Digital Economy – OpenNet Africa

Digital Slavery: The Unseen Underbelly of the Gig Economy

By Frank Kisakye |

The book, the DIGITAL CONTINENT rhetorically asks: “Autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence and machine learning systems, next-generation search engines, recommendations systems, and online content: how many of these technologies do you
think are ‘made in Africa’?”

With most African countries alienated from the global payment and shipping systems, it is quite easy and almost natural to think that perhaps only a couple of…

23rd February 2022 By Siteadmin AfCTA, content economy, Cross border trade, Digital Economy, employment 0 Comments Read more...

Women Are Being Left Offline — And It’s Costing Governments Billions

News Update |

Our latest report, launched today at the 2021 Africa Symposium for Women and Girls, has found that low and lower-middle income countries have lost an estimated USD $1 trillion in GDP in the last decade as a result of barriers preventing women from accessing the internet and participating online.

As Web Foundation Director of Research Catherine Adeya explains:

“Closing the digital gender gap…

10th October 2021 By Alice Aparo A4AI, Digital Economy, Digital Inclusion 0 Comments Read more...

GSM Telcos Lose N1.1 Billion to SIM Card Registration Ban

Nigeria News update |

The four major Telco players in Nigeria have lost a total of 11.8 million customers since the implementation of NIN-SIM card ban by the federal government in December 2020. This is according to information obtained from the Nigerian Communications Commission.

Specifically, the total subscriber base of the four major telco firms in Nigeria, reduced from 207.58 million at the…

3rd May 2021 By Alice Aparo Data, Digital Economy, Internet, Internet Users, Telecom 0 Comments Read more...

Digital Services Taxes May Be Difficult To Remove

By Nana Ama Sarfo |

An unresolved issue in the OECD’s base erosion and profit-shifting 2.0 reform project is when and how countries will remove their unilateral digital tax measures once a solution is brokered. The OECD has made it clear that inclusive framework members are expected to revoke unilateral measures and refrain from introducing new ones when that time comes.
Yet after rounds of discussions,…

22nd March 2021 By Alice Aparo Digital Age, Digital Economy, Digital Taxation, Internet Users, Social Media 0 Comments Read more...

New Tax on Online Services A Threat to Internet Freedom in Mauritius

By Thomas Robertson |

Under the premise of Covid-19 austerity measures, the government of Mauritius passed a new tax on digital services in August 2020. The “Liability to Value Added Tax on Digital and Electronic Services” is one of the several amendments to the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act introduced in the July 2020 Finance Bill.

The Act defines “digital or electronic service” as any…

26th November 2020 By Alice Aparo Digital Economy, Digital Tax, Mauritius, Tax 0 Comments Read more...

The Digital Economy and Ecommerce in Africa: Drivers for the African Free Trade Area?

By Alastair Tempest |
The digital economy and ecommerce are developing fast in Africa. The forthcoming implementation of the African free trade area (AfCFTA) will encourage intra-African trade. These two forces combined, offer a new inclusive future for Africa.

Summary:

Ecommerce is growing throughout Africa, but is mainly nationally focused at present. The AfCFTA will change that dynamic, and encourage greater emphasis on cross-border…

4th May 2020 By Alice Aparo Africa, Digital Economy 0 Comments Read more...

State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money

News Update|
As a burgeoning fintech community seeks to marry start-up innovation with mobile money scale, the potential to serve as the gateway to the digital economy is becoming increasingly central to the story of mobile money.
Policy objectives also play an increasingly important role, as the scope of mobile money regulation broadens
https://twitter.com/GSMA/status/968153172819800065
Read more about it here.

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26th February 2018 By Alice Aparo Digital Economy, Mobile Money Regulation, Mobile Trend, Mobile Users 0 Comments Read more...