Author: Tapiwa Matthew Mutisi

Action taken by Wasoko, a Kenyan eCommerce startup, to lay off nine employees has been halted by Kenya’s Employment and Labour Relations Court. The court issued interim orders to the nine employees on January 31, which Justice Nzioki wa Makau extended on February 5. The employees claimed that the company…

Bayobab, MTN Group’s infrastructure company, has announced the landing of the 45,000 km 2Africa subsea cable in Accra, Ghana, and Lagos, Nigeria. The company states that this will provide equitable access to world-class capacity for service providers in Ghana and Nigeria in carrier-neutral data centres or open-access cable landing stations.…

Middle East and Africa’s leading card and payment processing enterprise, MDP, has appointed Frank Molla as the Managing Director of MDP Africa. Molla will be responsible for strengthening MDP’s growth and discovering local opportunities for expansion and partnerships across Africa. He will focus on enhancing MDP’s strategic direction in Africa,…

The Nairobi-based Kenya Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Society has suggested a potential prison term of up to 24 months, a fine of up to KES 1 million ($6,250), or both for entities operating unlicensed AI and robotics ventures. Defined as unlicensed in the Kenya Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Society Bill…

Amini, a Kenyan-based climate tech startup using satellite data to offer insights on crop health and monitor farming activities, raised funds in two rounds just six months apart last year. This is something that used to be common for startups but is now rare. The startup also attracted significant backers,…

A Nigerian fintech startup, Flutterwave, has been granted a Mareva injunction following a High Court ruling on February 1. This order, also known as a freezing order, enables the company to initiate the process of recovering $24 million (₦19 billion), which was lost due to unauthorized transactions carried out by…

Google is renaming its Bard and Duet AI services as Gemini in an effort to sync with its multimodal AI model. Alongside the name change, Google is launching a dedicated Gemini Android application and a premium version with more advanced features. Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, explained in a blog post…

The Blockchain Association of Kenya (BAK), an advocate for digital asset policy, has put forward the country’s inaugural Virtual Assets Service Provider (VASP) bill to govern the Kenyan digital asset market. First introduced to the public on January 22, 2024, for consultation, the bill has received a spectrum of comments…

MultiChoice, the Pan-African broadcaster, has settled a three-year tax dispute with Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) by paying ₦35 billion (~$37 million). This dispute started in 2021 when FIRS charged MultiChoice with a ₦1.8 trillion ($4.4 billion) tax fraud, leading to a freeze on the company’s bank accounts. Despite…

The Ethiopian Minister of Transport and Logistics, Alemu Sime, has announced a ban on fossil-fuel vehicles in the country, revealing a plan to only allow electric vehicles (EVs). This bold move, made at a parliamentary meeting in Addis Ababa on February 6, 2024, builds on Ethiopia’s completed Logistics Master Plan,…

Apple has introduced a revamped iCloud app for Windows, enhancing both the onboarding and content syncing experience for iPhone and iPad users without a Mac. Accessible on Windows 10 and 11, the new app features a simplified setup process and a syncing status indicator for various services. The updated iCloud…

Nomfro Technologies has opened applications for the fourth edition of its Entrepreneurship Empowerment Project (NTEEP), which is set to provide 500 startups with the opportunity to join a community of fellow entrepreneurs. Established in 2020, NTEEP is a comprehensive support program aimed at equipping entrepreneurs with vital tools, skills, and…

Internet and communication networks have been offline for several days in Sudan, a North African country currently engrossed in politically motivated conflicts. According to internet observatory NetBlocks, all three main internet operators in Sudan were offline on Wednesday, disrupting communication for millions of individuals in conflict zones or those seeking…

Telecommunications regulators in Africa are seeking to implement a singular emergency number for the entire continent. Members of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) deliberated this proposal in Nairobi, Kenya, in preparation for the World Telecommunications Standardisation Assembly (WTDC) happening in India in October 2024. Over 200 industry leaders from across…

As it commences its national election, Pakistan has temporarily halted mobile and internet services nationwide to address potential threats, a senior ministry announced. This decision comes in response to recent terrorist incidents, according to Pakistan’s interior ministry. As reported by local journalists on X earlier on Thursday, internet access was…

Instagram Threads is adding a coveted feature, drawing it into closer competition with X, formerly known as Twitter. The text-centric social networking app is currently testing a post-saving feature, enabling users to bookmark their favorite posts for later viewing. Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, announced this feature in a Threads post…

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced during the company’s Q4 earnings report that Instagram Threads currently boasts over 130 million monthly active users. Threads is one of the many emerging projects in the aftermath of Elon Musk’s 2022 takeover of Twitter, which is now known as X. It competes with numerous…

Downloads of X surged after former Fox News TV presenter Tucker Carlson announced he would be interviewing Russian President Vladimir Putin, causing the app to skyrocket to the top of the U.S. App Store overnight. This interview has already been conducted, according to multiple sources, including Reuters, AP, and The…

Microsoft has emerged as the world’s most valuable company, thanks to its foresighted bets and robust investments in AI. During a company event in Mumbai on Wednesday, its usually reserved CEO Satya Nadella expounded on the company’s successful AI offerings. “With all the hype, GPT4 remains unmatched one year later,”…

Nigeria’s telecommunications industry is preparing for a challenging year amid a scarcity of U.S. dollars, increasing diesel prices, and devaluation of the naira, all of which are straining operating margins. Should the naira continue to depreciate, many infrastructure projects, including the 5G rollout, may be delayed. This could impact companies…