Fintech firm JUMO has extended over US$2.5-billion in credit in their six markets in Africa and Asia. A statement released by the company says the milestone was reached just over 18 months after crossing the US$1B mark in 2019, “and indicates exponential growth in the access to and availability of working capital for customers, with...
The National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS), also known as Huduma Namba, will begin to issue Huduma cards from 1 December 2020. However, many remain scepitcal about the system and continue to raise concern over data privacy and duplication of services. Recently, Kenya’s government announced the appointment of Data Commissioner, Immaculate Kassait. Kassait’s office will...
The member countries of the East African Community have decided to align their tax regulations in the digital economy. The decision taken on November 11, at the 48th meeting of their tax authorities, aims to protect the interests of all. The tax authorities of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan and Burundi, member countries of the...
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the Norwegian and Ghanaian governments in partnership with multinational technology company Cisco has launched the ITU-Norway partnership on the Digital Transformation Centres (DTC) Initiative in Ghana. The ITU in partnership with Cisco and its Country Digital Acceleration Program and Cisco Networking Academy intends to create a global network of centres...
President Uhuru Kenyatta has appointed Immaculate Kassait as Kenya’s first Data Commissioner. In a special gazette notice issued yesterday, the President said, following section 6 of the Act, Kassait will head up the Commission for six years and will oversee the implementation of the Data Protection Act. Kassait had to be vetted by by parliament...
A new report, known as e-Conomy Africa 2020 Report, released yesterday by Google and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has estimated that Africa’s internet economy has the potential to reach 5.2 per cent of the continent gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025, contributing nearly $180 billion to its economy. The projected potential contribution could reach...
Botswana is currently a vast digital project with the Covid-19 crisis. The government has embarked on several technological projects which, in the long term, should transform the lives of populations. The Head of State detailed them to Parliament on November 8. The Republic of Botswana has accelerated its digital transformation. President of the Republic Mokgweetsi Masisi made this...
The Minister of Communication Hamadoun Touré wants to capitalize on public and private expertise to develop ICTs in Mali. On November 7, during a meeting with the Association of Computer Companies of Mali, he announced the upcoming creation of the National Digital Council. Hamadoun Touré, the Minister of Communication and the Digital Economy, is determined to...
Minister of Cabinet Affairs Ambassador Omer Manis has expressed his optimism about the informatics government that will lead Sudan into the twenty-first century. The minister was addressing today at the premises of the Sudanese Standards and Metrology Organization here a preparatory workshop for building and drafting the national strategy for cyber security, organized by the...
Tanzania’s internet and social media have been disrupted for more than a week, at great cost to the economy and free speech. The slowdown started just before Tanzania’s presidential elections. Network marketeer Prosper Makungu depends on the internet to conduct his business in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s biggest city. On average, Makungu reaches out to...
