Africa: Moya Bids to Become the Super-App of Choice in South Africa and Its Largest Mobile Money Provider

There have been few local challengers to the global big tech social platforms. Aiming to become a super app, Moya has made significant progress in South Africa along this road.… Read more »

Africa: YouTube Shorts and Tiktok Go Head-to-Head in Key Markets

This week YouTube announced that it had rolled out its TikTok "look-a-likee" platform to a 100 new countries globally including three key Sub-Saharan African markets: Kenya,… Read more »

Angola: Govt Takes Back Control of Movicel As Financial Crisis Bites for Dos Santos's Former Allies

Sold without a proper tendering process in 2009 to the allies of former President dos Santos former state-owned mobile operator Movicel is in financial trouble. Russell Southwood… Read more »

Africa: Nollywood Holds Its Own During Covid-19 and Filmhouse Launches New App to Give Offline and Online Benefits to Cinema-Goers

It's been a tough year for Nigeria's Filmhouse whose activities span cinemas, film distribution and production. But as a sign of its confidence that cinema-going will hold its own… Read more »

Africa: Slow Train Coming - African 5g Edges Its Way Into View and South African Consumers Seem Keen to Buy, Says New Survey

5G is slowly making its way into the market as regulators gear up to license its roll-out. Some like Mauritius have been quick to put licences in place, whilst others like Nigeria… Read more »

Africa: African 5G Edges Its Way Into View and South African Consumers Seem Keen to Buy - Survey

5G is slowly making its way into the market as regulators gear up to license its roll-out. Some like Mauritius have been quick to put licences in place, whilst others like Nigeria… Read more »

Africa: Zimbabwe's TV Liberalization Is 'Fake'

Zimbabwe's long-awaited TV liberalization is finally under way with the much-trumpeted granting of six licenses. The catch is that all but one of these licenses have been given to… Read more »

Africa: Cogent, the Largest Supplier of Internet Transit to Africa, Seeks to Expand Its Presence in Tanzania, Kenya and Nigeria

Sub-Saharan Africa is no longer the poor Cinderella of international internet markers. Growth in both supply and demand and a growing data centre ecosystem mean that international… Read more »

Africa: African YouTube Challenger Starnews Mobile Looking to Monetize Broadcaster Music and Comedy Archives, Attracts Snapchat Investment

Finding a business model for video streaming that works has been one of the key challenges for Sub Saharan Africa's digital economy. Users want to look at stuff but who is going to… Read more »

Kenya: Kenyan Regulator Clears TV White Spaces Access Framework, Procedures for Geolocation Databases and Consults On Community Licences

After over eight years in the works, Kenya's regulator, Communications Authority of Kenya, has finally published its guidelines for the use of TV White Spaces. Russell Southwood… Read more »

Africa: History of South African Hip-Hop On Way to TV Screens

Sub-Saharan Africa has a huge variety of local music cultures but not so many films or TV series about their histories. Russell Southwood talks to Asi Mathaba, Founder, Asi-B Films… Read more »

Africa: African Craft and Design Site Afrikrea Hits U.S. $10 Million Plus in Transactions

From the very earliest of days of the internet in Africa, a recurring idea has been that it would be possible to sell African craft and design globally to European or American… Read more »

Africa: Xavier Niel Ups His Interest in Francophone Africa - Buying Production House in Cote d'Ivoire and Expanding Streaming With Molotov

French telecoms and media billionaire Xavier Niel is increasing his focus on Francophone Africa. According to Allo Forfait, he is finalizing his latest purchase of a production… Read more »

Cote d'Ivoire: Orange's Digital Bank Hits 500,000 Users in Cote d'Ivoire - Further Roll-Outs Planned

Orange Bank Africa was launched last year in Cote d'Ivoire and is already beginning to attract customers. Russell Southwood did an email Q and A with a member of the Orange mobile… Read more »

Africa: Firm Provides Boutique Distribution Service for Broadcasters

If you're not a large broadcast organization, Sub-Saharan Africa - with over 50 different markets - can be a bewildering and expensive place to do business in. Russell Southwood… Read more »

Africa: Media Brokerage Africa Gives Special Interest Channels a Voice On the Continent - Launching Ethiopian OTT Platform in May

If you're not a large broadcast organization, Sub-Saharan Africa - with over 50 different markets - can be a bewildering and expensive place to do business in. Russell Southwood… Read more »

Africa: Mobile Operators Are Selling Stuff Off

Maturing growth and the particular demands of the mobile data market should make MNOs to think harder about what it means to be a mobile operator. Russell Southwood looks at the… Read more »

Africa: Senior VP ViacomCBS Networks - Africa, Monde Twala On Its Pan-African Culture Squad, New Local Productions and How Streaming Products in Africa 'In the Pipeline'

Music culture is one of the fastest moving sectors in Sub-Saharan African and broadcasters need to keep their finger on the pulse. Russell Southwood talks to Monde Twala, Senior… Read more »

Africa: Raxio's Delayed Tier III Carrier-Neutral Data Centre in Uganda Looks Set for 1 May Launch, Also It Has Broken Ground in Ethiopia and Is Looking to Start in DRC

The Covid-19 year has delayed capital projects across Africa so it's good to see Raxio's delayed Tier III carrier-neutral data centre in Uganda now set to launch at the beginning… Read more »

Africa: AfricaXP's Premiumfree TV Bids to Become a Continent-Wide FTA Satellite Bouquet That Offers a Pay-TV-Like Experience

Given the continuing slow transition to terrestrial DTT in many countries, international satellite operators like Intelsat and SES are trying to change the broadcast landscape by… Read more »

Africa: Survey Looks At the State of Transition to Digital Playbook By MNOs in Africa and Middle East - Lack of Clear Roadmaps and Progress

A survey of MNOs in Africa and the Middle East (which includes North Africa) carried out by Upstream Technologies - although a self-interested party as a vendor - sheds an… Read more »

Africa: Spotify Expands Into 39 African Countries - Why It Matters

After a long period with a presence just in South Africa, one of the world's most high-profile music streamers, Spotify has expanded across Sub-Saharan Africa. Russell Southwood… Read more »

Nigeria: Govt Launches Its National Cyber-Security Policy

At the end of February the Nigerian Government launched its National Cyber-Security Policy and Strategy, a weighty document that tackles an increasingly pressing issue. Russell… Read more »

Benin: TV Moves to Digital In Benin

This week adds one more African country, Benin, to the list that are making progress with implementing DTT. The interview below with Aurelie Adam Soulé, Minister of Digital… Read more »

Gambia: Nation Suffers Spate of Outages - Back-Up Costs 'Arm-and-a-Leg'

Despite the transition to a democratic Government in 2017, the country has not really got to grips with the kinds of reforms that would help the communications sector grow. Russell… Read more »