The Taiwan government has banned the use of video-calling app Zoom in the conduct of its business activities over Chinese security fears. Reports revealed that some Zoom traffic was “mistakenly” routed through China, which does not recognise Taiwan’s independence. The Taiwan government also said that public bodies should not use…
Author: Oluwasegun Olukotun
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) through its subsidiary, the Office for ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIIE) is calling for application for its Nigeria Hacks Covid19 Challenge with the vision of finding solutions to the effects of the Coronavirus on the society. This opportunity is available to students, software…
Facebook has launched a new app called Tuned for couples to send private messages to each other. With the new app, couples can send messages, share music and create a digital scrapbook. Tuned was created by Facebook’s New Product Experimental Team which focuses on creating new social media from scratch.…
The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) has granted moratoriums for loan repayment to 11,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and technology start-ups in the state. This was made known by the Acting Executive Secretary of LSETF, Teju Abisoye. She revealed that the decision was made to help ease the…
American short-form mobile video service Quibi yesterday launched in the US despite worries that the coronavirus outbreak might impact its viewership. The company has raised $1.8bn (£1.47bn) for the project intended to rival Netflix and YouTube. Quibi’s shows are 10 minutes or shorter and movies are broken into segments. As…
South African mobile communications company Vodacom and Kenyan mobile network operator Safaricom have fully acquired M-Pesa, the first and most successful mobile money payment service in Africa. The joint venture is expected to boost the growth of the new form of payment in Africa. According to the GSMA, half of…
The World Health Organisation in a bid to combat the scourge of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa is seeking a tech-enabled solution through virtual hackathons by offering $20,000 funding to tech startups. WHO’s Technical Officer, Moredeck Chibi explained that the WHO-AFRO Digital Hackathon series will focus on Africa. With several…
European online audio distribution platform and music sharing website SoundCloud has introduced a donation button to enable fans to give money to their favourite singers who have had to cancel concerts as a result of the Coronavirus Pandemic. The Berlin-based streaming stated that artistes who want to solicit funds for…
South African Marketing Platform Mobiz has raised USD 1mn in funding from Kalon Ventures Partners. The South African venture capital firm in a press release confirmed its investment in the SmartSMS marketing engagement platform. Kalon Ventures Platform also expressed resolve to continue to invest in promising startups despite the tough…
Grammarly, a writing app that directs writers to improve their writing is getting an add-in for Microsoft Word’s Mac app and also for Microsoft Word online. Grammarly seeks to help all people feel heard and understood, whenever and wherever they communicate. Grammarly, a writing app that directs writers to improve…
OnePlus today has announced it will be introducing its OnePlus 8Smartphones on April 14 via online streaming. The company says that the lineup will consist of a “full series of 5G devices,” and there will be a handset with a 120Hz display in the lineup, up from the 90Hz displays…
Microsoft is unveiling a new package the Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscription today, aimed at replacing and enhancing old existing Office 365 consumer plans. Similar to the Office 365 package that exists today, the Microsoft 365 Personal and Family plans will be available on April 21st, priced at $6.99…
Nigerian on-demand music streaming platform MePlaylist has secured investment from Mathew Knowles; Beyonce Knowles’ father. The streaming service hopes to take advantage of the rise in the consumption of Nigerian music through online platforms for financial returns. Founded by Olakunle Oladehim, MePlaylist, the streaming firm seeks to bridge the gap…
The apex regulatory institution of the Nigerian capital market Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has presented a new set of guidelines regulating the crowdfunding businesses and deepening the capital market in the country. The SEC had a few weeks ago disclosed that it has plans to regulate the crowdfunding business…
Apple has launched a website and a new app dedicated to COVID-19 screening. The website and app offer an online screening tool, creates awareness and provides information about the disease and gives guidance on when to seek testing or emergency care. Apple developed the site and app in collaboration with…
Seven successful startups have been selected by Ventures Platform and Lagos State Science and Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC) to participate in the #COVID19InnovationChallenge, to develop solutions to mitigate the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria. The seven were chosen from 500+ applicants who submitted applications over 6 days. Ventures…
Vodafone is giving free unlimited mobile data to half a million of its pay monthly subscribers. The gesture according to the company is a way of showing support to its customers during the coronavirus pandemic. Also, customers considered “vulnerable” will be automatically upgraded, it said, while others can apply. This…
54gene,the African genomics research, services, and development company, has launched a fund to tackle the current challenges around testing for COVID-19 in Nigeria. To support the ongoing efforts of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control [NCDC], 54gene opened the fund by donating $150,000 and within 24 hours of launch, had…
Nigerian hotel booking service, Hotels.ng in collaboration with 10 other hotels in the country will be providing self-isolation centres for Nigerians infected with the Coronavirus. Mark Essien, founder of the agency made this known via his Twitter handle. According to the founder, the hotels are designed to make available adequate…
Sandbox video game Minecraft is offering educational content freely to pupils who are stuck at home due to the coronavirus pandemic. The company is making its educational worlds available at no cost and the 12 digital lessons will be made available for download till the end of June. The packages…