Tag: GSMA

Mastercard partners Zamtel to transform digital payments in Zambia

Frank

ZAMBIA – Global payments and tech company Mastercard and Zamtel have announced a strategic partnership that will enable Zamtel Mobile Money customers, even those without bank accounts to make safe and seamless digital payments on the Mastercard network including international e-commerce transactions. The partnership is expected to drive financial inclusion and improve access to the digital economy. Under the agreement, Zamtel will launch a suite of Mastercard products including a Mastercard virtual solution, a physical debit card, and Mastercard QR, giving its Mobile Money customers new ways to access and…

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Cellular network operator NetOne picks Huawei to upgrade its network

Frank

ZIMBAMBWE – NetOne, Zimbabwe’s first cellular network operator and mobile branch of Zimbabwean incumbent telecom operator TelOne, has picked Chinese technology company Huawei to carry out the modernization of its telecom network. The operation, which is part of the strategic cooperation between the two countries, is financed up to US$400,000 by China. This is phase 2 of NetOne’s network modernization operation, which aims to improve broadband access throughout the Southern African nation. ‘The successful implementation of this project will drive the development of related industries, improve Zimbabwe’s digitalization and modernization, and…

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Mastercard, MTN partner to enable payments on global platforms

Frank

AFRICA – Mastercard and MTN have announced a strategic partnership to enable millions of consumers in 16 African countries to make global e-commerce payments safely and securely. Through a Mastercard virtual payment solution linked to MTN MoMo (Mobile Money) wallets, consumers and merchants can engage with brands and businesses abroad through digital commerce, extending their reach to an international marketplace and unlocking a host of opportunities. Mobile devices have become the primary channel used to connect to the internet across Sub-Saharan Africa. According to GSMA, by 2025, it is estimated…

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Rwanda to host Mobile World Congress Africa 2021

Frank

RWANDA – The Global Systems for Mobile Association (GSMA) has announced that it will host Mobile World Congress (WMC) Africa in Kigali, Rwanda in 2021 after MWC 2020 was scrapped in the wake of numerous wireless tech heavyweights deciding to pull out from the conference citing the COVID-19 outbreak.  MWC21 Africa is expected to bring together the leading names in business and technology from all around the world. The GSMA Director General Mats Granryd speaking on the development said that “I am proud of what we have built with Thrive…

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Africa’s Mobile industry contribution to GDP to expand to US$184Bn by 2024- GSMA

Frank

AFRICA – Africa’s mobile industry which currently contributes US$155 billion to the continent’s Gross Domesitc Product (GDP) is expected to expand in 4 years, contributing about US$184 billion to Africa’s GDP by 2024, according to recent data from GSMA. The GSMA further noted that that as of 2019, 477 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa subscribed to mobile services, accounting for 45% of the population. The mobile ecosystem also supported almost 3.8 million jobs (directly and indirectly) and made a substantial contribution to the funding of the public sector, with $17…

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GSMA sets up a digital inclusion fund for Africa and Asia

Frank

AFRICA – GSMA, a mobile industry group, has announced the launch Innovation Fund for Mobile Internet Adoption and Digital Inclusion. The fund is designed to increase mobile internet adoption and usage among those who have coverage but are not using it in countries in Africa and Asia.   The Innovation Fund is supported by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in Germany, the GSMA and its members.   The fund’s main goal is to find innovative ways to solve the usage gap…

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GSMA to boost Sub Saharan African GDP by investing $5.2bn

Frank

AFRICA – Innovative 5G services will generate US$5.2bn of economic expansion (0.7% of GDP growth) in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2034, according to a report released by the GSMA. This huge opportunity for Africa’s digital economy depends on the availability of necessary radio frequencies, including those known as ‘millimetre wave’ frequencies that will deliver ultra-high capacity and ultra-high-speed services. However, efforts by the European space industry to unreasonably constrain the use of these critical frequencies has 5G’s future hanging in the balance. Akinwale Goodluck, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa, GSMA, said “Africa…

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