Nairobi is likely to be home of the first OpenAI Academy initiative in Eastern Africa if Kenya’s president William Ruto is to be believed after his meeting on the margins of the G7 Leaders’ Summit with OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman.

President William Ruto said he held discussions with OpenAI Chief on opportunities to deepen collaboration in artificial intelligence and digital transformation.

According to President Ruto, discussions focused on potential areas of cooperation including establishing Nairobi as the home of the first OpenAI Academy initiative in Eastern Africa. The proposed collaboration would seek to expand AI education, strengthen digital skills development, support educators and learners, and reinforce Kenya’s position as a regional hub for AI talent and innovation.

“We explored potential collaboration through establishing Nairobi as the home of the first OpenAI Academy initiative in Eastern Africa, expanding AI education, strengthening digital skills, supporting educators and learners, and reinforcing Kenya’s position as a leading hub for AI talent and innovation,” said President Ruto. “I underscored the importance of harnessing emerging technologies to create opportunities for young people, drive innovation and ensure Africa plays a meaningful role in shaping the future digital economy.”

President Ruto said emerging technologies should be leveraged to create opportunities for young people and drive innovation while ensuring Africa plays a meaningful role in shaping the future digital economy.

The discussions reflect Kenya’s continued efforts to strengthen its digital economy agenda and position itself as a leading technology and innovation center in the region.

No further details were immediately available regarding timelines, funding commitments, or formal agreements arising from the discussions.

Financial institutions across Africa must focus on business value, cyber resilience and leadership if they are to successfully harness the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI), speakers said during the opening day of BFSI Week 2026.

Held from June 17-18 under the theme “Powering Africa’s Financial Transformation,” the event brought together more than 300 decision-makers from banking, SACCOs, insurance, fintech and technology organizations to discuss the future of financial services in an increasingly digital economy.

Opening the conference, Harry Hare, Chairman of CIO Africa by dx⁵, urged organizations to look beyond the hype surrounding AI and focus on practical business outcomes.

“Technology is not there for technology’s sake. Technology is there to help us solve very specific problems, improve efficiency and create value for customers,” said Hare.

He noted that organizations are facing mounting pressure to adopt AI from boards, customers, competitors and technology vendors, but warned against implementing the technology without a clear understanding of the value it creates.

“Your board is asking what you are doing about AI. Your customers are asking how you are using AI. Your competitors are adopting AI, and vendors are constantly offering AI solutions,” he said.

While acknowledging AI’s transformative potential, Hare emphasized the need for organizations to remain grounded in business realities.

“Let’s ride the hype, but let’s reason reality into what we’re doing in technology so that we don’t lose sight of what technology is supposed to do,” he added.

However, as organizations accelerate AI adoption, they must also prepare for a rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape, according to Dennis Muriithi, Senior Solutions Engineer at Sophos.

Delivering a keynote address titled “Cyber Crisis Decision Room: A Strategic Leadership Experience,” Muriithi warned that AI is enabling cybercriminals to launch attacks faster and at greater scale than ever before.

“With new technology come new risks, and one of the most constant risks has always been cybersecurity,” he said.

According to Muriithi, phishing attacks have increased by more than 1,200 percent during the generative AI era, while AI-enabled cyberattacks continue to rise globally.

“The number is not going to go down. Whatever we’re experiencing today will get worse,” he warned.

Muriithi noted that AI is increasingly being integrated into every stage of the cyberattack lifecycle, including reconnaissance, credential theft, privilege escalation, lateral movement and ransomware deployment, significantly reducing the time organizations have to detect and respond to incidents.

“In the AI era, we are moving from minutes to seconds of impact,” he said.

He urged organizations to establish clear incident response plans, test backup systems regularly and ensure leadership teams understand their roles during a cyber crisis.

“The question is, what is your escalation chain? Do you have a plan?” Muriithi asked delegates.

The opportunities presented by AI were highlighted by Sarah Muriuki, Group Head – Enabler Systems Support at Equity Bank Kenya Ltd, who argued that Africa has the potential to become a global delivery engine for AI-enabled services.

“Africa is not only a market for AI, we are becoming a delivery engine,” she said.

