Author: Akin Naphtal

Africa Data Centres, a Cassava Technologies group company, has partnered with DPA Southern Africa, to construct a solar farm in the Free State, South Africa, in a bid to develop sustainable energy solutions This development is part of a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) signed in March 2023 with DPA Southern Africa, a subsidiary of the French utility company, EDF. The primary objective of the solar farm in the Free State is to provide renewable energy to Africa Data Centres sites, beginning with the state-of-the-art CPT1 data centre in Cape Town. President and Group CEO of Cassava Technologies, Hardy Pemhiwa,…

Facebook parent company, Meta, has unveiled changes to its policies regarding digitally created and altered media ahead of the upcoming U.S. elections, to regulate disinformation generated by advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. In a blog post, Meta’s vice president of content policy, Monika Bickert, outlined the new measures. Starting in May, Meta will introduce “Made with AI” labels for videos, images, and audio generated using AI, expanding its previous policy which only targeted a limited subset of manipulated videos. Furthermore, Meta will implement separate and more prominent labels for digitally altered media that can pose a high risk of materially…

Results from a survey conducted by Swiss staffing provider, Adecco Group, have predicted that artificial intelligence (AI) will impact employment within the next five years, with 41% of senior executives at 2,000 large companies surveyed expecting a reduction in their workforces due to AI technology. Generative AI, a branch of artificial intelligence capable of producing text, photos, and videos based on open-ended prompts, has created a divide in opinions, ranging from optimism about its potential to automate repetitive tasks, to concerns over people losing their jobs. Major tech players such as Google and Microsoft have already begun workforce restructuring efforts,…

Ghanaian fintech company Zeepay Ghana Ltd has secured an equity investment from a group of pan-African investment firms, including Africa50, Oikocredit, Injaro, Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund, and I&P. The investment aims to fuel Zeepay’s expansion efforts across Africa and the Caribbean, furthering its mission to promote financial inclusion and revolutionise cross-border payments, particularly in low-income countries. Zeepay, founded in 2014, has swiftly become as a key player in the payment infrastructure landscape, boasting a presence in over 20 countries globally. It facilitates instant remittance settlements into mobile money wallets in Africa and the Caribbean on behalf of leading international money…

Network International, a facilitator of digital commerce in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, has partnered with fintech solutions provider, Souhoola, to offer merchants ‘Buy-Now-Pay-Later’ (BNPL) payment options at Network’s networkpay point of sale terminals in Egypt. The BNPL payment option is being implemented to enhance access to finance for both banked and unbanked consumers in the country. The collaboration signifies a significant advancement in digital payment solutions, particularly in Egypt, where Network International launched its networkpay service last year. This service, which includes face-to-face, digital, and online payment channels, has already served 2,500 merchants in the region. Meanwhile,…

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has announced the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Workshop which will be hosted in Abuja from 15th to 18th April, 2024. Supported by the global fundraising organization, Luminate, the workshop aims to develop a comprehensive framework for a multi-year strategy and action plan concerning the research, application, and adoption of AI within Nigeria. In a LinkedIn post, Dr. Tijani expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming workshop, highlighting its significance in shaping Nigeria’s approach to AI. He stated, “we will develop a co-created framework for a multi-year strategy and action plan…

A survey conducted across Africa by RegTech Africa and Agpaytec, has unveiled that consumer preference has shifted from cash payments to digital payment methods, with 91% of the survey’s 2,591 respondents preferring electronic transactions. The research, titled “African Digital Payment Systems and Consumers’ Experience in 2023,” offers valuable insights into the driving forces behind Africa’s rapidly evolving payment landscape. Notably, 76% of respondents wanted a unified payment platform, advocating for accessible application platforms that could smoothly consolidate their array of payment accounts. CEO of RegTech Africa, Cyril Okoroigwe, stressed the importance of prioritizing interoperability and user-friendly design in crafting advanced…

The ExxonMobil Foundation, in collaboration with JA Africa, has launched the “ExxonMobil STEM Africa” initiative, a $300,000 program aimed at fostering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for approximately 3,000 African students across Nigeria, Namibia, Angola, and Mozambique. This initiative seeks to equip middle and high school students with the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue future careers in STEM fields through immersive quizzes and hands-on experiences at Innovation Camps. According to the president of ExxonMobil Foundation, Alvin Abraham, nurturing students’ STEM skills is crucial for developing the next generation of problem solvers across Africa. The program aims to…

Web services provider, Yahoo, has announced its acquisition of Artifact, an AI-driven news platform co-founded by the creators of Instagram, as part of its efforts to strengthen its news offerings and incorporate advanced technology across its web services. In a blog post earlier this year, Artifact announced its decision to slow its app operations, citing a limited market opportunity. Yahoo’s acquisition, however, shows it is still confident in Artifact’s technology and its potential to revolutionise news delivery. Artifact’s AI-powered recommendation engine and other features will be integrated into Yahoo’s existing news brands, which include TechCrunch, Engadget, and Yahoo Finance. This…

Telecel Ghana and Huawei Ghana have signed a new framework contract in a bid to strengthen cooperation and partnership to enhance network experience and coverage across Ghana. The agreement, sealed during the recent Mobile World Congress (MWC) held in Barcelona, aligns with Telecel’s ambition to lead Africa’s digital revolution, and Huawei’s vision of delivering digital solutions to individuals, homes, and organisations worldwide. Having recognised the role telecommunication plays in shaping modern society, Telecel Ghana and Huawei Ghana have been collaborating since 2023. This has resulted in the deployment of over 500 4G+ sites as part of Telecel Ghana’s dedication to…