Author: Smart Megwai

Capitec and Showmax have joined forces to offer South African consumers a game-changing deal. The two giants have announced a partnership that will see the bank’s 12 million active app users enjoy significantly reduced subscription fees for the MultiChoice-owned platform. Starting this week, Capitec customers can purchase Showmax streaming vouchers…

Lagos State Government is set to disrupt the real estate sector with a new initiative involving blockchain technology and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). This innovative approach seeks to digitise property records, streamline transactions, and enhance transparency within the industry. The proposed system will involve tokenising real estate properties, converting physical assets…

South African energy tech startup, Open Access Energy (OAE), has secured a $750,000 investment from Factor E Ventures, marking the first tranche of its $1.5 million seed round. The funding will be instrumental in the company’s mission to address South Africa’s persistent energy challenges through innovative software solutions. OAE specialises…

South African enterprise resource planning (ERP) software stalwart, Syspro, has been acquired by global private equity firm Advent International. While financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed, the acquisition marks a significant milestone for the company, founded in 1978 by Phil Duff, who will retire as chairman at the end…

A Chinese consortium led by China Harbour Engineering Company has won the contract to construct a 100-megawatt solar power plant in Botswana. The project aligns with the country’s goal of achieving a 50% renewable energy share by 2036, as outlined in its revised Integrated Resource Programme. Scheduled for completion in…

The abrupt closure of PrivPay, a Kenyan fintech that promised anonymous M-Pesa transactions, serves as a stark reminder of the complex regulatory landscape for financial technology startups in the region. The company’s demise, following the termination of its M-Pesa API access by Safaricom, underscores the critical importance of compliance in…

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have underscored their commitment to positioning Nigeria as a global tech hub through the successful culmination of the third cohort of the iHatch Startup Incubation Program. The program, designed to cultivate a vibrant tech ecosystem, has…

The ongoing detention of Tigran Gambaryan, a senior executive at Binance, has reached a critical juncture as his health continues to deteriorate rapidly. Arrested in February on charges of financial misconduct—charges that were later dropped in June—Gambaryan remains in custody under conditions that have sparked international outrage. Mondo-Advisory, the communications…

Technology giant Cisco is poised to undertake a second wave of significant job cuts this year, with thousands of employees expected to be affected. The networking equipment maker is reportedly shifting its focus towards higher-growth sectors, including cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. According to multiple sources familiar with the matter, the…

TikTok has initiated layoffs affecting its African workforce as part of a broader company restructuring. The popular short-video platform, owned by ByteDance, is streamlining operations amid economic challenges and increased regulatory scrutiny. This development follows previous announcements of global job cuts. While specific details about the extent of the job…

A historic milestone was achieved as the African Union Executive Council launched the Continental Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy. This ambitious blueprint outlines a roadmap for the adoption and integration of AI technologies across all sectors of African economies.   Approved during the AU Executive Council’s 45th Ordinary Session in Accra,…

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has officially released the results for the 2024 WASSCE! While this is undoubtedly exciting news for candidates, the rush to check results has overwhelmed the WAEC website. Let’s break down how to check your results and offer some tips to navigate the process smoothly.…

TikTok, a leading platform for entertainment discovery, has introduced TikTok Spotlight to help studios connect directly with fans and boost ticket sales. Spotlight transforms casual viewers into eager ticket buyers by providing interactive landing pages accessible through special links in TikTok videos. These landing pages offer a comprehensive experience, including…

China has fired the opening salvo in what promises to be an intense competition in the realm of satellite-based internet services. A state-owned enterprise, Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST), successfully launched the first batch of satellites for its ambitious “Thousand Sails Constellation” project, as reported by the China Securities Journal.…

Elon Musk has reignited his legal battle against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, alleging a breach of the company’s founding principles. This latest legal action, filed in early August 2024, claims that OpenAI has deviated from its original mission to develop artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity and…

Africa Data Centres (ADC), a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies, has unveiled a major expansion project at its CPT1 facility in Cape Town, South Africa. Armed with a $500 million investment, the company aims to solidify its position in the burgeoning African data center market, projected to reach US$5 billion by…

Intron Health, a Nigerian AI startup specialising in speech-to-text transcription tools for healthcare workers, has successfully raised $1.6 million in a pre-seed funding round. The investment will enable the company to expand its workforce, intensify its research activities, and enhance its cloud-native and on-premises capabilities. The funding round for Intron…

Ticketmaster, a subsidiary of Live Nation Entertainment, has announced the acquisition of Quicket, a major ticketing platform based in South Africa. This strategic move marks a significant step in Ticketmaster’s expansion into the African market. Quicket, known for its strong presence in South Africa and other African countries, will now…

Bamidele Omotosho, a 42-year-old Nigerian national, has been sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for his involvement in a significant cyber scam in the United States. The sentencing, announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, marks the conclusion of a high-profile…

TikTok has introduced an exciting new feature that integrates Eventbrite, a top event management and ticketing platform, into its app. This new partnership allows content creators to promote and sell event tickets directly through TikTok, transforming digital event marketing and ticket sales. Starting today, TikTok users can add Eventbrite links…