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Before Africa’s most audacious thinkers and builders share insights and celebrate innovation on the continent at the Moonshot Conference on October 11–12, we’re holding an ice-breaker—a Moonshot Welcome Mixer.
To kickstart the Moonshot Conference 2023, TechCabal will bring together 200 founders, business leaders, executives, decision-makers, and government policymakers in Africa’s dynamic tech scene to mingle and network for the Moonshot Welcome Mixer on Tuesday, October 10, 2023.
If you’d like to network and hang out with big tech leaders in Africa, register for the mixer here.
Cybersecurity
South Africa’s SSA suspected of being hacked by MI6 and CIA
South Africa may be keeping a significant security breach under wraps.
A breach? Yes. Per a report from Sunday World, the South Africa State Security Agency (SSA) believes it was the target of a coordinated cyber attack by foreign intelligence agencies such as the CIA and MI6 in August this year, a week before the BRICS Summit.
As a result of the breach, a high-ranking official, Joe Mbhambhu, was reportedly forced to resign, despite not being directly responsible for the agency’s cyber unit. SSA director general Thembi Majola reportedly blamed him for the hacking. Additionally, internal sources suggest that the breach may have had inside assistance, potentially implicating individuals within the agency. The incident is reportedly considered a matter of “treason and espionage” by some officials.
Impact on national security: The hackers allegedly gained access to internal email messages and a strategic management group on the communication platform, Telegram. While sources in the report suspect the CIA and MI6, no entity or group has claimed responsibility for the hacking. One source reportedly stated that the incident was concealed because it was embarrassing.
Joe Mbhambhu declined to comment on the matter, while Thembi Majola stated that she was unaware of any hacking incident within the agency. Sources, including senior officials at the Agency, however insist that the hack happened.
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Regulation
Kenya to develop stricter measures for crypto
Kenya is developing a “comprehensive oversight framework and policies on virtual assets and virtual assets service providers” in the country.
A parliamentary committee has advised the country to develop a framework for virtual assets in the country. The development comes after the country suspended operations of Sam Altman’s crypto firm—Worldcoin.
ICYMI: Earlier this year, Worldcoin scanned the irises of Kenyan residents in exchange for 25 World tokens ($41). However, this exchange of biometric data raised privacy concerns in the country. Experts believed that sensitive data collected from the scanned iris might land in the wrong hands. This led to a shutdown of Worldcoin’s operation in the country and an eventual raid on the company’s warehouse where data collection equipment was seized.
Worldcoin’s episode has increased the Kenya government’s scrutiny of crypto asset providers in the country. Per Techcrunch, the parliamentary committee called on the country’s ICT regulator to disable Worldcoin’s presence in the country, including its physical locations and “blacklisting the IP addresses of related websites.”
Zoom out: Kenya’s steep regulations on crypto assets providers come as no surprise as Cryptocurrencies are yet to be regulated in the country. The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) warned against the use of virtual tokens in 2015, citing that they are highly volatile.
Energy
Kenya to launch nuclear plants by 2034
Kenya is gun-blazing with nuclear ambitions.
The East African country is gearing up plans to launch its own nuclear plants by 2034. According to the acting CEO of the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) Justus Wabuyabo, the country will start the construction of its first nuclear power plant in 2027, and will commission it in a 6-10 years window—2034. The plant will have a capacity of 1,000 megawatts (MW).
Kenya’s plan to launch a nuclear plant is part of the country’s effort to diversify its energy generation. The plant will help boost Kenya’s power supply and reduce the reliance on thermal plants. According to Wabuyabo, the nuclear plans will be situated at either Kilifi or Kwale counties.
Kenya’s goal to build a nuclear power plant stems from the anticipated rise in electricity demand as it aims to be a middle-income country by 2030. However, for Kenya to achieve its nuclear ambitions, it will need to upgrade its electricity transmission network to power the nuclear power plants.
Zoom out: South Africa is currently the only country on the continent with a commercial nuclear plant which accounts for 7% of its energy generation. Kenya will join the league when it commissions its own plant in 2034. With its latest development, the East African country is catching up with the rest of the world in the wave of alternative energy sources and the fulfillment of zero carbon goals.
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Global News
Meta to charge $10 per month for ad-free plan in Europe
Meta is trying to adapt to evolving regulatory requirements in the European Union (EU).
The parent company of Facebook may roll out an ad-free plan in the coming months, dubbed “subscription no ads” (SNA) for its social media giants, Facebook and Instagram in the EU.
The plan would give EU users the choice between paying approximately €10 ($10) per month for ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram, or sticking with the free versions, which would continue to display personalised ads based on user activity.
Pricing details: For users opting for the ad-free experience, the cost would be €10 ($10) per month for a single account on desktop, with an additional €6 ($6) fee for each linked account. On mobile devices, the price for a single account would rise to €13 ($13) due to commissions imposed by Apple’s and Google’s app stores.
This move stems from an order in January by Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner, Meta’s lead EU regulator, to reassess the legal basis on how it targets ads. The regulator fined Meta €390 million ($408 million) for violating the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This means that Meta can no longer rely on the so-called “contract” legal basis to send users ads based on their online activity without their consent. Meta is now exploring a number of options on how to comply with the DPC’s order.
Zoom out: In August, Meta said it intends to ask users in the EU for their consent before allowing businesses to target advertising based on its services. The ad-free plan is a way for Meta to comply with EU regulations while still generating revenue from its European users.
Apply for the Female Founders’ Growth Programme
FSDH Merchant Bank has partnered with the IFC (of the World Bank) and WEAV Capital for a female accelerator and investment readiness programme for female founders. Selected startups will partake in a world-class Investment Readiness Programme designed to support high-potential female-led tech companies to raise capital. The programme will end with a Pitch Day and a $10,000 non-equity funding for the winner. Apply here.
Crypto Tracker
The World Wide Web3
Source:
|
Coin Name |
Current Value |
Day |
Month |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bitcoin |
$27,390 |
– 0.66% |
+ 5.37% |
| Ether |
$1,683 |
– 1.66% |
+ 0.00% |
 Solana |
$23.12 |
– 2.60% |
+ 16.71% |
| Chainlink |
$7.51 |
– 1.19% |
+ 23.36% |
* Data as of 06:10 AM WAT, October 4, 2023.
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Opportunities
- Calling all emerging conservation photographers and storytellers! Applications are open for the Ocean Storytelling Photography Grant 2023($2,000 prize). Four successful grantees will receive a fully-funded assignment to choose a conservation photo story on location (including day rate and travel), under direct mentorship from the Ocean Storytelling Grant team. Apply by October 13.
- Applications are open for the Aurora Tech Award 2024. The Award is an annual global prize for women founders of tech startups. Winners of the first prize get $30,000, the second prize gets $20,000 and the third prize gets $10,000. Apply by December 1.
What else is happening in tech?
- Paystack expands further into offline payments as Nigeria’s POS volume surges
- WhatsApp hacks are back, and they’re sneakier than before
- Starlink is offering users in Nigeria a 20% discount as it looks to expand reach
- Stitch announces $25 million Series A extension to expand enterprise payments product
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