Muriuki pointed to Africa’s growing business process outsourcing and shared services industry, valued at nearly $20 billion, and noted that the continent already employs approximately 1.1 million people in business processing services while maintaining a significant cost advantage over Europe and North America.

She challenged African organizations to move beyond competing as low-cost outsourcing destinations and instead position themselves as providers of higher-value, AI-enabled services.

“Are we going to just stay as an arbitrage back office, or do we level up and start bringing value to the market through AI-augmented services?” she asked.

According to Muriuki, the answer lies not in technology alone but in leadership and strategic vision.

“That is not a technology question. It is a leadership question,” she said.

The discussions underscored the dual challenge facing financial institutions across Africa: embracing AI to improve efficiency, customer experience and competitiveness while simultaneously managing the risks associated with cybersecurity, governance and responsible deployment.

As BFSI Week continues, delegates are expected to explore how emerging technologies, digital transformation and innovation can help accelerate financial inclusion, strengthen operational resilience and power the next phase of Africa’s financial transformation.

ASUS is preparing to shake up the premium laptop market with its recently launched Zenbook A14, a device that blends ultra-light design with serious AI-driven performance.

Just weighing under 1kg, the Zenbook A14 packs a new “Ceraluminum™” chassis, which makes it significantly lighter and up to three times stronger than traditional aluminum. Asus is hinting at a future where durability no longer comes at the cost of portability.

Under the hood, ASUS is betting big on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite processor, paired with an 80 TOPS AI engine, signaling a shift toward next-generation Copilot+ PCs built for on-device AI, faster creative workflows, and extended battery efficiency.

And battery life may be its biggest flex. ASUS claims over 33 hours of usage on a single charge,putting the A14 firmly in “multi-day laptop” territory without sacrificing performance.

With OLED visuals, Wi-Fi 7, advanced AI features, and support for multiple external displays, the Zenbook A14 isn’t just another ultrabook but it’s ASUS positioning itself at the center of the AI PC era.

More details are expected soon, but one thing is clear, the race for the smartest, longest-lasting laptop just got a serious contender.

Buy now or view the latest pricing and join ASUS Member and unlock exclusive benefits.

ASUS Zenbook A14 (UX3407NA) – Key Specs

AXIAN Energy has secured a $60 million financing package from Mauritius-based lender MCB as the renewable energy developer seeks to accelerate expansion across Africa amid rising demand for power infrastructure and clean-energy investment on the continent.

The facility includes a $40 million revolving credit line with a three-year maturity and an extension option, alongside $20 million in unfunded instruments, according to a statement released Monday. The structure is designed to give AXIAN Energy greater flexibility in deploying capital and pursuing new development opportunities across its target markets.

The financing comes as AXIAN Energy has rapidly expanded its renewable energy ambitions over the past two years, building a pipeline of solar projects in Senegal, Benin, Zambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar and Burkina Faso.

The company currently operates a portfolio of 350 megawatts of installed renewable generation capacity, supported by 77 megawatt-hours of energy storage capacity, underscoring broader momentum in Africa’s energy transition efforts.

The transaction also deepens a long-standing relationship between AXIAN Group and MCB, both of which have increasingly positioned themselves as pan-African players focused on infrastructure and economic development projects.

For AXIAN Energy, access to a revolving facility could provide quicker access to funding for project development in a sector where execution timelines and capital requirements often vary significantly across markets.

“This transaction marks a key milestone in AXIAN Energy’s growth trajectory,” Benjamin Memmi, chief executive officer of AXIAN Energy, said in the statement. “It provides us with the financial capacity to sustain the momentum we have built over the past two years.”

MCB said it structured the financing to align with AXIAN’s longer-term renewable energy strategy and broader expansion goals.

“We are proud to support AXIAN Energy in structuring this facility,” Mathieu Delteil, MCB’s global head of structured finance, said in the statement. “This partnership highlights our role as a strategic financial partner, mobilising capital towards investments that drive sustainable growth.”

Africa remains one of the world’s most under-electrified regions despite rapidly growing populations and energy demand, with governments and private developers increasingly turning to renewable generation and storage projects to address infrastructure gaps while meeting climate targets.

The agreement reflects a broader trend of regional lenders and investors stepping up financing for energy projects as developers seek capital to scale operations across multiple African markets.

