Author: Kaluka wanjala

In a significant move, Spotify’s renowned playlist for African music, African Heat, is undergoing a transformative makeover. This revamp marks a new chapter for the platform’s premier destination for African music, creating exciting opportunities for artists and listeners alike. African Heat has already proven to be an influential platform, connecting African music with global audiences and propelling artists to international recognition. With an increased focus on the continent’s vibrant music scene, this makeover aims to strengthen African Heat’s impact while fostering a sense of community and connection among music enthusiasts. Let’s delve into the details of this exciting development. Since…

In a bid to forge a stronger emotional connection with Kenya’s youthful population, Airtel Kenya, has unveiled an exciting new brand campaign. The campaign, titled ‘A Reason to Imagine,’ aims to empower and inspire the country’s young generation by providing them with relevant digital and financial solutions to unlock their full potential. By celebrating the energy, creativity, and innovation of Kenya’s youth, Airtel seeks to position itself as an enabler of dreams and aspirations. The ‘A Reason to Imagine’ campaign highlights Airtel’s commitment to advancing the progress of young people in Kenya. By offering seamless and affordable connectivity, Airtel aims…

M-KOPA has announced the close of over $250m funding round in a new debt and equity funding to expand its financial services offering to underbanked consumers across Sub-Saharan Africa. This marks one of the largest combined debt and equity raises in the African tech sector, enabling M-KOPA to continue its rapid growth. Over $200m in sustainability-linked debt financing was led and arranged by Standard Bank Group, Africa’s largest bank and long-term strategic partner to M-KOPA. Other participating lenders include The International Finance Corporation (IFC), funds managed by Lion’s Head Global Partners, FMO: Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank, British International Investment, Mirova…

Sama, the outsourcing company formerly known as Samasource, has been ordered by the Employment and Labour Relations court to continue paying its Facebook content moderators in Kenya who are challenging their layoffs. Over 180 workers filed a petition to challenge their layoffs and the court wants the outsourcing company to continue paying them pending the determination of the petition. The moderators claim that Sama dismissed them unfairly without notice and without paying them their compensation according to the Kenyan law. The employees are based in Kenya but are from different parts of the continent. The moderators say that their contracts…

Cellulant’s digital payments platform, Tingg, is revolutionizing the way Zambians pay their utility bills. In the past, individuals and businesses had to visit physical stores to pay their water and power bills in cash. Tingg removes this requirement by providing a digital bill payment solution that allows customers to pay their bills from the comfort of their homes using their mobile phones, tablets, or computers. The adoption of mobile money ecosystems has expanded across many African countries, including Zambia, making it easier for utility service providers and end-users to benefit from mobile utility bill payments. Mobile utility bill payments increase…

Wasoko has today announced its expansion into Zambia, marking the company’s first location in Southern Africa. The company will invest over $1mn in its first year of operations to support local Zambian businesses and communities to get more essential goods for less through the power of e-commerce. With its central hub located in Lusaka, Wasoko’s operations will enable small retailers across the city to access an affordable range of products for same-day delivery and working capital financing solely through the convenience of a mobile app. The formation of Lusaka as a central hub is also part of Wasoko’s company-wide pivot…

Samsung Electronics has been recognized as the leader in the global soundbar market, according to the market research firm FutureSource Consulting. A report published on February 28th, 2023, revealed that Samsung has topped the soundbar market for the ninth consecutive year, accounting for 20.2% in market share and 18.4% of the industry sales volume in 2022. This achievement is not only a testament to Samsung’s commitment to providing its customers with top-quality audio solutions but also an indication of the Korean tech giant’s ability to innovate and push the boundaries of sound technology. In a statement by the Head of…

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) has granted Safaricom the licence to launch M-Pesa Mobile Financial Services in the country. This marks the first time that a foreign investor has been granted a mobile money license in Ethiopia, indicating a shift towards digital financial services as a means of promoting financial innovation and inclusion in the country. For this license, Safaricom and its partners paid Ksh18.9 billion as licence fees to the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE). Safaricom expects to roll out its mobile money services in the country sometime this year. The issuance of the mobile money license is…

GebeyaX has announced its participation in the upcoming GITEX Africa 2023 event. This is a significant platform for showcasing innovative technologies and solutions that will drive the digital transformation of Africa. As the pioneer construction and spare part ecommerce platform, GebeyaX is proud to showcase its innovative platform at the event. GebeyaX aims to revolutionize the way construction materials are purchased, rented, and delivered online. The company has a loyal vendor base and numerous delivery drivers due to its commitment to providing a seamless and secure online shopping experience. The support of JICA through their accelerator program “Ninja accelerator” and…

Zoho has launched a privacy-centric browser called Ulaa. The browser is designed to help users secure their personal data and internet activity by providing a browser solution that universally blocks tracking and website surveillance. Ulaa is a Tamil word that connotes the beginning of a journey into a secured browsing experience. According to a study by Norton, 85% of global adults want to do more to protect their online privacy, with two-thirds of global consumers feeling that tech companies have too much control over their data. With Ulaa, users can browse the web without compromising their privacy. The browser’s commitment…