How To Spot Romance Scam Bots, According To An Expert
AI companionship platforms are booming, but McAfee research shows a dark side: more than one in four users have encountered AI chatbots posing as real people, and romance scams average $1,985 per victim. Fraudsters create convincing AI personalities that build emotional bonds before demanding money, with 52% of respondents reporting pressure to send funds. Expert Sam Mann of Flirtcam.ai outlines five red flags, from off‑platform moves to guilt‑tripping, that help users spot fake bots. Legitimate services emphasize transparency, secure payments, and clear disclosures.
“Africa Is the Next Industrial Growth Frontier” — AVEVA’s Jesus Hernandez on AI, Data, and Digital Transformation
AVEVA is positioning Africa as the next frontier for industrial growth, emphasizing the continent’s massive energy‑access gap and the need for digital infrastructure. Senior Vice President Jesus Hernandez highlighted AVEVA’s CONNECT cloud platform, which can be deployed in days to...
UNPACKING THE CHALLENGES FACING SOUTH AFRICA’S HEALTHCARE REFORM
South Africa’s post‑apartheid health system has shifted toward greater inclusivity, but stark gaps between public and private care persist. The National Health Insurance scheme, touted as a path to universal coverage, faces a Constitutional Court decision slated for May 2026, prompting...
Gebeya and VukaOS Forge Strategic Alliance to Redefine African Startup Creation
Gebeya Inc. and PROFF‑IT’s VukaOS announced a strategic alliance that embeds VukaOS’s AI‑driven ideation and go‑to‑market engine into Dala Studio, Africa’s all‑in‑one creator platform. The integration creates a seamless “Plan‑to‑Build” workflow where entrepreneurs validate ideas, craft strategies, and then generate...
Mojaloop Foundation Appoints New CEO
The Mojaloop Foundation announced Jean Bosco Lyacu as its new chief executive officer, effective June 1 2026, succeeding retiring executive Paula Hunter. Lyacu, based in Kigali, brings over 15 years of experience in inclusive finance, digital public infrastructure, and market‑system development. He will focus on...
Why Your Password May Not Be Good Enough No Matter How Long and Complex It Is
World Password Day highlights that even long, complex passwords can be compromised when reused across services. Brett Russell explains that breaches expose passwords, turning a single weak point into a cascade of compromised accounts. He urges users to check their...
SPAR Strengthens Leadership Capability
South Africa’s SPAR Group announced a senior leadership reshuffle to accelerate operational execution across its Southern African network. Jerome Jacobs was named Managing Director of Grocery and Liquor, John Bradshaw appointed Chief Marketing Officer, and Megan Pydigadu promoted to Group...
Ozow & Lula Partner to Expand Access to Business Funding for SMEs
Ozow has teamed up with South African fintech Lula to embed a digital funding channel directly into its merchant platform. The co‑branded interface lets eligible SMEs apply for loans that Lula assesses and disburses, while Ozow leverages its payments data...
Fraudsters May Target AI Mandates as Agentic Commerce Takes Off
AI‑driven agents are set to handle consumer transactions, a trend dubbed agentic commerce. McKinsey projects up to $1 trillion in U.S. B2C revenue by 2030, with a global market potential of $3‑5 trillion. Visa’s security unit observed a 450% surge in dark‑web...
The Rise of Mobile-First FinTech Solutions: Betting Apps Driving Digital Payments in Africa
Africa’s fintech boom is being propelled by mobile‑first betting apps that double as digital‑payment gateways, onboarding millions of previously unbanked users. The continent, responsible for about 74% of global mobile‑money volume, is on track for a $1.5 trillion digital payments economy...
Commercial Bank in East Africa to Integrate USDA Payments
Kenya’s cross‑border remittance flow hit a record $5 bn in 2024, outpacing tea and horticulture exports, yet settlement still takes four to five days via costly SWIFT corridors. Stablecoin usage surged, with $3.3 bn processed in the past year, highlighting demand for...
Admyt Launches SA’s First Card-Linked Parking Reward Benefit with Discovery Bank
South Africa’s admyt has partnered with Discovery Bank to launch the country’s first card‑linked parking reward, automatically crediting Discovery Miles each time a qualifying parking session is completed. Cardholders of Gold, Platinum, Black and Purple Suite tiers receive monthly refunds...
InDrive Introduces Cashless Payments in South Africa
inDrive has launched cashless card payments in South Africa, adding a digital option alongside cash and local methods such as PayShap. The feature, built on dLocal’s cross‑border payment platform, enables passengers to pay by card and automates driver payouts through...
5 Things You Must Check Before Buying a Data Plan for Your Next Trip
Travelers need more than cheap roaming; the article outlines five critical factors when selecting a data plan for overseas trips. It emphasizes checking coverage and network strength, comparing data limits and pricing, and ensuring plan flexibility. Additional services such as...
SAPVIA and City Power Forge Collaborative Path for Sustainable Solar Energy in Johannesburg
The South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) and Johannesburg’s City Power met on 16 February 2026 to tackle a growing backlog of Small‑Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) registrations dating from 2022‑2025. SAPVIA pushed for a fast‑track, digital‑first framework to clear legacy applications and...
How Is AI Rapidly Transforming the Insurance & Financial Services Sectors
Artificial intelligence is reshaping South Africa's insurance and financial services, accelerating claims handling, underwriting and customer interaction through chatbots, AI‑driven fraud screening and deep‑fake detection. Adoption remains uneven: banks have embraced AI at a 52% rate, while insurers lag at...
Philips Appoints New CEO for Middle East, Türkiye & Africa
Royal Philips announced Marc Zora as the new Chief Executive Officer for its Middle East, Türkiye and Africa (META) region, effective April 1, 2026. Zora, a 15‑year Philips veteran, has held senior roles including General Manager for Qatar, District Leader...
Tether Launches tether.wallet
Tether announced tether.wallet, a self‑custodial digital wallet that puts its USD₮, USA₮, XAU₮ and Bitcoin infrastructure directly in users’ hands. The wallet eliminates complex blockchain addresses by using human‑readable identifiers like name@tether.me and allows fees to be paid in the...
AVEVA to Spotlight Industrial Intelligence at AVEVA Day South Africa 2026
AVEVA will host AVEVA Day South Africa 2026 on April 22 at the Johannesburg Marriott, focusing on AI, Digital Twins and data‑driven operations to accelerate the continent’s industrial future. The one‑day event gathers senior executives, technology innovators and ecosystem partners...
Cross Switch Appoints Nondumiso Siboto as Head of Operations, South Africa
Cross Switch has appointed Nondumiso Siboto as Head of Operations for South Africa, reinforcing its push to scale a technology‑driven payments platform. Siboto brings extensive fintech and SaaS operational experience, having led customer‑success and large‑scale service delivery teams in high‑growth...
TCL Unveils 2026 Product Lineup for South Africa, Bringing Revolutionary SQD-Mini LED TV Technology to Local Consumers
TCL announced its 2026 South African lineup, introducing the first SQD‑Mini LED TVs—C7L and C8L—paired with Bang & Olufsen audio. The C7L launches at roughly $1,050 for the 65‑inch model, while the C8L 75‑inch starts around $1,580. The rollout also includes...
Nedbank & Mastercard in Landmark 10-Year Partnership
Nedbank and Mastercard have sealed a landmark 10‑year commercial agreement that expands their collaboration across six Southern African markets. The deal will migrate Nedbank’s entire card portfolio onto Mastercard’s network, unlocking faster, more secure digital payment experiences for retail, SME...
Sony Expands Gaming Gear Range
Sony announced an expansion of its INZONE gaming line, introducing the ultra‑light INZONE H6 Air headset, new Fnatic‑branded mouse and mousepads, and the Glass Purple edition of INZONE Buds. The H6 Air features an open‑back acoustic design, custom drivers, a...
Bayobab CEO Appointed to Global Leaders’ Forum (GLF) Board
MTN Digital Infrastructure announced that its Bayobab chief executive Mazen Mroué has been appointed to the board of the Global Leaders’ Forum, a network of senior connectivity leaders. The GLF focuses on inclusivity, innovation and responsible digital infrastructure worldwide. Mroué...
FNB Launches Digital Enablement Program to Accelerate SME Digital Transformation in SA
FNB has unveiled an 18‑month Digital Enablement Programme (DEP) to help South African SMEs accelerate digital transformation. The initiative, built on insights from over 1.2 million SME clients, offers tailored support in digital skills, market access, and funding. Partnering with implementation...
AI Is Changing the Rules of Cloud Migration
Cloud migration, traditionally a months‑long, high‑risk effort, is being reshaped by AI. Microsoft’s Azure Migrate and GitHub Copilot now provide AI‑driven discovery, dependency mapping, and automated code refactoring, turning manual tasks into rapid, guided workflows. Competitors such as AWS, Google...
Payfast Founder Acquires iVeri
Jonathan Smit, the founder of Payfast, announced his acquisition of iVeri, a payment technology firm with a 30‑year legacy in Africa. Smit, who exited Payfast between 2019 and 2021 and now runs a portfolio of over 30 businesses, will retain...
Duplo and Ozow Announce Strategic Partnership
Duplo and South Africa’s leading payment gateway Ozow have forged a strategic partnership to integrate Ozow’s instant EFT payment rails with Duplo’s end‑to‑end financial operating system. The combined solution lets merchants automatically match payments to invoices, reconcile accounts and manage...
Vodacom Calls for Collective Action to Decarbonize Africa’s Digital Economy
Vodacom Group released a white paper titled “Decarbonizing Africa’s ICT Sector,” highlighting the continent’s heavy reliance on diesel generators for mobile network power due to weak grid infrastructure. The report argues that telecoms, as major energy consumers, must lead a...
Yeastar P-Series Brings AI Intelligence to Modern Call Centers
The global AI‑powered call‑center market is projected to surge to $30.7 billion by 2035, driven by a 22.7% CAGR. Yeastar announced its P‑Series PBX, slated for release on April 9 2026, which embeds AI transcription, summarization and UCaaS capabilities. The solution offers flexible...
How to Set Up Payment Links to Receive Customer Payments Quickly
Payment links turn traditional invoices into a single, clickable URL that lets customers pay instantly with their preferred method. The technology streamlines collection, provides real‑time confirmation, and feeds every transaction into a centralized dashboard for easy tracking and reconciliation. AvadaPay,...
Ethio Telecom Launches RFID ‘Non-Stop’ Expressway Toll System via Telebirr
Ethio telecom, together with the Ethiopian Toll Roads Enterprise, has rolled out an RFID‑based toll collection system on the Addis Ababa‑Adama Expressway that integrates directly with the telebirr mobile‑payment platform. The solution allows vehicles to pass toll gates without stopping, automatically...
How Imaging Supports Conservation
Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor but support about 25% of marine species and provide food, income, and coastal protection for roughly 500 million people. Between 2009 and 2018 the world lost about 14% of its reefs,...
Verto Expands Business Accounts to Enable Seamless Payments From the US to Africa
Verto has launched Business Accounts that let US‑registered companies open a named USD account and move money to Africa with a dedicated cross‑border payment rail. The service offers instant currency conversion, multi‑currency holding, virtual cards and compliance support, targeting venture‑backed...
“South Africa Is Investing in Digital Payments Infrastructure but Missing the Layer that Drives Real Economic Growth.”
South Africa is rapidly expanding its digital payments infrastructure, yet the focus remains on hardware and connectivity rather than on the transactional layer that drives SME growth. The 2025 Payfast State of Pay Report shows over 80% of merchants expect...
Copy Trading in South Africa – Is It a Shortcut or a Smart Strategy for New Forex Traders?
Copy trading has gained traction among South African forex newcomers, offering a way to mirror seasoned traders’ positions automatically. The model promises rapid market entry without the need to develop a personal strategy, appealing to smartphone‑savvy users lacking formal education....
Interledger Foundation Creates Open Payments Curriculum with 10 Universities
The Interledger Foundation has partnered with more than ten universities across North America, Europe, Australia, and Africa to launch an open‑payments curriculum. The program embeds the Interledger Protocol into coursework ranging from finance and law to cybersecurity and entrepreneurship. Students...
Bamburi Cement Plc Appoints Mr Geoffrey Ndugwa as Its New CEO
Bamburi Cement Plc announced that Geoffrey Ndugwa will assume the chief executive officer role effective April 1, 2026, succeeding Mohit Kapoor. Ndugwa arrives from the Holcim Group, where he most recently served as Mergers and Acquisitions Projects Director for the MEA region,...
Truecaller Opens Global Market Access For Its Business Chat Platform
Truecaller has opened its Business Chat platform to global channel partners and enterprise solution providers, enabling a shift from low‑trust SMS to verified, media‑rich conversational messaging. The move gives brands access to over 500 million active users who already interact through...
Paymentology and Bank Zero Partner to Expand Access to South Africa’s Financial Ecosystem
Paymentology has partnered with South Africa’s branchless Bank Zero to accelerate digital banking access, merging Paymentology’s global card‑processing expertise with Bank Zero’s app‑first platform. The alliance will let fintechs, retailers, SMEs and digital platforms issue flexible Mastercard cards through a...
Westcon-Comstor Expands Cybersecurity and Networking Portfolio with Infoblox in Southern Africa
Westcon‑Comstor announced a distribution partnership with Infoblox to broaden its cybersecurity and networking portfolio across Southern Africa. The deal gives channel partners access to Infoblox’s unified platform that integrates DNS, DHCP, IP address management and security for hybrid and multi‑cloud...
Bolt Strengthens Driver Safety Measures in SA
Bolt has tightened its driver safety protocols in South Africa by prohibiting driver profile sharing and imposing immediate permanent suspensions for violators. The company now conducts identity‑verification checks multiple times a week and has upgraded monitoring systems to flag irregular...
Hayo Expands to East Africa
Hayo announced the launch of voice, messaging and digital solutions in Rwanda, expanding its East African footprint. Rwanda’s internet penetration has risen to 34.2 % in 2023, reflecting a rapid digital adoption trend. The company will offer industry‑specific services across mobile,...
10 Reasons Why #HISA 2026 Is a ‘Must-Attend’ Healthcare Event
The 10th anniversary of the Healthcare Innovation Summit Africa (HISA) in 2026 will convene CEOs, CIOs, policymakers, and investors to accelerate digital health across the continent. The event’s theme, “Connected Care, Smarter Systems,” spotlights AI, IoT, robotics, and blockchain applications...
The Future of South African Mining
South Africa’s mining sector is at a crossroads, buoyed by record attendance at the Mining Indaba and a government push to develop critical mineral reserves. President Ramaphosa’s recent State of the Nation Address framed mining as a "sunrise industry," while...
How Can AI Transform Retail: 5 Key Ways
Artificial intelligence is reshaping retail by delivering hyper‑personalized experiences, real‑time inventory forecasting, and 24/7 virtual assistance. AI‑driven dynamic pricing and computer‑vision‑enabled in‑store tools are boosting sales margins while reducing stockouts. Fraud detection and supply‑chain optimization further enhance security and efficiency....
Regional Central Banks Sign Landmark MoU to Implement PSP License Passporting Framework
The Central Bank of Kenya and the National Bank of Rwanda have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create a licence‑passporting framework for payment‑service providers operating across both countries. The arrangement will allow mutual recognition of PSP licences, eliminating duplicate...
How Are Smartphones Remaking Retail
South Africa’s e‑commerce market surpassed R130 billion in 2025, representing roughly 10 % of total retail sales, with 55 % of consumers using smartphones to shop online. Emerging mobile technologies—AI‑driven personalization, social commerce, and augmented reality—are reshaping how shoppers discover, evaluate, and purchase...
Why Are Stablecoins Gaining Real Traction in Africa?
Stablecoins have exploded across Africa, with supply surpassing $300 billion after a 500 % increase over five years. Ownership is highest in low‑ and middle‑income markets, reaching 79 % on the continent, and Nigeria alone processed nearly $22 billion in transactions last year. South...
ASUS Launches AI-Powered ExpertBook Ultra in South Africa
ASUS introduced the AI‑powered ExpertBook Ultra in South Africa, targeting mobile professionals who need high‑performance computing in a lightweight chassis. The laptop ships with up to Intel Core Ultra X9 processors, integrated Intel Arc graphics, and a dedicated NPU delivering 50 TOPS...