Headlines by TechCabal

TechCabal

Welcome to Headlines by TechCabal! ⁠ Every week, we break down the stories shaping Africa’s tech ecosystem 🌍, what they mean, and why they matter.

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    Episode 16: A Government used AI to write AI rules. The AI lied

    This week, we’re taking a deeper look at regulators. Telcos are paying up for the bad network…but, is it a strong enough payoff? Then, South Africa's government used AI to write its AI policy, and it got caught. Plus, African food delivery is heating up with a new playbook. Ultimately,  we're asking the tough questions regulators should be asking themselves. Tweet us: @techcabal #HeadlinesByTechCabal Ask us anything: bit.ly/headlinesama  Headlines featured Nigerian telecom customers to receive airtime refunds after disruptions, says NCC: https://techcabal.com/2026/04/23/nigerian-telcos-to-begin-airtime-refunds-for-service-disruption/  South Africa fails its AI test https://techcabal.com/2026/04/27/%F0%9F%91%A8%F0%9F%8F%BF%F0%9F%9A%80techcabal-daily-south-africa-fails-its-ai-test/   SOURCES: Reuters & TechCabal reporting __________________ FOLLOW US: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3XgnaCNucdy5XHR1QuV6sH?si=yyXGzywPQx2UMFvJP5XRAQ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/headlines-by-techcabal/id1871494749 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@techcabal Web: techcabal.com Twitter: @techcabal Email: editor@techcabal.com New episodes every Saturday Hosts: Muktar Oladunmade & Eme Oreoluwa

    20 min

  2. 26 APR

    Episode 15 | Security breaches, government surveillance & market wars: The Week Explained

    Imprisonment for a tweet? The Gabonese government is cracking down on its citizens again. After its social media shutdown in February, Gabon’s government is opting for another route–one where the wrong post could cost you your freedom and more. In this episode, we also look into the case of the hacker, holding Africa’s largest bank to a ransom of 1 Bitcoin, and why Meta might be set to surpass Google in digital advertising revenue. Tweet us: @techcabal #HeadlinesByTechCabal HEADLINES: Standard Bank is discovering the extent of the cyberattack in the daily data dumps: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-04-17-standard-bank-is-discovering-the-extent-of-the-cyberattack-in-the-daily-data-dumps  Sama to lay off over 1,100 Kenyan workers: https://techcabal.com/2026/04/16/sama-lay-off-kenyan-workers-meta  Meta poised to surpass Google in digital ad revenue for first time, report says: https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/meta-poised-surpass-google-digital-ad-revenue-first-time-report-says-2026-04-13  Gabon’s new law makes all social media users traceable: https://techpoint.africa/insight/techpoint-digest-1323  SOURCES: Daily Maverick, Reuters & TechCabal reporting FOLLOW US: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3XgnaCNucdy5XHR1QuV6sH?si=yyXGzywPQx2UMFvJP5XRAQ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/headlines-by-techcabal/id1871494749 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@techcabal Web: techcabal.com Twitter: @techcabal Email: editor@techcabal.com New episodes every Saturday HOSTS Muktar Oladunmade & Eme Oreoluwa

    32 min

  3. 18 APR

    Episode 14 | What’s Happening With Telcos, Safaricom & Takealot?

    Cartels are looting telco towers across Nigeria. Safaricom locked users out of M-PESA. And Takealot just became Shein. We break down the infrastructure crisis, the app disaster, and the e-commerce reckoning reshaping African tech. Headlines featured Criminal cartels plunder telco towers across 14 states - https://businessday.ng/pro/article/14-states-under-siege-as-criminal-networks-turn-telecom-sites-into-looting-grounds/  MTN awards Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola $335000 in performance shares: https://techcabal.com/2026/04/08/mtn-nigeria-ceo-group-share-award/#:~:text=MTN%20awards%20Nigeria%20CEO%20Karl,present%20regulatory%20and%20macroeconomic%20challenges  Safaricom migrates M-PESA app users to My OneApp in platform consolidation push: https://techcabal.com/2026/04/07/safaricom-migrates-m-pesa-users-to-my-oneapp-in-platform-consolidation-push/  Login failures hit Safaricom’s My OneApp days into rollout: https://techcabal.com/2026/04/09/safaricoms-my-oneapp-faces-login-issues/ Takealot fights fire with fire: https://mybroadband.co.za/news/business/639222-takealot-fights-fire-with-fire.html? --- HOSTS: Eme & Muktar SOURCES: Business Day NG, MyBroadband, TechCabal reporting FOLLOW US: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3XgnaCNucdy5XHR1QuV6sH?si=yyXGzywPQx2UMFvJP5XRAQ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/headlines-by-techcabal/id1871494749 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@techcabal Web: techcabal.com Twitter: @techcabal Email: editor@techcabal.com New episodes every Saturday.

    41 min

  4. 11 APR

    Episode 13: Here’s why Mental Health Workers Are Striking Against AI

    Ever wondered if a camera can stop a massacre — or if AI is a better therapist than your doctor? This week, we dig into what happens when technology shows up in the most human moments. What's Inside: The AI Therapy Debate: Why 2,000 mental health workers in North Carolina staged a 24-hour strike against AI,  and whether a hybrid approach is the smarter answer. Nigeria's Surveillance Pla: President Tinubu's plan to deploy 5,000 AI-powered cameras across Plateau State after the killing of over 27 people in Jos on Palm Sunday, and the infrastructure questions nobody is answering. Equinix's $438M Move: Why a global data centre giant is pouring billions into South Africa, and what it means for the continent's digital future. Africa's Fintechs Want to Be Banks: Flutterwave, Paystack, Moniepoint, OPay — the pattern is clear. But what does full CBN supervision mean for these companies and their users? Do you think AI surveillance can actually reduce violence in Nigeria? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. Visit our website techcabal.com to get the latest tech and business updates from Africa. Make sure to follow us on: Facebook: @TechCabal X: @TechCabal LinkedIn: @TechCabal Instagram: @TechCabal YouTube: @TechCabal TikTok: @TechCabal

    18 min

  5. 4 APR

    Episode 12: Why EV production is threatened, layoffs in tech, & Flutterwave’s new license

    This week on Headlines, Zia and Muktar get into Flutterwave’s new banking license as GB Agboola pivots Africa’s largest payment rail toward a full-stack infrastructure bet.  We explore the why behind Kuda’s latest layoffs, the legal catch in their severance, the rise of AI agents replacing human teams, and why Namibia is blocking Starlink to protect its local ownership laws. What’s Inside: The layoffs in tech: We look at the latest layoffs and the legal waiver buried in their severance packages.   Starlink vs. Namibia: Why Elon Musk hit a wall with the 51% local ownership rule.   The Hormuz Irony: How an oil-driven war is stalling the EV supply chain because "green" cars need 40% more aluminum.   Tax Deadline: Why Lagos moved the filing date to April 14 and what it means for you Headlines featured  Flutterwave secures national microfinance banking license: https://techcabal.com/2026/04/02/flutterwave-mfb/ Kuda Bank cuts hundreds of staff : https://techcabal.com/2026/03/27/5-nigerian-companies-that-have-cut-staff-in-q1-2026 Namibia rejects Starlink license over 51% local ownership requirement: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crl1ny1g6e0o  How the Strait of Hormuz war is stalling the global EV supply chain: https://restofworld.org/2026/gulf-ev-aluminum/

    28 min

  6. 28 MAR

    Episode 11: The $80B Metaverse reset, Moniepoint’s latest acquisition, & The PwC 21 month ban

    This week on Headlines, Muktar and Eme get into the $80 billion reality of Meta’s Horizon Worlds as Mark Zuckerberg pivots the world’s most powerful social ecosystem toward an AI infrastructure bet. But there’s more: An AI that works while you sleep, and the world bank’s crackdown on corruption. Listen in. Inside This Episode: The Pivot: Meta is trading Virtual Reality for a $135 billion AI bet. We unpack what this means for the apps that billions of Africans use daily.    The Acquisition: The Moniepoint/Orda merger is about building a full-stack operating system for a $12.37 billion food market.  We talk about why it really matters. The Accountability: When the "Big Four" fail, who audits the auditors? We look at the World Bank’s investigation into PwC’s "collusive practices" in East Africa.  Headlines featured Moniepoint acquires restaurant management platform Orda in full-stack merchant infrastructure be: https://techcabal.com/2026/03/23/moniepoint-acquires-orda-merchant-operating-systems World Bank bans PwC Africa subsidiaries over electricity project fraud:  https://techcabal.com/2026/03/18/world-bank-pwc-kenya-rwanda-units-21-months-fraud/  CANAL+ plans job cuts at Multichoice in $115 million turnaround plan: https://techcabal.com/2026/03/17/canal-job-cuts-multichoice-turnaround/  Editor’s note: Muktar said “four to five or six million” but meant $4–6 billion — Africa’s approximate annual tech funding figure. Tweet us: @techcabal for any questions you might have! Visit our website or follow us on social media @TechCabal for first dibs on the happenings shaping Africa's tech and business ecosystems.

    26 min

  7. 21 MAR

    Episode 10: BTC for a flight? The creator economy feud & Why you can only update your BVN number once

    Bitcoin to fly? South African Airways (SAA) is the first commercial airline to accept BTC. What does this mean for the transport and logistics industry? Last weekend, two creator platforms took the moment and went head-on. In this episode, we also unpack the Selar & Mainstack war. Meanwhile, the Cabal is cooking. Did you catch that teaser at the end of the episode? Stay close so you don’t miss Tweet us: @techcabal ___ This episode is powered by Monica, the all-in-one app to swap crypto for Naira, pay bills, and fund your wallet at the best rates. What’s Inside: The Selar vs Mainstack war: How Selar took the moment with branded content at Mainstack’s  event Bitcoin in the Sky: Why SAA is using crypto as a payment rail AMA Segment: The Central Bank of Nigeria’s cap on updating the phone number linked to your BVN once-in-a-lifetime. P.s, Editor’s note: Our hosts were just flying too fast. It’s South African Airways, not Airlines. ___ This episode is powered by Monica, the all-in-one app to swap crypto for Naira, pay bills, and fund your wallet at the best rates.

    26 min

  8. 14 MAR

    Episode 9: Why Showmax is folding, why you should stop saying ‘please’ to AI, & Ghana’s crypto law

    This week, Eme and Tayo peel back the curtain on the brutal economics of African streaming. For every $1 Showmax earned, it spent $2.50, leading to a $500 million in accumulated losses. We break down why subscription models are hitting a ceiling and why YouTube is becoming the ultimate stage for African filmmakers. We also discuss the story of Tamunotonye, a university candidate who had to face a computer-based exam without ever having touched a mouse. With entry-level laptops now starting at an average of ₦500,000, is the digital economy becoming increasingly unaffordable? What’s Inside: YouTube’s Global Play: Why African production studios are ditching paywalls for the attention economy. Ghana’s Crypto Safe Harbor: The Bank of Ghana admits 11 startups into its new regulatory "Sandbox". AI Etiquette: Why being polite to your AI might actually be ruining your prompts. Labour Shifts: Zap Africa’s 44% staff cut and the "Mind-Reading" AI reshaping call centres. Join the Conversation: Would you pay for a subscription for local content, or is YouTube all you need?

    21 min
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Welcome to Headlines by TechCabal! ⁠ Every week, we break down the stories shaping Africa’s tech ecosystem 🌍, what they mean, and why they matter.

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