- HireSales uses AI-driven precision matching to analyse job descriptions and candidate profiles simultaneously.
- The platform, created in 2024, connects companies to a vetted pool of sales talent in South Africa.
- HireSales enables companies and candidates to publish profiles and receive automated matching based on skills, experience and cultural fit.
After several years in South African banks, Brandon Ragunanan moved into entrepreneurship. He developed a system that rethinks how sales candidates are identified and ranked.
Brandon Ragunanan, a marketing specialist and entrepreneur based in Cape Town, is the founder and chief executive of HireSales, a recruitment platform dedicated to sales professionals.
HireSales, created in 2024, connects companies to a pool of sales talent in South Africa. The platform analyses job postings and candidate profiles at the same time to propose matches based on skills, experience and organisational culture.
HireSales operates with artificial-intelligence technology focused on “precision matching.” The system examines job descriptions and CVs in detail to identify the profiles that best meet company needs. Its filters and algorithms isolate suitable candidates within a large talent base and integrate qualitative criteria such as compatibility with the work environment.
Companies create a profile and publish their recruitment needs, while candidates join the talent pool and input their career information. The platform then automates the matching process. Users access the suggested matches, contact candidates and adjust their criteria at any time through the online interface.
Alongside HireSales, Brandon Ragunanan serves as sales and marketing director at C Life Marketing, a South African marketing company. He graduated from Damelin in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing.
He began his professional career the same year at Nedbank as a channel manager. In 2011, he joined Bidvest Bank Ltd as corporate relationship manager. Between 2014 and 2018, he held the position of regional sales director at Altron, a South African technology group.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
- Ethiopia will introduce digital registration for voters and candidates for the first time for the June 1, 2026 general elections.
- The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has launched operational digital platforms and begun training political party representatives.
- Voters will access online self-registration or tablet-assisted registration, supported by a call center and technical teams.
Digital tools continue to reshape electoral processes across Africa by easing access to registration and strengthening transparency. Ethiopia aligns with this trend as it moves to modernize the management of candidate and voter registration.
Ethiopia will introduce digital registration for voters and candidates for the first time during its seventh general elections scheduled for June 1, 2026. Melatwork Hailu, president of the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), announced the decision on Tuesday, December 9, during a press briefing that outlined the preparations for the vote.
NEBE has activated the digital registration platforms and has launched training for representatives of political parties. The system will allow candidates to register through a web interface or a mobile application. Voters will choose between self-registration online or assisted registration at centers equipped with tablets. NEBE has also set up a call center and deployed technical assistance teams to support users who face difficulties.
This digital shift fits into a broader plan to modernize Ethiopia’s electoral management. NEBE says it aims to improve transparency, efficiency, and accessibility in a context shaped by persistent security challenges, logistical constraints, and high expectations for governance. The introduction of digital tools should secure data, enhance administrative tracking of candidacies, and reduce the recurrent delays observed during registration phases.
Ethiopia counts more than 135 million inhabitants, and mobility remains restricted in several regions. Limited access to administrative centers also complicates participation. Digital registration could therefore ease voter engagement, particularly in rural or remote areas. However, the reform still faces significant constraints, including weak connectivity in many rural zones, unequal access to digital tools, cybersecurity risks, and the need to train users on these new systems.
If the system works as intended, Ethiopia could strengthen the reliability and efficiency of its electoral administration and lay the groundwork for a broader transformation of its democratic procedures.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
On Tuesday, Dec. 9, the Global South Alliance launched the second round of its Datafication and Democracy Fund, allocating $72,000 to support research and advocacy projects in 2026 examining how datafication affects democratic processes. Organizations based in the Global South and working on digital rights can apply for grants of up to $8,000. Applications must be submitted in English through the online form by Jan. 30, 2026.
South African startup Community Wolf, which develops AI-based security technology, has acquired the emergency-response app Namola. The acquisition will bring together neighborhood alert systems delivered through instant messaging and a nationwide network of medical, fire and security responders. Namola will continue operating as a standalone app but will be integrated into the Community Wolf platform to enable faster and more coordinated emergency responses.
The Lagos team behind NEVO, a personalized learning platform for neurodivergent children, has won the innovation hackathon for the Southwest region in the third cohort of the 3 Million Technical Talent programme, taking a prize of N500,000 (about $345). The event highlights local digital solutions designed to improve inclusive education and expand economic opportunities for Nigerians.
