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Kenyans Will Now Pay More for Internet and Calls Following New Finance Bill Ruling

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Image sourced from Kenyan Wallstreet A new amendment in Kenya’s Finance Act of 2018 sought to change taxing on telephone and internet services from 15% to 20%. The change is set to go live today, 1 July. The amendment has seen criticism in the country since its first announcement because a large majority of Kenyans use their phones for both internet access and communication via SMS and calls. The country has also seen the recent adoption of many new services on mobile devices. New mobile services such as applying for a driver’s license, land transfers, paying for parking, and other licensing platforms, are but a few that will see increased taxation through usage. Techweez believes that the increased taxes will negatively affect the growth of mobile phones and internet penetration that has ...

Politics

There Are More Fintech Startups in Africa Now Than Ever Before

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Image sourced from Payspace Magazine. /* custom css */ .tdi_4_77c.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_77c.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Africa’s fintech sector is growing and maturing, with more startups active in the space than ever before, platforms increasingly offering a variety of services, and investment and acquisitions taking place to an unprecedented degree. Every two years since June 2017, startup-focused news and research company Disrupt Africa has released the Finnovating for Africa publication, which tracks the extraordinary development of the fintech ecosystem across Africa over the last few years. The 2021 edition of the report, which is for the first time available free to all as part of an open-sourcing initiative in partnership with key partners Flutterwave ...

Politics

Elon Musk’s Starlink Set to Deliver Worldwide Internet from Orbit

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Elon Musk. Image sourced from CNBC Elon Musk’s satellite network – Starlink – is reportedly on track to deliver broadband internet everywhere on Earth except for its two poles by August of this year. The Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) launched more than 1,500 satellites so far and is running Starlink operations in about a dozen countries. However, the financial investment for these operations has been and will continue to be, steep. Heavyweight Investments Musk said during a presentation at the Mobile World Congress (MWG) on Tuesday that SpaceX’s total investment in the network will be between, brace yourself, $5-Billion and $10-billion before cash flow becomes positive. This is only the beginning, with Musk adding that an additional $20-billion or $30-billion may be n...

Politics

Iron Mountain’s Kevin Akaloo Talks PoPIA – Crucial Steps for Compliance and Harsh Penalties for Not

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Kevin Akaloo, National Head of Sales – Private and Public sector – at Iron Mountain SA. PoPIA is here. After months of speculation and waiting with bated breath, the Information Regulator of South Africa has said that the PoPI (Protection of Private Information) Act will become effective as of 1 July 2021. “PoPIA enforcement powers as promulgated by the President of South Africa in June 2020 will still be coming into effect as of 1 July 2021,” said Information Regulator chair Pansy Tlakula. ITNA’s Luis Monzon had the opportunity to chat with Kevin Akaloo, National Head of Sales at Iron Mountain South Africa, a global leader for storage and information management services that is trusted by more than 220,000 organizations around the world, to get his insights into the PoPI Act –...

Politics

COVID-19 Delta Variant May Soon Cause “Catastrophic” Wave of Infections in Kenya

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Sourced from Times Live. /* custom css */ .tdi_4_3c5.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_3c5.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } The highly contagious COVID-19 Delta variant that is currently causing a massive third wave of infections in South Africa may cause the fourth wave of infections in Kenya over the next two months. This is according to Kenya’s Health Ministry. First identified in India and the cause of significant desolation in the Asian country, COVID-19 Delta is dominant in the West of Kenya, where it was initially detected in the country. In response, Kenya’s government has imposed restrictions on movement in the region in attempts to stem Delta from spreading nationwide. Kenya had 183,603 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 3,621 deaths as of June 29, according to the Health ...

Politics

Does the Pandemic’s Impact in East Africa Demand Accelerated Digital Transformation?

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Image sourced from US News. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe socio-economic impact in East Africa. While the region has escaped the worst of the health impact – infection and mortality rates are comparatively low next to those of Europe – the impact on businesses, communities and households has been devastating. With the exception of Kenya, Tanzania and Djibouti, countries in the region experienced negative real GDP growth in 2020, although all countries (with the exception of Sudan) are forecast to record positive growth this year. Traditional foreign exchange revenue sectors such as international tourism have all but disappeared. Data from the UN indicate that tourism numbers declined by 91% in Kenya: in August 2019, the country received 162,000 tourist visitors. By August 2020, th...

Politics

Facebook Increases Transparency for Political Ads in South Africa and Zambia

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Image sourced from Reuters. /* custom css */ .tdi_4_a28.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_a28.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Starting June 29 2021, Facebook will launch enforcement on ads about elections or politics in Zambia and South Africa. As a result, anyone running ads about political figures, political parties, the election or “Get out the vote” campaigns must go through the ad authorization process by verifying their identity with a government-issued photo ID, confirming their location in those countries and advertisers are required to provide more information about the person or organization responsible for the ad to place “Paid for by” disclaimers on these ads. This includes any person creating, modifying, publishing, or pausing ads that reference ads about electio...

Politics

Microsoft & SAtion Partner to Bring Digital Skills to 50,000 Unemployed, Disadvantaged South Africans

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Image sourced from NS Energy. /* custom css */ .tdi_4_b63.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_b63.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } After the announcement this month of record-high unemployment figures in South Africa which paint a grim picture for the country’s youth, SAtion announces a new partnership with Microsoft to enhance South Africans’ employability in the digital age. The partnership’s online platform — the SAtion Digital Skills Hub — will invest in the country’s socio-economic progress by providing free access to Microsoft Office 365 suite technology to young South Africans from 8-24 years, free digital literacy resources, and Microsoft Cloud Society resources. Launched on 14 June, SAtion draws together stakeholders in the private and public sectors — including governm...

Politics

Jiji Nigeria Acquires Cars45 in Bid to Expand Beyond Classifieds Business

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Image sourced from AppsAfrica. /* custom css */ .tdi_4_1bd.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_1bd.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Jiji, a leading classified marketplace operator based in Nigeria, has acquired one of the country’s leading automotive trade platforms in Cars45. Co-founder of Jiji, Vladimir Mnogoletniy, told TechCrunch that the acquisition is a means for the company to expand beyond its classifieds business. He also explained that vehicle listings are the second most popular category on Jiji’s marketplace, behind only real estate. The platform’s total listing is worth over $10 billion, with real estate ($7 billion) and vehicles ($3 billion) making up the bulk of it. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_64d.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_64d.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0...

Politics

Vodacom Reveals More Details About VodaPay – its “All-Encompassing” Super App

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Image sourced from SABC News. /* custom css */ .tdi_4_b3c.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_b3c.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Vodacom has announced the next phase of development for its e-commerce super app, VodaPay. The app is scheduled for release in South Africa with reports claiming a date closer to the end of the year. The telecom giant also revealed more details about the app, including insights into its development and its ‘Mini Programs’ feature. An All-Encompassing Solution /* custom css */ .tdi_3_a4d.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_a4d.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Developed by Vodacom Financial Services in partnership with leading global digital lifestyle services platform Alipay, VodaPay, says the company, is an all-encompassing mobile payments...

Vodacom Partners with Digital Parks Africa to Expand Data Centre Footprint Vodacom Partners with Digital Parks Africa to Expand Data Centre Footprint
Politics

Vodacom Partners with Digital Parks Africa to Expand Data Centre Footprint

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/* custom css */ .tdi_4_440.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_440.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } For more than a decade, Vodacom Business has provided premium data centre facilities to businesses across the country for hosting and managing information technology (IT) services. Now, in partnership with Digital Parks Africa, a provider of wholesale data centres for large-scale data centre needs, Vodacom Business can further support clients’ off-premise data centre requirements while offering the highest IT standards and services. Today, organisations depend on the effective use of technology more than ever.  Not only to support ongoing business processes but also to drive new sources of competitive differentiation. Despite the rise of digital services, many organisations ...