To help African women seize opportunities in the technology industry, She Code Africa will be implementing a training program in product development and management. The FedEx-funded program aims to reach 100,000 women by 2030.
She Code Africa, a program dedicated to empowering African women in technology, has announced a partnership with FedEx to launch a tech training initiative. The program is open to women from all African countries who are passionate about technology and are between the ages of 18 and 45.
The program offers two training paths. The first is a 2-3 month engineering pathway that covers a range of essential technical courses, including software engineering (web and mobile), cloud engineering, data science and analytics, and hardware engineering such as robotics. The second track offers comprehensive 2-3 month bootcamps designed to equip African women with the knowledge and skills needed to design and manage products.
Funded by FedEx, the program also provides career mentoring, a one-month paid internship for practical experience, and job opportunities with leading tech companies. The initiative aims to enable African women to leverage the opportunities offered by the tech industry. By 2030, the program aims to train and integrate 100,000 women and girls into the tech industry. Applications are open until March 8.
Vanessa Ngono Atangana
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.
Agricultural producers frequently face challenges in marketing their products. A new digital solution addresses this issue by directly linking them with potential buyers, streamlining the sales process.
Senegalese agritech startup, mLouma, has developed a digital marketplace that provides agricultural producers and suppliers with direct access to their customers via a web and mobile platform. The company, founded in 2012 by Aboubacar Sidy Sonko, is based in Dakar.
The application, available exclusively on Android, allows users to create either a producer or customer account. To do so, users need to provide the necessary information and complete the registration process. Customers can make purchases directly on the application or web platform, which features a variety of online boutiques selling local products.
To streamline payments, mLouma has integrated several mobile money payment systems. Also, for delivery, it has partnered with Senegalese startup Yobante Express. mLouma also features a USSD code service, designed to enable those without internet access to learn about products and prices, and to list products for sale on the mLouma platform. “This service was developed to enable people without internet access to inquire about products and prices, and to submit products for sale on the mLouma platform. This data will be recorded and displayed on the web platform after validation,” mLouma explains.
Since its launch, the mobile application has been downloaded more than a hundred times, according to Play Store data. In 2013, mLouma won the m-Agri Challenge organized by the World Bank.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
As an artist, he was usually frustrated with how hard it was to book beauty services for music videos. So, he founded TausiApp, a platform designed to provide easy, transparent access to personalized beauty services.
Kenyan tech entrepreneur and artist, Amos Kimani (photo), is the founder and CEO of TausiApp, a platform that connects individuals seeking personalized beauty services with professional beauticians. The app, launched in 2021, is named after the Swahili word for peacock, ‘Tausi’.
TausiApp uses advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to provide personalized recommendations and optimize service matching. The idea for the app was born out of Kimani’s personal experiences while filming music videos, where he found it challenging to book beauty services on set.
“TausiApp identified a gap in the market for convenient and on-demand beauty services, especially for freelance beauticians who faced challenges in reaching clients efficiently,” Kimani said in February 2024. He also highlighted the plight of salon-employed beauticians who often earn less than 30% commissions, despite being the main attraction for clients.
As of today, TausiApp has served over 20,000 customers, recruited more than 6,000 beauticians, and completed over 13,000 transactions. In early February 2024, Kimani was recognized with the global Underdog Tech Award, a prestigious accolade for technology entrepreneurs.
Kimani, a graduate of Kenyatta University with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Development, also holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Operations Management from the University of Nairobi. In 2023, he was a finalist in the Start-Up World Cup.
Melchior Koba
Technology is indispensable for investment in Africa. It enhances access to information, streamlines processes, and improves transparency, thereby attracting both local and international investors, showcasing potential, and enabling effective participation in the global economy.
Zimbabwe’s Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) unveiled, on February 22, its groundbreaking digital Do-It-Yourself (DIY) investment licensing system, signaling the nation’s commitment to fostering a business-friendly climate. The innovative platform streamlines investment processes, enticing both local and international investors.
Tafadzwa Chinamo (pictured), CEO of ZIDA, praised the launch as a pivotal moment, emphasizing Zimbabwe’s determination to facilitate seamless investment procedures. The DIY portal reduces the license approval timeline from seven working days to an impressive two to five days. Investors worldwide can now navigate the licensing process remotely, eliminating geographical barriers.
The automated system integrates with various government ministries and departments, ensuring a harmonized regulatory approach. Busisa Moyo, Chairman of ZIDA, underscored the portal’s strategic significance in positioning Zimbabwe competitively on the global investment stage. With swift access to the nation’s abundant opportunities, investors can explore Zimbabwe’s potential with ease.
Zimbabwe’s transition to digital platforms reflects a broader commitment to modernization and efficiency within its regulatory landscape. By simplifying procedures and enhancing transparency, the government aims to instill investor confidence and catalyze economic growth.
