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📱MTN Nigeria Reports N400bn Loss in 2024, as Naira Devaluation Hits Earnings
🤖 OpenAI launches GPT-4.5: Its most powerful AI model to Date
💻 Microsoft To Discontinue Skype After 21 Years
📱 HMD Unveils the X1: A Smartphone That Balances Safety and Experience for Kids
💵 Fawry Expands Fintech Ecosystem with $1.6 million Investment in 3 Egyptian Tech Firms
🏍️ Bolt exceeds 500 electric two-wheelers in Kenya |
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| | | | | If you haven't subscribed, join over 7,000 people curious about Innovation, New Products, New Technologies in Africa. | |
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| | | | | 📱TELECOMS | MTN Nigeria Reports N400bn Loss in 2024, as Naira Devaluation Hits Earnings | | MTN Nigeria, the country's largest telecommunications operator, has reported a staggering loss of N400 billion (approximately $1.1 billion USD) for the year 2024. This loss is primarily attributed to the devaluation of the Nigerian naira, which has had a profound impact on the company's earnings. | According to MTN Nigeria's financial report, the company's revenue declined by 25%, falling from N1.6 trillion ($4.4 billion USD) in 2023 to N1.2 trillion ($3.3 billion USD) in 2024. This decline is primarily due to the devaluation of the Naira, which significantly reduced the company's earnings when converted into US dollars. | Additionally, operating expenses surged by 30%, reaching N744 billion ($2.1 billion USD) in 2024, compared to N573 billion ($1.6 billion USD) in 2023. The increase in costs was largely driven by the higher price of imported goods and services required for network operations and expansion....…continue reading |
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| | | | | 🤖 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | OpenAI Launches GPT-4.5: Its Most Powerful AI Model to Date | | OpenAI has recently unveiled GPT-4.5, its latest and most expansive AI language model to date. Initially, this model will be accessible as a research preview exclusively for ChatGPT Pro users. OpenAI has touted GPT-4.5 as its "most knowledgeable model yet," but has also cautioned that it does not qualify as a frontier model and may not perform as effectively as its predecessors, specifically the o1 and o3-mini models. | The enhancements in GPT-4.5 include superior writing capabilities, an enriched understanding of world knowledge, and what OpenAI describes as a "refined personality" compared to earlier iterations. The organization claims that interactions with GPT-4.5 will feel more "natural," highlighting the model's improved ability to recognize patterns and establish connections. This makes GPT-4.5 particularly well-suited for tasks such as writing, programming, and addressing practical problems..…continue reading |
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| | | | | 💻 SOFTWARE | Microsoft To Discontinue Skype After 21 Years | | Microsoft has revealed that Skype, its innovative communication platform, will be discontinued on May 5, 2025, marking a dramatic change in the computer industry. For a service that once revolutionized international communication, this ruling signals the end of an era. Skype, which was introduced in 2003, became an innovative application that allowed users all over the world to make free video and audio calls via the internet. Its cost-effective business strategy and user-friendly interface soon attracted a large user base, upending traditional phone service and making Skype a household name. With hundreds of millions of users at its peak, the platform allowed for smooth cross-continental connections. | Skype's worth and potential were highlighted in 2011 when Microsoft paid $8.5 billion to acquire the platform. In order to improve communication tools throughout its ecosystem, the IT giant sought to incorporate Skype's features into its portfolio of services. However, the environment of digital communication changed quickly as new competitors and technology entered the market, changing consumer expectations and preferences. ......…continue reading |
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| | | | | 📱SMARTPHONES | HMD Unveils the X1: A Smartphone That Balances Safety and Experience for Kids | | Human Mobile Devices (HMD) is tackling one of modern parenting's toughest challenges—how to give children a smartphone experience they love, without exposing them to the risks of the online world too soon. Their solution? The HMD X1, a first-of-its-kind smartphone created in collaboration with Xplora, designed to offer a premium experience for kids while maintaining built-in parental controls at the operating system level. | Unlike traditional "kid-friendly" phones that often feel restrictive or outdated, the HMD X1 seamlessly fits into the smartphone landscape, making it a device teens actually want to use while still offering parents the ability to limit internet and app access, track location, and manage screen time......…continue reading |
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| With 150+ countries right at your fingertips, growing your team with Deel is easier than ever. | Get the guide | | | | | 💵 INVESTMENTS | Fawry Expands Fintech Ecosystem with $1.6 million Investment in 3 Egyptian Tech Firms | | Fawry, one of Egypt's leading fintech companies, has announced a strategic investment of EGP 80 million ($1.6 million) in three prominent Egyptian technology companies: Dirac Systems, Virtual CFO (VCFO), and Code Zone. These investments, which grant Fawry majority equity stakes in each firm—51.0% in Dirac Systems, 56.6% in VCFO, and 51.0% in Code Zone—are aimed at expanding Fawry's "Fawry Business" ecosystem. | By acquiring stakes in these companies, Fawry is reinforcing its position as a leading provider of digital business solutions, integrating financial technology with enterprise resource planning (ERP), accounting, and software development. This move is also expected to accelerate Egypt's digital transformation efforts and enhance the country's fintech and business automation landscape........…continue reading |
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| | | | | 📍Register for your PMP exam training here | | Join the next cohort as we start the PMP certification exam training on the 15th March 2025. | Register now by clicking here |
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| | | | | 🏍️ RIDE-HAILING | Bolt exceeds 500 electric two-wheelers in Kenya | | Bolt, the ride-hailing company, has announced a significant achievement with its electric two-wheeler fleet in Kenya, which has now surpassed 500 vehicles. This milestone underscores the company's commitment to sustainable transportation and reflects its strategic collaborations with key partners in the industry. | The success of Bolt's electric fleet can be attributed to its partnerships with fintech firm M-KOPA and electric vehicle manufacturers Roam Electric and Ampersand. These alliances have enabled Bolt to establish what it claims is the largest fully electric fleet in Kenya, operating nearly 50% of all electric vehicles in the country. As part of these partnerships, both new and existing drivers have the opportunity to lease electric motorbikes from Roam and Ampersand at discounted rates, making it more affordable for them to transition to electric mobility..........…continue reading |
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| | | | | OTHER STORIES | Did You Know Sending a Photo Can Reveal Your Location? (Geotagging Explained)…….continue reading How To Create PDFs Easily on WhatsApp (iPhone Users Only)……continue reading The Role of AI in Enhancing iPhone 16's Battery Performance……continue reading
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Innovation Village |
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