Author: Tapiwa Matthew Mutisi

Kenya’s National Treasury has initiated a public consultation process for a new bill and policy aimed at regulating cryptocurrencies and virtual asset companies, including crypto exchanges. This initiative follows a warning from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that Kenya is lagging in establishing regulatory measures for the burgeoning cryptocurrency industry.…

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) is set to resume its operations on January 15, 2025, three weeks after a cyberattack temporarily crippled its systems. The cyberattack, which took place on December 18, 2024, disrupted public access to crucial national data and raised significant concerns about the security of sensitive…

Egyptian agri-tech startup ReNile has successfully secured a funding round amounting to US$450,000. This significant financial boost will enable the company to enhance its presence within its home market of Egypt and initiate its operations in Saudi Arabia. ReNile, established in 2017, specializes in providing comprehensive smart farming solutions. The…

Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, is currently testing a standalone iOS app for its chatbot, Grok, which was previously available exclusively to X users. The Grok app is now live in several countries, including the U.S., Australia, and India. It can access real-time data from the web and X, and…

Global payment card network Visa has announced the opening of applications for the fourth edition of its biannual Africa Fintech Accelerator. This program is designed to provide fintech ventures with access to essential tools, industry connections, and mentorship to help them scale their innovative solutions. The Africa Fintech Accelerator was…

Maziv, the parent company of Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa, has announced the appointment of Phila Dube as its new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Dube, who is transitioning from his role as the outgoing Chief Commercial Officer at Openserve, brings with him a wealth of experience from a 26-year career…

Mobile operator Cell C announced on Wednesday that it had experienced a “cybersecurity incident” affecting certain parts of its IT environment, resulting in the exposure of some customer data. In a press statement, the company revealed; Initial findings from our ongoing investigation suggest that data related to a limited number…

Kenya’s Communications Authority (CA) has put forward a proposal to substantially increase the 15-year licensing fees for satellite Internet providers (ISPs) from the current $12,302 to $115,331. In addition to this significant hike, the new regulations also introduce an annual levy of 0.4% of the gross turnover, further escalating the…

Pakistani company Innovate47, a prominent accelerator dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs across various sectors, has announced the expansion of its flagship Climate Action Accelerator program to include founders from across Africa. This expansion encompasses countries such as South Africa, Malawi, Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria. Innovate47 is an international entrepreneur support organization…

YouTube is currently testing a new “Play Something” floating action button, inspired by a now-defunct Netflix feature of the same name. This feature functions similarly by playing a random video likely based on your previous viewing habits, as reported by 9to5Google. When you press the button, it starts a video…

Nearly 25 years after its founding, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is preparing to launch its first orbital rocket, New Glenn, marking its entry into the competitive launch industry currently dominated by SpaceX. Company executives have stated their intention to launch the towering New Glenn rocket before the end of the…

The U.S. Treasury informed lawmakers in a letter on Monday that it experienced a cyberattack earlier in December, which has been attributed to hackers affiliated with the Chinese government. The letter, which was shared with senior U.S. House lawmakers, revealed that the hackers managed to gain remote access to certain…

Telecommunications operators in Nigeria have issued a stern warning that they may shut down services in certain regions of the country next year if their request for a tariff review is not addressed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). This announcement was made by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators…

Nvidia has successfully finalized its acquisition of Run:ai, an Israeli startup specializing in the management and optimization of AI hardware infrastructure. As a result of this merger, Run:ai has announced that its software, which is currently compatible exclusively with Nvidia products, will be open-sourced. This strategic move will allow competitors…

Hackers successfully infiltrated several Chrome extensions this month by injecting malicious code after gaining access to admin accounts through a phishing campaign. The cybersecurity firm Cyberhaven disclosed in a blog post over the weekend that its Chrome extension was compromised on December 24. The attack seemed to be aimed at…

Kenyan startup VunaPay is an agri-fintech company dedicated to solving the problem of delayed payments for smallholder farmers by offering instant payout solutions. Founded in 2023 by Gatwiri Njogu-Mokaya (CEO), Koya Matsuno (COO), and Ian Wambai (CTO), VunaPay collaborates with agricultural cooperatives to streamline automated payment processing, maintain accurate record…

The Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC), a prominent South African investment firm with a 30-year legacy of fostering community-based economic initiatives, is calling on black-owned businesses to apply for funding through its Khulisani Ventures fund. According to a 2021 report by Innovation Village, the Johannesburg-based MIC announced the launch of MIC…

Despite a recent 3-0 loss to Wolves, now sitting 14th in the table, and the looming possibility of facing relegation with our upcoming fixtures against the in-form Newcastle and Liverpool, I recently had the pleasure of watching Premier League games on Boxing Day using my device, thanks to Showmax. Yes,…

Most of us are familiar with the fundamental role the Sun plays in our survival. It radiates light and heat, or solar energy, which is essential for life on Earth. Plants rely on sunlight to grow through the process of photosynthesis. In turn, animals, including humans, depend on plants for…

With 567 million people lacking access to electricity, sub-Saharan Africa remains the least electrified region globally. The situation is worsened by prolonged power outages in the region, as recently seen in Zimbabwe, where electricity can now be unavailable for up to three days. However, recent scientific advancements could potentially disrupt…