Author: Kaluka wanjala

As publicly available artificial intelligence (AI) models rapidly evolve, so do the potential security and safety implications, which calls for a greater understanding of their risks and vulnerabilities. To develop a foundation for standardised security, safety and transparency in the development and operation of AI models–as well as their open ecosystems and communities–we must change how we’re approaching current challenges, such as consistent information about models, lack of distinction between security and safety issues and deficient and non-standardised safety evaluations available and in use by model makers. While similar, AI security and AI safety are distinct aspects of managing risks…

By Stefanie Chiras, Senior Vice President of Partner Ecosystem Success at Red Hat Last year, the technology industry experienced a boom of new possibilities and remarkable advancements – from emerging opportunities around artificial intelligence (AI) to shifts in the virtualisation market, Red Hat and our partners rallied to meet these needs and pave the way for future innovation. To help Red Hat partners remain agile in this fast-paced industry, in 2024 Red Hat introduced the first phase of updates to its partner program as part of our ongoing transformation efforts, including a new modular program framework, standardised incentives and upgraded…

NjiaPay, a South African payments-as-a-service provider, has announced it has raised $1 million in pre-seed funding. The investment was led by HAVAÍC, with participation of angel investors including founders of Anyfin, Banxware, and Maxidrive. In a statement, Jonatan Allback, co-founder and CEO of NjiaPay, said, “Our mission is to empower African businesses by simplifying the complexities of payments. By becoming their in-house payments experts, we enable them to focus on growth while we manage the operational and technical intricacies of their payments processing.” With the funds, NjiaPay aims to expand its team in both Amsterdam and Cape Town and to further…

The President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, recently visited the Konza Technopolis and highlighted its international significance as a key component of Kenya’s Vision 2030. A statement from Konza reads, “Konza Technopolis team presented the overview of the smart city to His Excellency Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embaló, President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. The president who was on a familiarization tour of the Technopolis was accompanied by Cabinet Secretary for Youth, Creative Economy and Sports Salim Mvurya.” The Konza Technopolis has been referred to as Africa’s Silicon Savannah and seeks to develop smart city services, promote innovation, green energy and foster…

Insight Terra is proud to announce the successful close of its series A extension funding round of $5.7 million to rapidly scale its AI-driven greenhouse gas (GHG) and environmental risk platform. Alastair Bovim, Co-Founder and CEO of Insight Terra says the investment shows a strong commitment to tech-enabled solutions to address climate change and a significant investment into innovation, safety, and emerging climate-tech for extractive industries and beyond. Insight Terra addresses major climate change-driven challenges in both geotechnical/environmental risk management and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions monitoring. Bovim says the investment by E3 Capital, Fireball Capital, Atlantic Bridge, Globalive, and JLR Star will…

 NTT DATA has launched its next-generation Smart AI Agent. This advanced AI tool is a cornerstone of the company’s strategy to accelerate the adoption of Generative AI, with an estimated $2 billion in revenue that we aim to achieve from Smart AI Agent – related business by 2027. The Smart AI Agent autonomously extracts, organizes, and executes tasks in response to user instructions, complementing existing workforces and streamlining time-consuming processes. By enhancing efficiency across industries, the Smart AI Agent enables businesses to rapidly evaluate and deploy Generative AI applications, optimizing workflows and driving greater productivity. Yutaka Sasaki, President and CEO, NTT DATA,…

HOSTAFRICA has announced the acquisition of GO54 (formerly known as WhoGoHost). GO54 is one of Nigeria’s most prominent web hosting companies with a domain market share of over 20%. This marks a significant milestone in HOSTAFRICA’s strategic expansion across the continent. It solidifies its commitment to empowering African businesses through cutting-edge technology. HOSTAFRICA entered the Nigerian market in 2021 under the brand DomainKing.ng. It introduced hosting solutions designed for Nigerian businesses. The acquisition of GO54 which manages over 100,000 domains strengthens HOSTAFRICA’s position as a market leader in Nigeria’s tech sector. GO54’s local expertise and infrastructure will integrate into HOSTAFRICA’s…

Kenyan e-commerce startup Kapu has raised an undisclosed amount in a pre-Series A funding round. The funding round was led by BlackWood and other existing investors and will be used to scale its operations across Africa. Kapu is a B2C e-commerce platform that offers essential products through a community of agents. This helps the company address the challenges of fragmented retail and logistical complexities in the region. The company says it has delivered $1 million in savings and serves 100,000 households per month while processing 2 million customer orders annually. The pre-series A round also saw the participation of Giant…

Datacentrix has achieved Cisco Internet of Things (IoT) Specialisation. This certification underscores Datacentrix’s expertise in the deployment of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions, empowering industries – such as manufacturing, automotive, energy, oil and gas and critical infrastructure clients – to accelerate their digital transformation journeys. According to Statistica, the African IIoT market is anticipated to maintain a robust annual growth rate of 15.33 percent between 2024 and 2029, culminating in a market value of US$8.14 billion by 2029. However, with this growth and widespread adoption of smarter technologies comes an expanding attack surface for cyberthreats. “As the industrial sector increasingly…

Equity Bank has received dual ISO certifications – ISO 27001:2023 for Information Security Management and ISO 20000-1:2018 for Service Management. International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a globally recognized, independent organization that sets and publishes international standards. ISO certification is a vital benchmark for any organization, validating adherence to best international practices across various fields, including quality management, information security, environmental sustainability, and more. The ISO 27001:2023 and ISO 20000-1:2018 certifications are particularly significant in ensuring that an organization meets the rigorous standards of security and service management. The ISO 27001:2023 certification reinforces Equity Bank’s comprehensive and systematic approach to…