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Social Media
Nigerian Islamic policing authority bans TikToker from social media
From perfectly-timed lip-syncs to outrageous dance challenges, content creators push the boundaries of creativity (and cringe) on TikTok, a social media app known for short-form videos, especially popular with youths and their relentless pursuit of viral fame.
But for Murja Ibrahim Kunya, a popular TikToker known for her controversial content on social media, the quest for online glory took an unexpected turn. Kunya was arrested on February 12, 2024, by the Kano State Hisbah Board, an Islamic policing authority, and was accused of sharing inappropriate and un-Islamic content on the platform.
She was arraigned in a Sharia court, a court that follows Islamic law to settle civil—and sometimes criminal—matters, and was held in custody. The court also mandated that she undergo a mental evaluation at a government hospital due to suspected drug influence.
Jail break: Yesterday, a Kano State High Court presided over by Justice Nasiru Saminu, granted Kunya bail at ₦500,000 ($358) with two sureties. However, the court banned her from using social media until the next hearing scheduled for May 16, 2024. Violating this ban will lead to her re-arrest.
Kano is one of many Muslim-majority states in northern Nigeria where Islamic law is practised alongside secular laws.
Similar incidents globally: In July 2020, Egyptian authorities reportedly apprehended Manar Samy, a popular content creator on TikTok and Instagram with over 250,000 followers. This action followed a hisbah complaint alleging that she had been sharing sexually suggestive videos on TikTok. She was subsequently sentenced to three years in prison and fined 300,000 EGP ($6,273). In March of last year, Iranian teenage girls were arrested after posting a TikTok video that showed them singing and dancing to a popular song. According to authorities, the video broke Iranian laws that forbid women from dancing in public and require them to wear a hijab.
The big picture: In Nigeria, Hisbah operates in some northern states, aiming to uphold Islamic morality and resolve disputes based on Sharia law. However, its authority, particularly regarding arrests, remains unclear legally. This lack of definition exists despite the agency reportedly having official backing, as shown by their uniforms, vehicles, and government-funded offices. Some states directly support Hisbah, while others claim they are volunteers. It is unknown, at this time, what offence Kunya will be charged with.
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Funding
BasiGo secures $3 million in funding from CFAO Group
Launched in 2021, BasiGo, a Kenyan electric bus startup, began with a pilot programme in Nairobi and has since been making waves in East Africa.
In November 2022, BasiGo secured $6.6 million in equity funding, led by Africa-focused VC firm, Novastar. Its momentum continued in late 2023 with a $1.5 million grant from USAID in November 2023, which bolstered its expansion into Rwanda, and a $5 million debt financing deal in December 2023, with British International Investment to manufacture 100 electric buses specifically designed for the Kenyan market.
And now: BasiGo has secured another $3 million from CFAO Group, owners of Africa’s largest automotive distribution network. The investment is split between CFAO Kenya and Mobility54, the corporate venture capital arm of CFAO.
This funding will scale up BasiGo’s assembly and delivery of electric buses in Kenya and Rwanda.
A greener future: BasiGo currently operates 19 electric buses in Nairobi with plans to reach 1,000 electric buses across Kenya within the next three years. Their innovative “Pay-As-You-Drive” financing model reduces upfront costs for operators, making electric buses more accessible. The company has already received over 500 reservations from bus operators in Nairobi and an additional 100 reservations from bus operators in Kigali, Rwanda.
Another competitor, Roam, a Swedish-Kenyan electric vehicle firm which designs, develops, and deploys electric motorcycles and buses also secured a $24 million debt and equity financing in February 2024, to scale production.
Regulation
South Africa’s regulator fines TransUnion
Data breaches in Africa in recent times have been on a surge.
Angola’s apex bank narrowly escaped an attempted hack on January 6, 2024. Lockbit, a cyberterrorist group, in November last year attacked Fawry, a leading provider of e-payments and digital finance solutions in Egypt. The ransomware group encrypted files and also allegedly exfiltrated data from the e-payment provider.
When these breaches happen, regulators often express concerns for users’ data and take various actions, which include financial penalties, on breached companies.
A case in point is South Africa‘s Information regulator enforcement notice on TransUnion, a South African division of a US-based consumer credit bureau, which suffered a ransomware hack in 2022.
An enforcement notice: Shortly after TransUnion suffered a breach that affected about 5 million of its users, the Information Regulator said TransUnion had not met the Protection of Personal Information Act requirements. The regulator has now slapped the credit bureau with an enforcement notice stating six areas where the company had defaulted, while also giving recommendations it must implement.
The Information Regulator has set a deadline of May 26, 2024, for TransUnion to submit proof that all corrective actions have been implemented.
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Big Tech
Canva acquires Affinity to compete with Adobe
Canva is bringing the battle to Adobe. 🔥
In the design community, saying you design with Canva often earns you a smirk, a subtle sign you aren’t serious with the craft. Design templates on the web-based design platform often make it easy for just anyone to whip up a great design. However, design professionals may be looking to change their stance about the platform as it is looking to target more design professionals with its latest acquisition.
What acquisition? Per TheVerge, Canva has acquired the Affinity creative software suite, giving the company ownership to Affinity Designer, Photo, and Publisher—three alternatives to Adobe’s Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign software.
Before the acquisition, Canva, with 170 million users across the globe, didn’t have design applications that catered to creative professionals like illustrators, photographers, and video editors. By teaming up with Affinity, the company is now gun blazing for all creative professional designers.
The acquisition also puts Canva in direct competition with Adobe, which is the choice software for this software. However, one thing sets Adobe apart from Affinity. While Adobe is subscription-based, Affinity charges a one-time purchase with no ongoing subscription. Per TheVerge, this payment difference has earned Affinity a growing customer base estimated at three million.
The Canva-Affinity acquisition is the latest acquisition in the design software market. Adobe’s deal to acquire Figma fell through the cracks after both parties failed to get regulatory approval for the $20 billion deal.
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Crypto Tracker
The World Wide Web3
Source:
|
Coin Name |
Current Value |
Day |
Month |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bitcoin |
$69,921 |
– 0.10% |
+ 25.22% |
| Ether |
$3,608 |
– 0.55% |
+ 11.37% |
 Book of Meme |
$0.013 |
– 7.43% |
+ 1374.49% |
| Solana |
$189.96 |
– 1.04% |
+ 84.79% |
* Data as of 04:51 AM WAT, March 27, 2024.
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Opportunities
- Ride-hailing platform, Bolt has launched an Accelerator Programme for its drivers and riders in Kenya. The program will see the company invest €20,000 (about Ksh2.92 million) in seed funds to support business plans developed by Bolt drivers and couriers or their family members that link to sustainable transport. Apply by April 4.
- The Corporate Social Responsibility arm of MTN Nigeria, MTN Foundation has opened applications for phase two of its “Yellopreneur” Initiative, through which it intends to offer 150 female entrepreneurs with ₦3 million ($1,900) each as loans to boost their businesses. Apply by March 30.
- Applications are open for the Access Bank Youthrive Program for Nigerian MSMEs. The program is a collaboration between the bank and the Vice President’s office, dedicated to empowering individuals and MSMEs. With a focus on capacity development, financial empowerment, and business exchange, the program aims to impact 4 million youths over the next four years. Apply here.
- The 2024 African Business Heroes Competition is open for application. It aims to identify, support, and inspire the next generation of African entrepreneurs who are making an impact in their local communities, working to solve the most pressing problems, and building a more sustainable and inclusive economy for the future. Finalists get grant funds of up to $300,000, global recognition and exposure and targeted and practical training programs. Apply by May 19.
Here’s what you should be looking at
Written by: Mariam Muhammad & Faith Omoniyi
Edited by: Timi Odueso
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