- Smart Africa Alliance and MeetKai signed a strategic partnership to deploy sovereign AI infrastructure in five African countries.
- The initiative was announced during the Mobile World Congress and will operate under the supervision of the African AI Council.
- The project will deploy sovereign AI stacks powered by MeetKai’s MKA1 system to support digital public services and local-language AI applications.
The Smart Africa Alliance announced on March 5, that it signed a strategic partnership with the U.S.-based company MeetKai, which specializes in sovereign artificial intelligence solutions.
The partners presented the agreement during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The agreement plans to launch a pilot program that will develop national AI infrastructure and technical capabilities in five African countries under the oversight of the African AI Council.
At #MWC2026 in Barcelona, Smart Africa and MeetKai launched a landmark 5-country pilot to accelerate Sovereign AI across Africa through the Africa AI Council.#SmartAfrica #SovereignAI #AI #MWC2026 pic.twitter.com/uJxBWGWCBB
— Lacina Koné (@CEOSmartAfrica) March 5, 2026
The initiative aims to support participating governments in building national artificial intelligence infrastructure. The program relies on the deployment of “sovereign AI stacks,” which represent technological architectures designed to give governments full control over data hosting, model development and application deployment.
This framework allows participating countries to develop artificial intelligence solutions that comply with national regulations and local development priorities. The organizers plan to announce the five pilot countries in the coming weeks.
MeetKai will provide the technical support required to deploy AI platforms capable of integrating African languages. The partners aim to automate digital public services in critical sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education and public administration.
To achieve this goal, the Los Angeles-based company will deploy its flagship AI system, MKA1. The system enables the creation of locally hosted AI ecosystems, which reduces reliance on foreign cloud infrastructure while encouraging domestic innovation.
This sovereign approach represents a critical factor for the continent’s economic future. According to McKinsey & Company, artificial intelligence could generate up to $1.2 trillion in value in Africa by 2030.
However, the continent risks losing a large share of that value if countries fail to control infrastructure and develop local talent. The success of the pilot program will therefore influence the ability of African governments to transform technological potential into sustainable and sovereign economic growth.
Samira Njoya
- Malian healthtech startup Kénèya Koura provides online medical consultations, appointment booking and digital medical records through a single platform.
- Founders Hamidou Ouologuem, Fatoumata Diarra and Oumar Dioni launched the startup in 2021 in Bamako.
- The platform offers 24/7 telemedicine services and delivers medical responses within one hour in most cases, targeting underserved regions.
Kénèya Koura operates as a digital health solution developed by a Malian startup. The platform allows patients to consult a doctor online, schedule appointments within minutes and access fully digitized medical records.
The company aims to reduce unnecessary travel and accelerate patient care, particularly in areas located far from hospitals. The founders Hamidou Ouologuem, Fatoumata Diarra and Oumar Dioni launched the startup in 2021 and based the company in Bamako.
The healthtech company provides a telemedicine solution that shortens the care pathway and strengthens remote medical collaboration. The platform serves both patients and healthcare professionals and maintains continuous availability 24 hours a day and seven days a week. The system delivers a medical response in less than one hour in most cases.
The platform provides physicians with tools that extend beyond basic teleconsultation. The system integrates appointment management, physician collaboration, tele-expertise and remote patient monitoring.
These features allow doctors to expand their patient base beyond geographic constraints while maintaining continuous follow-up with patients.
Kénèya Koura forms part of a broader trend toward the digitalization of African healthcare systems. The platform digitizes patient records and facilitates remote consultations in order to address two major structural challenges: medical deserts and continuity of care.
The startup also adopts a transnational approach to healthcare collaboration. The system enables partnerships with African and international doctors, including specialists based in Europe, in order to improve access to advanced medical expertise.
Beyond technological innovation, Kénèya Koura illustrates the rapid emergence of African healthtech startups with social impact. The platform positions digital tools at the service of community-level medicine and aims to become a key component in the modernization of Mali’s healthcare system.
The company ultimately seeks to replicate its model in other African markets as demand for digital healthcare infrastructure continues to expand.
This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Egyptian startup Rology, founded in 2017, connects hospitals with on-demand radiologists through a global teleradiology platform.
- The platform aims to reduce diagnostic delays in Africa and emerging markets, where radiologist shortages remain acute.
- The company operates a pay-per-scan model, allowing smaller or rural healthcare facilities to access specialist interpretation without major investment.
Amr Abodraiaa is an Egyptian technology entrepreneur and the co-founder and chief executive officer of Rology, a digital health company specializing in teleradiology services.
He leads a platform that connects medical facilities facing shortages of available radiologists with a global network of qualified specialists.
