WhatsApp is developing two new visual indicators to inform users about the use of end-to-end encryption in various parts of the messaging app. On the iOS version of WhatsApp, the features were discovered on the app’s Call and Status screen. Users are informed on the calling screen that their personal calls are protected by end-to-end…
Pipit Global, an international cash payments platform, and Cellulant, a pan-African payments company, have expanded their partnership agreement to include eighteen Sub-Saharan African countries. The companies will provide both B2B and B2C payments services to existing and emerging financial institutions, eCommerce merchants, billers and billing platforms, mobile money providers and eWallets, digital financial service providers,…
Google Maps has begun to roll out a feature that highlights the busiest parts of your city or town. The new feature, dubbed ‘Area Busyness,’ is intended to help you avoid crowds by instantly detecting whether your neighborhood or a section of your city has more than the usual number of footfalls. The feature is…
Smartphone cameras are no longer just the most convenient option; they are quickly overtaking traditional digital cameras in terms of computational power and innovation. Users can capture more details and render images accurately in complex lighting conditions thanks to increased sensor size and resolution. Many aspects of image processing have been improved by artificial intelligence…
In a tweet exchange with Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B, former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey stated that he believes Bitcoin will eventually replace the US dollar. Cardi B asked on Twitter if cryptocurrency would eventually replace the US dollar, to which Dorsey replied, “Yes, Bitcoin will.” Dorsey, who now leads Block (formerly Square), a digital payments…
Zuri Health, a Kenyan startup, has expanded its operations into Senegal through a partnership with telecoms firm Expresso Senegal. In January, Disrupt Africa reported on the launch of Zuri Health, which enables users to book appointments with any medical professional or hospital in their region, book laboratory tests, communicate with practitioners via message or video,…
Drugstoc is a health-tech startup that offers hospitals and pharmacies a procurement platform for all medications, consumables, and small medical equipment. Chibuzor Opara and Adham Yehia founded the startup in 2017 with the goal of closing the supply chain gap in Nigeria’s medical sector. In November, the company raised $4.4 million in a Series A…
Life is returning to normal as Covid-19 vaccinations become more widespread around the world. However, this is not the world we knew before the pandemic. Because of the long-term nature of this global crisis, customer needs and daily lifestyles have changed. This, in turn, will alter my expectations for the world in 2022 and beyond….
According to a new forecast, TikTok is the world’s third-largest social network, trailing only Facebook and Instagram. Insider Intelligence — the firm formerly known as eMarketer — predicts that TikTok will reach 755.0 million monthly users in 2022, after growing by 59.8 percent in 2020 and 40.8 percent in 2021 in its first forecast on…
KeyTec, a South African startup, describes itself as a “one-stop-shop for video telematics and vehicle data,” offering smart solutions to businesses of all sizes. KeyTec was founded just over a year ago after founder Michael Roberts saw a real need for maintaining and supporting assets and vehicles in the field, as well as the frustration…
It is difficult to comprehend the impact of technology on businesses and society as a whole. This year’s annual Thoughtworks Looking Glass report attempts to put a wide range of technologies into context so that business leaders can see where technology is leading them. The report examines the impact of 100 current and emerging technologies…
What is artificial intelligence (AI)? Artificial intelligence is a rapidly developing technology that is already being used in a variety of applications. AI has proven to be much more than we thought it was in the past, from self-driving cars to language translation software. AI is a concept that is frequently created before it is…
According to two people familiar with the situation and emails obtained by Reuters, California’s civil rights regulator is looking into Google’s treatment of Black female employees following allegations of harassment and discrimination. According to the documents and sources, attorneys and analysts at the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) have repeatedly interviewed several…
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved a $170 million loan to Nigeria to fund a digital and creative industries initiative. The Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises Program (i-DICE) is a Nigerian government initiative that promotes investment in the digital and creative industries. It is part of Nigeria’s efforts to…
54gene, a Nigerian health technology company advancing African genomics research for improved global health outcomes, has announced the launch of 7RiverLabs, its diagnostic arm. 54gene, founded in 2019, is a research, services, and development company that uses human genetic data from diverse African populations to improve the development, availability, and efficacy of medical products that…
Duhqa, a Kenyan retail-tech startup, was named one of six global winners of the FTxSDG Challenge, which means it could receive US$500,000 in funding and growth support. According to Disrupt Africa, the Financial Times and Seedstars partnered in September to launch the FTxSDG Challenge, which aims to find impact-driven entrepreneurs and ventures developing innovative solutions…
Sympl, Egypt’s first ‘Save Your Money Pay Later’ service, has announced a partnership with El Nada Hospital, Egypt’s leading maternity hospital. Through the Sympl checkout platform, the partnership provides patients with interest-free deferred payment plans. The collaboration will provide El Nada Hospital patients with more payment options and improve their checkout experience by enabling better…
SweepSouth, a South African online home services platform, has acquired Egyptian startup FilKhedma, a home services marketplace operating in three cities, in order to expand into the North African country. SweepSouth, which was founded in 2014, is an online platform that offers on-demand home cleaning services in various South African cities. The startup has raised…
Adidas Originals has recently entered the emerging market of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the metaverse. Over the weekend, the company earned more than $22 million after its NFT pieces were minted within minutes of going on sale. According to the CoinGecko calculator, each of these NFTs was priced at ETH 0.2, which converts to $769….
According to LinkedIn, the platform has 800 million members in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. It’s a place for decision-makers, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and employers to connect, collaborate, recruit, and share their thought leadership in a specific industry or area of expertise. But did you know that when someone conducts an online search for…
A malicious Android app with over 500,000 downloads from the Google Play app store has been discovered to be hosting malware that stealthily exfiltrates users’ contact lists to an attacker-controlled server and unknowingly signs users up for unwanted paid premium subscriptions. The latest Joker malware was discovered in Color Message (“com.guo.smscolor.amessage”), a messaging-focused app that…
After securing $31 million in Series B funding, Nigerian mobility tech startup Metro Africa Xpress Inc. (MAX) plans to expand into more African markets as it works to formalize the continent’s transportation sector. The startup told TechCrunch that the funding will be used to expand into Ghana and Egypt by the end of the first…
African Blockchain Lab, based in Nigeria, has received a US$6 million pre-Series A investment to help fund the launch of its crypto wallet VIBRA. African Blockchain Lab, founded by blockchain venture studio Everest Ventures Group, is a blockchain technology company and the creator of the African crypto app VIBRA. VIBRA provides an easy way for…
Trueflutter, a dating and matchmaking app for people from emerging markets, is a Nigerian startup that is focusing on the local market and making over 1,000 matches per day. Trueflutter, which was founded in 2018, assists people looking for committed relationships in finding compatible partners who share similar values and backgrounds. “We observed the cultural…
According to reports, WhatsApp Business is getting a new feature. According to reports, the beta version of the instant messaging app for businesses will get a new shortcut for quickly replying to messages. Select WhatsApp Business beta testers on Android and iOS are said to have access to the new Quick Replies shortcut. The Quick…
Paymob, an Egyptian fintech startup, has partnered with ride-hailing giant Uber to expand payment options on the Uber app, with the goal of financially integrating a larger base of Egyptian drivers and riders. Paymob, founded in 2015 by Islam Shawky, Alain El Hajj, and Mostafa Menessy, is an infrastructure technology enabler that offers payment solutions…
One of Africa’s most active early-stage tech investors, Nigeria-based Ventures Platform, has announced the first close of a US$40 million pan-African fund that will expand its portfolio and double down on winners. Since its inception in 2016, Ventures Platform has served as a partner and conduit for international funds and stakeholders looking for a dependable…
App for trading global shares in Nigeria Trove has won the fourth edition of the Ecobank Fintech Challenge, taking home a US$15,000 prize and a place in the bank’s Fintech Challenge Fellowship program. Each year, the Ecobank Group hosts its Fintech Challenge, with the five finalists of this year’s edition chosen from over 890 entrants…
Instagram is introducing a new “Profile Embed” feature that will allow users to embed a mini-version of their profile into a website. Users will be able to further integrate their Instagram profiles into websites such as blogs and portfolios with the new feature. According to the social media giant, the feature is currently only available…
Alitheia IDF, Africa’s first and only women-led and women-focused private equity fund, has announced the final close of its US$100 million fund, which it claims is the continent’s largest gender-inclusive private equity fund. Alitheia IDF, led by principal partners Polo Leteka and Tokunboh Ishmael, invests in early-stage companies in six African countries: Nigeria, South Africa,…