AYuTe Africa Challenge
|

ColdHubs (Nigeria) and Hello Tractor (Kenya) are the winners of Heifer International’s US$1.5 million AYuTe Africa Challenge

ByTechTrends

The winners of the inaugural US$1.5 million Heifer International AYuTe Africa Challenge were announced today: Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu, founder and CEO of ColdHubs, a Nigerian company that provides solar-powered walk-in coolers for smallholder vegetable farmers, and Jehiel Oliver, founder, and CEO of Hello Tractor, a Kenyan company that has become known across Africa as the “Uber…

TwitterBan 100days

Nigeria: It is 100 days post #TwitterBan; $360,000,000 estimated losses

ByTechTrends

Written by  Yinka Okeowo The #TwitterBan in Nigeria is no news anymore, as the country hits 100 days post-Twitter ban. On Monday, September 13, Nigerians would have witnessed 100 days of #TwitterBan by the Federal Government. The measure taken by the government declaring the platform suspended has been heavily criticized as undermines Nigeria’s corporate existence; a…

covid restrictions kenya job

Kenya Lost 737,500 Jobs in 2020 as GDP Shrinks from COVID Restrictions

ByTechTrends

Written by Luis Monzon Kenya’s job sector took a serious blow last year, having contracted for the first time in over 20 years. Overall, 737,500 jobs were lost as Kenya’s economy shrunk for the first time since 1992 as a result of COVID-19 induced lockdowns and restrictions, reports Business Daily. Kenya Bleeds Jobs in 2020 According…

Facebook Launches Campaign to Take on Fake News in Nigeria

Facebook Launches Campaign to Take on Fake News in Nigeria with Big Cabal Media and Comic Republic

ByTechTrends

Written by  Luis Monzon Facebook is collaborating with Nigerian companies Big Cabal Media and Comic Republic to launch the #NoFalseNewsZone educational campaign aimed at helping individuals identify fake news and educate them on how to minimise the spread of false information across Nigeria’s internet and otherwise. “We are super excited to be working with Big Cabal Media and Comic…

Digital media give impetus to digital economy development – DG NITDA

Digital media give impetus to digital economy development – DG NITDA

ByTechTrends

Written by  Yinka Okeowo Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director general of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has referred Digital Media as one of the key enablers of Digital Economy, according to him, awareness is fundamental for the growth and development of any nation. Abdullahi said this while playing host to Colonel Aliyu Yusuf, the commandant of the…

Women must lead SA’s digital economy – Zimkhita Buwa

Women must lead SA’s digital economy – Zimkhita Buwa

ByTechTrends

Written by  Yinka Okeowo Female representation in senior management and executive roles in companies around the world remains low, however in South Africa it is stagnant. Worse still, women make up a mere 10% of CEOs at the world’s biggest tech firms, so one can only imagine how low the number is in South Africa. This is…

Reid Hoffman

Reid Hoffman’s latest book gives us 10 ways to rethink entrepreneurship

ByTechTrends

Written by Natasha Mascarenhas When you’re in the mood for a pep talk, who better to turn to than a well-networked, optimistic mentor who is naturally in your corner? That friendly shoulder is the role that “Masters of Scale” wants to play. Inspired by LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock partner Reid Hoffman’s hit podcast, the new…

Africell to Exit Uganda, Unable to Compete with MTN & Others

Africell to Exit Uganda, Unable to Compete with MTN & Others

ByTechTrends

Written by Luis Monzon UK-based mobile tech firm Africell announced yesterday that it was ending its operations in Uganda, where it has been unable to supersede its competitors in the country, namely local units of massive telecom firms such as South Africa’s MTN and India’s Airtel. “Africell … will end operations in Uganda on 7…

M-PESA Becomes Africa’s Largest FinTech with 50-Million Active Users
|

M-PESA Becomes Africa’s Largest FinTech with 50-Million Active Users

ByTechTrends

By Luis Monzon The mobile money service of Kenya’s largest telco has officially reached 50-million active users across Africa, according to an announcement by Safaricom. M-PESA is now, by the sheer size of its active user base, the most popular mobile money platform on the continent and the largest financial technology in Africa, according to TechWeez. The…

Endeavor Nigeria unveils inaugural cohort for its ScaleUp program

Endeavor Nigeria unveils inaugural cohort for its ScaleUp program

ByTechTrends

Endeavor Nigeria has unveiled the inaugural cohort of entrepreneurs for its new 10-week Endeavor ScaleUp Program that aims to support Nigeria’s most promising, high-impact business leaders. Leveraging Endeavor’s extensive global network, participating entrepreneurs will have access to mentorship, fundraising support, partnerships and a strong peer network of high impact entrepreneurs who have built and run successful…

MTN Ghana Donates $1.6-Million to Girls in ICT Program
|

MTN Ghana Donates $1.6-Million to Girls in ICT Program

ByTechTrends

MTN Ghana Donates $1.6-Million to Girls in ICT Program Written By  Luis Monzon MTN Ghana, the Ghanaian arm of Africa’s largest telecom, has donated $1.6-million (GHS10-million) to support the Girls in Information Communication Technology (ICT) Project. A Ghanaian initiative hoping and aimed at exposing the ICT sphere to young women. According to Business Ghana, the donation is…

World Bank hints on how Nigeria can save $432,600,000 before December

World Bank hints on how Nigeria can save $432,600,000 before December

ByTechTrends

World Bank hints on how Nigeria can save $432,600,000 before December Written by David Oladele The World Bank has hinted that Nigeria could save about $432.6m from May 2020 to December 2021 through the debt service suspension initiative. The Bank disclosed this in a statement on COVID-19: Debt Service Suspension Initiative updated on its website. The organisation, in…

UCT GSB Solution Space, ayoba launch E-Track Programme for startups across Africa

UCT GSB Solution Space, ayoba launch E-Track Programme for startups across Africa

ByTechTrends

UCT GSB Solution Space, Ayoba launch E-Track Programme for startups across Africa Written by  TOM JACKSON Applications are now open for the upcoming E-Track Programme, which is designed to support startups from across Africa with scalable businesses and global potential. The E-track Programme is a three-phase venture acceleration programme developed by the UCT GSB Solution…

Rwanda’s new SIM registration, Somalia’s Trade Information Portal, Cellulant’s partnership with GAINDE 2000
|

Rwanda’s new SIM registration, Somalia’s Trade Information Portal, Cellulant’s partnership with GAINDE 2000

ByTechTrends

Rwanda’s new SIM registration, Somalia’s Trade Information Portal, Cellulant’s partnership with GAINDE 2000 Written by Victoria Fakiya Rwanda’s new SIM registration directives What’s the news? Telecom operators will implement new SIM card registration procedures. The Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA), Rwanda’s telecom regulator, claims it will help reduce fraud. According to RURA, anyone who wants to get…

Zip acquisition of Payflex means Africa is ripe for BNPL disruption
|

Zip acquisition of Payflex means Africa is ripe for BNPL disruption

ByTechTrends

Zip acquisition of Payflex means Africa is ripe for BNPL disruption Writen by Tage Kene-Okafor Australian buy now, pay later (BNPL) company Zip this week acquired South Africa-based BNPL player Payflex for an undisclosed amount. It’s a piece of news that once again highlights the hype around BNPL services and the quest for global dominance among the…

Nigerian government orders telcos to shut down mobile services in Zamfara to curb banditry

Nigerian government orders telcos to shut down mobile services in Zamfara to curb banditry

ByTechTrends

Nigerian government orders telcos to shut down mobile services in Zamfara to curb banditry Written by Ejike Kanife The federal government has ordered telecom operators in the country to shut down all communications sites in Zamfara State and in neighbouring states that could provide telecommunications services in Zamfara State. This was contained in a memo reportedly sent…

The eighth natural wonder of the world is getting a partnership with TikTok
|

The eighth natural wonder of the world is getting a partnership with TikTok

ByTechTrends

The eighth natural wonder of the world is getting a partnership with TikTok Written by Conrad Onyango Kenya is turning to a global youth audience to showcase the eighth natural wonder of the world—the great wildebeest migration—as Africa goes all out to ramp up international tourism numbers. The east African country’s tourism board on Aug. 24 announced…

Telegram has surpassed one billion downloads
|

Telegram has surpassed one billion downloads

ByTechTrends

Telegram has surpassed one billion downloads The instant messaging app, Telegram which is based in Dubai and was launched in late 2013, has been downloaded over 1 billion times globally, according to Sensor Tower. It’s important to note that the number of downloads does not correspond to the app’s active userbase. Telegram, for example, had approximately 500…

Women Peacebuilders lead COVID-19 Prevention Efforts Across Libya Via WhatsApp and Zoom

Women Peacebuilders lead COVID-19 Prevention Efforts Across Libya Via WhatsApp and Zoom

ByTechTrends

Women Peacebuilders lead COVID-19 Prevention Efforts Across Libya Via WhatsApp and Zoom Written by  Luis Monzon Separated by their country’s divisions, both geographically and politically, 36 Libyan women have since used their phones to connect, discuss and overcome their differences in the interest of one goal: Peace in Libya. They have been a part of…

The UN & Oracle Launch IT Skills Program for Refugees in Kenya

The UN & Oracle Launch IT Skills Program for Refugees in Kenya

ByTechTrends

The UN & Oracle Launch IT Skills Program for Refugees in Kenya Written By Luis Monzon Oracle on Thursday announced that the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, in Kenya has finalised a workforce development program for young refugees in Kenya, in collaboration with Oracle University. The UNHCR delivers professional learning courses on Oracle Cloud technologies to refugees with a…

APPLY: $24,000 for grab at Seedstars Digital Democracy Hackathon
|

APPLY: $24,000 for grab at Seedstars Digital Democracy Hackathon

ByTechTrends

APPLY: $24,000 for grab at Seedstars Digital Democracy Hackathon The hackathon is for socially committed innovators, writes Joan Aimuengheuwa Leveraging technology and entrepreneurship to further its mission of impacting the lives of people in emerging markets, Swiss-based group, Seedstars, has launched the application for its hackathon. Themed “Digital Democracy Challenge”, the programme seeks innovative, low-cost, and viable…

e4 launches Girls in STEM programme
|

e4 launches Girls in STEM programme

ByTechTrends

e4 launches Girls in STEM programme Written By  Yinka Okeowo Fintech specialist e4 has announced its ‘Girls in STEM’ programme to provide girls in underprivileged areas with the support they need to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) post matric. Cognisant of the gender imbalance present in the science and technology industries…

Disrupt Africa to again open-source annual funding report in partnership with key VC firms
|

Disrupt Africa to again open-source annual funding report in partnership with key VC firms

ByTechTrends

Disrupt Africa to again open-source annual funding report in partnership with key VC firms Written by  TOM JACKSON Startup-focused news and research company Disrupt Africa has announced it is to once again make its flagship annual funding report free to all in an open-sourcing initiative made possible through a partnership with Africa-focused VC firms Novastar…

Unitel partners with Huawei to launch a mobile money service in Angola
|

Unitel partners with Huawei to launch a mobile money service in Angola

ByTechTrends

Unitel partners with Huawei to launch a mobile money service in Angola Unitel, an Angola-based mobile operator, has launched Unitel Money, a digital money service in the Central African country. The technology will be available in all of the country’s 18 provinces. Users will be able to make deposits, withdrawals, transfers, and payments using their…

AVCA to upskill Africa-focussed private capital professionals
|

AVCA to upskill Africa-focussed private capital professionals

ByTechTrends

AVCA to upskill Africa-focussed private capital professionals Written by Russel Ayugi The African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association will establish an AVCA Training Academy to provide private investment professional development across the continent. As a first of its kind in the industry, the move is aims to support private investment professionals focussed on Africa through an…

Ghana basks in Twitter’s surprise choice as Africa HQ
|

Ghana basks in Twitter’s surprise choice as Africa HQ

ByTechTrends

Ghana basks in Twitter’s surprise choice as Africa HQ Written by Ijeoma Ndukwe He has worked in two of the continent’s most vibrant tech hubs, in Nigeria’s main city Lagos, he co-founded the Co-Creation Hub which then acquired Kenya’s iHub – another leading innovation centre. He thinks the proactiveness of Ghana’s president clearly played a…

eSprayMe, revolutionary event management app, goes Live
|

eSprayMe, revolutionary event management app, goes Live

ByTechTrends

eSprayMe, revolutionary event management app, goes Live eSprayMe website and mobile application promises to revolutionize the world of event management through virtual conferencing. eSprayMe is a product of eSprayMe Incorporation, headquartered in Texas, USA, and invented by Nigerian-American Information Technology expert, Fisayo Olamigoke. The platform which went Live this weekend, was designed for event hosts and…

David Adjaye

The architect behind DC’s African American history museum will design 101 hospitals for Ghana

ByTechTrends

The architect behind DC’s African American history museum will design 101 hospitals for Ghana Written by Uwagbale Edward-Ekpu David Adjaye, the British-Ghanaian architect best known for designing the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington DC, is helping Ghana give its healthcare system a massive face-lift. A design created by Adjaye Associates, the architect’s…

Sanwo-Olu set to commission subsidised Cappa hub

Sanwo-Olu set to commission subsidised Cappa hub for Lagos MSMEs in Oshodi

ByTechTrends

Sanwo-Olu set to commission subsidised Cappa hub for Lagos MSMEs in Oshodi As Governor Meets Business Leaders at 7th Corporate Assembly Written by  Yinka Okeowo Lagos State Government is set to launch Cappa Hub, a new center for commerce located at Oshodi area to provide subsidised workspaces for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) operating in…