The 2026 Laptop LLM Challenge is inviting African developers and researchers to build high-performance language models. The challenge is that these AI tools must be able to run on standard laptops, eliminating the need for expensive infrastructure. Applicants have until Friday, July 24, 2026, to register online and compete for a share of the prize pool.
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Burkina Faso has approved a national artificial intelligence roadmap for 2026-2030 to guide the development of AI solutions across key sectors.
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The strategy targets healthcare, agriculture, education, public administration, water and energy services as priority areas for AI deployment.
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The roadmap forms part of the government's broader digital transformation agenda under the RELANCE 2026-2030 Plan and the "AI for All" initiative.
Burkina Faso has taken a new step toward developing its artificial intelligence ecosystem as authorities seek to position the technology as a driver of economic and social development. Government officials approved the National Artificial Intelligence Roadmap for 2026-2030 on Wednesday, June 17. The document will serve as a strategic framework for developing AI solutions tailored to the country's priorities in sectors including healthcare, agriculture, education and public administration.
The roadmap identifies several priority areas where authorities plan to deploy AI-based applications over the coming years. In healthcare, the strategy promotes the development of decision-support and medical diagnostic tools. In agriculture, authorities plan to support farmers through solutions that leverage weather forecasting and data-driven insights.
The roadmap also prioritizes educational technologies designed to address local realities and improve learning outcomes for pupils and students. In addition, the strategy includes applications for the water and energy sectors. Authorities aim to use AI-powered tools to facilitate citizen reporting, improve information flows and strengthen public service management.
The roadmap forms part of the RELANCE 2026-2030 Plan and the government's "AI for All" initiative, which authorities have identified as a central pillar of Burkina Faso's digital transformation agenda.
Stakeholders from government institutions, the private sector, universities, research centers, civil society organizations and development partners participated in the drafting process. As a result, the roadmap reflects a multi-stakeholder approach designed to align technological development with national development priorities.
Burkina Faso joins a growing group of African countries that have adopted dedicated artificial intelligence strategies. In recent years, countries such as Rwanda, Senegal, Benin, Egypt and Kenya have launched similar initiatives to regulate AI development, encourage innovation and strengthen digital competitiveness. Consequently, Burkina Faso's strategy aligns with a broader continental effort to establish governance frameworks for emerging technologies while capturing their economic benefits.
For Burkina Faso, the stakes extend beyond the technology sector alone. The country continues to face significant challenges related to public service delivery, agricultural productivity and skills development. Against this backdrop, authorities view artificial intelligence as a tool that can improve the effectiveness of public policies, support local innovation and facilitate the emergence of digital services adapted to national realities.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J. A de Berry Quenum
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Algeria is advancing its National Digital Transformation Strategy 2025-2030 and is recruiting a national expert to help implement key reforms.
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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) seeks a consultant to support the High Commission for Digitalization and coordinate a technical support team.
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The eight-month assignment will focus on project monitoring, governance tools, action plans and the execution of hundreds of digitalization initiatives across the public sector.
Algeria is moving forward with its National Digital Transformation Strategy 2025-2030 and is seeking to strengthen the expertise supporting the initiative. In this context, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched a call for applications to recruit a national digital transformation expert who will also coordinate a support team tasked with assisting the implementation of ongoing reforms.
The selected consultant will support the High Commission for Digitalization (HCN) in operationalizing the National Digital Transformation Strategy. The expert will coordinate the work of mobilized specialists, support the development of priority action plans, monitor digital projects and establish management and evaluation tools designed to measure implementation progress.
Moreover, the assignment forms part of a joint project between the UNDP and the HCN aimed at accelerating the execution of Algeria’s digital transformation roadmap. The recruitment comes as Algeria seeks to translate its National Digital Transformation Strategy 2025-2030 into concrete actions.
The strategy aims to modernize public administration, improve citizen services, strengthen digital governance and expand the digital economy. To support these objectives, Algerian authorities have launched several hundred digitalization projects across government agencies and public service institutions. Consequently, authorities require specialized expertise to coordinate implementation efforts, ensure project alignment and strengthen oversight mechanisms.
The mission will run for eight months, from July 2026 to March 2027, and will cover a total of 70 working days. Interested candidates may submit applications until June 24 through the UNDP Quantum supplier portal: https://supplier.quantum.partneragencies.org/.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J. A de Berry Quenum
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SoshoPay operates in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Zambia, providing digital tools that support clean energy distribution and financing.
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The platform has supported more than 568 small and medium-sized enterprises, half of which are women-led, while tracking over $400,000 in assets.
