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On April 2, Mauritania’s Minister for Digital Transformation, Innovation, and Modernisation of the Administration, Mohamed Abdallah Ould Louly, met with Leila Peters Yahya, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Mauritania. The meeting, held in Nouakchott, centered on exploring opportunities to enhance cooperation, particularly in digitization.
On March 21 in Porto-Novo, Louis Vlavonou, the President of Benin's National Assembly, met with Ouanilo Medegan Fagla, the Director General of the Centre national d'investigations numériques (CNIN). Fagla noted the dynamic nature of the National Assembly and the urgent need for digitization. In response to the clear intent of the President of the National Assembly, Fagla expressed CNIN's readiness to support the digital transformation underway at the national assembly, while upholding the principles of digital security integral to this transformation.
Côte d'Ivoire's Telecommunications/ICT Regulatory Authority (Artci) has issued a warning to US-based Starlink, prohibiting the satellite internet provider from operating in the country without due approval, according to a release issued on Tuesday. This follows last week's internet disruptions in several West and Central African nations, caused by damage to the WACS, MainOne, ACE, and SAT3 submarine cables.
Zone, a Nigerian fintech company specializing in blockchain-based payment processing, announced the completion of an $8.5 million funding round on Monday.
"With the support of our new investors, we will enhance our technology, launch new use-cases and expand our network coverage. We will also complete preparations to conduct a comprehensive pilot program to test our cross-border capabilities in 2025. This will further solidify our position as a pioneer in decentralized payment infrastructure for Africa," the startup said.
Moroccan e-commerce startup ORA Technologies secured $1.5 million in a seed funding round led by local entrepreneurs, the company announced on Wednesday. ORA Technologies plans to use the funds to further develop its technology, launch a digital wallet, and accelerate growth.
Tunisia officially joined the Council of Europe’s Convention on Cybercrime on Friday, March 8, becoming the 70th state to do so. The convention, adopted in Budapest, is aimed at bolstering international efforts to combat cybercrime.
The Tunisian Ministry of Communication Technologies stated in a press release that the country’s accession to the convention is intended to ensure effective coordination in the fight against cybercrime. It also aims to provide adequate protection for the rights of individuals and victims of such crimes.
Liquid C2, a subsidiary of the pan-African group Cassava Technologies, revealed a new partnership with Google Cloud and Anthropic, a U.S.-based artificial intelligence firm, on Wednesday, March 6. The collaboration aims to deliver advanced cloud solutions, cybersecurity, and generative AI capabilities to businesses throughout Africa.
Moroccan fintech startup Tookeez said on Thursday it secured $1.5 million in a funding round. The company plans to use the proceeds to expand its presence in Morocco before entering North Africa, the Middle East, and ultimately the broader African continent.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) announced 100 women-led startups selected for its “She Wins Africa” program, designed to provide coaching, training, and financing to accelerate growth in sub-Saharan Africa.
"IFC's She Wins Africa empowers women entrepreneurs through coaching, training, and financing, accelerating their growth and investment readiness throughout sub-Saharan Africa," said Nathalie Akon Gabala, IFC’s Director of Gender and Economic Inclusion.
The Somali government inaugurated the Data Protection Authority on Saturday, February 24, in a ceremony led by the country's Minister of Communications and Technology, Jama Hassan Khalif. The initiative aims to safeguard citizen privacy amid rapid daigital transformation.
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Burkina Faso approved, on Thursday, a draft bill to establish a unique identifier for all individuals within its borders and a national register of identifiers. The system aims to simplify access to services and will issue government-recognized IDs regardless of nationality or legal status.
British financial technology firm TerraPay announced today an agreement with Diamond Trust Bank Uganda (DTB Uganda). The agreement aims to develop international money transfers and enhance financial inclusion in Uganda.
The World Bank seeks young leaders aged 18-35 to participate in its 11th annual Youth Summit, themed "Powering Progress: Youth Leading the Digital Transformation."
Scheduled for May 30-31 in Washington D.C., the summit will gather thousands of individuals worldwide to raise awareness of development challenges and engage them in developing innovative solutions using digital technologies. Interested young people can submit their applications by March 1 through the following link: https://youthsummit24.wufoo.com/forms/zr587641ladlrn/
Tunisian venture capital fund 216Capital Ventures participated in a $1.5 million funding round for Logidoo, a pan-African logistics startup, according to a press release issued on Tuesday.
The funds will be used for expansion into key markets across Africa, including Congo, Gambia, Guinea-Conakry, Mali, and Mauritania, the press release stated.