Author: Kaluka wanjala

There are partner programmes aplenty in the IT industry – and then there are partner programmes that make a tangible difference to all parties involved in the relationship. One example of a programme making an impact is the flourishing relationship between Vertiv, a global leader in critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, and TechExpress, a South African-based provider of enterprise solutions, as well as PC parts and accessories. The partnership was initially formed in June 2020 with Vertiv, and TechExpress, the exclusive authorised provider of third-party solutions to the Dell Technologies Africa region. Now, according to Robin Nunn, marketing manager…

Safaricom is set to partner with Kenyan fintech, Pezesha, as it rolls out a new credit facility for small business owners. This is according to TechCabal citing Safaricom’s updated product’s terms and conditions page. The feature is already available on the M-Pesa app as ‘Mkopo wa Pochi’ under ‘Financial Services’.  Mkopo wa Pochi loans will have a 7-day term with a one-time access fee of 2.76% of the borrowed amount. There will be an option to extend the loan for 7 days and this will attract a fee of 3.85% for the entire 14-day period. Late payments will attract a…

Ampersand plans to buy 40,000 high-tech batteries from BYD by the end of 2026. These batteries will be used in Ampersand’s electric motorcycles. BYD’s lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells have a long lifespan, an excellent safety record and tend to be affordable, making them ideal for mass-market electrification. Through this partnership, Ampersand will be able to rapidly scale its electric fleet and its charging infrastructure, which is already the largest in Rwanda and Kenya. This will allow Ampersand to meet the increasing demand for commercial motorcycles across Africa. Josh Whale, CEO of Ampersand, said, “This partnership marks a major milestone…

NTT DATA has found that 80% of organizations agree that inadequate or outdated technology is holding back organizational progress and innovation efforts. In fact, 94% of C-suite executives believe legacy infrastructure is greatly hindering their business agility. These findings come from NTT DATA’s inaugural Lifecycle Management Report. The report, which leverages 25 years of data-led insights from NTT DATA, explores the challenges and opportunities that exist for organizations as they navigate infrastructure lifecycle management. The research was conducted over 2022 and 2023, gathering data from over 248 million active assets across 130 countries and supported with responses from up to 1400…

Farada Group, a Polish Drone manufacturer is set to establish a drone manufacturing company in Kenya.  “We intend to take up a parcel of land here at Konza Technopolis to establish a drone manufacturing company for Kenya and the whole of Africa,” Adam Cudny, Farada Group Chairman said. Konza Technopolis has designated a drone zone for the assembly and operations of drones.  Speaking during the company’s display and demonstration of its drones to various potential customers at Konza Technopolis, Adam indicated that they had obtained all necessary regulatory approvals from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) to operate their drones in…

The 2024 Huawei Seeds for the Future program kicked off today admitting 25 excellent students from different local universities into the program. This is the tenth cohort of students to go through the program since it started in 2014 and the first cohort to be trained in the program after its resumption to being a physical program after 4 years of it being done virtually. The program aims to cultivate local ICT talent by enhancing knowledge transfer at a local and international level, promoting a greater understanding of and interest in the technology field and encouraging participation in the country’s…

ICP Hub Kenya has announced a new partnership with Kotani Pay that will see the two organizations use their unique strengths and resources to drive the adoption of blockchain technology and empower aspiring and existing Web3 developers in East Africa. By combining their expertise and networks, the two entities aim to ensure the Olympus Accelerator attains its desired mission, as well as catalyze the growth of the blockchain ecosystem in the region and beyond. Kotani Pay plays a major role in promoting the success of the Olympus Accelerator Programme as it adds to the wealth of resources and mentorship opportunities…

Africa Data Centres has secured over $109 Million funding that will assist it expand its data centre capacity in South Africa. This was facilitated through a bespoke financing solution arranged by RMB. “This funding is a significant milestone in the growth of Africa Data Centres,” said Hardy Pemhiwa, President & Group CEO of Cassava Technologies. “It underscores our commitment to growth and our confidence in the future of the South African data centre market. The additional funding will allow us to support the digital transformation journeys of our customers. Data Centres are key to delivering on our vision of a…

Africa has a unique opportunity to influence what the future of work looks like in these early days as large language learning models (LLMs) are evolving, and the environment for applications is still new. This is according to the AI and the Future of Work in Africa whitepaper produced by Microsoft and a collective of industry experts from across the continent. Nearly one billion people in Africa are currently under the age of 35 with the continent projected to be home to almost half of the world’s youth population by the turn of the century, in effect making up half…

Visa has announced a partnership with ThriveAgric, an innovative start-up that champions technology to transform the payments landscape for smallholder farmers, to support their expansion into Kenya. ThriveAgric, the global winner of the 2022 Visa Everywhere Initiative, an open innovation program that helps start-ups unlock new opportunities, will set up local hubs to support farmers in five counties, namely Busia, Homabay, Migori, Nandi & Narok. The hubs, located in Homabay and Busia counties, will serve as learning centres where farmers can gather for training sessions and facilitate the distribution of inputs. The project aims to reach up to 10,000 farmers.…