At its Conversations 2026 conference on Wednesday, June 3, Meta unveiled Business Agent, an AI tool designed to automate customer service across WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram. The chatbot provides instant multilingual responses to customer inquiries, recommends products and can complete sales transactions. Available at no cost for now, it allows merchants to engage with customers without relying on round-the-clock human support.
FSDH Bank is partnering with two investment funds to launch a training program for female tech leaders in Nigeria. The initiative aims to address the funding gap faced by women entrepreneurs. Participants will learn how to strengthen their financial management and attract investors, while selected projects may qualify for loans and investments of up to $1 million.
Nairobi will host the Cyber First East Africa forum on July 8, 2026. The event will bring together experts, technology companies and policymakers from across East Africa to develop strategies to protect IT infrastructure from cyber threats. Participants will discuss data security issues aimed at supporting a secure digital transformation in the region.
- DRC launches pilot digital system for health supply chains
- LOGIMEV tracks medicine and vaccine stocks in real time
- Pilot begins in Kinshasa and Maniema before nationwide rollout
The Democratic Republic of Congo launched the pilot phase of LOGIMEV in Kinshasa last week. The digital system is designed to modernize the management of health supply chains.
Developed on the OpenLMIS platform with support from several international partners, the solution aims to improve the monitoring of drug and vaccine stocks and strengthen supply chain data flows across the Congolese health system.
"This event marks a decisive step for the supply chain of health products within the Ministry of Health. Through this initiative, we will progressively have an integrated system capable of providing reliable, real-time logistics data to support decision-making at every level of our health system," said Dr. Body Ilonga, Secretary-General at the Ministry of Health.
The project is led by the Ministry of Public Health and implemented with support from partners including Gavi, UNICEF, VillageReach and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI). Authorities describe the initiative as part of efforts to digitize the national health system, with the goal of centralizing logistics data and making it available in real time to improve decision-making.
The system is designed to track 154 products across 14 national programs, including the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI). The pilot phase will be rolled out in the provinces of Kinshasa and Maniema before a gradual nationwide expansion. The project is part of the National Health Development Plan 2024-2033, which calls for the modernization of management tools and infrastructure in the sector.
The initiative comes as several African countries accelerate efforts to digitize their health systems to improve the availability of medicines and the management of vaccination campaigns. Stock shortages and supply chain weaknesses remain among the main barriers to healthcare access on the continent, according to the World Health Organization. Digital logistics management platforms are increasingly being deployed to improve supply chain visibility and reduce losses of health products.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, where logistical challenges remain significant because of the country's size and the difficulty of reaching some areas, authorities hope digitization will improve the availability of vaccines and medicines at health facilities. In the longer term, LOGIMEV could also improve interoperability between health programs and strengthen the resilience of the Congolese health system.
Samira Njoya
- AskMandla digitizes contracts, payroll processing, compliance and leave management for household employers.
- The platform aims to formalize domestic employment and improve financial and professional recognition for domestic workers.
- South African entrepreneur Peter Adolphs launched the company in 2025 after building businesses in media, marketing and security technology.
South African entrepreneur Peter Adolphs serves as co-founder and chief executive officer of AskMandla, a South African platform that supports individuals who employ domestic staff, including housekeepers, gardeners, nannies and caregivers.
Founded in 2025, AskMandla manages key administrative tasks associated with domestic employment. The platform generates customized employment contracts based on each worker’s role, working hours and compensation level. Users sign the contracts digitally, and the platform stores them in a secure environment that allows both employers and employees to access them at any time.
The platform also assists employers with worker registration procedures involving relevant public agencies. The solution tracks mandatory contributions and helps employers maintain records that comply with regulatory requirements. In addition, the platform processes payroll, calculates applicable deductions and generates monthly payslips. Employers receive a single invoice covering all payment obligations, while workers receive their payslips directly through WhatsApp.
AskMandla also manages employee leave records. The platform tracks accrued leave entitlements, sick leave, family responsibility leave and unpaid absences.
The system centralizes and continuously updates these records, helping employers and employees reduce administrative errors and minimize potential disputes.
Beyond routine administration, AskMandla seeks to improve working conditions for domestic employees.
The company argues that many domestic workers lack the documentation and employment records needed to access financial services or pursue new professional opportunities. By providing employment contracts, payslips and structured employment histories, the platform helps strengthen worker visibility and professional recognition.
Peter Adolphs launched his first company in 2008. He founded Catchlight Film, a production company specializing in documentaries and advertising content.
In 2013, he co-founded Twenty-Two Media, a marketing agency.
Adolphs earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from IIE Varsity College in 2004. He later obtained a bachelor’s degree in Film, Business Administration and Business Management from AFDA School for the Creative Economy in 2007.
He began his professional career in 2008 as a producer at Cooked in Africa Films, a film production company. Between 2021 and 2022, he served as chief executive officer of Namola, a smart safety platform.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Morocco’s Ministry of Digital Transition and the National Police signed a framework agreement to modernize citizen reception services across police facilities.
- The partnership will deploy pilot projects and digital infrastructure before expanding reforms nationwide.
- The initiative builds on the DGSN’s broader digital transformation strategy, including the launch of the E-Police platform in 2024.
The Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform and the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) signed a framework agreement in Rabat on Wednesday, June 3, to enhance citizen reception services across police stations and security facilities nationwide.
Minister Delegate for Digital Transition Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni and DGSN Director General Abdellatif Hammouchi signed the agreement.
The agreement provides for the implementation of pilot programs and the development of digital and physical infrastructure aimed at modernizing reception conditions within police stations and security services.
The two institutions will test new service models before extending them progressively across the country. Authorities expect the pilot phase to evaluate operational effectiveness and support a broader national rollout.
Beyond infrastructure modernization, the agreement seeks to strengthen institutional cooperation between the two entities.
The partnership aims to support the modernization of police public services while integrating security administration more closely into Morocco’s broader public-sector digital transformation program.
The initiative forms part of a wider modernization effort that Morocco’s national police have pursued for several years.
In late 2024, the DGSN launched the E-Police platform, which allows citizens to complete several administrative procedures online. The platform enables users to request police documents, schedule appointments and track selected procedures remotely.
The institution has also developed a digital ecosystem based on digital identity solutions and the gradual dematerialization of administrative services.
According to the DGSN, this strategy aims to reduce in-person visits, accelerate request processing and strengthen personal data protection.
The agreement signed in Rabat also supports Morocco’s broader objective of extending service-quality standards across public administrations.
The framework includes an experimentation phase through pilot projects. Authorities will use the results of those projects as the basis for wider deployment across DGSN structures nationwide.
Samira Njoya
- Cameroon is seeking financing for DIGI-CoR, a CFA92 billion ($163 million) program aimed at accelerating the digital transformation of decentralized local governments.
- The initiative will deploy digital infrastructure, improve connectivity and establish interoperable platforms to modernize local public services.
- Authorities estimate that the program could create more than 9,200 direct, indirect and induced jobs over three years.
Cameroon is seeking funding to implement DIGI-CoR, a CFA92 billion ($163 million) program designed to accelerate the digital transformation of the country's decentralized local authorities.
The government presented the initiative to technical and financial partners in Yaoundé on Tuesday, June 2. The project aims to modernize local administration, expand access to digital public services and reduce regional disparities in connectivity and digital equipment.
The initiative comes as digital projects continue to emerge across Cameroon's municipalities and regions, although deployment remains uneven from one territory to another. Authorities are promoting a coordinated approach to improve interoperability among systems and enhance the quality of services delivered to citizens.
DIGI-CoR 🇨🇲💻 : 92 milliards FCFA pour digitaliser les CTD, moderniser les services publics et créer plus de 9 200 emplois. Gouvernement et partenaires mobilisés à Yaoundé pour son financement. #MINDDEVEL #DIGICoR #Décentralisation pic.twitter.com/gIs9tcI4VA
— MINDDEVEL (@MINDDEVEL1) June 2, 2026
The DIGI-CoR program will deploy digital infrastructure, improve connectivity, equip local authorities with information technology and energy systems, and establish interoperable digital platforms.
The government aims to enable existing administrative systems to communicate with one another more effectively. Authorities expect this interoperability to improve information sharing and increase public-service efficiency.
The initiative targets significant gaps in local digital readiness. According to data presented by the government, 68.5% of decentralized local authorities lack structured computer networks, while 57.8% do not employ personnel specifically trained in digital tools.
These shortcomings continue to slow the modernization of administrative services, even as municipalities and regional governments assume a growing role in local development.
DIGI-CoR will also promote the sharing of digital infrastructure to reduce investment and operating costs. Rather than developing isolated systems, local authorities will rely on shared resources for data hosting, cybersecurity and digital-service management.
In addition, the program will strengthen the skills of public-sector employees and establish a regulatory framework aimed at harmonizing digital transformation efforts across the country.
Authorities expect the initiative to simplify administrative procedures, shorten processing times and improve public access to information. At the same time, local governments should benefit from stronger local revenue mobilization, more efficient administrative management and enhanced data-driven decision-making tools.
The project builds on several digitalization programs already underway in Cameroon. Authorities have developed 335 municipal portals through earlier local-government digitalization programs.
In addition, 145 local authorities have already received equipment financed by the Special Fund for Equipment and Inter-Municipal Intervention (FEICOM).
However, the government believes that these initiatives remain fragmented and insufficiently interconnected, limiting their impact at the national level.
Government projections indicate that DIGI-CoR could generate more than 9,200 direct, indirect and induced jobs over a three-year period. Authorities expect young people and women to secure a significant share of those opportunities.
The government views the initiative as a key lever for accelerating the modernization of territorial administration while supporting the growth of Cameroon’s local digital economy.
Samira Njoya
- South African entrepreneur Carina Bruwer founded Gigster to connect event organizers with talent and service providers across Africa.
- The platform operates as a digital marketplace covering artists, speakers, content creators and event-management specialists.
- Gigster also offers "Gigster Direct," a business management tool that helps service providers handle contracts, invoicing and payments.
Entrepreneur, musician and competitive swimmer Carina Bruwer has combined her professional interests to build solutions for the entertainment and events market. She serves as founder and chief executive officer of Gigster, a platform that connects event organizers with industry professionals.
Founded in 2015, Gigster operates as a talent marketplace serving the African events ecosystem. The platform brings together artists, hosts, speakers, content creators and a wide range of event-related service providers through a single digital interface.
The platform enables companies, institutions and individuals to identify and engage professionals that match their event requirements more efficiently.
Within the entertainment segment, Gigster lists musicians, bands, dancers, comedians, disc jockeys, stage performers and other specialized entertainment professionals. The platform also features event speakers and facilitators, including masters of ceremony, keynote speakers, trainers and auctioneers. By aggregating diverse talent categories in one marketplace, Gigster seeks to simplify talent sourcing and improve visibility for industry participants.
Gigster extends its offering beyond artistic performances. The platform provides access to creative and media professionals, including photographers, videographers, content creators, voice artists and audiovisual production specialists.
In addition, the marketplace includes event-support providers specializing in logistics, decoration, beauty services, guest management, security and event coordination. This broader service offering allows organizers to source multiple event-related services through a single platform.
Beyond its marketplace activities, the company offers a solution called Gigster Direct. The tool targets service providers who secure their own clients independently of the marketplace.
Gigster Direct helps users manage administrative processes associated with their engagements, including invoicing, contract management and payment collection. The company aims to reduce administrative burdens while allowing professionals to focus on service delivery and business growth.
Carina Bruwer’s academic and entrepreneurial career reflects a diverse professional profile. She earned a degree in Musical Performance from the University of Stellenbosch in 2003. In addition to leading Gigster, she founded and directs Sterling EQ, an instrumental music group.
She also founded and serves as creative director of Visio Productions, a video and photography production company launched in 2020. In the same year, she founded PanaStream, a company that provides live video-streaming solutions.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
Nigerian startup Riwe has secured UN funding to expand its climate insurance services for smallholder farmers. The project uses satellite data to automatically compensate farmers when droughts or floods occur. With the funding, the company plans to provide affordable insurance coverage, weather alerts and access to loans to more than 15,000 farmers, helping protect their crops from climate-related losses.
WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature aimed at detecting scam messages. The system will analyze suspicious messages from unknown numbers directly on users' devices rather than sending them to external servers. This allows the app to identify potential scams in real time while preserving privacy, as chats remain end-to-end encrypted. Users will receive an alert allowing them to block suspicious contacts.
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Startup Esca Finance has partnered with the MANSA platform to offer same-day international money transfers. The partnership uses stablecoins to bypass delays associated with traditional banking systems. The technology allows money transfer operators to avoid holding large amounts of capital overseas to settle transactions destined for markets such as Nigeria, Ghana and Francophone Africa.
- Gabon will invest CFA5 billion ($8.9 million) to modernize digital skills training through a partnership between ARCEP and INPTIC.
- The two-year renewable program will upgrade infrastructure, create specialized laboratories, and expand training in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, data management, and telecommunications.
- Authorities aim to reduce dependence on foreign expertise and position INPTIC as a regional digital training hub for Central Africa.
The country's telecommunications regulator, the Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARCEP), and the National Institute of Post, Information and Communication Technologies (INPTIC) signed a CFA5 billion ($8.9 million) subsidy agreement in Libreville on June 1 to modernize training for digital professions.
The agreement took place in the presence of Digital Economy, Digitalization and Innovation Minister Mark Alexandre Doumba and Higher Education Minister Charles Edgar Mombo.
The partners structured the agreement as a renewable two-year program. The initiative will rehabilitate the institution's educational infrastructure, acquire new technological equipment, and develop specialized laboratories.
In addition, the funding will support the launch or strengthening of academic programs in strategic fields, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data management, cloud computing, networks and telecommunications, as well as digital entrepreneurship.
Through the project, Gabonese authorities aim to align training programs more closely with economic needs.
Officials said the agreement includes reforms to INPTIC's governance and management mechanisms. The partnership will also provide the institute with access to ARCEP's sector data and market analyses, enabling it to anticipate changes in digital professions and evolving skills demands from businesses.
The investment forms part of Gabon's national digitalization strategy, particularly the component dedicated to human capital development.
Authorities now view the availability of local digital talent as a critical requirement for supporting the digital transformation of government administration, businesses, and public services.
The challenge has become increasingly urgent as demand for digital professionals continues to grow across Africa.
According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), nearly 230 million jobs in Sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills by 2030. Organizations in both the public and private sectors are actively seeking specialists in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data management, and cloud computing.
By strengthening INPTIC's capabilities, Libreville aims to reduce the country's dependence on external expertise. At the same time, authorities want to position the institution as a leading regional center for digital skills training in Central Africa.
Samira Njoya
- Burkina Faso has issued more than 600,000 criminal record certificates and nearly 70,000 nationality certificates through digital platforms.
- Authorities have expanded online justice services to include business registry documents and digital filing and tracking of criminal complaints.
- A persistent digital divide continues to limit adoption, with internet access reaching 72% in urban areas but only 27% in rural regions.
Burkina Faso is continuing the modernization of its judicial system through digital technologies. Platforms deployed by the Ministry of Justice have enabled the issuance of more than 600,000 criminal record certificates and nearly 70,000 nationality certificates, highlighting the acceleration of digital public services for citizens. Authorities disclosed these figures during the National Forum on the Digitalization of Justice, which took place in Ouagadougou from June 2 to June 3. These results reflect progress achieved in recent years through the online delivery of administrative procedures.
In addition to platforms dedicated to criminal records and nationality certificates, the country launched a digital service in February for documents derived from the Trade and Personal Property Credit Register (RCCM). The service has already enabled the issuance of approximately 2,000 documents.
Moreover, authorities have implemented a system that allows citizens to file and track criminal complaints online. Despite these advances, access to digital judicial services continues to face a major obstacle: the digital divide.
Data presented during the National Forum on the Digitalization of Justice showed that internet access reaches about 72% in urban areas, compared with only 27% in rural areas. The figures highlight significant inequalities in access to digital technologies across the country.
World Bank data for 2024 showed that only 37.24% of the population owned a smartphone. Meanwhile, DataReportal estimated that Burkina Faso had 5.42 million internet users at the end of 2025. As a result, the digital divide remains a major challenge for the government's administrative transformation agenda.
While online services reduce processing times and eliminate unnecessary travel for users, a large share of the population still lacks the devices or connectivity required to access those services. Consequently, the overall impact of digitalization remains constrained.
In response, authorities are considering additional support measures to broaden access. Officials have discussed integrating national languages into digital platforms, developing solutions for citizens with limited literacy skills, and expanding connectivity infrastructure in rural areas.
Furthermore, these measures will complement existing initiatives already underway.
Authorities are currently deploying telecommunications infrastructure in underserved areas and establishing digital community centers. These facilities will serve as local access points that allow citizens to connect to the internet and use a range of digitized public services.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Cameroonian entrepreneur Patrick Kana founded QTA Tech in 2023 to help organizations accelerate digital transformation and improve data management.
- The company develops websites, applications, e-commerce platforms, internal management systems, and data optimization solutions for businesses.
- QTA Tech created ProprioLink, a digital real estate ecosystem that connects property seekers with certified real estate professionals across Africa.
Patrick Kana is a Cameroonian engineer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and chief executive officer of QTA Tech, an agency specializing in organizational digital transformation.
Founded in 2023, QTA Tech supports companies across multiple industries. The firm provides end-to-end services that range from needs assessment and strategy design to implementation and maintenance.
The company bases its approach on understanding client objectives, developing tailored digital strategies, and providing continuous support to ensure long-term project success.
QTA Tech offers services across several business segments. The agency develops websites and applications for both businesses and individual users. In addition, the company helps organizations build e-commerce platforms, internal management systems, and digital tools designed to streamline day-to-day operations.
Furthermore, QTA Tech provides services related to data management and utilization. The company organizes, optimizes, and secures organizational data to improve operational efficiency.
At the same time, the firm supports companies as they modernize their digital infrastructure and business processes. Among the agency's flagship innovations is ProprioLink, a digital real estate ecosystem designed to connect property seekers with certified real estate professionals across Africa. The platform aims to simplify interactions between market participants while improving access to trusted real estate services.
Alongside his commercial activities, Patrick Kana serves as president of Drupal Cameroon, a professional association that brings together users, developers, and companies that use the open-source Drupal content management system (CMS).
Through this role, he contributes to the development of the local technology ecosystem and promotes the adoption of open-source digital solutions.
Patrick Kana trained as an engineer. He earned a master's degree in networking from the University of Dschang in 2016. Subsequently, he obtained a master's degree in information systems and database management from Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis, Senegal, in 2018.
He began his professional career in 2016 as an independent developer. In 2020, he joined training center CUGIT Consulting as an Oracle database administrator before taking responsibility for the organization's IT team.
Between 2022 and 2023, he strengthened his technical and educational expertise as an Oracle administrator and trainer at training center CISPhoenix. He later devoted his full attention to entrepreneurship and the development of QTA Tech.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum