AfICTA e-NEWSLETTER 15 August, 2019

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AfICTA e-NEWSLETTER 

15/August/19 Vol 72

ICANN67 Fellowship Application Round Now Open

Today, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is opening the application round for the ICANN Fellowship Program taking place at the ICANN67 Public Meeting from 7-12 March 2020 in Cancún, Mexico. The deadline to apply is 18 August 2019, 23:59 UTC. Successful candidates will be announced on 1 November 2019 on https://icann.org.

ICANN Fellowship Program The Fellowship Program is open to all applicants interested in, or already engaged in, the various aspects of ICANN's work in policymaking, the operation of the... read more

ICT Industry Applauds Introduction of New CIO Designation

The newly introduced professional chief information officer (CIO) certification will help overcome the dilemma often encountered by local organisations upon realisation their CIO does not live up to performance expectations. 

This was the word from ICT industry experts, applauding the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa’s (IITPSA’s) decision to introduce a professional CIO designation (Pr.CIO), for South African ICT professionals who meet the required levels of academic achievement and professional experience... read more

Internet Governance Forum - Multi-stakeholder Approach to ICT Policy

Last week, the annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) week – Kenya edition came to a close at a Nairobi Hotel. Hosted by the Kenya ICT Action Network and now in its twelfth edition, the IGF week presents the best platform for ICT policy dialogues. 

Fashioned along the annual Global Internet Governance Forum, it aims to bring together different stakeholders with different perspectives to discuss contemporary policy matters that the ever-evolving ICT technologies present. 

The unique proposition that the IGF...   read more

Why we need a new approach towards taxation of data and ICT services in Africa

As leaders and players in the telecommunications industry converge in Kigali for GSMA’s Mobile360 Africa conference this week, it’s time to reflect on the impact of taxation on African consumers and advocate for policy makers to take an approach that considers multiple views and insights and that is grounded in evidence to address this issue. 

It is critical that the conversations in Kigali bring together a multitude of voices from the industry. If we are talking about the future of taxation in a digital world, we must engage those beyond...  read more

NCC Sanctions Telecom Operators Airtel and 9mobile for Violating its Regulations on Quality of Service

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued Airtel Nigeria a fine of N127 million for violating established laws in its operational practices. The regulatory body also sanctioned 9mobile for a similar offense. 

Fails to Raise Minimum Number of Shareholders for Listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange Airtel Nigeria Airtel is said to have acted outside of provisions of Quality of Service (QoS) Regulations 2013 and Enforcement Processes Regulations 2005 guaranteed by the NCC. This law states that telecommunications companies do not ... read more

Google unveils new offerings for Africa

Company also pledges additional US$4-million towards youth empowerment, agriculture and gender equality at Google for Nigeria event.

Google used its Google for Nigeria event to showcase a series of new products and tools designed to help consumers in Africa, as well as pledge an additional US$4-million towards youth development.

The company unveiled a dedicated travel mode in Google Maps to provide directions and navigation for motorcycles in Nigeria. This will be made available in Benin Republic, Ghana...  read more

Paratus Namibia Raises Capital Through Rights Issue

Pan-African network connectivity company Paratus Namibia has raised N$50-million to continue with its aggressive infrastructure rollout in Namibia. 

According to a statement issued by the company, as part of a rights issue transaction, Nimbus Infrastructure Limited has subscribed for 24 398 ordinary shares to be issued from the authorised shares of Paratus Namibia. 

The aggregate amount to be raised by Paratus Namibia in terms of the rights issue will be contributed as share capital in Paratus Namibia by ...  read more

Industry Body IITPSA Names New President

ICT industry body, the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA), has named new office bearers for the 2019/20 financial year.

The new leadership team was announced yesterday at the organisation’s annual general meeting, with Thabo Mashegoane elected as president and board chairperson, while Admire Gwanzura was named vice-president. 

Prior, Mashegoane was the institute’s vice-president. Karel Matthee was re-elected to take up. ..   read more

Angola Cables launches cloud service for Africa

Following the recent inauguration of its Tier III AngoNAP datacentre facility in Fortaleza, Brazil, Angola Cables has launched a single platform 'Cloud as a Service to the Africa market.

The service is expected to meet a strong demand from companies operating across Africa "who are looking to innovate and accelerate their digital capabilities, without having to incur additional software licensing and other operating costs." 

Angola Cables asserts that 'Cloud as a Service' improves business efficiencies...  read more

The chief executive officer of telecoms company Africell Ziad Dalloul has confirmed the company's plans to expand operations to Angola and Zimbabwe. 

The telco currently operates in DRC, Gambia, Sierra Leone and Uganda, and has set aside US$300-million for expansion in Africa. The strategy is to consider markets where it can make a difference, according to Dalloul.

It is pursuing Angola's fourth telecoms license, once again made available after the North African country's government decided to nullify the... read more

Zambian lawmakers have passed a motion in parliament that prevents ISPs from prescribing expiry dates on internet bundles purchased by customers. 

Lawmakers said enforcing expiry dates amounts to stealing from subscribers because expired bundles benefit service providers rather than end users. 

They added that Zambians are dependent on internet connectivity and this service must be rolled out to every customer, regardless of any time period attached to a specific bundle. ..  read more

Kenya's Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications Joseph Mucheru has described Chinese multinational ICT and telecommunications firm Huawei as a scapegoat in the US-China trade war, which he said has more political than technological overtones.

"Our policies are not dictated by US policies in technology. We choose what is best for us. We will not be tied to what other people say, but we will make sure our citizens get their monies'  worth," said Mucheru. 

Adam Lane, Huawei's chief public affairs...   read more

Emmanuel Adou, a palm farmer, observes engineers preparing a drone on his farm in Sikensi, 80 km from Abidjan, the Ivorian economic capital. Emmanuel is one of the growing number of farmers who are turning to Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology to boost agricultural production. 

For him, the days of grueling work in his plantation are over, since he sought the help of the Investiv group, an Ivorian company specializing in precision agriculture. 

“In the past, we had to physically irrigate ...   read more

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) may, from next year, ask banks to charge customers five per cent Value Added Tax for online purchases when using bank cards, its Chairman, Tunde Fowler, has said.

Mr Fowler, who gave the hint in an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES in his office in Abuja, also said the federal government was yet to take a decision on whether to increase VAT or not. 

Online purchases are increasingly becoming popular among Nigerians with online stores such...   read more

Event Genius has announced a new cashless payment deal with Afro Nation, for the festival’s first African outing in Ghana this December.

Afro Nation Ghana will welcome 15,000 partygoers to Laboma Beach for a weekend of afro beats, hip hop, RnB, dancehall and bashment. The event will make use of Event Genius Pay.

As the Ghanaian government seeks to hit their goal of a cashless society by 2030, the deal is a timely reminder of Ghana’s willingness to use new and innovative technologies to promote ... read more

Pan-African connectivity provider, BringCom, in partnership with science and technology investor, Imprimatur Capital, and European edge cloud software company, GIG Technology, have together introduced afriQloud to provide the African technology industry with cloud sovereignty.

afriQloud has been launched in Ugunda and will provide local and international customers with "an innovative and secure distributed edge cloud service." 

Hans van Linschoten, founding partner...   read more

Mozambique's communications industry regulator, Instituto Nacional das Communicações de Moçambique (ARECOM) has given the country's three mobile phone operators ten days to address the issue of unregistered SIM cards or face sanctions. 

The regulator has accused Movitel, mCel and Vodacom of violating government regulation pertaining to SIM card registration, introduced in 2015. 

Edmundo Manhica, spokesperson of the National Communications Institute of Mozambique... read more

Former CEO Michael Joseph has been appointed as the interim CEO of Safaricom PLC with immediate effect, following the death of Bob Collymore. 

The board of Kenya's largest telecoms operator has decided that Joseph will steer the company temporarily until they can appoint a CEO on a permanent basis. 

The statement from the board says: "Following the passing on of the Company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Robert (Bob) William...   read more

Company's London and Nigeria listing aimed at raising US$750-million to solidify company's market position.

Telecoms giant Airtel Africa has listed shares of its Nigerian subsidiary on the local bourse, confirmed by Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). The listing is Nigeria's third largest after the Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) of Dangote Cement and MTN Nigeria. 

Airtel Africa said the listing will enable it to raise funds to finance strategic operations and further reduce its debt...  read more

You may have seen our previous stories regarding technology development in Sheba Valley, Ethiopia which serves as homes for various startups and tech firms in Africa—just like San Fransisco’s Silicon Valley. Now, Ethopia itself sets its goal on becoming Africa’s next startup hub. This idea could theoretically motivate other regions in arranging a friendly competition between each other, all to strengthen Africa’s tech scene in general. Furthermore, In becoming the pioneer for the other countries, government policies are revised and entrepreneurs and innovators alike are assembled ...  read more

The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared its determination to provide a lifelong unique identification for every individual physically residing in Nigeria and Nigerians in the Diaspora within the next five years.

Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Aliyu Aziz, made the declaration recently while speaking at the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Identity for Africa (ID4Africa) Movement in Johannesburg, South Africa. Addressing the over 1,500 delegates at the world’s largest identity for the development...   read more

African Achievers Awards a Global Pan-African event that recognizes individuals and firms for their contribution to development on the continent has named VoguePay the 2019 African Online Payment Platform of the Year. 

VoguePay has made big contributions to the growth of the Fintech industry in Africa since it opened for business. It was set up with the aim of making online and cross-currency payments safer for businesses, traders and consumers. In less than a decade, 

VoguePay has grown into an online...   read more

South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, backed Chinese technology giant, Huawei, on Friday at the first South African Digital Economy Summit in Johannesburg, where he outlined his government’s strategy to unlock economic opportunities in the digital era. 

During his speech, the President turned his attention to multilateral relations, which he said should also reflect an enabling posture for the global digital economy. Ramaphosa said the US action against Huawei was an example of protectionism which would affect South Africa’s telecommunications...   read more

According to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, banks in the Southern African country - that remain embroiled in a dispute with traditional payment services provider Paynet - have developed their own electronic payments platform and this is expected to go live by the end of July 2019.

In the interim, banks are using internet payments and mobile money to ensure payments. 

The latest development is because of an ongoing dispute between banks (including regional divisions of global banks like Nedbank, Ecobank ... read more

The Egyptian Financial Regulatory Authority has approved global telecom group VEON's tender offer to purchase the 42.3% stake it did not previously own in the country's Global Telecom Holdings, after settlement of its tax liabilities and putting it on course to delist the company from the Egyptian Stock Exchange. 

The approval follows the settlement of outstanding tax liabilities for the tax years 2000 through 2018 by Global Telecom Holdings, which operates Djezzy mobile network in Algeria ...  read more

Top advertising spenders as well as high numbers of advertising billboards within Kenya’s media landscape have been revealed.

In a report by TIFA research launched on July 10, Kenya’s advertising top dogs are now known. 

The research looked at advertising trends within radio, TV and print media while also assessing the spending within digital platforms. “

Advertising expenditure remains the primary source of revenue for the media,” TIFA said ...  read more