Author: Tapiwa Matthew Mutisi

Google has unveiled its next major AI model, Gemini 2.0 Flash, designed to compete with the latest offerings from OpenAI. This new model, announced on Wednesday, boasts the ability to natively generate images and audio in addition to text. Furthermore, 2.0 Flash can utilize third-party apps and services, enabling it…

The National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) have joined forces to launch an exciting initiative aimed at bringing Nigerian markets online through an eCommerce platform called BuyNigeria.ng. This project is designed to showcase Nigerian artisans and traders on a global stage,…

Pan African Towers, a prominent Nigerian telecommunications infrastructure provider serving clients such as 9mobile and Spectranet, has appointed Oladipo Badru as the acting Chief Executive Officer. Badru assumed his new role in November 2024. Previously serving as the company’s Chief Financial Officer, Oladipo Badru succeeds Azeez Amida, who resigned after…

Billboxx, a Nigerian fintech company specializing in invoicing and cash flow solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has successfully raised $1.6 million in a pre-seed funding round. The company intends to use this capital to scale its operations, hire new talent, and expand its product features. The $1.6 million…

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has raised alarms about a new banking malware, Grandoreiro, that poses a significant threat to African financial institutions and their customers. Originating in Latin America, this sophisticated malware employs phishing techniques to infiltrate banking systems and compromise sensitive user information. Grandoreiro operates by…

Huawei has launched its local cloud service in Nigeria, marking a significant milestone in its African growth strategy. This launch is set to offer enhanced data sovereignty, reduced latency, and bolstered support for local businesses, aligning with Nigeria’s regulatory environment and digital transformation goals. Unveiled on December 10, 2024, Huawei’s…

Kenyan companies SunCulture, a pioneer in solar-powered irrigation solutions, and Turaco, a leading mass-market insurtech company, have jointly launched “SunCulture Protect,” a new initiative aimed at providing enhanced protection to smallholder farmers utilizing SunCulture’s pay-as-you-go (PAYG) devices. As the impacts of climate change intensify, the frequency and severity of extreme…

Starlink, the satellite internet service developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has officially launched in Cape Verde, marking a significant milestone in its African expansion strategy. This initiative aims to enhance internet connectivity across the continent, particularly in underserved regions. In October 2024, Cape Verde’s regulatory authority, Agência Reguladora Multissectorial da…

Five exceptional ecosystem builders have been selected to advance to the next phase of Village Capital’s Empowering Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Africa program. Supported by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), this Village Capital initiative aims to amplify the impact of climate-supporting entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Building…

The African Business Angel Network (ABAN) and Scaling Digital Agriculture Innovations through Startups (SAIS) have announced the opening of applications for the Climate-Smart Agriculture Angel Network cohort. ABAN is the largest pan-African organization of angel investors, while SAIS is a project implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)…

South Africa’s The Good People Data Company, a leading provider of digital workflow automation, verification processes, and compliance solutions, has secured an undisclosed amount of funding to fuel its growth. Founded in 2018, The Good People Data Company operates as a registered credit bureau, specializing in innovative solutions that streamline…

Cauris Finance, an impact credit fund with a focus on Africa, has announced the successful closing of a US$40 million debt facility to enhance its mission of supporting socially impactful African fintech companies. Cauris Finance is dedicated to delivering growth capital to top-tier companies in Africa, with the goal of…

Camco, a leading climate and impact fund manager, has announced the successful first close of $107 million for its Renewable Energy Performance Platform 2 (REPP 2) debt fund. Additionally, an extra $78 million has been pledged, contingent upon meeting certain conditions. The primary goal of this fund is to accelerate…

LAfricaMobile, a prominent player in cloud communication and artificial intelligence (AI), has successfully concluded its Series A funding round, securing a total of €6.5 million ($7 million). The funding journey began with an initial round of €4.3 million ($4.5 million) in April, with significant contributions from key investors including Janngo…

Digital health startup Eyone, headquartered in Senegal, has successfully secured $1 million in funding to bolster its standing in the healthcare industry and propel its expansion across the African continent. Founded in 2015 by Henri Ousmane Gueye, Eyone is dedicated to delivering digital solutions aimed at creating a cohesive and…

GitLab, a renowned platform for developers and security, has announced the appointment of Bill Staples as its new Chief Executive Officer, with immediate effect. This significant transition marks a new chapter for the company as it continues to advance in the tech industry. Bill Staples brings a wealth of experience…

Grok, the AI chatbot service, is now available for free to all X users. Previously, access to Grok required a subscription to X Premium, but this is no longer the case. X users can now utilize Grok without any cost, with a limit of 10 free prompts every 2 hours.…

Incoming President Donald Trump has appointed former PayPal COO David Sacks as the new “czar” for cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence (AI). Trump announced Sacks’ appointment on Thursday via a post on Truth Social, his social networking platform. “David Sacks will work on a legal framework so the Crypto industry has…

US ride-hailing firm Uber Technologies has introduced a new service called “Courier Bakkie” in South Africa, designed for the delivery of heavier items weighing up to a ton. South Africa is the first market globally to launch this offering, which, if expanded to other markets, will likely have a different…

TikTok has lost its bid to overturn a law that could lead to the platform being banned in the United States. On Friday, a U.S. appeals court upheld the law, rejecting TikTok’s argument that it was unconstitutional. The judges ruled that the law does not violate the First Amendment, which…