South African bank Capitec is acquiring payment firm Walletdoc for $23.5 million. The transaction includes an immediate payment of 300 million rand ($17.6 million) and 100 million rand ($5.8 million) in contingent consideration. The deal is intended to bring Walletdoc’s technology into Capitec’s business-services platform and strengthen the bank’s position in e-commerce.
The Egyptian platform MoneyHash is partnering with Saudi firm Amwal Tech to boost adoption of local payment methods and offer installment plans. The partnership strengthens MoneyHash’s presence in Saudi Arabia and makes it easier for merchants to add new payment options for their customers.
Ezeebit, a pan-African company specializing in cryptocurrency and stablecoin payments, has raised $2.05 million in a seed funding round. The funds will support expansion in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, and help strengthen partnerships with banks and telecom operators. Ezeebit aims to reduce the cost and processing time of digital payments across the continent.
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Gara Store has signed a strategic deal to distribute Média-Participations' French-language catalog across Africa.
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The partnership addresses structural market barriers including mobile-first access and local payment constraints.
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Média-Participations targets Africa as a priority expansion market following growth in Europe, America, and Asia.
The African digital content market experiences rapid growth. A young and connected population drives this trend. However, infrastructure limits access. High costs and a lack of adapted platforms also impede the sector.
Gara Store announced a strategic distribution agreement with European group Média-Participations on Tuesday, December 9. Gara Store operates as an African digital content distribution platform. Média-Participations functions as a major player in French-language comics and family entertainment. This partnership targets the African public with thousands of iconic works. It also strengthens the group's presence in an expanding market.
The agreement covers the French-language catalog of Média-Participations. This inventory includes comics, youth content, and spiritual works. Gara Store will integrate these titles into its system. The platform currently conducts tests in several African countries during its deployment phase. The developers designed the system to address structural obstacles on the continent. These challenges include payment difficulties, mobile Internet access, and local economic constraints. The partners also present the deal as a lever for the African digital entertainment market. It supports creators. It builds a competitive local cultural ecosystem.
The collaboration occurs as the African digital content market sees sustained growth. The continent counts more than 670 million Internet users. Mobile devices provide access for a majority of these users. Mobile networks handle over 70% of Internet connections in Africa. Online entertainment demand increases rapidly within a very young population. People under 25 represent more than 60% of this demographic. However, legal access to cultural content remains limited despite this dynamic. High costs cause this bottleneck. Payment difficulties and fragmented catalogs also contribute to the problem.
Média-Participations views this agreement as a strategic step in its international expansion. The group targets Africa as a new priority market following Europe, America, and Asia. Julien Papelier, General Director of the group, highlighted the significance of the move. "This agreement opens many perspectives for generations of Africans who will discover or rediscover our iconic titles."
The partnership between Gara Store and Média-Participations should expand access to reference content on the continent. The deal aims to encourage collaboration between African creators and international players. It demonstrates the potential of the African digital entertainment market. It generates economic opportunities for the entire value chain. Furthermore, data collected via the platform will help analysts understand local usages and expectations. This insight allows the companies to anticipate future market needs.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English y Ange Jason Quenum
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Burkina Faso creates the “Criminal Justice System Module” to allow citizens to file complaints online starting 15 December 2025.
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The platform aims to reduce administrative delays, strengthen transparency and streamline judicial workflows.
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Burkina Faso ranked 175th out of 193 countries in the UN 2024 E-Government Development Index, highlighting the scale of digitalisation challenges.
Burkina Faso continues to accelerate its digital transformation as the country faces persistent obstacles to accessing justice. Authorities develop digital tools to simplify procedures, strengthen transparency and improve the responsiveness of judicial services nationwide.
The Ministry of Digital Transition and the Ministry of Justice announced on Tuesday, December 9, the completion of the “Parquet Module of the Criminal Justice System,” a platform designed to enable citizens to file complaints online with public prosecutors across Burkina Faso. The government plans to officially launch the system on December 15, 2025, in Ouagadougou.
Authorities present the Parquet Module as a major public-service modernisation tool. The platform will allow citizens to submit complaints remotely and will give judicial actors the ability to process cases securely and in an integrated manner, from initial filing to verdict. The solution aims to cut administrative delays, reinforce traceability and streamline the work of legal professionals.
