In The Spotlight
U.S. Embassy in Tanzania closes on May 14-15 due to a submarine cable cut affecting network services. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
The U.S. Embassy in Tanzania has announced a temporary shutdown on the 14 and 15 of May due to widespread network issues within the nation
The embassy’s official communication indicated that operations would cease on these dates because of deteriorating network conditions stemming from a severed undersea cable that has impacted Tanzania, Kenya, and other countries in the East and Southern African region
"Due to nationwide network degradation, the embassy will be closed to the public on 14 and 15 May. Consular appointments scheduled for these days will be cancelled and rescheduled. However, the consular section will remain open for visa pickups and emergency cases involving American citizens," the embassy conveyed.
The incident of the submarine cable being cut has resulted in internet connectivity challenges for several African nations, including Kenya.
Consequently, internet speeds have diminished, leading companies such as Safaricom to alert their clientele about the ongoing service interruptions.
East African internet outage due to SEACOM and EASSy cable faults, affecting Mayotte and Tanzania. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
On 12 May, several nations in East Africa experienced significant internet outages
According to Netblocks, an internet observatory, these disruptions were due to malfunctions in the SEACOM and EASSy underwater cable systems.
The island of Mayotte, a French territory, and Tanzania were particularly affected, with substantial disruptions in internet services. Mozambique and Malawi also faced moderate levels of disruption, as reported by Netblocks.
Cloudflare, an internet service company, noted on one of its monitoring accounts that the faults in the EASSy and SEACOM cables were causing ongoing internet interruptions in countries including Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar.
Tanzania’s minister of information, communication, and information technology, Nape Nnauye, acknowledged, “The government had been informed by EASSy and SEACOM of disruption to the internet caused by a fault on the cables between Mozambique and South Africa.”
“There are ongoing efforts to solve the problem,” Nnauye stated. “As they continue to solve the problem, we will have very low access to internet and international voice calls,” concluded Nnauye.
Airtel Africa reports US$89mn loss due to tax bill, despite customer growth and data usage increase. (Image source: Airtel Africa)
Despite an increase in its customer numbers, Airtel Africa faced a US$89mn deficit, attributed to a substantial tax obligation stemming from “exceptional derivative and foreign exchange loss”
If these extraordinary items were not considered, the company’s profit for the fiscal year ending 31 March, would have reached US$460mn.
The operator saw a 9% surge in its total subscribers, reaching 152.7 million, alongside a 17.8% rise in data users totaling 64.4 million, and a 20.8% hike in data consumption per user.
Investments in capital expenditures remained steady at US$737mn, falling short of projections due to postponed data center investments. The firm allocated US$152mn for renewing licenses and acquiring spectrum, with US$127mn dedicated to renewing its Nigerian 3G license.
Revenues saw a 5.3% decrease, dropping from US$5.2 billion to US$4.9bn, largely impacted by the devaluation of the Nigerian naira.
Olusegun Ogunsanya, CEO of Airtel Africa, stated that efforts to “de-risk our balance sheet and our capital allocation priorities has materially reduced the risks that the currency devaluation has had on our business.” He further mentioned that the company has taken steps to lessen US dollar debt and is concentrating on “reducing our exposure to currency volatility.”
Similarly, MTN reported a decline in profits due to the naira’s devaluation and has unveiled a plan to restore profitability to its local division.
Avanti and Q-KON partner to launch LEO satellite services in South Africa, enhancing connectivity and business resilience. (Image source: Avant Communications)
Avanti Communications, a global provider of satellite technology across various orbits, has launched Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity services in South Africa
In collaboration with Q-KON, a prominent satellite engineering firm in southern Africa, Avanti aims to provide seamless LEO connectivity through Eutelsat OneWeb. This partnership addresses the unique connectivity challenges in the region and is poised to enhance business operations nationwide.
Strategic satellite connectivity expansion
The collaboration between Avanti and Q-KON responds to the growing demand for LEO connectivity in South Africa. By integrating LEO services into its existing offerings, Avanti expands its multi-orbit solution, enabling the provision of both LEO and GEO services to customers immediately.