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SoshoPay maintains a 98% payment success rate through a system that combines customer onboarding, payment monitoring and remote asset management.
Zimbabwean entrepreneur Simbarashe Gwenzi serves as co-founder and chief executive officer of SoshoPay, a technology company that develops digital tools for clean energy providers, distributors and financial institutions.
Founded in 2023 and headquartered in the United Kingdom, SoshoPay currently deploys its solutions in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Zambia. The company enables partners to manage the entire customer journey, from initial registration to payment monitoring and equipment usage tracking. Under this model, partners retain responsibility for financing, product distribution and customer relationships.
SoshoPay integrates customer registration tools, equipment monitoring systems and analytical dashboards to streamline operations. These features give financial institutions and distributors greater visibility into customer payment behavior and consumption patterns. As a result, partners can refine their services and make more informed strategic decisions.
In addition, the platform allows partners to remotely monitor financed installations, helping them optimize technical operations and reduce operational inefficiencies. SoshoPay also offers integration tools that connect directly with clients’ existing payment systems and software infrastructure.
The company focuses on strengthening the economic capacity of small businesses and has already reported measurable results. According to information published on its corporate website, the platform has supported more than 568 small and medium-sized enterprises, including a significant share led by women. The company also tracks more than $400,000 in assets and maintains a payment success rate of 98%.
Simbarashe Gwenzi has built a career that combines expertise in finance, risk management and technology. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Zimbabwe in 2014. He later obtained a master's degree in actuarial science, risk management and insurance from the National University of Science and Technology in 2018.
Gwenzi began his professional career in 2012 as a credit risk analyst at KM Financial Solutions. He subsequently joined the insurance sector as a data analyst at Heritage Life in 2018. He then worked as a data analyst at retailer Verimark between 2020 and 2021.
Alongside his corporate career, Gwenzi pursued several entrepreneurial ventures. In 2016, he co-founded Nanosoft IT Solutions, a technology company that he led until 2021. He also founded YEC Fund, a microfinance institution that supports businesses, and currently serves as a board member of the organization.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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Mobile technologies and services generated $240 billion in economic value in Africa in 2025, equivalent to 7.8% of the continent’s GDP.
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The sector supported around 13 million jobs and contributed $45 billion in public revenues, according to the GSMA.
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Mobile operators are expected to invest more than $76 billion in network infrastructure between 2024 and 2030 to expand 5G coverage and accelerate digital adoption.
Mobile technologies and services generated $240 billion in economic value across Africa in 2025, representing 7.8% of the continent’s gross domestic product, according to a report published by the GSMA on June 16. The sector also supported approximately 13 million jobs and contributed $45 billion in government revenues, underscoring its growing role in Africa’s economic development.
In its report, The Mobile Economy Africa 2026, the GSMA said the sector’s performance reflects a broader transformation of the mobile industry beyond traditional connectivity services. Mobile operators increasingly position themselves as digital transformation partners by integrating artificial intelligence, digital services and open application programming interfaces (APIs) designed for developers. As a result, operators are expanding their role within the digital economy and supporting innovation across multiple sectors. Despite significant progress in network deployment, digital adoption continues to lag behind connectivity availability.
The GSMA reported that approximately 63% of Africans who live within mobile broadband coverage areas do not use mobile internet services. The report identified device affordability, data costs and limited digital skills as the primary barriers to adoption. Consequently, affordability remains the biggest obstacle to achieving broader digital inclusion across the continent.
The report also highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in the mobile sector. Operators increasingly use AI technologies to improve network performance, optimize customer experiences and develop new digital services.
However, the GSMA noted that existing AI models remain insufficiently adapted to Africa’s linguistic diversity and local market realities. As a result, the industry continues to face challenges in developing AI solutions tailored to the continent’s specific needs. Meanwhile, mobile operators are expected to invest more than $76 billion in network infrastructure between 2024 and 2030. The investments will support 5G expansion, improve service quality and accommodate rising digital usage across Africa.
The GSMA said these investments will play a critical role in converting existing connectivity into tangible economic gains. Moreover, the organization said stronger infrastructure investment will help narrow Africa’s digital adoption gap and unlock additional value from the continent’s expanding mobile ecosystem.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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South African entrepreneur Thabo Leotlela founded Synapes AI in 2024 to automate customer communication through AI-powered omnichannel chatbots.
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The platform centralizes conversations, generates sales leads and automates repetitive customer service tasks across multiple channels.
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Leotlela leverages a background in accounting and financial management to build technology solutions that improve business efficiency.
South African entrepreneur Thabo Leotlela, a trained accountant and business founder, serves as the chief executive officer and founder of Synapes AI, a technology start-up that helps organizations automate customer interactions and optimize digital communications.
Founded in 2024, Synapes AI builds its offering around intelligent omnichannel chatbots designed to streamline customer experiences. The company aims to deliver instant responses while automating repetitive interactions that frequently burden customer support and after-sales teams. By centralizing communication flows on a single interface, the platform provides continuous and consistent engagement around the clock. As a result, customers can interact with brands at any time without experiencing service interruptions.
Synapes AI positions its technology as more than a customer service solution. The platform actively supports lead generation by engaging website visitors, identifying customer needs and collecting strategic information during initial interactions. Consequently, businesses can accelerate sales prospecting efforts while improving customer engagement processes.
The company also differentiates itself through its omnichannel architecture. The platform enables conversations to move seamlessly between communication channels, such as websites and messaging applications, without losing contextual information. As a result, users maintain continuity throughout the customer journey regardless of the channel they choose.
Synapes AI automates time-consuming activities such as answering frequently asked questions, scheduling appointments and collecting basic customer information. The platform allows employees to focus on higher-value tasks by reducing administrative workloads and repetitive interactions. Consequently, organizations can improve productivity while maintaining consistent customer engagement.
Leotlela draws on extensive experience in finance and business management to develop operational efficiency solutions. He holds a professional accounting qualification from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). He began his career in 2013 with the City Lodge Hotel Group in South Africa.
He subsequently expanded his financial management experience across several organizations, including mining-sector company AMIS. He later transitioned into technology entrepreneurship, where he combined his financial expertise with emerging technologies to build digital solutions for businesses.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J. A de Berry Quenum
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Guinea has launched a $393,333 Japanese-funded digital health pilot to improve maternal and neonatal healthcare access in remote areas.
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The project uses SPAQ technology developed by SOIK Corporation and combines a mobile application with portable ultrasound devices.
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The initiative aims to directly benefit more than 5,000 pregnant women and 5,000 newborns while supporting the digital transformation of Guinea’s healthcare system.
Guinea launched a digital health pilot project in Conakry on Tuesday, June 16, to improve access to maternal and neonatal healthcare services in remote communities. The Government of Japan finances the initiative with $393,333 and implements the project in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The project relies on the Japanese SPAQ technology developed by SOIK Corporation.
“By connecting a dedicated application to a portable ultrasound device, SPAQ enables healthcare providers to optimize and modernize prenatal monitoring, centralize medical results and strengthen monitoring activities in isolated areas,” Japanese Ambassador to Guinea Kato Ryuichi said. He added that the project will also deploy a mobile clinic, equip 10 healthcare facilities and train 20 midwives to use the digital solution.
The initiative aims to bring healthcare services closer to populations living in some of the country’s most remote locations. The combination of a mobile application and a portable ultrasound device will allow healthcare workers to conduct prenatal examinations, identify high-risk pregnancies more quickly and improve monitoring of both patients and newborns.
The project expects to directly benefit more than 5,000 pregnant women and an equal number of infants. The initiative comes as Guinea continues to face significant maternal and neonatal healthcare challenges. According to government authorities, the country has only one midwife for nearly 20,000 inhabitants.
At the same time, recurring floods have increased pressure on healthcare access. Authorities reported that floods affected more than 175,000 people in 2024, further complicating access to health facilities across several regions.
Long travel distances, shortages of medical equipment and limited healthcare coverage in some rural areas continue to constrain maternal healthcare delivery and prenatal monitoring services.
Beyond improving prenatal care, the project seeks to accelerate the digital transformation of Guinea’s healthcare system. Authorities aim to demonstrate the effectiveness of digital tools in expanding access to specialized healthcare services in remote areas. They also expect the initiative to strengthen the resilience of the healthcare system against future health emergencies and climate-related disruptions.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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Paul Mponzi, a Congolese business intelligence consultant and data expert based in the United States, co-founded and leads TCE Global, a digital services company established in 2007.
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TCE Global delivers technology, cybersecurity, cloud computing and digital transformation solutions to clients across the financial, industrial and healthcare sectors.
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The company helps organizations strengthen operational resilience, modernize infrastructure and improve performance through data analytics and technology integration.
Paul Mponzi, a Congolese business intelligence consultant and data specialist based in the United States, has positioned his company in the strategic technology consulting and cybersecurity segment. He serves as co-founder and chief executive officer of TCE Global, a digital services company that provides strategic support to organizations seeking to modernize their technology operations and improve business performance.
Founded in 2007, TCE Global delivers customized solutions that stabilize, secure and optimize clients’ information technology environments. The company specializes in infrastructure management, business continuity planning and the integration of innovative technologies.
At the same time, TCE Global offers services spanning systems management, cloud computing, digital mobility and digital transformation consulting. Through these capabilities, the company aims to enhance corporate performance by streamlining technical ecosystems and improving operational efficiency.
In the financial sector, TCE Global modernizes banking operations, streamlines payroll systems and helps insurance companies extract greater value from their data assets to maintain competitiveness.
The engineering consultancy also serves industrial clients. Through advanced cybersecurity and data analytics solutions, the company enables manufacturers to modernize production processes and strengthen resilience against changing market conditions.
In addition, TCE Global collaborates closely with healthcare organizations, including hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and telemedicine providers. The company aims to modernize information technology infrastructure and accelerate innovation across the healthcare sector.
Paul Mponzi built the foundation of his expertise at West Virginia University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering in 2002. He began his professional career immediately after graduation at Paychex, a major payroll management company, where he worked as a database administrator.
Between 2008 and 2011, he applied his data expertise at the University of North Texas Health Science Center and UNT Health, where he served as a data analyst and contributed to data-driven decision-making initiatives.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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SupraPay provides African freelancers, creators, consultants and businesses with dedicated dollar and euro banking details to facilitate international payments.
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The platform converts incoming funds and transfers them directly to local mobile money wallets, with most withdrawals processed in less than one hour.
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Jonathan Tchuente, a Cameroonian software engineer and DevSecOps specialist, co-founded the fintech platform in 2024.
Cameroonian entrepreneur and technology expert Jonathan Tchuente is the co-founder of SupraPay, an innovative financial platform designed to help freelancers, content creators, consultants and businesses across Africa receive payments from overseas with greater ease and reliability.
Founded in 2024, SupraPay targets professionals who work with international clients or rely on global freelance platforms. The platform supports a wide range of payment flows, including advertising revenue, direct contracts with clients outside Africa and services related to managing remote teams.
To facilitate these transactions, SupraPay assigns dedicated international banking details in U.S. dollars or euros to each user. The system allows African beneficiaries to receive transfers as if they held local bank accounts in those currency zones, removing traditional barriers to cross-border commerce.
Once users receive funds, the platform converts the money and transfers it directly to local mobile money services. SupraPay provides transparent transaction tracking and fast execution. The company says it processes most withdrawals in less than one hour.
Jonathan Tchuente trained as a software engineer at the Institut Universitaire de la Côte in Cameroon. He built extensive technical expertise throughout his career and currently serves as a Development, Security and Operations (DevSecOps) engineer at ZedPay, a technology company based in Niger.
Tchuente began his professional career in 2020 at Jaba Space, a collaborative hub for entrepreneurs, where he worked as a Development and Operations (DevOps) engineer. He subsequently expanded his experience and applied his expertise across several technology-focused organizations.
He later held DevOps engineering roles at financial platform Payunit, software engineering company Zerofiltre and the PKFokam Research Center, a center of excellence focused on technology research and innovation.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J. A de Berry Quenum
The Egyptian startup eYouth has partnered with Syrian startup Doroob to help young Syrians build skills for digital careers, freelancing, and entrepreneurship. The partnership combines eYouth’s extensive online course library with Doroob’s network of in-person training centers across Syria, creating a blended learning model that combines digital education with on-the-ground support. The initiative aims to align learners’ skills with employer needs and labor market demands, helping them make a smoother transition into the workforce.
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Thinkroom and The Oracle Group are relaunching the Oracle Innovate Lab program in Eswatini following a successful inaugural edition in 2025.
The incubator is designed for local entrepreneurs with startup and growth-stage businesses. Over a six-month period, selected founders will receive hands-on training and mentoring to help scale their ventures and expand into new markets.
Applications for the new cohort, scheduled to begin on Saturday, August 1, will open online on Sunday, June 28.
Africa’s Business Heroes, a philanthropy-backed entrepreneurship program, has unveiled its list of 100 semifinalists for the 2026 competition, selected from a pool of 24,000 applicants. For the first time, the organization doubled the number of semifinalists to reflect the growing maturity of Africa’s startup ecosystem. Representing 27 countries and operating across sectors ranging from agriculture to artificial intelligence, these businesses collectively generate $170 million in revenue and employ more than 6,000 people.
- Zimbabwe will require cryptocurrency businesses to register annually with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) as part of a new regulatory framework.
- Authorities will charge registration fees of $500 for initial applications and $400 for annual renewals, while unregistered operations will constitute an offense.
- The reform aligns with a broader African trend toward regulating digital assets as cryptocurrency adoption accelerates across the continent.
The Zimbabwean government announced that it will require companies operating in the cryptocurrency sector to register with financial authorities under a framework designed to regulate a market that has until now remained largely informal.
According to regulations issued by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube and reported by Reuters, companies involved in the purchase, sale, transfer or custody of digital assets must register annually with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), an anti-money laundering body housed within the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
Authorities will charge an initial registration fee of $500 and an annual renewal fee of $400. Moreover, authorities will classify any operation conducted without registration as an offense, underscoring the government's determination to place the sector under formal supervision.
The decision follows several years of restrictions on crypto assets in Zimbabwe. Authorities began limiting activities linked to digital currencies in 2018, and those measures pushed a significant share of trading activity toward informal channels and peer-to-peer platforms.
The new framework signals a shift from restricting crypto activity toward regulating and monitoring it within the formal financial system.
Zimbabwe's move comes against the backdrop of rising crypto asset adoption across sub-Saharan Africa. According to a study published in September by blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, cryptocurrency transactions reached $205 billion in sub-Saharan Africa between July 2024 and June 2025.
Users drove much of that activity through cross-border payments and remittance-related transactions. In many African countries, consumers increasingly use cryptocurrencies as an alternative to traditional banking channels, particularly because international money transfer costs remain high. The World Bank reports that remittance fees in sub-Saharan Africa rank among the highest globally and regularly exceed 6% of the amount transferred.
Zimbabwe's reform reflects a broader effort across Africa to structure and supervise the digital asset sector. In South Africa, authorities regulate crypto service providers through the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA). Meanwhile, in Nigeria, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has introduced a progressive registration framework for cryptocurrency exchanges.
In Kenya, lawmakers have proposed a Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) law that would establish a shared supervisory framework between the Central Bank of Kenya and the country's capital markets regulator, illustrating a hybrid approach to digital asset regulation.
As African governments seek to balance innovation, investor protection and financial integrity, regulators across the continent continue to develop formal frameworks for the rapidly evolving crypto industry.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Egypt’s telecom regulator has awarded a new data center license to Hassan Allam Digital Infrastructure and Data Center Solutions for a project backed by an initial investment of $400 million.
- The license marks the tenth data center authorization issued in Egypt over the past two years, underscoring rapid growth in the sector.
- Egypt aims to strengthen its position as a regional data and cloud services hub while supporting artificial intelligence adoption and digital transformation.
Egypt continues to strengthen its digital infrastructure. The National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) granted a license on Monday, May 15, to Hassan Allam Digital Infrastructure and Data Center Solutions to build and operate a data center in the country. The company is developing the project in partnership with technology firm A15 and plans to invest an initial $400 million during the first phase.
According to the project developers, the investment represents the first stage of a broader expansion program that will continue in the coming years. The facility will comply with international standards and provide data hosting services, cloud computing capabilities and infrastructure designed for artificial intelligence applications. The center will serve government agencies, financial institutions and both local and international businesses.
The announcement comes as Egypt accelerates investment in digital infrastructure. According to the NTRA, the authorization represents the tenth data center license issued during the past two years, highlighting the sector’s rapid expansion.
Egyptian authorities increasingly view data centers as a critical component of digital transformation and national technological sovereignty. As a result, policymakers have intensified efforts to encourage investment in the sector.
At the same time, the government is preparing a national strategy focused on data centers and cloud computing. Egypt plans to leverage its strategic geographic location at the crossroads of Africa, Europe and Asia, alongside its telecommunications infrastructure, to attract additional investment in digital services.
The government aims to strengthen Egypt’s role as a regional platform for data exchange and digital services by expanding infrastructure capacity and enhancing connectivity.
The project also aligns with Egypt’s broader artificial intelligence ambitions. Egypt’s second national AI strategy targets a 7.7% contribution from digital technologies and artificial intelligence to gross domestic product by 2030.
Authorities also estimate that AI could generate up to $42.7 billion in economic value over the coming years through adoption across sectors including public services, finance, healthcare and manufacturing.
Beyond the Egyptian market, the new infrastructure aims to address growing regional demand for data hosting and cloud services. R
apid advances in artificial intelligence, e-commerce and corporate digital transformation continue to increase demand for data storage and computing capacity across Africa and neighboring regions.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum