🚕 Bolt partners Advancly to give loans to drivers |📱Orange and Vodacom eye collabo

Today’s Menu ☕️

🚕 Bolt and Advancly collaborate to offer financial loans to drivers in Nigeria
🕵🏾 Nigeria Empowers Data Privacy; NDPC Licenses First National Certification Body 
📱Orange and Vodacom in Talks for Strategic Partnership to Transform African Connectivity
🏢 Republic of the Congo Invests $72.8 Million to Establish Central Africa’s Premier Fibre-Optic Data Centre
🛒 E-commerce firm Copia to cut 1,060 jobs on funding hitch
🤖 Unitree has unveiled initial details about its G1 Humanoid Agent, a $16,000 robotic assistant.

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🕵🏾 DATA PRIVACY

Bolt and Advancly collaborate to offer financial loans to drivers in Nigeria

Bolt Nigeria, a prominent ride-hailing service, has recently embarked on a collaborative venture with Advancly, a fintech firm specializing in credit solutions, to offer short-term financial loans to its drivers. This strategic partnership is designed to address the immediate financial requirements of drivers by enabling them to access their earnings in advance, which both entities anticipate will lead to enhanced driver productivity.

The pilot phase of this financial initiative is set to roll out among Bolt drivers operating in the key Nigerian cities of Lagos and Abuja. Lolia Kienka, who holds the position of country manager for Advancly in Nigeria, elaborated on the objectives of the collaboration, emphasizing the goal to deliver tailored financial services to individuals engaged in the gig economy......continue reading

🕵🏾 DATA PRIVACY

Nigeria Empowers Data Privacy; NDPC Licenses First National Certification Body

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has officially granted a license to the Institute of Information Management (IIM) to conduct examinations and certify data protection professionals within the country. This decision aims to cultivate a robust domestic talent pool of certified data protection officers, addressing the growing demand for expertise in this critical field.

By establishing a nationally recognised certification program, the NDPC seeks to reduce reliance on foreign certifications, which have historically been expensive and inaccessible to many Nigerian professionals. This initiative is projected to create over 500,000 new jobs in the data protection sector, bolstering local capacity and contributing to economic growth.

The NDPC’s move aligns with the increasing global emphasis on data privacy and protection. With a national certification program in place, data protection professionals will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to navigate Nigeria’s specific regulatory landscape, ensuring compliance with data protection laws and safeguarding individuals’ privacy rights.....continue reading

📱TELECOMS

Orange and Vodacom in Talks for Strategic Partnership to Transform African Connectivity

Leading telecommunications companies Orange and Vodacom are reportedly engaged in discussions to form a strategic partnership in Africa, aimed at reducing costs and expanding network coverage across the continent. This potential collaboration could revolutionise the African telecommunications landscape, bringing enhanced connectivity and digital services to millions.

Sources reveal that the two companies are exploring agreements to share infrastructure and jointly build connectivity in overlapping markets, including Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo. By pooling resources and expertise, Orange and Vodacom aim to alleviate the financial burden of network rollouts, particularly in rural areas where capital returns are typically lower. This could significantly accelerate the expansion of mobile networks and bridge the digital divide in underserved regions....……continue reading

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🏢 INFRASTRUCTURE

Republic of the Congo Invests $72.8 Million to Establish Central Africa’s Premier Fibre-Optic Data Centre

Recent developments reveal that the Republic of the Congo has embarked on an ambitious project to construct a state-of-the-art three-storey data centre in the Bacongo district, located in the capital city of Brazzaville. This facility is intended to serve as the national data centre, with the capacity to securely store and process the nation’s digital information, which is crucial for the advancement of the Central African country’s digital infrastructure.

The project’s scope includes the installation of a substantial 600-kilometre-long fibre optic network, which will significantly enhance connectivity. This network will extend along key routes, connecting the Republic of the Congo with neighboring countries Cameroon, covering a distance of 341 kilometres, and the Central African Republic, spanning 281 kilometres, by traversing the Congo River...……continue reading

📺 STREAMING

BritBox to Cease Operations in South Africa, Citing Strategic Shift

In a surprising turn of events, BritBox, the UK-centric streaming service, is set to bid farewell to South Africa after a relatively short three-year stint. This unexpected exit, confirmed by the company to multiple sources including MyBroadband and TechCentral, marks the end of an era for local Anglophiles who have enjoyed a steady stream of British content since the platform’s launch in August 2021.

BritBox, a joint venture between BBC Studios and ITV, cited the decision as a strategic move to “refocus on more established markets and areas of the business with higher growth opportunities.” This explanation suggests that while the South African market showed initial promise, with CEO Reemah Sakaan previously labeling South African viewers as the most “rabid” in terms of content consumption, the platform may have struggled to maintain sustainable growth and meet internal performance benchmarks..……continue reading

🤖 ROBOTS

Would you buy this $16,000 robotic helper from Unitree?

Unitree has unveiled initial details about its G1 Humanoid Agent, a $16,000 robotic assistant. This robot features 3D LiDAR sensors, a depth camera, three-fingered grippers, and a 9,000-mAh battery pack. Remarkably, it can recover from harsh kicks and punches, as demonstrated in the accompanying video. Weighing approximately 35 kg, the G1 can be folded down to compact dimensions of 690x450x300 mm for easy transportation.

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OTHER STORIES

• OpenseedVC, which backs operators in Africa and Europe starting their companies, reaches first close of $10 million fund.…..read more

• CBN withdraws circular on cybersecurity levy. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has withdrawn its circular mandating banks and payment service providers to collect and remit the cybersecurity levy as proposed in the Cybercrime Prevention and Prohibition Amendment Act of 2024..…..read more

• E-commerce firm Copia to cut 1,060 jobs on funding hitch. Kenyan e-commerce company has warned that it might have to let go of 1,060 people due to lack of capital to continue with its operations……read more

• Egypt-based Cash for Microfinance, a subsidiary of Beltone Holding, has partnered with Microfinanza Italia to launch a $2.4 million project for the economic support and empowerment of Egyptian entrepreneurs….read more