By adopting a customer-centric approach, Avanti is strategically positioned to understand and fulfill the diverse needs of enterprise customers. This partnership underscores Avanti's commitment to offering a wider range of solutions, providing customers with increased choice, flexibility, and resilience in their connectivity options.
Kyle Whitehill, CEO, Avanti Communications, commented, “We are delighted to be partnering with Q-KON to provide LEO services to our customers across South Africa. This is a strategically significant move for us in multi-orbit and we hope that this is the first of many LEO partnerships globally.
“This hybrid model gives our customers in South Africa the assurance that all their unique problems can be solved through our services. This is particularly important for our enterprise customers in South Africa where the need for resilience is key.”
Dr Dawie de Wet, CEO of Q-KON, remarked, “We are pleased to support Avanti with our Eutelsat OneWeb customer-centric services, made possible by our proven Smart Satellite Service technologies developed for our Twoobii GEO portfolio. We also look forward to supporting Avanti with our end-to-end and turn-key project supply, delivery and support capabilities.”
Avanti has established a robust operational base in South Africa, boasting advanced infrastructure located in Johannesburg. With over a fifth of its workforce dedicated to operations in Africa, Avanti demonstrates a steadfast commitment to solidifying its foothold in the region. Avanti aims to elevate Africa to become its primary revenue driver within the next two to three years, showcasing its ambitious growth objectives within the continent.
Angola Cables & Camtel unite for enhanced digital services across West Africa, bolstering connectivity & business prospects. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
Angola Cables and Camtel have joined forces to enhance digital and connectivity services across Cameroon and the broader West African region
Their collaborative efforts, aimed at cultivating business prospects in the area, are geared towards enhancing redundancy, network resilience, and the quality of service (QoS) on both national and international scales.
By leveraging Angola Cables' extensive backhaul network, which includes connections with key subsea cable systems such as WACS, SACS, and Monet, alongside Camtel's access to SAIL (South Atlantic Inter Link), the partnership will facilitate an expanded range of capacity offerings for enterprise clients, thereby improving traffic accessibility to both local and regional networks.
Camtel CEO Judith Yah Sunday Epse Achidi said, “Our strategic intent is to build on the robust backhaul connectivity of the Angola Cables network, and the existing interconnections we have in place with other submarine cables connecting the region and the world, to provide flexible and secure value added services for our clients and businesses.”
“For users, the partnership will help to secure connectivity, trade, boost economies, and help expand as well as grow businesses across the region,” said Fernando Fernandes, country manager of Angola Cables subsidiary TelCables Nigeria.
Kaduna State seals telecom masts over $5.8bn tax debt, enforcing compliance amidst revenue targets. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
The Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service, KADIRS, has sealed telecommunication masts in the state owned by MTN, Globacom, and Airtel due to their failure to settle tax debts totaling US$5.8bn
In a statement by the head of corporate communications Kaduna IRS, Zakari Muhammad, “Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service, in the exercise of its powers vested in it by Section 104 of the Personal Income Tax Act, has sealed up the following masts due to huge tax liabilities as established by Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KASUPDA).”
“The sealed masts include the MTN mast (IHS) at Tafawa Balewa Way, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna; the GLO mast at Shehu Laminu road, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna and the MTN mast (IHS) at Surami road, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna.” “Others include MTN Mast (IHS) at Etsu Road, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna, MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9-Mobile Masts (ATC) at Nagwamatse Road, Kaduna, MTN (IHS) at Nagwamatse road, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna and an MTN mast (IHS) at Shehu Laminu road, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna.”
Aisha Ahmad, the Secretary and Legal Adviser of the KADIRS Board, further clarified,“we are left with no option but to exercise the powers vested in us by the law to enforce compliance.”
She emphasised that fulfilling tax obligations is a responsibility of citizens and enforcement is a last resort, as the Kaduna State Government aims to achieve a revenue target of US$120bn.
