- Gabon seeks financing in the United States to add 200 MW of electricity capacityto support industrial and digital projects.
- Libreville faces an estimated 220 MW power deficit, which constrains the expansion of energy-intensive digital infrastructure.
- The initiative supports a strategic partnership with U.S. tech firm Cybastionto build a next-generation AI data center in the capital.
Gabon concluded an economic mission in Washington on Wednesday, March 11, aimed at securing the energy foundation for its future digital ecosystem.
Philippe Tonangoye, Minister of Universal Access to Water and Energy, and Clotaire Kondja, Minister of Petroleum and Gas, led the delegation. The officials met U.S. investors and institutions to explore financing solutions that would increase the country’s electricity generation capacity. U.S. technology company Cybastion coordinated the mission. The discussions focused on mobilizing an additional 200 megawatts (MW)of electricity generation to support ongoing industrial and digital projects.
During a roundtable organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Gabonese officials presented investment opportunities in the country’s energy infrastructure to American companies. They estimate that the Libreville region faces an electricity deficit of about 220 MW. This shortage limits the expansion of energy-intensive digital infrastructure. The government therefore views the development of new electricity sources as a prerequisite for the country’s planned national data center dedicated to artificial intelligence.
The facility will host and process public and private data locally. Authorities expect the infrastructure to reduce reliance on foreign data systems and strengthen Gabon’s digital sovereignty. The project forms part of a strategic partnership that the Gabonese government signed with Cybastion in January to develop national digital infrastructure.
The agreement includes the construction of a next-generation data center in Libreville. The facility will host and process public and private data locally, enabling the country to manage critical data flows domestically.
The partnership also includes a skills development component. Through the Africa DigiEmpowerprogram, implemented with the Cisco Networking Academy, the initiative plans to train around 1,000 young Gabonese in digital technologies and cybersecurity.
Officials expect the program to support the development of a local workforce capable of sustaining the country’s expanding digital ecosystem.
This article was initially published by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- South African entrepreneur Zale Hechterleads CliqTech, a firm that provides digital will and estate-planning solutionsfor banks and insurers.
- CliqTech integrates digital estate planning tools directly into financial systemsto help institutions protect client assets and expand services.
- The platform enables fully digital creation, management, and storage of wills, while providing analytics and performance monitoring tools.
South African entrepreneur Zale Hechter co-founded and leads CliqTech as chief executive officer.
CliqTech, founded in 2019, develops technology that integrates estate-planning services into financial systems. The company collaborates with banks, insurers, and financial service providers. These partnerships allow institutions to incorporate succession planning tools directly into their platforms.
The platform enables users to create, manage, and store wills entirely online. The system provides a streamlined and intuitive experience for both internal teams and end clients. In addition, the platform includes monitoring and support tools. Dashboards and calculators allow users to analyze and better understand their wealth and estate situations.
CliqTech integrates its technology into banking and insurance systems through a simplified process. The company enables rapid deployment and ensures compatibility with existing infrastructure. Once institutions implement the platform, teams can monitor performance in real time. This capability allows companies to adjust their commercial and operational strategies more efficiently.
CliqTech positions its products around three strategic objectives for financial institutions. First, the platform helps institutions increase sales by responding more precisely to client needs. Second, the platform improves internal operational efficiency. Third, the platform strengthens the long-term value generated by each customer relationship.
The company therefore transforms will and succession management into a measurable growth driver. At the same time, the system helps families protect assets and manage inheritance planning more effectively.
Zale Hechter graduated from the University of Port Elizabeth in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Hechter later obtained a master’s degree in biokinetics and sports medicine from Nelson Mandela University in 2003.
Hechter worked as a marketing manager at Varsity College between 2002 and 2005. Hechter later joined Bloomberg Medical Group as a consultant. He became commercial director of BMG Orthopaedic Solutions in 2015. The company distributes orthopedic products in South Africa.
Hechter later served as chief executive officer of MZC Holdings between 2018 and 2020. The company develops innovative solutions to address socio-economic challenges in South Africa.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- South African entrepreneur Thalia Pillayfounded Orca Fraud in 2024to help banks and fintech firms combat digital payment fraud in emerging markets.
- The platform integrates real-time fraud detection directly into payment flows, enabling institutions to block suspicious transactions before completion.
- Orca Fraud raised $2.35 million on March 8to expand real-time monitoring and anti-fraud intelligence across Africa and other emerging markets.
South African engineer and entrepreneur Thalia Pillay serves as chief executive officer of Orca Fraud. Pillay founded the company in 2024 with Carla Wilby to develop solutions that protect digital payment ecosystems in emerging markets.
Orca Fraud designs tools that help banks and fintech companies make payment operations safer and easier to manage. The company aims to reduce fraud-related losses while avoiding unnecessary disruptions for legitimate users. The approach seeks to strengthen trust in digital payment systems.
Orca Fraud integrates its technology directly into real-time payment flows. The platform supports several stages of the transaction process. The system analyzes user onboarding, transaction authorization, merchant monitoring, and fraud case management.
Instead of reviewing transactions after completion, the platform assists decision-making while money moves through the system. This capability allows financial institutions to block suspicious operations before they finalize transactions.
Orca Fraud built its technology around early anomaly detection. The platform identifies behavioral changes that may signal emerging fraud threats. The system monitors multiple types of fraud that affect digital payment ecosystems.
These threats include account takeover, investment scams, SIM-swap fraud, and money muling, a practice in which criminals use third-party accounts to transfer illicit funds.
Orca Fraud announced on Sunday, March 8 that the company raised $2.35 millionin funding. The company plans to use the capital to strengthen real-time transaction monitoring and expand anti-fraud intelligence capabilities across Africa and other emerging markets.
Thalia Pillay graduated from the University of Cape Town in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in mechatronic engineering, robotics, and automation. Pillay began her career in 2016 at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in the United States, where she served as treasurer.
Pillay joined financial services company Investec in London in 2019 as a software developer. Pillay later joined South African company Aerobotics in 2021 as a software engineer. Aerobotics helps fruit producers forecast yields through image analysis that measures fruit size, color, and quality.
Pillay joined fintech company Stitch in 2022 as a software engineer. Stitch promoted Pillay to engineering team lead in 2023. Pillay later co-founded Orca Fraud to focus on payment security technologies for emerging markets.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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Microsoft and Education Plus launched Empower+, a free digital platform offering AI and digital skills training across 21 African countries.
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The program targets adolescent girls and young womento reduce gender gaps in technology education.
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Sub-Saharan Africa could require 230 million digital jobs by 2030, according to the World Bank.
Microsoft and the Education Plus initiative, supported by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), launched a new digital platform designed to strengthen artificial intelligence and digital skills among young people in Africa.
The partners announced on March 10 the rollout of Empower+, an online platform that provides free access to digital training programs. The initiative primarily targets adolescent girls and young women in 21 African countries and aims to reduce inequalities in access to technological education.
The platform, also accessible via mobile devices, offers modules covering basic digital literacy, emerging artificial intelligence skills, and the use of technology in the workplace. In addition, the modules combine digital training with awareness and prevention content related to HIV, a major public health issue affecting young women in sub-Saharan Africa.
Tiara Pathon, Director of Artificial Intelligence Skills at Microsoft Elevate, said the initiative aims to equip learners with the capabilities required in a digital economy. “Access to education and skills is one of the most powerful drivers of opportunity. With Empower+, we want to enable learners to gain the knowledge to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world,” she said.
This launch comes as demand for skilled digital professionals continues to rise across the region. According to the World Bank, nearly 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills by 2030.
However, gender disparities remain significant. UNESCO reports that women and girls are 25% less likely than men to use digital tools for basic purposes, four times less likely to know how to program, and thirteen times less likely to file patents in information and communication technologies (ICT).
Against this backdrop, expanding access to digital skills training represents a key lever to reduce inequality and support economic inclusion. Online training initiatives could help create more professional opportunities for young women in a technology sector that remains largely male-dominated.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
The iHatch program is seeking innovation hubs across Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT to lead its fifth cohort. A total of 37 hubs will be selected to provide year-long incubation, mentoring and training for startups under a standardized national framework. Interested hubs can apply until Monday, March 16, 2026.
Lagos Innovates has opened applications for its six-week Female Founders & Funders program, which supports women-led tech startups in Lagos. The curriculum includes masterclasses, mentorship and fundraising preparation, as well as introductions to investors. The program, which also trains women investors and has already backed more than 30 founders, is accepting applications until Saturday, April 4.
Meta is rolling out new anti-scam tools across Facebook, WhatsApp and Messenger. Facebook will introduce alerts about suspicious friend requests, while WhatsApp will warn users about fraudulent attempts to link accounts. Messenger will also use AI to detect scam messages and prompt users to block or report suspicious accounts.
As fragmented payment infrastructure forces African businesses to juggle multiple providers, South African startup NjiaPay is developing a platform designed to simplify payment management through a single integration layer.
NjiaPay is a fintech solution developed by a South African startup. It offers a Payment-as-a-Service solution that allows businesses to integrate and manage multiple payment providers through a single technical interface.
The startup, based in Johannesburg, was founded in 2024 by Jonatan Allback, Dean Hiine, Hans Osnabrugge and Roderick Simons. Its stated goal is to reduce the operational complexity of integrating multiple payment providers and to improve online transaction success rates.