Rology launched the platform in 2017 with the objective of reducing interpretation times for medical imaging exams, particularly in Africa and other emerging markets where radiologists remain scarce.
The platform directly links hospitals and imaging centers with certified radiologists who can provide on-demand services 24 hours a day.
The platform operates through a fully digital workflow. Hospitals upload imaging exams, including CT scans and MRI scans, through the system. The platform then assigns the files to qualified radiologists who analyze the images and deliver reports within a short timeframe.
Rology bases its business model on pay-per-scan billing, which allows smaller hospitals and rural healthcare facilities to access high-quality diagnostic services without heavy infrastructure investments.
Consequently, the company aims to accelerate patient care by reducing the time between imaging and diagnosis. Today, Rology collaborates with several hundred certified radiologists and multiple healthcare partners across Africa and the Middle East.
Amr Abodraiaa graduated from Alexandria University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial and production engineering.
He also obtained a professional certificate in business administration from the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport. He began his professional career in 2007 at Egyptian software developer TownSoft, where he worked as a marketing manager.
The company promoted him in 2010 to the position of project manager and business developer. He later worked as business development director at Mafahim Productions between 2014 and 2016, a company specializing in audiovisual production. He subsequently joined the data science team at Egyptian steel producer Ezzsteel in 2017.
Melchior Koba
The Tunisian Ministry of Communication Technologies is inviting applications from innovative startups in digital education, culture, gaming, AI and robotics. Selected startups will be able to exhibit free of charge at the ministry’s pavilion during the 40th Tunis International Book Fair, scheduled for April 23 to May 3, 2026. Applications are open until Sunday, March 15.
Benin has opened applications to prepare for its participation in the 2026 International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) in Abu Dhabi. Secondary school students interested in AI, mathematics and programming will have the opportunity to take part in intensive training and selection rounds. The programme aims to train hundreds of students, identify top talent and represent the country at the international competition. Applications are open until Friday, March 20.
Google now allows the use of its AI-driven search features, such as answer summaries and conversational mode, in Yoruba and Hausa. Nigerian internet users can ask questions in their language, either in writing or by voice, and receive more natural responses. In total, thirteen African languages are now supported in these features.
In Algeria’s still cash-dominated market, fintech platform Gifty is promoting a new approach to digital payments through a single app that centralizes shopping, bill payments, mobile top-ups and digital gift cards.
Gifty is an Algerian fintech platform that allows users to pay utility bills such as electricity, gas and water, as well as internet subscriptions and mobile top-ups directly from their smartphones. The app also provides access to millions of e-commerce products and more than a hundred partner retailers across the country.
The Algiers-based start-up was launched in 2023 by Abderrahmane Anemiche. In October 2025, he told Forbes Afrique: “My goal was clear: address the economy’s heavy reliance on cash and offer a simple, accessible service for both merchants and consumers.” He added: “My journey has taught me one thing: adapt, innovate and move quickly. That mindset is guiding Gifty as it aims to evolve into a neobank.”
The app is available on Apple’s iOS, Huawei’s AppGallery and Android, where it has already been downloaded more than 100,000 times, according to the Google Play Store. Its model is built around a digital wallet that users can fund through a local bank card or through a network of partner retail outlets.
This hybrid approach combines digital services with a physical retail network and is a key pillar of Gifty’s strategy. The company aims to support the shift toward digital payments while reaching users with limited access to banking services.
Beyond payments, the start-up is expanding into digital gifting. Users can send credit as personalized gifts, accompanied by images, videos or GIFs, turning each transfer into a more social and interactive experience.
Gifty is also developing B2B products for companies. Multi-brand gift cards, incentive programs and loyalty tools allow businesses to distribute digital rewards and track campaign performance through analytics dashboards. The platform says it has already processed millions of transactions and built a network of tens of thousands of authorized distribution points.
As financial inclusion remains a major challenge across Africa, Gifty reflects the emergence of local fintech players seeking to bypass gaps in traditional banking infrastructure. The company aims to position its platform as a gateway to Algeria’s digital economy, bringing together commerce, public services and everyday digital transactions.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
- President Abdelmadjid Tebboune validated Algeria’s 2025-2029 national cybersecurity strategy
- Kaspersky recorded more than 70 million cyberattacks targeting Algeria in 2024.
- The International Telecommunication Union ranks Algeria in Tier 3 in its 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index.
The Information Systems Security Agency of the Ministry of National Defence unveiled Algeria’s 2025-2029 National Strategy for Information Systems Security on March 3. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune approved the document, which aims to structure the state’s response to rising cyber threats and strengthen the country’s digital resilience.
The plan is based on several priorities. Authorities plan to strengthen technical capabilities, improve inter-agency coordination and reinforce prevention and cyber-incident response. The strategy also places particular emphasis on improving cybersecurity awareness among public institutions and citizens.
According to the Ministry of National Defence, the strategy pursues three main objectives: protecting critical infrastructure, securing sensitive state data and ensuring the continuity of public services amid rapid digital transformation. More broadly, it aims to safeguard Algeria’s digital sovereignty and strengthen trust in the national digital ecosystem.
The initiative comes amid sustained cybercrime activity. Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky reported that Algeria faced more than 70 million cyberattacks in 2024. Over the same period, systems blocked more than 13 million phishing attempts and nearly 750,000 malicious email attachments, highlighting the scale of the threat.
Institutionally, Algeria remains at the “establishing” stage, or Tier 3, in cybersecurity according to the 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index published by the International Telecommunication Union. The ranking reflects structured government engagement that remains in a consolidation phase.
Beyond security concerns, authorities view stronger cyber capabilities as an economic priority. Globally, cybercrime generates annual losses estimated in the trillions of dollars. In this context, the 2025–2029 strategy aims to secure the expansion of Algeria’s digital economy and protect digital investments.
Samira Njoya
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Deon Nobrega co-founded Paymenow Group in 2019 to reduce employee reliance on high-cost credit.
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The company offers earned wage access, digital vouchers and financial education tools.
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Nobrega previously held senior roles at Investec and Absa before launching the fintech venture.
Deon Nobrega serves as Chief Executive Officer of Paymenow Group, a company he co-founded in 2019 with Bryan Habana, Willem van Zyl, Gerry Potgieter and Garth Mackintosh. The firm provides a financial wellness solution for employees that combines technology and financial education to improve income management.
Paymenow Group develops a mobile application and an online platform that help employees manage their budgets, reduce reliance on credit and strengthen financial stability. Users can check their available balance, request salary advances and track transactions in real time. Users can also purchase essential goods such as food and electricity through vouchers, which allow them to cover basic needs without resorting to costly borrowing.
The platform promotes responsible money management through savings tools and options that allow users to place funds in interest-bearing accounts. The company also delivers financial literacy training modules, interactive educational content and personalized support to help employees adopt sound financial habits and build long-term financial resilience.
Deon Nobrega earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 2003 from the University of Johannesburg. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronic engineering from the same university in 2004. He later completed an introductory course in big data in 2016 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Nobrega began his professional career in 2004 at HLB-NGA, a South African software design and deployment company, where he worked as a software engineer. He joined Investec in 2006 as a business analyst in information technology. He moved to Absa Group in 2008 in the same role. He rose through the ranks at Absa, becoming Head of Foreign Exchange Sales in 2012 and Head of Digital Markets in 2015.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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Michael Louis founded Cerebrium in 2021 to automate AI application deployment and scaling.
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The platform supports real-time voice assistants, multimodal systems and large-scale data processing.
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Cerebrium operates on a pay-as-you-go pricing model that charges users based on actual consumption.
Michael Louis is a South African entrepreneur and engineer specializing in artificial intelligence infrastructure. He founded and leads Cerebrium, an online platform that helps teams build AI applications more easily.
Louis founded Cerebrium in 2021 with the mission of helping users create artificial intelligence products “that people love” while simplifying operational complexity. The platform supports various types of applications, including real-time voice assistants, multimodal systems that combine text, image and audio, and large-scale data processing workloads.
Cerebrium’s value proposition focuses on transforming a typically long and complex process — deploying, maintaining and scaling AI applications — into a streamlined and automated experience. Applications built on Cerebrium can launch quickly and can automatically adjust capacity based on demand, enabling them to handle a high volume of simultaneous requests. The platform also differentiates itself through a usage-based pricing model that allows customers to pay only for actual consumption without locking up idle resources.
Before founding Cerebrium, Louis co-founded Sxuirrel in 2016 and served as Chief Technology Officer until 2019. The company developed an interactive mobile application that connected individuals seeking storage space with those offering available space.
Louis graduated from Stellenbosch University with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science in 2016 and a bachelor’s degree in data science in 2018. From 2019 to 2021, he worked at OneCart, a South African online grocery delivery company, where he served as Lead Developer and later as Chief Technology Officer.
This article was iniitally published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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Malawi seeks a bilateral agreement with Ghana to replicate its digital transformation model.
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Ghana plans to lead a delegation of 15–20 tech firms to Malawi to deploy ID, fintech and e-government solutions.
