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AfICTA e-NEWSLETTER

15/June/2022 Vol 138

Request For Expression of Interest to Host the 10th AfICTA Summit

AfICTA – Africa Information and Communication Technologies Alliance is desirous to license the hosting of its annual Summits to its members in good standing as part of its strategic implementation plan for the realization of its vision and mission.

This Request for Proposal covering 2021 till 2024 is therefore the instrument for members to express their willingness, capacity and capability to host this important Summit.

The RFP outlines AfICTA expectations from potential hosts, which include information on Concept Note, Budget, Marketing/Media Plan, Schedule of Events

Attend the 2nd Egyptian Virtual B2B Matchmaking

Dear African Companies,

EiTESAL, representing the Egyptian ICT Industry is organizing the Second Edition of its international business-to-business matchmaking Virtually, from 27 to 28 June and hence seeks to connect with the ICT industries all over the African continent for the dream of Digital Africa to be a reality. EiTESAL believes that without African technology, the dream will never be true. 

Mergers, acquisitions, or partnerships are... Read more

ICANN78 Annual General Meeting to Be Held in Hamburg, Germany

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) announced that it has selected Hamburg, Germany, as the location for the ICANN78 Annual General Meeting, which will be held 21–26 October 2023. The meeting will be hosted by eco – Association, DENIC eG, and the City of Hamburg at the Congress Center Hamburg.

ICANN holds three Public Meetings each calendar year in different regions around the world. The Hamburg meeting will represent the... Read more

Nigeria Reins in Social Media Platforms

Nigeria has released a Draft Code of Practice that requires social media platforms to establish local offices and inform authorities about popular content and related demand.

The Draft Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms/Intermediaries, developed by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), is directed at social media heavyweights including Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, and Twitter. 

According to the Draft Policy, the NITDA... Read more

Malawi's Third Operator Bags Early Win for Network Ambitions

Malawi’s third mobile phone operator Nyasa Mobile Limited is hoping a newly established strategic partnership with the Vodafone Group will pay off and assist with efforts to roll out its network by the end of the year.

Details are sketchy, but according to Nyasa Mobile, representatives from both companies have met with government officials to assess the business environment and evaluate data from marketing surveys. 

Nyasa Mobile Chairperson Konrad Buckle said the plan is to roll the network out in phases by... Read more

Register to Join AfICTA  (Africa ICT Alliance) Today

Hi, are you concerned about the realization of a Digital Africa? If yes, AfICTA (Africa ICT Alliance) welcomes you to register and join other group of concerned IT National Associations, Companies, Multinationals and Organisations in Africa to engender the realization of the digital Africa and the Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs.

AfICTA is a 35 member nations' alliance, in partnership with the African Union, with the vision to fulfill the promise of the digital age for everyone in Africa and to connect IT players on the continent.

Botswana: First Digital Associates to Embark on Letshego’s Digital Mastery Programme

Pan-African financial services company Letshego has announced the first group of 15 candidates or digital associates to participate in its Letsgo Digital Mastery Programme.

The company received over one thousand applications and after a rigorous screening process, 15 candidates were selected and are the first cohort of the Programme in Botswana.

The digital associates – ten external and five employees – will complete an 18-month incubation programme... Read more

Cameroon Bets on Huawei Help to Realise Tech Hub Ambitions

Chinese multinational ICT and telecommunications solutions provider Huawei has reaffirmed its commitment to help Cameroon position itself as Central Africa’s digital hub.

President of Huawei Northern Africa Terry He confirmed the position following a meeting this week with Cameroon’s Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute. 

He said Huawei will continue to support Cameroon’s digital economy ambitions and the country's broader economic plan to establish itself as an upper middle-income country by 2035... Read more

DRC's Regulator Rubbishes Claims of Mobile Tariff Increase

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)’s telecommunications industry regulator, the Authorite de Regulation Postes et Telecom (ARPTC), has refuted claims of an increase in mobile tariffs and warned that mobile operators cannot adjust tariffs without regulatory approval.

The regulator was reacting to claims made by the Federation of Companies of Congo (FEC) that the “country’s operators are preparing to increase tariffs due to the introduction of new taxes by authorities on telecom operators.” The FEC said... Read more

Egypt’s NILESAT 301 Launched to Boost Broadband Business

The NILESAT 301 communications satellite, built by Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%) for the Egyptian operator NILESAT, was successfully launched this week from Cape Canaveral launch pad, Florida (USA), on board of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Utilising a a powerful Ku-band mission, NILESAT 301 is expected to reinforce NILESAT commercial leadership in broadcast services at 7°W over MENA and opening new services over Southern Africa and Nile Basin. In addition, a multi-beam Ka band mission... Read more

Ghana Brightens up Economic Prospects After Securing Solar Tech Deal

Ghana recently signed a grant agreement with African Development Fund and the government of Switzerland to support development of mini-grids and solar PV net metering.

According to a statement released by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the government of Ghana also signed a financing agreement with the government of Switzerland, for the Ghana Mini Grid and Solar Photovoltaic Net Metering project.

The agreements cover the development of 35 mini-grids and stand-alone solar PV systems... Read more

Kenya’s Tech Industries Slam Practitioners Bill as Retrogressive

Kenya’s ICT and telecommunications industries have responded with alarm over the government’s passing of the ICT Practitioners Bill 2020, which is currently under review by the country’s President. This is the last stage a Bill must get to before either being passed into law or being returned to Parliament.

The Bill requires any ICT practitioner to have an ICT-related degree from a recognised university and also pay an annual licence fee.

Additionally, would-be IT practitioners must have an ICT related... Read more

Tax Fraud, Data Black Market Trigger Tech Response by Zimbabwe’s Govt

Going forward, Zimbabwe will monitor telecommunications traffic for revenue assurance, according to the country’s ICT Ministry and telecommunications industry regulator, the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz).

The Southern African country has three mobile firms - state-owned NetOne and Telecel, as well as Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed Econet, and one fixed phone operator, Telecel.

There are also a number of ISPs including Liquid, Africom and Dandemutande... Read more

Kenyans Lose Billions to Crypto Frauds

“I still drive my Ferrari and some of you can’t afford to eat.” That is the last message the founder of a cryptocurrency wrote to Kenyans in a Telegram group after defrauding them of Sh1 billion. 

In the days leading to the collapse of Bitstream Circle, a ponzi scheme designed by Kenyan and Chinese fraudsters, its investors – mostly Kenyans – started noticing delays whenever they wanted to withdraw their money.

The company, which had promised a daily profit return of five to 10 per cent of invested amount.... Read more

Mitigating Cyber-Fraud Risks Targeting Kenyan Businesses

Last week the media reported how a Kenyan was milked dry by a well-orchestrated SIM swap fraud carried out. The victim lost Sh2.6 million in the unfortunate event. That is a snapshot of the dangers of cybercrime at a micro-level. At a macro-level where banks and large businesses are involved, the situation is dicier.

As we celebrate the Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day (MSMEs) this month, let us pay attention to this challenge.

As we know small businesses have been most affected since the outbreak of the pandemic... Read more

Indicina, a Nigerian Fintech Startup, Has Raised $3 Million in Seed Funding

Indicina, a Nigerian fintech firm that is building API-driven credit infrastructure for Africa, has raised $3 million in funding to help it expand into other African countries.

Greycroft and RV Ventures also participated in the investment round, which was led by Target Global. Ricardo Schaefer, a Target Global partner, will also join the board of directors.

Indicina is a digital infrastructure company founded in 2018 by Yvonne Johnson, Jacob Ayokunle, and Carlos del Carpio with the goal of enabling... Read more

Africa’s Tech Start-up Ecosystem will Attract Over US$10bn by 2025

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and improved internet connectivity is helping Africa attract funding and a large percentage of business leaders on the continent say its tech start-up ecosystem will attract over US$10-billion in funding by 2025.

This is according to market research conducted by blockchain-based MNO World Mobile, which showed that 54% of African senior executives expect this level of spending on tech start-ups.

The research was conducted among senior executives at companies with average annual revenues... Read more

Gender Inequality in ICT is Unknown Quantity in Africa

Gender inequality within Africa’s ICT industry is exacerbated by the issue of low-level sex-disaggregate ICT data, which means the gender gap is not measured or recognised.

ITWeb reported this week that the continent has among the lowest levels of gender-specific data globally, according to the Sex-Disaggregated ICT Data in Africa report released by Equals Research Coalition.

The coalition is co-founded by the International Telecommunications Union and partners, and is comprised of stakeholders... Read more