Author: Tapiwa Matthew Mutisi

Cisco, the network giant, is planning a business restructuring that will involve thousands of layoffs as the company shifts focus towards high-growth sectors, according to three sources close to the situation. Cisco currently employs 84,900 people as per their fiscal 2023 data listed on their website. The final number of…

In Kenya, content creators, including skitmakers, digital creators, and TikTok influencers, are now required to pay a 1.5% tax on their social media earnings, according to the country’s newest Finance Act. The Kenyan government implemented this law despite significant opposition. Over the years, content creation has expanded, with creators making…

Bitcoin has reached the US$50,000 mark for the first time in over two years, fuelled by expected interest rate reductions and recent U.S. regulatory approval for exchange-traded funds tracking its price. So far this year, the cryptocurrency has increased by approximately 16.3%. It attained its highest level since December 27,…

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has initiated plans to offer digital nomad visas, targeting highly skilled tech workers for potential long-term stays in the country. These visas, first introduced by Estonia and Portugal in 2017, would allow remote workers to live in South Africa, earn income from abroad, and…

Ethiopia is grappling with a 28.7% inflation rate, which the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) identifies as a longstanding macroeconomic issue. With a 16% average annual inflation over the past decade, the country has faced challenges in curbing this rise. According to NBE, inflation rates over the past two years…

A Lagos court has directed 27 banks to unfreeze accounts related to a ₦2.9 billion hack on Flutterwave in February 2023. Flutterwave had been granted a motion to freeze the accounts in question on February 27, 2023. Despite the court’s ruling, Access Bank and Providus Bank have not yet unfrozen…

Botswana’s Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) has declared that the importation, use, and sale of Starlink kits or services are prohibited and any violations will result in legal consequences. This comes as BOCRA continues to review Starlink’s application to operate in the country. The application by the internet satellite company was…

Visa has entered a partnership with the Egyptian Banks Company (EBC) to streamline and enhance the process of international remittances for Egyptians living overseas. This comes after EBC’s recent collaboration with Mastercard to enhance Egypt’s digital payment ecosystem and promote inclusive economic growth. The collaboration combines EBC’s technological infrastructure with…

Ilara Health, a Kenyan health-tech firm that provides private clinics with diagnostic devices and pharmaceutical products, has raised $4.2 million in a combined debt and equity pre-Series A funding round. The investment will be used to expand operations throughout East Africa, enhancing healthcare access for the general population through a…

Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO, is looking to generate trillions of dollars in investments to overhaul the global semiconductor industry, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. Altman views the shortage of AI chips – though in demand, there aren’t enough available – as an impediment to OpenAI’s expansion. In response…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has confirmed the removal of the ±2.5% limit previously set on interbank foreign exchange (FX) transactions. Effective immediately, this change was announced in a circular published on February 8, 2023 and addressed to all authorized dealers. The CBN also revealed that the earlier restriction…

Uber has announced its first ever annual operating profit, registering a significant milestone in the ride-sharing company’s history. This announcement propelled Uber’s stock to unprecedented highs and exceeded analysts’ expectations, fueled by strong demand for ride-hailing and delivery services, alongside its expanding advertising business. The company reported an operating profit…

Elon Musk’s platform, X, previously known as Twitter, is partnering with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) to produce a new weekly series. This is part of X’s strategy to expand into specialized video content. The series, named WWE Speed, is set to debut in the spring in the US and will…

Several South African customers of Starlink have lost access to the satellite Internet service due to claimed trademark and copyright infringements. This was initially reported by MyBroadband after noting complaints from Starlink users who use StarSat Africa to manage their accounts, made on 8 February 2024. These users reported that…

In a recent announcement on Friday, BetMGM and Elon Musk’s X, previously known as Twitter, confirmed they’ve entered into a “strategic partnership.” The agreement will make BetMGM X’s exclusive Live Odds Sports Betting partner, introducing betting services to the platform. To begin, U.S. X users will be able to explore…

Grammarly, the AI-based writing assistant, has announced it will lay off 230 staff members globally as part of its “business restructuring” strategy. According to CEO Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, the move is not a cost-cutting measure but instead aims to refocus the company’s efforts towards creating an “AI-enabled workplace of the future.”…

While the Super Bowl is best known for its football and halftime show, it’s also famous for its adverts. This year, payroll software startup, Papaya Global, is hoping to catch the attention of some viewers with a 30-second ad – even if it won’t have the same glitz and glamour…

Notion, which launched its calendar based on Cron last month, may soon introduce more privacy-centric features in its productivity suite. The company disclosed today that it has acquired Skiff, a platform providing end-to-end encrypted services for file storage, documents, calendar events, and email. Skiff was founded in 2020 by Andrew…

Pinterest has unveiled a new advertising partnership with Google, aiming to boost its ad revenue. The move makes Google the second third-party ad partner for Pinterest, following a multiyear deal with Amazon signed last year. Pinterest mentioned the Google partnership during its Q4 2023 earnings call, where it disclosed revenues…

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…