Airtel Africa, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, with a presence in 14 countries across Africa, has announced the intention to undertake an initial public offering of its local business, Airtel Malawi plc. Airtel Malawi plc intends to apply for admission of its ordinary shares to trading on the main market of Malawi Stock Exchange. The indicative price range in respect of the Offer, as well as the exact number of Shares to be sold in the Offer, will be determined in due course. The Subsidiary will…
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New Increased access pushes for mobile Network Signals penetration
Increased access to mobile network signals and exciting product offers by operators continue to drive consumers to own more than one SIM card to take advantage of the diverse services, a report by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) shows. The Sector Statistics Report covering July-September 2019 shows mobile subscriptions are on the upward trajectory standing at 53.2 million, and in effect, pushing the mobile penetration in the country to 11.2 per cent. In the recent years, the Authority has also continued to put in place interventions to enhance access…
Read MorePaxful and Binance new partnership to provide financial inclusion
Binance has announced a partnership deal with Paxful, to provide financial inclusion around the globe. Starting immediately, Paxful- a peer-to-peer bitcoin (BTC) marketplace and web-based Virtual Bitcoin Kiosk – will be integrated and directly available on the Binance platform for new and existing Binance users. Binance is a leading global cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and users. “Paxful is proud to be partnering with Binance in our joint efforts to bring bitcoin to the masses,” said Ray Youssef, CEO and co-founder of Paxful. “They share our passion and vision for the…
Read MoreAfrican Book Publishers encouraged to use new technology
Kenyan and African book publishers have been challenged to embrace technology to appeal to younger audiences and also reduce their reliance on paper. This, together with the use of recycled paper, would save the environment in the wake of depleted forest cover and also reduce the impact of climate change. “Africa has the youngest population,” said Jubilee Insurance Company of Kenya Chief Executive Julius Kipngetich, emphasizing that the geographical size and the demographic distribution of the continent’s population have set the stage for it to become a global leader considering…
Read MoreThe Internet and Mobile taking over the new delivery space
For the longest time, restaurants held takeaways as an afterthought. Well, not anymore. The food catering business has gone past the takeout era and has evolved so much that delivery has become the hot trend in Kenya. The great digital revolution, burgeoning e-commerce and the convenience of mobile money which allows buyers to pay for their deliveries right off their phones, has spurred a whole new industry that is today the food delivery market. And Kenyans, enticed by the convenience of ordering online from their favorite local restaurants and having…
Read MoreNew tax on Digital Markets under new law
Kenya will start levying new tax on digital markets under a new law signed by the President early in November. The Finance Act seeks to broaden the Income Tax Act net to include income accruing through a digital market place. The law defines the digital marketplace as “a platform that enables direct interactions between buyers and sellers of goods and services through electronic means.” In addition, a similar change has been made to the VAT Act making digital market services subject to value-added tax. It’s not clear yet who will be affected or how the…
Read MoreSpotify new feature encourages listening of Podcasts
Early this year, Spotify acquired Gimlet Media, a podcast network and producer which hosts shows like Startup, Homecoming, Mogul, The Pitch, Reply All, The Cut, Science VS and Anchor which was a DIY podcasting startup that provides a set of tools that make it super easy for anyone(beginner and Pro) to create and monetize their own podcasts and for free for reportedly $300 million. Spotify also acquired Parcast, a producer for crime, mystery and sci-fi podcasts for $100m. The audio streaming giant also partnered with BBC Studios and P&G to create more podcasts.…
Read MoreFacebook to equip locals with new journalistic skills
Internet giant, Facebook is partnering with Kenya’s Aga Khan University (AKU) to equip locals with digital journalistic skills to tell their Kenyan stories. The six months ‘Video Journalism Fellowship’ to be hosted at the AKU’s AKU’s Graduate School of Media and Communications(GSMC),Nairobi with beneficiaries attached to local media houses to sharpen their reporting skills. Speaking at the launch event, GSMC Interim dean Alex Awiti said the AKU-Facebook partnership redefines citizen journalism where Kenyans will tell real-life stories using their smartphones to capture video content. “Mobile journalism is a growing form…
Read MoreDrivers and travelers connected via new app
After completing their university studies in computer science, classmates Ngugi Waithima and Denis Kiprono looked for jobs in vain. In June, the two former students of computer science at Mount Kenya University met in a Nairobi office in a job-hunting mission. Later over a cup of tea, they discussed their challenges in search of non-existent jobs. Their talk shifted to escalating traffic jams in Nairobi and the problems people face when travelling over the festive season. It’s from their traffic discussion that they hit some sort of Eureka moment. They…
Read MoreNew: Uber to sell its services to local Indian business
Uber is in advanced stages of talks to sell its food delivery service UberEats’ India business to local rival Zomato, as the American ride-hailing giant looks to cut its spending globally, three people familiar with the matter told TechCrunch. The deal currently values UberEats’ India business at around $400 million, one of the sources said. As part of the deal, Uber may invest between $150 to $200 million in Zomato and get a sizable stake in the 11-year-old Indian firm, people said. A spokesperson for Uber declined to comment on Saturday.…
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