Tech

Sonatel Orange launches 5G network in Senegal

Published

1 year ago

July 24, 2023

Internet services connectivity company, Sonatel, a subsidiary of French telecoms giant, Orange, has launched its 5G network in Senegal in a bid to push towards ultra-broadband technology in the West African country.

Sonatel, which operates in five West African countries including Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, and Sierra Leone with over 32 million mobile customers across these markets, won the right after bidding XOF34.5 billion ($59.1 million) for the authorization of the license during a tender process that concluded earlier last week.

According to the company, the bid figure was significantly higher than rivals Free and Expresso, which had submitted lower bids of XAF3 billion ($5.12m) and XAF2 billion ($3.4m) respectively, which were both below the reserve price of XAF19.5 billion ($33m) established by the country’s telecommunications regulatory body, ARTP.

At a press conference during the bidding process, ARTP Director General, Abdou Karim Sall, had noted that the main aim of the tender was to select an operator to provide reliable and efficient 5G infrastructure as soon as possible.

“Following the examination of the submitted offers, the committee for the evaluation of technical and financial offers proposed to the Selection Committee to retain Sonatel, which was the only candidate to have fulfilled the conditions set by the regulations,” he had said.

With the rollout of the 5G network, Sall said the country was striving to meet the rising demand for broadband connectivity and the changing digital consumption habits sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With the agreement and specifications which will define the 5G coverage goals, this will pave the way for Sonatel to deploy its 5G network, thereby introducing advanced, high-speed connectivity to the population of Senegal,” Sall said.

The West African country will now join other countries including Nigeria, Botswana, Egypt, Gabon, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia that have already launched the 5G network.

Click to comment

Tech

20 African tech-preneurs embark on Korean innovation tour

Published

6 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The African Development Bank Group’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab has selected 20 promising tech entrepreneurs from various African technology ventures and enterprise support organisations to embark on a two-week study tour of the Republic of Korea, with the aim of seeking investment and insights from the country’s innovative tech ecosystem.

The selected entrepreneurs are from 133 ventures that participated in last month’s Africa Tech Startup Forum.

The forum which will hold under the auspices of the lab’s “Leveraging the Entrepreneurial and Innovation Success of Korea to Strengthen African Enterprise Support” project, had selected entrepreneurs who pitched the best business models during the week-long virtual market access and acceleration programme preparing, training, and connecting technology ventures with opportunities.

The 20 young tech-preneurs were selected from eight African countries including Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda, with the delegates spanning various sectors in the technology space.

While in Korea, the African delegates will pay visits to prestigious institutions such as Global Startup Centre, LG Science Park, the Korea Software Technology Association, and the Global Digital Innovation Network.

Speaking on behalf of the delegates, founder of Kenya-based health technology venture Zuri Health, Uche Ezadinachi said:

“I am excited to go to Korea because the country has made serious technological developments. The country is a technology-driven society, and this tour is an opportunity for me to see how we can bring such technology to Africa.

“We will share experiences with our Korean counterparts; they will learn from us as much as we learn from them,” he added.

Tech

Kenya’s ticketing startup BuuPass partners Flexpay for flexible travel payments

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Kenyan digital ticketing startup, BuuPass, has entered into a partnership with goal-based savings platform, Flexpay, to offer customers flexible payment plans ahead of holiday travels as well as simplify travel planning and ease the financial burden of holiday travel for Kenyans.

Co-founder and CEO at Buupass, Sonia Kabra, who unveiled the package at a press conference, said the collaboration between the two platforms will allow travellers to save for their journeys in manageable, interest-free installments over four to 12 weeks.

“Travelers can select their travel dates, book tickets, and pay a small deposit upfront, with the remaining balance spread across weekly or monthly payments,” she said.

“This approach offers a stress-free way for families and large groups to secure their tickets early, helping them avoid last-minute price hikes as fares are locked in.

“By partnering with Flexpay, we’re giving travelers the flexibility to budget for their trips in advance. This initiative aligns with our mission to make travel accessible to everyone, providing a solution that meets customers where they are financially,” said Kabra.

Also speaking at the event, Richard Machomba, CEO and founder of Flexpay, said:

“Flexpay’s mission is to empower individuals by providing accessible financial solutions that make it easier for them to achieve their financial goals.

“By partnering with BuuPass, we’re making travel more accessible and stress-free for Kenyans, especially during the holiday season when expenses can be overwhelming,” Machomba added.

Founded in 2016 by Kabra and Wyclife Omondi, BuuPass is a B2B2C mobility marketplace that enables users to search, compare, and book travel tickets via web, app, or USSD, while its SaaS platform helps bus operators manage their operations, inventory, and sales.

FlexPay, on the other hand, is an online and offline payment gateway that allows merchants to offer interest-free targeted savings to their customers in Africa.