News - Afrikan Heroes

East African Community, Federal Republic of Germany Marks 25 years of Cooperation

November 24, 2023

The East African Community (EAC) and the German Embassy Dar es Salaam, jointly celebrated 25 years of partnership between the EAC and the Federal Republic of Germany today at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

During the occasion, the EAC Secretary General, Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mutuku Mathuki, and the German Ambassador to Tanzania and EAC, H.E. Thomas Terstegen, officially opened a photo exhibition titled “25 Years, 25 Faces, 25 Impacts.”

The photo exhibition is showcasing tangible impacts created for EAC citizens by the EAC-German partnership in recent years. It presents 25 beneficiaries from across EAC Partner States and all sectors of cooperation such as trade in goods and services, harmonisation of standards, pandemic preparedness and One Health, integrated water management, and digital skills development.

Among the beneficiaries are students benefitting from scholarships, tech-preneurs developing their careers following graduation, and tour operators who have grown their business thanks to capacity development and joint regional marketing. In addition, business leaders from sectors such as leather and pharma voice how they have been able to expand their markets due to the partnership between EAC and German Development Cooperation.

Other beneficiaries represent the Partner States’ public sector and give testimony on how regional integration is having a positive impact on the development in their home countries – among them officials working on cross-border solutions for health and water.

During the beneficiary interviews that informed the exhibition, strong statements on the impact of the EAC-German cooperation were given. For example, Euphrosine Niyidukunda, a business founder and agro processor from Rwanda highlighted, “My company has benefited a lot from the EAC regional integration through free trade. I have expanded my market to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and I’m also looking for opportunities in South Sudan and Burundi.”

Mr. Godfrey Pimundu, a laboratory scientist and coordinator for mobile laboratories at Uganda Central Public Health Laboratories, stressed the impact on the fight against COVID-19 and other diseases .

“In 2020, we received two laboratories from the German government. These labs came at the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, so we used them to detect COVID. The impact on fighting the spread of the disease was incredible,” said Mr. Kimundu.

ICT Specialist Thon Malek, from South Sudan noted, “During my studies at the Centre of Excellence for ICT in East Africa, I gained new skills every day. The exchange with students from other EAC Partner States helped me to replicate solutions that have been implemented in other countries and make them fit for South Sudan.”

On the merits for women traders, Ms. Janice Benson Kimaro, the Regional Coordinator, East African Women in Business Platform underlined, “Our partnership with EAC and Germany has led to numerous women entrepreneurs acquiring key knowledge to penetrate EAC and AfCFTA markets. A large number of women cross-border traders are now able to utilise the EAC Simplified Trade Regime to access regional markets.”

All of them are living testimony to the fact that the benefits of regional integration are real for EAC citizens.

In his opening remarks, the EAC Secretary General, Hon. (Dr.) Mathuki, hailed the two-and-half decades of cooperation between the Community and Germany, adding that it had yielded innumerable benefits for the bloc.

“This enduring collaboration has not only strengthened the bonds between our nations but has also played a pivotal role in fostering regional integration and development across East Africa,” said Dr. Mathuki. Since 1998, the German government has been a steadfast ally in our journey toward unity, progress, and prosperity. This enduring partnership has manifested itself in both technical expertise and financial contributions, demonstrating Germany’s commitment to the ideals of collaboration and shared growth,” added the Secretary General.

Dr. Mathuki described the exhibition as a testament to the tangible outcomes of a mutually beneficial partnership between EAC and Germany.

“It is a showcase of the transformative power of collaboration, highlighting the strides we have made together in areas such as economic development, education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability,” he said.

On behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany, H.E. Ambassador Thomas Terstegen emphasized, “The concept of the exhibition “25 years, 25 faces, 25 impacts” reminds us not to forget the ultimate goal of our cooperation: Even at the regional level, that sometimes feels a bit detached from the ordinary citizen, we are aiming at improving the living conditions of those living in East Africa. They must be able to feel the difference that our cooperation makes.”

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Embracing Savings Culture will Strengthen the Economy, Says President Ruto

As part of efforts by the Kenyan government towards enhanced financial inclusivity, President William Ruto said the Government will double the resources available to women and youth groups by matching their savings. The goal, he explained, is not only to empower members but also to cultivate a saving culture.

The President said he is looking forward to the day when the Government will borrow from the savings by Kenyans as opposed to foreign entities.

“Instead of us paying interest to other countries, we will be paying it to our people so that we can grow Kenya,” he said.

He made the remarks on Thursday during the 14th Anniversary of the Joyful Women Organisation at the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi.

Present were First Lady Rachel Ruto, Deputy President’s spouse Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, African First Ladies Monica Geingos (Namibia), Rebecca Akufo-Addo (Ghana), Angeline Ndayishimiye (Burundi) and Janet Museveni (Uganda).

Others were Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Cabinet Secretaries Aisha Jumwa, Aden Duale, Susan Nakhumicha and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, among others.

The Head of State lauded Mrs Ruto’s commitment to women empowerment in the country. He said Joywo has enhanced financial inclusion making a significant impact on the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

“The organization has done much more, made greater strides and achieved significant impact throughout Kenya,” he said.

Mrs Ruto said table banking has helped women build enterprises that have transformed their lives. “Joyful Women Organization contributes to the economic empowerment of our members through financial inclusion, capacity building, trade and market access and MSEs credit,” she said.

Ms Akufo-Addo lauded the Joyful Women organisation for championing financial inclusion that has turned around the fortune of women in the country.

The event also marked the launch of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development’s-WE ARE EQUAL campaign in Kenya.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Ghanaian Vice President Charges New Police Officers to: Be Fair, Firm And Fearless

The Ghanaian Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia has charged the men and women of the Ghana Police Service to live above reproach, constantly review and renew the tenets and practices of keeping the peace, and foster closer police-civilian relations, especially as the nation prepares for the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.

“You should be, first, exemplary law-abiding citizens for others to emulate. As professionals, always remember to treat people the way you wish yourselves, spouse or children to be treated. Therefore, in enforcing the law, be fair, firm and fearless,” Dr Bawumia stated on Wednesday, November 22, 2023.

Vice President Bawumia made the call at the 52nd Cadet Officers’ Graduation Parade of the Ghana Police Service at the Ghana Police Academy, Tesano, Accra. 340 candidates, made up of 260 men and 84 women, were appointed into the Senior Officer Corps of the Ghana Police Service to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police after six months of rigorous academic and practical training in the changing dynamics of policing.

The Vice President expressed satisfaction with the on-going paradigm shift in the training regime of Cadet Officers, noting that apart from a significant blend of theory and practical outlook, the training is also tailored to meet emerging dynamics of democratic policing, underscored by integrated working with stakeholders and strengthened by a more confident and practically oriented law enforcement leadership at the District and Unit levels across the country.

“The feedback and performance outcomes from the field by products of this reform initiative have been inspiring. I congratulate you as beneficiaries of this training reform agenda and urge you all to work hard to maintain and improve the standards set by your predecessors to enhance safety and security for socio-economic development of our communities.”

Government, he assured, is committed to resourcing the Police Service to enable it continue to play its constitutional role of maintaining law and order for all citizens to go about their businesses without let or hindrance.

“In the light of this commitment, construction of additional infrastructure such as lecture rooms, ultra-modern auditorium and residential accommodation is nearing completion at the Academy. This is intended to improve teaching and learning and to adequately accommodate the increasing number of officers admitted to the Academy.

“Also, the Government continues to support the decentralization efforts of the Formed Police Unit across the country. So far over 122 bases have been established across the country. In addition to provision of motorbikes and related equipment of law enforcement, more mobilization of resources is on-going to ensure these FPU bases are self-sustaining.”

Dr Bawumia lauded the strides made so far by the Police Administration in leveraging on the ongoing government digitization and digitalization agenda to strengthen the Police reforms initiatives and improve law enforcement service delivery, resulting in the deployment of the digital solution tool christened “TRAFFITECH-GH”, to streamline the enforcement of road traffic laws and regulations to improve road safety in Ghana.

“It is also commendable to note the comprehensive reorganization, training and decentralization of the Cybercrime Unit across all 25 regional police commands across the country in line with its broader goals of modernizing the Police Service to complement criminal investigations and also adequately tackle emerging threats in the digital space.

“Not only focusing on crime but you have also maximized opportunities to expand and deepen decentralization of your criminal record clearance services across the 25 Regional Police Commands this year within the overall framework of the Ghana Police Services Transformational Agenda aimed to improve police service delivery to the populace.”

Alluding to the upcoming polls, Dr Bawumia urged the Ghana Police Service, especially the graduating officers, to maintain the Service’s long-held reputation for professionalism in the discharge of its duties, noting that the Ghanaian public expects the Police to be proactive and accountable.

“There is no doubt that the Police have been a credible lead institution in the provision of internal security in the democratic journey of the country since independence and their long experiences and professionalism will once again be called upon in the coming elections. As you graduate from here, much will be expected of you to support and maintain the long-standing professionalism in providing the needed security before, during and after the elections in the communities that you will be deployed.

Dr Bawumia reminded personnel of the GPS that the Service operates with a well-organized structure and effective communication channels, supported by a robust command and control system, and urged them to use the appropriate channels to address any grievances they might have.

“The Ghana Police Service operates with a well-organized structure and effective communication channels, supported by a robust command and control system. As the Chairman of the Police Council, I am committed to fulfilling my constitutional role alongside the Council team to ensure that the administrative and operational aspects of the Service benefit both officers and citizens. In law enforcement, leadership marked by discipline, professionalism, and integrity is crucial for success and credibility.

“Fostering a culture based on these principles is not just a preference for the Ghana Police; it is a necessity to uphold public trust and respect.

hable“Dear Officers, let’s learn to respect our own rules and regulations, particularly by staying within the command structure in handling our grievances. Remember, you cannot find solutions if you discuss your work-related grievances in a “chop bar” or at a friend’s party when even the door to the office of the Chairman of the Police Council is always open” he pointed out.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Africa’s Private Sector Remains Optimistic About AfCFTA According to PAFTRAC Survey

November 23, 2023

The Africa CEO Trade Survey Report 2023 is an initiative by the Pan-African Private Sector Trade and Investment Committee (PAFTRAC), an organisation that seeks to gather the views of the African private sector and bring them to bear on trade and investment policy issues at a pan-African level.

Currently on its third edition, the report is the culmination of a survey that received over 1000 responses from senior executives across Africa. The report saw the continent’s private sector express their views on Trade, Africa’s Economic Outlook and the impact of the AfCFTA. The survey was conducted in partnership with African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank), African Business, Botho Emerging Markets Group, AfCFTA Secretariat, International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation, International Trade Centre and AUDA-NEPAD.

Some 56% of respondents expect the AfCFTA to have a very positive effect on their businesses, while 24% think it will have a moderately positive effect. Only 1% expect a very negative effect. The respondents, which represented predominantly small and medium-sized enterprises, were located in 48 different countries, 44 of which were in Africa.

“A majority of respondents in the 2023 PAFTRAC survey are optimistic that the AfCFTA will have a positive effect on their businesses. This has been underpinned by the AfCFTA’s commitment to ease access to markets and foster trade and economic growth. However, this optimism can only be realised if the necessary support required by respondents to benefit from AfCFTA is extended to them by regulators, and with aid from the developmental institutions to push for enabling policies,” said Prof. Patrick Utomi, Chairperson of PAFTRAC.

However, the survey found that 72.9% of respondents had a low to moderate level of awareness of the AfCFTA, with low access to information about it. Some 49% had not heard about the Pan-African Payment and Settlements System – a centralized payment and settlement system for intra-African trade in goods and services – and a similar number were unaware of the AfCFTA’s work on reducing non-tariff barriers, two of its most important operational instruments. In a similar vein, large numbers expressed concern about the threat of increased competition, reflecting a lack of awareness of the measures in place to protect vulnerable markets in the early stages of implementation.

“One thing seems clear from the results of our survey: more information on the AfCFTA and its operational instruments is needed to allow African companies of all sizes to take advantage of the opportunities on offer. Many of the participants said that they had little or no knowledge of key aspects of the free trade area, meaning that they are unable to take full advantage of it. They cannot make use of easier trade conduits and reduced barriers to trade if they are not aware that they exist. Here too, digital technology offers the ideal solution but a combination of adequate funding and promotion by the AfCFTA Secretariat or other relevant bodies is needed to make it effective,” the authors write.

More information on growing trade and market opportunities is regarded as by far the most important form of support companies need to benefit from the AfCFTA. Greater access to credit and an improved trading landscape through a focus on training, investments and regulations are all regarded as being beneficial but none come close to the information deficit in terms of perceived benefit.

“Of great importance is access to information, credit and improving the trading landscape through a focus on training, investments and trade-friendly regulations and regulators in order to allow SMEs to take advantage of the AfCFTA,” says Prof. Utomi.

The main perceived benefits of the AfCFTA on business prospects are increased market size, the potential for new investments and better access to raw materials. However, the eroding of both tariff and non-tariff barriers is also regarded as the biggest threat that the AfCFTA could pose because of the increased competition it could bring, as cited by 27% of respondents.

Despite the headwinds generated by high inflation, debt levels and interest rates, 80.1% of survey participants said that they were confident about Africa’s economic outlook for this year, albeit only 14.2% described themselves as very confident. These figures are roughly on a par with last year’s results, suggesting general optimism over the continent’s economic prospects.

“The road to implementing the AfCFTA successfully is still long, but through the collaboration of the public and private sector, a successful, Africa-wide free trade area can become a reality,” said Prof. Utomi.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

MTN Appoints Computershare to Locate Shareholders With Unclaimed Dividends

November 22, 2023

MTN Group Limited (MTN) has appointed Computershare Investor Services (Pty) Limited (Computershare) as the authorised service provider to manage the process of locating shareholders with unclaimed dividends. The objective is to update and verify shareholder information to facilitate the disbursement of any outstanding dividends.

Successful Distribution of Dividends

Since the commencement of this initiative, a substantial number of shareholders have updated their records, leading to the successful distribution of over R17 million in dividends. In collaboration with Computershare, MTN continues to exercise due diligence in tracing shareholders to ensure the timely payment of unclaimed dividends.

Computershare has been entrusted with the task of identifying these shareholders, obtaining the necessary documents to verify and update their information, and facilitating the payment of any outstanding dividends owed to them.

For shareholders who have not yet updated their details or claimed their dividends, the process is as follows:

Visit the dedicated portal: MTN Unclaimed Entitlements

Contact Computershare directly via phone at 0800 202 360 or +27 11 870 8206

Alternatively, email MTNAssetReunification@computershare.co.za for further assistance

To expedite the process, MTN advises shareholders to have their identification documents, proof of bank account, and other supporting documents ready if your shareholder profile requires updating. This procedure is part of our commitment to the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) verification process.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Atlas VPN Releases New Native App for Apple TV

Atlas VPN, has just introduced a dedicated VPN app for Apple TV. The development follows Apple’s rollout of tvOS 17 this September, which introduced VPN support. With the dedicated app, users can easily install and set up Atlas VPN on their Apple TVs in a few simple steps, eliminating the need for the manual VPN router setup that is often necessary with many other VPN services.

The Atlas VPN Apple TV service comes with solid encryption and features advanced protection SafeSwap servers unique to the VPN provider. SafeSwap allows users to have many rotating IP addresses without having to switch between different VPN servers.

“Just like anything connected to the internet, your smart TV is vulnerable to cyberattacks and online privacy threats, including surveillance, censorship, and snooping. A VPN can enhance the protection of personal information for smart TV users from unwanted third-party tracking and interception. It achieves this by encrypting online traffic and introducing an additional layer of security between the Apple TV and the internet, for a safer and more private streaming.”, says Ruta Cizinauskaite, the Head of Communications at Atlas VPN.

Apart from robust security features, the service is also equipped with video-optimized servers and 10Gbps servers designed to provide lightning-fast speeds, even during peak usage. The Atlas VPN app for Apple TV is already available on the Apple TV App Store. To get the app, users can search for “Atlas VPN” and follow a quick setup process.

Apple TV is the newest addition to Atlas VPN’s list of supported platforms, joining Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

What Led to the Firing of OpenAI’s CEO?

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the company behind the popular chatbot ChatGPT, has been dismissed by the board of directors due to disagreements over the direction and ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) development. Bloomberg and The Information reported the news on Thursday, November 16, 2023.

Internal conflicts linking Altman’s removal to the trade-off between AI safety and the speed of innovation prompted his dismissal. Some sources claim Altman advocated for faster, more ambitious projects like creating artificial general intelligence (AGI), while others state he was more cautious and concerned about the potential risks and harms of AI.

Removal of Sam Altman from OpenAI’s Board.

The board, including prominent figures like Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Reid Hoffman, and Marc Benioff, decided to remove Altman after a review concluded he wasn’t consistently candid in his communications and had violated some of the company’s policies and values.

Altman, 37, joined OpenAI in 2019 after leaving the position of president at Y Combinator, an influential startup accelerator. As one of the co-founders of OpenAI, initially a non-profit research organization, Altman led its transformation into a hybrid structure, raising $1 billion from Microsoft in 2020.

Altman’s Leadership Success

Under Altman’s leadership, OpenAI achieved significant success with the development and release of ChatGPT, a chatbot using the powerful language model GPT-4. Although ChatGPT became the fastest-growing consumer application with over 100 million users in less than four months, it faced criticism for generating biased, offensive, and misleading responses, as well as potentially malicious computer code.

Addressing the need for Ethical and Responsible AI Development

Altman has not publicly commented on his firing, but he previously expressed concerns about AI’s dangers in March 2023, emphasizing the need for regulation and societal involvement in its ethical and responsible development.

The board has not announced Altman’s successor, but talks are reportedly underway with Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI’s chief scientist and co-founder, who played a key role in the decision to fire Altman.

The firing represents a significant shake-up for OpenAI, one of the most influential and innovative companies in the AI field, prompting questions about its future direction and the broader implications of AI for society and humanity.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Liquid Dataport Partners VIPNET in Côte d’Ivoire to Accelerate Economic Growth Through Digital Transformation

November 21, 2023

Nic Rudnick, Deputy Chairman, Liquid Intelligent Technologies

Liquid Dataport, a business of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a pan-African technology group, is pleased to announce a partnership with VIPNET, a privately-owned corporate Internet Service Provider (ISP) in Côte d’Ivoire.

This partnership will allow Liquid Dataport to leverage VIPNET’s infrastructure to provide ISPs and Enterprise customers with access to Liquid’s full portfolio of services, including its extensive pan-African network and innovative cloud and cyber security solutions. This is a significant step for Liquid Dataport in expanding its network and service capabilities across West Africa, which is a key growth market for the company.

According to reports, the internet penetration in Côte d’Ivoire is currently at 45.4%, and through this partnership, Liquid Dataport aims to provide businesses with cost-effective, reliable, and secure connectivity solutions, a significant step in improving internet access in the country.

“We consider Côte d’Ivoire a very important ICT hub in the Francophone West African region. The country’s stability, substantial economic growth, and increasing demand for connectivity services make it an ideal location for Liquid to extend its presence. Through our partnership with VIPNET, Liquid will enhance regional connectivity and empower businesses and enterprises through expanded service capability,” says David Eurin, Chief Executive Officer of Liquid Dataport.

“This new partnership will enable VIPNET to strengthen its position as a technological hub of excellence within the West African sub-region, with a much higher bandwidth, and access to a varied range of ICT products and services. We believe that our unique position as a strong, national and reliable alternative player for our market, coupled with the major development with Liquid Dataport, will benefit our customers with next-generation solutions to accelerate their Digital maturity,” Says Ahmed CHERIF, Chief Executive Officer of VIPNET.

VIPNET will greatly benefit from being connected to Liquid’s extensive global network, enabling it to reach any location in Africa and allowing its regional customers to take advantage of Liquid’s Software-Defined Networking (SDN) solutions.

The inclusion of Côte d’Ivoire as an on-net country further demonstrates Liquid Dataport’s commitment to broadening its footprint, ensuring access for wholesale clients to the same network that serves them across the rest of Africa. This expansion reiterates Liquid’s commitment to meeting the growing demand for connectivity services in West Africa, aligning with its vision of a digitally connected continent that leaves no Africa behind.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

MTN Promotes Preservation of Safety of Children Online and Mental Well-Being in Africa

Africa’s leading telecoms company MTN has announced commitments to preserve the well-being of children online, which has become increasingly important with rapid technological advancements taking place. This becomes necessary as with quick and easy access to the internet, implementing security measures to preserve the online safety of children navigating the web is crucial.

While the internet provides children with access to innumerable access to educational resources it also has a stark impact on mental health. Understanding the impact of the web on a person’s mental health.

While research shows that the appropriate use of technology can augment cognitive, emotional, and social development, it can also have detrimental effects on mental health. Researchers argue that excessive technology usage can also foster a sense of “FOMO” (fear of missing out) and can contribute to social media addiction.

New online threats that can affect children include cyberbullying, privacy breaches, sexting, the dissemination of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and other forms of sexual exploitation.

In 2022, MTN initiated the “Help Children Be Children in 2022” campaign. The aim of the campaign was to raise awareness about CSAM and educate the public in targeted countries about reporting such content.

In addition, the campaign also facilitated the training of law enforcement and child helplines across Africa, positively impacting policy through roundtable discussions and encouraging key stakeholders, including industry leaders, to join the global effort against child sexual abuse material.

MTN has also actively supported the development of an Africa-wide online child safety portal. This portal, a pioneering endeavor, serves as a reporting mechanism for instances of child sexual abuse imagery online. MTN has collaborated with the IWF to bring this portal to fruition, and it is accessible at: Help Children Be Children MTN Group.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Orange Middle East and Africa Partners Spotify to Promote African Talents

November 20, 2023

Brelotte Ba, Deputy CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa

With a worldwide community of over 551 million monthly active listeners, including 220 million subscribers, Spotify provides a wide range of African and international artists with a library including over 82 million tracks. Thus from today, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, and Mali and very soon in Guinea, millions of mobile users will enjoy music for free on Spotify platform when subscribing to an Orange mobile offer; The new partnership between Orange Middle East & Africa (www.Orange.com) and Spotify will bring a new music journey to mobile users, thanks to a vast music catalog and a user-friendly interface.

Orange, operating in 18 countries across Africa and the Middle East, has recently partnered with Spotify, the world’s leading music streaming platform, to offer all mobile customers an exciting music experience. By offering complimentary data bonuses to access to Spotify’s service, Orange strengthens its position as an all-in-one entertainment service provider.

With a worldwide community of over 551 million monthly active listeners, including 220 million subscribers, Spotify provides a wide range of African and international artists with a library including over 82 million tracks. Orange customers can now enjoy this personalized and enriching musical experience by creating for instance their own playlists.

Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Managing Director for Spotify in Sub-Saharan Africa, said “We are excited to partner with Orange Middle East & Africa to offer data bonuses to our customers in Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Madagascar, and Mali, allowing them to enjoy our vast music library of over 100 million songs, without worrying about data. We are aware that data costs continue to be a hindrance for people who would like to stream music, that’s why we are actively working at Spotify SSA on partnerships like this one.”

Brelotte Ba, Deputy CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa, said: “We are pleased to partner with Spotify to bring a new experience to our customers in Africa and the Middle East. As a multi-service operator on the continent, we want to provide our customers with easier access to the rich musical culture in Africa and to the promotion of local talents. The deployment of this service in the countries where we are present will greatly facilitate access to an incomparable musical experience for all communities and thus contribute to the acceleration of digital inclusion on the continent.”

Music stands as the primary source of entertainment across the African continent. The vast community of Orange mobile users in several countries will enable Spotify to promote local talents and introduce them to a larger audience. This strategic partnership will constitute for Orange a substantial progression towards enhancing the musical experience across the African landscape, fostering a deeper connection to cultural and entertainment elements. Orange is exploring opportunities to expand the offer in other countries

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry