News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 985 – 19 July 2019
Top Story
Data free messaging platform Moya Messenger's CEO set to roll-out in Nigeria and signs partnership with MTN to sell its services
19 July 2019
biNu has gone from being a successful content platform with optimized data access for featurephone with significant numbers in several African countries to being a B2B platform with reverse billing agreements with MNOs. Users get “data free” and corporates can use the platform to communicate with existing customers and market to new customers. In the phrase they use on their Twitter account, like WhatsApp but no data costs. Russell Southwood spoke to its new CEO Stephen A Newton about what he’s got planned. biNu has three big pieces of news. A new CEO with a background in digital advertising has…
Telecoms
Truecaller Launches User Verification Solution For The Mobile Web
19 July 2019
Truecaller has announced the global launch of its Truecaller SDK solution exclusively for the mobile web platform. With this, Truecaller SDK now supports all the key mobile platforms across Android,…
Telecoms
Smartphone powered blockchain technology launched in Rwanda
19 July 2019
The launching of smartphone powered by blockchain technology earlier this week in Rwanda made the news with a Singapore based startup technology company "Pundi X" unveiling the phone, XPhone, at…
Telecoms
Airtel And MTN Launch GSMA 'We Care' Initiative Promoting Digital Inclusion in Rwanda
19 July 2019
'We Care' Launched in Rwanda to Drive Mobile Internet Uptake and Promote Digital Skills, Supported by Rwanda's Ministry of ICT and Innovation Rwanda's mobile industry has joined forces with the…
Telecoms
Picketing: MTN Nigeria tells staff to stay away from headquarters
19 July 2019
The management of MTN Nigeria has directed staffs to stay away from its headquarters in Lagos on Wednesday. This, it said, was to protect workers from planned picketing by…
Telecoms
In brief
19 July 2019
President Museveni has directed State Minister for Privatisation and Investment, Ms Evelyn Anite to institute an audit in the activities of Uganda Telecommunication Limited (UTL). In a letter dated July…
Internet
Chad Lifts Social Media Ban After More Than A Year Of Internet Shutdown
19 July 2019
A few days ago, the President of Chad, Idriss Deby, ordered for the lifting of the ban placed on social media usage which has been imposed for more than a…
Internet
Seacom holds talks with Google for capacity on Equiano cable
19 July 2019
Seacom is interested in acquiring capacity on Google's Equiano cable along the west coast to Europe, TechCentral reported. CEO Byron Clatterbuck said Seacom is also paying close attention to plans…
Internet
Sparkle Selects the Djibouti Data Center as Its IP Hub in Africa
19 July 2019
Sparkle, the first international service provider in Italy and among the top ten global operators, announces it has moved its Djibouti Point of Presence (PoP) into the Djibouti Data Center…
Internet
TEOLIS rolls out network to 80% of Grand Lome
19 July 2019
TEOLIS, a new broadband access provider in Togo that entered its ‘operational phase’ in January 2018 some six months after receiving its licence from the Ministry of Posts and Digital…
Internet
Best WhatsApp data bundles in South Africa – Vodacom vs MTN
19 July 2019
There have been a number of changes to the price of WhatsApp data bundles in South Africa, with the cost of these bundles increasing significantly over the past few years.…
Internet
South Africa: Alexandra was supposed to get very cheap – and super fast – fibre more than a year ago. Here’s why Mitchells Plain will probably get there first
19 July 2019
Alexandra, the services-poor township neighbouring the super-rich Sandton, was supposed to get a digital leg up a year and a half ago: very cheap, super fast fibre internet connections. There…
Internet
South Africa: Fibre providers make a play for Soweto
19 July 2019
Soweto, considered one of SA’s most advanced townships, has in recent months witnessed increased activity in fibre rollout, as fibre providers lay infrastructure in the township’s neighbourhoods. In May, Telkom…
Internet
In brief
19 July 2019
Movitel, the smallest of Mozambique’s three cellcos in terms of subscriber numbers, has launched 4G services. Coverage is initially limited to capital city Maputo, according to a report from…
Computing
Angola Cables launches cloud service
19 July 2019
Angola Cables, an Angolan multinational telecommunications company has launched Angola Cables Cloud Service to the African market. The ‘Cloud as a Service’ platform was launched as a response to increasing…
Money Transfer
Safaricom Planning to roll out its e-commerce platform to other countries in 2020
19 July 2019
Kenyan telecoms operator Safaricom has announced plans to expand its e-commerce proposition, Masoko, to other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2020. Safaricom chief financial services officer Sitoyo Lopokoiyit made the…
Money Transfer
Kenya's central bank pushes for lower mobile loan fees
19 July 2019
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has stepped up talks with banks to lower the cost of mobile phone-based loans amid claims they are saddling borrowers with expensive debt, reports…
Money Transfer
Banks colluded on Paynet: Cambria Samir Shasha
19 July 2019
LONDON-listed Paynet Zimbabwe’s parent firm Cambria Africa Plc, has accused banks of working in collusion and as a “cartel” to take a unified position of refusing to pay for service…
Money Transfer
Kenyan Fintech company signs MoU to offer payment solutions between Africa and Asia
19 July 2019
Fintech solution provider WAPI Pay Kenya has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Singapore’s FOMO pay to provide payment solutions between Africa and Asia. Speaking on the sidelines of the…
Money Transfer
Firstbank promotes financial inclusion through digitisation in Sub-Saharan Africa
19 July 2019
First Bank of Nigeria Limited has announced its organisation of a Joint Seminar with sub-Saharan African Banking and Telecom Regulators to promote financial inclusion through digital innovations in sub-Saharan Africa.…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Zimbabwe - Govt to cede TelOne, NetOne majority shares by year-end
19 July 2019
There has been an interest by various investors to enter the telecoms sector in Zimbabwe. Among those who have expressed interest in the past are South African mobile giants MTN…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Liquid Telecom completes acquisition of Hai Telecommunications
19 July 2019
Liquid Telecom Zambia, part of the pan-African Telecom Group Liquid Telecom, has announced that its retail arm, Hai Telecommunications Limited (Hai Zambia), is now part of Liquid Telecom Zambia. This…
Digital Content
Spotify launched Disney Music Hub in South Africa
19 July 2019
Spotify users in United States, Canada, South Africa, The United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand can now enjoy listening to the new Disney Music Hub with all the music…
Digital Content
How gambling giant SportPesa made waves in Africa – and Premier League
19 July 2019
Everton’s sponsors are hailed by the club for supporting community schemes, but there are concerns about how the Kenyan-Bulgarian firm profits from an online gambling craze Barely heard of in…
Digital Content
Folks searched for FaceApp twice as much as they did for Mandela Day, on Mandela Day
19 July 2019
This week South Africa celebrated Mandela Day on the day of the late former president’s birthday. The day sees South Africans taking part in charitable events as a way to…
More
Opportunities
19 July 2019
Applications open for the 5th AppsAfrica Innovation Awards The fifth AppsAfrica Innovation Awards, celebrate the best in mobile and tech from across Africa, showcasing the continents best innovations in 14…
More
People
19 July 2019
Shatse Kakwagh joins Layer3 as Executive DirectorLayer3, an industry leader in cloud, scalable and secure networks, has announced that it has appointed Shatse Kakwagh as its Executive Director, Strategy and…
More
Events
19 July 2019
SAFNOG-5 & iWeek 2019 We are proud to announce that for the 5th instalment of SAFNOG, we will be returning to Johannesburg, South Africa where it all began. SAFNOG and…
