Author: Tapiwa Matthew Mutisi

Kenyan legislators have reignited their campaign to compel Safaricom, the leading telecommunications provider in the country, to segregate its lucrative mobile money arm, M-PESA, from its core telecom operations. The revival of the campaign is marked by the reintroduction of the Information and Communications (Amendment) Bill of 2022, which advocates…

On Tuesday, the highest judicial authority in Brazil, the Supreme Court, announced that Elon Musk’s social media platform, referred to here as ‘X’, has been given the green light to resume operations within the nation. This decision brings closure to a protracted conflict that has seen ‘X’ at odds with…

The Egyptian government has successfully concluded agreements with three major mobile operators—Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, and e& Egypt—for the second phase of issuing 5G licenses. This announcement was made by Amr Talaat, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, who emphasized that these agreements are set to significantly enhance 5G…

Ghana’s Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has unveiled “CitizenApp,” a comprehensive mobile application that integrates all digitized public services in Ghana into a single digital platform. The Citizen App is tailored to serve as a one-stop personalized platform for Ghanaians, with the goal of streamlining access to a variety of…

Shortly after declaring its intention to impose sanctions on Starlink for unauthorized subscription price increases in Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has retracted its earlier statement, admitting that it was mistakenly issued. The NCC did not provide specific details on whether the retraction was due to Starlink obtaining the…

Old Mutual, a prominent insurance entity based in South Africa, has ventured into the telecommunications sector by establishing a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), Old Mutual Connect, operating on the Cell C network. This strategic move comes amidst a burgeoning growth phase within the MVNO market. Clarence Nethengwe, the appointed…

The Nigerian open banking pioneer, Okra, has expanded its technological footprint by venturing into the cloud services sector with the introduction of its new platform, Nebula. By launching Nebula, Okra is positioning itself alongside a growing contingent of indigenous cloud service providers such as Nobus, Galaxy, and Layer3. These companies…

The Competition Commission of South Africa has approved a significant transaction in which MultiChoice is set to divest a 60% stake in its insurance subsidiary, NMS Insurance Services (NMSIS), to the renowned insurance and financial services conglomerate, Sanlam. The deal, which carries a hefty price tag of R2.7 billion (equivalent…

The Ivorian insurtech startup WiASSUR has recently received a financial boost from the AXIAN Group, a major pan-African conglomerate, to enhance the distribution of its insurance products. WiASSUR operates an online platform that consolidates a variety of insurance products, providing customers with a user-friendly interface to compare different insurance options…

The Egyptian fintech enterprise Bokra, which commenced operations in 2023 with a vision to democratize finance by ensuring it is inclusive, transparent, and socially beneficial, has forged a strategic alliance with the Canadian International College (CIC). This collaboration has resulted in the establishment of a substantial fund amounting to EGP10…

Burundi and Zambia have taken a significant step towards enhancing their digital connectivity by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to link the two countries with an underwater fibre optic cable. The agreement was inked during the Digital Government Africa Summit, which took place in Lusaka, Zambia. A private company,…

Uber Eats, the widely-used online food ordering and delivery service, has announced the launch of new in-app safety features aimed at protecting its couriers amidst a rise in theft and violence against eCommerce delivery personnel in South Africa. The platform is set to introduce a suite of safety measures to…

Equator Africa, a venture capital firm focusing on the African climate sector, has successfully secured an additional $5 million in funding from the International Financial Corporation (IFC). This infusion of capital is intended to bolster businesses and foster innovation within the African climate technology landscape. This latest funding round follows…

Luno, a prominent cryptocurrency exchange, has significantly broadened its payment support within South Africa by enhancing its collaboration with merchants to facilitate crypto payments. In a strategic partnership with Zapper, Luno has made it possible for its users to make purchases using cryptocurrencies at over 31,000 merchant locations nationwide. This…

Spotify, the renowned online audio streaming platform, has announced a significant price increase of over 40% for its Premium subscribers. The company stated that this adjustment in the Premium Individual subscription fee is essential to sustain innovation in its product offerings and features, ensuring that users continue to enjoy an…

The Nigerian educational technology startup Dexude has recently been awarded the Business Finland TEMPO funding, a significant financial boost aimed at enhancing its mission to make high-quality education accessible to all and to empower students in Nigeria and other regions. Dexude was co-founded by Kelvin Chikezie and Charles Emembolu. It…

The fourth annual edition of Egypt’s Entrepreneur Awards has concluded, recognizing fifteen innovative startups for their exceptional contributions across various sectors. This year’s theme, “Breaking Silos Together: Building Resilience and Embracing Opportunity,” set the tone for a collaborative and forward-thinking event. The awards were supported by a host of prestigious…

Immobazyme, a biotech company based in Stellenbosch, and UVU Bio, the biotechnology division of UVU Africa (previously known as the Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the startup ecosystem, have joined forces to introduce Catalyst 2024. This initiative is a competitive event designed for biotech…

Previously recognized as WorldRemit, Zepz has successfully garnered $267 million in a funding round supported by both new and returning investors, aiming to accelerate its growth within its primary African markets and further afield. The funding round was spearheaded by Accel, with significant contributions from Leapfrog, TCV, and Coller Capital.…

TUNL, a prominent shipping platform based in South Africa that caters to ecommerce exporters, has successfully completed a seed funding round with set terms. This financial milestone was spearheaded by E4E Africa and saw contributions from notable investors such as Jonathan Smit, the founder of Payfast who has since exited…