Biometrics Support Financial Services Efficiency in Malawi, Nigeria and Ghana as UNHCR Ramps Up in Niger

By Frank Hersey |

The biometrics business continues as normal in parts of Africa. A new ePassport agency opens in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, despite closed borders and social distancing requirements. Idemia appoints a new East Africa sales director, soon after its good news in Kenya. Nigeria connects more bank accounts to national IDs, Malawi strikes off over 4,000 potential ‘ghost pensioners,’ and at the humanitarian end of the spectrum, the…

ZOLs Staffers Ask Subscribers To Share IDs Via WhatsApp – A Ticking Time Bomb

By Farai Mudzingwa  |

Zimbos are a pretty relaxed bunch when it comes to guarding our privacy on the internet. I got a gentle and unwelcome reminder of that a few hours ago.
What happened?
A ZOL staffer or someone with access to an official ZOL support line initiated a call to one of my colleagues. On the call, they requested that my colleague send…

DataMustFall: Vodacom Slashes Prices as MTN Users Must Wait Till Month End

By Sthembiso Lebuso |

The Competition Commission and Vodacom have come to an agreement that will see the communication service provider slashing data prices by up to 40% on April 1.

Meanwhile, MTN consumers will have to wait until the end of the month for the announcement on what they intend to do with their data prices.

Speaking at a joint press conference on…

Uganda’s Social Media Tax Threatens Internet Access, Affordability

By Juliet Nanfuka |

Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni has directed the finance ministry to introduce taxes on the use of social media platforms. According to him, the tax would curb gossip on networks such as WhatsApp, Skype, Viber and Twitter and potentially raise up to Uganda Shillings (UGX) 400 billion (USD 108 million) annually for the national treasury. The ministry has already proposed amendments…

Building Collaborations in Research for Internet Policy Advocacy in Africa

By Juliet Nanfuka |

Many African countries are caught between developing policies that support the unfettered use of the internet as a tool for social, economic and political growth, and laws that threaten citizens’ rights and use of digital technologies. Often, this is partly due to limited evidence upon which to base policies and decision-making, which results from the scant availability…

Africa’s Worst New Internet Censorship Law Could be Coming to South Africa

By Jeremy Malcom

Only once in a while does an Internet censorship law or regulation come along that is so audacious in its scope, so misguided in its premises, and so poorly thought out in its execution, that you have to check your calendar to make sure April 1 hasn’t come around again. The Draft Online Regulation Policy recently issued by…