From Lagos to Nairobi

KAFD (King Abdullah Financial District) and Huawei have launched Saudi Arabia’s first Smart WiFi-7 network, marking a major step for Riyadh’s smart city ambitions. The next-generation network will provide faster and more reliable connectivity for residents, visitors, and businesses alike. This enhanced infrastructure will enable seamless smart services, allowing for personalized experiences tailored to individual…

Google for Startups Accelerator Africa is now accepting applications for its 2025 cohort. The three-month hybrid program is aimed at supporting Seed to Series A tech startups across Africa that are using artificial intelligence to address systemic challenges on the continent. Selected startups will receive equity-free support, up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits, mentorship…

Twelve Nigerian states—including Zamfara, Katsina, Anambra, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Bauchi, Adamawa, Kaduna, Ekiti, Imo, Plateau, and Niger—have zeroed out Right‑of‑Way (RoW) fees to lure telecom investment. Yet despite this incentive, fibre rollout remains concentrated in Lagos, Edo, FCT, and Ogun—states that still charge fees but boast stronger demand, clearer policies, and denser urban markets. Industry leaders…

Safaricom has quietly ramped up its 5G rollout into underserved parts of Kenya, deploying new sites and slashing the price of plug‑and‑play 5G routers from KES 25,000 to just KES 3,000. Bundled with flexible M‑PESA payment plans and data packages (starting at KES 4,000 for 50 Mbps), the move targets fibre‑dark zones and price‑sensitive customers who’ve been lured by…

South African startup Zimi has secured $320,000 (R6 million) in grant funding from EEP Africa to test its Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology, a system that allows electric vehicles (EVs) to send power back to homes, businesses, or the grid during outages. With load shedding still a major issue in South Africa, Zimi’s innovation could turn idle…

In a move set to reshape its financial sector, Kenya’s Central Bank (CBK) will lift its nine-year freeze on licensing new commercial banks by July 1, 2025. The moratorium, first imposed in 2015, allowed regulators to strengthen governance, risk management, and the country’s regulatory framework. Now, with stricter capital requirements, including a Ksh.10 billion minimum…