Author: Gugu Lourie
The party is over for telecoms executives in South Africa. Is Vodacom boss Shameel Joosub slowly marching towards the exit door like his counterpart at MTN Group, Sifiso Dabengwa, who resigned or was “fired” over the Nigeria $5.2 billion fine fiasco. By Gugu Lourie. Joosub is one of the youngest CEOs in the country’s telecoms sector. He was groomed at Vodacom to take over the baton of one of the biggest mobile phone operators in Africa, which was started in South Africa in 1994. Joosub may be the youngest telecoms boss, but he is one of the veterans of the sector.…
WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned popular instant messaging service, has launched desktop apps for Mac and Windows. The firm said on its blog post that “today we’re introducing a desktop app so you have a new way to stay in touch anytime and anywhere – whether on your phone or computer at home or work. Like WhatsApp Web, our desktop app is simply an extension of your phone: the app mirrors conversations and messages from your mobile device”. The new desktop app is available for Windows 8+ and Mac OS 10.9+ and is synced with WhatsApp on your mobile device. Because the…
When was the last time you opened your laptop mid conversation or brought your desktop computer to the dinner table? Ridiculous, right? But if you are like a large number of Americans, you have done both with your smartphone. By Kostadin Kushlev Less than a decade after the introduction of the first iPhone, more people reach for their smartphones first thing in the morning than reach for coffee, a toothbrush or even the partner lying next to them in bed. During the day, with a smartphone in our pocket, we can check our email while spending time with our children just…
As a business owner you may find it difficult to keep track of transactions – don’t despair! A solution for entrepreneurs and small businesses is at hand. By Gugu Lourie Accounting firms have come up with digital solutions to help small business owners to manage their finances correctly. You have no idea how excited I was when I began testing the Sage One software, which focusses on helping small business owners who can’t afford the services of an accounting firm or an accountant to manage their finances. The wonderful thing about this software is that it’s available online, anywhere, anytime and…
The appointment of Yolanda Cuba, 39, as the new CEO of Vodafone Ghana is not different – tough questions are already being asked, such as whether her move is part of a bigger succession plan by both Vodacom and its parent company Vodafone. Another question being asked is whether Vodacom prepares employees to take over executive positions by first sending them on overseas assignments? For example; Shameel Joosub was sent to Vodafone Spain for a stint before he was appointed as Vodacom Group CEO. If that is the case, it may be conceivable that Cuba may be very well on…
Do you “i-Pad your child” when you go to a restaurant? By Joanne Orlando I couldn’t help but notice the one-year-old at the restaurant table next to me who had been iPad-ed. That is, an iPad loaded with his favourite animation had been propped up on the table to act as a surrogate babysitter. While screens can solve short-term issues of keeping children quiet, consistently using them to anaesthetise kids does us all a disservice in the long term. Research shows that 75% to 80% of parents now use technology to placate or distract children, for example on a long…
Technology venture capital firm EchoVC Partners have committed up to $1 million to Nigerian-based S&T Media. The funds are already being used to expand the company’s digital advertising network services at petrol stations across Africa’s biggest market. S&T’s AdPump is the only digital advertising network in Africa to target consumers at petrol pumps. The funds raised by S$T will be invested in expansion, product development, hardware and staff acquisition. The investment was secured after AdPump’s successful pilot to launch and install 160 screens across Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, in 17 strategically located filling stations. S&T secured exclusive distribution deals for AdPump with…
There is no doubt that scientists and mathematicians have an enormous amount to contribute to Africa’s future. They can develop vaccines and cures for disease, find ways to purify drinking water, create mathematical and statistical models, and engineer infrastructure. By Shehu AbdusSalam Hundreds of people were murdered in my home town during three bloody days in December 2015. They were victims of what’s come to be called the Zaria massacre, killed by soldiers who were supposed to protect them. A baby girl, scores of children, university students and journalists were among those killed in the Nigerian town where I grew…
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has resumed the 2.6 GHz spectrum auction process, and here’s hoping there are no more obstacles as the band would pave the way for faster networks and more affordable smartphones for its citizens. By Mortimer Hope, Director of Africa, GSMA Since the first 4G network was launched, the 2.6 GHz band has played a key role in the rollout of 4G networks around the world. Today it is the second most used band (after the 1,800 MHz band) when counting the number of networks and number of available devices. The popularity of a band and the…
MTN, Africa’s largest mobile phone operator, was concerned about inaccurate media reports that it was planning a secondary listing in Nigeria. By Staff Writer The telco said in a statement on Monday that it was concerned about reports attributed to its senior executives, purporting that MTN Group is planning to list in Nigeria. “This is grossly inaccurate. The correct comment, as expressed by the Executive Chairman, is that MTN could consider listing the local operation, MTN Nigeria, not the Group. As a result, reports that MTN is considering a secondary listing in Nigeria are misleading,” MTN said…