Author: Kaluka wanjala

M-pesa has dominated the mobile money market in Kenya for years. Its popularity has not been challenged by any other players and this has propelled Safaricom to greater heights. Airtel Money has tried to challenge M-Pesa’s dominance but hasn’t managed to take the top spot. Airtel Money has a number of incentives including waiving transaction fees for a number of transactions. The company uses these measures to get people to start using Airtel Money and hopefully continue using it afterwards. M-Pesa still has an advantage as it has a huge Agent network and businesses accepting payments using its network. This…

Last week, Tecno unveiled its first flip phone, the Tecno Phantom V Flip. The phone will be launching in India in the beginning of next month (October) and we might also get it in Kenya before the end of the month. The launch of the Phantom V Flip in Kenya depends on a lot of factors, one being clearance by customs. There have been a number of delays with customs clearance and this has pushed forward a number of smartphone launches in Kenya. I just hope this will not be the case with the Phantom V Flip.  The Tecno Phantom…

Women Who Build Africa (WWBA) hosted its inaugural two-day assembly in Nairobi in September 2023. The Assembly, aimed at fostering connections and stimulating discussions among women in the tech industry, attracted over 200 attendees from across Africa and globally, including notable names like Micheline Ntiru, of Kenya Climate Ventures, Dr. Ola Brown of HealthCap Africa, Maya Famodu of Ingressive Capital, Shola Akinlade and Amandine Lobelle of Paystack and many others. Part of the Kauffman Fellows Annual Summit agenda, this event also garnered substantial attendance from global and local investors, and ecosystem supporters.  Providing a platform for engaging conversations covering a wide…

Flapmax has joined forces with Microsoft to nurture promising startups through the FAST Accelerator program. This dynamic initiative is set to catalyze the growth of Africa’s digital economy and drive innovation across various sectors. The program aims to empower startups and SMEs across Africa, helping them harness AI technologies and expand their market reach. It’s a clear testament to the belief that African startups are well-positioned to drive the continent’s digital transformation. Mame-Fatou Gueye, SME Program Manager at Microsoft Africa Transformation Office, emphasizes the importance of supporting African startups in tackling local challenges and becoming pivotal players in the African…

Liquid Intelligent Technologies Zambia has announced the official launch of Azure Stack for its customers. This offering will ensure businesses can access local cloud solutions cost-effectively, meet local data regulatory requirements and efficiently run latency-sensitive business applications.   “According to the Zambia Inclusive Digital Economy Status Report 2022, the local digital economy score is 45%, which indicates that we are still in the start-up phase. This statistic indicates that as an economy, we still need to make cloud more easily accessible to ensure we are 100% ready. With the unveiling of the Azure Stack, Liquid Zambia has reiterated its commitment to…

Bybit have released their second digital art drop as part of their partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing. The limited-edition collection of 200 NFTs were sold via Dutch auction on Sept. 20, and sold out within one hour for a total of 74.5 ETH ($168,434). The collection: “Pursuit” by Per Kristian Stoveland, launched in conjunction with the Japan Grand Prix,and holders of the original Velocity Pass NFT had exclusive access to the auction. In the 24 hours since launch “Pursuit” has racked up over 106ETH ($113,433) in secondary sales. Sales of Per Kristian Stoveland’s open edition collection “Echo of Intensity” are…

Tecno has officially unveiled its first flip smartphone, the Tecno Phantom V Flip. This is currently the cheapest flip smartphone and is set to compete with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, OPPO Find N2 Flip and others. The foldable phone market is still growing and the latest estimates by the IDC project that over 48 million foldable smartphones will be shipped by 2027. Tecno already has a foldable smartphone in Kenya, the Phantom V Fold that has been in stores in Kenya for the better part of the year. The Phantom V Flip is its second…

Truecaller has announced a refreshing brand identity and introduced innovative anti-fraud features that underscore its commitment to user safety and communication protection. Truecaller’s rebranding initiative includes a revamped logo and a brand new app icon, emphasizing a renewed focus on consumer privacy and enhanced safety in communication. The iconic “True blue” color remains, establishing a distinct visual identity that safeguards users against copycat and imposter apps. This refreshed identity aligns with Truecaller’s mission to protect communication for all. Alan Mamedi, Co-founder and CEO of Truecaller, expressed his excitement about the new brand identity, stating that it signifies their unwavering commitment…

The inaugural Mozilla Festival House: Kenya has ignited a powerful dialogue among African tech communities, researchers, and human rights activists. This landmark event, held from September 22 to 25, 2023, has set the stage for addressing critical issues that are shaping the tech landscape in Africa. Among these issues, the pursuit of digital sovereignty, labor rights, and inclusion stands tall. Let’s delve into some of the highlights from this groundbreaking event. One of the prevailing concerns discussed at the MozFest House was digital extractivism. Participants fervently debated the impact of this practice, where big tech companies often outsource data annotation…

The Africa Money and DeFi Summit has proudly announced its partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), a subsidiary of Amazon.com. This alliance marks a significant step towards accelerating digital transformation in Africa and nurturing its thriving tech ecosystem. Amazon Web Services, recognized as a Gartner Cloud Infrastructure and Platform Services (CIPS) Magic Quadrant leader for an impressive 12 consecutive years, brings a wealth of expertise and innovation to the table. AWS’s extensive experience in cloud computing, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and web development will serve as a catalyst for African entrepreneurs and startups seeking to redefine the continent’s digital…