Data center operator iColo, a subsidiary of Digital Realty, inaugurated its first operator-neutral data center in Maputo, Mozambique on Wednesday, February 8th. Named MPM1, the infrastructure is expected to allow the company to expand its footprint and meet growing connectivity needs along the East Coast of Africa. The project was first announced in October 2021.
Wholesale bandwidth provider West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC) has laid the 2Africa fiber optic submarine cable at the Durban Open Access Data Centers (OADC) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This is the fourth and final landing of this infrastructure in the rainbow nation.
The arrival of 2Africa in KwaZulu-Natal comes about three weeks after Vodacom laid the same cable system in its Gqeberha facilities in Eastern Cape. A month earlier, MTN SA and MTN GlobalConnect landed the cable in Yzerfontein and Duynefontein in the Western Cape.
The Zimbabwean government has announced that it plans to deploy over 300 base stations across the country this year to address connectivity issues, particularly in rural areas. The equipment needed to build these telecoms infrastructures has already been purchased, it has been learned. Installation and operation will be entrusted to NetOne, the mobile branch of the historic operator TelOne. " We have sent in our team to conduct mapping and scoping and we want to make sure that we connect the unconnected." said Jenfan Muswere, Minister of Information, Communication, Technology, and Postal and Courier Services.
The partial privatization of Ethio Telecom is part of the process of liberalizing the Ethiopian telecom market. The government had originally planned to sell 40% of the historic operator. Finally, it announces that it wants to sell "up to 45% of Ethio Telecom's capital to an international company as part of the partial privatization" of the historic operator. To this end, the Ethiopian Ministry of Finance has launched a call for proposals published on Thursday, February 9.
According to Muriel Edjo, Chief Editor at We Are Tech, Africa is adopting 5G faster than expected, but not yet fast enough to meet the exploding demand for connectivity driven by new uses such as videoconferencing, streaming, e-sports, e-health, and remote work. Not to mention the rapid progress of AI and the growing importance of data that are disrupting the economy and public administration. Most of the major African telecom operators are ready to deploy this technology on a large scale. But they face several obstacles that the report "5G in Africa: The Challenges Facing Telecom Operators" aims to identify.
Disrupt Africa has released its annual report on funding for African startups and announces a historic record despite the global slowdown in the venture capital sector. For the first time, the media claims, the $3 billion mark has been surpassed. This is also the first time that this report is made available for free thanks to several sponsors Flat6Labs, MarketForce, 4Di Capital, Mercy Corps Ventures, Newtown Partners, and InsiderPR
The serial entrepreneur has launched and sold several companies. He is focused on the fintech segment, developing solutions that dynamize the sector. With Fyatu, he allows businesses to generate virtual credit cards when needed.
Felix Maroy (photo) is a Congolese entrepreneur and the founder-CEO of fintech startup Fyatu.
Fyatu, founded in 2020, is a modern platform and simple application programming interface developed for innovators who want to issue virtual debit cards. With Fyatu, they can instantaneously create cards to be used for online payments and purchases from over six million websites. The cards come with 3D secure technology to avoid fraudulent use, and advanced and simple card management tools.
"We developed this solution to address the need for electronic payments in the Congolese and African markets, where there are still several businesses and individuals who do not have access to modern and secure payment methods," Felix told TechCabal.
His platform currently boasts over 158,000 active users, with more than 3,000 cards generated monthly and 48 countries covered. In 2016, the entrepreneur launched STREAMZEN, a free music and movie streaming app. With over two million downloads, the app was sold about a year after its creation.
In 2017, he also co-founded Pesapay, an online payment platform. The following year, he launched MerciPro, a software development business he ran until 2020.
Melchior Koba
In recent years, Benin has implemented a number of digital projects to facilitate access to basic services. This year, it intends to pursue its digital transformation.
Last Friday, Benenise Digital Minister Aurelie Adam Soule Zoumarou presented the 2023 agenda of the Ministry of Digital Economy. According to the official, "impact, resilience strengthening, and upscaling" will be the keywords in the digital sector in Bein this year.
Before the national assembly, Aurelie Adam Soule Zoumarou defended a 2023 budget of over XOF31 billion (US$49.2 million) for projects including the implementation of the newly-approved National Artificial Intelligence and Mega Data Strategy (SNIAM), the deployment of digital and e-service centers and the creation of a legal framework that will encompass the digital law, the digital broadcasting law, and the data protection law.
The agenda also includes the deployment of more mobile cell sites and the launch of 5G trials. Aurelie Adam Soule Zoumarou also announced two major reforms, namely the mutualization of efforts for the construction of passive infrastructures and the inclusion of basic digital training in conventional and certifying education programs.
The Ministry will also focus on pursuing the modernization of the state TV ORTB, launching the new state TV A+ Benin, establishing an organizational framework for the advertising industry, and the launch of digital terrestrial television with the marketing of TV decoders.
The 2023 agenda also plans for the extension of mobile coverage in rural zones and the deployment of digital community centers in eligible communities where the centers are not yet deployed.
Samira Njoya
Seventeen years after the 2006 population census, Nigeria wants to conduct its fifth census. For this edition, the country is betting on local tech firms for the supply of its digital equipment.
The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the National Population Commission (NPC), recently signed a groundbreaking US$184 million contract with Zinox Technologies, a local tech company based in Lagos. Under the contract, the local tech firm is to supply technology components and other accessories for the population scheduled for next March-April.
"It is a privilege for the Federal Government to consider us among many other companies in the world. They know we have the capacity. We are deploying all our resources to make sure it is successful," said Kelechi Okonta, CEO of Zinox Technologies.
Last February 4, Zinox supplied the NPC with about 100,000 of the PDAs needed for the census.
Between 2006 and 2010, the same company worked with the government for the voter registration process because the foreign tech companies hired by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were unable to deliver the equipment ordered in time.
At the time, it used its Z-Pad smart device (which INEC is still relying on) to lay the foundation for Nigeria's digital democracy. The successful execution of the US$200 million-plus INEC contract in 2010 positioned Zinex as a strong and skilled local firm.
Samira Njoya
He is a passionate tech entrepreneur who wants to leverage technologies to build a better Africa. Through his startup Clio, he provides businesses with the infrastructure needed to efficiently manage their teams.
Joshua Oguntade (photo) is a Nigerian impact entrepreneur and the founder-CEO of software development firm Clio.
Formerly known as Onboardly, Clio was founded in 2021. It provides fast-growing companies with best-in-class tools to manage employees and build great company cultures. It aims to help companies put their employees first by providing a platform that helps them take care of the tasks necessary for an efficient work experience.
It was launched after Joshua Oguntade and his teams noticed companies were still using fragmented processes and tools in their operations, wasting time and money.
The tech entrepreneur thus developed a modern human resources management infrastructure that manages recruitment, payroll, benefits, integration, HR, and IT tasks. Several notable companies, including Bumpa, Float, and Mono, use Clio's solution and appreciate its efficiency.
In 2018, Joshua had already co-founded Pennysmart, a convenient and automated online/offline savings and wealth management service for Africans. He entered the professional world in 2015, joining the SMS delivery platform as a software engineer.
From 2016 to 2018, he completed an entrepreneurship program developed by MEST Africa, and in 2020, he worked as a product and compliance manager for Flutterwave, a fintech company that builds payment infrastructures to connect Africa to the global economy.
Melchior Koba
More...
The young computer scientist founded his fintech startup Gwala, in 2022, after his studies at the University of Stanford. With that startup, he helps firms boost productivity and retain talent.
Mossaab Abaouz (photo) is a Moroccan entrepreneur and alumnus of the University of Stanford where he studied computer science. In 2022, when he returned home after his studies, he founded Gwala, a fintech startup, which he is leading as the CEO.
His fintech startup aims to drive financial wellness by revolutionizing salary payment and helping companies increase employee productivity, retain talent, maintain healthy cash flow, and reduce human resource workloads.
Before launching Gwala, he co-founded several D2C e-commerce platforms between 2016 and 2018. From February 2020 to January 2021, he worked as an instructor and recruiter for Addictest, an ed-tech platform that helps students get admission into international universities, in the U.S mostly.
In 2021, the tech entrepreneur made a stint, as a research assistant, at the University of Stanford. He notably "developed an original algorithm that fused multiple Convolutional Neural Networks to increase the accuracy of image classification models by an average of 3%."
Recently, his startup secured an undisclosed amount of pre-seed financing from several investors including Ingressive Capital's Maya Morgan Famodu. The financing will be used to further develop Gwala and hire new talents to support growth.
