East Africa
Vodacom Tanzania and Mdundo Partner to Launch New Premium Music Bundle
From left: DJ Bike, Nguvu Kamando (Head of VAS, Vodacom), DJ Feruuh, Martin Nielsen, DJ Summer, Prisna Nichaulous (Music Manager, Mdundo), Michael Okeje (Head of Growth, Mdundo). Image sourced from TechCabal. Vodacom Tanzania has announced a new partnership with African music distributing and streaming service Mdundo. Together the companies are launching a new music bundle for the telecom’s subscribers. As reported by TechCabal, this new bundle will give Vodacom Tanzania subscribers access to Mdundo’s premium service as well as a bevy of curated mixes from some of Tanzania’s top DJs. “Instead of struggling and moving from one platform to another, we as a digital valuing company, saw the importance of creating one bundle which will include all music genres, that’s why we also decided to par...
9 out of 10 Kenyan SMEs Use M-Pesa for Payments, via New Survey
Image sourced from WeeTracker /* custom css */ .tdi_4_9b7.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_9b7.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } A new survey conducted by Amethyst Consultants on SME perceptions of banking products in Kenya showed that up to 95% of SMEs (9 out of 10 companies) in the country use M-Pesa, Vodafone’s mobile money service, according to Business Daily Africa. The survey, commissioned by SNDBX, took place between the months of March and April 2021 and included 131 small to medium enterprises (SMEs) across 17 “key sectors”. “The survey highlighted that SMEs continue to be resilient through the pandemic season and a third [of SMEs] are looking forward to a better future in 2021,” says Amethyst Consultants Founding Director, Sharon Mbugua. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_7f1.t...
Safaricom Introduces New Video Streaming Platform
Image sourced from Techweez Safaricom has launched Baze – its new video streaming platform – in Kenya. This subscription-based mobile-first service is expected to offer a wide selection of local and regional short-form videos in entertainment, music, news and sports. The telco says it is placing the entertainment Kenyans want at their fingertips while providing local content creators with an additional platform to share their stories and monetize their content. “The new service will offer customers a wide variety of video content and provide content creators an additional platform to monetize their content. We are looking to get the best forms of monetisation for creators and to give users a worry free experience when using the platform” says Kenyan business person, Sylvia Mulinge. “As we ...
Safaricom Subscribers to Receive Free Data For 90 Days
Image sourced from Techweez Safaricom Kenya has launched a campaign where subscribers can get free data every day for 90 days depending on their data usage profiles. According to Gadgets Africa, this offer is “aimed at empowering more customers to take their offline passions online as part of the country’s digital transformation agenda”. Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom, says “smartphones and the internet have become critical in our day to day lives, empowering us in different ways by connecting us to more opportunities. The 90-day free data campaign seeks to ensure that no customer is left behind by ensuring that all our customers can now access the internet, even at no cost”. Subscribers can redeem free daily data by dialling *544#. Safaricom to Pay $850 Million for Ethiopian Operatin...
Huawei to Launch FreeBuds 4i in Kenya
/* custom css */ .tdi_4_aef.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_aef.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Huawei’s latest addition to the FreeBuds series, the FreeBuds 4i, is set to launch in Kenya. The all-new True Wireless Stereo Bluetooth earphones offer users high-quality sound with long-lasting battery life, active noise cancellation and intuitive controls. With the help of customized internal components such as its 10mm dynamic, the Huawei FreeBuds 4i is capable of providing users with high-quality audio with balanced sound across various frequency ranges. Audio output is tuned professionally and the wind noise reduction structure ensures crystal clear audio at all times, even in noisy environments. The earphones also offer users 10 hours of battery life on a single charge with...
Kenyans Can Now Use Telkom T-kash to Pay for eCitizen Services
Telkom’s T-kash, the telco’s Kenyan-based mobile money platform, has been fully integrated into the governments’ digital services platform, Citizen. According to Gadgets Africa, this partnership will “enable T-kash customers to pay for National and County Government Services that are able to be found on the portal”. The list of services users will be able to pay for are those offered by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA); Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Business Registration Service and Immigration Services. The list also includes services under the Civil Registration Department, Office of the Attorney General, Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), National Construction Authority, Kenya Film Commission, National Environment Manageme...
Mondia Pay and M-Pesa Expand FinTech Footprint in Tanzania
/* custom css */ .tdi_4_713.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_713.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Mondia Pay and M-Pesa have partnered to allow Tanzanians to access Mondia’s suite of online content on the Vodacom Tanzania PLC digital services network. This means 7 Million Vodacom Tanzania customers can now make use of their airtime balances via SMS and USSD to subscribe to Mondia digital services including PlayInc., MyMuze, Vodacom Premier league, as well as many other news and entertainment services. With the addition of the Mondia Pay and M-Pesa payment option, users now have a safe, secure and convenient payment method connecting them to content, from sports and movies to music and games. The partnership shows the growth potential for innovative fintech and content collabo...
Safaricom to Pay $850 Million for Ethiopian Operating Licence
Image sourced from Techweez Safaricom, alongside parent company Vodafone, has been awarded one operating licence by Ethiopia’s telecommunications regulator. The telco is expected to pay $850 million for the licence. In a tweet, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed says “The Council of Ministers has unanimously made a historic decision today allowing Ethiopian Communications Authority to grant a new nationwide telecom license to the Global Partnership for Ethiopia which offered the highest licensing fee and a very solid investment case.” According to Reuters, the consortium – led by Safaricom – plans to invest up to $8.5 billion in infrastructure as well as create up to one and a half million jobs. Ahmed adds, “with over $8 billion total investment, this will be the single largest FDI into Ethiop...
Airtel Kenya Joins forces with MyDawa to Provide Fast Access To Medicine
Sourced from Comms MEA Airtel Kenya has partnered with ePharmacy platform, MyDawa, so that subscribers can have easy and fast access to their medication. According to Gadgets Africa, Airtel subscribers will be able to log on to the MyDawa app or website without incurring additional data charges. They will also be able to use Airtel Money to pay for medicine, health, wellness, personal care and other essential items. “This is a great partnership that will increase the access to healthcare products in Kenya. We are happy to partner with Airtel, one of the top telecommunications service providers in the country, to ensure that their subscribers are able to access quality medical products in a convenient and affordable way,” says Tony Wood, MD of MyDawa. “Free access to MyDawa’s services with ...
Flutterwave Partners with Amole to Expand Remittances in Ethiopia
Image sourced from Techpoint Africa /* custom css */ .tdi_3_e04.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_e04.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Flutterwave has partnered with Amole to facilitate money transfers into Ethiopia. Through this agreement, Amole Wallet users will be able to send money to bank accounts and cash pickup locations at over 2,500 locations across the country. This news comes at a time when many remittance services in Ethiopia today are seen as too expensive, with manual paperwork and delays making it challenging and time-consuming. The partnership is expected to solve these problems by providing instant delivery of funds to the receiver at no fee, with more control of where and how to send money, including transparency from a regulatory standpoint. Speaking on...
Liquid Telecom Launches New Identity in Kenya
Liquid Telecom has unveiled its new identity as Liquid Intelligent Technologies in Kenya. As part of the rebrand, the pan-African technology group also revealed its plan to go from being a telecommunications and digital services provider to a full one-stop-shop technology. Over the last two decades, Liquid has established itself as a leading pan-African digital infrastructure provider with an extensive network spanning over 73,000 KM. This rebrand to Liquid Intelligent Technologies highlights the organisation’s expansion of its Cloud business, Cyber Security services, and other technologies added to its existing telecoms and connectivity capability. This also furthers the Group’s aim of accelerating growth by providing tailor-made digital solutions to businesses in the public and private s...
