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Nigeria launches upgraded NgREN to connect higher education institutions
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New platform supports online learning, research, and digital services
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Full national rollout planned by 2026 under digital education strategy
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Education recently announced the rollout of an upgraded version of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) and its integration with the Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services (TERAS) platform.
Officials said the initiative aims to boost digital connectivity, research collaboration, and innovation across the country’s higher education system.
Education Minister Alausa said the new NgREN will serve as a national high-speed education network, linking universities, research institutes, polytechnics, and colleges of education through a shared digital platform. The system will support online learning, cloud computing, plagiarism detection, digital libraries, research services, high-performance computing, and institutional analytics.
Digital Transformation Goals
The minister said the pilot phase will begin in 2025 in selected universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country’s geopolitical zones. Nigeria plans to connect all higher education institutions by 2026.
This initiative is part of a broader digital transformation drive for Nigeria’s education sector. For instance, on October 30, Alausa unveiled a national program to distribute tablets in all public schools to make digital education universal by 2027. In September, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) signed an agreement with U.S. firm Digital Learning Network (DLN) to supply digital devices to nearly 47 million students and teachers nationwide.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
He designs tools tailored for the local audience by focusing on streaming and digital management, illustrating a practical, everyday application of digital technology.
Charles Maleshila, an entrepreneur and computer scientist from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has launched Plustube, a streaming platform created to give Congolese audiences a local alternative to international services like Netflix and Canal+.
Launched in 2024, Plustube offers a streaming service featuring both international and original content. It targets film and series enthusiasts with a multilingual interface, showing ambitions for international expansion.
Plustube emphasizes personalized user experience, letting viewers choose content that matches their preferences. Designed for users aged 18 and above, the platform includes an advanced search tool to sort videos by rating, release date, or country of origin.
Maleshila has also founded other digital ventures. In 2020, he launched Plustune, a platform for discovering, sharing, and streaming music and videos. The following year, he introduced Kookin, a digital tool for restaurants to simplify operations. The app lets restaurants create a professional page and manage menus, staff, delivery partners, and payments.
Maleshila earned a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from Stratford University in India in 2018. He also trained in programming and web design at Aptech Learning and NIIT Pune, two Indian tech institutes.
Melchior Koba
He aims to establish Alissa IA as a key player in African automation. His startup designs localized solutions to meet the communication and management challenges faced by institutions across the continent.
Gabonese entrepreneur and developer Samuel Nkenke Eyebe is working to establish his company, Alissa IA, as a key player in Africa’s automation sector by developing virtual agents and chatbots for public and private institutions across the continent.
Founded in 2024, Alissa IA creates conversational solutions and AI tools tailored for government agencies, ministries, businesses, and the general public. The company combines technological development with support services, including training and awareness programs focused on the use of AI in Africa. Its goal is to respond to communication and assistance needs through automation and machine learning.
The company designs custom chatbots for support, information, and user interaction. It also builds AI tools for various sectors to improve internal processes and strengthen the connection between institutions and citizens. Its solutions include tools that accelerate content production, from idea to final text.
In addition to product development, Alissa IA organizes training and awareness initiatives focused on artificial intelligence, aiming to promote digital upskilling and access to technology careers.
Samuel Nkenke Eyebe graduated from Omar Bongo University in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in business law, and earned a higher technical certificate in software engineering from Simplon Roanne in France the same year.
He began his professional career in 2021 as a software developer at Ogooué Labs, a Gabonese startup incubator, where he worked until 2024. Between 2023 and 2024, he also served as an IT development trainer at Ecole 241 Business, an institution focused on digital careers.
In February 2025, Nkenke Eyebe won first prize in the web and mobile development category at the Gabon National Crafts Competition. That same year, he participated in the Osiane conference, a major digital event in Central Africa, as well as in VivaTech in France, an international event focused on innovation and technology startups.
Melchior Koba
He is among the entrepreneurs redefining African technology, offering an innovation that directly addresses challenges in complexity and decision-making.
South African technology executive Ryno Goosen is leading the expansion of his firm, Locstat, after the artificial intelligence (AI) company secured a significant funding round.
Goosen, co-founder, CEO, and CTO of Locstat, announced in late October 2025 that the company had raised $2.9 million in a pre-Series A funding round from the Portugal Gateway Fund and ANZA Capital.
The capital will fund the commercialization of Locstat's technology in new markets. "This investment allows us to rapidly commercialize locally developed South African technology, proven in some of the most complex transactional environments on the continent," Goosen said.
Established in 2016, Locstat develops a “graph intelligence” platform that helps organizations identify real-time risks and opportunities to improve decision speed and relevance. The company converts graph-oriented databases, which dynamically link data elements, into a comprehensive solution combining data, analytics, and AI to solve complex, large-scale problems.
At the core of Locstat's offering is LightWeaver, a platform optimized for rapid deployment and precise performance measurement. It is designed to reduce the cost and complexity associated with internal development while delivering reliable performance metrics.
Locstat’s applications span several areas, including fraud and risk detection in dense transaction networks, asset tracking, and real-time geospatial analytics for operations and logistics. The tool also enables businesses to analyze relationships between customers, partners, and behaviors over time.
In addition to his role at Locstat, Goosen heads Suritec, a South African company founded in 2001 that specializes in analytics, content management, geographical intelligence, system integration, and consulting.
Goosen holds a Master's degree in Information and Knowledge Management from Stellenbosch University, which he obtained in 2014.
Melchior Koba
By offering a digital alternative in a predominantly manual sector, he streamlines money exchanges for informal economy participants.
South African entrepreneur Kosta Scholiadis, founder and CEO of fintech startup Street Wallet, is expanding the company’s digital payment services to better serve the country’s large informal economy.
Founded in 2021, Street Wallet provides a platform that simplifies daily transactions for small businesses. It enables users to accept payments, send funds, and receive disbursements without needing technical expertise, helping small traders manage cash flow and operate more efficiently.
The solution is aimed at street vendors, parking attendants, corner shops, and multi-site businesses looking to streamline collections and build customer loyalty. Payments are made using QR codes, accessible to both merchants and customers. Street Wallet ensures next-day access to funds, improving financial reliability for its users.
In August 2025, the company raised $350,000 to support its expansion from Cape Town and Durban into Johannesburg by year’s end. A month later, Street Wallet acquired Digitip, a digital tipping platform for informal workers.
Scholiadis holds a bachelor's degree in financial modeling and asset valuation from the University of Cape Town (2022). He previously founded Sportnet, a pan-African football database focused on scouting young talent, and in 2016 launched Total Football Academy, a development center for young football players in South Africa.
Before starting Street Wallet, he worked as a data analyst at eGaming SA (2019-2020) and served as head coach for third-division club Goal50 United FC. From November 2021 to July 2025, he was a product manager at AirPortr, a London-based tech company specializing in airline baggage logistics.
Melchior Koba
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UNDP, Orange Liberia sign MoU to boost youth digital skills
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Program targets rural connectivity, training, and tech entrepreneurship
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Orange pledges $200M to expand network, support digital growth
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Orange Liberia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, to promote digital inclusion and build digital skills among Liberia’s youth.
The collaboration combines the resources and expertise of both institutions to expand opportunities for digital training and tech entrepreneurship. The initiative will include training programs, mentorship, and startup support to build a more inclusive and sustainable digital ecosystem in Liberia.
Specific goals include fostering innovation, improving digital literacy, and expanding connectivity in rural areas.
Part of Liberia’s Digital Transformation Push
The partnership aligns with Liberia’s national digital transformation agenda, as the government seeks to leverage technology for economic growth and broader access. The private sector is also playing a key role in this effort.
Orange Liberia announced a $200 million investment plan this year to strengthen its network and improve service quality, particularly in underserved rural regions. The financial commitment underscores Orange’s efforts to expand connectivity and narrow the digital divide.
The agreement with UNDP builds on Orange’s previous initiatives in Liberia. In October 2020, the company opened the Orange Digital Center in Monrovia, a technology hub for youth training, innovation, and digital entrepreneurship. The new partnership extends that cooperation nationwide, with a focus on rural communities and local startups.
By focusing on youth and connectivity, the initiative aims to stimulate Liberia’s digital economy by creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and nurturing a generation of digital talent capable of leading the country’s technological transformation.
Samira Njoya
- The Diamniadio Digital Technology Park will open in March 2026.
- The 12.5-hectare site will host tech firms, research centers, and training hubs.
- The project is part of Senegal’s New Technological Deal to boost digital jobs.
Senegal’s Digital Technology Park (PTN), designed as a major hub for innovation in Diamniadio, will become operational by March 2026, Minister of Communication, Telecommunications, and Digital Affairs Alioune Sall announced on November 3, 2025 during a working visit marking the official restart of construction.
Covering 12.5 hectares in its first phase, the PTN is set to become an integrated digital city hosting three towers for tech companies, a research and innovation center, a start-up incubator, an audiovisual production facility, and a training center to enhance local digital skills. The minister stressed the importance of adhering to the construction timeline and tasked the Operational Coordination and Monitoring Office (BOCS) with ensuring rigorous supervision of the project’s progress.
Initially launched under the “Digital Senegal 2025” program, the project was delayed due to technical and administrative hurdles. Its relaunch now falls under the New Technological Deal, a national strategy aimed at accelerating digital transformation, creating 150,000 direct jobs, and supporting over 500 start-ups by 2034, according to the Ministry of Digital Affairs.
Located near Diamniadio’s urban hub and key national infrastructure, the PTN forms part of Senegal’s broader effort to promote balanced territorial development.
Through this initiative, the government seeks to build a vibrant digital ecosystem centered on research, innovation, and training, while fostering collaboration among public, private, and academic stakeholders. The park is also expected to attract foreign investment in emerging technologies and strengthen Senegal’s competitiveness in the regional digital economy.
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Omar Maher is co-founder and CEO of enterprise AI firm Monta AI.
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The company designs LLM- and RAG-based tools to enhance corporate efficiency.
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Its products include multilingual assistants and AI agents for complex automation.
Egyptian artificial intelligence expert and entrepreneur Omar Maher is the co-founder and CEO of Monta AI, a company specializing in enterprise AI solutions.
Founded in 2024, Monta AI develops advanced systems that help companies improve performance through artificial intelligence. The firm builds tools based on large language models (LLMs) and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to drive measurable business growth.
The startup offers an AI assistant capable of processing sensitive corporate data in multilingual environments, including Arabic, and under strict local regulations. It also provides voice solutions for digital assistants and contact centers, designed to handle complex contexts.
Monta AI is also developing “Custom Agentic Solutions,” AI-driven agents that can reason, plan, and act to achieve defined goals. These agents integrate with a company’s internal tools, automate complex workflows, and deliver measurable outcomes. The firm also provides AI consulting, supporting organizations from initial assessment to implementation and optimization.
Before founding Monta AI, Maher co-founded Trustious in 2012, a platform that helped consumers make informed purchasing decisions through reliable product and service reviews. In 2014, he launched Homna.com, an online furniture marketplace in Egypt.
He holds a degree in business informatics from the German University in Cairo (2009). In 2015, he joined ITWORX, an Egyptian firm specializing in AI, digital transformation, and cloud solutions, where he served as product director and later as global head of advanced analytics and big data development.
From 2016 to 2022, Maher worked at Esri, a global provider of geographic information and geospatial intelligence software, where he held roles including business development manager, AI and machine learning practice lead, and director of AI. Between 2022 and 2023, he served as product marketing director at Parallel Domain, a company specializing in AI data generation.
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Moncef Chlouchi is the founder and CEO of Inyad, a digital solutions startup.
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The platform helps shop owners and freelancers manage sales, payments, and operations.
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Inyad has raised $14 million to expand across North Africa and the Middle East.
Moroccan engineer and entrepreneur Moncef Chlouchi is the founder and CEO of Inyad, a startup that supports the digital transformation of small retailers and independent workers across North Africa and the Middle East.
Founded in 2018, Inyad develops a unified platform for professionals in commerce, hospitality, and services, allowing them to centralize the management of sales, payments, and daily operations. The company says it is designed for “those who keep the economy running every day.”
The platform offers tools for invoicing, payment processing, payroll management, and inventory tracking. Restaurant owners can use it to manage orders, payments, and staff schedules, while shopkeepers can digitize daily operations, including real-time stock and attendance tracking.
Inyad also provides a digital credit ledger that records customer debts and repayments, along with a mobile touchscreen cash register. The company has raised $14 million in funding to date.
Chlouchi holds a master’s degree in applied mathematics from École Polytechnique (2012) and another in mining engineering from Mines Paris – PSL (2013). He began his career in 2013 as a supply and commercial strategy analyst at Total Oil Asia Pacific Marketing & Services in Singapore, before joining McKinsey & Company as a project manager from 2014 to 2017.
Driven by his commitment to youth empowerment, he champions innovation as the primary lever for economic transformation, putting creativity and action at the core of entrepreneurial development in Burundi.
Abiyah David is a Burundian social entrepreneur and consultant specializing in technology development and business design. He serves as the CEO of Business Jam Hub (BujaHub), an innovation, incubation, and entrepreneurial support center based in Bujumbura.
Founded in 2019, BujaHub offers co-working spaces, incubation programs focused on business creation, and workshops and training sessions designed to enhance the skills of project initiators. The hub also organizes events such as Innovation Week, promoting young innovators and fostering the dissemination of an entrepreneurial culture in Burundi.
BujaHub resulted from a partnership between the Young African Development Foundation (YADF) and the Save African Youth Campaign (SAY), an initiative founded by Abiyah David. SAY works toward youth empowerment by offering training in digital and entrepreneurial skills to strengthen young people’s contribution to the country's economic development.
Abiyah David earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work and Community Development from Hope Africa University in 2016. He also holds a Master’s degree in Project Management, obtained in 2020 from the International University of Ecuador.
His professional career began in 2013 as an IT Specialist at WIN-TECH Burundi, a technology company. In 2017, he became the CEO of e-isoko.com, a Burundian online commerce platform. The following year, he organized the Summit on Digital Entrepreneurship in Burundi before being appointed Country Director of the International Youth Society in 2019.
Melchior Koba
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In response to the challenges of a largely undigitized agricultural sector, he offers a technological solution designed for on-the-ground realities. His initiative opens new opportunities for millions of farmers.
Mahmoud Shoo is a Tanzanian entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Bizy Tech, a company specializing in the digitalization of agricultural value chains and financial inclusion across East Africa.
Founded in 2015, Bizy Tech develops software solutions designed to enhance transparency in agricultural processes and strengthen commercial links between producers, cooperatives, traders, and financial institutions. The company works to structure trade and facilitate access to tailored digital services for stakeholders in the sector.
Core to Bizy Tech’s offering is Kilimo BaNDO, a digital platform that connects farmers to input suppliers, markets, financial services, and agricultural experts. Designed to operate even on basic mobile phones, this solution supports more efficient production and helps farmers stabilize their income season after season.
Bizy Tech also developed Kilimo Data Hub, another digital platform aimed at smallholder farmers and agricultural SMEs. It reports having over three million registered farmers and helps users reduce input costs, benefit from rapid delivery of subsidized fertilizers, and access financial services tailored to their needs.
In 2018, Shoo founded Digital Mobile Africa, which he led until 2020. That company offered digital tools to traders and agribusiness entrepreneurs to facilitate the buying and selling of inputs, machinery, and agricultural products.
Mahmoud Shoo holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance, obtained in 2010 from the College of Business Education in Tanzania.
Melchior Koba
The digital solution addresses one of the educational system's major challenges: guidance for high school students and recent graduates. The venture originated at the Congo-Cameroon Inter-State University, based in Sangmélima, Cameroon.
Laboussole is a Cameroonian platform that helps users make informed decisions about their studies, fields of specialization, or careers. The platform targets high school students, young people in retraining, and professionals seeking new career paths.
“Many students choose fields that don’t match their skills or market needs for lack of proper guidance, which only worsens unemployment,” said the founder. “Our goal is to help them make informed choices and fully realize their potential.”
Through the platform, users can explore job profiles, discover training opportunities at home or abroad, receive personalized advice and mentorship, and take targeted online courses, particularly in digital fields.
The tool seeks to address weaknesses in academic and career guidance systems in Africa, especially in Cameroon. By offering a digital alternative, Laboussole aims to bridge this gap and professionalize the career guidance process.
The platform has already attracted several thousand users. Mbeyo’o Nna said the goal is to reach 10,000 users by the end of 2025 and expand into Central Africa. The platform is currently available in Cameroon and the Republic of Congo.
For young Cameroonians, the platform offers a new guide in a complex academic and professional landscape. For the education sector, it marks an innovation that could strengthen the links between guidance, training, and employment.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
- Djibouti seeks digital consultant to modernize disaster risk and warning systems
- Mission runs Nov 2025-Feb 2026 under UNDP, CIDCA-backed TIAEWS project
- Focus on AI, Big Data, SOPs, and training to boost national resilience
The government of Djibouti, through the Executive Secretariat for Disaster Risk Management (SEGRC), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and with support from the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), issued a call for applications on Sunday, November 2. It seeks an international consultant specializing in digital transformation for risk management and early warning systems.
The consultant will assist the SEGRC in assessing the country’s digital preparedness for disaster prevention and response. The mission, scheduled from November 2025 to February 2026, will include developing technical and strategic recommendations to improve digital governance and strengthen institutional capacity for national resilience.
Priority objectives include integrating advanced data processing and analysis technologies, including Big Data, artificial intelligence (AI), and platform interoperability, as well as optimizing national infrastructure and emergency operations centers. The consultant will also help draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and design training modules for operators and public officials.
The initiative is part of the “Tailored Intelligence for Actionable Early Warning Systems (TIAEWS)” project, which aims to strengthen national resilience to disasters. The project seeks to modernize Djibouti’s risk management system by incorporating advanced data collection and analysis tools, improving coordination among institutions, and providing more reliable and actionable early warnings to protect citizens and critical infrastructure.
The position is open to professionals with extensive experience in digital transformation for risk management. The selected candidate will deliver several key outputs, including an assessment of the country’s current digital landscape, a strategic roadmap for modernizing early warning systems, and policy recommendations.
Applications must be submitted by November 10 via the United Nations portal.
Samira Njoya
- Algeria approves draft law on digital trust, e-signatures, and ID services
- Law gives electronic documents full legal status, updates 2015 regulations
- Reform supports rising internet use, aims to boost digital economy and trust
The Algerian government approved a draft law on Sunday, November 2, that defines the general rules governing trust services for electronic transactions and digital identification. The initiative aims to support the growing digitalization of administrative, economic, and financial services while enhancing the security of online exchanges.
The text, reviewed by the Council of Ministers, establishes a comprehensive framework for digital trust. It updates the 2015 legislation on electronic signatures and certification, which officials deemed obsolete due to technological advancements. The new law grants legal value to electronic documents, including electronic signatures, seals, and timestamps, equivalent to their physical counterparts.
This reform comes amid rapid digital expansion. At the beginning of 2025, Algeria counted approximately 36.2 million internet users, representing a penetration rate of nearly 77%. The government states this dynamic necessitates a more robust legal environment to guarantee transaction reliability and personal data protection.
The project also introduces a national digital identification framework based on the existing biometric identity card. This system will centralize and secure citizen identities for online procedures, simplifying access to public services and ensuring legal recognition of digital transactions. It is considered a pillar of the national digitalization strategy, which aims to modernize the administration, enhance transparency, and combat corruption.
Beyond updating the legal framework, the law is expected to drive new momentum by reinforcing the confidence of citizens and businesses, simplifying administrative procedures, and stimulating investment in the digital economy. It should also enable Algeria to better leverage its significant digital potential, which includes over 55 million mobile connections, nearly 116% of the population, and rapidly growing digital equipment penetration.
Samira Njoya