Google has introduced its inaugural Africa AI First accelerator programme.
Google says eleven startups were selected to address Africa’s challenges and broader global issues.
These startups will undergo a 10-week accelerator journey, gaining access to Google’s AI expertise, receiving $350,000 in Google Cloud Credits, benefiting from mentorship, technical guidance, and extensive networking opportunities.
The selected startups are; Avalon Health (South Africa), Chatbots Africa (Ghana), Dial Afrika Inc (Kenya), Famasi Africa (Nigeria), Fastagger Inc (Kenya), Garri Logistics (Ethiopia), Izifin (Nigeria), Lengo AI (Senegal), Logistify AI (Uganda), Telliscope (Ethiopia) and Vzy (Nigeria).

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Twiga has confirmed that it is in talks with Incentro Africa, a Google services reseller, to resolve their ongoing legal tussle.
Twiga was taken to court by Incentro to recover a $261,878 debt. Incentro Africa asked the court to give a liquidation notice to Twiga if the debt remained unpaid.
Twiga appealed the notice, arguing that Incentro’s court filing was in bad faith. The startup also confirmed that it is in talks with Google Ireland over the cloud service bill. Twiga objected to the liquidation demand, citing that it was made in bad faith. It is currently engaged in discussions with Google Ireland Limited, the primary provider of Google Cloud Services.

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Volkswagen’s $2.1 billion plan to launch a dedicated electric-vehicle factory in Wolfsburg, Germany is kaput.
The automaker instead reportedly plans to modify its existing plants in Zwickau and Wolfsburg to handle production of a new flagship EV — the postponed Project Trinity — and an all-electric Golf hatchback.
VW passenger cars boss Thomas Schaefer says VW’s roof is on fire in a meeting with senior leaders, citing the company’s need to overhaul its “complex, slow, and inflexible” processes.
VW still hasn’t really proved itself in electrics due to decreased demand.

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Some digital lenders have resumed harassing borrowers on their platform, even in cases where laws protect them against personal data abuse.
The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner has fined three entities a total of KES 9.3 million in a move set to further enforce sanity in the online lending space in the country. Mulla Pride Ltd, which operates two online credit platforms, KeCredit and Faircash, has received a KES 2.9 million million penalty.
The ODPC, the company used personal contact information from third parties to shame borrowers into paying their loans.
The two lenders – KeCredit and Faircash – do not appear in the approved list by the Central Bank of Kenya.

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Kenya has officially joined the Pan African Payments and Settlement System.
The service was launched in January 2022 and is currently used by commercial banks and payment service providers in nine African countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Djibouti, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.
Kenya became the tenth country to join the service.
Trade Secretary Moses Kuria noted that the Central Bank of Kenya had signed the agreement and completed all the necessary formalities.
Kenyan companies can trade with their peers from other African member states using our local currencies, a major boost for the African Continental Free Trade Area

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inDrive has responded to calls for its banning in Botswana following complaints by local public transport operators.
The taxi association claimed that inDrive, launched in Botswana in December 2019, is operating without the necessary licences.
The taxi association argues that inDrive operators should be subject to the same regulations; the DRTS confirmed that it is investigating the complaint.
InDrive says that it is aware of the complaints levelled against the service. Vincent Lilane, the company’s business development rep for Southern Africa, says the Ministry of Transport in Botswana currently does not have a specific registration requirement for companies operating under this particular mobility category.

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The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, met with M.M. Tripathi, the Director-General of India’s National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. The meeting was aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of the Indian digital economy and exploring avenues for knowledge sharing and collaboration.
Nigeria’s minister of communications, innovation, and digital economy, Bosun Tijani—underscored the importance of leveraging India’s vast expertise in digital technologies to bolster Nigeria’s digital economy.

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MTN has launched payments and remittance features within its MoMo app, doubling down on its fintech and mobile money play in South Africa.
The services will enable MTN users to send cash abroad and businesses to accept payments at a 4% service fee, which the company claims is half of what incumbents currently charge.
It has partnered with fintech platform Clicksendnow to provide the service in Zambia, Ghana, Cameroon, Rwanda, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Congo-Brazzaville, Benin, Guinea Conakry and Guinea Bissau.

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The United States Millennium Challenge Corporation has signed a $60 million deal with Kenya.
The agreement, known as the “Kenya Urban Mobility and Growth Threshold Program,” will support four mobility projects: the Integrated Transport Planning project, the First and Last Mile Connections project, the Detailed Land Use project, and the Bus Rapid Transit project.
The US will also finance the purchase of climate-friendly vehicles powered by electricity, hybrid, and biodiesel for the BRT network.
Kenya is committed to transitioning fully to zero-emission vehicles by 2040. So it has been welcoming a lot of mobility startups that are providing motorcycles, cars, shuttles, and buses.

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The Nigerian government, through the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, plans to team up with the Nigerian Exchange Limited to encourage startups to go public on the new NGX Technology Board.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, called for more investments in these startups, saying Nigeria has been too cosy with oil, and it’s time to spice things up and boost productivity in other sectors.
He stated that his ministry will work to make this happen by creating fintech-friendly regulations, facilitating access to funding, improving digital infrastructure, and supporting the export of tech products and services—all factors that will enhance startups’ scalability and profitability.
The NGX has also promised to further soften listing rules and improve the board for startups.

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