News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 950 9 November 2018
Top Story
Privatization of Africa’s state-owned telcos is stuck in a rut – potential assets are wasting away
9 November 2018
Two recent privatization announcements have re-ignited interest in whether momentum might be returning to what has seemed like a stuck process. Russell Southwood reviews where the process has got to and why it remains important. Only 18 out of 52 African countries have privatized their state-owned telecoms company. Of these, three are only partly privatized. The state-owned companies - a mix of fixed line and mobile operations - used to be the incumbent operators dominating their markets. Many African Governments protected their padded workforces and often tipped the regulatory rules firmly in their favor. In competitive markets, after a struggle…
Telecoms
GSMA: 5G at risk if mobile operators don’t get access to the right spectrum
9 November 2018
With One Year to Go to the World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19), GSMA Calls for Governments to Support Mobile Industry Spectrum Needs 6 November 2018, London: The successful rollout of…
Telecoms
Excitement as Mogadishu gets 4G mobile network
9 November 2018
Somtel telecommunications, a mobile telephony company in East Africa, has introduced a 3G/4G mobile network, and eDahab mobile money transfer services to its customers in Mogadishu, Somalia. During the launch…
Telecoms
Tanzanian government criticises Airtel Africa IPO plan
9 November 2018
The Tanzanian government says it does not recognise the Airtel Africa IPO and that the ownership of Airtel Tanzania will depend on its negotiations with Bharti Airtel, Mint reported. The…
Telecoms
Vodacom South Africa and Telkom sign roaming and facilities leasing deal
9 November 2018
Vodacom South Africa and Telkom have concluded a long-term, multi-billion rand agreement whereby Telkom will obtain roaming and facilities leasing services from Vodacom with full effect from June 2019. Telkom…
Telecoms
ALL G - Parallel Wireless ‘Connects’ in 12 African Countries
9 November 2018
2G/3G/4G/5G Open RAN solution helping to bridge the digital divide for the estimated 800 million still unconnected in Africa NASHUA, N.H., 8th November 2018 – Deploying network facilities across Africa,…
Internet
ICT prohibitively expensive in Malawi – Freedom House report
9 November 2018
Lesedi Mapheto, owner of Lesedi 7 Group, says speed, quality and the ability to print on a wide range of media were the key features that encouraged him to invest…
Internet
Nigeria: Fast, Free Google WiFi Could Transform Nigerians' Health
9 November 2018
Abuja — Nigeria is the fifth country – and the first in Africa – to get Google Station super-fast Internet at selected locations. Google Station has launched in Nigeria, bringing…
Internet
International study shows that people and organisations don’t fully trust anyone when it comes to their online data
9 November 2018
From cybercriminals to their own government, employers and even family, people worry about who could access their online life LAGOS, Nigeria, November 8, 2018/ -- A new study of mid-size…
Internet
Kenya gains largest number of votes in ITU Council election
9 November 2018
Kenya has been re-elected to the Council of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the UN specialised agency for ICT. Kenya garnered 140 votes, the highest on the continent, followed by…
Internet
Rwanda becomes the first country in Africa to establish an eWTP hub.
9 November 2018
"The Electronic World Trade Platform opens up new frontiers in e-commerce and tourism for Rwanda, and will also boost the capacity and competitiveness of our entrepreneurs and businesspeople", said Kagame.…
Internet
SPACECOM LAUNCHES VERTICAL SOLUTIONS DIVISION TARGETING AFRICA'S GROWING DATA AND VIDEO MARKETS
9 November 2018
Tel Aviv – 8 November 2018: Spacecom (Tel Aviv Stock Exchange: SCC), operator of the AMOS satellite fleet, announced that it is expanding sales with a Vertical Solutions Division targeting…
Internet
NCC establishes industry code to regulate internet access
9 November 2018
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it has concluded plans to establish internet industry code of practice to regulate internet access and services in the country. Prof. Umar Danbatta, the…
Computing
Cyber threats on African subjects
9 November 2018
Since 2015, security experts have forecasted government and commercial online services as the next frontier for illegal activity in Africa. The large gap in available data regarding cybercrime in Africa…
Computing
Huawei to launch Africa public cloud datacentre in Johannesburg
9 November 2018
Multinational ICT company Huawei has announced plans to launch its first public cloud datacentre in Africa. The company said the cloud services will be offered from the datacentre in Johannesburg,…
Computing
How Virtual Reality Can Help Keep African Miners Safe
9 November 2018
A South African tech company is putting virtual reality technology to good use by making the mining industry safer. Mining is getting more dangerous, if official statistics are to be…
Computing
Senegal launches African cybersecurity school
9 November 2018
DAKAR – Senegal on Tuesday inaugurated a cybersecurity school to strengthen West Africa’s defenses against computer hackers and use of the internet for terror funding and propaganda. Senegalese Foreign Minister…
Computing
In brief
9 November 2018
Rack Centre, Africa’s Premium Data Centre has been named the winner in the Best Data Centre Innovation category of this year's Capacity Europe 2018 Global Carrier Awards in London. Rosalind…
Money Transfer
Safaricom to Introduce Fuliza, an Overdraft Facility on M-Pesa Transactions
9 November 2018
During the announcement of the company’s Half Year results, Safaricom took the opportunity to announce that they will be introducing overdrafts on M-Pesa, the largest mobile money service in Kenya…
Money Transfer
Access Bank, Transfast Partner For Instant Money Transfer To Nigeria
9 November 2018
Transfast, a leading provider of cross-border payments and remittance solutions, has partnered with Access Bank to facilitate the inflow of remittance to bank accounts and delivery in the form of…
Money Transfer
Western Union Powers Safaricom’s M-PESA Mobile Wallet to Send Money Globally
9 November 2018
Kenya’s leading mobile network operator and provider of M-PESA, a leading mobile wallet, and the Western Union Company (NYSE: WU), a leader in cross-border and cross-currency money movement, have joined…
Money Transfer
Uganda brings in UGX103bn from mobile money tax
9 November 2018
The government of Uganda says its controversial tax on mobile money services raised UGX103 billion (USD27.4 million) in the three months to end-September. When it was implemented at the start…
Money Transfer
Ecobank moves to ease diaspora money transfer
9 November 2018
Ecobank has unveiled its latest online remittance application tagged, ‘Rapidtransfer’, a platform to enable Nigerians in diaspora send money to their relatives and loved ones back home. The app was…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Telecom firm Glo Ghana avoids closure over $2 million debt
9 November 2018
Ghanaian officials say the company owes taxes to the tune of over $2 million (GHC 10 million) and has refused to make payments. The Ghanaian revenue agency was embarking on…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Safaricom posts 7.4% rise in half-year revenue
9 November 2018
Kenyan telecoms operator Safaricom has reported total revenue of KES122.8 billion (USD1.2 billion) for the six months ended 30 September 2018, an increase of 7.4% from KES114.4 billion in the…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Local VC funds surge, Naspers ramps up and fintech diversifies
9 November 2018
Africa’s VC landscape is becoming more African with an increasing number of investment funds headquartered on the continent and run by locals, according to Crunchbase data summarized in this TechCrunch…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Bharti says Airtel Africa IPO will not affect shareholding of Tanzania unit
9 November 2018
Bharti Airtel has reassured the government of Tanzania that the planned listing of Airtel Africa will not affect the shareholding of its local mobile unit, writes the Economic Times. Following…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
AYO expects rise in profit
9 November 2018
JSE-listed AYO Technology Solutions Limited (AYO), said on Tuesday that it expected a significant increase in its headline earnings per share and earnings per share as compared to the previous…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Rwanda: MTN Turns to Banks to Raise Rwf50 Billion for Network Upgrade
9 November 2018
MTN Rwanda has approached local commercial banks about a Rwf50 billion loan for financing its operations and network expansion, The New Times has leant. The telecom operator is already in…
Digital Content
#NEF2018: This new platform will pave the way for Africa’s next generation of researchers
9 November 2018
The Next Einstein Forum (NEF), an initiative of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) has partnered with Elsevier to provide editorial expertise, infrastructure and a capacity building engine for…
Digital Content
Nigerian army posts Trump video to justify shooting protesters
9 November 2018
Defence spokesman says army posted Trump video after criticism that it used weapons against peaceful Shia Muslims Nigeria’s army has posted a video of Donald Trump saying soldiers would shoot…
Digital Content
AfricaCom Awards 2018 – shortlist
9 November 2018
The annual AfricaCom Awards shortlist was released on 31 October. With an overwhelming number of excellent entries, the selection process has been even more challenging than previous years. According to…
Digital Content
Triggr, first emergency mobile app takes on crime control in Nigeria
9 November 2018
With the spate of criminality rising and many people needing to take emergency measures to safeguard their lives and property, a Nigerian startup has come up with a solution that…
Digital Content
Comviva Launches Unified Digital Experience Platform (UDxP)
9 November 2018
Nairobi, Kenya – 08 November 2018: Comviva, the global leader in providing mobility solutions, has released a powerful, yet simple to use, Unified Digital Experience Platform (UDxP) that will accelerate…
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People
9 November 2018
Piet Swemmer Retires After 15 Years at Q-KON Many that know Piet Swemmer, Operations Director at Q-KON Africa, will agree that he played a irreplaceable role in the development of…
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Opportunities
9 November 2018
South Africa: Google Impact Challenge opens public voting Public voting has opened for the first Google Impact Challenge Africa, a competition to find the most innovative not-for-profit African organisations using…