Demica, Afreximbank, Sterling Bank join forces to revolutionise supply chain finance in Nigeria. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
The supply chain finance solutions from Demica, a leading fintech, has been selected by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and Sterling Bank to provide approved payables finance to Nigerian businesses and suppliers
Afreximbank and Sterling Bank partnered in order to introduce the AFREXIMBANK TRADELINK in Nigeria and chose to leverage Demica’s proven payables finance technology as well as its supplier onboarding tool. This arrangement is described by unique for Nigeria and will utilise the stengths of both banks to provide a comprehensive solution to corporates and suppliers in the West African country. Under the partnership, the US Dollar and Euro financing is provided by Afreximbank while financing in Naira is provided by Sterling Bank. Suppliers to Nigerian corporates can thus benefit from financing in both local and foreign currency as per their requirements.
Abubakar Suleiman, managing director of Sterling Bank, commented, “Sterling Bank is committed to meeting the trade finance needs of Nigerian corporates and their suppliers and we are proud to introduce this much-needed product for the benefit of Nigerian businesses in partnership with Afreximbank.”
Africa payables finance
The payables finance product enables suppliers to access funding by obtaining early payment for invoices approved for payment by their corporate buyers. The buyers continue to receive trade credit from the suppliers, and the suppliers monetise their trade receivables through the early payment received, enabling them to improve their working capital position and grow their business. The financing cost is linked to the credit rating of the corporate buyers, thereby making this product particularly valuable for SME suppliers who may face challenges in accessing bank finance at competitive pricing.
“The launch in Nigeria is a first step in Afreximbank’s plans to introduce payables finance across Africa in partnership with leading African financial institutions,” said Gwen Mwaba, director and global head, trade finance, Afreximbank. “The product, which will deploy world-class technology and a collaborative delivery model, aligns with the bank’s vision of transforming Africa’s trade, and will contribute towards achievement of the bank’s strategic objective of reducing the trade finance gap in Africa, especially for the SME segment.”
AFREXIMBANK TRADELINK, is part of Afreximbank’s digital Africa Trade Gateway which provides African corporates and banks with the digital tools they need to access market information and connect with buyers and sellers.
Maurice Benisty, Demica’s chief commercial officer, added, “We’re thrilled our technology is helping drive forward the expansion of supply chain finance in Nigeria, in partnership with Afreximbank and Sterling Bank. Right across Africa there is huge unmet demand for this type of finance to meet fast-changing requirements for working capital and liquidity, especially in the SME sector. This payables finance solution is going to assist the growth of trade in and from Africa, and further demonstrates the value that these solutions bring to the real economy.”
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U.S. Embassy in Tanzania closes on May 14-15 due to a submarine cable cut affecting network services. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
The U.S. Embassy in Tanzania has announced a temporary shutdown on the 14 and 15 of May due to widespread network issues within the nation
The embassy’s official communication indicated that operations would cease on these dates because of deteriorating network conditions stemming from a severed undersea cable that has impacted Tanzania, Kenya, and other countries in the East and Southern African region
"Due to nationwide network degradation, the embassy will be closed to the public on 14 and 15 May. Consular appointments scheduled for these days will be cancelled and rescheduled. However, the consular section will remain open for visa pickups and emergency cases involving American citizens," the embassy conveyed.
The incident of the submarine cable being cut has resulted in internet connectivity challenges for several African nations, including Kenya.
Consequently, internet speeds have diminished, leading companies such as Safaricom to alert their clientele about the ongoing service interruptions.
East African internet outage due to SEACOM and EASSy cable faults, affecting Mayotte and Tanzania. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
Avanti and Q-KON partner to launch LEO satellite services in South Africa, enhancing connectivity and business resilience. (Image source: Avant Communications)
GSMA report lauds PalmPay for driving mobile money adoption in Nigeria, emphasising its role in financial inclusion. (Image source: Palmpay)
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MTN leads South Africa's mobile networks with exceptional speeds, while Vodacom excels in 5G. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
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Airtel Africa reports US$89mn loss due to tax bill, despite customer growth and data usage increase. (Image source: Airtel Africa)
Despite an increase in its customer numbers, Airtel Africa faced a US$89mn deficit, attributed to a substantial tax obligation stemming from “exceptional derivative and foreign exchange loss”
If these extraordinary items were not considered, the company’s profit for the fiscal year ending 31 March, would have reached US$460mn.
The operator saw a 9% surge in its total subscribers, reaching 152.7 million, alongside a 17.8% rise in data users totaling 64.4 million, and a 20.8% hike in data consumption per user.
Investments in capital expenditures remained steady at US$737mn, falling short of projections due to postponed data center investments. The firm allocated US$152mn for renewing licenses and acquiring spectrum, with US$127mn dedicated to renewing its Nigerian 3G license.
Revenues saw a 5.3% decrease, dropping from US$5.2 billion to US$4.9bn, largely impacted by the devaluation of the Nigerian naira.
Olusegun Ogunsanya, CEO of Airtel Africa, stated that efforts to “de-risk our balance sheet and our capital allocation priorities has materially reduced the risks that the currency devaluation has had on our business.” He further mentioned that the company has taken steps to lessen US dollar debt and is concentrating on “reducing our exposure to currency volatility.”
Similarly, MTN reported a decline in profits due to the naira’s devaluation and has unveiled a plan to restore profitability to its local division.
Kaduna State seals telecom masts over $5.8bn tax debt, enforcing compliance amidst revenue targets. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
Demica, Afreximbank, Sterling Bank join forces to revolutionise supply chain finance in Nigeria. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
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U.S. Embassy in Tanzania closes on May 14-15 due to a submarine cable cut affecting network services. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
East African internet outage due to SEACOM and EASSy cable faults, affecting Mayotte and Tanzania. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
Airtel Africa reports US$89mn loss due to tax bill, despite customer growth and data usage increase. (Image source: Airtel Africa)
Avanti and Q-KON partner to launch LEO satellite services in South Africa, enhancing connectivity and business resilience. (Image source: Avant Communications)
Angola Cables & Camtel unite for enhanced digital services across West Africa, bolstering connectivity & business prospects. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
Kaduna State seals telecom masts over $5.8bn tax debt, enforcing compliance amidst revenue targets. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
Demica, Afreximbank, Sterling Bank join forces to revolutionise supply chain finance in Nigeria. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
SES to acquire Intelsat in compelling transaction focused on the future. (Image source: SES)
Mauritian telco in talks for new undersea cable with Reliance Jio and Orange to link Africa, Indian Ocean, Asia. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
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U.S. Embassy in Tanzania closes on May 14-15 due to a submarine cable cut affecting network services. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
East African internet outage due to SEACOM and EASSy cable faults, affecting Mayotte and Tanzania. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
Airtel Africa reports US$89mn loss due to tax bill, despite customer growth and data usage increase. (Image source: Airtel Africa)
Avanti and Q-KON partner to launch LEO satellite services in South Africa, enhancing connectivity and business resilience. (Image source: Avant Communications)
Angola Cables & Camtel unite for enhanced digital services across West Africa, bolstering connectivity & business prospects. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
Kaduna State seals telecom masts over $5.8bn tax debt, enforcing compliance amidst revenue targets. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
Demica, Afreximbank, Sterling Bank join forces to revolutionise supply chain finance in Nigeria. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
SES to acquire Intelsat in compelling transaction focused on the future. (Image source: SES)
Mauritian telco in talks for new undersea cable with Reliance Jio and Orange to link Africa, Indian Ocean, Asia. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
Nigeria to levy 0.5% on e-money transfers for cybersecurity. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
South African customers now have access to a diverse range of local and international brands, offering competitive prices and speedy same-day or next-day delivery options. (Image source: Amazon)
Anna Collard, senior vice-president of content strategy & evangelist for KnowBe4 Africa. (Image source: KnowBe4 Africa)