Issue no 752 10th April 2015
Top Story
The Mobile Gender Gap in Africa is Costing Operator Revenues – Women own less phones and use them less says GSMA study
The gender gap in Africa is part of a broader global gap in terms of both handset ownership and use. Unless operators get to grips with closing this gap, they could be losing significant revenue according to a study from the GSMA. Russell Southwood spoke to Claire Sibthorpe, GSMA Connected Women Programme Director about what the study shows.Q. In broad terms, describe the global gender gap in terms of mobile ownership and use?A. The research showed that over 1.7 billion females in low- and middle-income countries do not own mobile phones and women on average are 14 percent less likely…
Telecoms
Essar acquisition boosts Airtel subscriber base to 7.6m
The Communications Authority of Kenya has published its statistical report for the three months ended 31 December 2014, in which it reveals that the total number of mobile subscriptions rose…
Telecoms
GSMA Welcomes South Africa’s Move to Foster Digital Inclusion and Economic Growth Through Mobile
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following the publication of the South African Government’s Final Radio Frequency Spectrum Assignment Plans1, Tom Phillips, Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA, commented:“The GSMA congratulates the Government of South Africa on…
Telecoms
MTN South Africa launches first Firefox phone in Africa
MTN South Africa has become the first operator in Africa to release a Firefox OS-based smartphone, using the latest version of the operating system. The Alcatel OneTouch Fire E smartphone…
Telecoms
SA’s RetroEpic launches 1st mobile game
South African independent games development company RetroEpic has released its first mobile game, a Day in the Woods, saying that moving from desktop to mobile games has been an “exciting…
Telecoms
Telecom Namibia shuts down CDMA voice and data services
Full-service operator Telecom Namibia discontinued its CDMA mobile voice and data network services in their entirety at the start of this month, in favour of its GSM/W-CDMA/LTE mobile network operated…
Telecoms
Telecoms - In brief
Indian cellco Airtel has extended its 3G network to the cities of Abeche and Mondou, local news portal Journal du Tchad writes. The most recent launch took place in Mondou…
Internet
Benin Telecoms begins 4G LTE rollout
Benin Telecoms has officially commenced its 4G rollout. The reveal was made at an event attended by president Yayi Boni. Benin will be the fourth country in the Economic Community…
Internet
NiRA records increases in domain name registrations
The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) reported an increase in the number of domain name registrations. According to the report, 1,805 domain names were registered and 1,429 domain names were…
Internet
Kenya: State-owned fibre optic cable not viable, says auditor-general
The Auditor–General has questioned the economic viability of a government-owned terrestrial fibre cable.An audit revealed that by last year, more than Sh12.5 billion had been used to finance the National…
Computing
Dutch NGO Spark launches Somali business incubator
Dutch non-government organisation (NGO) Spark and partners have launched the Africa House business incubator and entrepreneurship development centre in Gargeisa, Somalia, the first such project in the Somali regions.Africa House…
Computing
Kenya’s Angani formally launches cloud services
Kenyan fully automated cloud infrastructure startup Angani has formally launched its cloud and hosting services, which it says are focused on the small and medium enterprise (SME) market and the…
Computing
Apple reinvesting in South Africa
The world’s biggest technology company, Apple, has quietly established a South African office and now appears set to grow its presence in the local market.It’s the first time the company…
Computing
Computing - In brief
Microsoft will extend its Biz4Afrika SME portal from initial trials in South Africa and Kenya to establish a pan-African version by the end of next month.The portal is intended to…
Money Transfer
Kenya: authorities freeze money transfer services
The Kenyan government has listed 86 people and entities suspected of supporting terrorism in the country, including 13 money transfer services, in the wake of the recent Garissa University attack…
Money Transfer
Equity Bank MVNO moves in on Kenya's mobile money market
Mobile virtual number operator Finserve Africa Limited (trading as Equitel) has made its mark in the Kenyan mobile money market, overtaking veterans such as Orange Money during October and December…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
OLX acquires its biggest rival in Nigeria
VENTURES AFRICA – OLX, one of Africa’s largest classifieds, has acquired Tradestable, its biggest rival in Nigeria. The move not only gives OLX, a relatively new entrant into Africa’s biggest…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
MTN eyes $1bn windfall from Iranian nuclear deal
South Africa-based telecommunications company, MTN Group, has said it will be able to transfer about $1 billion in accumulated dividends and a loan repayment from its Iranian unit if the…
Digital Content
Reading on Mobile Phones? mLiteracy Opportunities and Challenges
Recently, the Goethe Institute of Johannesburg hosted an mLiteracy Networking Meeting to examine the opportunities and challenges for mobiles to increase literacy development, especially in Africa. It was an incredibly…
Digital Content
How technology eased Buhari's path to power in Nigeria
Technology played a decisive role in helping Muhammadu Buhari become the first Nigerian to oust a sitting president at the ballot box, from social media campaigning to biometric machines preventing…
Digital Content
Je Suis Kenyan #147notjustanumber is the hashtag that gives life to each person slain in the Kenya attack
After Islamist militants attacked Garissa University College in Kenya, headlines around the world spoke of “147 killed Kenyan students.” A viral social media campaign shows the individuals behind that statistic,…
Digital Content
Kruger National Park is getting drones to boost rhino protection
While Amazon has just received permission to test drone-delivery in the States, the Kruger National Park in South Africa is getting more aerial power of its own in an effort…
Digital Content
Kenyan tech innovators chosen for BBC digital pilot
Two groups of Kenyan tech innovators have been selected to help the BBC reach young African audiences through social and digital platforms.The young digital specialists from Go Sheng Services and…
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People
E-commerce company Jumia Ivory Coast has appointed Francis Dufay as sole managing director (MD) following the appointment of his former co-MD Fatoumata Ba to the same position at Jumia Nigeria.Dufay…
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Opportunities
Huawei-She Leads Africa Fellowship Deadline: April 30, 2015The Huawei-She Leads Africa Fellowship is the first program of its kind to provide female tech entrepreneurs from across Africa the opportunity to…
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Events
CompTIA’s 5TH ANNUAL TRENDS IN CLOUD COMPUTING13-14 April 2015, Habtoor Grand Hotel, DubaiWelcome back to the Cloud World Forum MENA – the Middle East & North Africa’s Leading Cloud Computing…