"We’re thrilled to close this pre-seed funding round and to have the support of such a passionate group of investors. This investment will enable us to continue our mission of empowering Moroccans with the financial freedom they deserve and to build the future of work in Morocco," Abaouz said.
Melchior Koba
The second fund comes four years after the close of the first. Like the first, it is also focused on African startups but the envelope raised is larger.
US VC firm Partech announced, Tuesday (Feb 7), the first closing of Partech Africa II, its second investment fund focused on Africa. The EUR245 million raised will "support entrepreneurs who use a combination of technology and excellent operations to address some of the hard-to-solve but very large opportunities the continent offers across all sectors."
“We had set an ambitious goal for Partech Africa II at €230M, with a hard cap at €280M, essentially doubling the size of our first fund. We overreached it with a closed amount already above the target fund size," said Cyril Collon (photo, left), General Partner at Partech Africa.
The second fund is backed by leading development finance institutions, as well as institutional and commercial investors. It will pursue the first fund's strategy, which is to identify and support early-stage and growth-stage start-ups on the continent. It will invest between US$1 million and 15 million to support the targeted entrepreneurs.
To date, Partech's portfolio includes 17 startups in 9 African countries now operating in 27 countries across the continent. They include TradeDepot, Yoco, Wave, Nomba (formerly Kudi), Gebeya, ChatDesk, Reliance Health, MoneyFellows, TerraPay, Tugende, and Almentor.
Samira Njoya
The backbone, launched in 2019, is financed by the African Development Bank and the European Union to the tune of XAF22 billion.
Last Monday, the Central African Republic welcomed the CAR component of the Central Africa Fibre-Optic Backbone Project, which aims to provide broadband internet in the whole country.
According to President Faustin Touadera (photo, left), the efforts made by the government and its partners are aimed at creating an enabling environment in the field of telecommunications in the Central African Republic. "This new project, which is already operational, will first reduce internet costs and then create new jobs," he said.
The CAR component of the Central Africa Fibre-Optic Backbone Project, launched in 2019, is co-financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the European Union to the tune of XAF22 billion (US$36 million). It interconnects the Central African Republic, Congo Brazzaville, and Cameroon. The project includes 935 kilometers of optic fiber network and 11 relay stations that are being built in Bangui and some strategic towns in the North-West.
According to the Central African government's web portal, the newly deployed backbone will increase tax revenues, reduce the cost of economic and social transactions, reduce the digital isolation of rural areas, promote regional integration, and revitalize the social pact with new employment opportunities for the youth.
For François-Xavier Decopo, coordinator of the CAR component, the next stage is the sales of fiber optic capacity to operators. "In September, an operator will come... The government will sign a public-private partnership agreement with another operator who will manage the infrastructure and sell fiber optic capacities to mobile operators like Orange, Telecel, and Socatel," he said.
Samira Njoya
He is an IT consultant with over 20 years of experience working with multinationals like Google and Cosine Communications. As the General Partner of Partech Africa, he has invested in several African startups.
Tidjane Deme is a Senegalese investor and computer scientist. The Math-Physics and computer science graduate is one of the general partners of Partech Africa.
He was appointed to that position in 2016. Since then, he has overseen Partech's investments and strategic support to African startups that leverage technology to address key issues in emerging markets.
Some of the startups currently in the VC firm's portfolio are TradeDepot, Yoco, Wave, Nomba (ex-Kudi), Gebeya, ChatDesk, Reliance Health, MoneyFellows, TerraPay, Tugende, and Almentor.
Apart from being an investor, Tidjane is also an entrepreneur. In 2002, he co-founded CommonSys, an IT project management, and strategic consultancy firm he led, as the CEO, till 2008.
He gained international fame in 2009 when Google recruited him as its Francophone African Lead. In 2014, he was promoted to the position of head of business development in Africa. In that position, he worked on Project Link, a project that aimed to boost access to affordable broadband internet by deploying the needed infrastructure.
He is the initiator of several programs to advance internet use in Senegal. They include "Tablette Cafe" (an internet cafe where only computer tablets are used) in Dakar and Journal Rappé, a Youtube channel whose news presenters "rap the news."
His professional career started in 1999 when he joined the IT company Capgemini as a junior consultant (later senior consultant) in the telecom and media sectors. In 2002, he was recruited by Silicon Valley startup Cosine Communications, as a consultant.
Melchior Koba