![[Africa Tech Review] Duncan Mochama: Safaricom expands its smartphone financing plan](Images/Key Persons/DuncanMochama-IncentroAfrica.JPG)
[Africa Tech Review] Duncan Mochama: Safaricom expands its smartphone financing plan
Kenya’s leading telco Safaricom has launched a number of interesting products this week. Safaricom partnered with Google and Transsion, the company behind TECNO, Infinix and itel to add new devices under its Lipa Mdogo Mdogo smartphone financing plan. It also announced the expansion of its Baze platform to include music, enabling its customers to enjoy a mobile-first, ad-free, music streaming experience from as little as KES 10 per day. Earlier in the week, the telco also partnered with the government to facilitate mobile money transfer to drought-stricken households in 23 Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) counties in Kenya as a drought response intervention.
Still, on matters telcos, Telkom Kenya also partnered with Britam insurance to roll out a mobile insurance product. MTN Nigeria announced that it has been successful in its bid to acquire one of the two 100MHZ spectrum licenses in the 3.5GHz spectrum band auctioned by the Nigerian Communications Commission. Cassava Technologies entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Mitsui for the development of digital infrastructure and services in Africa. In Côte d’Ivoire, MTN Group launched the construction of a state-of-the-art headquarters for MTN Côte d’Ivoire, as well as the start of a local trial of 5G services in Abidjan.
African startups were also in the news this week. Kenyan startup Wowzi raised $2 million in seed funding to expand its digital marketplace across Africa. Nigerian online learning platform, Edukoya raised $3.5 million in a pre-seed round led by Target Global. Still in Nigeria, 54gene, the health technology startup advancing African genomics research for improved global health outcomes announced the launch of its diagnostic arm; 7RiverLabs.FC and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) launched She Wins Arabia, an initiative to help women-led startups across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) get the advice, finance, and mentorship they need to grow.Zwarttech, the Africa-Netherlands-based tech startup changed its name to Zarttech to strengthen its service offerings and consolidate its market position. Meta announced a new partnership with HerHustle to launch a program to equip women entrepreneurs in Kenya with the knowledge and digital skills to grow their businesses online.
Moove, an African mobility fintech launched operations in Nairobi, its first city in East Africa and sixth on the continent.
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and The Network, a global alliance of recruitment websites this week released a new report revealing that digital talent in Africa leads the pack in looking to change jobs in the near future for better career opportunities.Kaspersky also released a study showing that most parents are worried about their children’s digital behaviour and want to manage and monitor it.
This week, IBM and MuleSoft announced plans to deliver increased integrations and solutions around the IBM Z product family to support financial services and other mutual customers. The tech company also IBM announced the appointment of Julia Carvalho as General Manager for IBM Growth Markets, Africa.
Other top highlights of the week include Accenture, Dubai Cares, Microsoft and UNICEF announcing the launch of a global, digital learning platform for young people.
Duncan Mochama is the solutions consultant at Incentro Africa.
