December 19, 2022
Ghana: Fintech Bezo Money Raises US$750,000 to Offer Social Financial Products and Services
The mobile phone financial ecosystem is steadily growing in depth and one of the more successful areas is small-scale loans. Russell Southwood spoke to Bezo Money CEO Mubarak… Read more »
October 07, 2022
Nigeria: The Advertising Regulation Council of Nigeria (Arcon) Sues Meta and Its Local Agent for Failing to Get Its Advertising Approved
Nigeria's advertising regulator ARCON has chosen to pick a fight with social media giant Meta over advertising approval and content. Russell Southwood looks at the implications of… Read more »
September 23, 2022
Africa: Ghana's GIBA Wins Case to Prevent Regulator Introducing Conditional Access for License Revenue Collection By Stealth
The Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) went to court over what it argued was the regulator's (NCA) 'backdoor' introduction of conditional access as a standard on… Read more »
August 26, 2022
Nigeria: Broadcast Regulators Threaten to Shut Down Stations Defaulting On Operating Licences - Fair Move or Undue Pressure?
Regulating media in general (and broadcasting in particular) is always a deeply 'political' activity in Sub-Saharan Africa. This week Russell Southwood looks at moves by the… Read more »
August 07, 2022
Africa: The Long, Slow Death of Mobile Competition
Several decades ago competition was introduced to the new African mobile markets. Competition was supposed to deliver three things: cheaper prices, better service and innovation.… Read more »
May 27, 2022
West Africa: GVA Ups the Fibre Speeds Offered to Canalbox Customers
This week Groupe Vivendi Africa upped the speeds offered to its Canalbox customers. In doing so it has increased the pricing stakes in what are often very uncompetitive francophone… Read more »
April 29, 2022
Africa: Benin Becomes the Next Country to Draw Up an Artificial Intelligence Strategy - but What Can Ai Strategies Do for Africa?
Last week Benin held a workshop in Cotonou to review a draft AI strategy and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Digital and Digitization, Gaspard Datondji told those… Read more »
April 14, 2022
Africa: Cybernaptics Africa Makes Investment to Sell Smart Technologies in Francophone and East Africa
With network access improving in a number of countries, there is renewed interest in using smart technologies as part of a digital transformation strategy (See Vodacom and FNB… Read more »
April 08, 2022
Africa: YouTube Use in Three of Francophone Africa's Key Broadcast Markets - Cote d'Ivoire and Senegal Power Ahead While Cameroon Trails
YouTube is Africa's leading streamer and is a vital part of reaching new, young audiences and the diaspora. This week Russell Southwood looks at a comparison between YouTube… Read more »