Although digital advancements present opportunities for growth and development, they also unfortunately provide a platform for criminals to exploit, undermining their positive potential.

In Ghana, 422 individuals involved in illegal digital lending were arrested in a joint operation recently carried out by the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), the Bank of Ghana (BoG), and the Economic Organised Crime Office (EOCO). They are accused of cyberbullying, extortion, and abuse of customer data. The operation was carried out across three locations in the Greater Accra Region on July 10.

The arrests were made in the framework of a joint investigation, part of the Joint Cybersecurity Committee (JCC) activities, which resulted in the apprehension of 419 Ghanaians, one Chinese, one Pakistani, and one Indian suspect. Seized items included 654 mobile phones, 22 laptops, and 800 SIM cards.

At a press conference, the three agencies involved in the operation indicated that the joint investigation aims to enforce relevant cybersecurity, banking, and crime prevention laws.

The CSA had received over 270 reports of cyberbullying, extortion, and other illicit activities since December 2022. Following their investigations, the Cybersecurity authority identified and shared findings on 150 unlicensed applications involved in illegal practices.

EOCO, responsible for safeguarding financial market integrity, formed a joint technical task force with BoG and CSA to target unlicensed digital loan platforms. COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah (Executive Director of EOCO) warned the public against engaging with illegal financial entities online, affirming EOCO’s commitment to enforcing financial market regulations.

The collaborative effort is a significant stride in Ghana's fight against cybercrime and aims to protect citizens from fraudulent lending practices. By fostering a secure digital environment and upholding financial market integrity, authorities are working to safeguard the public's financial well-being.

Hikmatu Bilali

 

Posted On vendredi, 21 juillet 2023 13:47 Written by

Digital technology is quite important for the Guinean government. The country already has many digital projects underway, and others waiting for funding to be launched.

Guinea's Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and the Digital Economy, Ousmane Gaoual Diallo, met with a delegation from the World Bank led by Franz Drees-Gross, the institution's regional director for infrastructure, on July 18.

The Minister of Digital Affairs sought the support of the global financial institution for the implementation of several digital projects in Guinea, namely the West Africa Digital Integration Project (WARDIP), e-procurement, covering white areas, stimulating competition in telecoms, launching the national telecoms operator Guinea Telecom, and landing a second submarine cable.

Franz Dress-Gross showed a lot of interest in all of these projects, and new interviews were scheduled to expedite ongoing projects. Before this meeting, Ousmane Diagana, the World Bank's Vice President for West and Central Africa, announced the World Bank's intention to increase its funding in the digital economy in Guinea.

"The digital economy is a factor that can be a development accelerator, but also an element to help equalize access opportunities for all citizens to several services. We plan to significantly increase our funding in these areas. Better yet, ensure that existing programs, which are numerous in these sectors, can be executed more quickly," Diagana stated on Monday, July 17, following a working session with Guinea's Prime Minister, Bernard Goumou (pictured in the center).

The talks were held during a two-day visit to Guinea by a World Bank delegation led by Ousmane Diagana. Several topics were discussed during the visit, including job creation, human capital strengthening, and climate resilience consolidation.

Samira Njoya

Posted On jeudi, 20 juillet 2023 10:35 Written by

5G will soon be deployed in Senegal. Sonatel recently won the bid to commercialize the technology in the country.

Senegal’s telecom regulator, the ARTP, has provisionally awarded the 5G license to the Sonatel group through its commercial brand Orange. Abdou Karim Sall, the director general of the watchdog, announced on July 17, 2023, during a press conference in Dakar.

According to the ARTP’s boss, Sonatel paid CFA34.5 billion (€52.7 million) for the technology. "The main goal is to allow all operators who wish to have a 5G license for the great benefit of users [...] We had set a reserve price of 19.5 billion FCFA. When we proceeded to the counting, we retained that of Sonatel since its offer was compliant," said Abdou Karim Sall.

The ARTP issued a call for bids on May 31 for operators interested in deploying the technology in Senegal. Three operators – Free, Sonatel, and Expresso – submitted bids.

