• Cairo-based startup Qualiphi supports over 500,000 students across 40 universities.
• The platform uses AI to align academic pathways with labor market needs.
• The company targets expansion across the Middle East and North Africa.

Qualiphi, founded in 2025 by Nevien Magdy and based in Cairo, has developed a technology solution designed to transform how universities manage career pathways. The platform operates as a Career Services Management (CSM) system that enables universities and schools to digitize their career services. The tool covers key stages, including career exploration, skills development, access to internships and job opportunities, and connections with recruiters.

“The platform [Qualiphi] currently supports more than 500,000 students and graduates across 40 universities, along with a growing network of employers seeking to identify, attract, and develop the next generation of talent,” the startup said.

Qualiphi targets the persistent gap between academic training and labor market needs. The platform integrates analytics and recommendation tools to guide students toward career paths aligned with employer expectations while facilitating recruitment processes for companies.

Moreover, the solution reflects a broader regional trend toward digitizing higher education and employability services.

The startup has already secured partnerships with academic institutions and public sector stakeholders, aiming to build an integrated ecosystem linking universities, students, and employers.

Qualiphi has recently strengthened its market position through external growth operations aimed at expanding its services across the Middle East and North Africa. The company aims to scale its platform regionally while improving graduate employability and providing businesses with more structured access to emerging talent.

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Nigeria plans a national cybersecurity coordination council to strengthen resilience.
• Cybercrime costs the country over $500 million annually.
• Africa recorded more than $3 billion in cyber-related losses between 2019 and 2025.

Interpol estimates that cybersecurity incidents across Africa caused financial losses exceeding $3 billion between 2019 and 2025, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing governments and businesses.

The Nigerian government aims to strengthen collective resilience and improve coordinated responses to evolving cyber threats across both public and private sectors.

ESTABLISHMENT OF NIGERIA'S NATIONAL CYBERSECURITY COORDINATION COUNCIL TO STRENGTHEN CYBER RESILIENCE

The Federal Government has signalled its intention to work collaboratively with the private sector and key stakeholders toward the establishment of a Cybersecurity Coordination… pic.twitter.com/BSqEJIyj9h

— Dr. 'Bosun Tijani (@bosuntijani) April 1, 2026

Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, announced the initiative in a statement released on April 1. He said the proposed council would operate as a non-statutory, multi-stakeholder coordination platform.

The council will bring together key actors to strengthen partnerships, facilitate the sharing of reliable information, and ensure sustained cooperation among institutions responsible for cybersecurity.

Tijani said recent cybersecurity incidents have posed significant risks to customers and disrupted operations across major private institutions, public systems, and Nigeria’s service industry.

“These incidents highlight the increasingly coordinated and sophisticated nature of cyber threats, orchestrated by organized actors and malicious networks seeking to undermine trust in Nigeria’s rapidly growing digital ecosystem,” the statement said.

Nigeria, like many African countries, faces an acceleration in cyber threats as digital adoption expands.

A January 2026 report by Deloitte stated that organizations across sectors experienced a notable increase in attacks in 2025, ranging from AI-driven scams and ransomware incidents to identity theft affecting everyday users.

“Over the course of the year, a clear trend emerged: attackers became more sophisticated and more agile […]” Deloitte said, adding that threat actors are expected to rely even more on automation and AI-driven tools in 2026.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) reported that Nigeria loses more than $500 million annually to cybercrime, underscoring the economic stakes.

This trend threatens the government’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy.

Speaking at a conference in January, Tijani stressed that achieving this goal depends as much on trust as on physical infrastructure, given the growing importance of digital systems.

“If we lose trust in this sector, citizens will be discouraged from using tools capable of transforming our economy. If we maintain that trust, citizens will believe in these tools, and they will help make Nigeria prosperous,” he said.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Electrum provides cloud-based payment software used by four major South African banks.
• The platform integrates multiple payment providers through a single interface with smart routing.
• Founder Dave Glass brings experience from Standard Bank, ACI Worldwide, and fintech firms.

Dave Glass co-founded Electrum in 2012 and currently serves as chairman of the board. The company develops cloud-based payment software that simplifies connectivity between payment services for banks and retailers.

Electrum enables institutions to integrate payment providers either directly or through aggregators using a single interface.

The platform incorporates advanced features, including intelligent routing, which selects providers based on availability and existing commercial agreements.

This architecture allows businesses to optimize transaction flows while improving efficiency and reliability in payment processing.

Electrum leverages a modern infrastructure tailored to the South African market. The platform enables companies to capture new opportunities in the payments sector by offering speed, flexibility, and solutions aligned with local use cases.

Four major South African banks currently use the platform, reflecting its growing adoption in the financial ecosystem.

Dave Glass graduated from the University of Cape Town with a bachelor’s degree in information systems in 2002. He later earned a master’s degree in management of information systems from Trinity College Dublin in 2008.

He began his career in 2003 at IQbusiness South Africa, where he worked as a consultant in management and digital transformation.

He joined Standard Bank in 2004 as a technologist, before moving in 2009 to Touch Networks as a fintech project manager.

He became head of professional services at S1 Corporation in 2010 and held the same position at ACI Worldwide in 2012, a global provider of payment systems.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Senegal joins a regional $718,200 digital circular economy initiative across four countries.
• The program targets SMEs with digital tools to improve waste valorization.
• Africa dumps or burns nearly 90% of its waste, underscoring urgent reform needs.

Senegal has launched the Digital Innovation for Circular Economy (DICE) Africa project to address mounting waste management challenges through digital innovation.

Authorities introduced the initiative on March 30 as part of a regional program also deployed in Nigeria, Ghana, and Ivory Coast. The program aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the circular economy and improve waste valorization using digital solutions.

The initiative seeks to remove structural constraints in the sector while strengthening economic and social opportunities linked to waste management.

The Nigeria Climate Innovation Center (NCIC) leads the project with support from Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The program operates with a budget of about 1 million Canadian dollars (approximately $718,200) over 30 months across the four countries. The initiative combines research, capacity building, and funding mobilization to create a sustainable ecosystem around the circular economy.

Oluwatosin Ajide, DICE Africa coordinator, said the program places local innovation at its core. He added that organizers will identify grassroots solutions capable of addressing sector-specific challenges.

Ajide said the program will organize a hackathon to stimulate innovation among Senegalese talent and develop digital tools tailored to the needs of circular economy businesses. These tools will support the rollout of a national digital platform designed to facilitate exchanges and improve SME competitiveness.

Waste management remains a major challenge across Africa as volumes rise and collection systems struggle to keep pace. The African Clean Cities Platform estimates that nearly 90% of waste generated on the continent is dumped in uncontrolled landfills or burned in open air.

Senegal produces more than 3 million tonnes of waste annually, while sub-Saharan Africa hosts 19 of the world’s 50 largest dumpsites and could become the largest waste-producing region over time.

This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum