The ambitious initiative will unfold in phases, beginning with a pilot phase within the first year and aiming for a continent-wide reach by year three.

The partnership allows African developers to access NVIDIA’s advanced ecosystem, offering participants training, certifications, and community support through the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute.

This collaboration comes just eight months after Gebeya transitioned into an all-in-one talent cloud provider, reflecting its expanded focus on solving organizational needs through various talent cloud solutions.

Gebeya’s AI-powered Talent Cloud will play a pivotal role in this partnership, with NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Institute integrated into its platform to provide certified learning paths.

Through this collaboration, African developers will gain critical AI skills, addressing the region’s shortage of expertise in this area while advancing growth and innovation across Africa’s tech industry.

Wei Xiao, NVIDIA’s Director of Developer Relations, emphasized the collaboration’s strategic importance in positioning Africa as an AI talent hub, which could attract investments and boost the continent’s global tech competitiveness.

Gebeya CEO Amadou Daffe noted the initiative’s potential to unify fragmented tech communities, address skill shortages, and accelerate industry development, establishing Africa as a center for NVIDIA technologies.

Gebeya’s partnership with NVIDIA follows its December 2023 collaboration with Microsoft to launch a platform dedicated to skilling and job-matching.

The platform aims to upskill 300,000 developers across several African nations. The target for the first year is 150,000 trained developers, creating significant momentum for tech talent development on the continent.

This new initiative with NVIDIA is expected to transform Africa’s AI capabilities, strengthening the continent’s position as a competitive tech talent hub on the global stage.

Operating under the name JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. Representative Office Kenya, this new venture will focus on exploring business opportunities across the East African region.

Though the office will serve as a liaison and marketing hub, it is not permitted to carry out traditional banking activities as outlined by Kenya’s Banking Act.

This move strengthens Kenya’s position as a leading financial hub in Africa and enhances investment and trade ties between Kenya and the U.S.

The approval follows JPMorgan’s fulfilment of all the necessary requirements, according to CBK.

By establishing this office, JPMorgan Chase aims to capitalize on Kenya’s growing economy and its favorable business environment, contributing to the diversity of Kenya’s financial sector.

The presence of such a global banking giant is also expected to intensify competition among local banks, driving innovation and growth in the industry.

JPMorgan’s entry into Kenya underscores the nation’s growing reputation as a stable and attractive destination for international financial institutions.

The bank, which operates in over 60 countries worldwide, offers a broad range of services, including asset and wealth management, commercial and investment banking, and financial technology solutions.

This latest move marks a significant step in its expansion into the East African region.

This facility represents Raxio’s fifth data centre in its expanding portfolio and is the third one to open in 2024.

The data centre has earned Tier III certification from the Uptime Institute, positioning Raxio to significantly contribute to the country’s growing digital landscape.

CIV1 is Côte d’Ivoire’s first Tier III certified carrier-neutral and cloud-neutral data centre.
It is set to boost the country’s data consumption and local content creation in the rapidly expanding digital economy of Francophone West Africa.

Equipped with the latest technology, CIV1 has the capacity to house up to 800 racks and provide 3MW of IT power, making it a critical infrastructure in the region.

The launch also marks Raxio’s entry into West Africa, positioning Abidjan as a strategic hub for the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), which includes countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal.

The facility will cater to the banking sector and other industries requiring secure and efficient data storage solutions.

Raxio Group’s CEO, Robert Mullins, emphasized the significance of this expansion, stating, “The launch of our Abidjan data centre solidifies our presence in West Africa, a key area for our continued growth.

Abidjan is an ideal location for businesses from across the region to collocate their mission-critical infrastructure in a secure, reliable environment. We are proud to play a part in Côte d’Ivoire’s digital progress and enhance its regional prominence.”

Located approximately 30 kilometers from Abidjan’s city center within the Village of Innovation and Technology (VITIB), CIV1 is equipped with multiple power and fibre pathways, ensuring uninterrupted service.

The facility also boasts advanced redundant systems to meet Tier III standards. In addition, it hosts the country’s Internet Exchange Point (CIVIX), providing a cost-effective platform for both local and international traffic interconnection.

The toolkit was developed following a comprehensive study aimed at identifying the practical needs for startups to successfully enter these key markets.

It focuses on critical sectors, including agriculture, education, financial services, health, and manufacturing.

The digital toolkit provides a range of outputs, tools, and guides tailored to support entrepreneurs navigating these diverse markets.

It has undergone validation through feedback sessions to ensure it effectively addresses entrepreneurs’ needs.

Additionally, the toolkit serves as a model for future initiatives aimed at expanding access to other markets across Africa.

Jordan Kyongo, Head of the East Africa Research and Innovation Hub at the British High Commission Nairobi, emphasized the importance of this initiative in easing market entry barriers for African entrepreneurs.

“This exercise was critical in understanding the requirements for entrepreneurs to enter different markets in the region. We are confident that this digital toolkit will be an instrument in growing Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” he stated.

The toolkit addresses challenges that entrepreneurs face across the continent, particularly regarding the complexity of regulatory requirements, certifications, and tariffs.

Entrepreneurs often need to navigate 55 different licensing systems across Africa, creating significant hurdles for market expansion. The toolkit seeks to simplify these processes, providing much-needed clarity and support.

This collaboration aims to expand the availability of sustainable charging infrastructure, enabling the faster and more efficient growth of Ampersand’s electric motorcycle fleet across East Africa.

Founded in 2016, Ampersand focuses on assembling and financing electric motorcycles that are more affordable and efficient than the traditional petrol-powered alternatives.

With over five million petrol motorcycles operating in East Africa, Ampersand’s electric vehicles present a greener and more cost-effective solution.

Since launching commercially in May 2019, the company has grown its fleet to more than 3,400 electric motorcycles, with plans to exceed 10,000 by the end of 2024.

The partnership with CrossBoundary Energy will provide renewable electricity at a lower tariff for charging Ampersand’s electric motorcycles, supporting the company’s rapid and sustainable scaling efforts.

Ampersand will handle battery maintenance and manage its charging stations, while CrossBoundary Energy will pilot financing and owning the charging infrastructure and batteries at one of Ampersand’s swap stations in Nairobi.

The pilot phase will feature 36 electric charging units and 150 lithium-ion batteries, powered by a 37kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) system.

The solar-powered setup will ensure affordable, clean energy for Ampersand’s electric motorbikes, further reducing carbon emissions in the region.

CrossBoundary Energy, known for its expertise in delivering distributed renewable energy solutions, sees this partnership as an entry point into the e-mobility sector.

“This launch is exciting for many reasons – firstly, it marks the start of CrossBoundary Energy’s foray into the e-mobility sector, where we aim to accelerate private investment and drive growth. Secondly, working with Ampersand, a partner with a proven track record and ambitious plans for East Africa, allows us to contribute significantly to their scaling efforts,” said Tombo Banda, Managing Director and Head of CrossBoundary’s Innovation Lab.

The expansion aims to bolster Kofa’s battery-swapping network, offering affordable and reliable electricity to customers.

Kofa has partnered with impact investor PASH Global to establish the SPV, which is backed by a GBP2.35 million (US$3 million) commitment from Shell Foundation and the UK Government’s Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform.

This partnership will support the deployment of 6,000 batteries and up to 100 swap stations across Ghana.

The battery-swapping network will provide clean energy for electric two-wheelers, small businesses, and homes, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Kofa will focus on managing the battery network, while PASH will oversee operational maintenance and deployment of swap stations.

“This initiative is a significant step towards cleaner, more sustainable energy solutions in Ghana,” said Erik Nygard, CEO of Kofa Technologies.

“With the support of our partners, we are building a foundation that will benefit local communities and businesses.”

The expansion is part of Kofa’s broader goal to create a sustainable energy future in West Africa. The startup has also announced plans to expand its operations to Kenya and Togo.

The company’s Head of Communications and Corporate Affairs, Cornel Osigwe, confirmed the development.

Osigwe shared a video of himself test-driving the new electric vehicle, marking a milestone in IVM’s journey towards sustainable transportation.

While specific details about the vehicle’s pricing, specifications, and commercial release timeline remain undisclosed, the announcement is a major boost for Nigeria’s growing electric vehicle market.

Innoson’s entry into the electric vehicle space comes as the country faces rising fuel prices and increasing interest in cleaner transportation options.

The government’s ambitious target of having 30% of all vehicles electric by 2025 has further spurred the development of the electric vehicle industry in Nigeria.

As the country continues to embrace electric mobility, Innoson’s locally produced electric vehicle could play a significant role in reducing dependence on fossil fuels and promoting sustainable transportation.

This expansion brings the total number of hubs within the network to 496, spread across 261 cities in 53 African nations.

The newly admitted hubs represent a diverse range of regions and sectors, strengthening AfriLabs’ presence across the continent.

Notable additions include the SU LaunchLab in Stellenbosch, South Africa, marking AfriLabs’ first presence in the city.

Other notable additions include ScaleUp Namibia, OceanHub Africa, and the Graca Machel Trust’s Women Creating Wealth initiative in Southern Africa.

In North Africa, DigiArtLivingLab (DALL) has joined the network in Tunis and Nabeul, Tunisia, alongside Connect’Innov and The Dot.

Egypt has also welcomed PTS Investments Holdings and Aria Ventures to its network.

Western Africa has seen the addition of Mswitch in Abuja, Nigeria, while Eastern Africa has welcomed AFRICA TECH SPACE in Nakuru, Kenya; Owl Innovation Labs in Nairobi, Kenya; RLabs Tanzania in Iringa, Tanzania; and AfriFORTIFIED HUB in Kisumu, Kenya.

Central Africa has expanded its network with Ovation and KIVUTECH in Kinshasa and Bukavu, DRC, respectively; Revival Innovation Hub in Bua, Cameroon; and DIAMBILAY BUSINESS CENTER in Lubumbashi, DR Congo.

“We are thrilled to welcome these new hubs to our growing community,” said Mayssa Mrabet, AfriLabs director of community.

“Their unique perspectives and contributions will further strengthen our ability to drive innovation and entrepreneurship across the continent.”