Tech

Nigeria’s talent hub, Itana raises $2m funding to build Africa’s first Digital Free Zone

Published

1 year ago

September 7, 2023

Nigeria’s talent hub, Itana has announced raising $2 million in a pre-seed funding that will see its dream of building Africa’s first Digital Free Zone realized.

With the Digital Free Zone, Itana, formerly known as Talent City, is aiming to improve ease-of-doing-business index, drive foreign direct investment, and catalyse employment, according to its founder and CEO, Luqman Edu.

Edu, in a statement, said the Itana Talent Hub would be a “fully online jurisdiction for digital economy, with the ideal policies, business services and technology for global digital and service businesses to remotely operate and scale with ease across Africa.”

“Itana will enable global tech and service companies to situate their African operations from Nigeria, and also take advantage of globally competitive business policies and incentives,” said Edu.

“By 2027, Itana will also be coupled with an eco-friendly startup district in Alaro free zone in Epe, Lagos”, he added.

The $2 million pre-seed round was led by global venture capitalists LocalGlobe, Amplo, Pronomos Capital, and Future Africa, while the deal would bring together a “powerhouse of deep industry expertise and technical know-how from partners that have backed model digital societies such as e-Estonia, and built products that scale,” he opined.

“We are thrilled to announce this round of funding. It validates our efforts, and reiterates the aligned vision with our investors and partners to make it easy to invest and operate in Africa’s digital economy.

“The African market is still largely untapped and Itana will provide the ideal business environment that will be fully online, for global and pan-African digital and service companies to use Nigeria as an anchorage to operate with ease across the continent”, he said.

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Tech

Ghana partners with The Gambia to provide free roaming services

Published

13 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Ghana and The Gambia are in the process of launching free roaming services that will enhance a West African connectivity.

The plan which is a joint initiative of the Ghana Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation and The Gambian National Communications Authority (NCA) will see mobile users in both countries avoiding extra charges for calls, texts, and data, which in turn, is expected to boost trade, tourism, and economic integration across borders.

The collaboration, according to a joint statement by the two bodies, aligns with the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) broader push for seamless regional communication.

“Ghana and The Gambia are forging new paths in West Africa’s digital landscape, implementing a free-roaming initiative,” the statement said.

“This move strengthens regional connectivity while highlighting the role of technological collaboration in fostering economic integration. The initiative enables mobile users travelling between the two nations to make calls, send messages, and use data services without additional roaming fees.”

It further noted that by reducing these costs, the program aligns with the ECOWAS Free Roaming Initiative, which seeks to eliminate barriers to communication across member states.

“It is a boost for trade and travel as the free roaming plan is expected to spur economic activities by streamlining cross-border communication.

“Businesses and individuals travelling between Ghana and The Gambia can now stay connected without worrying about exorbitant charges, facilitating smoother transactions and personal interactions. The initiative is also expected to attract more tourists by ensuring seamless digital access for visitors.

“This collaboration marks another milestone in Ghana’s commitment to expanding digital connectivity, following Ghana’s successful implementation of similar agreements with Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Benin, with talks of possible roaming partnerships with Liberia.

“By focusing on digital integration, Ghana and The Gambia demonstrate the power of technology to bridge gaps between countries. This step also serves as a model for other West African nations to join the free-roaming framework, contributing to the larger goal of a connected and economically integrated region,” it added.

Tech

Tanzania to host 6th Ocean Innovation Africa summit in February

Published

2 days ago

November 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, has been selected to host the sixth edition of the Ocean Innovation Africa (OIA) summit from February 24-28, 2025, as a flagship event within Regenerative Ocean Week.

The Ocean Innovation Africa is set to be Africa’s most significant platform for Ocean Innovation conservation, and sustainable development in the blue economy. OIA2025 will be co-organised with leading partners, including IUCN, GIZ, OceanHub Africa, Catalyze and the Ocean-Climate Platform.

With the theme, “Science-to-Solution”, the Regenerative Ocean Week will present a line-up of sessions designed to bridge the gap between scientific research, business innovation, policy, and community engagement.

According to the organizers of the event, it will bring together African ocean innovators, investors, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders to explore practical solutions that can be applied across the continent.

“These include the OIA Pitch Competition, which is a platform for Africa-based startups and entrepreneurs to showcase breakthrough ideas in ocean-impact solutions, allowing them to connect with investors and industry leaders and emphasizing Africa’s role in driving sustainable ocean initiatives,” the organizers said in a statement.