Four African startups have been selected for the virtual finals of the Africa Prize for Engineering innovation. The finalist include Nigeria’s Farmz2U, Ghana’s BACE API, Remot and PapsAI from Uganda. The four finalists were selected from a shortlist of 15 African innovators effecting positive change in their communities, who have…
Author: Oluwasegun Olukotun
Virgin Money, owned by Richard Branson has announced that is shutting down its South African credit card after 12 years in the local market. This move is part of the company’s ambition to be a local fintech leader through Virgin Money Spot, which is a cashless platform launched in February…
South Korean multinational electronics company LG on Thursday announced its new air-purifying mask which comes with two fans and filters powered with an 820mAh battery. Like many other masks, the face mask will fit with loops that hook behind the ears. The company also said that it’ll include two high-quality…
Enygma Ventures has announced that it has made a R 4.2m ($250k) investment into Job Crystal, South Africa’s Premier Recruitment Company. “Never has there been a more critical time to get South African’s back into work.” says Sarah Dusek Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Enygma Ventures. “We see the…
Impact Hub Lagos and Accra are accepting applications for the New Economy Booster programme, which seeks to find actionable solutions to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic across various industries including the creative sector. It will be conducted in a non-linear schedule between September 2020 and February 2021. Early-stage…
Malware which signed users up to subscription services without their permission has been found on thousands of mobiles sold in Africa. Anti-fraud firm Upstream found the malicious code on 53,000 Tecno handsets, sold in Ethiopia, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana and South Africa. Manufacturer Transsion told Buzzfeed it was installed in the supply chain…
WorldRemit, a digital, global cross-border payments company announced it has agreed to acquire Sendwave, a rapidly growing app-based remittance company in a cash and stock transaction that is expected to close, subject to licensing and regulatory approvals, in Q4 2020. Founded in 2014, Sendwave has built a leading and rapidly growing digital…
Epic Games has lost its plea for Apple to immediately reinstate Fortnite on its App Store. However, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers’s recent ruling wasn’t a total loss for Epic, as she granted the company’s request for a temporary order blocking Apple from limiting the game developer’s ability to provide…
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has launched a digital platform to ensure speedy delivery of COVID-19 results in the Federal Capital Territory. Mrs Elsie Ilori, Head of Department, Surveillance and Epidemiology Department, NCDC, said this at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. Ilori said that the platform, called Surveillance…
Facebook has announced a ₦500 million grant to support 781 small businesses in Nigeria, as part its $100m Global Grants Programme announced earlier this year, which aims to support 30,000 SMBs in over 30 countries. Aimed at stimulating economic recovery following the effects of COVID-19, this will help empower and…
The African Development Bank Group on Thursday announced it has banned four Nigerian registered companies for 24 months, from its funded projects, for involvement in fraudulent and collusive practices. The four companies include Sangtech International Services Limited, Sangar & Associates (Nigeria) Limited, Mashad Integrated and Investment Co. Limited, and Medniza…
Epic Games, maker of Fortnite has announced a Fortnite tournament to take place on August 23rd where winners will go home with anti-Apple prizes. The American video game publisher is currently embroiled in a battle with Apple over its App store policies. Epic, last week, added a new direct payment…
Zoom has announced it is adding new features to its teleconferencing platform, designed to help teachers manage virtual classrooms. Many schools around the world in the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown have turned to the platform as a channel to reach students. Teachers have been using the platform to keep…
TikTok announced on Thursday it removed more than 380,000 videos in the US this year for violating its rules against hate speech. The short-form video platform also said it banned more than 1,300 accounts for hateful content or behavior and took down more than 64,000 hateful comments. TikTok defines hate…
Citigroup Inc. has appointed Ireti Samuel-Ogbu as its first female Nigerian country officer. She would be the first woman appointed to the bank’s top post after 36 years of operating in Africa’s largest economy. Samuel-Ogbu will officially resume in the new role on September 1, replacing Akin Dawodu, who was…
American vacation rental online marketplace company, Airbnb, in compliance with limits on gatherings, in the wake of the pandemic has banned house parties worldwide. As part of the latest move, occupancy will be limited to 16 people, with a few exceptions for some venues. According to the BBC, the UK’s…
Facebook has announced that Black-owned businesses can now apply for its grants of over $40 million. The company on Wednesday said that majority Black-owned US businesses with up to 50 employees can apply for the grant online. As part of the gestures, Facebook is also allowing Black-owned businesses to self-designate…
OnwardMobility today announced agreements with BlackBerry (NYSE: BB; TSX:BB) and FIH Mobile Limited (HKG: 2038), a subsidiary of Foxconn Technology Group, to deliver a new 5G BlackBerry Android smartphone with a physical keyboard, in the first half of 2021 in North America and Europe. Under the terms of the agreement,…
Taiwan on Wednesday accused China of hacking some of its government agencies. The country said that a hacking group linked to the Chinese government attacked not less than 10 government agencies and some 6000 email accounts of government officials in a move to steal important data. Taiwan had sent warnings…
Space X, the American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services, owned by the fourth richest man in the world, Elon Musk, has raised $1.9 billion in new funding, according to a regulatory filing bit.ly/3178nk3 on Tuesday. According to PitchBook data, this would be the largest single fundraising round to date…