News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no. 882 – 23 June 2017
Top Story
Nigeria’s VoguePay wants to capture the ECOWAS region with its payment processing service
23 June 2017
The African online and mobile payment processing space is becoming extremely crowded. The winners will be those that can deliver high volumes of transactions. So whatever the problems of the Nigerian economy has now, it would be sensible to be looking for long-term winners in that market. Russell Southwood spoke to one of the runners, Michael Simeon, Co-Founder and CEO, VoguePay. VoguePay is a payment processing company that can send and collect money from Africa: 95% of its business is B2C and 5% B2B. It has over 100,000 registered users and 50,000 active users. 80% of them are in Nigeria…
Telecoms
Liquid Telecom seeks billions more for SA, Africa expansion
23 June 2017
Liquid Telecom, which recently concluded the R6.5bn acquisition of Johannesburg-headquartered Neotel, is raising US$700m (about R9bn) in long-term debt as it eyes further investment in network infrastructure in South Africa…
Telecoms
MainOne's Submarine Cable Out for 14 Days
23 June 2017
MainOne, has announced that repairs on its submarine cable which suffered a major fault Sunday has commenced. However, the appealed for its customers' patience throughout the repair period which it…
Telecoms
Telkom Kenya expands newly launched 4G network to 19 more towns
23 June 2017
Telkom Kenya, the fixed and mobile operator which was sold by Orange Group to private equity firm Helios Investment Partners in June 2016, has expanded its recently launched LTE network…
Telecoms
Zimbabwe: Potraz reviews local data charges
23 June 2017
The Postal and Telecommunications Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) is evaluating local data charges and major cost drivers amid indications the cost of data in Zimbabwe is too high, reports the…
Telecoms
In brief
23 June 2017
Senegal’s Authority of Regulation of Telecommunications and Posts (L’Autorite de Regulation des Telecommunications et des Postes, ARTP) has reportedly granted three MVNO licences, following its public call for applications on…
Internet
Togo inaugurates its first IXP to reduce costs
23 June 2017
Togo has inaugurated its first point Internet Exchange (IXP) which should enable interconnect Internet providers (DO) in order to reduce the cost of internet connection. Reforms in the digital sector…
Computing
Code Week targets half a million Africans
23 June 2017
The 2017 edition of Africa Code Week officially kicked off yesterday (Monday 19 June) in Flic-En-Flac, Mauritius. Now in its third year, Africa Code Week aims to spread coding literacy…
Computing
South Africa: ICT Access for Offenders
23 June 2017
Pretoria — Life will never be the same again for the offenders at the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre in Pretoria, thanks to the donation of 100 computers from the Department…
Money Transfer
Youtap Partners With Matchmove to Deliver Open-Loop Payments for Mobile Money Customers in Africa and Asia
23 June 2017
This partnership is in response to the growing demand for Mastercard companion cards connected with mobile money accounts globally Youtap, a global provider of contactless mobile money payments and financial…
Money Transfer
Nigerian Startup Partners With Mastercard To Make Cashless E-Commerce A Reality
23 June 2017
Nigerian fintech startup NetPlus has worked in partnership with global payments giant Mastercard to develop a cashless e-commerce solution that provides the Nigerian market with a safe, transparent and efficient…
Money Transfer
Why Somalia may be next goldmine for bold banks
23 June 2017
What comes into your mind when you hear Somalia mentioned? Al Shabaab? African Union? Famine? Pirates? KDF? However negative it is, you are not to blame. Somalia hasn’t attracted good…
Money Transfer
How birth of M-Pesa sealed Orange Telkom’s fate
23 June 2017
Helios Investment Partners, the biggest stock holders in Telkom Kenya, have rolled up their sleeves and hope their recently unveiled turn-around plan will awaken the sleeping giant. The London-headquartered private…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Banks take over Etisalat over $1.2 billion debt
23 June 2017
Lending bankers have taken over telecommunications company Etisalat and subsequently announced changes in the shareholding structure of the company. Access Bank Plc and other Nigerian banks eventually took over the…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Blue Label confident of Cell C deal in August
23 June 2017
Blue Label plans to acquire 45% of Cell C for R5.5 billion. Blue Label Telecoms is looking to finalise the Cell C recapitalisation deal in August. In a statement issued…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Cell C could hand debt to special purpose vehicles - report
23 June 2017
South African operator Cell C is seeking to cut its debt by 73 percent as part of a deal to help it sell a stake to Blue Label Telecoms while…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Telecom Egypt to secure $720.2 mln loan to develop services
23 June 2017
Egypt's state-owned landline monopoly Telecom Egypt will secure a loan of up to 13 billion Egyptian pounds ($720.22 million) to improve infrastructure and mobile internet services, Chief Executive Ahmed El…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
FinTech companies take on banks, telcos with Big Data arsenal
23 June 2017
Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon have all gone into the digital payments game. As have China’s Alibaba and WeChat. Developing markets such as Kenya do not yet have the levels…
Digital Content
Twitter eyes SA growth with Lite app
23 June 2017
Cape Town - Twitter is eyeing its Lite application to grow in South Africa to mitigate the cost of data. In an exclusive interview with Fin24, Twitter senior director Barry…
Digital Content
Ghana’s Asoriba streamlines church administration across Africa
23 June 2017
When it comes to finding niches, Ghanaian startup Asoriba has really hit the nail on the head. Especially as the gap its solution fills is actually a gaping hole. Typically,…
Digital Content
South Africa’s Uk’shona Kwelanga is the country’s first ever WhatsApp drama series
23 June 2017
Uk’shona Kwelanga is South Africa’s first ever drama series to be distributed exclusively via WhatsApp. The drama series is created in partnership with South African insurance company, Sanlam. The series…
Digital Content
Facebook celebrates MENA winners of First Bots for Messenger Developer Challenge
23 June 2017
Facebook (www.Facebook.com) selected 3 winners from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) from 60 finalists as part of the first-ever Bots for Messenger Developer Challenge (https://MessengerChallenge.splashthat.com). The Bots for…
Digital Content
SA rallies against high data costs with #SocialMediaBlackout
23 June 2017
Johannesburg - South African social media users are set to boycott using data services on Wednesday, after a call to action on Twitter, with the #SocialMediaBlackout campaign trending on Tuesday.…
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People
23 June 2017
MTN South Africa makes 5 executive appointments MTN South Africa has strengthened its executive team by appointing five new members in a bid to enhance operational efficiency and provide more…
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Opportunities
23 June 2017
3 African startups win development prize Uganda’s BarefootLaw, Ghana’s Farmerline and Kenya’s Kytabu have been named winners of the King Baudouin African Development Prize, taking home EUR75,000 (US$84,000) each in…
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Events
23 June 2017
Information Technology Innovations For Economic Diversification: The Role of Youths 3rd - 7th July 2017University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State The National Conference is an annual event that bring…
