Author: Tapiwa Matthew Mutisi

At a national Artificial Intelligence (AI) summit organized by the Department of Communications, South Africa’s Minister of Communications, Mondli Gungubele, emphasized the importance of keeping pace with global AI advancements. He highlighted the significant economic opportunities that AI technology presents for the country. The minister underlined the necessity for specific…

Jack Dorsey, the notable supporter of Bluesky, has stepped down from its board. This past Saturday, Jack Dorsey made a post on platform X, discussing the allocation of funds for open protocols through his charitable endeavor, Start Small. This post led to a query from a user inquiring whether Dorsey…

Threads, the social media platform, is enhancing user autonomy by introducing a new feature that allows users to manage who can quote their posts. Quoting, in this context, refers to the act of reposting someone’s content along with additional commentary. With this update, users can now restrict quoting privileges exclusively…

Snapchat is set to enhance its messaging service by introducing the capability for users to edit their messages, aligning with a feature that is common among other messaging platforms. This new functionality is anticipated to be made available to users in the near future. Initially, this feature will be exclusive…

High-impact South African entrepreneurs with aspirations to scale their solutions internationally have until Sunday, 5 May, to submit their entries for the Irish Tech Challenge. The initiative is a collaborative effort involving the Embassy of Ireland in South Africa, South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), and the Technology…

Cellulant, a leading Pan-African payments technology company, has successfully integrated Telcel Cash as a new payment option for Google Play users in Ghana. This strategic partnership enables Google Play customers to link their Telcel Cash wallets and make purchases using mobile money, a significant step in a market where the…

Zambia is channeling $6 million into technological advancements with the goal of boosting mineral production and enhancing sustainability, efficiency, and safety within its mining industry. The investment will lead to the creation of the Mining Technology (MinTech) hub, a proposed center designed to serve as a nexus for innovation and…

MTN Ghana has entered into a long-term roaming agreement with AT (formerly AirtelTigo) and is close to finalizing a similar arrangement with Telecel, as disclosed in its recent first-quarter performance report. The telecommunications company emphasized the importance of infrastructure sharing to achieve universal access and accelerate Ghana’s digital transformation. Stephen…

Kenya is grappling with a crisis as unprecedented flooding has led to widespread power outages, plunging vast swathes of the nation into darkness and severing telecom and internet connections. The recent internet blackout, which occurred on Thursday, is compounding the challenges faced by the East African nation, which has been…

The Kaduna State Government has collaborated with Google and Data Science Nigeria to launch the “AI for Beginners Learning Series,” a program aimed at empowering women in the northern region through technology. This educational series demystifies artificial intelligence by presenting concepts in the Hausa language, thereby making complex tech ideas…

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has revealed the recipients of its 2024 Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP) Partner Awards during a ceremony on May 2nd in Johannesburg. The AWS EEIP is a tailored program spanning 18 to 24 months, aimed at empowering South African black-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to…

Investment firm Talent10 Holdings, together with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), has pledged over $100 million (close to R1.9 billion) to create a new entertainment and gaming franchise in South Africa. In this initiative, Talent10 has acquired the rights to and has released an action-thriller film titled “Boy Kills World,”…

MTN South Africa is set to empower job-seekers with the introduction of its Skillsbox Made4U career portal. The telecom company notes that a staggering 7.9 million individuals, which accounts for 32.6% of the South African populace, are currently without employment. Skillsbox is designed as a comprehensive toolkit, encompassing a website…

Anza Capital, a Pan-African venture capital (VC) firm, in collaboration with the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW) at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), has introduced the Innovating for Tomorrow: Anza-TUT Future Tech Challenge. This initiative aims to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurial development. As per the announcement, the challenge…

Google Africa has announced the opening of applications for the eighth installment of its Google for Start-ups Accelerator Africa program. This year, the program is placing a special emphasis on start-ups that are utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to solve important issues and create new possibilities on…

Despite being on the U.S. blacklist, Chinese technology behemoth Huawei has been discreetly sponsoring research in the United States, as uncovered by Bloomberg. This advanced research is being conducted at prestigious institutions, including Harvard University, with funding channeled through an independent research foundation based in Washington, D.C., which also organizes…

AfriLabs, in collaboration with Intel Corporation and Prosper Africa, has initiated the Intel Community Reach Programme, a project designed to tackle pressing social issues in underprivileged African communities through the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) and enhanced broadband connectivity. The program is dedicated to fostering community empowerment and instigating transformative…

Instagram has unveiled a fresh set of features for Stories, with a particular spotlight on a new collection of interactive stickers. Among these, the Music sticker stands out as it builds upon the existing ‘Add Yours’ functionality. This new sticker, dubbed ‘Add Yours Music,’ encourages users to share their preferred…

X has incorporated an AI-driven feature known as “Stories on X,” which utilizes Grok—an AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk—to create succinct summaries of trending news and discussions on the platform. As revealed by a post from the company’s engineering team, this feature is currently exclusive to premium subscribers of…

iProcure, an agritech enterprise based in Kenya that serves as a bridge linking distributors of agricultural products with manufacturers, has encountered financial difficulties, leading to its placement under administration as of April 26, 2024. The company’s inability to fulfill its financial obligations to creditors precipitated this development. In response to…