Following the bidding, Free and Expresso were taken out because they did not respect the clause of the reserve price set at CFA19.5 billion, leaving Sonatel as the winner.

In the coming days, Sonatel will have to sign the concession agreement and specifications alongside the ministries in charge of Telecommunications and Finance. Afterwards, the President of Senegal will issue a decree and the ARTP will give its final approval for the official deployment of the 5G technology.

Deploying the technology in Senegal will enable Sonatel to meet the population’s growing demand for high-speed connectivity and new digital consumption modes, influenced notably by Covid-19.

Samira Njoya

Posted On mercredi, 19 juillet 2023 11:35 Written by

Dakar’s Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) switched to online learning in mid-June. To strengthen its offering, the university is signing partnerships and multiplying efforts to meet the needs of thousands of students.

Dakar’s Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) and the National Telecommunications Company of Senegal (SONATEL) signed a partnership agreement last Friday, July 14. The move is to launch the "Pass UCAD" program, whose goal is to allow UCAD’s students and teachers to access the university’s dedicated online learning platform for free.

SONATEL’s Managing Director, Sékou Dramé (picture on the right), announced the establishment of a platform that allows students to continue classes online. "From next week, it will be implemented. This platform will allow students to identify themselves and access this specific 'Pass UCAD' issued for students, which will allow them to connect to the online teaching platform set up by the university for free until October 31," he said.

A month ago, the Senegalese government decided to adopt online education in the country's public universities amidst violent protests that broke out after opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was convicted. Many universities’ facilities were destroyed during the protests; these include six UCAD faculties.

The new partnership with SONATEL will support education and promote internet access for UCAD students. It will also allow students to benefit from educational resources and online research, as well as strengthen their digital skills, and prepare them for the digital future.

Samira Njoya

Posted On mardi, 18 juillet 2023 13:19 Written by

The Angolan government has been taking many steps to reform its administration through digitalization. To speed up this process, the country is now teaming up with major tech actors.

The Administrative Modernization Institute (IMA), an auxiliary body of the Angolan Republic's presidency responsible for public administration modernization, and Dell Technologies, an American company providing tech solutions, services, and support, signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Dubai on Friday, July 14. The partnership aims to promote digital governance in Angola.

"The memorandum of understanding between the IMA and Dell Technologies establishes comprehensive cooperation in the field of digital governance. It anticipates the exchange of experiences, knowledge, and best practices, with a focus on the quality of public services, digitization of the economy, improvement of the business environment, support for entrepreneurship, training, and creation of human capital skills," the IMA wrote in a statement.

Last May, IMA took part in the "Dell Technologies World" conference. Organized by Dell, the conference aimed to accelerate digital growth and technological development in the world. The new deal aligns with the Angolan government's ambition to speed up digital growth as well, locally, and with the Angolan people, with various online government services.

Last February, Luanda announced an investment of $89 million to build its national cloud infrastructure by 2024. The digital infrastructure, built across the government’s centers, is expected to provide over 80 public services.

The partnership with Dell will support the ongoing digitization process of public administration in Angola. It should also allow the country to boost its e-government development score. On the UN’s 2022 e-Government Development Index, Angola ranked 157th out of 193 countries, placing it among countries with a medium level of electronic administration development.

Posted On mardi, 18 juillet 2023 13:01 Written by

South Africa is taking a significant step towards embracing the digital revolution, leveraging Huawei's expertise, and unlocking the potential of advanced technologies for economic development and societal progress

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa inaugurated, on July 13, the Huawei Innovation Centre in Woodmead, Johannesburg. The cutting-edge facility, established by Huawei South Africa, aims to foster joint innovation, collaborate with local partners and developers, and showcase advanced digital technologies.

President Ramaphosa praised the Innovation Centre, calling it an impressive hub for technological breakthroughs. He highlighted its crucial role in propelling South Africa and the wider African continent into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with technologies like 5G, Cloud, and AI being showcased at the centre.

The President emphasized the government's commitment to digital transformation, expressing hope that the Innovation Centre would spur the launch of local ICT enterprises and create employment opportunities. He acknowledged the significance of digital technologies in achieving national development goals and commended Huawei's confidence in the South African economy.

President Ramaphosa also acknowledged the role of digital technologies in enhancing sectors such as mining and transportation. He referenced the successful launch of the first 5G coal mine in South Africa, facilitated by Huawei's partnership with industry stakeholders and telecom partners, as an example of the company's contribution to the country's economic potential. “The application of digital technologies to improve production processes spans a broad range of economic sectors from mining to ports to transportation and others,” he said. 

Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of knowledge transfer, skills development, and the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and applauded Huawei's efforts in cultivating local digital talent through initiatives like the LEAP digital talent program, ICT academies, and Tech4All-DigiSchool projects. These initiatives align with the government's vision of empowering the youth and enabling their participation in the digital economy.

The Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, HE Chen Xiaodong, highlighted the significance of the Huawei Innovation Centre as a symbol of South Africa-China cooperation. He emphasized China's commitment to supporting South Africa in accelerating 5G deployment and embracing the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Leo Chen, President of Huawei Sub-Saharan Africa, commended South Africa's strong vision for its digital economy and its role as a continental and global role model for 5G deployment and industrial digital transformation. Chen reaffirmed Huawei's commitment to supporting South Africa's ICT infrastructure development and industry digitization through the introduction of the latest technologies. He also emphasized the company's dedication to training young South Africans, enabling their participation and benefit from the digital economy.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by various dignitaries, including Minister Stella Ndabeni Abrahams (Small Business Development) and Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga (Transport), along with representatives from government departments. Their presence underscored the government's endorsement and support for the Huawei Innovation Centre and its potential to drive the country's digital agenda.

With the inauguration of the Huawei Innovation Centre, South Africa takes a significant step towards embracing the digital revolution, leveraging Huawei's expertise, and unlocking the potential of advanced technologies for economic development and societal progress.

Hikmatu Bilali

Posted On mardi, 18 juillet 2023 08:35 Written by

Most African countries are dematerializing their administrative services to make their people's daily lives easier. Governments in these countries are now taking further steps to speed up this process.

The government of Senegal has just validated its 2023-2027 digitalization plan for the judiciary sector. The authorities did so during a workshop held on July 13. 

The project should cost $13.7 million and result in the establishment of a digital public service of justice that will benefit all of the sector’s actors and users. 

"The ownership and implementation of the digital plan for justice by all actors will bring about a revolution in the functioning of justice by allowing faster decisions, simplifying procedures and steps with a more transparent dimension of the procedures. In addition, it will enable users to reduce travel, and magistrates and ministry staff to improve daily work," said Ismaïla Madior Fall, Senegalese Minister of Justice.

In 2016, Senegal adopted its National Digital strategy which aims to digitize approximately 700 administrative procedures. Many investments have been made to ensure this digital transformation in various sectors of activity. Last June, Dakar released $49.8 million as part of the National Program for the Digitalization of the Health System.

For the second half of this year, Ismaïla Madior Fall explained that the project will focus among other things "on the digitization of the process for issuing legal documents and criminal records, the collection of fines, electronic archiving, naturalization, electronic mail management".

Furthermore, the project aims to adapt the texts to dematerialization, to make the working environment suitable; to give citizens remote access to judicial services by dematerializing all judicial procedures; to operationalize alternative justice; to protect children, or to have management tools for the judicial sector.

Adoni Conrad Quenum

Posted On lundi, 17 juillet 2023 10:31 Written by

Despite having made significant progress in various areas in the past years, Rwanda still faces several issues, such as youth unemployment. Kigali, however, is taking many steps to tackle this specific challenge and help the youth to actively, and productively, contribute to the economy, via the digital sector.

The Rwandan government recently teamed up with the International Labor Organization (ILO) to start a development cooperation project. In a statement dated July 12, 2023, the ILO announced the partnership.

According to the statement, the project will promote youth employment, through digital technologies. 

"This project is an exciting milestone in our ongoing efforts to increase investment in the digital economy and uplift Africa's young workforce. It will serve as a new model to generate practical and effective results that will inspire other countries. I am delighted with the potential of this project to serve as a global best practice," said Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Africa.

Precisely, the project targets young people aged between 16 and 30, in Kigali and secondary towns. It will support job creation and entrepreneurial ventures in the digital economy; help boost youth’s digital skills; and improve public and private employment services provided to the youth. 

With a €4 million budget, the project aligns with the Rwanda 2050 Vision, the Rwandan Transformation Strategy 1, the National Skills Development and Employment Promotion Strategy (NSDEPS) 2019-2024, and the Decent Work Country Program for Rwanda.

Once launched, the project will introduce new digital labor market interventions to create new jobs, reinforce existing programs to promote digital skills and stimulate demand for digital services among micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.

Samira Njoya

Posted On lundi, 17 juillet 2023 09:58 Written by

Tech is a pillar of Kenya's socio-economic development strategy. Eager to digitize all the country's key sectors, Nairobi is looking for international partners.

The Kenyan Minister of Information, Communications, and Digital Economy, Eliud Owalo (photo, right), recently showcased his country's telecommunications and digital assets in Geneva, Switzerland.

On July 11, speaking at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2023 Council meeting, Owalo noted that Kenya's digital network is ahead of most African countries. He then invited global development partners and investors to support the country’s ongoing digitization program.

"Kenya is keen on partnerships that will equip our youth with digital skills for digital jobs and also develop our ICT infrastructure, using affordable digital devices and finding jobs for young Kenyans in cyberspace," the Kenyan ICT ministry said on Twitter.

Over 5,000 government services have been dematerialized since Kenya started its digitization a few years ago; fiber optics are being deployed throughout the country, and public Wi-Fi access points have already been installed in several localities.

While lauding the achievements, Eliud Owalo said there’s still a lot to do. Indeed, if 98% of the Kenyan population has access to mobile phones and broadband services, around 1.7 million people still don’t. Also, about 45% of the population still doesn’t have access to smart devices in the country.

To meet this challenge, the Kenyan government is counting on its various international partners, including the US, with whom the Kenyan delegation has begun talks in Geneva.

Samira Njoya

Posted On vendredi, 14 juillet 2023 15:01 Written by

Adopting digital tools continues to prove to be the way forward to development. The Ghana police service is utilizing technology to solve many social issues.

During a recent visit to police stations in Accra, led by IGP Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, the Ghana Police Service (GPS) announced the provision of 150 body cameras to enhance professionalism and strengthen investigative capabilities. The stations that were visited during the tour on July 12 included Tesano Divisional, Achimota District, and Mile '7' police stations.

The body cameras have been assigned to officers of the Visibility Unit in Accra, according to ACP Grace Ansah Akrofi, the Director of Police Public Affairs.

Body cameras are wearable devices used by law enforcement to record events involving officers. ACP Akrofi mentioned their successful use during recent by-elections in Assin North and Kumawu, aiding police operations.

IGP Dr. Dampare emphasized the need to protect the police service's image and support its transformation agenda. He commended officers for their dedication and assured them of continuous support, including logistics and welfare promotion.

The introduction of body cameras and specialized units demonstrates the GPS's commitment to professionalism and improved law enforcement. These technological advancements, coupled with ongoing support and welfare measures, will further strengthen the police service's ability to protect and serve Ghana's citizens.

In 2019, the Ghana Police Service took delivery of 250 body cameras. This was the first batch of 3,000 pieces expected to be delivered by the close of that year as part of efforts to enhance police transparency and accountability.

As part of a GH¢800 million retooling budget for the Ghana Police Service, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced the allocation of equipment and vehicles during his State of the Nation Address on February 8, 2018.

Hikmatu Bilali

 

Posted On vendredi, 14 juillet 2023 11:37 Written by
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