News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 999 – 25 October 2019
Top Story
MTN wants to build a WeChat-style platform to compete with the likes of WhatsApp and Messenger – David Gilarranz on building all things digital for the Big Yello
25 October 2019
There’s many a slip on the road to digital for mobile operators but one of those that’s probably at the front of the race is MTN. Russell Southwood talks to David Gilarranz, Group CEO Digital, MTN about creating Ayoba and the key streams of digital content. Before he joined MTN 18 months ago, he had previously worked as CDO/VP Digital and Innovation and Global Head of Digital and VAS for Millicom, largely cutting his teeth in doing digital in Latin America. Before that he was Founder, President and CEO of Vida Mobile, a company that built a business and team…
Telecoms
Nigeria Suspends MTN’s Proposed USSD Access Fee
25 October 2019
Isa Pantami, Nigeria’s Communications Minister, has blocked a proposed move by MTN to charge users US$0.013 per four seconds for USSD access to mobile banking services. Pantami instructed the Nigerian…
Telecoms
MTN South Africa Commits To Working With Struggling Cell C
25 October 2019
MTN South Africa’s CEO Godfrey Motsa has announced that the company is committed to working with the struggling mobile operator Cell C. Speaking at the recent MyBroadband Conference that took…
Telecoms
Zulu King set to launch new MVNO in November
25 October 2019
King Goodwill Zwelithini plans to launch a new mobile network in South Africa on 1 November – Bayede Mobile. Bayede is a Zulu salutation that translates to ‘hail the king’,…
Telecoms
Ground-breaking global report explores spectrum sharing in South Africa
25 October 2019
Johannesburg, South Africa, 14 October 2019: New forms of spectrum sharing could enable many more people to benefit from broadband connectivity and digital services, according to a report published last…
Telecoms
Nokia collaborates with two leading universities in Ethiopia to promote digital skills and innovation
25 October 2019
Nokia is committed to working with Ethiopia to pave the way for world-class telecommunication services with advanced technologies including 4G and 5G Nokia will collaborate with two of the most…
Telecoms
In brief
25 October 2019
Ethiopia’s state-owned telecoms monopoly, Ethio Telecom, registered a 21% increase in revenues in the first quarter of its fiscal year to $343m, with a 10% increase in users to 44.45m.…
Internet
Nigeria: FG To Spend $179 Million On Broadband Infrastructure
25 October 2019
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has revealed that a total of $179 million will be spent on the laying of 127,000km of fibre optic throughout Nigeria in the next four…
Internet
Innovative youth circumvent internet shutdowns in Africa
25 October 2019
Recent years have seen governments across Africa, from Uganda, Cameroon, Sudan, Eritrea and Nigeria seeking to control information flow and curtail dissident voices. This, at a time when the internet…
Internet
Internet censorship in Sudan: Rethinking laws and tactics that served an authoritarian regime
25 October 2019
For over thirty years, Sudan was ruled and controlled by a military regime under Omar al-Bashir until a revolution earlier this year ousted him from power. What started as protests…
Internet
BBS inks deal with Tanzania’s TTCL to improve Burundi’s broadband connectivity
25 October 2019
Xinhua news agency reports that Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation (TTCL) yesterday (22 October) signed an agreement with Burundi Backbone Systems (BBS) – a consortium of Burundian telecommunications operators that have joined…
Internet
Achieving Broadband Access for All in Africa Comes With a $100 Billion Price Tag
25 October 2019
To achieve universal broadband access, African countries will need to bring about 1.1 billion more people online Across Africa, where less than a third of the population has access to…
Internet
Algérie Telecom Satellite Selects Hughes Jupiter System to Launch Satellite Internet Service
25 October 2019
Germantown, MD, September 9, 2019 – Hughes Network Systems, LLC, a global leader in broadband satellite networks and services, today announced that Algérie Telecom Satellite (ATS), the leading public satellite…
Internet
In brief
25 October 2019
Kenya: SEACOM is up and running following a service-affecting outage on the SEACOM Subsea Cable System on Thursday night. All linear transmission traffic on the SEACOM Subsea Cable System from…
Computing
KnowBe4 Africa goes continental with Cyber Security Africa
25 October 2019
KnowBe4 Africa aims to make access to its cybersecurity awareness training platform easier for African businesses through CS Africa KnowBe4 Africa (www.KnowBe4.com) is proud to announce that we are partnering…
Computing