The launch aligns with the government’s digital-transformation policy, pursued for several years. Authorities generalised the online criminal-record system in 2023, progressively digitised the penal chain and modernised the Justice Ministry’s information systems. The initiative also responds to structural constraints that continue to hinder access to justice, including slow procedures, congested clerks’ offices and mobility challenges in certain regions.
With the Module Parquet, authorities expect to offer citizens a smoother experience and reduce pressure on physical service counters. The platform should accelerate information flows, improve transparency in complaint processing and strengthen proximity between prosecutors and users. Over time, the data generated by the service will help authorities refine the management of the penal chain and support reforms aimed at making justice more accessible and efficient nationwide.
The United Nations’ E-Government Development Index, which measures online public-service delivery, telecom connectivity and human-capacity levels, ranked Burkina Faso 175th out of 193 countries in 2024 with a low score of 0.2895. The ranking highlights the scale of the remaining challenges in expanding digital public services.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
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Prime Music Store fills infrastructure gaps for independent Liberian artists.
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The platform utilizes a coin-based virtual currency model for revenue generation.
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Losine Victory Sanyon Jr. combines tech entrepreneurship with humanitarian leadership.
Losine Victory Sanyon Jr. operates as a Liberian entrepreneur and marketer. He co-founded Prime Technologies. He serves as the CEO of this digital solutions firm. The company includes Prime Music Store in its portfolio.
Prime Technologies launched Prime Music Store in 2024. This online platform facilitates streaming, downloading, and music discovery. It highlights independent Liberian artists specifically. The service connects creators with their audiences. Consequently, the system enables artists to monetize their work. Listeners support performers directly through an interface designed for intuitive use.
The platform employs a structured user journey. Users create accounts first. They purchase "coins" subsequently. They access streaming and downloading services then. Subscribers explore new titles. They create playlists. They personalize their listening experience in a few clicks.
The business model relies on coin purchases. Users utilize this virtual currency for listening, downloading, or tipping. The pricing strategy sets the value at $1 per coin. The company offers various packs to suit different usage levels.
Sanyon Jr. leads HELP International as its president alongside his digital activities. This humanitarian organization operates in Liberia. He also manages social media for Synergy4WBO. This local non-profit supports the profitability of small businesses owned by women and people of color.
Sanyon Jr. holds a diploma from the Hermann Gmeiner International School. He received this credential in 2022. He also graduated from the University of Liberia. He obtained a bachelor's degree in public administration there in January 2025.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
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Charles Nelson Kabwende founded Africa Tech Invest to connect investors with the Congolese startup ecosystem.
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The initiative focuses on public sector modernization and the digital sovereignty of African states.
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Kabwende holds a dual role as a private entrepreneur and the CISO for the DRC’s tax authority.
Charles Nelson Kabwende operates as an entrepreneur and investor from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He founded Africa Tech Invest as a dedicated forum for technological innovation and investment on the continent.
Africa Tech Invest established itself as a major event for technology promotion following its inception in 2022. The organization emphasizes the modernization of the public sector. It defends the idea that technology improves public services structurally. The platform also supports entrepreneurship and strengthens the digital sovereignty of African states.
The organizers host the event in Kinshasa at either the Cultural Centre or the Financial Centre. The forum spans one day. It features conferences, executive panels, and keynotes. The schedule includes African startup contests, hackathons, and cybersecurity workshops such as "Capture the Flag" challenges. The Cultural Centre of Kinshasa hosted the 2025 edition on June 25.
Africa Tech Invest functions as a strategic meeting point for the Congolese startup ecosystem. The fair connects entrepreneurs, investors, and public decision-makers. Additionally, the organizers manage a startup competition that values African technological solutions within edtech and artificial intelligence. The initiative aims to surface projects that attract regional and international investment dynamics.
Charles Nelson Kabwende currently serves as the President of ANEMONE. This company manages digital identity for enterprises. He also directs information systems security at the General Directorate of Taxes of the DRC.
He graduated from the Beihang University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He obtained a bachelor's degree in electronic and computer engineering there in 2016. He also holds a master's degree in business informatics from Riga Technical University in Latvia, which he received in 2021.
His professional path led him to Premise Data in Kinshasa in 2018. He worked there as a country support specialist. He became a project manager at Kelony in 2019. This organization specializes in artificial intelligence. He subsequently served as a consultant in IT, cybersecurity, and blockchain at World Elite Consulting between 2021 and 2022.
This article was initally published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange Jason, Quenum
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Bottomline Assist offers global companies access to West African tech talent at competitive cost.
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The platform provides end-to-end services, including technical screening, onboarding, payroll and compliance.
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Clients reportedly pay 55% less than global outsourcing competitors while workers earn above local averages.
Africa is emerging as a strategic reserve of tech skills, and local players are organizing to connect this talent base to global markets with greater professionalism and efficiency. Bottomline Assist positions itself within this trend.
Bottomline Assist is a digital solution developed by a Nigerian startup that enables international companies to access qualified tech profiles—including developers, data scientists and support teams—at competitive cost.
The platform combines recruitment, technical screening and operational management to offer a single gateway to outsourced talent from West Africa. Based in Lagos, it launched in 2024 under the leadership of Francis Adelore.
The company builds its core offer on a strict selection process. It conducts local sourcing, technical tests and in-depth interviews to identify operational candidates quickly. Bottomline Assist complements this talent pipeline with managed services, including contracting, payroll, local compliance and onboarding.
Clients gain access to quality skills and lower salary costs while maintaining direct control over their teams. Local professionals receive international employment opportunities, often with upskilling programs and career support.
Francis Adelore says, “We have raised the bar for talent outsourcing in Africa with stricter requirements than most traditional firms regarding training, experience and communication skills.” He adds, “Meanwhile, our clients benefit from rates that are 55% more affordable than those of major global players. This creates a rare win-win situation: clients achieve significant savings while employees earn far higher wages than those generally offered by local employers.”
Bottomline Assist targets a rapidly expanding segment. Global demand for competitive tech resources continues to grow as companies search for alternatives to traditional recruitment channels.
By offering a combination of local sourcing and administrative services—such as payroll, compliance and HR management—the startup facilitates long-term collaboration between foreign companies and African talent.
This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
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Black Swan builds alternative AI-based credit-scoring tools for Africa’s informal economy.
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The fintech won the 2025 MEST Africa Challenge and secured a $50,000 investment.
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The company uses non-traditional data such as mobile-money flows and merchant-terminal activity to estimate borrower capacity.
Derick Kazimoto develops a new method to interpret economic traces and reshapes how lenders analyze credit risk. He opens access to previously untapped information that financial institutions use to refine their lending decisions.
Kazimoto, an entrepreneur and consultant based in Dar es Salaam, co-founded and currently leads Black Swan. The fintech, registered in Mauritius, builds alternative data-analytics tools that enable lenders to assess solvency with higher precision and broader flexibility.
Black Swan, founded in 2022, focuses its operations on the informal economy in sub-Saharan Africa. The company designs AI-based evaluation models that rely on non-traditional data to expand financing access for SMEs, micro-entrepreneurs, traders and individuals with limited banking history.
The company’s core product is an alternative credit-scoring engine. The system estimates the borrowing and repayment capacity of individuals or small businesses without depending on conventional bank-history checks. The models integrate mobile-money transactions, merchant-terminal receipts, recurring bill payments and a broad range of digital footprints. Lenders can combine these scores with their internal systems to refine risk models.
Black Swan won the seventh edition of the MEST Africa Challenge in November 2025. The award granted the company a USD 50,000 investment and entry into the MEST portfolio.
“Our mission is to make Africa bankable. We believe the continent is shifting from informal, collateral-heavy lending to data-driven credit. This transformation changes how banks and fintechs trust, lend and grow,” said Black Swan CEO Derick Kazimoto after the announcement.
Alongside his role at Black Swan, Kazimoto works as a fintech consultant for AfroPavo Analytics, a Tanzanian company that builds digital solutions using data analysis. He also co-founded Tausi Africa, an AfroPavo subsidiary that develops financial tools.
Kazimoto earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Cape Town in 2019, followed by a master’s degree in financial technology in 2021. He began his career the same year as a data scientist at Spoon Money, a South African fintech. He later joined Akeo Tanzania, the development hub of the Akeo Group, where he served as country director from 2021 to 2022.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum