Two years after a social media tax, Uganda’s ICT regulator has stated that from October 25, 2020, YouTubers, podcast owners, and all forms of social media users will have to obtain permission be…
In conversation with Obinna Ukwuani, Chief Digital Officer at the Bank of Kigali
A Nigerian entrepreneur and former Paystack executive was recently appointed chief digital officer of Rwanda’s Bank of Kigali. In what has been a fruitful journey for the past seven years, we take a p…
Why Payment Service Banks could face an uphill battle in the Nigerian market
Nigeria’s Apex bank made minor changes to the licensing regime for payment service banks. While there are some positive provisions, the policy leaves a lot to be desired given its goal for financial i…
Zimbabwe’s Cyber Bill: The good and the ambiguous law that could turn ugly
Yet another African country, Zimbabwe, is fast-tracking a cyber bill to guard against fake news. While this has been done in the past, these policies are seemingly coming under the guise of good inten…
Nigeria’s ICT ministry to supervise quest to provide digital identity for Nigerians
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the transfer of the national identity management commission to the ministry of communications and the digital economy…
Ekiti partners mobility startup, MAX.ng to digitise Okada and Keke operations
Similar to Kampala, Uganda, Ekiti State, Nigeria has partnered with on-demand mobility startup, MAX.ng to digitise operations for commercial motorcycle and tricycle riders with an eye on safety and se…
The impact of the pandemic on telcos and quality of the Internet in Nigeria
Data users increased by 7.5 million, vandalism of telecom infrastructure is on the rise, and Internet speeds have dropped. Here are some impacts of the pandemic so far in Nigeria’s Internet space…
Nigeria waives RoW charges on federal highways to boost Internet quality
The Nigerian federal government has waived RoW charges on federal highways around the country. While this has not been an issue at the federal level, the pressure for state governments to follow suit …
Kenya earmarks $140 million to connect public primary schools to the Internet
In yet another plan to boost e-learning, the Kenyan government and UNICEF will be co-funding a project to deepen Internet infrastructure and secure tablets for public school pupils in the country…
When calls and data could get cheaper for Nigerian states that slashed RoW charges
As of June 2020, seven Nigerian states had either slashed or zero-rated RoW charges for Internet infrastructure. Several benefits were listed, including cheaper calls and data, but how soon will they …
Inside the deep challenges of eCommerce and logistics in Nigeria
Despite the failures of the past few years, there appears to be renewed interest in Nigeria’s eCommerce and logistics industry. However, infrastructural and regulatory problems are still significant w…
MTN Group appoints Ralph Mupita as new CEO starting September 2020
In the midst of an ongoing strategic upheaval, MTN Group has appointed its current chief financial officer, Ralph Mupita as new CEO from September 2020.…
Slow Internet, expensive data, and the burden of sub-sea Internet cables in Africa
The quality and cost of data in Africa have been poor and unaffordable. Much of this has been due to a failure to convert high-speed Internet from the seas to end-users. We explore some intricacies be…
Lagos adjusts ride-hailing regulations, shifts deadline to August 27, 2020
Lagos state has adjusted its proposed ride-hailing regulations. There will now be a ₦20 flat fee for each trip and a 20% reduction in licence fee, but there are still questions on data and vehicle req…
ICT Policy: Foreign tech companies to give up 30% ownership to Kenyans
Inside Kenya’s recently released ICT policy, foreign tech companies looking to set up shop in Kenya would have to relinquish 30% ownership rights to Kenyan citizens. We explore the possible effe…
The possible downsides of Nigeria’s progressive Company Act for SMEs, startups
Amendments to Nigeria’s company laws have been recently approved. Though they now contain several business-friendly provisions, given the country’s existing structures, SMEs and startups m…
Q2 2020: Jumia shares crash 40% as earnings reveal drop in losses and sales value
Jumia’s financial report for Q2 2020 reveals that the eCommerce giant saw the entire value of its sales drop during the pandemic. Despite this drop, the company saw its loss decline for a second conse…
Lagos to enforce regulations on Uber, Bolt, others from August 20, 2020
The Lagos State Government is set to enforce regulations on ride-hailing companies. Key highlights include a ₦25 million licence fee, state driver badge, and a vehicle not older than three years from …
Total upheaval: MTN looking to sell stake in Jumia, end the Middle East operations
MTN Group looks set for a major restructuring as it plans to cash out on Jumia, IHS Towers in the future and exit its operations in the Middle East to focus on Africa. …
Nigeria approves ban on local exclusive VoD content, $13,000 hate speech fine
The Nigerian Government has approved the revised code by the NBC that limits the acquisition or airing of exclusive/original local content on online streaming platforms, and places fine for hate speec…