WORD TELECOMMUNICATIONS Updates (WTU)

Vodacom has announced the launch of VodaLend Business Advance, a new financing product for SMEs. The operator noted that funding is a major stumbling block for SMEs in South Africa and said it wants to help fill that gap. Vodacom financial services chief Mariam Cassim said the move will ensure SME growth and success, create job opportunities and impact the economy as a whole.

Workers at Orange Mali held a two-day strike to press home their demand for a larger shareholding in the telecoms company for staff, ITWeb Africa reports. The strike began 20 November and ended on 21 November.

Facebook brought together over 400 developers, startups and businesses from across Sub-Saharan Africa in a first of its kind conference dubbed “Facebook iD8 Nairobi”. As part of its effort to create opportunities for innovation, community building and education throughout the continent, “Facebook iD8 Nairobi” created a space for developers and startups to showcase and celebrate talent from across the continent, while sharing their developer journey. Highlights from the conference and activities included: A keynote speech from Emeka Afigbo, Facebook’s Global Head of Developer Programmes – highlighted Facebook’s plan in partnership with Andela to train and equip thousands of developers from its Developer Circles across 10 countries in Africa with technical and non-technical skills in 2020. This follows Facebook's successful three-month training programme with Andela across Nigeria and Kenya in 2019. A career fair - aimed at connecting this year’s top developers from Facebook's

Stakeholders meet to discuss future of mobile money platforms in Africa Key representatives from over 8 countries in Africa gathered at a workshop organized by Vodacom to look into trends and developments shaping the mobile money industry in Africa. Leading telecom company Vodacom also released its Future-Proofing Mobile Financial Services report at the workshop. The report, the first of Vodacom’s Public Policy Series, demonstrates how mobile money is driving economic growth and empowering lives through financial inclusion. Managing Executive, Legal and regulatory from Vodacom Group, Judith Obholzer, said that Sub- Saharan Africa including Tanzania has witnessed rapid growth in mobile money operations and innovations enabling broad based participation and access to financial services. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to the 10 economies worldwide where more adults now have mobile money accounts than at a financial institution. A game changer in this region, Mobile Money continues to driv

With prices as low as USD$50, Ghanaian Smartphone lovers can now get for themselves spanking brand new 4G and 3G entry level smartphones that run on the android Go Operating System. In partnership with one of the leading original smartphones dealers in the country, McFrimps and Stanbic Bank, MTN Ghana has launched the new MTN iPro Amber 5S and iPro Amber 5S Pro phones onto the Ghanaian market in Accra. The new smartphones which come with a 5inch screen and are well equipped with pre-installed apps such as WhatsApp, Google Maps, Facebook and YouTube, according to the leading network giant is aimed at making the lives of their teeming customers a whole lot brighter. Speaking the during the launch, the Chief Marketing Officer at MTN Ghana, Noel Kojo-Ghanson noted that with the introduction of the new MTN iPro Amber 5S and iPro Amber 5S Pro, MTN Ghana is giving subscribers and many more Ghanaians who are yet to experience the benefits of a smartphone the opportunity to do so at an affo

Samsung’s new Galaxy Fold has been well received in the Kenyan market, with the initial limited stock of foldable devices reportedly sold out on the day of launch. Galaxy Fold features the world’s first 7.3-inch Infinity Flex Display, which folds into a compact device with a cover display. Galaxy Fold offers a powerful new way to multi-task, watch videos, play games, and more – bringing to life new experiences and possibilities years in the making. “Samsung is writing the next chapter in mobile innovation history by changing what’s possible in a smart phone.It introduces a completely new category that unlocks new capabilities never seen before with our Infinity Flex Display,'' said Charles Kimari, Samsung Electronic East Africa, head of mobile division. He added that the phone is built for the heaviest and intense use whether it’s working, playing or sharing —all of which requires advanced performance. ''It’s a portal to an entire galaxy of connected devices and