Herbert Wigwe, co-founder of Nigeria’s Access Bank, is making a substantial investment of $500 million to establish a new university, named Wigwe University. This initiative aims to address the skills gap in the finance and technology sectors within Nigeria. The university plans to commence undergraduate admissions next year. Wigwe University…
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.
Google has filed lawsuits against unidentified scammers who leveraged the popularity of the company’s AI chatbot, Bard, to deceive users into downloading malware onto their devices. This marks the first legal action of its kind by a major tech company, shedding light on the emerging legal challenges associated with the…
Nigeria is expressing concerns about the involvement of students in cyber fraud. The country’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is seeking cooperation from university leaders to tackle this issue. In recent actions, the EFCC faced criticism for conducting a night raid at Obafemi Awolowo University. They…
Kenya is on track to lead in shaping cryptocurrency regulations, with the Blockchain Association of Kenya (BAK) tasked by the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning to create a “Virtual Asset Service Provider’s Bill.” This significant development comes after BAK’s recent legal challenge against Kenya’s digital asset…
Knit Technologies Limited, a Nigerian startup, has recently launched “Knit,” an event discovery and event listing app, different from just a platform for promoting events. According to Fela Bank-Olemoh, the Co-founder and Team Lead of the company, this app is set to transform the way people approach events not only…
The United Kingdom, today, kicked off the world’s first major summit on artificial intelligence (AI) safety, where political and technology leaders gathered to address the societal impact of this transformative technology. Notable attendees included UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, US Vice President Kamala Harris, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen,…
A British software company, Threads Software Limited, has issued a 30-day ultimatum to Meta’s Instagram, demanding that they stop using the name “Threads” in the UK, asserting ownership of the trademark. The company contends that it sent a formal notice to Meta on Monday, insisting on the discontinuation of the…
MFS Africa, a Pan-African fintech company, has today, announced it is rebranding and will now be known as Onafriq. This change is part of the company’s evolution and was necessitated by trademark issues in the United States. According to Dare Okoudjou, the founder and CEO, “The trademark MFS actually belongs…
Kenyan President William Ruto has declared plans to abolish visa requirements for all African visitors by the year’s end. During an international conference, President Ruto stressed the urgency of eliminating visa restrictions within Africa, deeming them counterproductive. The African Union (AU) has long pursued the goal of promoting visa-free travel…
Rights organisation, Amnesty International, has raised concerns about Facebook’s alleged role in exacerbating violence during the two-year conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. In a critical report, Amnesty accuses the social media giant of significantly amplifying the spread of harmful content through its algorithms, asserting that the company inadequately addressed…
WhatsApp continues to enhance its Channels feature as it aims to attract people interested in staying updated on specific topics or companies. In the most recent update, the platform has introduced voice messages and new sticker features. Additionally, individual messages in Channels will now have permanent links for easier sharing.…
Kenya’s National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has officially renewed Bolt Kenya’s operating license, ending weeks of uncertainty and disputes. Bolt took a proactive step by suspending its 5% booking fee in an effort to resolve the issue. The additional 5% booking fee was levied on riders, not drivers, but…
Bento, a pan-African digital payroll and HR Management platform with tax capabilities, has released a groundbreaking White Paper titled “Statutory Remittances in Africa.” This paper dives into the taxation systems of 53 African countries and emphasises the benefits of adopting digital payroll systems for accurate income tax collection and other…
Kenyan President William Ruto has announced a new digital ID system called Maisha Namba, which will launch in December 2023. This system is designed to change the way the citizens prove their identity. Instead of using physical IDs like cards or papers, it will use things like our eye patterns…
Kenya, today, marked a significant milestone as President William Ruto unveiled the East Africa Device Assembly Kenya Limited (EADAK), a joint venture between local mobile network operators Safaricom, Jamii Telecommunications, and Chinese company Shenzhen TeleOne Technology. We reported in June that the venture is in alignment with the Kenyan President’s…
In partnership with Devnaija Academy Limited, Women Connect has successfully trained more than 100 young girls in Lagos, with the aim of encouraging their exploration and excellence in a technology-driven world. The training sessions, conducted both in physical and virtual formats, attracted girls ranging from 7 to 16 years old…
WhereIsMyTransport, an eight-year-old transportation data company based in South Africa, has announced that it is shutting down its operations due to unsuccessful attempts to secure new funding. Devin De Fries, the founder of this South African mobility startup, confirmed this decision in a LinkedIn post, attributing the closure solely to…
Amidst the growing ‘japa’ trend fueled by increased emigration from Nigeria, the necessity for cross-border payments within the country has become more prominent. This includes parents sending funds for their children’s education abroad and migrants abroad remitting money back home. The demand for efficient cross-border payment solutions in Nigeria is…
The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) is exploring a partnership with the Federal Ministry of Interior to utilise its facilities for the delivery of international passports and other essential documents. Miss Tola Odeyemi, the Postmaster General of the Federation and CEO of NIPOST, made this proposal during a courtesy visit to…
Vella Finance said it is shifting its focus from crypto-based services to SME banking. According to reports, the announcement was made in an email sent this week. The company informed its users and subscribers that it will be shutting down all its crypto-related services starting Monday, October 30. This includes…