Author: Staff Writer

In a bid to rain on Apple’s iPhone 16 launch parade held yesterday, Huawei launched the world’s first tri-fold smartphone – the Mate XT Ultimate – some hours earlier. When fully folded, the Mate XT Ultimate resembles a standard smartphone. However, when unfolded, it transitions into a 7.9-inch two-screen mode…

Sony has announced the next in the evolution of console experience, the Playstation 5 Pro. According to Hideaki Nisino, CEO, Platform Business Group, Sony Interactive Entertainment in a press release, “we developed PS5 Pro with deeply engaged players and game creators in mind – as many have asked for a…

The Nigerian government in partnership with Google, has launched a N100million Artificial Intelligence (AI) Fund in aimed at supporting Nigerian startups leveraging AI to build innovative solutions. According to the Honourable Minister of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, in a post on “X”; “the AI Fund, which…

In a major boost to Africa’s healthcare sector, Field, a leading African healthtech company, has secured an $11 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to launch a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing maternal mortality, newborn health, and child nutrition across the continent. This financial backing underscores the…

In a significant step towards achieving President Tinubu’s vision of accelerating diversification through industrialization, digitization, creative arts, manufacturing, and innovation, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has collaborated with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to launch the Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) initiative. The program seeks to equip…

Effective 9 September 2024, Nigerian fintechs will start deducting a N50 Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) from every inflow of N10,000 or more. Fintechs like Moniepoint, OPay have started informing their customers of this development. This deduction is in line with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) directive. Hitherto, the…

Starlink has officially listed Zimbabwe as one of the countries that you can now enjoy its internet services. In May, Innovation Village reported that Zimbabwe’s telecom regulator, the Postal & Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), granted a license to Elon Musk’s Starlink, allowing SpaceX’s satellite internet service to operate…

OpenAI recently announced that it now has over 1 million paying users across its business offerings, which include ChatGPT Enterprise, Teams, and Edu. This growth is a substantial leap from the 600,000 users recorded in April, reflecting CEO Sam Altman’s concerted efforts to drive enterprise adoption of ChatGPT for professional…

Safe Superintelligence (SSI), a new AI-focused startup co-founded by former OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, has secured $1 billion in funding to develop advanced AI systems. With just 10 employees, SSI aims to build a small, highly trusted team of researchers and engineers split between Palo Alto, California, and Tel…

Fintech startup, Fido, has secured an additional $20 million to bring its total Series B funding total to $30 million. Innovation Village reported some days ago that Fido got $10 million, courtesy of MASSIF, a fund dedicated to financial inclusion and managed by FMO, the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank. This new infusion…

In a bold move to combat malnutrition and strengthen food security across Sub-Saharan Africa, Incofin Investment Management has announced the first investments from its recently launched Nutritious Foods Financing Facility (N3F). This initiative, introduced earlier this year, aims to empower local food enterprises by providing them with the necessary financial…

Kasha Global, an e-commerce platform operating the healthcare space, has announced an equity investment from Sanofi Global Health Unit’s Impact Investment Fund. Though the amount is not disclosed, the investment will support Kasha’s expansion into more countries across Africa, increase capabilities in Kasha’s technology platform and further grow Kasha’s ability to drive…

Binance, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, has revealed plans to shift its South African derivatives operations to its subsidiary in Bahrain, Binance Bahrain B.S.C. (c). This strategic decision aligns with the regulatory standards of both South Africa and Bahrain, allowing Binance to maintain compliance while effectively continuing to serve users…

Cercli, an innovative platform streamlining workforce management for businesses in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has successfully raised $4 million in seed funding. The funding round was led by Silicon Valley’s Afore Capital, making its debut investment in the MENA region. This strategic move by Afore Capital, utilizing…

South Africa’s leading insurance company, Sanlam Ltd., is set to make a significant investment by purchasing a 25% stake in African Rainbow Capital Financial Services Holdings, a company supported by billionaire Patrice Motsepe, and also Sanlam’s deputy chairman. African Rainbow Capital Financial Services Holdings has controlling interests in various financial…

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has set September 14, 2024, as the final deadline for the National Identification Number (NIN) and Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) linkage exercise. The NCC, in a statement released on Wednesday, directed all mobile network operators (MNOs) to complete the verification and linkage of SIMs to…

Sasai Money Transfer, a business under Cassava Technologies, announced that it has teamed up with Airtel Money to expand its Zero Fees initiative. This partnership aims to provide free remittance services to a broader range of African markets, starting with Uganda and potentially extending to high-traffic remittance corridors in Ghana,…

A US federal court has ordered Dozy Mmobuosi, former CEO of Tingo Group, to pay over $250 million in fines and banned him from serving as a director of any public company. The judgment came after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Mmobuosi and his companies, including two…

OPay, one of Nigeria’s leading mobile payment and financial services platform, has introduced an innovative feature called NightGuard. This first-of-its-kind functionality is set to redefine the safety protocols in Nigeria’s financial sector, providing users with heightened security measures against unauthorized transactions during their most vulnerable hours. Revolutionizing Financial Security with…

OpenAI, the innovative powerhouse behind ChatGPT, is reportedly in talks to secure a monumental investment deal that could elevate its valuation to a staggering $100 billion. The prospective funding round is anticipated to be led by Thrive Capital, with the venture capital firm planning to inject a hefty $1 billion…