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Malawi ranks 163rd on the UN E-Government Development Index, while Ghana ranks 108th and leads Africa in cybersecurity tier classification.
Malawi is seeking to leverage Ghana’s expertise to fast-track its digital transformation. Officials expressed this interest on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress 2026, which took place in Barcelona from March 2 to March 5 and gathered government delegations and global digital industry players.
Malawi’s Minister of Information and Digitalisation, Shadric Namalomba, invited Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, to conclude a bilateral agreement aimed at replicating Ghana’s digital innovation successes in Malawi.
In an exclusive interview with Techfocus24 following the meeting, which his ministry relayed, Sam George said Malawi had requested support across several areas. He said Malawi sought assistance in fintech, digital identification systems, last-mile connectivity, energy solutions for rural connectivity, e-government, smart workplaces, agritech, edutech, healthtech and artificial intelligence-integrated systems.
He added that he would soon lead a delegation of 15 to 20 Ghanaian technology companies to Malawi to help deploy national identification solutions, fintech services and e-government portals, among other systems. “To begin with, I will share a copy of our revised legislations with them so that they can draw inspiration from them and adapt them to their needs. I will also share our AI strategy with them so that they can build on it,” he said.
This rapprochement comes as Malawi aims, like many African countries, to position digital technology as a driver of inclusive socio-economic development. For example, the Digital Malawi project, which the World Bank supports, seeks to lay the foundations for a digitally enabled economy, society and public administration to expand access to services and improve citizens’ quality of life.
“Beyond investments in broadband infrastructure and other digital enablers, it is equally essential to invest in complementary non-digital factors such as digital leadership, an enabling regulatory framework, accountable institutions, as well as the development of appropriate digital skills,” the government website states.
However, Malawi continues to face structural gaps. The country ranks 163rd on the United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI) with a score of 0.3753 in 2024, below the averages for Southern Africa, Africa and the world. Malawi also scored 35 out of 100 on the 2025 ICT Development Index of the International Telecommunication Union, including an estimated internet penetration rate of 18%.
In cybersecurity, the ITU places Malawi in Tier 3 out of five on its 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index. The country performs relatively well in regulatory frameworks and organizational measures but needs to strengthen technical measures, capacity building and cooperation.
By contrast, Ghana ranks in Tier 1, which includes countries considered cybersecurity role models. On the EGDI, Ghana ranks 108th globally with a score of 0.6317 out of 1, above the averages for West Africa and the continent but slightly below the global average. Before Malawi, Zambia also expressed interest in Ghana’s digital transformation expertise.
This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
Payment provider Flocash is partnering with Quest Financial Services to launch a new prepaid Visa card in Zimbabwe.
The card can be reloaded at Quest branches and through digital wallets. It enables secure online and in-store payments locally and internationally. Users get high transaction limits, real-time tracking via a mobile app, and virtual cards for online purchases.
Fintech startups Noah and Nafolo are launching virtual bank accounts in euros and U.S. dollars backed by stablecoins for remote workers, students and families in sub-Saharan Africa.
Payments are processed within minutes rather than days, with fees significantly lower than the roughly 9% typically charged on remittances. The platforms also allow withdrawals via mobile money or virtual cards.
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Fido Money provides instant, unsecured digital loans to individuals and SMEs via a mobile app.
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The company raised $5.5 million in debt financing to scale technology and growth.
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Its proprietary “Fido Score” algorithm assesses creditworthiness using alternative data.
Fido Money operates as a fintech solution developed by a Ghanaian company. The platform enables individuals and small enterprises to obtain instant digital loans without collateral or traditional banking procedures.
Founders Nadav Topolski, Tomer Edry and Nir Zepkowit launched the start-up in 2014. Earlier this week, the company announced that it had secured $5.5 million in debt financing to expand its technology and support growth.
The solution operates through a mobile application that allows users to verify their identity, receive a credit assessment and obtain funds directly in their mobile money wallets within minutes.
At the core of the model, Fido deploys a proprietary data analytics system called “Fido Score.” The algorithm evaluates borrower creditworthiness using alternative data such as phone usage, transactional behavior and digital history. The system enables the company to finance customers who often remain excluded from the traditional banking system.
The approach addresses a structural gap in West Africa, where micro-entrepreneurs and informal workers rarely hold formal financial histories. Beyond individual lending, Fido has developed solutions for SMEs, including progressive loans that allow merchants to increase borrowing capacity after successful repayments.
Through its fully digital model, Fido reflects a broader trend in African fintech. Platforms increasingly transform the smartphone into a primary gateway to credit, savings and, over time, a broader range of digital financial services.
This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum