Kenya is intensifying its efforts to enforce data privacy compliance, particularly targeting multinational companies that store sensitive user data on foreign servers beyond Kenya’s legal reach. This practice, often employed by apps processing Kenyan data, poses significant challenges for enforcement under the country’s Data Protection Act (DPA). To address this…
Author: Smart Megwai
Smart Megwai
Smart is a technology journalist covering innovation, digital culture, and the business of emerging tech. His reporting for Innovation Village explores how technology shapes everyday life in Africa and beyond.
American satellite internet provider Starlink, led by Elon Musk, continues to stir controversy in Kenya’s internet service market. Entering the country in July 2023, Starlink quickly claimed a 0.5% market share, primarily by offering competitive pricing to challenge established players like Safaricom, Jamii Telecommunications, and Zuku. However, its aggressive pricing…
The long-standing legal battle between Nkosana Makate and Vodacom over the “Please Call Me” (PCM) service continues to dominate headlines as arguments intensify in South Africa’s Constitutional Court. On November 21, 2024, Makate’s legal team, led by Scott Stuart, criticised Vodacom’s attempts to downplay the value of PCM. This hearing…
Andela and the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) have unveiled a groundbreaking partnership to train over 20,000 Africans in cloud-native technologies, a strategic response to the growing demand for cloud-native professionals globally. The initiative, launching in 2025, aims to equip participants with Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) and Certified…
As inflation drives food, fuel, and electricity prices ever higher, has Multichoice Group—facing its own challenges—reached the same breaking point that pushed Pick n Pay, Shoprite and Mr Price out of Nigeria? The recent announcement from Multichoice Group revealing the loss of 243,000 Nigerian subscribers across its DStv and GOtv…
Safaricom’s recent suspension of advertising on Nation Media Group (NMG) has sparked widespread public interest, particularly due to the increasingly tense relationship between the two organisations. According to reports, the dispute stemmed from a series of critical articles published by NMG on Safaricom, which made the Telecom Giant decide to…
Africhange, a fintech company focused on cross-border remittances, has recently achieved a significant milestone by securing an International Money Transfer Operator (IMTO) license from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). This new license empowers Africhange to manage direct remittances into Nigeria, eliminating reliance on intermediaries and enhancing transaction efficiency for…
Lendsqr, a Nigerian fintech company focused on supporting digital lenders, has recently expanded its operations to Kenya, unveiling a platform specifically designed to enhance loan origination, management, and credit decisioning processes. This move aligns with its mission to empower financial institutions across Africa, providing them with tools to improve efficiency…
Zimbabwe recently introduced a licensing mandate for WhatsApp group admins, requiring them to obtain permits from the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ). The move, announced by Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, is intended to help counter misinformation and track down sources of content deemed harmful or capable of…
Kenyan telecommunications giant Safaricom has vehemently denied allegations that it provides customer data, including sensitive Call Data Records (CDRs), to the police without due legal process. This follows a report published in the Daily Nation on October 29th, which claimed that the telco granted law enforcement agencies free access to…
Techstars, the renowned global startup accelerator, has abruptly ended its Lagos program, ARM Labs Lagos Techstars, just two years after its launch in 2022. This unexpected closure comes as Techstars grapples with financial challenges, having fallen short of its revenue goals in 2023 and subsequently implementing cost-cutting measures. The ARM…
Access to social media platforms in Mozambique was restricted for the second time in a week, as confirmed by Surfshark’s Research Hub in an email to Innovation Village. This latest shutdown comes amidst calls for strikes by the opposition, who are contesting the results of the recent presidential election. “We…
The Innovation and Leadership Series recently featured Norman Moyo, CEO of Grid Africa, who shared his unique journey from telecommunications to renewable energy. His story embodies pan-African leadership, dedication to lifelong learning, and a vision for a brighter future for the continent. Norman Moyo, a passionate advocate for pan-African progress,…
Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has issued a stark warning about a new breed of malware targeting unsuspecting job seekers on LinkedIn. Dubbed “CovertCatch,” this insidious software poses a significant threat to individuals and organizations across various sectors, including defense, media, technology, and academia. Cybercriminals are exploiting the…
MoMo PSB, the fintech subsidiary of MTN Nigeria, has launched outbound and inbound remittance services, enabling users to send and receive money instantly across 19 African countries. This expansion marks a significant step towards greater financial inclusion and seamless cross-border transactions within the continent. Nigerian users can now send money…
The growing misuse of AI for criminal purposes is highlighted in a case where a 27-year-old man was sentenced to 18 years for creating and selling child sexual abuse images. Hugh Nelson, from Bolton, England, pleaded guilty to 16 charges related to child sexual abuse offenses, including encouraging the rape…
Standard Bank, Africa’s largest bank by assets, has partnered with Volante Technologies, a global leader in Payments as a Service (PaaS), to modernise its payment infrastructure across the continent. This agreement represents one of the most ambitious PaaS deals in history, aiming to transform payment processing and enhance the customer…
National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has partnered with Imose Technologies Ltd to launch a new line of laptops and tablets manufactured in Nigeria. This initiative aims to provide affordable and accessible computing solutions for Nigerian consumers while strengthening the country’s digital landscape and promoting technological self-sufficiency. The…
UBA Kenya has been fined by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) for failing to meet the minimum capital requirements for commercial banks. The lender fell short of the mandatory 8% core capital-to-deposit ratio, a key indicator of a bank’s financial health and ability to absorb losses, according to reports.…
Mozambique has joined the growing list of African countries resorting to internet censorship to stifle dissent and control the flow of information during politically sensitive periods. This unprecedented move by the Mozambican government has drawn sharp criticism from media organisations and human rights groups, who denounce it as an infringement…