Last year, Nigeria’s position on the Global Threat Index moved from the 35th position to the 13th position between May and December. Additionally, the country’s normalized risk index skyrocketed from 46.5% to 62.3% during the same time. These figures highlight an increase in cyberattacks in the country. The Global Threat Index is a monthly report collected by Check Point Securities. They are one of the leading cybersecurity solutions that examines the global cyber threat landscape based on reliable threat intelligence. Which other African countries were vulnerable to cyberattacks? The latest report found that
Waza, a Y Combinator-backed B2B payments startup, is using its $8 million funding to create Lync, a banking product that plans to transform international transactions for African businesses, Techpoint reports. Last year, the startup received $8 million in equity and debt funding to expand into markets beyond its current operations in Ghana and Nigeria and offer new trade finance solutions. The funding round was led by major investors, including Byld Ventures, Norrsken Africa, and Timon Capital, with the aim of empowering enterprises across the continent to navigate global markets more effectively. The
Ilara Health recently received a $1 million loan from the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to help improve private outpatient clinics in Kenya, according to TechPoint. What is Illara health? The company originally started by renting diagnostic equipment to clinics. Eventually, it expanded to offer health centres the choice to buy pharmaceuticals and items like hospital furniture on credit. The money will help underserved communities have better healthcare by investing in diagnostic devices, health tech, and pharmaceuticals. Last year, the company raised $4.2 million in debt-equity pre-Series A round
Dr Angela Tabiri is the first African to win The Big Internet Math Off competition and wants other African girls to follow in her footsteps. Tabiri, also known as the ‘Maths queen’ in Ghana, “finds joy in solving puzzles and mathematical questions,” she told the BBC. The Big Internet Math Off A blog titled The Aperiodical created The Big Internet Math Off in 2018. They invite Sixteen mathematicians to compete for the title of “the world’s most interesting mathematician.” A public vote decides the winner, “Take a look at both pitches
Mastercard has announced the opening of its first office in Ghana as the company aims to strengthen its presence in the West African country. The latest move is predicted to help Ghana’s economy by creating more jobs and innovating tech, which signifies the country’s emerging influence in the region’s fintech industry. “Ghana presents a tremendous opportunity for Mastercard to enhance its geographical presence in West Africa. We are committed to attracting and nurturing top talent and fostering an ecosystem that aims to contribute positively to the local economy and technological
Funding for female-led and female-founded ventures in Africa reached a five-year low in 2024, ‘Africa: The Big Deal’ reported. A five year low for Women-led ventures These figures are the lowest they’ve been since 2019, as female CEOs received only $48 million in funding in 2024. That number is four times less than in 2023. In contrast, $2.2 billion went to their male peers in 2024. Additionally, female CEOs only received 2% of the total invested last year. Funding for gender-diverse teams was slightly better as they received $123 million in
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have raised their concerns over Meta ending its fact-checking system, arguing that the changes directly undermine free speech. What are Meghan and Harry’s Concerns? “Contrary to the company’s talking points, allowing more abuse and normalizing hate speech serves to silence speech and expression, not foster it,” they said. In a statement on their website, the pair accused the company of lacking integrity and believed the move was “responding to political winds; they once again abandon public safety in favor of profit, chaos, and control.”
Egypt is introducing a new plan to tackle phone smuggling whilst promoting its local phone industry. A 38.5% customs tax will be given to individuals who import mobile phones into the country. “The number of devices entering the country through smuggling is too large,” Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in a press conference. “Countries resort to such measures to regulate the market and encourage the growth of local industry,” he added. The Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology are working together to create an electronic system that
The Communications Authority of Kenya is ushering in new licensing rules and fees to crack down on fake electronics in the country. Distributors and telcos must now pay a one-off fee of KSh 250,000 ($1,933.49) for a 15-year licence. They will also be obliged to pay 0.4% of their yearly income as an annual fee, but not under KSh 120,000 ($928.07). There are also proposals to better regulate satellite internet service providers (ISPs) like Elon Musk’s Starlink. Why is Kenya introducing a telecom fee? The new licence, which is called
Sub-Saharan African countries lost $1.5 billion to internet shutdowns in 2024, according to data by Top10VPN. Deliberate internet outages and social media shutdowns globally led to a $7.69 billion loss. While Pakistan and Myanmar were most affected, 19% of the economic cost of internet shutdowns total came from Africa. The cost of internet shutdowns Globally, worldwide internet shutdowns have been decreasing since 2022 ($24.61 billion to $7.69 billion), however many countries across the globe still suffer from this form of internet censorship. In 2024, 28 internet shutdowns occurred in 28