The Government of Burundi is purchasing the Russian collaborative office suite solution MyOffice
25 October 2019
SOCHI, Russia, October 23, 2019/ -- At the Russia-Africa Summit and Economy Forum 2019 (Oct. 23-24, Sochi, Russian Federation) Dmitry Komissarov, Member of the board of Russian Software Products Association…
Computing
This is how Kenya compares with the rest of the world in mobile malware protection according to the latest report by tech firm Kaspersky
25 October 2019
Kenyan Smartphone users are among the most at risk of mobile malware in the world. The country was ranked tenth for countries across the globe with the highest share of…
Computing
In brief
25 October 2019
Microsoft hires 50 engineers for its Africa Development Centre in Nairobi. The newly employed engineers will work on cutting-edge technology specifically designed for businesses in Africa. The 50 experts are…
Money Transfer
FNB offers prizes of ZAR 1 mln to encourage non-customers to try mobile banking app
25 October 2019
South Africa's FNB said it is making its banking app available for the general public to try out, regardless of who they currently bank with. The campaign is called the…
Money Transfer
NMB Bank Plc partners with MasterCard to promote a cashless society in Tanzania
25 October 2019
National Microfinance Bank Plc has partnered with MasterCard to provide commercial motorcycle riders (boda-boda riders) with a digital payment solution in Tanzania. The cashless mobile technology, via Masterpass QR, is…
Money Transfer
Banks record N49.4tn online transactions, cheque payments shrink
25 October 2019
Increase in alternative digital payment platforms has reduced the number of visits to banking halls as indicated by the reduced number of payments made by cheques in the first half…
Money Transfer
Airtel Africa announces partnership with Ecobank Group to allow Airtel Money customers to improve their access to mobile financial services
25 October 2019
The partnership will also allow Ecobank corporate account holders to make bulk disbursements, such as payroll payments, directly into Airtel Money customer wallets Airtel Africa (Airtel.Africa), a leading global telecommunications…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Maroc Telecom reports growth in revenues, EBITDA in 9M 2019
25 October 2019
Maroc Telecom (IAM) has published its financial results for the nine months ended 30 September 2019, reporting a 0.6% increase in revenues from MAD27.137 billion (USD2.8 billion) to MAD27.308 billion,…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Ethio Telecom Stays on Top of IFRS Conversation
25 October 2019
Ethio telecom, the state telecom monopoly, is scheduled to fully adopt International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) before the end of this year. For the first adoption of IFRS, a set…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Niger confirms planned sale of Orange to Zamani Com
25 October 2019
Niger’s Council of Ministers has announced that Zamani Com has applied for the acquisition of all the shares of mobile network operator (MNO) Orange Niger. A draft order has also…
Digital Content
StarTimes and Kenya Film Commission break ground on new voting app
25 October 2019
Earlier today, the Kenya film commission unveiled their partnership with Chinese electronics and media company, StarTimes. The partnership was revealed ahead of the Kalasha International film awards, where leveraging on…
Digital Content
Nigerian animated film ‘Malika: Warrior Queen’’ is now available on YouTube
25 October 2019
The Nigerian animated film produced by Anthill Studios and YouNeek Studios, ‘Malika: Warrior Queen’ is now available on YouTube. The animated film is a historical imaginary epic delivered in an…
Digital Content
Uganda: UCC Proposes Revised Regulation Of OTT Services
25 October 2019
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has suggested the improvement of regulation of over the top services (OTT) such as Twitter and Facebook to support investment in the sector. At the…
Digital Content
WhatsApp is the medium of choice for older Nigerians spreading fake news
25 October 2019
Amid fears of a possible Ebola outbreak in Nigeria during the devastating epidemic that plagued West Africa in 2014, a WhatsApp broadcast made the rounds: “Please ensure that you and…
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People
25 October 2019
Cisco has appointed Sally Kimeu as Country Leader and Regional Manager for its East Africa operations. This covers ten countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti, South Sudan,…
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Events
25 October 2019
AfricaCom, featuring AfricaTech12 – 14 November 2019, CTICC AfricaCom is the place to meet everybody who’s anybody in African telecoms and technology; bringing together 15,000 attendees, 450 speakers and…
