Kenya is seeking KES 2.7 billion ($20.8 million) from the government to develop an AI-powered system to monitor social media. The State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications told the National Assembly’s ICT committee that the tool will help curb misinformation on social media. The AI tool would analyze social media conversations and public opinion on government policies, according to MEXC exchange. Kenya building an AI tool Officials state that the tool will improve the way the government communicates its work to the public, as reported by Techpoint Africa. It would
Uganda’s communications regulator has given Starlink a provisional license to operate in the country, as reported by Techpoint. The license was granted to Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, but Airtel Uganda had previously started testing Starlink’s direct-to-cell (D2C) LEO satellite service. Starlink operating in Uganda Starlink could improve connectivity in locations where terrestrial network infrastructure is limited, as the direct-to-call l technology allows standard mobile handsets to connect directly to satellites without specialized equipment. Airtel Uganda’s testing of the D2C service underscores the growing interest among established telecom operators in
South Africa’s Minister for Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, is planning to introduce legal changes to the country’s Electronic Communications Act to allow Starlink to operate in the country, according to Techpoint. Starlink was blocked from operating in South Africa due to its Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) rules. South Africa created the BEE laws to address racial inequalities stemming from apartheid. The policy is supported by the African National Congress Party (ANC), a political party in South Africa known for its opposition against apartheid. Changes to the Electronic Communications
London-based live entertainment platform for African music and talent, The Malachite Group (TMG), has launched its Culture Investment Program in partnership with Republic Europe. Investors and supporters can now share in the platform’s ownership. TMG’s portfolio includes Afro Nation and Piano People, both of which have sold tickets in several countries. The company has become one of the fastest-growing festival-led social media brands globally and co-launched the official Afrobeats Charts with the BBC in the UK and Billboard in the US, cementing its role in shaping the global narrative around
Nigerian fintech startup Moniepoint has acquired Orda Africa, a cloud-based restaurant management platform operating in Nigeria, according to a press release. Orda will join Moniepoint’s digital ecosystem, which includes payments, credit, and bookkeeping, enabling the company to help restaurants track and manage orders. Orda operates in Nigeria and Kenya, but the acquisition will only cover its operations in Nigeria. “Nigeria’s food service industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country. Millions of Nigerians depend on it for their livelihoods, and millions more rely on it daily to feed,”
Nigeria’s federal government launched the iDice Startup Bridge, a two-track program giving idea-stage founders grants of up to ₦10 million ($7,215) and equity investment of $100,000 for post-MVP startups, according to Techcabal. The initiative will be executed by the Bank of Industry, with financial support from the African Development Bank, the Agence Française de Développement, and the Islamic Development Bank. iDice will be part of the wider Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) program, a federal initiative aligned with Nigeria’s digital economy agenda. “Founders Lab is a bridge that
Black-owned investment firm Fearless Fund is launching a microfinance fund in Ghana. This, after, comes the American Alliance (AAER), which sued Fearless Fund, claiming that the Strivers Grant, sponsored by Mastercard, violated the Civil Rights Act of 1866 by excluding white founders. The Fearless Fund launched a new initiative one year after settling a lawsuit with the American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER). Now the venture capital firm has set its sights on Africa. It’s launching a microfinance fund in Ghana on March 21 and awarding GHS 100,000 to female entrepreneurs, according to
Africa could capture up to $136 billion in AI productivity gains, but only if governments allow secure cross-border data flows, a Microsoft Africa executive told TechCabal. Reporting from TechCabal quotes Akua Gyekye, Microsoft Africa’s government affairs director, tying the estimate to two constraints that sit below most AI headlines. Africa holds about 1% to 2% of global compute, and it also sits inside a tightening, country-by-country compliance perimeter that can block regional scale. Compute scarcity shifts bargaining power to hyperscalers Africa has 223 data centres across 38 countries as of
Talksign, a Nigeria and UK-based AI company, launched Talksign-1 on Monday, a model it says translates American Sign Language into speech and text in under 100 milliseconds. Reporting from the company says the release targets a structural bottleneck in digital infrastructure: most mainstream interfaces assume spoken audio input and output. World Health Organisation figures put the addressable need at scale, with over 430 million people worldwide who are deaf and 70 million people who use sign language as their primary communication method, yet core tools like video conferencing and service
Paystack, the Nigerian fintech owned by Stripe, reorganized its businesses under a new holding company, The Stack Group, in Nigeria this week after reaching group profitability. The new structure places four businesses under TSG: Paystack’s core merchant payments business, the consumer payments app Zap, Paystack Microfinance Bank, and a venture studio known as TSG Labs. The shift reflects a strategic move to manage risk, regulation, and ownership across distinct financial products. A Holding Company Model to Contain Risk and Regulation By adopting a holding company structure, Paystack has separated payments,
