Industry News

Former Director-General of Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority, Albert Antwi-Boasiako, convened cybersecurity professionals and business leaders in Accra for discussions on the growing risks associated with AI-driven cyber threats.

The event, known as the Founder’s Opera Soirée, was organised by e-Crime Bureau under the theme “Leadership in the Era of AI-Driven Cyber Threats.” Held in East Legon on May 22, 2026, the gathering brought together Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), legal experts, cybersecurity practitioners and corporate executives.

Participants discussed emerging cyber risks linked to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity governance, digital investigations and strategies for strengthening organisational resilience. The event also highlighted the need for stronger collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders in combating cybercrime.

Dr. Antwi-Boasiako reflected on efforts made during his leadership at the Cyber Security Authority to strengthen Ghana’s cybersecurity framework and improve national cyber resilience.

A key presentation was delivered by Obed Frimpong, who spoke on the impact of artificial intelligence on cybersecurity governance and digital risk management.

Organisers announced that the Founder’s Opera Soirée will become a bi-monthly platform focused on cybersecurity, digital forensics and emerging technology threats.

Established in 2011, e-Crime Bureau provides cybersecurity consulting, digital forensics, financial crime analysis and legal technology services across Ghana and other African markets.

Source : www.graphic.com.gh

Ericsson and VodafoneThree have completed a world-first UK network upgrade that combines core and radio sharing technologies across a multi-vendor 4G and 5G network.

The upgrade covers more than 10,000 sites nationwide, allowing Vodafone and Three customers to automatically connect to the strongest available network signal. Around 28.6 million users are expected to benefit from improved coverage, faster speeds, and better reliability for browsing, streaming, and other mobile services.

The project combines Ericsson’s Multi-Operator Core Network (MOCN) technology with VodafoneThree’s existing Multi-Operator Radio Access Network (MORAN) infrastructure. According to Ericsson, this is the first time core and radio sharing have been integrated at a national scale in a multi-vendor environment.

VodafoneThree also expanded shared C-band spectrum deployment, enabling up to 50 million people — around 71% of the UK population — to access its fastest 5G speeds. C-band spectrum, operating around 3.4–3.8 GHz, provides a balance between coverage and high-capacity performance for services such as HD streaming, gaming, IoT, and smart business applications.

Key customer benefits include:

• Automatic access to the strongest available Vodafone or Three signal
• Removal of 16,500 km² of UK 4G “not spots”
• Expanded high-speed 5G coverage
• Reduced congestion during peak usage periods
• Improved connectivity in busy locations such as stadiums, airports, and event venues

The rollout forms part of VodafoneThree’s £11 billion network investment plan aimed at building nationwide 5G infrastructure. The company says it plans to deliver 5G Standalone coverage to 99% of the UK population by 2030.

Andrea Donà, Chief Network Officer at VodafoneThree, described the project as a major step in transforming the UK’s digital infrastructure, while Ericsson highlighted the deployment as a complex engineering achievement completed at national scale.

source : www.techafricanews.com

OTTAWA, ON, May 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ericsson Canada and Export Development Canada (EDC), Canada’s export credit agency, today announced the expansion of their partnership to accelerate the growth of Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the defence and dual-use technology sectors. Building on the USD $3 billion partnership agreement signed in October 2025, this expanded collaboration signals Ericsson Canada and EDC’s deepening commitment to Canada’s defence industrial base and to strengthening sovereign capabilities.

Nishant Grover, President, Ericsson Canada, says: “Canada’s innovation ecosystem is built on collaboration, and that principle extends fully into the defence and security space. Ericsson Canada has spent decades building deep technology capabilities here at home, and we see a clear and exciting opportunity to put those capabilities to work for Canadian SMEs operating in the defence and dual-use sectors. By expanding our partnership with EDC, we can help innovative Canadian companies scale faster, reach global markets, and contribute to the sovereign capabilities our country needs. This is about Ericsson Canada and EDC playing their part in a stronger, more resilient Canada.”

Ericsson Canada has long been a cornerstone of the nation’s technology ecosystem. With more than 3,100 employees and R&D centres in Ottawa and Montreal, the company is among the country’s top leading R&D investors. In 2024, Ericsson and the Government of Canada signed an expanded Strategic Innovation Fund agreement valued at CAD $630 million, directing investment into 5G Advanced, 6G, Cloud RAN, AI-powered network management, and quantum communications research, creating and upskilling hundreds of high-quality jobs and supporting collaborations with more than 20 Canadian post-secondary institutions. That agreement reinforced Ericsson’s role not just as a technology vendor, but as a long-term partner in building Canada’s innovation capacity.

Alison Nankivell, President and CEO, Export Development Canada, says: “Expanding our partnership with Ericsson Canada into the defence and dual-use technology space is a natural evolution — one that combines Ericsson’s world-class technology network with EDC’s financing expertise and global market reach. Together, we can open doors for Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises , help them grow, and ensure that Canadian innovation is part of the global defence and security solutions our allies are seeking.”

Ericsson Canada accelerated its collaboration into the defence sector in November 2025, when it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Saab and Calian to explore advanced, secure, and resilient communication systems for Canada’s defence modernization needs. That tripartite MOU, focused on dual-use, interoperable command, control, and communications (C3) technologies, demonstrated Ericsson Canada’s intent to leverage its global network expertise in direct support of Canadian sovereignty and defence readiness. The collaboration seeks to bridge existing and emerging communication networks across land, sea, air, and cyber environments, and has the potential to foster joint R&D, create high-value jobs, and contribute to Canada’s defence procurement and industrial benefits policies.

This expanded relationship will now focus more on Canada’s defence and dual-use SME community directly. Since broadening its support for the defence and security sector in 2025, EDC has provided approximately $1.4 billion in financing and insurance-related support to defence and security companies. In 2026 alone, EDC has provided $718 million in support to 56 companies. Through the expanded, more defence-focused partnership, Ericsson Canada and EDC will work together to help identify, connect, and support innovative Canadian SMEs, integrating them into Ericsson’s global supply chain while enabling them to scale, export, and compete in international defence markets. The collaboration will draw on EDC’s expertise in working capital, project financing, bonding support, and market intelligence, combined with Ericsson’s deep technology networks and global commercial reach.

At a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty and growing demand from allies for Canadian defence and security technologies, this partnership positions Canadian SMEs to contribute meaningfully to NATO commitments, continental security, and the modernization of Canada’s own defence industrial base. The collaboration reflects a shared conviction that Canada’s economic resilience and national security are best served by a strong, export-ready domestic technology sector.

Source : www .finance.yahoo.com

South Africa’s emerging developers are building close to the ground, with many of the strongest solutions at the inaugural Huawei Code4Mzansi finals focused on systems people use every day: township retail, healthcare, energy, agriculture, payments and the creative economy.

The competition was held in partnership with the Department of Small Business Development. “The Code4Mzansi competition is not just a celebration of achievement, it is a launchpad for the future,” said Minister Stella Ndabeni, whose department co-hosted the event and delivered the closing address.

The finals revealed a clear shift from building abstract digital products to practical tools that help small businesses trade better, communities access services more easily, and local industries solve problems faster.

Four finalist teams focused directly on the township economy, with solutions covering food safety verification for spaza shops, offline point-of-sale systems built for load-shedding, WhatsApp-native marketplaces for informal retailers, and community credit systems for SASSA grant recipients.

Others addressed AI-driven healthcare access, electricity theft detection, smart agriculture, financial infrastructure for the creator economy, and AI-generated African music.

Held at Huawei Office Park in Woodmead, the finals brought together more than 100 attendees, including government representatives, academic partners, industry leaders and media.

“The quality of the finalist solutions demonstrated the potential of local innovation to respond to real market needs,” said Steven Chen, Cloud CEO of Huawei Technologies South Africa.

Academic partners included the University of Pretoria, the University of Johannesburg, the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Cape Town.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and technology is their greatest accelerator. The participants here today are future entrepreneurs who will drive South Africa’s digital economy forward,” said Professor Thokozani Shongwe, Vice Dean of Postgraduate Studies, Research and Internationalisation at the University of Johannesburg’s Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment.

Industry partner rain also attended. Leon Nortje, Principal and Senior Architect at rain, said the competition offered a strong view of the country’s emerging technology pipeline.

“It is always good to see new projects and new teams working on solutions that are valuable and industry-related. We will be looking out for potential new employees,” said Nortje.

