Brief (381)
Kenyan digital insurance platform mTek has partnered with BuuPass, a Kenyan Transportation platform, to provide integrated travel insurance. This partnership allows customers to easily select and purchase insurance while booking tickets on BuuPass, enhancing convenience and safety.
The move aims to enhance travel experience by providing additional safety and financial protection, allowing travelers to feel more secure and confident during their trips.
Pan-African fintech firm Flutterwave has been granted an Enhanced Category Payment Service Provider license by the Bank of Ghana, it announced on August 1. This license enables Flutterwave to offer a wide range of payment services directly in Ghana, eliminating the need for third-party services and simplifying payment processes for businesses and consumers.
The firm aims to unify the fragmented payment infrastructure in Africa and support local fintech companies, contributing to a more integrated financial ecosystem.
Egyptian AI startup Synapse Analytics has secured $2 million in new investment to expand its AI-powered solutions across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Africa, focusing on the financial sector. The investment was led by venture capital firm Silicon Badia and Hub 71, Abu Dhabi.
Synapse Analytics partners with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Crealogix, offering digital banking and application processing software. As part of Hub71, the company addresses financial inclusion by offering AI software for credit scoring, cross-selling, dynamic pricing, and eKYC/eKYB processes.
The Czech Republic has awarded 25 scholarships to Zambian professionals for studies in Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Cyber Security, Zambia’s Minister of Technology and Science Felix Mutati announced on July 28.
Czech Ambassador Pavel Prochazka announced the scholarships, covering both Bachelor's and Master's degrees, during a meeting with Minister Mutati. He stressed the Czech Republic's commitment to partnering with Zambia's Ministry to enhance technical skills to bridge the digital divide.
Africa Data Centres, a unit of Cassava Technologies, announced, on July 25, the expansion of its CPT1 facility in Cape Town.
Supported by a loan of up to $300 million from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the project will add three new halls and increase the IT load by 6MW, doubling the current capacity.
The CPT1 expansion is part of Africa Data Centres’ strategy to increase data centre capacity across the continent, addressing the growing demand for data services in Africa.
Visa is inviting women entrepreneurs in South Africa to apply for the She’s Next program. The program is offering over ZAR1 million (USD 54,540) in funding, along with mentorship and training, to help businesses grow and contribute to the South African economy.
Eligible businesses must be at least 51% woman-owned and 51% black-owned, operate in South Africa, have annual revenue under ZAR50 million (USD 2,728,000), and have been operating for at least one year before July 22, 2024.
Application closes by August 9.
Through the WE-Elevate Rwanda program, Rwanda is partnering with Digital Commerce International (DCI) to help women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) boost productivity via online commerce.
The initiative aims to help these businesses transition to e-commerce, expanding their market reach and growth potential. Women-led enterprises in Rwanda are encouraged to sign up to benefit from this program.
Applications close by August 4.
Kenya's Diamond Trust Bank (DTB), listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange, has teamed up with Network International, a top digital commerce provider in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). The partnership, announced on July 23, aims to enhance DTB's digital payment solutions.
DTB, with over 155 branches in East Africa, aims to leverage Network's advanced payment solutions and security protocols amidst growing digital payment adoption. The partnership includes debit, credit, and prepaid card processing, e-commerce, fraud prevention, and more.
Kemitt, Egypt's top e-commerce platform for furniture and home accessories, has expanded into Saudi Arabia following a recent undisclosed funding round, according to a press release dated July 22.
Founded in 2017, Kemitt connects product and furniture designers with consumers, managing manufacturing, overheads, and last-mile logistics. The platform offers on-demand manufacturing and 7-12 day delivery services.
The recent funding supports Kemitt’s growth plans, including technology upgrades, product expansion, local partnerships, and its Saudi entry.
Cofinity Group, a 15-year veteran in the data center market, has signed strategic partnership agreements with Africa's largest data center operators, the group announced on July 23.
They include PAIX Data Centres, Rack Centre, Raxio, and Digital Realty's African subsidiaries iColo, Teraco, and Digital Realty Nigeria. These data center providers account for over 75% of Sub-Saharan Africa's GDP.
Cofinity’s extensive experience and relationships with these operators offer significant opportunities for enterprises seeking quality colocation data center solutions in Africa.
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The Data Governance in Africa initiative has introduced the “Think Like an Investor” accelerator program, inviting African innovators to submit their digital social innovations for tailored training support.
The program targets data-driven startups and small to medium-sized enterprises in South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia, Kenya, and Senegal. It aims to foster a human-centric data economy in Africa.
Applications close on August 4.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced its Cybersecurity Hackathon, inviting participants to showcase their skills and tackle real-world cybersecurity challenges.
Organized by ECOWAS, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the Hackathon is a yearly ethical hacking competition that unites top cybersecurity talents from across ECOWAS. It offers a distinct platform to demonstrate skills, foster knowledge sharing, and advance excellence in cybersecurity.
Registration closes by August 5.
Namibia has begun implementing a cybersecurity strategy to increase cybercrime awareness, protect children online, and strengthen cybersecurity laws.
Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology Amutse Modestus announced the initiative at the 4th Annual International High-Level Cybersecurity Conference in Windhoek, held on 17-19 July.
The National Cyber Security Strategy and Awareness Creation Plan focuses on protecting vulnerable populations, especially children.
Data annotation and model validation firm Sama has partnered with the University of Nairobi (UoN) to advance Kenya’s Generative AI (GenAI) sector.
The collaboration will provide UoN students and faculty with part-time job opportunities at Sama, including training, equipment, and workspaces. Sama will provide training, equipment, materials, and workspaces to support this collaboration.