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How Young People are Driving Africa’s Digital Future: A Recent Report Highlights the Impacts of Technology — And the Need for Greater Support
With over 400 million people between the ages of 15 and 35, Africa has the world’s youngest population — and by 2050, this youth population is projected to increase by 73%. As Grace Natabaalo and Chelsea Horváth at Caribou Digital explain, young Africans are leveraging digital platforms to find work, education and more — but they face numerous challenges in accessing and using technology. They share highlights from a new report based on discussions with 20 young people from seven countries across Africa, which show the impact of digital technology — and how this impact could be amplified.
- Categories
- Education, Technology
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BranchX Becomes India’s First Neobank to Launch ONDC Loans for Financial Inclusion
This initiative marks a significant step towards financial inclusion for India’s 1.4 billion people.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Telecom Industry Coalition to Boost Access to Smartphones in Poor Countries
The coalition will assess ways to lower the cost of entry into the digital economy for low-income populations, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
- Categories
- Technology, Telecommunications
- Region
- Global
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Tiger Global-Backed Minka Is the Latest Latin American Fintech to Set up Shop in Africa
Minka’s arrival in East Africa follows a trend of Latin American fintech companies expanding into Africa.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Global
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Elon Musk’s Starlink Cheaper Data Plan for Kenya Jolts Safaricom, Airtel
The Starlink package is likely to usher in stiff competition for Safaricom and Airtel in the data segment.
- Categories
- Technology, Telecommunications
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- data, digital inclusion
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Orange Energies Opens Digital Platform for Energy Companies
According to the business, the IOT platform addresses the profitability difficulties that African energy producers confront by lowering the risk of non-payment.
- Categories
- Technology, Telecommunications
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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All AI Work is Not Created Equal: Building an Ecosystem That Supports Not Just Jobs, But Employment in East Africa
With the global artificial intelligence market expected to grow to almost $830 billion by 2030, the impact of AI on employment in emerging markets is a topic of growing interest — and concern. Wendy Gonzalez at Sama explores the advantages and disadvantages of different types of AI work, and argues that the industry must build ecosystems that can support not just low-paid, crowdsourced contract jobs, but stable, formal employment if it hopes to generate lasting economic growth in regions like East Africa.
- Categories
- Technology
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Rethinking Credit Scoring: A Pay-As-You-Go Pioneer Explores Innovative Solutions in Africa
The ability to make life-changing purchases — from buying a home to setting up a business — usually relies upon acquiring credit. But as Mansoor Hamayun at Bboxx explains, in many emerging markets, it’s incredibly difficult for the average citizen to obtain a credit score. He explores the obstacles to credit scoring in Africa, and discusses how Pay-As-You-Go financing of solar products — combined with innovative approaches to consumer subsidies — can be leveraged to boost access to credit scores and essential financial services in underserved communities.
- Categories
- Finance
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