Branch Nigeria, a prominent digital lending firm, has been honored with the title of Digital Lending Company of the Year at the 13th Africa Bank 4.0 Summit in 2023. Adding to this remarkable recognition, the Managing Director, Dayo Odulate-Ademola, was also conferred with the distinction of Best CEO of the…
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.
In recent times, reports have emerged of Windows users encountering popup ads within Microsoft Edge, sparking discussions and debates about the legality and ethics of such actions. Specifically, it was noted that Microsoft Edge attempted to inject a poll when users tried to download a competitor’s browser, Google Chrome. Some…
The highly anticipated Nigeria Fintech Week (NFW) kicked off yesterday with much excitement. It brought together the financial technology community to explore the theme of “Fintech: Resilience, Innovation & Diversification.” This event, which blended in-person and virtual experiences, showcased the dynamic nature of Nigeria’s fintech sector. It tackled critical issues…
The Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) recently established the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), known as CAIST, in response to the country’s growing need for technological advancements. According to a report, several prominent American institutions, including Baylor College of Medicine, Texas…
Kenya has recently implemented a series of new health laws, most notably the Digital Health Act, 2023, aimed at bolstering the legal framework for healthcare financing, healthcare service delivery, and the pursuit of universal healthcare coverage. These newly enacted laws also encompass the Social Health Insurance Act of 2023, the…
During the opening ceremony of the 2023 Digital Nigeria International Conference in Abuja, Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, proudly declared that Nigeria has emerged as a leading hub for technology startups in Africa. In his address at this 3-day event, Tijani commended the remarkable…
Capital Film Productions, a film investment firm, has launched the Act-3 Film Fund, a ₦500 million fund, with a primary focus on supporting the vibrant creative forces driving the African film industry, starting with Nollywood. Established by Adim Isiakpona, a former Google employee, and Hamza Kassim, a business opportunity manager…
WellaHealth, a Nigerian health-tech startup, has unveiled Healthsend Africa’s expansion into Kenya, following the subsidiary’s successful launch in Nigeria four months ago. Healthsend’s decision to venture into the Kenyan market was driven by the country’s substantial diasporan community, which faces healthcare challenges akin to those experienced in the Nigerian market.…
Meta is intensifying its growth-hacking efforts for Threads, a Twitter competitor, in a bid to enhance user engagement. The social network is promoting its latest app by automatically cross-posting Threads posts to users’ Facebook feeds, as confirmed by the company on Monday. This strategy is consistent with Meta’s approach of…
Bitnob, a fintech company in Africa, has unveiled the Universal Money Address (UMA), a new way to transfer funds anywhere, anytime with minimal fees. This innovative introduction allows for effortless global money transfers using UMA, akin to sending an email. Bitnob is breaking new ground as the first company in…
Mozambique and Tanzania have emerged as potential sources for South Korea as it explores options in African nations to secure a supply of graphite. This move comes in response to China tightening its export controls on this critical material, which is extensively used in electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The South…
Drivers who use inDrive’s ride-hailing platform in Botswana are reportedly facing accusations of misconduct, with passengers reporting issues ranging from aggressive behavior to sexual harassment. inDrive is actively investigating some of these incidents and has already blocked certain drivers based on complaints. Passengers shared their firsthand experiences with TechCabal, which…
Instagram is now allowing select users to include polls in the comments on their posts, providing creators with an additional means of enhancing content engagement. Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s head, announced this on his broadcast channel, mentioning that polls can now be integrated into comments for both regular feed posts and…
Vodacom has agreed to the R1-million fine imposed by the National Consumer Tribunal due to disputes regarding its 75% contract cancellation fee policy, found to be in violation of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA). TechCentral reports the company expressed its intention to abide by the tribunal’s decision and to maintain…
Vodacom, a telecom provider in South Africa, is facing a 1 million Rand ($53,000) fine for breaching the country’s Consumer Protection Act (CPA). The fine was imposed by the National Consumer Tribunal. “In a statement,” IT Web reports, “the tribunal says it found Vodacom’s conduct was “unconscionable” by imposing terms…
WhatsApp, yesterday, started to roll out the ability for users to share voice notes in “view once” mode. The Instant-messaging service has been developing this feature since March, and is now rolling it out to beta testers on iOS and Android. Users will share voice notes with view once mode enabled for…
WhatsApp will soon introduce a feature that users search for messages by date. As reported by popular WABetaInfo, the “Search message by date” feature will make it easier for users to quickly search for messages shared on a specific date within their conversations. WABetaInfo reported WhatsApp has plans to release the…
Meta is extending its “broadcast channels” feature, akin to Telegram’s channels, to Facebook and Messenger. After its introduction on Instagram and WhatsApp earlier this year, Meta has revealed that this feature will soon be accessible on these two platforms. The functionality empowers creators and public figures to convey one-to-many messages…
Remote work is now a top priority for companies, not just in tech but across industries. This shift comes from realising that remote job breaks the barriers of location and offers various benefits and efficiencies. With technology advancing and the post-pandemic world taking shape, remote work has become a lasting…
To boost innovation and digital progress in Nigeria, Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, has introduced the “Nigeria Artificial Intelligence Research Scheme.” This initiative is designed to provide financial support to startups and researchers, aiming to create a vibrant and sustainable artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem…