News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 373 on 7 September 2007
Top Story
Ghana’s Soft Tribe carves itself a niche in the Nigerian ERP software market
Faced with the dual challenges of international competition and a small home market, not many ICT entrepreneurs would simply pick up their bags and move to a bigger market. But that is what Soft Tribe’s Joe Jackson did. In this interview with Russell Southwood he talks about the challenges Soft faced and how things are working out. Soft’s move into Nigeria is not simply important for one company but touches on broader issues facing the ICT sector in Africa, including labour mobility and the likely success of locally-generated products . Why did you move to Nigeria? The decision was simple.…
Telecoms
SICAP offers Pay4Me as low-cost, call-back system for mobiles
A new solution for low-income customers which uses cost-free USSD string requests has hit the African market. Called “Pay4Me” by Sicap, it allows subscribers, both prepaid and optionally post-paid, to…
Telecoms
Côte d'Ivoire: Moov exceeds one million subscribers with low-price strategy
Formerly Telecel, now branded Moov, its low price strategy has taken Côte d'Ivoire by storm and it now has over 1 million subscribers. It plans to cover the whole of…
Telecoms
Ghana: Serious Fraud Office investigation uncovers large-scale tax evasion at Scancom
Six months of investigations by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) into the operations of Scancom (Ghana) Limited have uncovered international money laundering, tax evasion and balance sheet fraud. It is…
Telecoms
Nigeria’s Globacom pays fine for poor service from over-promotion
Nigerian mobile operator Globacom (Glo) has paid a fine of NGN5 million (USD40,600) to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The penalty was imposed by the regulator for contravening a directive…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- MTN says it will invest US$235 million over the this year to improve network quality and services at its Ghanaian mobile unit. MTN has rolled out approximately 343 base…
Internet
South African Minister claims several consortiums interested in NEPAD international fibre project
There were "several" consortiums that had shown interest in getting involved with the proposed information and communication technology broadband infrastructure for the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad), Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri,…
Internet
Algeria: ISPs express scepticism at Government’s target of three million users by 2010
Algerian ISPs do not believe the Government’s target of 3 million Internet users by 2010. According to a one of those attending a meeting of ISPs at the El Moudjahid…
Internet
South Africa: Mandela Bay Municipal Billing Goes Online
The Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan in Eastern Cape has developed an innovative billing system in an attempt to improve customer service and the collection of revenue. The municipality, which includes…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- According to an insider, the Egyptian Government wanted to charge one East coast fibre consortium US$600 million for transit rights up the Suez Canal. Some distance here between rhetoric…
Computing
Nintendo’s Wii launches in South Africa
Nintendo’s Wii, the most popular gaming console in the world, has been launched in SA and will be available in local stores this weekend. The Wii is priced at R2…
Computing
Tunisia: Microsoft launches IMPRESS entrepreneurship programme to back start-ups
Microsoft has sponsored the IMPRESS programme to back the ten best start-up projects it finds through its Microsoft Innovation Centre in Tunisia’s El Ghezala technopark. "We have designed the IMPRESS…
Computing
New bank in Tanzania invests heavily in ICT systems
Traditionally Africa’s banks have been slow to upgrade their internal processes using ICT. But for any new entrant coming into the market, the implementation of ICT systems is a real…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Bytes Systems Integration has announced a newly signed deal with Axis Communications South Africa, network IP video suppliers. In terms of this deal, Bytes SI will partner with Axis…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
- Ghana’s regulator NCA announced that mobile operators have until the end of this month to begin implementing a mandatory system of registering pre-paid SIM cards. The NCA’s new rules…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Kenya: Econet finally pays remaining licence fee after finding new local investors
Econet Wireless Kenya looks finally to be going ahead with its Kenya licence after paying the remaining portion of its licence fee and finding new local investors to take a…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Maroc Telecom has 22.3% increase in operational turnover in Q3, 2007
The Maroc Telecom group had a consolidated turnover of MD6.1 million, a growth of 15.9% and an operational profit of MD2.8 million, a growth of 22.3% as a result of…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Tunisia’s BTS finances Ayaris Call Centre
Banque Tunisienne de Solidarité (BTS) has taken the unusual step of financing one of Tunisia’s newest call centres, Ayaris Call Centre. Speaking in a recent interview, Ayaris’ D-G Elyes Ayari…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
QMobile Europe says it will launch 4 CDMA operations in Africa but needs further investment
QMobile Europe’s CEO André Vorster says that he has plans to launch CDMA operations in four unnamed African countries and that he has been able to overcome the traditional barrier…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- South Africa’s Altech announced half year results for the period ended 31 August 2007. Revenue increased by 20% to R4 billion, the company’s operating profit increased by 6% to…
Digital Content
Web2forDev Conference: Audioblogging to spread knowledge to farmers
This week saw the Web2forDev conference take place in Rome. One speaker from India highlighted the innovative approach of audioblogs for farmers to spread knowledge and overcome literacy issues, reports…
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People
- Lyndall Shope-Mafole has been re-elected to a second term as South Africa’s Communications Department’s Director-General. - Actor Omar Sharif is to voice the new commercials for MTC’s brand make-over…
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Events
- ICT AFRICA 2007 October 1-5, 2007, Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi, Kenya ICT Africa is an annual continental information and communications technology conference addressing all aspects of ICT development…
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Jobs and opportunities
eLearning Africa 2008 Opens Call for Proposals The 3rd eLearning Africa conference, which will take place from May 28 to 30, 2008, in Ghana's capital Accra, has opened its Call…
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Contracts
Uganda: Warid Telecom and Motorola Motorola has announced that it has been selected by Warid Telecom Uganda to design and deploy an 802.16e WiMAX network. Under the terms of the…