Martin Rushwaya, Chief Secretary to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, reaffirmed the government’s resolve to dismantle bureaucratic obstacles and bolster investor protection mechanisms. ZIDA’s digital leap represents a crucial stride toward realizing Zimbabwe’s vision of economic transformation. The nation stands poised to become a beacon of investment opportunity, attracting forward-thinking entrepreneurs and fostering innovation.
The transition to digitalization indicates Zimbabwe's openness to business, and innovation, and its support for entrepreneurship and investment. With this visionary strategy, investors from around the globe can boldly explore the opportunities Zimbabwe offers as the nation advances into the future.
Hikmatu Bilali
African digital financial inclusion remains a challenge. In that context, the new partnership seeks to expand access to financial services.
US Fintech Visa and the GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation (GSMA Foundation) launched the Digital Finance for All (DFA) initiative on Monday during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. This initiative aims to boost digital financial inclusion among 20 million individuals across Africa, Asia, and Latin America by providing targeted educational resources and facilitating access to mobile money services.
The DFA program seeks to equip women, small-scale farmers, and entrepreneurs running nano-, micro-, or small-sized enterprises with essential financial knowledge via technological tools. By doing so, it hopes to enable these groups to leverage mobile money platforms effectively within their respective nations.
"At Visa, we believe that digital payments are critical to including everyone in the digital economy by helping provide access to economic livelihood. Together with the GSMA Foundation, we seek to empower those in underserved communities across the world and provide equal access to help build better financial futures for all," said Chiagozie Nwabuebo, Vice President of Global Growth and Social Impact at Visa.
Despite progress over the past decade, Africa's bank account penetration remains low globally. As a result, many African citizens have increasingly relied on mobile money as a viable alternative form of payment. With the expansion of fintech companies throughout the region, mobile money has become an integral aspect of daily life in Africa.
As per the GSMA's "State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2023," the number of active mobile money accounts in Africa rose by 17%, reaching approximately 763 million, while total transactions approached $832 billion - an increase of 22% from 2021. Although growth rates were lower in Latin America and Asia compared to Africa, these markets have also seen significant increases in mobile money usage.
As stated by Ashley Olson Onyango (photo, left), Head of Financial Inclusion and Agri-Tech at the GSMA, “Mobile money can play a transformative role in advancing financial inclusion and resilience for the nearly 2 billion people who remain unbanked globally. However, poor digital and financial literacy is a key barrier to accessing digital financial services, especially for certain population segments like women, farmers, and micro-merchants.”
Adoni Conrad Quenum
The digitalization of education in Africa holds significant promise for revolutionizing educational systems and enhancing learning results. Yet, obstacles persist, including inadequate infrastructure and the imperative to equip educators with proficiency in these emerging technologies.
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has been awarded a grant of approximately 8.1 million rand ($422,000) by the European Union (EU) to implement the Promotion of Technology Enhanced Learning and Digital Education (Pro-TELDE) project in South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. The project, funded by the EU’s Erasmus program, aims to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to transform education and foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation.
"Project Pro-TELDE reflects UJ’s commitment to advancing digital education and empowering educators for success in the digital era, driving positive societal change through transformative educational initiatives," said Professor Tankiso Moloi, 4IR Research Chair at Johannesburg Business School, UJ.
The EU funding aligns with UJ’s dedication to digital education. The university has recently made significant strides in AI, ranking sixth among African universities for its contributions to AI research.
As part of the project, vocational education will be offered, as well as training of educators, to equip them with the necessary tools to navigate and excel in this new era. An online repository of validated digital educational resources, specifically designed for South African educators, will be established to serve as a hub of knowledge and innovation, providing them with access to a wealth of information and tools to refine their teaching methods.
This initiative, by equipping educators with the tools and knowledge to adapt to digital advancements and incorporate them into their teaching practices, aims to pave the way for a brighter and more technologically advanced future for South Africa’s education sector.
Samira Njoya
For three days, global telecommunications and technology sector stakeholders will meet to discuss an ever-smart and connected world and exchange insights and innovations.
The Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona, Spain, has drawn nearly 96,000 registrants for this year’s event, which opened on February 26, according to Mats Granryd, Managing Director of the Global System Operators Association (GSMA). This marks an increase from last year’s attendance of approximately 90,000.
The Mobile World Congress 2024 (MWC 2024), officially inaugurated by King Felipe VI, is focusing not only on connectivity but also on all related sectors. "As connectivity brings us together, technology opens possibilities – with connectivity driving a fusion of technology and purpose across all sectors, enabling new possibilities. This week is all about exploring the future's potential for businesses and society," said Mats Granryd.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the most prominent segment at this year’s event, with public adoption of generative AI, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, gaining traction since its introduction in November 2022. The tech community and governments are currently considering the practical applications, economic implications, ethical use regulations, and safety concerns of generative AI.
Other key topics to be discussed at the event include connected and electric cars, cloud computing, 5G and 6G technology, and the transformation of telecom operators.
MWC 2024 also presents an opportunity to explore the latest tech gadgets, including wrist smartphones, connected watches, laptops, and tablets. Major broadband industry players such as Orange, Vodafone, Telefonica, and China Mobile will be in attendance, along with leading tech companies like Huawei, Samsung, Microsoft, Intel, Amazon, Infobip, and Nokia.
The startup ecosystem is well represented, with a dedicated space for tech entrepreneurs and an African delegation featuring companies like Ghana’s Farmerline, Benin’s FedaPay, and Senegal’s Lafricainemobile.
The event, which concludes on February 29, is expected to foster numerous partnerships for the advancement of global connectivity and digital transformation among private, public, and public-private entities.
Muriel Edjo
At just 15 years old, a serious accident left Nathan Nwachuku sidelined from school for six long months. During his recovery, he discovered the potential of online classes and decided to fully devote to it, by setting up Klas.
Nigerian start-up Klas, co-founded by Nathan Nwachuku and Lekan Adejumo in 2022, has developed an edtech solution that allows users to establish their online schools on its web platform. Since its inception, the start-up has raised $1.3 million to enhance its technology and foster growth.
For Nwachuku, Klas is similar to the e-commerce platform Shopify but for online courses. “What they are doing for online stores where anyone can set up their stores and sell anything online is what Klas is trying to do for its users by helping them set up online schools and run classes,” he told TechCrunch.
To use Klas, users must visit its website and create an account by providing their first name, last name, phone number, and email address. After setting up a password, users can proceed to create their online school in a field of their choice, with options ranging from coding and finance to art and foreign language learning. Klas provides a variety of course formats, including live courses, pre-recorded video content, and ebooks.
Unlike other edtech companies that integrate tools like Google Meet or Zoom for classroom experiences, Klas has developed its tool, KlasLife. Nwachuku explains that KlasLife, built from scratch with a unique video architecture, does not use a video programming interface. He emphasizes Klas’s focus on a closed ecosystem, contrasting it with other large companies that are essentially integration toolkits with fully integrated platforms.
Klas offers a free package that includes services such as recorded courses and ebooks, along with two paid packages priced at $29/month and $99/month (yet to be launched). The company also plans to introduce additional services for businesses, such as employee development, to increase revenues. As of February 2024, Klas boasts over 5,000 online schools and more than 300,000 students, intending to reach 100,000 online schools by 2027.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
As a social entrepreneur, she is committed to bridging the gender gap in technology.
Barbara Mutabazi (photo) is a Ugandan social entrepreneur working to bridge the technological gender divide across Africa as the founder of Women in Technology Uganda (WITU). Established in 2014, WITU empowers young and underprivileged women in Uganda through hands-on training, resources, and employment prospects to foster tech innovators, leaders, and entrepreneurs contributing to local and regional economies.
WITU imparts diverse professional, commercial, and digital skillsets, encouraging participants to initiate revenue-generating activities and develop comprehensive business plans by analyzing community needs. The organization further promotes collaboration among its members, aiming to nurture a culture of creativity and achievement while supporting startup growth in Uganda.
Mutabazi is also a co-founder and director of Hive Colab, a hub promoting experimental concepts with significant societal and economic impacts in Uganda. This initiative aims to establish a conducive environment for innovation and excellence, thereby enhancing the success rate of emerging businesses.
A graduate of Makerere University in 2011 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Computing, Mutabazi continued her education at the University of Salford, England, earning a Master's Degree in Information Systems Management in 2018. Her extensive experience includes serving on the Board of Directors of AfriLabs Foundation from 2014 to 2017 and acting as the National Director of the SPRING Accelerator in Uganda from 2014 to 2017. Additionally, Mutabazi served as an associate at the British Council's Business Creation Service from 2018 to 2021, providing business development support to more than 50 creative entrepreneurs throughout Africa.
For her efforts, she received the Anita Borg Institute's Change Agent Award in 2014 and became a Fellow of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Mandela Washington program in 2017.
Melchior Koba
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Moove Africa, a mobility company operating in six sub-Saharan African markets, is currently in talks with Uber regarding a potential investment. The funding would support Moove Africa's continued expansion across the continent.
Uber Technologies, the American ride-hailing giant, is poised to invest $100 million in African vehicle financing startup Moove, according to a Bloomberg report. The investment is part of a new funding round that could increase Moove’s enterprise value from $650 million to around $750 million.
This funding round follows a recent $76 million financing round that included participation from U.S. asset management firm BlackRock and Emirati investment firm Mubadala Investment Company. Moove aims to use these funds to build the world’s largest technology-enabled financial services platform for mobile entrepreneurs.
Moove, which is already a funding partner of Uber in Africa and India, could see its partnership with Uber strengthened if the $100 million investment is confirmed. This could potentially enable broader vehicle financing on a global scale.
Currently headquartered in Amsterdam, Moove operates in several African cities, including Lagos, Accra, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Nairobi, as well as in London, Dubai, and three major Indian cities: Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore.
Samira Njoya
In line with its mission to help startups and entrepreneurs grow, Bamako IHub, a Mali-based innovation hub, offers a range of resources including financial support, coworking spaces, and R&D laboratories.
Bamako IHub, a Malian incubator, is dedicated to fostering a conducive ecosystem for technology start-ups and green industry companies in Mali and Africa. Established by the non-governmental organization Mali Folkecenter Nyetaa, the tech hub aims to equip startups, entrepreneurs, and aspiring entrepreneurs with the necessary tools, expertise, and training for their growth.
The incubator provides a coworking and networking space, fablabs for R&D, and a range of programs including pre-incubation, incubation, acceleration, and financial support for seed-stage start-ups. Our mission “is to provide startups, entrepreneurs, and aspiring entrepreneurs, primarily in the tech and green sectors, with the essential tools for their growth, the expertise and training they need to develop their businesses and themselves, as well as technical and financial support tools tailored to the needs of project leaders and the African entrepreneurial and financial ecosystem in general, and Mali in particular,” it informs on its website.
Bootstrap-Mali, the hub’s pre-incubation program, offers a three-month professional technical training course introducing tech entrepreneurship and the green industry in Mali to students, start-ups, and entrepreneurs.
BoostUp-Mali, the incubator’s incubation and acceleration program, assists tech and green startups and entrepreneurs in structuring their startups, organizing their initiatives, building their teams, and accessing the market and initial financing.
Through its BuildUp-Mali program, Bamako IHub provides members access to experimentation labs, coworking and collaboration spaces, and devices with pro versions of sought-after software in the sector. The incubator’s fablab offers a range of devices, including 3D and PVC card printers, and state-of-the-art work tools such as computers and high-speed internet.
Melchior Koba
E-commerce growth in Africa is projected to accelerate over the next decade, fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. To support and sustain this expansion, there is an urgent need for regulatory frameworks.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) and World Bank have launched "Digital Trade for Africa," a project aimed at boosting e-commerce growth and job creation on the continent. The announcement came during the WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) in Abu Dhabi last Saturday.
The initiative seeks to address limited digital infrastructure and regulatory frameworks hindering Africa's e-commerce potential, according to WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. “Digital trade is one of the fastest growing segments of trade in the world today. Young people and women on the African continent have shown that they are able to take advantage of these opportunities. Africa has only 1 percent share of digitally delivered services trade, but I see it as an opportunity for the continent to grab on,” she stated.
The project builds on a July 2023 joint WTO-World Bank policy brief that urged the creation of a regulatory environment conducive to digital trade on the continent.
As part of the project, the WTO and World Bank will support select African countries in developing digital infrastructure, including payment systems, and in addressing barriers to digital trade participation.
The aim is to enable Africa to lift its economy through e-commerce in a context where E-commerce platforms in Africa are forecast to reach $59.18 billion in sales by 2027, up from $32.49 billion in 2022, according to a report by digital economy consultancy TechCabal Insights.
Samira Njoya
Nigeria's government is pursuing a strategic partnership focused on digital transformation and job creation through technology skills development.
The Nigerian Ministry of Youth Development has announced plans to partner with American Tower Corporation (ATC) Nigeria, a leading provider of telecommunications and technology infrastructure, to offer free Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training to young people in the country.
The announcement was made on Friday, February 23, in Abuja by the Minister of Youth Development, Ms. Jamila Bio Ibrahim (pictured center), during a visit by a delegation from ATC led by Mr. Ehize Ilozavbie (pictured right), Head of Public Affairs for Africa at ATC.
"The ministry’s major mandate is to create an enabling environment for the youth to thrive and to prepare them for the 21st century economy just as President Bola Tinubu has emphasised severally in most of his engagements. We are ready to partner with you in the area of information communication technology, which is the main area of partnership with your corporation that our youths can benefit from," the Minister said.
In the wake of the technological revolution, digital skills have become a necessity rather than an option. The Nigerian government, through the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, has implemented several ICT training programs to enable the local population to acquire these essential skills. These initiatives allow Nigeria, one of the most mature technology ecosystems on the continent, to support its digital transformation and foster creativity among the country's youth.
ATC operates in 33 states across Nigeria and, according to Mr. Ilozavbie, it has already trained over 50,000 Nigerians.
Adoni Conrad Quenum