Author: Kaluka wanjala

Africa Data Centres and DPA SA have broken ground on their solar farm in the Free State; The first phase will see power getting wheeled to its CPT1 facility; The second phase will see power being supplied to JHB1 and JHB2 once wheeling agreements with relevant municipalities conclude.  Africa Data Centres, a business of the Cassava Technologies group, is pleased to announce that it has broken ground on the construction of a solar farm in the Free State in collaboration with DPA Southern Africa. This announcement forms a crucial component of the 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) inked in March 2023…

The Visa Everywhere Initiative 2024 is now accepting applications for individuals who want to showcase their innovative fintech startups. This can help the startups gain recognition and build credibility. This year’s edition will be at TechCrunch Disrupt on October 28th in San Francisco.  How to Participate in the Visa Everywhere Initiative 2024 Before you take part in this competition, you will have to complete and submit your application. Visa will choose one global finalist from each region to move to the global finals event in San Francisco. The different regions are:  For those in the CEMEA region, applications must be…

With the growing appreciation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the world, African governments, policymakers and industry stakeholders have been urged to collaborate to advance AI governance and drive adoption across the continent. Speaking during the second session of the Africa AI Journalist Academy organised by Microsoft, Akua Gyekye, the Government Affairs Director for Microsoft Africa unveiled five strategies that can help accelerate AI use in Africa.  The first strategy is to implement and build upon new government-led AI safety frameworks. Several African countries have already begun to formulate their own legal and policy frameworks and are helping to lead discussions…

Pezesha, the digital lending infrastructure for Small & Medium Businesses, has received a $500,000 technical assistance grant from the U.S. Government’s Development Finance Corporation. This support will help Pezesha leverage data science, machine learning and other advanced computing technologies to further develop its credit scoring algorithm and risk management tools. These should help enhance its sustainable lending practices in Sub-Saharan Africa. This support will position Pezesha closer to a potential DFC debt investment in the coming months. Commenting on this Hilda Moraa , CEO of Pezesha said, “This investment has come at the right time when we are looking to…

The Africa Tech Startup Forum is now officially accepting applications. This a Market Access and Acceleration program that is designed to prepare, train, expose, and connect tech ventures with opportunities. The program happens both virtually and in person. Its main aim is to give African tech innovations a platform. Through this platform, collaboration opportunities can be cultivated with experts across the world. Funded by the Korea Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Trust Fund through the African Development Bank (AfDB)’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab, the Africa Tech Startup Forum is a dynamic hub for innovation, collaboration and growth in Africa’s evolving tech…

Watu Credit has committed Ksh 1.3 billion to help kenya’s transition to electric bikes. The company revealed this last week following the release of the first draft of the Electric Mobility Policy that seeks to guide towards the transition to Electric Vehicles.  According to Eric Massawe, Country Manager Watu Credit, the firm is willing to support the transition to electric vehicles by bridging the financing gap. Watu is an asset finance company that provides loans to individuals who want to acquire motorcycles on loan.  He also revealed that they will be partnering with Arc Ride and GOGO Electric to develop…

Zeepay has announced the completion of an equity investment by pan-African investment firms Africa50, Oikocredit, Injaro, Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund, and I&P. The funds will go towards expanding Zeepay’s operations in Africa and the Caribbean. Zeepay is a fast-growing payment infrastructure company with a footprint in more than 20 countries globally. Since its inception in 2014, Zeepay has specialised in facilitating the instant settlement of remittances into mobile money wallets in Africa and the Caribbean on behalf of leading international money transfer organizations (IMTOs). Last year, the Company settled over 10 million remittance transactions worth over $ 3 billion in…

Xiaomi Kenya has today announced the availability of yet another smartphone, the Redmi A3, in Kenya. The phone is available in the country starting from Ksh 11,599. Xiaomi says the Redmi A3 is the perfect gift for someone this April Holiday season. The phone features a stylish design, a large high refresh rate display, AI dual camera and much more. This is the successor to the Redmi A2 from last year. The Xiaomi A series has really dominated the entry level smartphone segment and I do not see it being dethroned anytime soon. Redmi A3 Specifications All Redmi A3 models…

Tecno showcased the Camon 30 series at MWC 2024 and the company is finally rolling out this series in select markets.  The Camon 30 series has 4 main devices, the Camon 30, Camon 30 5G, Camon 30 Pro and the Camon 30 Premier. This series features the Classic Side-axis Camera Design blends classic flair with contemporary aesthetic taste for stylish consumers. It also features an elegant, intelligent Action Dot that adds a touch of retro spirit while also acting as an indicator for video recording, voice assistant wake-up alerts, charging status alerts, infrared remote status and more. All Camon 30…

Google Cloud today announced the appointment of Noor Al-Sulaiti as Head of Security Business Development and Government Relations for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa region (META). Noor brings a wealth of experience in the telecommunications and technology sectors to her new role. Noor’s appointment is yet another testament to the company’s commitment to the region and safeguarding governments’ digital assets. In this position, Noor will be responsible for Google’s security expansion in the Middle East, Turkey and Africa underscoring the growing importance of cybersecurity for the company. She will foster strategic partnerships with the public sector to leverage Google…