South Africa is poised to make a significant move in the global digital economy by introducing digital nomad visas. These visas are aimed at attracting highly skilled professionals, particularly in the IT sector. The initiative, published by the Department of Home Affairs, aligns with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s vision of enhancing the country’s competitiveness and job creation. The Digital Nomad Visas The proposed digital nomad visas will allow remote workers, especially those employed by foreign companies, to live and work in South Africa. This move is expected to attract a number
Ethiopia has announced plans to ban the importation of fuel-powered vehicles, shifting its focus exclusively to electric vehicles (EVs). Alemu Sime, the Ethiopian Minister of Transport and Logistics, announced the bold move as part of the country’s comprehensive green mobility strategy. Electric Vehicles Only According to Sime, Ethiopia spent €6 billion ($7.6 billion) on petrol and diesel imports in 2023. Additionally, pollution levels in city centers due to cars are reportedly off the charts. Now, the government has decided to allow only EVs into the country by banning gasoline and diesel-powered
Black-owned, Philadelphia-based Win Win Coffee has launched a transformative technology platform to connect coffee farmers directly with buyers, creating a more ethical and streamlined process. Co-founded by Nikisha Bailey and Matthew Nam, Win Win Coffee has the vision to lead a coffee industry renaissance where every sip is a journey through the diverse narratives of the African diaspora. After Win Win Coffee was forced to close in 2020 due to pandemic restrictions, Bailey and Nam decided to source and produce their own brand of coffee. This gave them a look into the process of producing
Black Americans consume more media than any other US population, but almost 70% wish they saw better representation, a Nielsen report has found. Black Audiences Consume The Most Media Nielsen’s “The Global Black Audience” report highlights Black America’s significant engagement with media and their perspective on representation in content and advertising. Black Americans remain today’s core audience, spending more time with media than any other US population, 81 hours weekly. Black audiences 18 and older in the US spend the most time on media daily – nearly 12 hours. The
In the Black Network (ITBN) has launched ITBN Africa, featuring 70 hours of programming committed to highlighting the creative voices that represent African cultures. ITBN is an AVOD streaming service that highlights Black voices and original stories that are culturally significant and relatable to all audiences. Viewers can access multi-genre content from Black creators, including sports, music, scripted, drama, talk, kids, and family or feature films. ITBN Africa ITBN Africa started on February 5th and expanded its library of titles by adding additional independent TV series, films, and documentaries. The collection
Mastercard has purchased a minority stake in mobile operator MTN Group’s fintech business. MTN is Africa’s largest mobile network operator, sharing the benefits of a modern connected life with 272 million customers in 19 markets across Africa and the Middle East. Established in 1994 in South Africa, the company provides voice, data, fintech, digital, enterprise, wholesale, and API services. Mastercard’s Minority Stake In MTN Last year, in 2023, Mastercard announced it would purchase a minority stake in the MTN, and now, six months later, they have. In a statement, MTN said it had
In recognition of this year’s Black History Month theme, African Americans and the Arts, we will explore the intersection of Black arts and tech throughout February. The origins of digital art can be traced back to ideologies present in the first half of the 20th century. While artists were keenly interested in innovations, the rich potential of modern technologies as tools in art only began to be explored as access increased in the 1950s and beyond. Digital art is a term used to describe art that is made or presented
Google has announced its cloud region in Johannesburg, South Africa, is operational, the first on the continent. Africa’s internet economy is estimated to reach $180 billion by 2025, accounting for 5.2% of the continent’s gross domestic product. Google alone has committed $1 billion to boost Africa’s digital transformation, recognizing that critical drivers of the continent’s growth will include investing in infrastructure, nurturing the growing tech talent pool, and enabling a vibrant startup ecosystem. Now, a year after the company picked Johannesburg as its first African site, the cloud region is
Last year, African startups raised $2.9 billion in deals worth $100,000 and above (excluding exits). Although this amounts to a 39% drop compared to 2022, the continent is showing signs of resilience. Shifting investor landscape In 2023, Techstars was the top investor with 56 deals, surpassing Launch Africa. Other key players included Founders Factory Africa, Ventures Platform, Norrsken, and Y Combinator. All but Norrsken did fewer deals in 2023 than in 2022. For example, YC added only 12 African startups to its 2023 cohorts, compared to 43 in 2022 and
BlackRock Inc. has agreed to purchase Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), which Adebayo “Bayo” Ogunlesi co-founded, for around $12.5 billion. BlackRock Inc. Purchases GIP GIP is a leading global independent infrastructure fund manager. They target infrastructure businesses and assets in the energy, transportation, digital, water, and waste sectors, where they believe their expertise and relationships provide a competitive advantage. It was founded in 2006 and has grown to be one of the world’s largest infrastructure investors, managing $100 billion in assets on behalf of its global investor base. Along the almost 20-year history
