BIGTECH 2024, held at the Kram Exhibition Centre, gathers 1,000 startups and companies to position Tunisia as a technology hub in Africa. The event promotes innovation, AI, IoT, and digital transformation, supported by government initiatives in digital infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and the simplification of administrative procedures.
NIGCOMSAT and Infratel Africa have partnered to enhance rural connectivity in Nigeria by migrating 100 locations to the NIGCOMSAT-1R Ka-band hub platform. This collaboration aims to bridge the digital divide, promoting digital inclusivity and transformational services in unserved and underserved communities.
Airtel Telesonic, in partnership with Alcatel Submarine Networks, has activated the 2Africa submarine cable system, connecting Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. This milestone enhances high-speed internet access and supports digital transformation across Africa, marking a significant step in bridging the digital divide on the continent.
Smartphone shipments in Africa have surpassed feature phones, with a 17.9% increase in Q1 2024, reaching 20.2 million units. This growth, driven by South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya, is led by Chinese brands and mid-range models. IDC predicts continued growth despite short-term economic uncertainties.
OneClickDrive, the leading car rental marketplace in Dubai, expands its operations to Morocco, marking its first venture into Africa. This move broadens its market reach, leveraging Morocco’s strategic location and growing demand for car rentals, particularly among tourists. The company plans further expansion into GCC and African regions.
Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) and telecom operator Inwi signed an agreement at GITEX Africa to support digital startups. The collaboration aims to foster innovation and growth, particularly through the InwiDays Awards, and establish a national center for startup acceleration in key areas like fintech, AI, and sportstech.
Huawei Cloud has launched its Cairo Region, serving 28 African countries with innovative cloud services. It also introduced a new Arabic language model for automatic speech recognition with 96% accuracy. These initiatives aim to support digital transformation and enhance services across Africa, including Egypt, Ethiopia, and Algeria.
Yahsat has signed an MoU with South Africa’s Department of Communications and Digital Technologies to enhance collaboration in satellite and ICT services. The agreement includes satellite broadband, IoT, geospatial applications, and more. This partnership aims to develop infrastructure, skills, and communications capabilities in South Africa.
Orange and AWS are launching the first AWS Wavelength Zones in Africa, in Morocco and Senegal, to support low-latency applications and local data residency across industries, fostering cloud adoption and digital transformation.
GITEX Africa Morocco 2024, held from May 29-31 in Marrakech, will focus on AI and digital transformation. The event will gather leaders from 130 countries to boost Africa’s innovation economy. Organized by KAOUN International, it aims to position Morocco as a regional digital hub.
