Author: Brand Spot

Most software products are built on top-of-the-line hardware. A typical frontend engineer in London, San Francisco, or Berlin writes code on a machine equipped with thirty-two gigabytes of RAM and a multicore processor capable of chewing through millions of instructions per second. They test their web interfaces on modern flagship phones connected to high-speed office networks. Everything feels buttery smooth, responsive, and immediate. Take that same web application and run it on a twenty-five-dollar smartphone bought in a market in Nairobi, Kampala, or Dar es Salaam, and the experience falls apart. Across developing digital markets, the hardware reality looks completely…

Kenyan households continued to face financial pressure as reported income growth slowed during the second quarter of the year, forcing many consumers to seek additional sources of income, adjust spending patterns and carefully manage debt commitments. These are among the findings in TransUnion’s Q2 2026 Consumer Pulse Study, which also revealed that only 30% consumers reported an income increase over the preceding three months, down significantly from 42% a year ago. The decline in reported income growth was primarily driven by reduced salaries (27%), job losses (24%) and business closures or declining orders (23%). Despite these pressures, many consumers still…

Liquid C2 has announced a new reseller partnership agreement with KnowBe4, a global leader in digital workforce security, securing both humans and AI agents. Through this partnership, Liquid C2 will bring KnowBe4’s training and risk management solutions to enterprise customers across Africa. “At Liquid C2, we understand that employees are the first and best line of defence from cybersecurity attacks for any organisation. They are the foundation of a digitally resilient organisation. Employees need the skills and awareness to spot threats early, and by working with KnowBe4, we are strengthening the human side of our cybersecurity services. Cybersecurity is no…

Payment gateways in Ethiopia give merchants a way to offer payment options intended for this market. For an Indian operator assessing an Ethiopian launch, three questions come first. Does the provider support the required local payment methods? Can the business pass merchant review? Does the chosen channel fit checkout and reconciliation? This article compares Cbebirr, Mpesa, and the A-Pay method labeled “etb.” Here, lowercase “etb” refers to that method label, while uppercase ETB is the Ethiopian birr currency code. The comparison covers merchant use, integration choices, settlement information, onboarding checks, and the situations in which a method may be unavailable.…

By Robert Benvenuti, Chief Information Officer for Data & Applied AI at Absa When mobile networks first started rolling out at scale, the African market was considered unviable by many of the companies assessing the continent through the assumptions of more developed markets. Fixed-line penetration was low, household incomes were constrained, and the cost of devices and data appeared to cap the addressable market. Africa not only proved those detractors wrong, but those very constraints ended up producing some of the most inventive uses of the technology to date. Mobile became one of Africa’s great multipliers because it allowed the…

Kenya’s October belongs to the league, but the season is shaped by three calendars that rarely line up: the FKF Premier League round, the CAF qualifying windows and a sevens series that has yet to publish its second-division dates. The harder question is when rather than what, since continental fixtures are listed in GMT while domestic ones are not, and one round-up page such as https://shujaasport.ke/ is faster to scan than three separate federation sites on a Saturday morning. Most of the dates are fixed already, from the November double-header to the finals in June. Kenya sport live: one clock,…

The Principal Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy, Eng. John Kipchumba Tanui, CBS, has called for stronger partnerships between industry and academia to equip Kenya’s youth with practical, market-relevant skills that respond to the demands of a rapidly evolving economy. Eng. Tanui made the call while delivering the keynote address at the Rift Valley Technical Training Institute (RVTTI) Partners’ Breakfast Meeting, held under the theme “Sustainable Futures.” The meeting was hosted by Eng. Prof. David K. Some, Chair of the RVTTI Board of Management, and Mrs. Loice Kutoh, Chief Principal and Secretary to the Board of Management. The Principal…

Africa’s digital economy is growing at remarkable speed, opening new opportunities for people, businesses and governments across the continent. Building strong cyber resilience will be key to sustaining that momentum, according to the new Mastercard-commissioned whitepaper, Africa’s Digital Defense Race. The whitepaper highlights that between 2016 and 2025, mobile money users grew 5.9 times, digital banking users 4.7 times and the e-commerce market 5.3 times. The findings come as Africa’s digital payments economy is on track to reach USD 1.5 trillion by 2030. However, cyber threat activity grew at a similar pace over the same period, highlighting both the growing…

MNT-Halan, Egypt and MENA’s first fintech unicorn, announced the successful first closing of an investment round led by Al Ahly Capital, the investment subsidiary of the National Bank of Egypt (NBE), following the completion of all necessary approvals from the relevant regulatory authorities. The transaction marks a significant milestone for both the company and Egypt’s fintech and non-bank financial services sector. A second closing is expected to follow as part of the ongoing investment round. MNT-Halan’s valuation now stands at USD 1.4 billion, further reinforcing the company’s position as one of the region’s leading fintech platforms and highlighting investor…

Binance is marking Cybersecurity Awareness Month by encouraging crypto users across Africa to take simple steps to protect themselves from online scams and cyber threats. Working to keep users safe is an ongoing commitment for Binance built on strong compliance, partnerships with law enforcement and free education. Across Africa crypto is already part of everyday financial life. People use digital assets to send money home, save, pay for goods and run businesses. As more people come online, scammers are looking for new ways to reach them. Most crypto scams aim to break into systems. They trick people through fake websites,…