Author: Anita Bosman

Johannesburg: TECHz – News Desk VAST Data, the AI Operating System company, announced at Microsoft Ignite a collaboration with Microsoft to power the next wave of agentic AI. Available soon to Azure customers, the VAST AI OS provides a simple way to deploy high-performance, scalable AI infrastructure in the cloud. Enterprises will be able to access VAST’s complete suite of data services in Azure, including unified storage, data cataloging, and database capabilities to support complex AI workflows. This integration will enable organizations to manage data seamlessly across on-premises, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments, delivering the scale, intelligence, and automation required to…

Praia: TECHz – News Desk Cape Verde’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Economy participated in the launch of Marketplace Go, a new digital platform designed to enhance the online presence of entrepreneurs and expand e-commerce opportunities both domestically and internationally. Marketplace Go aims to provide a secure and accessible experience for consumers while creating new business opportunities, reinforcing the country’s ongoing digital transformation. The platform also supports the modernization of Cape Verde Postal services and strengthens the government’s broader strategy to position innovation as a key driver of economic development and inclusion. The launch event took place on…

Johannesburg: TECHz – News Desk Nigeria and Sierra Leone have concluded a high-level bilateral engagement in Freetown aimed at strengthening cooperation in digital economy development, technology innovation, and cross-border trade. The meeting brought together senior government officials from both countries, led by Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, and Sierra Leone’s Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Salimah Bah, alongside key private-sector leaders. During the discussions, both governments reaffirmed their commitment to deepening regional integration and accelerating the growth of a more inclusive, resilient, and innovation-driven West African economy. The two sides agreed to…

Johannesburg: TECHz – News Desk Quantum technology made significant strides in November 2025, with breakthroughs in hardware, software, and global collaboration. IBM announced the large‑scale manufacturing of its new Quantum Loon chips and introduced the Quantum Nighthawk processor, which delivers circuits with 30% more complexity than previous generations. Alongside hardware, IBM unveiled new Qiskit software capabilities that improved accuracy by 24% and reduced the cost of error mitigation by more than 100 times, marking a step toward fault‑tolerant quantum computing. At the Singapore Fintech Festival held from 12 to 14 November, quantum technology was highlighted as one of the three…

Johannesburg: TECHz – News Desk Blu Label Telecoms Limited (“Blu Label”), listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange under the share code BLU, has issued a shareholder update following a new announcement from Cell C Holdings Limited (“Cell C Holdings”) on 21 November 2025. Cell C Holdings confirmed changes to the indicative pricing range and timing of its bookbuilding process as it prepares for the planned listing of its ordinary shares on the JSE. The update forms part of Cell C’s ongoing preparations to list as Cell C ListCo. Blu Label, a key shareholder in Cell C, notified its investors of…

Johannesburg: TECHz – News Desk The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), the applied research arm of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), and Mila, the Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, today announced a new strategic partnership to drive collaborative research in AI safety and next-generation machine learning models. The agreement was unveiled during an official visit by the Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, to the UAE. A partnership anchored in shared aspiration for AI-driven impact Under the partnership, TII will establish a corporate research lab at Mila in Montreal, enabling UAE-based researchers to collaborate daily with Mila’s community…

Johannesburg: TECHz – News Desk The Africa Quantum Consortium (AQC) announced the launch of Hack the Horizon: The Pan African Quantum Challenge, a landmark initiative designed to assemble and activate the continent’s sovereign quantum ecosystem. Registration for this continent-wide challenge, which unites Africa’s top innovators with the global diaspora, opened on November 20. More than just a competition, Hack the Horizon is the strategic assembly of Africa’s quantum future. It will unite leading university researchers, top software developers and visionary industry leaders with next-generation problem-solvers to co-build solutions for the continent and the world. Temitope Adeniyi, Programs Lead, AQC Programs:…

Cairo: TECHz – News Desk Standard Bank Group, Africa’s largest financial institution by assets, has announced the official launch of its Representative Office in Egypt during an event held at the Pyramids of Giza in Cairo. The Group’s Representative Office will strengthen trade and investment flows between Egypt, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East, recognising Egypt’s role as a vital gateway in Africa’s north-south trade corridor. Sim Tshabalala, Chief Executive, Standard Bank Group: “This expansion reflects Standard Bank’s belief in Egypt’s growing role as an investment and logistics hub, aligned with the country’s Vision 2030 and Africa’s broader development agenda.…

Windhoek: TECHz – News Desk The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) in Namibia has delivered an early Christmas gift to residents of Epinga village in the Ohangwena Region, following the launch of the Universal Service Fund’s first network tower in the community. The milestone event, held on Tuesday, is part of a national commitment to expand connectivity and bridge the digital divide across rural Namibia. As part of the celebration, the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Emma Theofelus, donated more than 130 Oka smartphones to residents of Epinga. The donations were made possible through a collaborative effort…

Johannesburg: TECHz – News Desk To mark Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day on 19 November, World Health Organization (WHO) in the African region launched the AFRO Geodatabase (AFRO GDB) to enhance the use of trusted administrative boundary data to strengthen geospatial governance and empower data-driven health decisions across Africa. The platform enables countries to store, manage and share verified health and administrative boundary datasets, while allowing integration through APIs (digital interfaces that enable different systems to share information), creating opportunities for seamless data exchange with other systems and platforms used across the health sector. The AFRO GDB serves as a…