- Nigerian entrepreneur Tobechukwu Arize co-founded PowerLabs in 2023 to help organizations monitor and optimize energy consumption in real time.
- The company combines sensor technology and centralized analytics software to improve energy efficiency, reduce costs and enhance operational continuity.
- PowerLabs targets energy-intensive sectors including manufacturing, healthcare and fitness facilities that rely on uninterrupted power supply.
Based in San Francisco, igerian entrepreneur Tobechukwu Arize serves as co-founder and chief executive officer of PowerLabs, a company focused on helping organizations improve their understanding and management of energy consumption.
Founded in 2023, PowerLabs develops technologies that enable businesses to monitor energy usage, reduce expenditures and strengthen operational resilience. The company has built its offering around two complementary products. The first product, the Pai Enterprise Sensor, monitors all energy sources used by an organization through a single device.
The second product, the Pai Enterprise Dashboard, aggregates energy consumption and performance data into a unified interface. The platform provides organizations with a comprehensive view of electricity usage and helps identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce waste. Together, the two tools allow businesses to track energy performance in real time and make more informed operational decisions.
PowerLabs focuses on organizations whose operations depend heavily on reliable power supplies. The company serves manufacturing facilities, hospitals, fitness centers and other energy-intensive institutions. Its solutions help customers lower energy costs while minimizing disruptions that can affect day-to-day operations. As businesses face increasing pressure to improve efficiency and meet sustainability targets, demand for technologies that optimize energy use continues to expand across industrial and commercial sectors.
Arize earned a bachelor's degree in economics and management from Trinity College Dublin. He entered the energy sector in 2014 through an internship at ResourceKraft Energy Management Solutions, where he gained early experience in energy management technologies. He later joined Google and spent seven years at the company between 2015 and 2022. During that period, he served as analytics lead in Nigeria, account manager for Africa, product marketing lead for the continent, and later global strategy and operations lead.
Immediately before launching PowerLabs, Arize worked at Google X, Alphabet’s research and development division, between 2022 and 2023. He led partnership development and go-to-market strategy initiatives before co-founding his own company.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Madagascar is developing a digital criminal records platform as part of a broader modernization of its judicial system.
- Courts already use multiple digital applications to manage civil, criminal, commercial and land-related cases, improving case tracking and administrative efficiency.
- Authorities are evaluating artificial intelligence tools for judicial support functions while regulators push for safeguards on data protection and judicial independence.
Judicial authorities announced the initiative on Tuesday, June 2, during celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of the Supreme Court. The project represents a new phase in the country’s digitalization strategy and aims to further dematerialize administrative procedures across the justice sector.
Authorities said several digital applications already operate within Madagascar’s courts. These platforms include Logipenal, Logicivil, INFO, PAC, ILO and IGAP. The systems manage civil, criminal, commercial and land-related cases while supporting case processing, strengthening traceability and reducing administrative delays within judicial institutions. Officials said the modernization effort seeks to address one of the public’s primary expectations by delivering faster and more accessible judicial services. However, authorities acknowledged that the government must extend these tools across the entire national territory to ensure uniform access to digital judicial services and consistent service delivery among courts.
Authorities are also evaluating artificial intelligence as part of the next stage of judicial modernization. Officials said courts already use AI technologies for certain research and document management functions. Authorities believe these tools could improve administrative efficiency and accelerate case handling processes. At the same time, judicial officials stressed that AI should support decision-making rather than replace the role of judges and magistrates.
Against this backdrop, the Commission malgache de l’Informatique et des Libertés (CMIL) has called for a regulatory framework governing the use of artificial intelligence within the justice sector. The commission said ongoing work should lead to rules that balance technological innovation with the protection of personal data and the preservation of fundamental judicial principles.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Oumar Rafiou Barry founded Cauridor in 2022 to improve payment interoperability between Africa and global markets.
- The company connects banks, money transfer operators, telecom firms, financial institutions and merchants through a unified payments network.
- Cauridor provides cross-border payment, money transfer and mass payout solutions for businesses operating across Africa.
Based in the United States, Guinean entrepreneur Oumar Rafiou Barry serves as co-founder and chief executive officer of Cauridor, a payment services company that seeks to simplify financial transactions between Africa and the rest of the world.
Founded in 2022, Cauridor connects multiple participants in the financial ecosystem through a single network. The company works with money transfer operators, banks, telecommunications companies, financial institutions and merchants. Through this model, Cauridor enables its partners to offer payment and money transfer services to their customers across several African markets.
Cauridor also focuses on cross-border payments, a segment that continues to attract growing interest from investors and financial institutions seeking to capitalize on Africa’s expanding digital economy. The company helps international businesses receive payments from African customers while enabling African companies to accept payments from clients in domestic and foreign markets.
