Holla!
Juma’at Mubarak to our Muslim readers observing the Ramadan fast. May this season be filled with peace and love.
We have come to the end of the week. It’s been an amazing week for us here. Hope the same holds true for you?
Today is World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. The internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) plays a big role in bridging the digital divide in society.
Liquid Telecom Kenya, a leading telecommunication company in Africa, has launched a Microsoft Cloud service in East Africa. This will enable them to increase cybersecurity in the region. The service makes it possible to replicate databases at different locations to increase flexibility. The new Azure Stack will be located in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
inDriver, a global ride-hailing company has launched in South Africa, after debuting in Tanzania last year. Their unique business model which allows passengers to determine the rates they are willing to pay for a trip distinguishes them from the likes of Uber and Taxify. Another unique feature is that inDrive charges drivers on a flat rate of 5% to 8%; lower than other providers.
Speaking about ride-hailing, Gokada, a Nigeria-based motorcycle company has launched a new rapid response service – Gmedic. With the “GMedic” option, Gokada will provide accident victims with first aid treatment before transferring them to the hospital. The service is free for riders and passengers. Good news right?
Next, we learnt that South Africa Reserve Bank has made known their intention to issue an electronic legal tender to the public. They have issued an ‘expression of interest’ document for the interested to apply before the 6th of June, 2019. The currency will only be issued to commercial banks and licensed service providers at the same equivalence with the rand.
Facebook has shut down the user accounts of Archimedes Group that have been manipulating politics in West Africa and some other parts of the world. They pose as a consultant for social media marketing related to elections and subtly post misleading articles about politics. A total of 56 Facebook accounts, 161 Pages, 23 Groups, 12 events, and 4 Instagram accounts were identified and shut down.
That’s all for today. Hope you had a good read? Stay tuned to our social media channels for the next gist @techgistafrica
TGIF
