tagresults
[Webinar] Complimentary expert session for Telecom leaders and Startups in Africa, March 21
Designed for telecom leaders and startups, thia event offers invaluable strategies for expanding services, managing FX risks, enhancing cross-border payments, and establishing credibility in the international arena.
GE Vernova commits to support sustainable energy transition in Nigeria
Nigeria, one of Africa's economic powerhouses, faces a dynamic energy landscape characterized by a growing population, industrialization, and a rising demand for electricity.
DFC reaffirms commitment to scaling investment in African infrastructure and critical minerals
Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) Nisha Biswal traveled to South Africa and Zambia as part of the largest U.S. government delegation to Mining Indaba and the first Lobito Corridor Investors Forum and to deepen DFC’s investments on the continent.
African healthtech shows resilience with mere 2% decline in funding while broader tech ecosystem plunges in 2023, report
Healthcare consulting firm Salient Advisory has launched its latest Intelligence Report, presenting findings on funding activity, covering grant, equity, and debt investments for African healthtech startups in 2023
Digital commerce in Africa to expand 25% per year by 2026, report
Africa has emerged as a frontier for the new online consumer class, representing an estimated 10 million new consumers in 2024 and trailing only Asia as a region. This is according to the new annual Beyond Borders digital payments and commerce report by EBANX
Toyota to open a vehicle manufacturing plant in Kenya
The agreement will see Toyota set up a vehicle manufacturing plant in the country. The company has committed an initial investment of Kshs 800 million in the Kenya Thika vehicle manufacturers.
Vodacom, Safaricom hit 200 million subscribers
Vodacom Group’s subscriber base including Safaricom has now surpassed 200 million for the first time, having previously achieved 100 million customers in 2018.
15% of companies in the Middle East, Turkiye, Africa region do not train employees on IT
According to Kaspersky’s Business Digitization survey, only 29% of companies surveyed in the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa (META) region organised training on cybersecurity for their employees.
Critical infrastructure sees most cyber incidents due to lack of budget, report
18% of companies in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region have experienced cyber incidents due to insufficient cybersecurity investment in the last two years, according to a recent study by Kaspersky.
Aramco expands global venture capital programme with $4 billion funds injection
It will take Aramco's overall venture capital allocation to $7.5bn, which also includes the $500 million venture capital fund Wa'ed Ventures that focuses on the start-up ecosystem in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
[South Africa] Ninety percent of CEOs are waiting for GenAI to move past the hype, report
Seventy-one percent of global executives surveyed say they plan to increase tech investments in 2024—an 11-point jump from 2023—and even more (85%) plan to increase their spending on AI and GenAI.
23% of companies in the META region suffered from malicious actions by staff, report
A Kaspersky study found that in the past two years, 78% of companies surveyed in the META region have faced cyber incidents in different forms, 23% of which were caused by deliberate malicious behaviour by employees
Arab Coordination Group allocates $10 billion to support energy transition
This funding is meant to drive a comprehensive and affordable transition to renewable energy in developing countries.
47% of companies in the Middle East, Turkiye, Africa region plan to outsource cybersecurity, report
Company bosses are boosting their cybersecurity following an alarming increase in cyberattacks, a new study commissioned by Kaspersky has found.
Generative AI skills gap slowing down AI adoption EMEA region, report
Organisations in the EMEA region plan to embrace AI solutions but are slowed by a generative AI skills gap. This is according to a new report released by hybrid multi-cloud computing provider Nutanix.
Arab Coordination Group pledges $50 billion for African development
The Arab Coordination Group (ACG) has announced that it aims to allocate up to US$50 billion to help build resilient infrastructure and inclusive societies in the African continent.
Retailers are struggling to deal with ransomware attacks, Sophos report
After surveying 3,000 IT/cybersecurity leaders in organizations with between 100 and 5,000 employees (including 355 from the retail sector), across 14 countries in the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific Sophos found that only 26% of retail organizations this past year were able to disrupt a ransomware attack.
75% of healthcare organisations lose data to ransomware attacks, Sophos report
Cybercriminals successfully encrypted data in nearly 75% of ransomware attacks on healthcare organisations. This is according to the The State of Ransomware in Healthcare 2023 report released by cybersecurity firm Sophos.
Kenya among top countries receiving most DDOS attacks amid ongoing geopolitical unrest
Kenya has been listed among the top five countries hit by distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks in the first half of 2023. Other countries include France, Germany, Italy, and Saudi Arabia
[South Africa] Companies acknowledge inadequate budgets to address the root cause of breaches, J2 Software survey
A recent survey revealed that 58% of organisations believe their budgets allocated to manage insider risks are insufficient to effectively mitigate the increasing costs and frequency of security incidents instigated by individuals within the organisation.
Most consumers in Kenya likely to miss common fraud warning signs, Visa study
Despite being scam-savvy, a new study by Visa has revealed that most consumers in Kenya are likely to be at risk of becoming victims of fraud.
80% of SMEs in South Africa project similar or increased revenue in 2023, Mastercard report
From surviving to thriving in the post-COVID world, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa are projecting similar or increased revenues in 2023.
Mobile threats in the Middle East, Turkiye, Africa region rise in Q2 2023
The number of mobile threat detections particularly in the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa region increased by 5% in Q2 2023 compared to Q2 2022.
43% of employees in META region afraid of losing job due to lack of digital skills, report
Among those who think they are most likely to lose their job because of the lack of digital skills within the next 5 years are department heads (29%) and top managers (15%).
JOGMEC Signed an agreement with 5 African countries to secure critical minerals
Japan has signed agreements with five African countries to explore and extract critical minerals used in high-tech industries.
IFC invests $11.5 billion for Africa’s green transition and job creation
IFC made $11.5 billion in investments between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, across 40 countries, the largest ever annual commitment for the continent.
ACWA Power signs deal with NREA for 10 gigawatts wind project in Egypt
ACWA Power, a Saudi-listed company and the world's largest private water desalination company, the first mover into green hydrogen, and a player in energy transition, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) to allocate land for a 10 GW wind project in Egypt.
[South Africa] Financial Sector surpasses the National Average as Data Breach Costs Reach R73.1 Million
The average data breach cost for South African organizations reached R49.45 million in 2023 – an all-time high according to the IBM Security annual Cost of a Data Breach Report.
Nigeria trails South Africa and Kenya in Africa’s B2B payment revolution
Nigeria trails South Africa and Kenya in the development of key B2B payment processes across Africa, including the adoption of electronic bank transfers, speed of processing invoices and payment automation.
[Column] Wayne Glossop: Gas power solutions for South Africa
While to date our society has been heavily reliant on coal, it's not able to keep pace with the energy and environmental aspirations of the nation currently.
Kenya experiences 82% increase in cyber-attacks, Liquid C2 Cybersecurity Report
Cyber-attacks on Kenyan businesses increased by 82 percent according to a cybersecurity report released by Liquid C2, a business unit of Liquid Intelligent Technologies.
Africa had more than 270 million mobile apps users as of December 2022, report
As of December 2022, the total number of monthly active users of mobile apps in Africa exceeded 270 million, a 14% increase compared to the beginning of the year.
CMSWire Connect Conference | Austin, Texas | May 10-12
CMSWire CONNECT is the premier event for professionals in digital customer experience, content management, and enterprise collaboration. This dynamic conference features top-notch speakers such as Ice-T, Scott Galloway, Sean Albertson and others.
Kenya lost Ksh 3.6 billion to cyber criminals in 2022, report
Kenya’s losses to cyber criminals reached Ksh 3.6 billion (USD 36 million) in 2022, compared to Nigeria and South Africa where they are nearly tenfold at Ksh 50 billion (USD 500 million) and Ksh 57 billion (USD 570 million) respectively.
Kenya and Rwanda sign agreement on 10 areas of cooperation
Kenya and Rwanda Tuesday signed an agreement in 10 areas of cooperation to enhance relations. The Memorandum of Understanding will establish mechanisms for effective cooperation in Education, ICT, Gender and Child Development, Youth and Capacity Development for the Public Service.
[Interview] Awe Oludayo, Managing Partner, OS Concepts, Nigeria
Awe Oludayo is a business analyst with specialties in business process improvement, business process improvement and business process management. He's the managing partner of OS Concepts, headquartered in Nigeria.
Volvo delivers the first heavy electric truck to Africa
Deployment of heavy electric trucks is now spreading across the world. With Europe and the US among the leaders, the shift to more sustainable transport is kicking off also in other parts of the world. In Africa, the first heavy electric truck is now being delivered in the city of Rabat in Morocco.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Investors bet on fintechs, startups
The past couple of weeks have seen a flurry of activities in several sectors of the Nigerian economy. Startups are receiving increasing financial backing from VCs for the growith of SMEs.
[ChatGPT Biography] Strive Masiyiwa: Founder of Econet Wireless
Artificial Intelligence is taking the world by storm. As an experiment, Africa Business Communities is publishing a series of 100 biographies of the most successful entrepreneurs in Africa. We only ask the questions and let ChatGPT write.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Digitization on all fronts, tech takes the lead
There is an obvious, increasing amount of technology awareness, and appeals for more extensive technology trainings in Nigeria.
[Interview] Chris Okoro, CEO, Eunisell Interlinked, Nigeria
Chris Okoro is an entrepreneur and business strategist skilled in the Financial Services and Engineering sector. He's currently the Managing Director and CEO of Eunisell Interlinked Plc., Nigeria.
Enquête de la BEI sur le climat en Côte d’Ivoire
91 % de la population ivoirienne interrogée estiment que les changements climatiques ont déjà des répercussions sur leur quotidien.
[East Africa Business Week] Bob Koigi: Accelerating sustainable and clean transport solutions
A bulk of East African countries’ electricity comes from renewables. Yet the region’s transport sector relies entirely on imported petroleum fuels.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Local fintech spreads to East Africa, oil and gas find major milestone
Nigeria, like other countries of the world, is going through some economically turbulent times. Inflation is on the rise (recently pegged at 21.9%) and local startups are directly impacted by financial crises on the other side of the world.
[Column] NJ Ayuk: How Africa can capitalize on its mineral wealth to develop an electric vehicle value chain
As the entire global transportation marketplace marches toward an increasingly electrified and battery-powered future, many countries across the African continent stand at the threshold of profound economic opportunity.
[Column] Mike Smollan: South African retail trends for 2022 and beyond
Globally, overwhelmed supply chains, supply-demand imbalances and commodity-driven cost pressures as Russia invaded Ukraine, pushed inflation up and put further pressure on businesses and consumers alike.
[Interview] Dr. Mima Nedelcovych, Chairman, AfricaGlobal Schaffer
Dr. Mima Nedelcovych is the Founder and Chairman of AfricaGlobal Schaffer, a strategic consulting firm focused on project development, project finance, trade facilitation, and public-private partnerships in developing countries, with a particular focus on Africa.
[Interview] Dr. Mima Nedelcovych, Président, AfricaGlobal Schaffer
Mima Nedelcovych est fondateur et président d'AfricaGlobal Schaffer, une société de conseil stratégique spécialisée dans le développement de projets, le financement de projets, la facilitation du commerce et les partenariats public-privé dans les pays en développement, et plus particulièrement en Afrique.
[Column] Tobias Alando: Driving the business community’s participation in skills training
The ever-evolving trends in sectors such as manufacturing, technology, automation and climate change are changing the world of work, and together with it, the skills required to adapt and maintain a competitive edge.
[Column] Tobias Alando: Securing our future: the path to net-zero
Accelerating the transition to energy efficiency and conservation is one of the surest ways of securing the future of our planet for generations to come. This is because, energy is at the heart of climate change.
[East Africa Business Week] Bob Koigi: Region bets on bioeconomy to bolster growth
Among the key interventions proposed in the strategy is the creation of new forms of sustainable bioenergy, and the conversion of waste materials to useful products.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Gas price triggers ripple effect across industries
Nigeria’s inflation as of the month of May stood at 17.71%, but economists are now predicting just a month later a new figure we can expect at the end of this year.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Nigeria scores big in budget transparency
The infrastructure of Nigeria is such that for meaningful progress to be made, there must be give-and-take on the parts of the government and the people.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Banks rally behind women-led SMEs
The NNPC has an approximated value of 50 trillion naira. With oil and gas infrastructure in Nigeria constantly plagued by mischief and vandalism, an ECOWAS expert has profferred a very interesting solution to this persisting problem
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Telecoms slide into banking, Central Bank ups interest rates
The last few days have shown us developments and setbacks, statistics that show growth on the one hand and room for improvement on the other.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Clean energy gets funding amid inflation and trade deficits
Oil and Gas has been a pillar supporting the Nigerian economy for a very long time. Rich in this natural resource, Nigeria may be guilty of neglecting other promising sectors, like Agriculture and even Insurance.
[East Africa Business Week] Bob Koigi: DR Congo’s factor in the integration agenda
The recent entry of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the East African Community has heralded a new economic dispensation expanding the regional market.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Digitization set to penetrate capital market, investment
Given the economic situation spreading across the globe in the last couple of years, it is with some optimism we can take the modest increase in Nigeria’s GDP.
[Column] Phyllis Wakiaga: Innovation in training key to economic growth
Skills are integral to the continuity of any business, more so in the global economy. Specifically, competitive skills are key to industrializing our nation. T
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Telcos break new ground, digital loans gain momentum
Instant loans, sometimes called digital loans, are gaining speed in the country and the telecom sector took some giant steps forward this week.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Experts point toward startup management for local productivity
Nigeria’s crown jewel, oil and gas, has been in a state of mild disrepair for several months now. There’s an ongoing fuel scarcity situation that is intensifying by the day and causing a ripple effect in every aspect of daily life.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: A call for exports diversification for higher market gains
Agriculturists and entrepreneurs are working harder than ever to address food sufficiency, but energy rests firmly on the government’s shoulders.
[East Africa Business Week] Bob Koigi: Investing in women-led businesses to deepen integration
East African member states, private sector players and development partners have stepped up their investment in women-led businesses and SMEs in a move likely to impact cross-border trade and boost integration in the region.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: State to digitize tourism, FG takes on efficient mobility
Banking is one of the most thriving sectors in Nigeria. The reason for this success has been attributed to the efficiency with which this industry has leveraged technology to modernize its operations.
[East Africa Business Week] Bob Koigi: Financial institutions bank on tech to bolster offerings
East Africa financial institutions are betting on tech to boost their offerings, grow their customers’ portfolio and stay afloat in a competitive market.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Economic conditions returning to pre-pandemic levels
The startup movement has picked up pace in Nigeria over the last decade, with the government and responsible agencies ramping up efforts in motivating the burgeoning industry.
[East Africa Business Week] Bob Koigi: What EU’s lifting of financial sanctions on Burundi means for EAC
The EU made the decision in the wake of deteriorating political situation occasioned by a disputed presidential election in 2015.
[East Africa Business Week] Bob Koigi: Sub marine cable investment connects region to the world
An increase in submarine cable activities and fiber connectivity is attracting more investments in East Africa while opening up the region to the world.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: 5G becomes national security policy, industries seek sustainability in technology
The one thing the current global pandemic has unilaterally effected in all nations is a rearrangement of priorities, both for people and for governments. Survival elements – food and healthcare – have taken lead position.
[East Africa Business Week] Bob Koigi: What 2022 portends for East Africa
As the East African Community, EAC, member states eye innovative ways of deepening integration and trading more with each other, the bloc and individual countries are putting in place mechanisms, policies and legislation that seek to address longstanding hiccups that have put the brakes on seamless regional trade.
COVID-19 brings Work-From-Home to Africa; What has been the impact on businesses so far?
The Covid-19 crisis has pierced through the fabric of every layer of society, leaving virtually no country unscathed. The consequences for businesses has been significant and African economies have had to make rapid changes to their way of doing business.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: The 'ember' months performance review
The end of year (fondly referred to as ‘ember months’) tends to bring about anxieties of different sorts among Nigerians.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Come dry season, food production and supply chain gain emphasis
As we have established time and again, fertile lands and an able, skilled workforce are a vital combination for a thriving agricultural sector.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Industries unanimously look toward renewable, sustainable practices
The Covid-19 crisis has been cause for numerous economic slumps round the world; companies were shut down, production halted, industries crippled and prices skyrocketed the world over.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: A 5G promise looms, global trade predictions show winning numbers
Nigeria’s tactic is one of sharpening the sectors that have shown promise (such as technology, agriculture and banking) while throwing resources at those that have been in a work-in-progress mode for years.
[Column] Titilayo Adewumi: West Africa’s circular economy efforts at the forefront of fostering a more sustainable future
The vast majority of population growth across the continent will be concentrated in urban areas. WEF data indicates that more than 80% of Africa's population growth between now and 2030 will be in cities, with Lagos growing at a pace of 77 people every hour.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Q3 stats show industries thriving, strong investor confidence
Nigeria earns every week its place as Africa’s largest economy. While subject to the typical ups and downs any market is expected to have, its mere size guarantees a general continuity of business operations even in the face of a spiraling inflation trend.
[Startup Interview] Adedokun Muhammed-Ali Adedeji, Founder, Brightcloud Automobile, Nigeria
Adedokun Muhammed-Ali Adedeji is a Nigerian innovator, entrepreneur and logistics manager. A green mobility advocate, Adedokun is the founder of Brightcloud Automotive.
[Column] Mathew Hall: Why off-grid solutions are starting to make more sense to South Africans
With load shedding back and disrupting day to day life, compounded by consumers feeling the 15% increase on their electricity bill, alternative sources of energy are starting to look more attractive to South Africans.
[Column] Claudio Muruzabal: Building environmentally sound businesses in the ‘Decade of Delivery’
Consumers and customers don’t just value sustainability, they’re prepared to pay for it. More than two-thirds are willing to pay a premium for brands that are sustainable and environmentally responsible.
Eastern and Southern Africa's vast renewables potential offers route to sustainable growth, IRENA
Eastern and Southern Africa are vast, geographically diverse regions with rapidly growing populations and rising demands for energy. According to master plans for the two regional power pools, electricity demand is set to grow.
[Column] Andres Vega: Powerships: A solution for Africa’s energy short-term supply?
Energy poverty represents one of the most critical challenges for development in Africa. According to the International Energy Agency, in 2019, the continent had more than 580 million people without electricity access.
[Column] Titilayo Adewumi: Building greater sustainability, climate resilience in West Africa
Across Africa, urban centres are rapidly expanding as the continent’s large – and growing – youth population seek better fortunes in the city.
[Rwanda] MTN considers setting up financial tech firm
MTN Rwanda is considering setting up an independent company to take on and operate its financial technology operations.
[Column] Charné Hundermark: South Sudan pursues a power sector revival
South Sudan is re-directing its focus on power sector development in a bid to dramatically transform its electricity market, which faces a deficit of approximately 170 MW and has led to one of the lowest electricity access rates globally.
[Startup Interview] Tony Botha, Managing Director, carbonTRACK Africa, South Africa
carbonTRACK Africa is a South Africa technology startup that seeks to create a world where energy is consumed sustainably, shared fairly and empowers all people.
[Column] Gaopalelwe Santswere: What the future hold for South Africa’s energy mix
South Africa relies on coal-fired power stations to produce approximately 90% of its electricity. Moving forward, the country's aim should be to reduce this percentage.
Rystad Energy analysis shows Africa’s renewable energy capacity is set for consecutive years of growth
Africa’s installed capacity of renewable energy, which stood at 12.6 gigawatt (GW) in 2019, is set for consecutive years of growth, a Rystad Energy analysis shows.
[Column] Emma Colenbrander: Is an Amazon for Africa’s “energy poor” in the making?
A majority of consumers in Africa still live off the grid, in what are commonly called "last-mile" communities.
New economic analysis for Malawi calls for efficient public investment management to improve service delivery in water and energy
Malawi faces an infrastructure investment gap in the energy and water and sanitation sectors of approximately $332 million per year due to limited fiscal space combined with weak public investment management and inefficient State Owned Enterprises.
[Startup Interview] Almasi Ndangili, Founder, Imarisha East Africa Productions, Kenya
Almasi Ndangili is the founder of Imarisha East Africa Productions Ltd, a Kenya-based talent academy promoting education through edutainment.
[Column] Phyllis Wakiaga: Promoting sustainability through energy efficiency and conservation
Energy Efficiency might sound like ‘ Board Room speak’ to many, but what is it really?
South African entrepreneurs who made the best of the COVID-19 pandemic
On the evening of 23 March, South Africans gathered around their television sets to listen to arguably the most important announcement of this year. At the time, the nation was on edge.
New analysis shows onshore wind potential across Africa enough to power the entire continent many times over
Developing Africa’s huge onshore wind energy potential can boost its transition to affordable and reliable clean energy. For the first time ever, wind and solar made up the majority of the world’s new power generation in 2019.
Finance for renewables in developing countries on the rise, IRENA highlights
Global finance to developing countries in support of clean and renewable energy reached $21.3 billion in 2017, which almost doubles the level from 2010 when international financial flows were at $10 billion.
[Column] Toufik Khitous: How Egypt bets on renewables to meet expected energy demand surge
To meet its soaring demand for energy, Egypt is turning to renewable sources. Its targets, if accomplished, will see it become a pioneer in the African energy landscape. But are the plans realistic?
[Column] Siyabonga Mbanjwa: Delivering sustainable energy across Africa in a more accessible and reliable way
The global Coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the operating environment for both the public and private sectors as a result of the unprecedented lockdowns and restrictions put in place by countries to curb infections.
[Column] Dr. Kevin Kariuki: The journey to electrifying Africa
Five years into the African Development Bank’s ambitious New Deal on Energy for Africa, the Bank’s investments are set to provide electricity access to around 13 million people.
[Column] Paulo de Matos: What manufacturers can do now to maintain continuity in the new normal
Manufacturers and distributors are operating in intensely pressured times. Stats SA reported that manufacturing output contracted for the ninth consecutive month in February of 2020.
[Column] [Column] Phyllis Wakiaga: Home-grown solutions are key for sustainable development
Necessity is the mother of all inventions. We are witnessing an increase in innovations as the world races to develop a vaccine to treat COVID-19.
Share this article
COLUMNS.
[Column] Louis Avenant: Trends for African telcos in 2024
Africa’s vibrant telco sector is set for a bumper year in 2024 as it expands operations and broadens service offerings ...read full column here
.png)
[Column] Virodh Sunderlall: What to expect from South Africa’s cybersecurity landscape in 2024
As widely reported last year, South Africa received the most cybersecurity threats on the continent by far ...read full column here
[Column] Stephen Bottger: The power of data analytics to revolutionise public safety
The use of applications, technology and data analytics can play a significant role in public safety globally ...read full column here
INTERVIEWS.
[Interview] Chester Wisniewski, Director of Global Field CTO, Sophos
Chester Wisniewski, the Director of Global Field CTO at Sophos, emphasizes several key trends and predictions for the cybersecurity realm in the coming year … read full interview here
[Interview]: Daniel Otu, Koa’s Production and Operations Director & the factory project lead
Daniel Otu, Koa’s Production and Operations Director & the factory project lead, touched on the challenges faced, the importance of sustainability, the role of local culture, and the lessons that shaped Koa’s future vision … read full interview here
[Interview] Oluwole Eweje, CEO-WATT Renewables Corporation
We provide sustainability for communities, especially communities that have very few businesses … read full interview here