Moove, the Nigerian mobility solutions pioneer, has announced a partnership with Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous vehicle division. This marks the first time an African startup has collaborated with a global leader in self-driving technology to manage fully autonomous fleets in the United States. Launching Autonomous Fleets in Phoenix and Miami The partnership will see Moove overseeing the fleet operations, charging infrastructure, and facilities for Waymo’s all-electric autonomous vehicles (AVs), starting in Phoenix in 2025 and expanding to Miami in 2026. Waymo will continue to provide its Waymo Driver technology through the
Netflix has denied rumors of its withdrawal from Nigeria, emphasizing its ongoing dedication to the Nigerian entertainment industry and local subscribers. Speculation Over Netflix Leaving Nigeria Speculation about Netflix’s future in Nigeria has grown following comments from filmmaker Kunle Afolayan, who revealed that Netflix had canceled some commissioned films by unnamed filmmakers. Although Afolayan did not explicitly state that Netflix was leaving the Nigerian market, his remarks sparked widespread concern on social media. In response, a Netflix spokesperson clarified to TechCabal: “We are not exiting Nigeria. We will continue to
Kredete, a Nigerian fintech platform, has raised $2.25 million in seed funding, enhancing its ability to serve African immigrants in the U.S. The funding round, led by Blockchain Founders Fund (BFF), also included investors like Techstars, Tezos Foundation, Polymorphic Capital, among others. Kredete’s mission is to help African immigrants build credit while simplifying remittances, transforming how they send money home. Addressing Financial Barriers for African Immigrants Kredete’s innovative approach has attracted a user base of over 300,000 and processed transactions exceeding $100 million. The platform allows immigrants to send money
Elon Musk’s Starlink is set to strengthen its footprint in Nigeria with the construction of new ground stations in three locations: Lagos, Ogun, and Rivers States. Starlink Ground Stations The new ground stations will be situated in Okun Ajah, Lagos State; Sagamu, Ogun State; and Port Harcourt, Rivers State. These locations have been carefully selected to optimize coverage and service delivery across the region. The facilities, spread over approximately 29,000 acres, mark an investment in Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure. Construction has already begun in Lagos, with the completion anticipated by the
Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has unveiled plans to establish research centers for emerging technologies across the country’s six geopolitical zones. The technologies include Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain, aimed to build a technology research ecosystem. Fostering Innovation and Development Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of NITDA, announced the initiative at the IoT West Africa Conference held in Lagos. Represented by Aristotle Onumo, NITDA’s Director of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Inuwa emphasized that the new research centers align with the agency’s mission to support technological
17-year-old Emmanuela Ilok from Nigeria has been awarded full scholarships to study software engineering at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, including Stanford, MIT, Yale, UPenn, Princeton, and Columbia. Academic Excellence and International Recognition Ilok’s journey to securing these scholarships began with her performance in the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) in Nigeria, where she was recognized as the top performer by the British Council, according to Punchng. Ilok’s mind led her to develop software that employs Machine Learning algorithms to detect breast cancer in women, achieving
Microsoft Corporation has decided to close the engineering section of its Africa Development Center (ADC) in Lagos, just two years after its inception. Economic Instability Leads to Closure The decision to shut down the ADC in Lagos adds to Nigeria’s broader economic challenges, including a persistent currency crisis, dollar shortages, and high inflation. These factors have impacted business growth and diminished consumer purchasing power, prompting companies like Procter & Gamble, GSK, and Bayer to overhaul their African strategies. “Microsoft has decided to close the Africa Development Centre in Nigeria, and
Nigeria has launched its first multilingual Large Language Model (LLM), announced Minister Bosun Tijani of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy. The initiative took place following a comprehensive four-day AI workshop in Abuja. The multilingual LLM is developed with local AI firm Awarritech, global tech entity DataDotOrg, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the National Centre for AI and Robotics (NCAIR). Capitalizing on a Growing Market With predictions from Statista that the AI market could reach $890 millon in 2024 and expand to $8.75 billion by 2030, Nigeria’s investment
Nigeria’s Chowdeck, an on-demand delivery platform, has raised $2.5 million in seed funding to fuel its growth. Chowdeck With households in Nigeria spending nearly 60% of their income on food and the rise of online shopping, Chowdeck aims to make its mark in the space. The platform was founded by Femi Aluko, Olumide Ojo, and Landre Yusuf to offer consumers the option of ordering food and delivering it within an average of 30 minutes. “Ordering food in Nigeria would usually take one or two hours,” Aluko said as he described how his trip to Dubai was one
Lafarge Africa Plc has recently launched the Girls in Tech Program to foster a new generation of female innovators. The program seeks to diminish the gender disparities within the tech industry by focusing on empowering young women from host communities in Cross River State, Nigeria. Bridging the Gender Gap in Tech The Girls in Tech Program is designed to provide vital skills and opportunities to ten young women aged 18-25. By introducing them to the technology world, Lafarge Africa aims to create an environment where these women can become self-reliant and influential problem-solvers within
