Learn about the recent technological developments and advancements in the Middle East and Africa. Access this month's newsletter to learn more.
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TECHNOLOGY & TELECOM
A focus on the Middle East & Africa
TECHNOLOGY
IBM signs $85 million private cloud managed services agreement with Emirates Airline
IBM has signed a ten-year managed services agreement with Emirates airline. The agreement will enable Emirates to focus its efforts on highly strategic initiatives, while IBM handles the day-to-day management of its IT infrastructure.
African pay TV subscriber numbers to grow 74% by 2023
The number of pay TV subscribers in Sub-Saharan Africa is due to increase by 74% between 2017 and 2023 to reach 40.89 million, according to new research.
$239 million AIIB loan to fund Oman's broadband rollout
AIIB has committed $239.2 million in funding for the development of Oman’s national fibre optical broadband network — an ambitious initiative that has important implications for the growth of the ICT sector, while also enhancing the nation’s appeal as a destination for manufacturing, business and strategic logistics services.
Huawei begin subsea survey on new Asia to Africa cable route
Huawei's Marine division is set to begin a comprehensive subsea study, as the first stage of a new subsea cabling project aimed at linking Asia to the East coast of Africa. Huawei Marine will commence the survey on the 15th January 2018, according to a company release.
Bitcoin is a hit in countries where locals face currency trouble
In Sudan, a young woman wants her dowry paid in bitcoin. In Kenya, students are using it to bet on English soccer games, and use of the cryptocurrency in South Africa has surged amid political turmoil.
First made in Morocco wind turbine leaves Tanger Med Port
Following the inauguration of its wind turbine blade unit in Tangier, Siemens Gamesa announced the shipping of its first “Made in Morocco” wind turbine, which is 63 meters long and weighs 17 tons.
E-farm: How technology is enhancing food production
E-Farm provides these solutions through enhancing technology in food production. The company maximizes on land that has not been put to use, skills that are untapped, and other resources that effectively help manage the agri-business projects.
UN launches technology innovation lab in Egypt
The UN has announced the opening of its African Technology Innovation Lab in Egypt, in line with its framework to deploy a global network of such labs.
CYBERSECURITY
Gigamon announces completion of acquisition by Elliott Management and Qatar Investment Authority
Gigamon Inc. announced the successful completion of its acquisition by Elliott Management ("Elliott"), a leading multi-strategy private investment firm, and the Qatar Investment Authority.
Cybersecurity in South Africa – Mind the skills gap
South Africa has seen a steady rise in cybercrime, jumping to rank as the 31st most cyber attacked country in the world out of 117 countries. The situation is dire, and not helped by our vast shortage of cybersecurity skills.
FINTECH
ADGM, EDB sign Region’s First MENA Fintech Agreement
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) signed a Fintech cooperation agreement with Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB). The cooperation is the first of this type in the MENA region, and it aims to promote economic growth of financial services by adopting new technologies.
Visa introduces contactless payments in Morocco
Holders of a contactless Visa card will now be able to pay for their purchases by simply tapping their contactless Visa card or payment-enabled device on the checkout terminals, currently being installed at various sales points.
TELECOM
South Africa Targets $291 Million From Telkom Stake
South Africa is seeking to raise as much as 4 billion rand from the sale of part of its 39 percent stake in Telkom SA SOC Ltd. to raise funds for the country’s unprofitable state airline and post office.
New Technologies to Save Telcos From U.S.$386 Billion Exposure to OTT
The telecommunications industry in Nigeria, Africa's largest economy, is projected to lose a total of N109 trillion in voice revenue to the growing usage of OTT Internet voice applications by 2018.
Airtel Uganda hits 10 million customers mark
The milestone cement’s Airtel’s position as the fastest growing telecom in the Uganda and the company has pledged to continue investing heavily towards improving the quality of service and provide great customer experience.
Zimbabwe Now Has Over 13 Million Active Mobile Subscribers
Zimbabwe's total number of active mobile subscriptions increased by 3.7% to record 13,799,648 from 13,311,223 recorded in the previous quarter, Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe sector Performance Report 3rd Quarter 2017 has revealed.
Chinese, Algerian presidents hail successful launch of communications satellite
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika exchanged congratulatory messages on the successful launch of Alcomsat-1 in the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China's southwestern province of Sichuan.
China's Huawei taps smartphone market in Morocco
Chinese tech giant Huawei aims to become the largest smartphone brand in the Moroccan market by 2022, according to Jacky Hong, director of Huawei in Morocco.
INFOMINEO RESOURCES
Digitalization to Spur African Growth
Africa is undoubtedly benefiting from digitalization but where does it stand in the digitalized world and what tools should be leveraged to make the changes and the future positive impact possible?
Understanding Cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrencies are digital currencies that are not ruled or governed by any institution. They are designed to be used outside of the intermediary rule that is applied today by financial and governmental institutions.
INFOMINEO
Infomineo is a data and research service provider, that specializes in Africa and the Middle East, dedicated to supporting global companies in getting access to information that powers their investment decisions in the region. Through a direct presence in key markets such as the UAE, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt and Morocco, Infomineo provides a quick access to market data on key questions such as: market and product prioritization, partner identification, commercial due diligence, route to market, supply chain mapping and competitive analysis among others. Along with conducting custom research for clients, Infomineo also delivers an Expert Network service, an Executive Search service, and a Business Translation service.
Infomineo is a research provider. Our role is to find the data our clients need to take decisions and develop their businesses.
Our global coverage and unique expertise on Africa and the Middle East allow us to develop long-term relationships with leading global consulting firms and Fortune 500 companies.
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