"We connect businesses to multiple Payment Service Providers through one central layer, routing transactions to the best available option and giving a clear view of how payments are performing. The result? Fewer failed payments. More successful checkouts. A better understanding of where revenue is won or lost," the startup said.
The platform acts as an orchestration layer above various payment service providers (PSPs). Through a single application programming interface (API), businesses can connect multiple payment methods, including bank cards, mobile money and bank transfers, while centralizing their transaction data on a single dashboard.
NjiaPay also incorporates an intelligent payment routing system. By analyzing real-time data, the platform automatically selects the provider or payment route with the highest probability of success, reducing declined transactions and increasing revenue for online merchants.
This approach aims to address one of the major challenges in African digital commerce: the multiplicity of payment infrastructures, which often forces businesses to work with several providers to achieve a satisfactory acceptance rate.
With this platform, NjiaPay aims to provide African businesses with infrastructure capable of simplifying digital payments while improving the financial performance of online transactions.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
- Platform links universities with industry for research and innovation
- Initiative supports Morocco Digital 2030 strategy and AI-driven growth
Three Moroccan government ministries signed an agreement Tuesday in Fez to establish the JAZARI Industry X.0 Institute, a new platform aimed at accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in the country’s industrial sector.
The agreement was signed by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. It brings together several universities to support research, innovation and technology transfer to Moroccan industry.
The partnership includes Euromed University of Fez, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Moulay Ismail University and Al Akhawayn University. The institute will focus on Industry 4.0 technologies, including the Internet of Things, advanced robotics and industrial data analytics, with the aim of linking scientific research more closely to the needs of businesses.
From academia to industry
Authorities say the institute will work to turn academic research into practical technological solutions for industry. Priority areas include improving productivity, predictive maintenance, manufacturing quality and the development of applications for sectors such as smart agriculture and healthcare.
The initiative also seeks to support the creation of technology startups and to train specialists in industrial data and cybersecurity.
The project is part of a broader national push to develop an artificial intelligence ecosystem. Moroccan authorities have recently launched a network of institutes under the “Jazari” label to establish regional centers of excellence dedicated to innovation and the industrial use of digital technologies.
The initiative aligns with the goals of the Morocco Digital 2030 strategy, which places artificial intelligence at the core of the country’s economic modernization.
Authorities estimate that the structured rollout of AI could generate around 100 billion dirhams ($11 billion) in additional GDP. Official projections also point to the creation of 50,000 jobs and the training of 200,000 skilled graduates, strengthening Morocco’s technological and industrial competitiveness.
Samira Njoya
April 28-30, 2026, the Landmark Centre on Victoria Island in Lagos will host IoT West Africa, co-located with Data Center & Cloud Expo Africa. The event will bring together industry leaders, financial institutions, public officials and e-commerce companies to present the latest developments in IoT, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data centers and digital energy. Organizers say the aim is to support digital transformation and strengthen the competitiveness of African businesses.
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Adlore Business Enterprise has launched a pilot of its Jollof Boss platform, enabling small businesses to manage product catalogues, orders and payments directly within WhatsApp. By integrating Paystack, the platform allows customers to select food items through an interactive menu and receive a payment link, while merchants are automatically notified once the payment is completed. The service is currently being tested in Benin City and Lagos and aims to remove friction between messaging and payments.
Yazi, a South African AI-driven research platform built on WhatsApp, has raised its first institutional funding round led by 3 Capital Ventures at a pre-money valuation of about $1.6 million. The capital will be used to launch automated voice interviews on WhatsApp, expand its African respondent panel, and support expansion into the UK and Europe, where demand is growing.
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Kenya launched an automated traffic management system that detects violations and sends fines to drivers via SMS.
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Authorities introduced the system to improve transparency, reduce corruption risks and curb rising road accidents.
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Motorists groups raised concerns about appeals procedures, oversight and delays in issuing vehicle license plates.
Kenya has taken another step in digitizing road enforcement as authorities deploy automated systems to detect traffic violations and issue instant fines by text message.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) announced on Monday, March 9 that it had activated an automated road-traffic management system that relies on intelligent cameras to identify violations. The system sends SMS notifications directly to offenders, removing the need for direct human intervention. Authorities said the reform aims to strengthen transparency, improve enforcement efficiency and enhance road safety. The government launched the strategy in 2020 as part of a broader push to reduce road accidents, which increased between 2024 and 2025.
On Tuesday, March 10, the NTSA published a list of 35 traffic violations and the corresponding instant fines. The penalty scale ranges from warnings for minor speeding to fines of 10,000 Kenyan shillings ($77.37) for more serious offenses. Authorities classified serious violations to include speeding, obstructive parking, failure to install mandatory speed limiters on public transport and commercial vehicles, and driving without a valid roadworthiness certificate.
