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Burkina Faso is exploring partnerships with Russia to train talent in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
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A pilot training program is already running in Ouagadougou with a Novosibirsk university.
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Africa could require 230 million digital-skilled jobs by 2030, highlighting urgent capacity gaps.
Aminata Zerbo/Sabane, Minister of Digital Transition, met Natalia Krasovskaia, Executive Director of the Russian Public Diplomacy Center, on April 28 in Bobo-Dioulasso. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the National Culture Week and focused on exploring training projects in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
Both parties discussed the launch of training programs for young people in Burkina Faso. The ministry stated that an initial initiative is already underway in Ouagadougou. The program operates in a regional high school in partnership with a university based in Novosibirsk.
The initiative aims to develop job-ready profiles as demand for digital skills rises, driven by the digitalization of services and businesses.
In addition, authorities are considering further collaboration with a private polytechnic institute to strengthen executive-level training. The government aims to build a local talent pool capable of supporting digital transformation and reducing reliance on foreign expertise.
This engagement forms part of a broader strategy to diversify Burkina Faso’s international partnerships, with increasing focus on technology sectors. Authorities aim to lay the foundation for a more autonomous digital ecosystem aligned with market needs.
The partnership comes amid a wider shortage of skilled labor in Africa’s technology sector. According to the Foresight Africa 2025–2030 published by the Brookings Institution, nearly 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills by 2030. The report also projects up to 650 million training opportunities, representing a market valued at about $130 billion.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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The University of Abomey-Calavi has opened a simulation center to enhance practical pharmacy training.
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The “Pharm Expérience” facility combines a mock pharmacy with digital learning tools and real-time monitoring systems.
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The initiative supports future deployment of a national “e-pharmacy” solution and reflects a broader shift toward digital healthcare in Africa.
The pharmacy department of the University of Abomey-Calavi launched a simulation center on April 27 to strengthen hands-on training for pharmaceutical science students. The facility, named “Pharm Expérience,” aims to align academic learning with real-world conditions in pharmacies and hospital settings.
The center operates through a dual technological architecture. It includes a dispensing room that replicates a modern pharmacy environment and a classroom equipped with interactive digital tools.
A system of cameras and videoconferencing enables instructors and students to monitor practical scenarios and role-playing exercises in real time. This setup provides deeper immersion and reinforces experiential learning.
Preparing for “e-pharmacy” deployment
University authorities stated that the initiative seeks to raise training standards by bridging theory and professional practice. Habib Ganfon, Vice-Dean of the pharmacy faculty, emphasized that the project aims to place students at the center of ongoing technological transformation in the sector.
The center will also serve as a platform to prepare future pharmacists for the national “e-pharmacy” solution currently under development. The objective is to equip students with digital pharmaceutical management tools before their large-scale deployment.
Continental shift toward digital pharmacy
Beyond Benin, African countries are accelerating the adoption of digital solutions in the pharmaceutical sector. Governments and regulators are exploring online pharmacy models and digital drug distribution systems amid persistent supply chain and access challenges.
According to the report “Online Pharmacy in Africa: Regulatory Landscape and Opportunities for Action,” published in 2023 by Salient Advisory, countries such as Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa have already introduced regulatory frameworks or guidelines for online pharmacies. Ghana has gone further by implementing a state-led national e-pharmacy system.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Gamride allows passengers and drivers to negotiate fares instead of relying on algorithmic pricing.
- The app reports over 50,000 users and 500,000 rides, mainly in major Gambian cities.
- The startup plans to expand across Africa with a transparency-driven mobility model.
Gamride is a ride-hailing application developed by a Gambian startup. The platform connects passengers with drivers but differentiates itself through a negotiation-based pricing model. Unlike conventional platforms, where algorithms set fares dynamically, the company launched the app in 2025 with a system built on direct price negotiation.
The startup stated that it aims to “revolutionize urban transport by creating a fair and transparent platform where both passengers and drivers have a say in every transaction.”
In practice, users enter their pickup location, destination, and the amount they are willing to pay. Nearby drivers can then accept the offer, reject it, or submit a counteroffer.
This model addresses a major criticism of traditional ride-hailing platforms, namely the lack of price transparency during peak demand periods. Gamride emphasizes a policy without surge pricing and without hidden fees. It ensures that both parties agree on the final fare before the trip begins.
In addition to its pricing model, Gamride integrates standard ride-hailing features. The platform provides real-time geolocation, driver profiles with ratings, driver verification, and multiple payment options.
Users can pay via mobile money or bank cards, which reflects local payment habits and supports broader adoption.
Gamride reports more than 50,000 users and over 500,000 completed rides, primarily in major cities across Gambia. The company now aims to expand into other African markets by leveraging its value proposition centered on transparency and flexibility.
By adopting a bid-based pricing model, Gamride aligns with a broader trend in Africa’s mobility sector. Startups are increasingly tailoring solutions to local realities, where price sensitivity plays a decisive role in digital service adoption.
This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
The international fintech platform Yuno announced on Tuesday, April 28, that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Nigerian fintech firm Flutterwave to facilitate expansion into African markets. With a single integration, merchants can now instantly accept card, bank transfer and mobile money payments across multiple countries. The collaboration reduces costs and technical overhead, making it easier for international companies to access the African digital economy through a centralized dashboard.
Gambian startup Ba2kayIce has launched “Safe Gambia,” a web app aimed at improving public safety. The free tool allows residents and tourists to report incidents in real time, using user-generated data to help protect communities and visitors. The initiative seeks to strengthen security systems by encouraging public participation.
At the “Future of Commerce” summit held on Wednesday, April 22, in Lagos, delivery platform Glovo and industry experts called for closer collaboration to drive innovation.
The initiative aims to support Nigerian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in their shift to the digital economy. By improving access to digital tools and payment systems, participants hope to create a more inclusive business environment and boost trade across the country.
- Pretium enables payments across Africa using stablecoins and a unified digital platform.
- The company reports more than 600,000 transactions with a 99.99% success rate.
- The platform helps businesses manage cross-border payments without locking capital in multiple markets.
Derrick Bundi, a Kenyan IT specialist and technology entrepreneur, is contributing to this evolution. He co-founded and leads Pretium, a payment platform that enables transactions across Africa using digital assets known as stablecoins.
Pretium launched in 2023 with a mobile application designed to simplify daily payments. The platform allows users to send money, pay merchants, and settle various bills, including electricity, internet, and television services. Users can fund their accounts with digital assets and then use them directly for everyday spending.
At the same time, Pretium provides businesses with tools to accept payments and manage financial flows. The platform offers a unified interface that allows companies to operate across multiple African countries without complexity. Businesses and merchants can receive payments, execute transfers, and integrate these services into their operations.
Moreover, Pretium operates in several African markets and enables payments across borders without friction. It also allows companies to avoid locking funds in each country where they operate. The company states that it has processed more than 600,000 transactions with a 99.99% success rate.
Before launching Pretium, Bundi co-founded Xwift Ltd in 2020 and served as chief executive officer until 2022. The company supports transport and supply chain players in digitizing their operations.
Bundi graduated from Taita Taveta University in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in business information technology. He started his career the same year as an IT support specialist at the Fountain Enterprise Programme.
He also worked as a web developer at Obitell in 2019, where he helped build tools that allow users to trace family origins. He later joined Deveint as a software engineer. Subsequently, he worked as a software engineer at PesaKit between 2021 and 2023, where he focused on financial technologies and proximity-based digital commerce.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Tunzaa enables users to pay for goods in installments without using traditional credit.
- The platform promotes disciplined, goal-based savings for specific purchases.
- Founder Ng'winula Kingamkono builds a debt-free digital marketplace connecting merchants and consumers.
Ng'winula Kingamkono, a Tanzanian IT specialist and technology entrepreneur, leads this shift. He founded and runs Tunzaa, a digital platform dedicated to online buying, selling, and business management.
Kingamkono founded Tunzaa in 2021 as an online marketplace. The platform allows users to purchase products and services from selected vendors. It also provides direct delivery to customers, thereby improving access to quality goods without requiring physical travel.
Tunzaa places its payment model at the core of its value proposition. The platform allows users to pay progressively in multiple installments instead of settling purchases upfront. This approach relies on a “pay little by little” principle and avoids traditional credit mechanisms.
Consequently, the system encourages users to build dedicated savings for a specific purchase. Users accumulate payments until they reach the required amount. The platform also sends reminders and provides regular tracking to reinforce financial discipline.
Tunzaa targets a broad range of users, including traders, developers, manufacturers, and consumers. It connects all stakeholders within a single ecosystem without debt or interest. Users simply set aside money toward a defined purchase goal within a secure and transparent framework.
Before launching Tunzaa, Kingamkono co-founded Guumzo in 2013. The application allowed users to record two-minute voice messages and share them with subscribers. He later co-founded Ellipsis Digital in 2018. The company recruits tech talent for projects in Europe and other global markets. He served as head of business development until 2022.
Kingamkono graduated from University of Dodoma in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in information systems and computer programming. He started his career the same year at Samaki Samaki Restaurants as a development manager. He later served as chief executive officer of Thinkers Technologies Ltd from 2015 to 2018, where he specialized in software development.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Chad has launched a 34-member committee to modernize its digital legal framework within 45 days.
- Authorities aim to align regulations with emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, and cloud computing.
- The reforms seek to strengthen cybersecurity, data protection, and digital sovereignty.
The government has initiated an update of its digital legal framework to align it with rapid technological and usage changes. Haliki Choua Mahamat, Minister of Telecommunications, Digital Economy, and Digitalization of Administration, officially installed a 34-member committee in N'Djamena on Monday, April 27.
The minister stated that existing laws have become outdated due to rapid changes in the digital sector and called for fast and effective reforms. He assigned the committee a 45-day deadline to propose modernized, practical, and directly applicable legal texts.
Moreover, the committee will rely on previous work conducted by ARCEP. It will harmonize and modernize existing provisions to equip the country with a legal framework suited to current digital challenges.
The committee’s creation follows earlier policy initiatives. Boukar Michel, former Minister of Telecommunications, Digital Economy, and Digitalization of Public Administration, previously announced that Chad was drafting a Digital Code. This code incorporates international standards in cybersecurity, data protection, and internet governance, thereby aligning Chad with global best practices.
In October 2025, the National Assembly of Chad ratified an ordinance adopted earlier that year. The ordinance amended a provision of the 2014 law governing electronic communications and postal activities. The reform aims to modernize the legal framework, promote competition, improve network coverage, and strengthen national digital sovereignty.
These reforms occur amid accelerating digital transformation driven by new technologies and expanding use cases. Artificial intelligence is increasingly integrated into digital applications, but it also introduces significant risks.
Without clear regulations, actors can use AI to spread misinformation on social media, create deceptive content such as deepfakes, and facilitate increasingly sophisticated online fraud.
Furthermore, technologies such as Cloud computing and Blockchain, along with the rise of digital platforms, are intensifying cybersecurity and data protection challenges. The current legal gap can expose users, businesses, and institutions to higher risks of cyberattacks, digital fraud, and misuse of personal data.
This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
Japanese firm NEC Corporation has announced a new collaboration program targeting African startups, aimed at developing practical solutions with a focus on agriculture and food security. NEC will run pilot tests with these startups to assess the viability of their solutions. The most promising ventures could secure funding and scale up by 2027, supported by a network of international partners.
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Botswana has launched a $64 million fund to support tech startups across Southern Africa. The fund will support young companies at every stage, from early-stage ideas to full-scale growth. An initial $6.4 million tranche has already been allocated. The project draws on private investors and industry experts, with the Botswana Innovation Hub providing hands-on support to participating businesses.
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Senegal plans to train hundreds of engineers and thousands of youths in cloud computing for Dakar 2026.
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The government partnered with Alibaba to build a sovereign cloud infrastructure for the event.
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The initiative forms part of a broader strategy to develop local digital skills and data sovereignty.
Senegal is partnering with Alibaba Group to train engineers and thousands of young people in cloud computing, as the country prepares to host the 2026 Summer Youth Olympics.
The government plans to train around 100 engineers and several thousand young people in cloud-related skills to support the digital infrastructure required for the Games. Alioune Sall, minister of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Economy, announced the initiative, according to the Agence sénégalaise de presse.
The project relies on a partnership with Alibaba Group, which will support the deployment of a sovereign cloud infrastructure designed to host critical data for the event.
Authorities are building the cloud platform to meet high standards of availability and scalability. The infrastructure will handle sensitive data linked to the Games and support applications for accreditation, administration and visitor management.
Moreover, the platform will serve as a training base to develop local expertise capable of operating and maintaining the systems over time.
“The training will start very soon. It has not started yet because we have just completed the deployment of physical infrastructure in the data centers. We received the equipment, we installed it, and Senegalese and Chinese engineers working at Alibaba tested it to verify mirroring and redundancy,”Alioune Sall said.
Senegal will host the Youth Olympics in Dakar from October 31 to November 13, 2026, marking the first time the event takes place in Africa.
In addition to sports infrastructure, the event requires robust digital systems to manage data, accreditations and administrative services. Authorities are finalizing several digital applications, including tools to facilitate entry procedures and manage visitor flows.
The initiative aligns with the “New Deal technologique,” Senegal’s digital roadmap launched in 2025 to position the country as a regional technology hub.
The strategy prioritizes data sovereignty, digital skills development and the creation of a competitive digital economy. It targets the training of 100,000 digital graduates, including 90% certified experts, and aims to host 100% of sensitive data within the country.
Beyond the Youth Olympics, authorities aim to leverage these investments to build a sustainable digital ecosystem. The training of engineers and technicians will reduce reliance on foreign expertise and strengthen local capacity.
As a result, Senegal seeks to establish a domestically controlled digital infrastructure capable of supporting new services and attracting technology investment.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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Senegal inaugurated its first UniPod innovation hub at Diamniadio in partnership with UNDP.
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The initiative aims to transform universities into engines of startups, innovation and job creation.
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The government targets 500 tech startups and 150,000 direct jobs under its long-term strategy.
Senegal has launched its first University Innovation and Technology Hub (UniPod) in Diamniadio, marking a shift toward positioning higher education institutions as key drivers of innovation and economic growth.
Authorities inaugurated the UniPod on April 27 in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme. Daouda Ngom, minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, and Alioune Sall, minister of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Economy, formalized the initiative.
Avec l’inauguration de l’UniPod à l’Université Amadou Mahtar Mbow et le lancement de « Sénégal Digital Factory : de l’idée au produit », ce lundi 27 avril 2026, le Sénégal accélère sa transformation numérique avec une ambition claire : passer de l’idée à l’impact.
— SALL Alioune (@SALLAlioune20) April 27, 2026
Dans un… pic.twitter.com/PfLTDVLlW7
The hub operates within Université Amadou Mahtar Mbow and serves as a co-creation space that brings together students, researchers, startups and private sector actors. The facility includes prototyping and experimentation infrastructure designed to support digital solutions in sectors such as health, agriculture and education. Moreover, the Diamniadio site will host a pan-African EdTech hub, strengthening its role in the regional innovation ecosystem.
The launch forms part of the “Sénégal Digital Factory” program, which aims to build a nationwide network of innovation hubs. Authorities plan to replicate similar structures in Ziguinchor and Saint-Louis to expand access to technological infrastructure and reduce regional disparities. This rollout reflects a broader effort to decentralize innovation capacity and support balanced territorial development.
Beyond infrastructure, the government aims to reposition universities as central actors in economic production. Authorities want higher education institutions to generate solutions for public administrations and private companies. In addition, the strategy seeks to transform universities into incubators for entrepreneurs and technology startups, thereby strengthening the link between education, innovation and employment.
This initiative aligns with the “Sénégal 2050” strategy and the “New Deal technologique,” which identify innovation as a key driver of growth and technological sovereignty. The government targets the creation of more than 500 certified technology startups and approximately 150,000 direct jobs in the coming years, underscoring the scale of its digital transformation ambitions.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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Oracle plans to launch cloud services in Kenya in the coming months.
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Kenya targets cloud adoption as a strategic priority under its 2024 Cloud Policy.
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Cloud adoption in Kenya stands at 26%, with projected economic impact rising sharply by 2033.
In this context, Oracle Corporation plans to introduce cloud services in Kenya that will allow governments, businesses and individuals to access applications and store data online through remote servers, without relying on local infrastructure.
A delegation from Oracle Corporation, led by Annick Sakho, head of government affairs for Africa, met last week with William Kabogo Gitau, Kenya’s minister of Information, Communication and Digital Economy.
The meeting forms part of broader cooperation efforts by Kenyan authorities to support ongoing digital transformation. As a result, Oracle expects to make its cloud services commercially available in the coming months.
The planned cloud infrastructure will provide end-to-end integrated capabilities to support efficient and reliable operations. It will also stimulate innovation and enable a transition beyond “software-as-a-service (SaaS)” toward more comprehensive digital solutions.
At the same time, Kenya is positioning cloud computing as a strategic priority. The government aims to use cloud adoption to drive innovation, improve service delivery and optimize resource management across public institutions and organizations. According to the “Kenya Cloud Policy” adopted in 2024, cloud computing reduces infrastructure and maintenance costs while improving efficiency and service responsiveness.
Moreover, the policy emphasizes the role of cloud technologies in accelerating innovation, strengthening data security, improving system scalability and enhancing inter-institutional collaboration. It also highlights cloud computing as a tool for international openness by facilitating cross-border data flows.
A report by Telecom Advisory Services LLC, published in September 2023, shows that cloud adoption among organizations in Kenya stands at 26%, compared with 49% in Eastern Europe and North America.
The report estimates that cloud adoption contributed 12.9 billion Kenyan shillings (about $100 million), or 0.08% of GDP, to the Kenyan economy in 2021. It projects that this contribution could reach 1,400 billion shillings by 2033, equivalent to 0.56% of GDP.
These growth prospects create opportunities for Oracle Corporation as it expands its cloud operations in Africa. The company currently operates 51 cloud regions across 26 countries, with a limited presence on the continent concentrated in South Africa.
However, Oracle plans to extend its footprint by launching new cloud regions in Morocco and Kenya, reinforcing its long-term strategy in emerging markets.
This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum