Brief_simple (270)
South African Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has announced the rollout of body-worn cameras for police officers, starting April 2025.
The decision comes in response to a question from the Democratic Alliance, a South African nonprofit, asking when the police service will implement body cameras.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) revealed that it will purchase 100 cameras this year at R28,818 per unit, totaling R2.88 million annually and R14.4 million over five years.
The use of body cameras is crucial for enhancing transparency, accountability, and public trust in policing.
Madica, a pre-seed investment program for African startups, announced on February 12, funding for four tech-driven ventures: Medikea, Motherbeing, Pixii Motors, and ToumAI.
Each received up to $200,000 and will join Madica’s 18-month support program, which includes mentorship, executive coaching, and immersion trips to startup hubs like Cape Town and London.
Marking its North African debut, Madica focuses on underrepresented founders in AI, FemTech, Mobility, and Healthcare. Affiliated with Flourish Ventures, it tackles funding and mentorship gaps in Africa’s startup ecosystem.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) signed, on February 12, a $6 million partnership with the UAE Office of Development Affairs and the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation to support 1,000 young African entrepreneurs with training, mentorship, networking opportunities, and non-refundable $5,000 seed capital each.
The agreement was signed at the World Governments Summit by TEF Founder, Tony O. Elumelu, and His Excellency Mohamed Haji Al Khoori, Director General of the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation.
This initiative further reinforces TEF’s mission to empower young business leaders across all 54 African countries, strengthening Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and driving economic growth on the continent.
Fintech Company Payaza has expanded to Ghana, introducing a ₵15 million ($973,000) business support initiative to help entrepreneurs, small businesses, and startups scale.
At its launch event, SME Thrive, attendees will gain networking opportunities, expert business insights, and access to funding and payment solutions designed to drive local and global growth.
Payaza aims to enhance financial accessibility and business expansion through seamless payment processing and tailored financial tools. This expansion cements Payaza’s role in boosting SME growth and strengthening Ghana’s digital economy.
Digital banking platform Affinity Africa announced on February 11 that it had raised $8 million in an oversubscribed Seed Round led by Grazia Equity and BACKED VC to expand financial services for the unbanked.
Affinity operates a branchless model via a mobile app, agent network, and proprietary tech. Unlike traditional banks, it charges no monthly fees or transaction costs.
With this capital, Affinity will scale operations in Ghana and expand further across Africa, driving financial inclusion.
Fixed-satellite operator and service provider Spacecom announced on February 5 that it has signed a $3.8 million agreement with an undisclosed African government to deliver satellite communication services via the AMOS-17 satellite for a 12-month period.
This deal marks a major expansion of Spacecom’s operations in Africa, reinforcing its international presence in the satellite services sector.
With Africa's growing demand for reliable connectivity, Spacecom's expansion aligns with the continent's push for enhanced digital infrastructure, particularly in government, security, and public services.
Blockchain industry solutions provider StarkWare has launched a $4 million fund to accelerate blockchain adoption and support African startups. The fund, announced on February 4, is led by investor Kheireddine Kamal. It targets pre-seed and seed-stage startups deploying solutions on Starknet, StarkWare’s ZK rollup for Ethereum scaling.
Startups can apply for grants up to $150,000, with advanced teams eligible for investments up to $500,000. The fund will prioritize entrepreneurs in West, East, and South Africa, regions facing high fees, inefficient financial systems, and digital exclusion.
With this fund, StarkWare is paving the way for Africa’s blockchain-driven future by empowering startups and fostering financial inclusion.
Nigeria is set to develop a National Space Strategy to strengthen its position in the space sector, the Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy announced on February 6.
He met with Chief Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science & Technology, to agree on the need for a clearly defined space policy. A committee with representatives from key government agencies will be established to shape the strategy.
Additionally, both ministries discussed the National Artificial Intelligence Trust, recently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). The initiative aims to drive AI innovation and governance in Nigeria, with Minister Nnaji playing a key role in its implementation.
Nigeria has launched the DeepTech_Ready Upskilling Program to train 20,000 young people in AI and Data Science, equipping them for high-demand tech roles, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital economy announced on January 31.
The initiative, led by the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program, Data Science Nigeria, and Google, is part of a N2.8 billion grant under Google’s $5.8 million investment in Africa’s digital transformation.
The six-month program combines self-paced learning, project-based training, and job readiness support to bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap. This initiative strengthens the country’s tech workforce, attracts investment, and advances its role in AI innovation across Africa.
Mobility solutions provider Moove announced, on January 28, the acquisition of Kovi, an urban mobility provider based in São Paulo, in a move to strengthen its presence in Latin America.
This acquisition expands Moove’s total fleet to 36,000 vehicles, with operations now spanning 19 cities across six continents.
The deal remains subject to regulatory approval from Brazil’s antitrust authority before its final completion.
More...
The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Remi Tinubu, officially commissioned the ICT Community Centre at Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin.
The initiative, announced on January 28, was launched in partnership with the Renewed Hope Initiative. It aims to bridge the digital divide and address the gender gap by expanding access to digital skills and technology.
The centre will serve as a hub for IT programs designed to empower women and youth, aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda’s goal of driving economic diversification through digitization and innovation.
X has announced a partnership with Visa as the first official partner for the upcoming X Money Account, set to launch later this year. This collaboration marks a significant step toward transforming X into an all-encompassing financial platform.
Linda Yaccarino, X CEO, revealed yesterday, January 28, that the X Money Account will enable secure and instant funding to the X Wallet via Visa Direct, allowing users to seamlessly connect their debit cards for peer-to-peer (P2P) payments.
Additionally, users will have the option to transfer funds instantly to their bank accounts, enhancing financial accessibility and convenience.
The Innovators for Impact (i3) initiative is now accepting applications for its third cohort, aimed at ventures dedicated to improving access to affordable, high-quality health products and services across Africa. Applications will remain open until February 28, 2025, with the final cohort announced on April 30, 2025.
Eligible ventures must focus on addressing healthcare needs in Africa and have a legal presence or headquarters on the continent. They should provide tech-enabled solutions that enhance pharmacy services, excluding businesses solely focused on research.
This initiative seeks to empower innovators who can bring meaningful change to Africa’s healthcare landscape through partnerships, funding, and support.
The UAE will host the AI Everything Global Summit from February 4-6, 2025, in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, bringing together global tech leaders to explore AI's potential and connect innovators shaping the future.
On February 4, the summit kicks off at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi, where discussions will focus on AI-driven transformation across sectors, including research, policy, partnerships, and commerce acceleration.
Startups will compete in the world’s largest AI pitch competition for equity-free cash prizes, with semi-finals on February 5 and finals on February 6 at the Dubai Exhibition Center.
The summit will offer startups exclusive access to investors and growth opportunities in the UAE and beyond.