Yao Baku uses technology to simplify business operations, automate vital processes, and turn internal company challenges into effective solutions.

Yao Baku is a Ghanaian entrepreneur specializing in financial technology. He co-founded and currently leads Regulon, a start-up focused on streamlining onboarding and automating regulatory compliance.

Founded in 2024, Regulon is building a platform to cut customer onboarding time from weeks down to seconds across African and European markets. The platform centralizes compliance checks and lowers the costs tied to these procedures.

Regulon offers several automated tools. Its platform features an identity verification system that checks companies and beneficial owners against over 140 official registers and multiple data sources to verify entity legitimacy. It also includes a compliance analyzer and a fake-document detection system. Additionally, the platform assesses the online presence and activities of client firms.

Regulon employs "Artificial Narrow Intelligence," a focused AI that collects, synchronizes, and verifies documents. A virtual agent named Rosa manages this process, automating onboarding decisions and ensuring proper data handling.

Before Regulon, Yao Baku co-founded Pennysmart, another fintech start-up, in 2018, where he served as chief growth officer until 2022. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Real Estate from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2015. Later, in 2022, he completed a postgraduate diploma in Information and Communication Technology from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration.

In 2020, Baku joined Flutterwave as a Product and Growth Associate. From 2022 to 2024, he worked as product manager at London-based Verto, a payment solution helping businesses send funds internationally.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Posted On mardi, 22 juillet 2025 12:48 Written by
  • Algeria plans a digital portal and centralized system to monitor public infrastructure projects nationwide.

  • The system will track real-time progress, detect delays and cost overruns, and enhance transparency.

  • Authorities aim to improve public investment performance and tighten control over budgets through digital tools.

Algeria moves to modernize its public works sector by adopting digital technology to boost project management. The Ministry of Public Works and Basic Infrastructure announced plans on July 19 in Algiers to launch a digital portal and centralized system for overseeing infrastructure projects across the country.

Minister Lakhdar Rekhroukh said the system will serve as a real-time dashboard to aid quick decision-making and raise implementation efficiency. He explained that the platform will monitor every project phase at both central and local levels, providing an instant snapshot of work progress.

The two digital tools will help stakeholders spot delays and cost overruns promptly while delivering actionable data to administrators, project engineers, financial controllers, and local officials. This access aims to make project management more efficient and transparent.

This digital move fits a broader government effort to digitize public procurement in Algeria. The infrastructure sector faces issues like chronic delays, unexpected cost hikes, and opaque monitoring—factors that hinder public investment and strain state finances.

Developed by the French Treasury’s National Equipment Fund for Development(CNED), the platform combines performance indicators and automated reports. It links spending directly to actual progress on project sites.

By centralizing and updating information instantly, the system will improve cost control, help meet deadlines, and boost transparency in public fund usage. Officials expect it to lay foundations for stronger investment governance and higher quality infrastructure delivery.

This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Posted On mardi, 22 juillet 2025 12:44 Written by

The partnership directly addresses several systemic barriers slowing Africa’s digital transformation—particularly low internet access, weak innovation support systems, and fragmented regulatory environments.

AfriLabs, an African network of innovation hubs, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), the specialised organ of the African Union in the field of Telecommunications/ICTs, to drive inclusive digital innovation across the continent. The partnership, announced July 18, brings together ATU’s 52 member states and AfriLabs’ ecosystem of over 500 hubs spanning 53 African countries to empower local solutions, close digital divides, and catalyse economic transformation.

“This collaboration with AfriLabs seeks to provide a framework that enables innovators to focus on solving real problems rather than battling regulatory barriers,” said John Omo, Secretary General of ATU. “Our entrepreneurs have the ideas and resilience, but they face fragmented regulations and limited continental visibility.”

Signed at ATU’s Nairobi headquarters, the agreement marks a critical step toward bridging Africa’s widening digital gap. It will support joint programs and communication across both organisations’ networks, such as integrating AfriLabs' capacity-building programs with ATU-led initiatives, like the Africa Innovation Challenge. It will also nurture innovation in emerging sectors like mobile internet and 5G.

Crucially, the MoU includes a framework for strengthening intellectual property (IP) protection for African innovators. The two bodies will advocate for startup-friendly IP policies and promote commercialization strategies, ensuring that African innovations are safeguarded and scaled both locally and globally.

The collaboration is aligned with the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa 2020–2030, which is a continental blueprint designed to leverage digital technologies for inclusive development and economic growth across Africa. By aligning regulatory support with grassroots innovation, the partnership aims to ensure this growth translates into inclusive digital services, thriving tech ecosystems, and scalable African solutions.

Hikmatu Bilali

Posted On mardi, 22 juillet 2025 11:37 Written by

She works on projects in Senegal that focus on education and digital tools, always considering local practices and the specific needs of communities.