Visa Inc. is partnering with the Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) for the 10th anniversary of the BAKE Awards, a move aimed at deepening financial inclusion and unlocking monetization pathways in Kenya’s fast-growing creator economy.

The global payments giant said it will sponsor the awards’ Lifestyle category, positioning the collaboration as part of a broader push to equip digital creators with payment infrastructure, financial literacy, and compliance tools needed to scale income streams beyond local markets.

The partnership lands at a moment when Kenya’s creator ecosystem—spanning bloggers, influencers, podcasters, and independent publishers—is shifting from informal monetization models to more structured, revenue-driven enterprises. Industry stakeholders increasingly point to payment friction, delayed cross-border settlements, and fraud risks as key constraints to growth.

“The creator economy in Kenya has evolved beyond entertainment into a meaningful engine of youth employment and financial innovation,” said John Njoroge, Visa’s country manager for Kenya. “Our focus is to enable creators to receive global payouts seamlessly, manage cross-border commerce, and operate with the same financial confidence as established businesses.”

Visa’s involvement aligns with the BAKE Awards’ 2026 theme, “The Creator Economy: Turning Content into Capital,” which underscores the sector’s transition into a formal economic contributor. By integrating secure payment rails and compliance frameworks, Visa is seeking to address what it describes as a structural gap between creative output and sustainable earnings.

For BAKE, the partnership signals growing institutional recognition of digital content as an economic asset class. “Having a global fintech player validate this space is significant,” said Kennedy Kachwanya, chairperson of BAKE. “It strengthens the bridge between creators and formal financial systems, which is critical as the industry matures.”

The BAKE Awards, now in their 10th year, are among Kenya’s most visible platforms for digital creators, spanning more than 20 categories across blogging, social media, video, and podcasting. Public voting for the 2026 edition is underway ahead of the awards gala scheduled for June 27 in Nairobi, where Visa will present the Lifestyle category award.

The collaboration reflects a broader trend of financial institutions targeting Africa’s digital and gig economies, where rising smartphone penetration and platform-driven work are reshaping income generation. For Visa, the bet is that enabling seamless, secure payments for creators today could translate into long-term network growth as more individuals formalize their digital businesses.

Zoho Corporation, the parent company of Zoho and ManageEngine, has launched Nathu La, a designed-in-house server, giving the firm performance with 12-18% lower power consumption and 20-30% lower total cost of ownership (TCO), thereby reducing inference costs.

The Nathu La server, comprising Intel® Xeon® 6 processors, was developed collaboratively with Intel, leveraging their enablement capabilities and technical expertise.

According to Veerakumar Natarajan, Country Head, Zoho Kenya. “With our strategy of using contextual, right-sized models, running on our own platform, on our own servers, in our own data centres, we are compounding the benefits accrued from owning and operating our entire technology stack. This ensures that our solutions are more sustainable and accessible for businesses. These long-term R&D investments we are making at every layer of the stack are aimed at delivering customer value.”

Building the Full Technology Stack

The design philosophy behind Nathu La is rooted in the Open Compute Project (OCP), emphasising modularity, thermal efficiency, and ease of maintenance. This enables Zoho’s data centres to significantly reduce total cost of ownership and power consumption.

Zoho plans to host its applications on the Nathu La server platform, enabling the company to optimise the full software-hardware stack for its specific workloads, reduce costs, improve performance, and strengthen data governance for its global customers. This will also help bring down inference costs for Zoho’s AI usage.

Developed Hardware Engineering Talent

In 2020, Zoho established a small R&D team in Nagpur, a Tier 2 town in India, focused on projects such as server design and systems engineering. Members of the Nathu La R&D team include hires from SETU – short for Student’s Engagement for Transformative Upskilling – an initiative designed to build a pipeline of industry-ready engineers, with a focus on advanced learning in Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM).

The initiative directly addresses the growing need for stronger foundational engineering skills in an era increasingly influenced by AI-assisted development. By prioritising hands-on innovation and first-principles problem-solving, SETU helps cultivate deeper research capabilities, creativity, and applied engineering expertise. To date, over 300 students have been trained through the programme, some of whom have joined Zoho.

What’s Inside

The Nathu La server motherboard and chassis platform is the result of five years of R&D across hardware, firmware, and systems management. Based on Intel® Xeon® 6 Processors, the server is designed to optimise performance for virtualisation (VM), High Performance Computing (HPC), AI inference, and storage applications. This results in improved performance of Zoho applications for end users.

The server features customised power delivery subsystems, an in-house DC-SCM (Data Centre Secure Control Module) design, and modular chassis options compatible with diverse end-user environments, offering flexibility across deployment types.

All modular components – including the DC-SCM and NIC (Network Interface Card) – were designed in-house by Zoho’s hardware engineering team and assembled through electronics manufacturing partners, enabling tighter integration and quality control across the platform. Over five patents have been filed covering advanced thermal management and cost-optimised server architecture designs.

Moving Towards Technological Sovereignty

Nathu La is engineered with hardware-rooted security at every layer of the stack. The platform’s indigenous IP-driven approach reduces dependency on external entities for security audits, firmware updates, and licensing continuity.

The solution aligns with open-source software principles and reflects Zoho’s broader commitment to building sustainable, secure, and scalable digital infrastructure. It also supports the growing global focus on digital sovereignty, local innovation ecosystems, and high-performance computing capabilities.

Amazon Inc. has selected Kenya as the site of its first satellite ground gateway in Africa, advancing its $10 billion Project Kuiper and setting up a deeper challenge to SpaceX’s Starlink in one of the world’s fastest-growing internet markets.

The ground station—critical for linking low-Earth orbit satellites to terrestrial networks—will anchor Kuiper’s planned expansion across East Africa, according to people familiar with the matter. The move signals Amazon’s shift from early deployment to regional build-out as it races to meet regulatory deadlines and begin commercial service.

Kenya offers a mix of regulatory openness, fiber backhaul, and proximity to the equator that makes it attractive for satellite operations. The country has positioned itself as a technology hub, with Nairobi hosting a dense cluster of data centers, cloud regions, and fintech firms. A local gateway could reduce latency and improve reliability for users across the region, particularly in underserved rural areas.

Kuiper, which aims to deploy more than 3,200 satellites, is designed to deliver high-speed broadband to households, enterprises and governments. Amazon has already launched initial satellites and is working with telecom operators and distributors ahead of wider rollouts. Establishing ground infrastructure is a prerequisite for scaling service and managing network traffic.

The decision heightens competition with Starlink, which has moved quickly across Africa, launching in multiple countries including Kenya. SpaceX’s service has gained early adopters among businesses and remote users seeking alternatives to patchy terrestrial connectivity, though equipment costs and monthly pricing remain barriers for some consumers.

An Amazon entry could intensify price competition and broaden distribution partnerships, especially if Kuiper bundles connectivity with its cloud and enterprise offerings. Analysts say dual-operator dynamics may accelerate coverage while pushing both providers to differentiate on performance, pricing and local partnerships.

For Kenya, the investment underscores its role as a regional digital gateway and could support sectors from education and healthcare to agriculture and logistics. It may also spur further policy development around spectrum, licensing and infrastructure sharing as governments balance competition with market stability.

Amazon hasn’t disclosed a launch timeline for Kuiper services in Africa. But the establishment of its first gateway on the continent suggests commercial availability is moving closer, setting the stage for a head-to-head contest with Starlink over Africa’s next wave of internet users.

For many patients in Uganda, getting an MRI scan has never been just a medical appointment. It often means long, costly journeys to major cities trips that can delay diagnosis and, in some cases, treatment itself.

At Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), a quieter, more hopeful story is taking shape.

Inside a small lab, researchers and students are working with an ultra-low-field MRI machine, less powerful than conventional hospital systems, but far more accessible. Until recently, however, producing clear, reliable images from the machine remained a challenge.

“We could capture signals, but turning them into images we could confidently interpret was difficult,” said Eng. Dr. Johnes Obungoloch, dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology at MUST.

That changed when the team partnered with Spain’s Institute of Instrumentation for Molecular Imaging (I3M) and began using Tyger, a cloud-based imaging platform developed by Microsoft Research.

Instead of relying on local computing power, raw MRI data is now sent to the cloud, where advanced algorithms reconstruct and enhance the images before returning them to the lab. The improvement has been striking.

“Early on we could only image part of the head,” Obungoloch said. “Today, we can acquire full-head images.”

For students, the project is opening doors beyond the classroom. Engineering and medical trainees are working side by side, learning how to operate imaging systems, process signals and interpret results skills that are still scarce in many parts of the region.

In a country where access to advanced imaging is limited, the implications extend far beyond the lab. Patients with conditions such as stroke, head injuries or hydrocephalus often depend on timely scans to guide treatment. Yet for many, distance and cost remain major barriers.

“For some patients, traveling hundreds of kilometers for a scan is simply not possible,” Obungoloch said. “If we can bring this closer, it can change outcomes.”

Since 2025, the team has scanned dozens of volunteers while refining the system. Though still in the research phase, the work points to a different model for delivering healthcare one where lower-cost machines, combined with cloud computing, can expand access without requiring massive infrastructure.

What is unfolding in Mbarara is not just a technical breakthrough. It is a practical attempt to shrink the gap between patients and diagnosis using connectivity, collaboration and a rethinking of how medical technology is delivered.

MTN Group Ltd. has begun a phased rollout of a new video entertainment platform, MTN One TV, as Africa’s largest mobile operator accelerates its expansion into digital services beyond traditional connectivity.

The offering, launched under its Ambition 2030 strategy, aggregates local storytelling, live television channels and international programming into a single platform tailored to Africa’s diverse markets, where affordability and access to payment systems continue to shape streaming adoption.

Viewing options will vary by country, ranging from free-to-view and advertising-supported content to pay-as-you-watch and subscription models. In a bid to lower barriers to entry, MTN will enable payments through airtime, mobile money and other locally supported methods in select markets, targeting millions of users outside the formal banking system.

The Johannesburg-based telecom operator is leveraging its scale across connectivity, fintech and digital infrastructure to compete with global streaming platforms such as Netflix Inc. and Amazon.com Inc., as well as regional broadcasters and pay-TV providers.

“Entertainment is increasingly becoming an important gateway to digital participation,” said Selorm Adadevoh, MTN Group’s Chief Commercial, Strategy and Transformation Officer. He said the platform is designed to expand access to relevant content while creating new opportunities for Africa’s creative and digital economy.

MTN One TV is also positioned as a distribution channel for creators, advertisers and broadcasters, helping improve content discovery and extend audience reach across the operator’s footprint.

The rollout will be gradual, with the company adapting its approach based on local market dynamics, regulatory environments and partnership opportunities. Over time, MTN plans to unify its video services and partnerships under the One TV brand to build a more scalable entertainment ecosystem.

The move underscores a broader shift among telecom operators toward bundling connectivity with digital services as traditional revenue streams mature. With rising smartphone penetration and expanding network coverage across Africa, MTN is betting that integrated entertainment offerings will help drive user engagement and unlock new growth avenues.

Binance has pledged $250,000 in emergency humanitarian funding to support frontline efforts responding to an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

The funding will be split equally between the Uganda Red Cross Society and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), with a focus on strengthening medical care, outbreak containment, community awareness, and protection for frontline health workers operating in high-risk areas.

The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a strain of Ebola for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment exists has placed significant strain on already fragile health systems in eastern DRC and neighbouring regions. Health authorities and humanitarian organisations are working to contain transmission while expanding access to emergency care and preventive interventions.

Binance said the funding will support critical response activities including contact tracing, infection prevention and control measures, community education campaigns, and the provision of sanitation and protective equipment for medical teams.

A central focus will be improving rapid response capacity in underserved and hard-to-reach communities, where limited infrastructure and delayed access to public health information continue to heighten transmission risks.

“Communities across Africa continue to show extraordinary resilience in the face of complex challenges, but frontline responders should not have to face crises like this alone,” said Richard Teng, co-CEO of Binance. “The teams working to contain the Ebola outbreak are delivering vital, life-saving support under incredibly difficult conditions. We are proud to support both the Uganda Red Cross Society and MSF as they work to protect vulnerable populations and strengthen local response efforts.”

Robert Kwesiga, Secretary General of the Uganda Red Cross Society, said the support would enhance response capacity at a critical moment. “Strong partnerships are essential during public health emergencies. The support from Binance comes at a crucial time and will help us respond more rapidly, reach more at-risk communities, and reinforce frontline services needed to contain the outbreak and save lives.”

MSF Emergency Programme Manager Trish Newport said the spread of cases across multiple health zones and into cross-border areas underscored the urgency of the response. “The number of cases and deaths we are seeing in such a short timeframe, combined with insecurity and limited access to healthcare in some regions, makes rapid action critical to prevent further escalation.”

Binance said the initiative forms part of its broader engagement in Africa, which includes programmes in education, digital skills development, financial inclusion, and community empowerment.

The company also called for increased private-sector participation in humanitarian response efforts, arguing that corporations operating in Africa should play a greater role in supporting communities during public health emergencies.

Zipline’s autonomous drone logistics network is delivering measurable gains across nutrition, agriculture and local economies in Africa, according to three new studies that extend the company’s impact well beyond its core healthcare operations.

The research finds a 22% reduction in child fatalities linked to severe acute malnutrition, a 68% return on investment for smallholder pig farmers, and between $850 and $1,200 in additional annual household income for communities located near Zipline distribution hubs.

“This research shows what communities and governments across Africa have seen firsthand: when essential supplies reliably reach the people who need them, outcomes change,” said Caitlin Burton, CEO for Africa and Emerging Markets at Zipline. “Zipline began by improving access to critical health supplies. Today, the same infrastructure is strengthening nutrition systems, agricultural productivity and local economies.”

A peer-reviewed study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science examined Zipline’s role in Rwanda’s pig farming sector, where drone delivery of temperature-sensitive pig semen was paired with training for community animal health workers across eight rural districts. The initiative, run in partnership with the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board and Feed the Future Rwanda, aimed to determine whether reliable logistics could make artificial insemination a viable and scalable income stream.

The results point to significant gains. About 17% of the increase in farmers’ income was directly attributed to Zipline’s logistics support, while the program generated nearly $129,000 more in farmer income than it cost to implement—equating to a 68% return on investment. Artificial insemination success rates also rose sharply, from 48.8% to 74.8% following the integration of drone delivery.

A second study focused on healthcare outcomes, specifically the delivery of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for treating severe acute malnutrition in Rwanda. Comparing 299 facilities over five years, researchers found that Zipline-enabled supply chains reduced in-hospital child deaths from severe malnutrition by 22%.

The data also showed a broad decline in severe malnutrition cases across all age groups, including a 22% drop among children under two, 42% among those aged two to five, and 84% among children older than five. Severe anemia cases in children aged two to 59 months fell by 46%.

While malnutrition-related hospitalisations rose by 21%, mortality did not increase—an indication that more children were being identified earlier and receiving sustained treatment due to improved supply reliability.

“The protocol for treating malnutrition has not changed. What changed was whether supplies were there when clinicians needed them,” said Pedro Kremer, Head of Impact and Research at Zipline. “That is the variable these studies are measuring—and the results are unambiguous.”

A third study assessed the broader economic footprint of Zipline’s GH3 distribution hub in northern Ghana, combining household surveys with satellite analysis of nighttime light intensity—a widely used proxy for economic activity. The findings suggest that proximity to the hub correlates with tangible economic gains.

Households within a two-kilometre radius of the hub reported annual income increases of between $850 and $1,200. Asset accumulation declined with distance, dropping by roughly 27% for every additional 1.5 kilometres from the hub, with a gap exceeding 30 percentage points between the nearest and farthest communities. Access to drinking water also followed a similar pattern, improving more significantly in areas closer to the hub.

Satellite data reinforced these findings, showing higher nighttime light intensity around the GH3 site compared with 82 benchmarked locations across Ghana.

Together, the studies suggest that Zipline’s logistics infrastructure is not only improving access to critical health supplies but also acting as a catalyst for broader economic activity in surrounding communities.

Zipline, which operates across four continents, currently serves more than 5,000 hospitals and health facilities globally and completes a delivery approximately every 30 seconds. With over 130 million autonomous miles flown, the company has positioned itself as a key player in transforming supply chains for healthcare, agriculture and commerce, particularly in underserved regions.

Earlier this year, Zipline and the Government of Rwanda signed an expansion agreement under a $150 million pay-for-performance award granted to Zipline by the U.S. Department of State. While Rwanda was already a pioneer as the first country to launch Zipline’s service in 2016, this new phase was expected to introduce Africa’s first urban drone delivery network and a dedicated autonomous delivery testing centre.

Ethio telecom has expanded its 4G LTE mobile broadband network to 52 additional towns across Ethiopia, extending high-speed connectivity deeper into both densely populated and historically underserved regions.

The rollout spans Oromia, Amhara, Southern Ethiopia, Gambella, Benishangul-Gumuz, Harari, Somali, Tigray and Afar, underscoring the operator’s continued push to move beyond major cities and regional capitals.

Oromia and Amhara account for the majority of the newly connected towns—together representing roughly two-thirds of the expansion—while smaller additions were recorded across Gambella, Benishangul-Gumuz, Somali and Afar. The geographic spread reflects a deliberate strategy to balance coverage between high-demand population centers and remote communities with limited prior access to broadband services.

The expansion forms part of Ethio telecom’s broader network modernization program, which has seen the state-owned operator ramp up investments in LTE infrastructure and service upgrades in recent years. The initiative is aimed at improving network quality while scaling access to high-speed connectivity nationwide.

Rising demand for mobile-driven services—including digital payments, e-commerce, online education and e-government platforms—is increasingly shaping Ethiopia’s telecom priorities. Extending LTE coverage to secondary towns is expected to play a critical role in enabling these services, particularly as digital adoption accelerates beyond urban areas.

The latest rollout adds momentum to Ethiopia’s wider digital transformation agenda, positioning improved mobile broadband access as a key enabler of economic participation and service delivery across the country.

Salesforce is expanding its services in East Africa to help businesses improve client engagement, data management, AI-enabled insights and revenue growth.

The new Salesforce capabilities include Agentforce Financial Services, Agentforce Marketing, MuleSoft and Data 360. The services include consulting, implementation, integration and ongoing support. Salesforce will be working with NTT DATA, a global leader in AI, digital business and technology services to help firms get a clear view of customer data, personalised customer service, better service delivery and AI-powered decision-making.

“Kenya is one of Africa’s most innovative digital markets, with a financial services sector that continues to raise the bar for customer experience and technology-led growth,” said Lauren Wortmann, NTT DATA Managing Director: Applications, Middle East and Africa. “By extending our Salesforce services in Kenya, we’re bringing together global capability, in-region expertise and deep industry knowledge to help clients turn customer data into meaningful engagement, improved service and measurable business value.”

In Kenya, NTT DATA sees significant opportunity to help organisations use Salesforce to better understand, serve and grow their customer relationships. The new offering builds on NTT DATA’s existing applications services in East Africa and last year’s acquisition of EXAH, a Salesforce Consulting Partner and AI implementation specialist in South Africa, which strengthened the company’s expertise in the region and ability to deliver locally relevant Salesforce solutions backed by global scale.

As organisations seek to leverage AI and automation, trusted data foundations and integrated client platforms are becoming increasingly important to improving loyalty, service quality and revenue growth.

“Salesforce is dedicated to helping businesses in Africa use trusted AI, data and CRM to provide better customer experiences and grow,” said Nick Christodoulou, Salesforce Area Vice President, Africa, “Our partnership with NTT DATA in East Africa brings Salesforce’s new platform ideas with NTT DATA’s experience and relationships with clients in the region. This helps companies move faster from planning to impact.”

NTT DATA has recently joined Salesforce’s Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) Partner Network, deepening the strategic relationship between the two organizations and helping customers accelerate the successful deployment of Agentforce at scale.

NTT DATA has worked with Salesforce for more than 25 years, has delivered more than 3,500 Salesforce projects worldwide and was recognized with seven Salesforce Partner Innovation Awards. The company’s expertise was further recognized in 2026 when it was named MuleSoft Partner of the Year and Marketing Partner of the Year in South Africa.

The expansion also supports skills development and long-term technology enablement in Kenya. By growing its Salesforce services locally, NTT DATA aims to help create new opportunities for digital skills development while ensuring Kenyan organisations have access to the same enterprise platforms, capabilities and competitive advantage as leading organisations globally.