Author: Kevin Odero

• Starlink, has introduced a significant price reduction of 55.6% for its installation hardware kit in the Kenyan market.
• This promotional offer is valid until May 15, providing Kenyans the opportunity to purchase the hardware equipment at $292.36 (KSh39,500), a substantial discount from the usual asking price of $658.04 (KSh89,000).
• An analysis in October 2023 highlighted Kenya and Mozambique as the top markets with the highest charges for internet installation compared to other African countries where Starlink has a presence.

Billionaire Elon Musk’s satellite internet firm, Starlink, has introduced a significant price reduction of 55.6 percent for its installation hardware kit in the Kenyan market. This promotional offer is valid until May 15, providing Kenyans the opportunity to purchase the hardware equipment at $292.36 (KSh39,500), a substantial discount from the usual asking price of $658.04 (KSh89,000).

The promotional message displayed on the firm’s website states, “SpaceX’s Starlink kit has an offer …

• Air Tanzania has received Boeing 737-9 Max, its second aircraft from the US carrier manufacturer.
• A second Boeing 737-9 Max symbolizes Tanzania’s steady journey in enhancing its budding aviation sector.
• With the new aircraft, Air Tanzania now shifts focus to strategic expansion, operational efficiency, and overcoming challenges such as a biting shortage of pilots.

Air Tanzania Company Limited is on an aggressive expansion drive as it welcomes Boeing 737-9 Max, its second aircraft from the US carrier manufacturer. A second Boeing 737-9 Max symbolizes Tanzania’s steady journey in enhancing its aviation sector but also sets the …

• Foodtech startups are leading a movement that aims to enhance food security and transform African agriculture into a model of economic viability and sustainability.
• Nile, a business-to-business (B2B) marketplace seeks to modernise agricultural trade by enabling direct connections between farmers and buyers.
• Another entity, Sand to Green, employs advanced agroforestry practices and technology to transform arid desert lands into fertile agricultural zones.

In the face of a future where 140 million people in Africa confront acute food insecurity, the emergence of foodtech startups across the continent is starting a new phase in agricultural practices and food production.

Armed with innovative technologies and visionary approaches, these startups are leading a movement that aims to enhance food security and transform African agriculture into a model of economic viability and sustainability.

A trio of visionaries from Amazon, JP Morgan and Luno have established a digital insurance platform Nile, a business-to-business (B2B) marketplace that …

• mTek, an insurtech innovation platform, has secured a $1.25 million investment from Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures and Founders Factory Africa to fuel its expansion across East Africa.
• The firm aims to streamline the insurance process, enhance customer experiences, and improve operational efficiency.
• This investment and expansion plans underscore mTek’s commitment to making insurance more accessible and affordable.

The insurance sector across East Africa is poised to experience intense activity following plans by the digital platform mTek to revamp the industry. mTek, a pioneering digital insurance platform, has secured $1.25 million (approximately Sh167.8 million) in funding from Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures (VKAV) and Founders Factory Africa (FFA) to spearheaded this investment, which is poised to catalyze its strategic expansion across East African region.

This capital infusion will strengthen mTek’s position as a leader in insurtech innovation, using state-of-the-art technology to revolutionize the uptake of cover services.

At the heart of mTek’s mission is …

• Uganda’s diaspora remittances have seen 13.4% jump, reaching $1.42 billion.
• Remittances continue to outshine foreign direct investment and official development assistance as the primary source of external finance for low and middle-income countries.
• Economies are leveraging diaspora remittances through innovative financial instruments such as diaspora bonds and policies aimed at financial inclusion to enhance their impact on development.

Diaspora remittances from Ugandans living and working abroad increased by 13.4 per cent in the 12 months ending January 2024. This surge, as reported by the Bank of Uganda’s Executive Director of Research, Mr. Adam Mugume, highlights the increasing role of diaspora inflows in the nation’s economy, reaching $1.42 billion, up from the previous $1.25 billion.

Such growth underscores the essential contribution of the Uganda’s diaspora remittances amidst a challenging global financial landscape.

Globally, remittances have emerged as a critical source of external finance for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), overshadowing foreign …

• Tanzania has offered the Uganda National Oil Company (Unoc) to use the Dar es Salaam port for oil importation.
• This presents a strategic alternative amid the ongoing importation stalemate between Uganda and Kenya.
• The legal dispute between Uganda and Kenya over oil importation policies is pending before the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), with indications that Uganda may withdraw the case.

Tanzania has stepped forward with an enticing proposition that Kampala finds hard to ignore, especially regarding the ongoing deadlock in Nairobi-Kampala oil imports.

Tanzania has extended an offer to the Uganda National Oil Company (Unoc) to utilise the Dar es Salaam port for its fuel importation needs. This development comes as Uganda explores alternatives in response to Kenya’s steadfast position on Kampala’s oil importation demands.

Uganda’s grievance at the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) remains pending amid these unfolding events, casting a shadow of uncertainty over …

• Hormuud Telecom has launched the 5G network across Somalia, enhancing the speed of internet and communication.
• This marks a significant leap towards a digitally inclusive society with reliable internet connectivity in the country.
• A 5G networks is set to stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and revolutionize public services such as healthcare and education.

Hormuud Telecom has unveiled its 5G network, marking a historic moment for its main market Somalia, which now enters into the elite group of African nations such as Kenya and Ethiopia that have embraced this cutting-edge technology.

Hormuud Telecom 5G signal is now present across 30 cities and towns, promising to revolutionize the speed of the internet and communication and transform Somalia’s digital economy.

Enhancing Communication with 5G Technology

The introduction of the 5G network by Hormuud Telecom signifies a monumental leap in improving internet connectivity’s speed and reliability across Somalia. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, along …

• AfDB grant aims to enhance Burundi’s productivity by four to five times and bolster agro-processing for increased domestic and export food availability.
• It also promises significant economic diversification, creating jobs, improving food security and nutrition, and strengthening regional trade.
• This investment can help safeguard the livelihoods of countless farmers against the increasing unpredictability of weather patterns due to climate change.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has announced $80 million grant to bolster Burundi’s agricultural sector and transform the nation’s agricultural industry.

AfDB’s Director General for East Africa, Nnenna Nwabufo, revealed this financial pledge after meeting with Burundian Prime Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca in Bujumbura. This funding is poised to multiply the sector’s productivity by four to five times, with a keen focus on enhancing agro-processing capabilities to not only increase the availability of food within Burundi but also boost its export potential.

The collaboration between the AfDB and the Burundian government …

• The Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) is directly importing petroleum products from Vitol Bahrain, aiming to reduce reliance on Kenyan firms and mitigate high fuel prices. 
• UNOC’s direct importation and sale of fuel to OMCs in Tanzania and Uganda is a significant step towards fostering stronger regional ties, promoting economic growth, and ensuring energy security. 

Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) has started the sale of petroleum products to oil marketing companies in both Uganda and Tanzania.

This is part of a broader strategy to test the waters before UNOC embarks on a direct importation agreement with the global oil titan, Vitol Bahrain. This maneuver signals a new era in East Africa’s energy dynamics, especially following a cooling of relations between Uganda and Kenya over fuel supply mechanisms.

Breaking New Ground: Uganda National Oil Company Direct Importation Deal

For years, Uganda’s fuel supply chain was heavily dependent on Kenyan OMCs. However, …

• The upcoming US-Africa green and sustainable financing forum in Côte d’Ivoire aims to mobilize funding for infrastructure projects across Africa.
• Set for March 19–20, the workshop will feature industry leaders, US technical experts, and key financiers.
• The event highlights the critical need for renewable energy funding models, financing mechanisms, and regulatory and policy reforms to facilitate the growth of green and sustainable infrastructure.

To foster sustainable development in Africa, the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is joining forces with the African Development Bank Group to host the US-Africa Green and Sustainable Financing Workshop.

Set to go down in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on March 19–20, 2024, this event is poised to bring to the forefront the pressing need for green and sustainable infrastructure projects across the continent.

The workshop, a convergence of industry leaders, explores innovative financing models that can support Africa’s journey towards a resilient and sustainable future.…