News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 903 – 24 November 2017
Top Story
CSquared wants to roll out metronets in more countries and build and buy long-distance fibre in West Africa
24 November 2017
CSquared is the offspring of a set of investment partners who believe in shared fibre infrastructure. It has the ambition and the funding to make a difference in several key markets. Russell Southwood spoke this week to Acting CEO, Bhavesh Mistry. CSquared came out of a deal completed in October this year between Google, Convergence Partners, the World Bank’s investment arm, the International Finance Corporation and Japan’s Mitsui and Co. The different parties in the deal have pledged US$100 million for future investments. From Google’s point of view, the logic of the deal was that it wanted to co-invest with…
Telecoms
Mobile subscriber numbers in South Africa
24 November 2017
South Africa’s mobile networks are all growing their subscriber numbers, with Telkom the latest network to reveal its most recent figures. As listed companies, it is a requirement for Vodacom,…
Telecoms
Vietnam is now considering 9mobile as a possible entry channel into Nigeria’s ICT market
24 November 2017
Vietnam, there is one Asian country you often don’t hear about when talking about Asia countries investing in Africa. Well, it seems the Viet do not want to be left…
Telecoms
Liquid Telecom raises $180m to expand its offering
24 November 2017
Liquid Telecom, the pan African telecoms group, says that it has raised $180 million in secured senior notes and tap stock. The newly raised funds will be used to refinance…
Telecoms
Vodacom facing class action lawsuit over “disappearing airtime”
24 November 2017
Vodacom is facing a class action lawsuit for tens of millions for “unauthorised fees” the company charged subscribers. The unauthorised charges, which are often experienced as disappearing airtime by users,…
Telecoms
In brief
24 November 2017
Orange Group-owned, incumbent Senegalese telco Sonatel has announced the launch of a fibre-optic broadband network this week. Senegal’s first fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) service has been initially deployed in the areas of…
Internet
The fastest ISPs for Netflix in South Africa
24 November 2017
Netflix has revealed its ISP Speed Index for October, with Cool Ideas retaining the top spot. South Africa’s ISPs achieved an overall average speed of 2.5Mbps, maintaining the country’s rank…
Internet
Nigeria Has Been Ranked 15th In ICT Development In Africa
24 November 2017
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), last week, released a report on the 2017 ICT Development Index (IDI), which measured the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) development in Africa – Nigeria…
Internet
There’s growing concern about the price Africa will pay for internet shutdowns and fake news
24 November 2017
The internet has been lauded as a panacea for Africa—a tool for economic, political and social transformation. The availability of mobile broadband and fiber optic connections has been hailed for…
Internet
Facebook launches community tech hub in Nigeria
24 November 2017
Facebook is launching a "community hub" and training program in Nigeria, its biggest market in Africa. The hub will offer support to tech startups and will also train 50,000 young…
Internet
ICT is strategic tool for NGO sustainability
24 November 2017
Brand South Africa partnered with the Southern African Non-Governmental Organisations Network (SANGONeT) to celebrate 30 years since it was established, hosting a three-day NGO-ICT summit in Benoni this month. SANGONeT…
Internet
South Africa - Government slammed over ICT bill
24 November 2017
Cabinet last Friday approved the Electronic Communications Amendment Bill, which, if enacted, will see sweeping changes to legislation governing South Africa’s ICT sector that will force through the creation of…
Computing
Telkom to invest ZAR 250 million in coding fund
24 November 2017
South African operator Telkom will invest ZAR250 million over the next three years in a fund to train young people in coding, reports Businesstech. Telkom CEO Sipho Maseko said it…
Computing
Somaliland’s voting technology shows how Africa can lead the world
24 November 2017
Africa has become a testing ground for technological leapfrogging. This is a process that involves skipping stages and moving rapidly to the frontiers of innovation. Somaliland has become the first…
Computing
Telkom CEO advocates tech to address inequality in Africa
24 November 2017
The man at the helm of telecommunications services provider Telkom South Africa believes technology remains one of the more effective ways to address challenges facing Africa. Speaking at the BCX…
Computing
“Africa cannot operate in isolation” says NetApp’s Patrick Maphopha
24 November 2017
Data management and storage company, NetApp will host a Partner Academy event on the 23rd of November 2017 in Nairobi, Kenya. At the event, NetApp will discuss some of the…
Computing
Africa’s Largest Tech Incubator Launches New Spaces In Lagos And Cape Town
24 November 2017
The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST), a training program, seed fund and Africa’s largest tech incubator based in Ghana, has launched two new incubator spaces in Nigeria and South…
Money Transfer
CBE approves raising mobile cash transfer limit in Egypt
24 November 2017
The Central Bank of Egypt approved increasing caps on cash withdrawals and depositing under mobile-phone cash transfer services, head of marketing department at Vodafone Egypt Karim Shehata announced Sunday. Shehata…
Money Transfer
Pesapal launches Bluetooth mobile payment for businesses
24 November 2017
Pesapal has announced the launch of its mobile point of sale solution dubbed Pesapal Sabi. The solution will have card payments processed over Bluetooth connections via Sabi mobile point of…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Glo, Airtel, Dangote, Seven Others Advance to Final Stage in 9mobile Bid
24 November 2017
The scramble to acquire 9mobile, Nigeria’s fourth largest network operator, has advanced to the next stage, with 10 out of the 16 firms that submitted expressions of interest (EoIs) for…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Chinese organization inaugurates Africa office in Ethiopia to facilitate investment
24 November 2017
ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- China's tech hub city Shenzhen has consolidated economic partnership with Ethiopia by opening its Shenzhen Outbound Alliance (SOA) Africa branch office in Ethiopia's capital…
Digital Content
Internet of Elephants uses AR to get up close to endangered species, turns their migrations into a game
24 November 2017
Wildlife conservation groups have made a lot of strides in raising awareness of animals whose populations or natural habitats are endangered, and what we can do to help. Now a…
Digital Content
Nigeria: Google Celebrates Chinua Achebe's Legacy With Doodle
24 November 2017
In commemoration of his 87th birthday, U.S. technology firm and the world's largest Internet search engine, Google, Thursday honoured Nigerian author, the late Chinua Achebe, with a Doodle. A Google…
Digital Content
Egypt singer held for 'inciting debauchery' in music video
24 November 2017
An Egyptian singer has reportedly been detained for a week after she appeared in a music video in her underwear while suggestively eating a banana. Shaimaa Ahmed, a 25-year-old known…
Digital Content
South Africa: GovChat Brings Government Closer the People
24 November 2017
The app designed for easy two-way communication between government and the public has been given the nod by two great continental bodies - the EU and AU. The app, GovChat,…
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People
24 November 2017
Derek Wilcocks leaving DiData After 22 years with Dimension Data, group CIO Derek Wilcocks has decided to leave the company. This is according to an internal memo sent to staff…
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Opportunities
24 November 2017
Google Africa sets up mentorship programmes for tech designers, entrepreneurs Google Launchpad and Google Play South Africa were launched in November 2017 to boost African technology start-ups and develop a…
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Events
24 November 2017
Africa Tech Summit Kigali - 2018 Following the success of Africa Tech Summit London which will return in May 2018, we are delighted to welcome you to Africa Tech Summit…