The system also targets other infractions such as running red lights, driving on sidewalks or pedestrian crossings, and failing to wear a seatbelt. Offenders must pay the fine within seven days. Otherwise authorities apply interest and may block access to NTSA services.
A series of technological investments
The automated enforcement system builds on several technological reforms that the Kenyan government introduced since 2020. Kenyan law now provides for smart driver’s licenses embedded with electronic chips. The chip stores driver identification data, fingerprints, photographs, signatures and biometric information.
Authorities introduced second-generation license plates in 2022. Kenyan officials often describe these plates as “digital” or secure plates because they incorporate advanced security features and allow digital traceability of vehicle ownership.
The government added speed cameras and video surveillance to its road-safety strategy in 2024. Authorities deployed the cameras in pilot phases in 2024 and plan to expand the network in 2026 by installing additional units across six major cities. President William Ruto requested the expansion.
In practice, authorities link biometric licenses, secure license plates and camera systems to identify vehicles that commit violations more quickly. The system also connects offenses to specific drivers or owners and creates a digital driving record for administrative use.
Concerns persist
The automated traffic management system with instant fines has already triggered criticism from motorists.
The Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK) publicly asked the NTSA to provide urgent clarifications about the system. The group argued that the new system leaves several fundamental questions unanswered. It asked what procedure drivers can follow to contest fines and what safeguards can prevent an automated system from acting simultaneously as investigator, judge and enforcer. The association also asked who certifies and regularly verifies the quality of cameras and detection equipment. It further asked which public account will receive the collected fines and what public consultations preceded the system’s rollout.
The MAK also warned that the credibility of fully digital enforcement depends on the availability of vehicle identification documents. The association said production delays had left more than 70,000 license plates pending since February 2026, raising questions about how authorities used funds already collected from motorists for their manufacture.
“For the MAK, digitizing road control and sanctions is not enough,” the association said. “The entire administrative chain — plates, licenses, traceability and appeals — must function without delay or opacity.”
By placing roads under the watch of intelligent cameras and replacing paper tickets with SMS notifications, Kenya has signaled a clear ambition: reduce traffic violations, limit corruption-prone roadside interactions and modernize road safety.
Authorities hope the system will help reduce accidents, which reached 5,009 cases in 2025 compared with 4,748 in 2024, according to data from the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ).
This article was initially published in French by Muriel EDJO
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Orange Guinea relaunched the 2026 edition of the “Hello Women” program to encourage women to pursue careers in technology and digital sectors.
- The initiative offers training, mentorship, technical site visits and a women-focused hackathon through the Orange Digital Center.
- The program addresses a persistent gender gap in tech as women represent about 30% of researchers in Africa and less than 15% in engineering and technology in some regions.
Orange’s Guinean subsidiary announced the launch of the 2026 edition of its “Hello Women” program, an initiative that aims to encourage young girls and women to pursue careers in science, technology and digital industries.
Orange presented the program on Monday, March 9 and said it aims to strengthen Guinean women’s access to digital skills while supporting their entry into a sector that men still largely dominate.
The program includes several activities designed to introduce participants to technology careers and practical skills. Organizers will run awareness sessions on technology professions, facilitate meetings with female professionals in the sector and organize visits to the company’s technical sites.
Participants will also attend short training courses at the Orange Digital Center. The courses will cover topics such as software development, cloud computing, cybersecurity and data analysis.
The initiative will also host a women-focused hackathon to stimulate innovation and encourage participants to develop technological solutions that address local challenges.
Orange Guinea said the program will support women at multiple stages of their professional journey. Ousmane Boly Traoré, chief executive officer of Orange Guinea, said the initiative aims to guide women whether they want to discover digital professions, shift into technical careers or gain their first professional experience.
The company said it wants to expand women’s participation in scientific and technological sectors where female representation remains limited.
The initiative comes at a time when women still play a limited role in the digital sector across Africa. According to UNESCO, women account for about 30% of scientific researchers in Africa, but their presence in information technology fields remains significantly lower.
In parts of West and Central Africa, women represent less than 15% of researchers in engineering and technology, a gap that limits their participation in the digital economy. Technology companies and telecom operators have launched multiple initiatives to reduce this imbalance. Within the Orange Group, women represent about 25.4% of employees in technical and digital professions.
Orange said it hopes that training and support initiatives such as “Hello Women” will expand the pool of female talent and promote greater diversity in technology careers.
Beyond equality goals, policymakers and companies increasingly view female participation in science and technology as a driver of economic development. Africa’s digital transformation continues to create growing demand for skills in fields such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and data analytics.
The World Bank estimates that sub-Saharan Africa could generate up to 230 million digital-related jobs by 2030 as digital services expand rapidly across the region. This outlook increases the urgency to train more talent, including women, to meet the continent’s growing demand for digital skills.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum