To accelerate its digital transformation, the Cameroonian government is actively seeking investment. A key initiative is the Digital Transformation Acceleration Project, launched in 2023 and supported by a $100 million World Bank grant.
The European Union has invested 1.93 million euros ($2.09 million) in 12 micro-projects in Cameroon over four years through the Promotion of Research, Innovation, and Digital Culture in Central Africa (PRICNAC) project, officials said during a workshop this week.
The project’s capitalization workshop, held in Douala from March 10 to 14, 2025, aimed to evaluate the initiative and develop a sustainability plan for future similar projects, according to Investir au Cameroun.
"This initiative aims to evaluate the project both quantitatively and qualitatively in order to develop a sustainability plan that will allow similar initiatives to endure," said Alain Kiyindou, Regional Director of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) for Central Africa and the Great Lakes.
PRICNAC, which ran from January 2021 to January 2025, has an overall budget of approximately 5 million euros for 17 mini-projects across eight Central African countries. The project is funded 15% by the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) and 85% by the EU through the ACP Innovation Fund and its research and innovation program.
The project aims to strengthen research and innovation capacities in Central African countries, consolidate innovation ecosystems, and create synergies between entrepreneurship, digital technology, and innovation policies to promote sustainable development and reduce poverty.
Cameroon accounted for 70% of PRICNAC’s 17 mini-projects and absorbed 60.48% of its budget.
Among the funded projects is Synerime, led by Cameroonian engineer Flavien Kouatcha, which aims to create employment opportunities for young people by fostering collaboration between research ecosystems, innovation, and businesses.
Funded with 150,000 euros, Synerime was implemented in Congo, Cameroon, and Gabon. "We have trained young entrepreneurs and student innovators on how to register a patent, propose solutions to businesses, and draft contracts with private companies so that these companies can adopt their solutions," Kouatcha said.
Frédéric Nonos
Agriculture is a cornerstone of Senegal's economy and a primary source of income for much of the rural population. To tackle issues of efficiency and transparency in agricultural subsidy management, the country is implementing digital solutions.
Senegal's government is partnering with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank's private sector arm, to digitize agricultural subsidies, the organizations announced Tuesday.
The initiative, led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Livestock, aims to improve transparency and efficiency in distributing aid to key sectors, including peanuts, maize, cowpeas, and rice.
The project, approved July 29 with a budget of $500,000, will leverage IFC's technical assistance to design and implement a digitization plan, working alongside the ministry and its partners. The goal is to better structure the distribution of agricultural inputs, ensuring more efficient and transparent subsidy management.
Digitizing payments is seen as crucial to ensuring rapid and traceable subsidy distribution, providing direct support to farmers and boosting productivity in strategic sectors, officials said. This aligns with Senegal's food sovereignty objectives.
In Africa, small-scale farmers produce more than 70% of the food supply and support millions of rural households, according to the African Development Bank. However, these farmers face significant challenges, including limited access to affordable inputs, insufficient financing, scarce advisory services, and market information gaps.
The digitization initiative is expected to transform Senegal's agricultural sector, facilitating the swift distribution of subsidies in line with crop calendars and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.
By Samira Njoya,
Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji
Google is providing Conference Scholarships to help African students in technology and business attend top computer science conferences globally. The initiative aims to remove financial barriers, foster networking, and connect students with industry leaders.
Applicants must be full-time students at an African university, demonstrate financial need, and have an accepted research paper at a top computer science conference.
Scholarships cover travel and registration fees, with applications reviewed year-round. Approved funds are disbursed through the student’s university.
Safaricom Talent Cloud is offering a six-week Capstone Project for tech professionals to build, launch, and showcase products with expert mentorship and peer collaboration.
The program is open to those skilled in UX/UI design, backend (Java/Node.js), frontend (React.js), mobile (Kotlin/Flutter), DevOps, and Scrum Master/Product Owner roles.
Held in Addis Ababa, participants must attend in person for two hours weekly. The program offers a chance to apply skills, gain industry insights, and make an impact.
South Africa will host the second edition of The Presidential African Youth in AI and Robotics Competition 2025, which is set to position Africa as a leader in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
The competition is organized by AUDA-NEPAD, Ele-vate AI Africa, and the South African Government to foster innovation, skills development, and AI-driven solutions tailored to African needs. The 2025 edition will feature 12 categories, with the Presidential Award as the highest honor.
African youth aged 15 to 35 years can participate as individuals or in teams. The competition is open for registration and submissions must be completed by June 13, 2025. The final ceremony will take place on November 22-23, 2025.
As Africa enters the digital era, its skilled workforce in this field remains limited across several segments. While various public initiatives aim to address this issue, they often face budgetary constraints, creating an opportunity for the private sector.
Congolese authorities received Thione Niang, a Senegalese artificial intelligence expert and promoter of the Give1Project digital skills training program, on Monday, March 10, as part of a delegation led by Adama-Dian Barri, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Congo.
The visit aimed to integrate Congo into the Give1Project, which seeks to train 25,000 young Africans in digital skills, particularly cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. The initiative is supported by the UNDP, Microsoft, and France, among others.
"Increasingly, the world will be connected, and more and more, we will move towards digitalization," said Léon Juste Ibombo, Congo’s Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and the Digital Economy. "Administrative procedures will be simplified. The state will benefit from optimized resources since we will no longer use the means we had before, and this is an extraordinary advancement. We need to strengthen capacities and train young people so they can take ownership of these digital infrastructures."
The initiative aligns with Congo’s national digital transformation strategy, Vision Congo Digital 2025, and the World Bank-funded $100 million digital transformation acceleration project. Local authorities aim to enhance the population's digital skills, and the Give1Project supports this objective. The African Center for Research in Artificial Intelligence (CARIA) will be part of the collaboration.
According to the United Nations, Congo had a Human Capital Index (HCI) score of 0.4637 out of 1 in 2024, a component of the e-Government Development Index. This indicator assesses citizens’ ability to use e-government services. Congo’s score is slightly above the African average of 0.4346 but below the global average of 0.6494.
By Adoni Conrad Quenum,
Editing by Feriol Bewa
The startup ecosystem is rapidly expanding worldwide. In Côte d'Ivoire, the government aims to leverage this momentum to foster the emergence of innovative startups and strengthen the digital economy.
The Ivorian government announced the creation of a Digital Startup Labeling Committee under the Ministry of Digital Transition and Digitalization, aiming to support young tech companies and strengthen the country's digital ecosystem, during the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, March 12.
According to a ministry statement, the Labeling Committee will evaluate and award a label to digital startups based on criteria including innovation, economic viability, and impact on the local economy. The committee will also oversee a digital platform to facilitate startups' access to services and support programs.
Labeled companies will be monitored and audited to ensure compliance with the label’s requirements. Additionally, the committee will propose regulatory adjustments to align the legal framework with sector advancements.
The committee is part of the Ivorian government's broader efforts to promote digital startups. According to Partech Africa, Ivorian startups raised $17 million in 2021, $33 million in 2022, $21 million in 2023, and $33 million in 2024. Despite this growth, startups face challenges including limited access to structured financing, market entry difficulties, and the lack of a clear regulatory framework.
By providing Ivorian startups with greater visibility and a structured environment, the initiative is expected to enhance their competitiveness. The long-term goal is to develop a robust digital economy that creates jobs and generates added value for Côte d'Ivoire.
By Samira Njoya,
Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji
Ahead of Uganda's 2021 elections, the government suspended all social media platforms, citing a need to control online misinformation. While access to most platforms has since been restored, Facebook remains blocked.
Facebook, suspended in Uganda since January 2021, could soon be restored, Information Technology and National Guidance Minister Chris Baryomunsi said Tuesday.
Baryomunsi, speaking at a "CEO-Consumer Forum" organized by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) in Kampala, said discussions with Meta, Facebook's parent company, are nearing completion.
He said that once an agreement is reached, there should be no further obstacles, provided Facebook refrains from engaging in local partisan politics and focuses solely on providing its services.
"The issue with Facebook arose during the last electoral period when Facebook took a partisan stance in our local politics," Baryomunsi said. "A platform like Facebook is not expected to take a partisan stance in our local politics. When they began deleting those who belong to the ruling party, and apparently supporting the opposition, this is not a lawless country."
Progress between the two parties had been limited until recently. In December 2022, President Yoweri Museveni said the government would restore Facebook access once it stopped "playing games." "Facebook are arrogant. They were being used to attack us. When our own people tried to answer back they shut us. It has been two years since Facebook was chased out of Uganda. When I checked, boda bodas and taxis were still moving [in absence of Facebook] ; even matooke and milk were still coming. I hope Facebook now knows who is in charge of Uganda!" he said.
Restoring Facebook access is expected to benefit individuals and businesses. In December 2023, a lawyer representing a group of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) said the shutdown had cost local businesses $17.5 million. DataReportal figures show the number of social media users in Uganda dropped from 3.4 million in 2021 to 2.4 million in 2025.
The restoration is also expected to improve online security for Ugandans, as using virtual private networks (VPNs) to access the platform exposes them to cyberattack risks.
By Isaac K. Kassouwi,
Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji
A new cycle of transformation is underway in the African telecom market. Under growing pressure, only the most decisive operators with an ambitious vision will be able to seize the opportunity, paving the way for a new phase of growth.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is generating growing interest across various sectors in Africa. Google estimates that its adoption could contribute up to $1.5 trillion to the continent’s economy by 2030. In the telecommunications sector in particular, AI has the potential to act as a growth catalyst, a key tool for addressing numerous challenges, and a gateway to new opportunities. This comes at a time of profound market transformation, marked by increasing operational challenges (network maintenance costs, energy, marketing, and commercial services) and rapid technological changes.
Over the past fifteen years, the market has witnessed increased consolidation and multiple divestments, reflecting the strategic repositioning necessary for players facing fierce competition, margin pressures, and increasingly stringent regulations. In 2014, Etisalat reorganized its presence by selling its subsidiaries to Maroc Telecom. In 2016, Orange acquired Millicom’s (Tigo) subsidiary in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as Bharti Airtel’s subsidiaries in Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone, while withdrawing from Kenya. In 2021, the sale of its operations to the Ghanaian state marked Millicom’s complete exit from Africa. Several acquisitions, divestments, and bankruptcies have followed over the years, including Vodafone’s sale of its Ghanaian operations to Telecel Group in 2023 and MTN Group’s withdrawal from Guinea and Guinea-Bissau in 2024.
A Decisive Turning Point
Today, AI is seen by several telecom players in Africa as an opportunity to be fully leveraged. It promises greater efficiency and cost reduction. At the Northern Africa OTF event organized by Huawei during the Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, Spain, Bruce Xun, president of Huawei’s global technical service, identified AI as a major inflection point. According to him, AI will optimize operations, enhance decision-making, and create new sources of value, paving the way for innovative and high-performance telecom solutions in the digital age. This is why the Chinese technology company has been investing for several years in AI research and integration into its new services and infrastructures, particularly telecom towers that adjust their capacity based on network traffic.
Huawei is not the only company to recognize AI’s transformative potential. In an interview with CIO Mag in 2024, Jocelyn Karakula, chief technology innovation officer at Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA), highlighted that the company had already adopted AI for various applications. “AI is a strategic priority for Orange, given its ability to accelerate value creation and enhance performance across multiple domains. In terms of networks, which are primarily mobile in Africa, we manage increasingly complex technologies (2G, 3G, 4G, and now 5G) in countries facing energy challenges. To ensure optimal network performance, AI provides additional capabilities that guarantee the quality of service and customer experience,” he explained.
A study published in 2024 by Nvidia reveals that nearly 90% of telecom companies worldwide use AI, with 48% in the pilot phase and 41% in active deployment.
A Wide Range of Applications
In several countries, notably Nigeria and South Africa, MTN Group has made AI a cornerstone of its customer service. Through the Zigi chatbot and virtual assistants, the company has reduced response times to customer inquiries and improved satisfaction levels. Vodacom, in collaboration with Nvidia, is developing a virtual network management platform that uses AI to facilitate decisions on network performance improvements. In Kenya, Safaricom has deployed Nokia’s AVA energy efficiency software, which utilizes AI and machine learning algorithms to automate the shutdown of inactive equipment during low-usage periods, thereby reducing energy consumption and costs.
Hicham Ennoure, executive vice president of Moov Money Gabon, recently revealed in Barcelona that the rapid modernization of the platform, combined with targeted marketing strategies based on data analysis, allowed the company to increase its user base by 84% and its revenue by 85% in 2024.
Operational Efficiency
Major strategy consulting firms are also optimistic about AI’s positive impact on telecoms. McKinsey cites the example of a European telecom operator that increased its marketing campaign conversion rates by 40% while reducing costs, thanks to AI-generated personalized content. Another example is a Latin American operator that improved customer service productivity by 25% and enhanced the quality of customer experience, with the potential to reduce costs by 15% to 20%.
“Our experience working with clients indicates the potential for telcos to achieve significant EBITDA impact with gen AI. In some cases, estimates indicate returns on incremental margins increasing 3 to 4 percentage points in two years, and as much as 8 to 10 percentage points in five years, by enhancing customer revenue through improved customer life cycle management and decisively reducing costs across all domains,” writes McKinsey.
Challenges to Overcome
While AI offers considerable opportunities, its adoption in Africa is not without obstacles. IBM indicates that integrating any new technology requires investment. Modern AI investments are costly, even though they promise long-term profitability. However, not all operators have the financial capacity to undergo this transformation.
The American firm also notes that AI adoption fundamentally transforms businesses, requiring many employees—if not all—to acquire new skills to integrate AI tools into their work. Yet, Africa still faces a shortage of specialists in advanced technologies. Moreover, ethical and regulatory issues related to AI usage, particularly regarding data protection and privacy, require special attention.
To overcome these challenges, the GSMA recommends close collaboration between governments, operators, and technology players. Public authorities must establish policies that encourage AI-driven innovation and investment while ensuring a balanced regulatory framework. Meanwhile, operators must invest in training and developing local talent to maximize the benefits of this technology.
Muriel EDJO
In South Africa, Kazang is establishing itself as a key driver for modernizing payments and improving the fluidity of commercial transactions while strengthening the financial autonomy of small businesses.
Kazang is a fintech solution developed by a South African startup, offering a mobile application that enables users to conduct various transactions, including bill payments, airtime purchases, money transfers, and digital service top-ups.
Led by Martin Wright, the Cape Town-based startup aims to address the needs of both shop owners and their communities. "We understand the unique needs of both shop owners and the vibrant communities they serve, and we are here to bridge the gap with innovative solutions.We provide shop owners with a single handheld device that opens doors to new revenue streams and transforms their shops into hubs of opportunity," the company states on its LinkedIn page.
The Kazang solution features a mobile application available on iOS and Android, with over 100,000 downloads. Users create an account using a valid South African phone number and complete registration through customer service. They can then fund their Kazang wallet via local bank transfers or instant transfers.
Designed to operate in areas with limited banking infrastructure, Kazang facilitates electronic transactions, reducing reliance on cash and securing payments. This allows small merchants to diversify their revenue streams.
Kazang also operates in Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia, extending its fintech solutions across Southern Africa.
By Adoni Conrad Quenum,
Editing by Feriol Bewa
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Ethiopian authorities aim to accelerate the development of the national space sector and harness it for socio-economic growth. The plan includes orbiting ten satellites by 2035.
Ethiopia plans to launch its third Earth observation satellite, the Ethiopian Remote Sensing Satellite-2 (ETRSS-2), in 2026, the Ethiopian Space Science and Geospatial Institute (ESSGI) said this week.
Developed in partnership with China, the new satellite will have a five-year lifespan and a resolution of 0.5 meters, the ESSGI said. It is expected to provide high-resolution imagery and enhanced monitoring capabilities compared to its predecessors, ETRSS-1 and ET-SMART-RSS, which were launched in December 2019 and December 2020, respectively.
The initiative is part of Ethiopia's national space policy, launched in December 2018, the institute said. The roadmap reflects the government's ambition to leverage space technologies to address the country’s socio-economic challenges. The government plans to launch ten new satellites by 2035.
Once operational, ETRSS-2 could facilitate decision-making in several sectors, including agriculture, by providing accurate data, the ESSGI said. The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) considers space technology a key catalyst in the agricultural sector.
"Satellite imagery, global navigation satellite systems data and their integrated applications are now critical tools for agriculture, enabling stakeholders, ranging from local farmers to international policymakers, to monitor crop health, manage water resources, detect and control pests, and plan for weather uncertainties, among various other applications," according to the report "Leverage Space Technology for Agricultural Development and Food Security," published in January 2025 by UNOOSA.
By Isaac K. Kassouwi,
Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji
While financial inclusion remains a challenge in Africa, this Moroccan startup offers a solution tailored to small businesses. It positions itself as an effective alternative to optimize their financial management.
Konta is a fintech solution developed by Moroccan startup Kontatech to streamline financial management for small businesses.
Founded in 2019 by Issam Dahman, El Arbi Aboussoror, and Mehdi Zirari, the Casablanca-based startup aims to simplify financial operations for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses.
“Our platform allows you to automate all your supplier invoice processing procedures. Thanks to our integration options with your accounting system, your expenses are constantly updated and easily accessible. You can control your outgoing cash flows and ensure compliance with your supplier accounts,” the company explains.
Konta offers a mobile payment account that enables users to manage financial transactions seamlessly. From its web platform, users can receive payments, make transfers, and track finances in real-time, providing an alternative to traditional banking systems often perceived as complex and ill-suited to their needs.
The solution incorporates artificial intelligence to assist users, eliminating the need for manual invoice data entry. AI captures and integrates invoice data, and automatically audits invoices upon receipt to prevent errors and fraud.
Konta also offers users the ability to schedule appointments with accounting experts to address specific concerns.
With its focus on accessibility and simplicity, Konta aims to become a key player in financial inclusion in Morocco and North Africa.
By Adoni Conrad Quenum
Editing by Feriol Bewa
Africa's expanding internet access is driving the rapid development of digital infrastructure, which in turn is revolutionizing e-health. This transformation is improving healthcare access and streamlining medical services management.
Burkina Faso plans to implement a hospital information system as part of the Presidential Health Initiative (IPS), focusing on improving healthcare efficiency through digital solutions.
Minister of Digital Transition, Posts, and Electronic Communications Aminata Zerbo/Sabane (photo, right) and Minister of Health Robert Lucien Jean-Claude Kargougou (photo, left) met Monday, March 10, to review progress and validate the strategic directions of the project’s digital plan.
“This digital component is a priority for the government, which aims to strengthen national sovereignty in the digital domain and improve the efficiency of the healthcare system,” the ministers said in a joint statement.
They praised the project’s advancement, commended the technical teams, and urged accelerated modernization of healthcare infrastructure via digital tools.
The hospital information system deployment includes connecting healthcare facilities to the National Information Network (RESINA), establishing local networks, providing IT hardware, selecting a management platform, and securing medical data. The initiative aims to enhance coordination between healthcare facilities and improve patient care tracking.
In a context of healthcare access challenges, Burkina Faso views sector digitization as a key solution, officials said. They added that centralizing electronic medical records enables precise patient follow-ups, improved medical care, and reduced errors.
However, implementation requires reliable infrastructure, a strict regulatory framework for data confidentiality, and healthcare professional training. Through the project, Burkina Faso aims to establish a high-performance e-health ecosystem to meet population needs and align with global medical sector digital trends.
By Samira Njoya,
Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji
Digital technology is revolutionizing education, enhancing accessibility, interactivity, and preparing students for 21st-century challenges. Senegal recognizes this transformation and is strategically investing to position itself as a global leader in education.
Senegal’s Ministry of National Education and the Sonatel Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding Tuesday, March 11, to modernize the nation’s education system, focusing on digital integration and equitable access.
The memorandum of understanding aims to improve school infrastructure, promote digital education, and provide opportunities for equal access and excellence.
“This partnership is a unique opportunity for Sonatel to continue actively contributing to the country's development by leveraging its expertise and resources in the education sector,” said Sékou Dramé, chairman of the Sonatel Foundation Council, in a statement. “We firmly believe that education is the key to the future, which is why we are committed to working alongside the government to provide a better future for future generations.”
Key initiatives include the “Digital Schools” program, which will equip 120 elementary schools with modern technology and digital educational content, officials said. The program aims to strengthen students’ early access to digital learning, with a focus on information technology.
Additionally, 500 women will receive free training in digital marketing and project management at seven Digital Houses, facilitating their integration into the digital economy and enhancing youth employability, according to the foundation.
The partnership aligns with the Sonatel Foundation’s mission to promote excellence, equal opportunities, and inclusion, and reflects the Ministry of National Education’s vision to transform Senegal’s education system into a modern, technologically advanced learning environment.
Senegal is also developing a $206 million strategy to modernize educational infrastructure and integrate cutting-edge technologies, officials said.
The partnership echoes the government’s recently launched digital strategy, the “Technological New Deal,” which includes training 100,000 graduates in the digital sector and integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) into all educational cycles. The strategy promotes hands-on learning in disciplines such as robotics, coding, and artificial intelligence (AI).
By Samira Njoya,
Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji