Technology

Safaricom
Technology
James Wambua

Safaricom’s impact on Kenya’s economy up 7.4 percent to Sh909Bn

Telco giant Safaricom’s contribution to the Kenyan economy in the fiscal year 2023 increased by 7.4 percent to Kes909.5 billion, the company’s Sustainable Business Report shows. The amount, which is roughly 15 times the Kes62.3 billion financial profit reported by the telco in the year under review is attributable to the value created for customers, agents and merchants, especially through the flagship cash transfer system, M-PESA, which soared by 17 percent compared with FY22. Impact through M-PESA According to the report titled ‘Pathway to a Purpose-Led Technology Company,’ in FY23, M-PESA generated societal value amounting to Kes325 billion, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 17.66 percent.

Read More
Technology
Otiato Guguyu

Bongo live ‘Beem’s into Kenya to declutter business socials

When Taha Jiwaji first stepped into his father’s computer retail shop in bustling Dar es Salaam city, the old man did not imagine over a decade later he would be in Nairobi watching his son bring into Kenya a tech solution that helps businesses declutter social media platforms. Last week, Taha’s father, Mr Mustafa Jiwaji, sat beaming with pride at the back of a conference room in Nairobi’s Radison Blu Hotel. He watched as his son eloquently explained this sophisticated concept to potential customers and the media. For Mustafa, it must have felt like a surreal trip down memory lane. Back in the day, when

Read More
EAC & The HornTechnology
Newsroom

Addressing tech-driven injustices in Africa

The Mozilla Festival House in Kenya has become a vital platform for diverse communities to come together and engage in discussions, debates, and connections surrounding some of the most critical issues impacting the region. A central focus of these dialogues has been the role of technology in perpetuating social injustices across Africa. At the inaugural Mozilla Festival House in Kenya, the event saw participants share ideas on practical solutions to pressing concerns, notably the concept of digital extractivism. Global content moderation unions Attendees explored ideas such as the establishment of global content moderation unions. They also advocated for fair and equitable wages in the tech

Read More
NewsTechnology
Dredan Njau, Maryline Josephine and Kaunga Junior

Mobile revolution: From iPhone 1 to iPhone 15 and beyond

Last week, the tech world was buzzing with excitement as Apple unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the iPhone 15. This milestone marks the 38th iteration in Apple’s iconic iPhone lineup, a journey that began just over a decade ago. However, the roots of the mobile revolution stretch back much further, starting as early as 1973 with the invention of the first cell phone. Here, we take a deep dive, tracing the evolution of mobile technology, from its humble beginnings to the cutting-edge features of the iPhone 15. Birth of the mobile revolution The seeds of the mobile revolution were sown in 1973 when the world…

Read More
NewsTechnology
James Wambua

Ruto woos US investors with Kenya’s talented workforce

In a move to strengthen Kenya’s position as the regional business hub, President William Ruto is betting big on a talented workforce as well as tax reforms to attract high-quality investments into the country. The move is part of the President’s strategies to shore up US investments in Kenya with a view to create job opportunities for millions of unemployed Kenyans. Data shows that increasing exports of garments have seen the US surpass Uganda as the top export market of Kenyan goods, marking the end of Kampala’s reign as Kenya’s leading buyer of goods made in Kenya. According to official figures, exports to the US…

Read More
NewsTechnology
Newsroom

Kenyan hate speech chatbot gets global recognition

Build Up, a Kenyan tech start-up that works to fight online hate speech led by Caleb Gichuhi has been nominated for the 2023 Global Pluralism Award. Build Up emerged at the top ten from among 200 applications across 60 countries for its unique approach to addressing hate speech and polarization. Build Up partners with peacebuilding organizations around the world to design and implement technology-based solutions to conflict. Among its creations are a chatbot that fights online misinformation. It has helped deliver voter education via WhatsApp bot to remote communities.  Mr Gichuhi, being from Kenya, has worked with different peace actors across Africa to respond to…

Read More
Liquid Intelligent Technologies
NewsTechnology
James Wambua

Liquid adds Kenya-Ethiopia, Zambia-Malawi fibre links

Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies, has unveiled two new fully redundant terrestrial fibre connectivity routes. These routes, connecting Kenya to Ethiopia and Zambia to Malawi, will see the firm enhance regional connectivity while empowering businesses in these nations. The 1000 km fibre link between Kenya and Ethiopia is poised to revolutionize digital connectivity in the region. Ethiopian businesses will now have direct access to data centers and cloud services in Nairobi, Kenya. This connection is bolstered by a 711 km link between Zambia and Malawi, providing a reliable pathway to content caches and data centers in South Africa. Adil El Youssefi, CEO,…

Read More
Technology
James Wambua

Online scams a rising threat to finances and emotions

Gone are the days of poorly written phishing emails riddled with spelling errors; today’s cyber threats are sophisticated and convincing. The proliferation of online scams has reached alarming levels in Kenya and across Africa, with nearly half of the 800 survey participants falling victim to deceitful schemes, resulting in significant financial losses and emotional distress. According to KnowBe4 2023 Online Scams and Victims in Africa Report, a survey conducted across Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt, Mauritius, and Botswana, financial scams affected nearly half of the respondents. The report says that 53 percent of the victims believed the fraudulent offers were legitimate primarily because

Read More
Sama
TechnologyWomen in Business
Newsroom

Sama to train 2,000 youth and women for global AI projects

At least 2000 youth and women are set to get Artificial Intelligence skills from outsourcing giant Sama as the company aims to transform Kenya into a global AI powerhouse, aligning with government initiatives and unlocking opportunities for underserved communities. Sama says it will hire and train young individuals for computer vision projects catering to Fortune 500 companies. The initial wave of 600 participants in Nairobi has already been hired and is currently undergoing training. The remaining 1,500 individuals are slated to join in the coming weeks, forming part of Sama’s dynamic team of over 3,000 staff in Nairobi dedicated to computer vision AI projects for

Read More
NewsTechnology
James Wambua

Twiga Foods: We are not shutting down

Recent reports of workers’ layoffs have led to perceptions of struggle, even a looming shutdown of Twiga Foods, a business-to-business e-commerce company that seeks to revolutionize supply chains. Twiga Foods CEO and founder Peter Njonjo maintains that the company is on course, reshaping the way retailers access quality goods and services in Kenya while optimizing end-to-end supply chain solutions tailored to Africa’s unique challenges and opportunities. Partly backed by the World Bank’s private venture unit International Finance Corporation (IFC), Twiga Foods was largely dependent on venture capital, a financing stream that has significantly dipped by 40 percent across Africa in the six months to June…

Read More