Author: Tapiwa Matthew Mutisi

The Competition Tribunal of South Africa has given the green light for Telkom’s divestiture of its masts and towers subsidiary, Swiftnet, to Towerco Bidco, following a recommendation from the Competition Commission. The sale to Towerco Bidco, a new entity jointly owned by Actis and Royal Bafokeng, has been approved with…

The Democratic Republic of Congo has terminated a substantial $1.2 billion initiative aimed at establishing a nationwide biometric identification system. This decision comes in the wake of serious allegations concerning financial misconduct associated with the project. Richard Ilunga, who heads the Congo’s National Office for Population Identification (ONIP), announced the…

ChitChat, a social commerce platform hailing from Zambia, has recently announced a strategic collaboration with Mastercard to roll out new virtual debit cards, enhancing the process of making cross-border payments. This initiative is a progression from an earlier alliance between Union54 and Mastercard, which culminated in the introduction of ChitChat…

MTN Cameroon, which operates under the umbrella of the MTN Group based in South Africa, has made a commitment to maintain its business activities in Cameroon despite facing a legal predicament that has resulted in the freezing of its bank accounts by court order. Since September 2022, the company’s accounts…

Shoprite, South Africa’s premier retail giant, is set to divest its furniture division to Pepkor, channeling its focus on the expansion of its specialized segments, including clothing, baby products, outdoor equipment, and pet supplies. On Tuesday, September 3, the group disclosed its plan to offload the furniture business to Pepkor…

MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita has taken proactive steps to address employee concerns in the wake of allegations surrounding his leadership, favoritism, and the group’s performance. In response, he assured staff that the company has robust governance mechanisms to handle issues related to employees and senior management effectively. Some of…

MTN is currently facing significant internal challenges, including disputes among its top executives and a notable departure of senior leaders from its South African division. The Sunday Times has highlighted dissatisfaction with the direction of the company under CEO Ralph Mupita, who assumed leadership on September 1, 2020. Reports suggest…

Airtel Nigeria Telesonic Limited, the fiber service division of Airtel Nigeria, has secured three pivotal telecom licenses from the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), approximately seven months post its inception. The telecommunications giant has been awarded a National Long Distance (NLD) license, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) license, and a Sales…

Ed-tech innovator Esoma Solutions is revolutionizing the K-12 educational landscape by providing digital learning tools, with its standout offering, Esoma Kids, enhancing foundational literacy and numeracy skills through an engaging online platform. Launched in 2018 by co-founders Julius Irungu, Kelvin Kung’u, and Esborn Waithuki, Esoma Solutions first introduced Esoma-KE, a…

Logidoo, a logistics company committed to enhancing trade throughout Africa, has introduced Afridoo, an innovative platform aimed at streamlining online commerce and bolstering African entrepreneurs. Established in 2020 by Tamsir Ousmane Traoré, Logidoo has crafted an all-encompassing logistics solution that spans the entire supply chain. The company’s approach includes collaboration…

Tunisian energy management startup Wattnow has recently concluded a substantial funding round, securing a multi-million dollar investment to further accelerate its already notable expansion. Established in 2018 by entrepreneur Issam Smaali, Wattnow has been at the forefront of assisting businesses in mastering their energy consumption through its intuitive combination of…

Kenya has introduced two innovative digital systems aimed at streamlining the management of presidential directives and the approval process for international travel of high-ranking government officials. The newly launched systems, known as the Presidential Directives Management Information System (PDMIS) and the Foreign Travel Management Information System (FOTIMS), are designed to…

BYD, the pioneering Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer known as Build Your Dreams, is making a significant leap into the African market by establishing a presence in Zambia. This move is made possible through a strategic alliance with Pilatus Electric Mobility Zambia Limited (PEM). The doors of the new BYD…

Standard Chartered Bank, in collaboration with WomHub, has unveiled the second edition of the Women in Tech (WiT) Incubator Programme in South Africa, a powerful initiative designed to bolster women entrepreneurs in the technology sector by offering education, mentorship, and investment opportunities. The WiT Incubator Programme, which Standard Chartered first…

The Timbuktoo HealthTech Accelerator Program has launched a call to action for forward-thinking entrepreneurs and innovators throughout Africa, inviting them to present their revolutionary concepts aimed at reshaping healthcare across the continent. This initiative is on the lookout for startups that offer scalable and sustainable solutions, utilizing technology to tackle…

Nigerian fintech innovator Grey has forged a strategic alliance with dLocal, a prominent player in the cross-border payment sector, to facilitate its growth into new and emerging markets. Founded in 2021 by visionaries Idorenyin Obong and Femi Aghedo, Grey has quickly become a go-to service for international money transfers, offering…

Nigeria-based Kredete, a fintech startup that specializes in assisting African immigrants with credit score development and facilitating remittances, has successfully secured US$2.25 million in a seed funding round. This capital injection is set to bolster the company’s expansion efforts across Africa, where it has already established a presence in 20…

The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST), in partnership with the Norwegian Embassy, has announced the commencement of the application process for the sixth iteration of the MEST Africa Challenge. This year’s competition is particularly geared towards recognizing and bolstering outstanding entrepreneurs in the agricultural technology sector. MEST, which was…

Chpter, an innovative e-commerce startup based in Kenya, has successfully secured $1.2 million during its pre-seed investment round. The company, which was initiated by the entrepreneurial minds behind the Y Combinator-supported Marketforce, aims to allocate the newly acquired funds towards enhancing its technological infrastructure and pursuing growth opportunities in the…

The Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken a significant step forward in the regulation of digital assets by issuing provisional licenses to two cryptocurrency exchanges, Quidax and Busha. This move comes just a week after the SEC indicated its intention to begin granting its inaugural set of cryptocurrency…