Ndeye Amy Kebe (photo), a Senegalese social entrepreneur and expert in information and communication technologies applied to agriculture, founded and directs Jokalante. Her social enterprise received the Impact Award at Challenge+ Dakar 2025.

Founded in 2016, Jokalante focuses on digital inclusion and agriculture. It provides farmers, herders, and rural communities with tools to access technical, climate, and health information, regardless of language or literacy. The company contributes to food security and climate change adaptation through accessible educational content and digital tools. It also facilitates dialogue between field actors and experts.

Jokalante developed a multichannel platform integrating several solutions. It broadcasts voice messages and SMS in Wolof, Serer, Pulaar, Diola, Mandinka, French, and English for wide dissemination to rural populations. It also offers an interactive voice response service for phone access to advice without an internet connection.

Users can ask questions, report difficulties, or share observations through the platform, which strengthens awareness efforts. Since 2024, Jokalante has deployed Nafoore, a voice chatbot powered by generative artificial intelligence that adapts responses based on weather, soil type, or crops.

Kebe also owns Caman, a vocational training organization launched in 2018. She earned a master's degree in education and adult training from the University of Lille in 2013.

She began her professional career in 2008 as a local accounting manager at the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie. In 2014, she became an e-learning project manager at the Institut universitaire de technologie et de commerce (ITECOM) in Senegal. Between 2014 and 2015, she worked as an instructional designer at the Virtual University of Senegal.

Melchior Koba

Posted On mardi, 22 juillet 2025 06:00 Written by

Orange operates in 17 countries across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, with 16 of those in Africa. The company currently offers fiber internet services in 10 of these markets.

Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA) reported 1.4 million fiber-optic internet subscribers in 2024, a 28% increase from 2023. The data comes from the company's 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility report, published July 3.

While OMEA did not specify the exact driver of this growth, the company invested $1.4 billion in its regional network during the year. This investment covered fixed, mobile, and next-generation technologies. The growth reflects a digital transformation with increasing demand for high-speed connectivity from both businesses and individuals. By the end of 2024, Orange had already extended fiber coverage to 4.9 million households in the region to meet this demand.

"For Orange, creating sustainable value first means enabling as many people as possible to access connectivity, an essential digital service. To achieve this, we deploy and operate fixed and mobile networks on a global scale, in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. For businesses, operators, and content providers, we offer an optimized global network and next-generation connectivity solutions," Orange Group stated in its 2024 integrated annual report.

Orange views fixed broadband, including ADSL, fiber, and radio networks, as a key growth driver in Africa and the Middle East. For example, in a July 2024 article, the company announced a 125 million euro ($145.5 million) investment in fixed networks by 2025. This investment aims to connect an additional 800,000 households to fiber, reaching a total of 1.3 million fiber customers in the region. An additional 100 million to 200 million euros were also planned to strengthen international connectivity infrastructure, particularly submarine cables.

Orange provides fiber internet services in 10 countries across Africa and the Middle East: Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The company's fixed internet customer base also includes 1.6 million households with 4G or 5G fixed wireless access and nearly one million households connected via ADSL.

Fixed broadband revenue in the region increased by 19.5% between 2023 and 2024. This contributed to Orange OMEA's total revenue of 7.683 billion euros, an 11.1% increase from 2023. The region accounted for 19% of the Orange Group's total revenue.

Isaac K. Kassouwi

Posted On mardi, 22 juillet 2025 05:48 Written by

The Africa Money & DeFi Summit West Africa is set to return to Accra on September 24–25, 2025, bringing together top fintech and crypto stakeholders from across the continent and around the world for two days of networking, business development, and investment exploration.

To be held at the Mövenpick Hotel, the summit will connect Africa’s rapidly evolving fintech, decentralized finance (DeFi), and Web3 ecosystem with global investors, technology providers, and industry pioneers.

Startups will gain exposure to investors and accelerators, while corporates and regulators will explore partnerships and emerging policy frameworks in areas like digital currencies, open banking, and responsible crypto innovation.

Posted On lundi, 21 juillet 2025 16:43 Written by

Lamine Barro, a young Ivorian entrepreneur, is using technology to transform how African youth learn and work. Through his startup Etudesk, he blends data, accessibility, and digital tools to build skills and drive digital transformation across West Africa.

Barro, founder and CEO of Etudesk, launched the company in 2016. Since then, it has grown into a key player in the digital education sector, supporting both public services and private organisations with data-driven solutions.

Etudesk offers a platform that centralises and updates socio-economic and urban data in real time. Governments, investors, and businesses use it to make informed decisions and better understand local dynamics. But the company’s impact goes further—especially in the fields of education and employment.

One of its flagship tools is Etudesk LMS, a learning management system designed to boost the skills of African talent. The platform lets users create, manage, and distribute educational content. Organisations and companies can build training programs that combine videos, quizzes, documents, and assessments.

In March 2025, Etudesk launched a custom data platform for Côte d'Ivoire's Agence Emploi Jeunes (AEJ). The system integrates AI-driven diagnostics that assess each user’s profile, skills, and goals to offer personalised recommendations—a tool aimed at matching youth with job opportunities that fit their aspirations.

Beyond Etudesk, Barro plays a wider role in the Ivorian tech ecosystem. He is co-founder and vice-president of #Ci20 (Côte d'Ivoire Innovation 20), a coalition of leading technology firms. He also serves on the scientific council of Mission Laïque Française, a French-based non-profit that operates schools around the world.

Before entering tech, Barro studied biology. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the Université Péléforo Gon Coulibaly in Korhogo in 2015.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Posted On lundi, 21 juillet 2025 13:41 Written by

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has launched a blockchain-powered platform to combat fake diplomas and speed up slow administrative procedures. The new digital solution, called “e-Diplôme,” aims to secure and digitise the issuance and verification of state diplomas.

The government unveiled the initiative on July 18 during a Council of Ministers meeting in Kinshasa.

“The e-Diplôme platform represents a decisive turning point in the modernisation of the Congolese education system,” said Minister of Communication and Media Patrick Muyaya Katembwe. “This major step towards transparency, modernisation, and digital sovereignty positions the DRC’s education system as a model of governance in Central Africa.”

Accessible at www.schoolap.cd, the platform allows centralised, digital management of academic records. Each diploma will be stored and authenticated using blockchain technology, enabling instant online verification by graduates, employers, universities, and embassies.

The system ensures permanent digital archiving, protecting records from data loss, forgery, and physical damage.

The move comes as the DRC—like many African nations—struggles with rampant diploma fraud. The e-Diplôme platform is part of a wider government push to modernise public administration, strengthen digital sovereignty, and digitise essential public services.

By removing paper documents and manual processing, the system aims to streamline interactions between schools, ministries, and recruiters. It will reduce verification delays, limit human errors, and simplify procedures for graduates.

This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya 

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Posted On lundi, 21 juillet 2025 13:26 Written by

In launching the ACTS AI Institute, Africa is making a clear statement: the future of AI on the continent will not be outsourced. It will be developed by Africans, for Africans—rooted in local values, driven by local needs, and shaped through global collaboration.

The African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) has launched the ACTS AI Institute (ACAII), an initiative aimed at advancing responsible, African-centered AI research, innovation, and governance. Positioned as a continental hub for ethical and inclusive AI, the Institute seeks to empower local communities, drive sustainable development, and ensure that AI technologies reflect Africa’s unique values and priorities.

For the Executive Director of ACTS, Prof. Tom Peter Migun Ogada, “The Institute builds on the experience and network consolidated over a period of five years, since ACTS started implementing projects related to development and deployment of responsible AI solutions and related policies. This launch is therefore meant to enable us to do what we have been doing better, with a wider mandate across the continent.”

Backed by the AI for Development (AI4D) program—with support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA)—ACAII builds on a foundation laid by the AI4D Scholarship Program. This initiative has already enabled researchers from historically underrepresented communities to design and scale AI solutions tailored to African contexts.

At the heart of the Institute’s mission are five strategic pillars: responsible AI solutions, AI policy and governance, AI and jobs, capacity building, and data science. Through these, ACAII aims to address critical challenges across agriculture, healthcare, education, and climate resilience. For example, the Institute is developing AI-driven weather prediction models and crop yield tools that can assist Africa’s 60% smallholder farmers, as well as telemedicine platforms that expand access to healthcare in remote communities.

The Institute also sees AI as a vehicle for economic inclusion and transformation. By exploring labor market trends and encouraging AI-driven entrepreneurship, ACAII aims to equip young Africans with the tools to create new industries and jobs, rather than be displaced by automation.

This people-first approach is echoed in ACAII’s dedication to education and training. The Institute is actively working with African policymakers, researchers, and educators to develop curricula and training programs that will build long-term human capacity in AI governance, ethics, and development.

To ensure its impact is felt across the continent, ACAII is building a wide coalition of partners—from government and academia to civil society, the private sector, and the media. This ecosystem approach is key to scaling innovations responsibly and ensuring the benefits of AI reach those often left behind by previous waves of technological change.

Despite growing interest in AI, Africa still lags in global AI development. The Oxford Insights Government AI Readiness Index (2022 edition) reported that Sub-Saharan Africa’s average score was approximately 29.4, which is significantly below the global average of 44.6.

ACAII is actively working to close these gaps by developing Africanized AI policy frameworks, ethical standards, and localized toolkits to support responsible scaling.

Hikmatu Bilali

Posted On lundi, 21 juillet 2025 10:26 Written by

In less than ten years, 5G has gone from being a technological privilege to a concrete reality in nearly 30 African countries. A significant advancement that confirms the continent’s foothold in the global digital economy, despite ongoing challenges.

5 G technology is rapidly advancing across Africa, driven by growing momentum throughout the continent. According to the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), 79 telecom operators in 41 African countries were investing in 5G in 2024. Among these, 35 operators had already launched commercial networks in 21 countries. In June 2021, the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) reported seven active 5G commercial networks across five African markets. Vodacom Lesotho was the first operator to launch 5G on the continent in 2018.

In 2024, 5G technology accounted for 25% of mobile network coverage in urban areas, compared to 73% for 4G, as per the International Telecommunication Union. Regarding subscribers, 5G had over 26 million users out of approximately 600 million unique mobile subscribers in sub-Saharan Africa in 2024.

Including North Africa, particularly Tunisia and Egypt, where commercial 5G became available in February and June 2025, respectively, these figures would likely be higher for the entire continent. Agence Ecofin data from June 2025 shows 48 telecom operators had already launched 5G in 28 African countries.

Country

Operator

Launch Year

Lesotho

Vodacom

2018

South Africa

Rain

2018

Libya

Al-Madar

2019

South Africa

Vodacom

2020

South Africa

MTN

2020

Seychelles

Cable & Wireless

2020

Togo

Togocom

2020

Madagascar

Yas

2020

Angola

Unitel

2022

South Africa

Telkom

2022

Kenya

Safaricom

2022

Zimbabwe

Econet Wireless

2022

Tanzania

Vodacom

2022

Nigeria

MTN

2022

Zambia

MTN

2022

Botswana

Orange

2022

Egypt

Orange

2022

Kenya

Airtel

2023

Ethiopia

Ethio Telecom

2023

Tanzania

Airtel

2023

Nigeria

Mafab Com.

2023

Nigeria

Airtel

2023

Zambia

Airtel

2023

Mozambique

Vodacom

2023

Gambia

Qcell

2023

Mauritius

Emtel

2023

Uganda

MTN

2023

Uganda

Airtel

2023

Lesotho

Econet Wireless

2024

Kenya

Equitel

2024

Zimbabwe

NetOne

2024

Gambia

Africell

2024

Somaliland

Telesom

2024

Senegal

Sonatel

2024

Somalia

Hormuud Telecom

2024

Mauritius

Mauritius Telecom

2024

Congo

MTN

2024

Benin

MTN

2025

Comoros

Comores Telecom

2025

Comoros

Yas

2025

Tunisia

Orange

2025

Tunisia

Tunisie Telecom

2025

Tunisia

Ooredoo

2025

Eswatini

Eswatini Mobile

2025

Rwanda

MTN

2025

Egypt

Telecom Egypt

2025

Egypt

Vodafone

2025

Egypt

e& egypt

2025

Source: Ecofin Agency

Given the high number of telecom operators interested in 5G, notably in Algeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, and Cape Verde, new commercial rollouts are expected by the end of the year. However, many obstacles continue to hinder widespread 5G adoption across Africa.

Challenges and Opportunities

The primary barriers to 5G adoption in Africa remain in five key areas: mobile devices, services, infrastructure, spectrum, and policy or regulation. The ATU explains that the high cost of 5 G-compatible phones prevents mass adoption of 5G services. The ATU suggests that while 5G compatible phones are available from vendors starting at $150, many people in African countries cannot afford smartphones at current prices. Therefore, governmental, regulatory, and operator-level interventions will be necessary to make devices more affordable and foster an environment conducive to continued 4G growth and 5G adoption.

The underdeveloped nature of practical 5G use cases also slows the technology’s uptake in Africa. This includes both personal and industrial applications involving emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things, covering smart cities, smart ports, immersive remote learning, health monitoring systems, smart grids and surveillance, and automated production chains. Without concrete applications, the ATU notes that 5G is primarily used to improve internet speeds. The organization warns that if this trend continues, 5G may remain a luxury product reserved for businesses and affluent segments of society.

Furthermore, other challenges limiting the widespread rollout of 5G networks in Africa include the high cost of deploying telecom technology, the unavailability of essential 5G frequency spectrum, the lack of capacity and availability of fiber optic networks, insufficient incentives for inter-industry collaboration, and the absence of standards or guidelines on cross-border data exchange management. The African branch of the ITU emphasizes that appropriately addressing these issues will make 5G a growth lever for African economies.

By 2030, the GSMA estimates that 5G alone could contribute $10 billion to the regional economy, representing 6% of the mobile sector's total economic impact.

Muriel Edjo

Posted On lundi, 21 juillet 2025 05:30 Written by
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