Author: Kaluka wanjala

Ghana has issued an ultimatum to MultiChoice, demanding a 30% reduction in DStv subscription prices by August 7, 2025 or face a suspension of its broadcasting licence. This has sparked debate even in Kenya where DStv subscribers are also reeling from recent price hikes that kicked in earlier this month.  Should Kenya consider following Ghana’s lead? The directive was announced by Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George. It comes amid growing concerns about pay-TV affordability. George accused MultiChoice of hiding behind exchange rate losses, arguing that the Ghanaian cedi has stabilized and no longer justifies high pricing. “My fidelity lies with…

Safaricom has announced a KES 3 million sponsorship for the 8th edition of the National Science and Technology Exhibition hosted by Young Scientists Kenya (YSK). The week-long event is currently underway at Moi Educational Centre in South C, Nairobi, running from August 5 to 9. This latest funding, channeled through Safaricom Hook, the company’s youth engagement platform. This brings Safaricom’s total investment in YSK to KES 65 million since 2018. “We believe that Kenya’s future lies in the hands of its young people,” said Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi, Chief Consumer Business Officer at Safaricom. “By supporting platforms like Young Scientists Kenya, we…

Visa has announced the opening of applications for the fifth cohort of its Africa Fintech Accelerator. This program is designed to fast-track the growth of innovative startups across the continent. Applications are open until August 15, with selected startups set to join a 12-week intensive virtual program that includes mentorship, product development support, networking, and funding opportunities. Visa also unveiled 22 startups joining the fourth cohort of the accelerator. These represent 12 countries and diverse fintech innovations ranging from AI-powered payments and digital wallets to climate insurance and DeFi infrastructure. The Visa Africa Fintech Accelerator was launched in 2023 and…

Paymentology has announced the launch of PayoCard, a mobile-first, plug-and-play card management platform. This targets digital banks and fintechs enabling fast, secure rollout of real-time card features. This platform reduces operational overhead while reaching underserved customers Key Takeaways Delivering responsive, mobile card services can be complex and costly for banks and fintechs. This is so as it often requires heavy infrastructure and long development cycles. PayoCard is powered by Paymentology’s cloud-first platform and simplifies that process with a plug-and-play platform that allows issuers to rapidly offer secure, self-managed card features, from real-time balance updates to PIN resets, card freezes, and…

Nutanix has been recognized as a Leader in The Forrester Wave: Multicloud Container Platforms, Q3 2025. This marks its debut in the report showing its growing reputation in the cloud-native space. The recognition follows the launch of the Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP) which was announced at last year’s .NEXT conference after the company acquired D2iQ’s Kubernetes platform. This acquisition enabled Nutanix to offer a robust, integrated solution for managing containerized applications across hybrid and multicloud environments. Earlier this year, Nutanix expanded its container innovation with Cloud Native AOS, extending its enterprise-grade storage and data services to hyperscaler Kubernetes services and…

Absa Bank Kenya, in partnership with GirlCode, has announced the 2025 edition of GirlCodeHack. This is a Pan-African women-in-tech hackathon aimed at empowering 100 young women in Kenya to solve real-world challenges in FinTech, Cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Set for October 11 – 12, 2025, the 30-hour innovation sprint will run concurrently in seven African cities, including Nairobi, and targets women aged 18 to 35 from university students and recent graduates to young professionals. This year’s theme, “Future-Proofing Africa: Innovation at the Intersection of…

Kenya’s tech sector has seen tremendous growth from mobile money to cloud computing. Even as the country enjoys a reputation as a leader in digital innovation, there are millions of Kenyans mostly in rural and underserved areas that are still disconnected from the digital economy. This is where the Universal Service Fund (USF) comes in. It is a government initiative administered by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA). Its main mission is to bridge the digital divide. The USF helps finance ICT infrastructure and services in areas that private companies may find commercially unviable. At this point you may be…

Red Hat has been named a Leader in The Forrester Wave: Multicloud Container Platforms, Q3 2025. Red Hat has been ranked higher in both the current offering and strategy categories. According to Forrester, “OpenShift is a good fit for enterprises that prioritise support, reliability, and advanced engineering, particularly in regulated industries such as financial services.” The report also praises Red Hat’s enterprise-level support and managed services, stating: “Red Hat excels in core Kubernetes areas, offering robust operator options, powerful management, GitOps automation, and flexible interfaces via a GUI or command-line interface (CLI).” OpenShift’s 99.95% SLA for managed services on public…

Kenya’s electric mobility pioneer BasiGo has announced it has deployed its 100th electric bus. This marks a significant milestone as the company seeks to electrify public transport across the African continent. There is still a long way to go but this is a good start. The company can assemble 20 buses per month after raising KES 5.4 billion in funding.  If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. BasiGo was launched in 2022 with just two e-buses in Nairobi. It now operates 100 electric buses across Kenya and Rwanda. This makes it one…

Global early-stage venture capital firm Antler has officially opened applications for its next Nairobi cohort. It is calling on exceptional founders ready to build transformative startups from the ground up. Those interested can apply here. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. The program is targeting: With a presence in over 25 cities globally, Antler is known for backing founders from “day zero”, before they’ve incorporated or raised any external funding. Selected participants will receive $100,000 in pre-seed investment, access to a global investor network, and hands-on support from Antler’s Nairobi-based team…