In addition, Cauridor provides mass payout solutions for organizations that need to distribute funds to large numbers of recipients. These services support use cases ranging from business payments to remittances and other large-scale disbursement programs. By integrating multiple financial actors into a single infrastructure layer, the company seeks to reduce friction in cross-border transactions and improve access to digital payment services across the continent.
Before launching Cauridor, Barry built a career in financial technology and money transfer services. He founded Ez Money Transfer in 2011 and led the company until 2013. He subsequently founded BnB Transfer Corp in 2014 and served as chief executive officer until 2022. Today, Barry also serves on the board of directors of ChargeAutomation and Ulendo, further expanding his involvement in financial technology and digital innovation.
Barry earned a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto. He began his professional career in 2008 at Hydro One, where he worked as a design engineer. He remained with the Canadian utility company until 2015 before focusing fully on entrepreneurship and financial technology ventures.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Mauritius plans to introduce an identity verification mechanism for social media users to combat rising cyber fraud, impersonation and illegal online content.
- Authorities recorded more than 2,300 online harm cases since the start of 2026, while the country logged 6,073 cyber incidents in 2025.
- The government will consult stakeholders on the system’s technical design, data protection safeguards and integration with global digital platforms.
Mauritius plans to strengthen oversight of online activities through a proposed identity verification mechanism for social media users as authorities confront a rise in digital fraud, identity theft and harmful online content.
The Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation will launch consultations with stakeholders to design a framework for verifying the identities of users on digital platforms. The government announced the initiative following the Cabinet meeting held on Friday, June 5.
Authorities said the proposal responds to a growing number of online abuses. The government specifically targets fake accounts, identity theft, misinformation, hate speech, defamatory content, digital fraud and content linked to child sexual exploitation.
According to Information Technology Minister Avinash Ramtohul, authorities have already received more than 2,300 reports of online harm since the beginning of 2026.
Officials identified social engineering scams as one of the most pressing threats. Fraudsters use these schemes to deceive victims into disclosing verification codes or personal information, which enables criminals to take control of messaging or social media accounts.
The initiative comes as Mauritian authorities face mounting pressure to strengthen cybersecurity defenses. Data presented by the Mauritian Computer Emergency Response Team, CERT-MU, showed that the country recorded 6,073 cyber incidents in 2025. Those incidents included 913 cases involving digital fraud and online scams.
Meanwhile, agencies responsible for combating cybercrime reported a sustained increase in investigations. Authorities handled more than 930 cases linked to online scams and fraud between January 2023 and January 2026. Those investigations resulted in 130 arrests.
Beyond fraud prevention, the proposal has raised questions about privacy protection and freedom of expression. Several African countries have already introduced measures to strengthen online user identification.
In Gabon, for example, an ordinance published in April 2026 ended anonymity on digital platforms. The measure requires users to provide identifying information, including their name, residential address and personal identification number, as part of efforts to combat disinformation, illegal content and online abuse.
For Mauritius, policymakers now face the challenge of balancing digital security objectives with the protection of individual rights. The planned consultations will determine the system’s technical requirements, its interaction with international digital platforms and the safeguards that will protect personal data.
At the same time, authorities aim to strengthen trust in the digital ecosystem as cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, while preserving the fundamental rights of internet users.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- AskMandla uses WhatsApp-based tools to help South African households manage domestic worker contracts, payroll, UIF registrations and leave tracking.
- The platform targets South Africa’s 1.6 million domestic workers, many of whom remain outside the formal economy and social protection systems.
- AskMandla aims to create formal financial identities for workers and improve access to banking services and earned wage access products.
South African startup AskMandla is using WhatsApp and artificial intelligence to formalize domestic employment by helping households manage administrative and labor compliance processes through a platform embedded within the messaging application.
The company seeks to simplify access to digital services for populations that remain underserved by traditional platforms and continue to face administrative barriers.
Based in Stellenbosch, AskMandla launched in 2025 under the leadership of founder and Chief Executive Officer Peter Adolphs. The startup develops digital tools that allow household employers to manage employment contracts, payroll records, administrative filings and salary tracking directly through WhatsApp.
AskMandla targets South Africa’s estimated 1.6 million domestic workers, many of whom continue to work without formal contracts, documented employment histories or access to conventional social protection mechanisms.
The platform converts administrative procedures that often require extensive paperwork into WhatsApp-based conversations. Employers can generate contracts that comply with South African labor regulations, manage registrations with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), create digital payslips and monitor employee leave records.
“The existing fintech infrastructure for low-income South African workers is actually very good. But it stops at the door of the formal employer,” said Ean Barnard, head of growth at AskMandla.
“AskMandla is the gateway that allows the domestic worker to cross that threshold. Once we formalize the relationship through a contract, UIF registration and a monthly payslip, that worker becomes visible within the formal financial system for the first time,” he added.
For domestic workers, the platform’s primary objective extends beyond employment administration. AskMandla seeks to create formal financial identities by generating payslips and employment records that workers can use as proof of income when applying for banking products or dealing with other financial institutions.
In addition, the startup offers an Earned Wage Access service that allows workers to access a portion of wages they have already earned before their scheduled payday. The company relies on a “WhatsApp-first” model, which management views as better aligned with local user behavior than conventional mobile applications. Users do not need to download additional software, a strategic choice in a market where WhatsApp often serves as the primary gateway to digital services.
Beyond human resources management, AskMandla reflects a broader trend among African startups that seek to formalize large segments of the informal economy through digital technologies. In South Africa, the domestic employment sector generates several billion rand in economic activity each year. Consequently, greater digitalization of the sector could strengthen both financial inclusion and social protection for domestic workers while improving compliance for employers.
This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
Yamify has secured funding to scale its platform and expand access to artificial intelligence tools across Africa. The service allows developers to deploy high-performance computing resources in under a minute through local data centres. With the new funding, the startup plans to expand its operations with its technology partners and support the growth of digital infrastructure across the continent.
Nigerian payments company Interswitch has partnered with software provider Temenos to offer banking technology services across Africa. In addition to transaction processing, the company will integrate account management and financial crime prevention tools. The partnership will help banks modernize legacy systems to meet growing demand for digital banking services.
Aions Ventures has launched a new fund dedicated to supporting South African tech startups. With $6.1 million in funding, the program will help entrepreneurs bring their innovations to market and scale their businesses. The fund primarily targets startups in the digital economy, renewable energy and water management sectors, while also providing strategic mentorship to help founders develop sustainable growth strategies.
- Egypt launched digital skills programme targeting 10,000 students
- Training covers AI, cybersecurity, software, data science, and cloud computing
- Initiative supports outsourcing growth and digital economy ambitions
Egypt's Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) announced on Thursday the launch of its largest-ever digital skills summer programme, aimed at training 10,000 university students in the most in-demand technology fields as global demand for digital talent continues to grow.
Implemented in partnership with the National Telecommunications Institute (NTI), the programme is open to students from both technical and non-technical disciplines. Training tracks include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, software development, data science, cloud computing, digital marketing, electronics and digital design. Alongside classroom instruction, participants will complete practical projects and professional development modules designed to improve their employability.
The initiative forms part of Egypt's broader strategy to strengthen its position as a regional hub for digital services and outsourcing. The country is attracting a growing number of international technology companies, shared services centres and business process outsourcing firms, supported by a large pool of graduates from a population of more than 110 million and its location at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
The programme comes as Egypt seeks to expand the digital skills of its workforce. Authorities plan to train around 800,000 people in information and communications technology (ICT) in 2026 through a range of public initiatives. The country also produces nearly 750,000 university graduates each year, many of them in science, technology and engineering disciplines, making it one of the largest talent pools in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.
That investment in skills supports the ambitions of Egypt's digital economy. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is targeting outsourcing service exports of $6 billion in 2026, up from about $5.2 billion in 2025. As global markets continue to face shortages of qualified professionals in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and software engineering, Egypt is seeking to translate its demographic advantage into economic gains and strengthen its appeal to multinational companies looking for digital talent.
Samira Njoya
- Morocco and Orange Maroc signed a memorandum of understanding to accelerate the testing and deployment of artificial intelligence solutions.
- The partnership will focus on e-government, e-health, e-education and e-agriculture as part of the country’s digital transformation agenda.
- Morocco expects artificial intelligence to contribute 100 billion dirhams ($11 billion) to GDP by 2030, create 50,000 specialized jobs and support the training of 200,000 graduates.
Morocco continues to implement its artificial intelligence development strategy. The Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform signed a memorandum of understanding with Orange Maroc in Casablanca on Thursday, June 4, to strengthen cooperation in the testing and deployment of AI solutions.
Minister Delegate Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni and Orange Maroc Chief Executive Officer Hendrik Kasteel signed the agreement. Through the partnership, both parties plan to develop practical AI use cases that align with Morocco’s digital transformation priorities. The partners will place particular emphasis on e-government initiatives to improve the quality and efficiency of public services.
The parties have already identified pilot projects and will jointly develop them over the coming months. Orange Maroc will contribute its infrastructure and technological expertise to test AI applications across several strategic sectors. The company will support projects in e-health, e-education and e-agriculture. Moroccan authorities seek to accelerate AI adoption in sectors that can directly improve citizens’ lives while strengthening the competitiveness of the national economy.
The cooperation aligns with Morocco’s broader ambitions for artificial intelligence development. The government has positioned AI as a core pillar of its “Morocco Digital 2030” strategy and its “AI Made in Morocco” roadmap. These initiatives seek to accelerate the digital transformation of public administrations, businesses and public services. Consequently, policymakers view AI as a key technology for boosting productivity, improving service delivery and supporting long-term economic growth.
Moroccan authorities project that artificial intelligence will contribute 100 billion dirhams (approximately $11 billion) to gross domestic product by 2030. The government also expects the sector to create 50,000 specialized jobs and support the training of 200,000 graduates in AI-related skills. Against this backdrop, the partnership with Orange Maroc aims to accelerate the transition from strategy to implementation by leveraging private-sector infrastructure, technical expertise and innovation capabilities.
This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
More...
- 1Confirmed centralizes and automates customer communications on WhatsApp, enabling businesses to manage large-scale messaging campaigns.
- The platform offers message scheduling, personalization tools and performance analytics to improve customer engagement and campaign effectiveness.
- Founder Taher Alami brings more than two decades of experience in digital transformation, marketing technology and startup investment.
Taher Alami is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor and digital strategist. He founded and leads 1Confirmed, a platform that helps companies communicate more efficiently with customers through WhatsApp.
Founded in 2024, 1Confirmed centralizes and automates customer interactions. The platform enables organizations to distribute information quickly, respond to inquiries and strengthen customer relationships. The platform allows businesses to send communication campaigns directly to customer contact lists at scale. Companies can schedule messages in advance and deliver them at specific dates and times. This feature enables businesses to organize communication activities more efficiently and reduces the need for manual intervention during campaign deployment.
1Confirmed also provides message personalization tools. Businesses can tailor communications using recipient-specific information, making interactions more relevant and engaging. The platform seeks to strengthen customer proximity while improving campaign performance and effectiveness.
In addition, 1Confirmed offers performance-tracking capabilities. Users can access data related to message delivery, customer interactions and engagement levels. These insights allow businesses to measure campaign results and refine future communication strategies.
Beyond 1Confirmed, Taher Alami founded Abweb, a digital consulting and transformation company, in 2005. He also serves as an angel investor in fintech company WafR and in Nextwi, a Wi-Fi-based ecosystem that helps businesses transform connectivity into a strategic asset through reliable, scalable and user-focused networking solutions.
Taher Alami earned a marketing degree (equivalent to a four-year undergraduate qualification) from HEM Business & Engineering School in 2003. He quickly focused on combining marketing and technology. In 2008, he co-founded MasterAudit and served as its chief technical officer until 2015. The company develops an application specialized in marketing audit activities. In 2012, he also co-founded Casapplanca, a solution designed to help users address everyday challenges.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
- Liberrex helps organizations reduce waiting times and streamline visitor flows through a digital queue-management platform.
- The solution serves multiple industries, including banking, telecommunications, healthcare, public administration, transportation and automotive services.
- The platform centralizes appointments, visitor management, customer feedback and performance monitoring while providing real-time waiting-time updates.
Achraf Ammar is a Tunisian entrepreneur and the co-founder and chief executive officer of Liberrex, a company specializing in customer journey management and visitor flow organization.
Founded in 2019, Liberrex seeks to improve professional interactions by significantly reducing waiting times while enhancing service quality. The company offers a versatile solution that serves a wide range of industries, including banking, telecommunications, healthcare, public administration, transportation and automotive services.
The name Liberrex reflects the vision of its founders. The company derived the name from the Latin words libertas, meaning freedom, and experientia, meaning experience. The name reflects the company's objective of giving users greater freedom by eliminating the constraints associated with long queues.
The platform allows organizations to centralize appointment scheduling, visitor-flow management, customer feedback collection and performance monitoring through a single dashboard.
Meanwhile, the application enables users to book appointments or join a queue remotely through various digital channels. Once users register, the system issues a virtual ticket that allows them to track their position in the queue and view estimated waiting times in real time.
The platform provides businesses with detailed visibility into customer traffic and service demand. As a result, organizations can allocate resources more effectively, optimize workforce planning and streamline daily operations. In addition, managers can collect valuable data that helps them better understand customer expectations and improve decision-making.
Achraf Ammar graduated from the University of Carthage in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in computer science. He later earned a bachelor's degree in computer systems engineering from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom in 2018. He began his professional career in 2012 at Orange Tunisia, where he worked as a mobile application developer.
Between 2016 and 2017, he joined Intel Corporation as a software engineer. Before fully committing to entrepreneurship in 2019, he also worked as an enterprise solutions developer and technical project manager for international e-commerce firm APG eCommerce Solutions.
This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum
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.