Thursday, November 21

Tag: africatech

Arise B.V invests $75m in Ecobank in “landmark” transaction
7Sep By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments
Africa, Telecommunications

Arise B.V invests $75m in Ecobank in “landmark” transaction

Arise B.V, a leading equity investor in Africa, has made an Additional Tier 1 (AT1) investment of about $75 million in Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), the Togo-based parent company of Ecobank Group. A statement from ETI reveals that the AT1 instrument is the first to be issued by Ecobank, adding that Arise’s investment is Basel III-compliant.  Basel III is an international regulatory accord rolled out by the Basel Committee, which introduced a set of reforms intended to minimise risk and promote stability in the international financial system. Developed in response to the 2007-2009 financial crisis, it requires banks to maintain proper debt ratios and keep certain levels of reserve capital on hand. Continue reading
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19Jan By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments
Central Africa, East Africa, Nigeria, Southern Africa, Tech Policy, West Africa

Zimbabwe’s internet blackout shows how powerless major telcos are against governments

Internet access was restored in Zimbabwe late on Wednesday, but on Thursday WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter remained inaccessible. More than 600 people were arrested this week as police armed with AK-47 rifles rounded up protestors, according to the Associated Press. At least six people were killed when the military was deployed to quell protests against high fuel prices on Monday. Amnesty International reported eight deaths, while the Association of Doctors for Human Rights reported treated 68 cases of gunshot wounds and more than 100 other cases of assaults. A tense calm returned on Thursday. Zimbabweans were protesting a fuel hike that would see the price of petrol and diesel rise by 150%in a country that already had fuel shortages. Amid the violent crackdown on prot...
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