, from interacting with businesses to planning trips. Meta plans to integrate these models into its Meta AI virtual assistant, which CEO, Mark…

MTN Group and Huawei have officially launched the Technology Innovation Lab in South Africa, following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both parties in February at MWC 2024. The partnership aims to reduce the time it takes for MTN’s products and services to reach the market. It also aims to improve rural network coverage, increase energy efficiency, and make it more affordable. The innovation lab will conduct research and development in areas such as 5G and 5G-A technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, cloud computing, FTTH, automation, and digital finance. The Technology Innovation Lab is expected to foster…

CEO of SpaceX and owner of X (formerly Twitter), Elon Musk, has unveiled plans to implement a small fee for new users signing up on the social media platform in a bid to address the issue of bots infiltrating the platform. Responding to a post by an X account regarding changes on the platform’s website, Musk stressed that charging a nominal fee to new accounts was the “only way” to counter the “onslaught of bots.” “Current AI (and troll farms) can pass ‘are you a bot’ with ease,” Musk stated, speaking on the challenges posed by automated tools like CAPTCHA.…