Author: Tapiwa Matthew Mutisi

Niger and Togo are on the verge of solidifying their partnership with an agreement designed to implement bilateral free-roaming services. The anticipated agreement is set to make electronic communication services more accessible for travelers moving between the two nations. This development aligns with a regional trend, as Togo has previously…

The second cohort for the prestigious Injini Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, focused on South African startups, has been announced, featuring twelve selected companies. These startups stand to benefit from both financial assistance and a suite of supportive services aimed at bolstering their impact in the education technology sector. Injini is…

The Agribusiness Challenge Fund, established by the Mastercard Foundation Fund for Resilience and Prosperity, is currently on the lookout for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as entrepreneurs operating within the agricultural sector across Sub-Saharan Africa. This initiative is particularly focused on businesses that demonstrate potential to generate significant…

Pula, an innovative insurance technology firm based in Kenya, has recently garnered a substantial $20 million in its Series B investment round. This fresh capital influx is poised to bolster the startup’s ambitious mission to extend its services to a larger number of African farmers and to cultivate robust partnerships…

Moderna, the American biotechnology firm known for manufacturing vaccines, has put a hold on its project to establish a vaccine production facility in Kenya valued at $200 million. This suspension comes in spite of the Kenyan government’s pledge to offer various inducements to facilitate the project, among which were tax…

Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), the umbrella organization for Guaranty Trust Bank which ranks as Nigeria’s fifth-largest commercial bank in terms of assets, is preparing to petition its shareholders for the green light to accumulate an additional $750 million in capital. This strategic move comes on the heels of a…

ALX Ventures, the entrepreneurial facilitation division of ALX, has recently extended its reach to South Africa with the intent to fortify a fresh cohort of nimble start-ups by equipping them with advanced digital skills. Having previously established a presence in two other African nations, Nigeria and Rwanda, ALX Ventures has…

ThriveAgric, a pioneering Agritech company based in Nigeria, has recently unveiled a momentous collaboration with Acorn-Rabobank, marking a significant stride towards environmental sustainability and economic empowerment for smallholder farmers. This alliance is set to benefit upwards of 30,000 farmers across nine states in Nigeria, providing them with access to the…

Uber South Africa has launched a new service called Uber Teen Accounts, which is specifically tailored to enhance safety and peace of mind for parents and guardians with children aged between 13 and 17 years. This innovative feature enables parents and guardians to set up special Uber accounts for their…

MasterCard, the renowned global payments company, has entered into a partnership with Kenya’s Equity Bank to facilitate international remittance services to a network of 30 countries. This collaboration is set to benefit Equity Bank’s customers by providing them with the ability to send money abroad directly through MasterCard’s cross-border services…

The Shoprite Group has joined forces with prominent global retail conglomerates to create a joint venture capital initiative named W23 Global. The consortium includes retail giants such as Ahold Delhaize, Tesco, Woolworths Group, and Empire Company, all contributing equally to the funding and partnership of W23 Global. The chief executives…

Sam Bankman-Fried, the co-founder of the former cryptocurrency exchange giant FTX, has initiated legal procedures to contest his recent conviction and substantial prison term for his role in a monumental fraud scheme. On Thursday, Bankman-Fried, aged 32, took formal legal action by filing an appeal in a federal court in…

MultiChoice, the parent company of DStv, has issued an update to its shareholders regarding the increased investment by French media conglomerate Groupe Canal+, which has now acquired a 40.01% shareholding. This announcement, made through the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) news service, addressed speculations about a potential merger. MultiChoice clarified that…

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), which operates a global broadband internet network via its satellite constellation known as Starlink, has issued a formal notice to its subscribers in Zimbabwe. The company informed them that their roaming access to the internet service would be suspended. This decision comes following directives from…

Airtel Africa is reported to have made a significant purchase of its own shares, acquiring 8.6 million ordinary shares from Citigroup Global Markets Limited. This acquisition is part of a broader, strategic share buyback plan that Airtel Africa initiated on March 1, 2024. Under this plan, the telecommunications giant has…

Luno, a firm specializing in cryptocurrency, has been granted a license by the South African Financial Services Conduct Authority (FSCA) to function as a financial services provider. This makes Luno the first specialized cryptocurrency asset service provider in South Africa to be licensed following the FSCA’s decision to classify cryptocurrencies…

OceanHub Africa, recognized as the foremost facilitator of ocean-impact entrepreneurship in Africa, has publicized the initiation of its fifth accelerator scheme. This program underscores the organization’s ongoing commitment to encouraging inventive startups focused on nurturing and safeguarding the ocean environment across the continent. OceanHub Africa, the leading amplifier of entrepreneurship…

South Africa’s used car enterprise, WeBuyCars, made its debut on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) with the ticker “WBC” on Thursday, April 11, 2024. Before its official listing, the firm, which has been in operation for 23 years, had planned to issue 417,181,120 shares in a bid to amass R7.8…

Meta Platforms Inc. is focusing on making a transition to independent artificial intelligence (AI) operations by introducing its new in-house chip. This strategic move is designed to reduce its dependency on semiconductors supplied by Nvidia Corp and other external providers. The latest version of the Meta Training and Inference Accelerator…

Huawei has started accepting applications for the Kenya’s Seeds for the Future Programme 2024. The programme is intended to nurture local Information and Communications Technology (ICT) talent, promote knowledge sharing, and boost enthusiasm in the technological field. Huawei began accepting applications last week and is expected to conclude the application…