The winners

The finalists competed for a prize pool of R800,000. MAAT by SIMVAK was named the overall grand winner and received the Business Value Award, taking home R300,000. The platform addresses food safety and regulatory compliance in South Africa’s informal retail sector through AI agents, real-time product recall alerts, and counterfeit detection for the spaza shop ecosystem.

The spaza network is the supply chain for most South African households,” said SIMVAK founder Shingirayi Mandebvu.

HealthHive by FTCK received second prize in the Business Value Award category, taking home R200,000, for its AI telemedicine platform that matches patients with the right medical practitioners based on their symptoms.

Auraa received the Grand Innovation Award for its AI music engine built to generate authentic African sound. The platform has been associated with an album that has crossed one million streams.

The Future Star Award went to e-Khadi, a community credit and stokvel platform giving SASSA grant recipients access to essentials at their local spaza shops, supported by AI-assisted credit scoring and fraud detection.

The People’s Choice Award, voted by the public on Huawei’s social media channels, went to DevRift, a semi-finalist in the competition, who took home R100,000.

Minister Ndabeni delivered the closing address, positioning Code4Mzansi within the government’s agenda for youth entrepreneurship, small business development and digital inclusion.

Our task is to ensure that innovation does not remain a moment of applause, but becomes a pathway to enterprise creation, digital inclusion, and sustainable growth,” she said.

“Thank you to Huawei for being a perfect partner on the journey that we are travelling, and of course, those that matter most, the developers who dared to compete,” she said.

Code4Mzansi forms part of the global Huawei Cloud Developer Competition. In its inaugural edition, South Africa attracted more participants than any other country: 1,041 across 353 teams, including 176 enterprise teams, resulting in the highest enterprise participation rate among all competing markets. Twenty semi-finalists were selected before the top nine advanced to the final.

Source : www. finance.yahoo.com

Hope and excitement filled the Islamic Basic School in Akim Achiase when employees of Telecel
Ghana cut the ribbon to commission the revamped and equipped 30-seater information,
communication and technology (ICT) laboratory for the district.
The ‘Bridging Digital Divide’ project, funded through donations from employees of Telecel Ghana’s
Consumer and Enterprise Business units, forms part of the telco’s Employee Volunteering
Programme, also known as Red Hearts. With seed funding from the Telecel Ghana Foundation, staff
voluntarily crowdfund and support social intervention projects in underserved communities of their
choice.
At the commissioning ceremony that brought together the district chief executive, officials from the
education directorate, religious and traditional leaders, teachers, students, community members, and
Telecel Ghana employees, scores of pupils gathered around the newly installed computers, with
renewed interest in discovering how to navigate its use.
“This is a dream come true for our students. This IT centre will help them access digital learning
opportunities they need to compete with the rest of the world and bridge the gap between theory and
practice. We are deeply grateful to Telecel Ghana employees for this investment and your
commitment to ensuring no child is left behind in today’s digital world,” said Mr. Emmanuel Larbi
Nyarko, the headteacher of the Islamic Basic School in his welcome address.
Speaking about the journey to completing the facility, project lead and Propositions and Segments
manager at Telecel Ghana, Carlos Asare-Okoh said the district was intentionally chosen to bridge
the widened digital divide by empowering students with practical technological skills.
“This project is proof that when employees come together with a shared purpose, meaningful impact
can happen. The Employee Volunteering Programme allows us to directly support communities in
ways that are life-changing, Mr. Asare-Okoh said at the ceremony. “I appreciate the support of the
DCE and communal spirit throughout the project. I would advise young people in Achiase that they
can achieve whatever they set their minds to.”
The new ICT centre for the district’s schools is equipped with 30 desktop computers, furniture and
free year-long internet connectivity to facilitate digital learning and improve ICT education in the
district.
Head of Foundation, Sustainability and External Communications at Telecel Ghana, Rita Agyeiwaa
Rockson, described the intervention as part of the company’s broader commitment to using
technology as a force for social inclusion and national development.
“At Telecel Foundation, we believe in creating opportunities and transforming lives through digital
education and health initiatives. This ICT lab is about giving young people in Akim Achiase the tools
to lead the digital future. What makes this project special is that it was driven by employees who
understand social impact and contributed to making it a reality. Let’s maintain the facility so it will
impact young people for years to come,” Ms Rockson said.
The District Chief Executive for Akim Achiase, Hon. Samuel Owusu Brako, who actively supported
the project, praised the employee-funded initiative, describing it as a statement that young children
in rural communities deserve equal digital opportunities.
“The renovated IT lab is like a tree of knowledge erected today, so our children can sit under its
shade for years to come. The world our children will inherit is digital, and every child deserves to be
connected to the world, not isolated from it,” Hon. Brako said. “Children who have never placed their
fingers on a keyboard will get to do so for the first time. Telecel Ghana, the people of Achiase district
will never forget this impact.”
For students who had previously relied largely on theoretical ICT lessons without access to
computers, the new facility offers a direct connection to the digital world and future opportunities. As
dignitaries moved through the facility after the official ribbon-cutting, students crowded eagerly
around the computers, testing keyboards and taking turns exploring the internet.
Among the excited young people touring the new ICT lab is a basic seven pupil, Hafisatu, who said
she hopes the new facility will help her pursue a future career in the aviation industry as a pilot.
“I have always wanted to learn how to use computers properly because it will help us learn faster
and make our lessons easier. Computers can store massive amounts of data and retrieve it instantly,
so understanding how to use them is important to us,” Hafisatu said.
Telecel Ghana employees whose individual donations helped fund the project said the
commissioning marked both the completion of a corporate social responsibility initiative and a
reminder that collective action can open doors of opportunity for an entire generation.
The ceremony also featured cultural performances and poetry recitals by students, celebrating
education and technology.

Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, held discussions with a visiting delegation from the United States government and U.S. Embassy to deepen digital cooperation between Ghana and the United States.

The U.S. delegation included Brooke Donilon, Chief of Staff at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA); Jaisha Wray, Associate Administrator of NTIA; Laurie Kelleher, Acting Commercial Counselor at the U.S. Embassy; and Victoria Agbai, Commercial Specialist.

    The meeting focused on Ghana’s digital transformation agenda, with the team from the U.S. embassy expressing appreciation to the minister for hosting (for the very first time in Ghana) the satellite training for the United States Telecommunication Training Institute USTTI.

Ghana’s satellite sector is becoming an increasingly important component of the country’s broader digital transformation strategy, particularly as demand grows for resilient connectivity, rural broadband access, and digital inclusion. With internet penetration reaching nearly 70% of the population and more than 38 million active mobile connections recorded in 2025, satellite technologies are playing a growing role in extending coverage to underserved and remote areas beyond terrestrial fiber and mobile infrastructure.

The sector has also gained momentum through the expansion of VSAT services, increased interest in low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity, and the country’s wider investments in digital infrastructure, which is estimated to be worth approximately USD 400 million.

Briefing the team on ongoing policy and regulatory reforms within the digital sector, including the review of key legislation, Ghana’s Artificial Intelligence strategy, and efforts to position Ghana as a leading digital hub on the continent, Hon. Sam George stated that Ghana is more than happy to host such trainings and also took the opportunity to highlight the importance of the One Million Coders Program in equipping young Ghanaians with critical digital and coding skills for the future economy and called for more partnerships.

The Minister also emphasized the need for strong regulatory frameworks to guide the use of satellite technology in a manner that safeguards national interests, promotes fair competition, and ensures security.

The U.S. delegation commended Ghana’s ambitious digital agenda and expressed appreciation for the Ministry’s openness to collaboration. Discussions also explored opportunities for future partnerships in areas such as digital skills training, satellite technology deployment, connectivity expansion, and responsible innovation.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued engagement and collaboration to advance inclusive digital development, innovation, and economic opportunity for the people of Ghana.

    As Ghana advances smart infrastructure, fintech, e-government, and cloud adoption initiatives, satellite connectivity is expected to play a critical role in supporting nationwide digital resilience and connectivity expansion.

Source : www.telecomreviewafrica.com

The Chief Executive Officer of Telecel Ghana, Patricia Obo-Nai, has called for a concerted and deliberate structural solution to close the gender gap in Africa’s digital economy.

She argued that Africa owes the next generation of girls concrete solutions to tackle structural barriers that limit their participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Madam Obo-Nai was speaking at ‘The Golden Hour’ dinner and dialogue session in Kigali, Rwanda, a precursor event of the Forward Africa Leaders Symposium themed Women, Power and the Next Generation Digital Africa.

She said that cultural expectations, a lack of visible role models, and weak institutional support systems continue to restrict girls’ access to STEM opportunities long before career choices are made.

Citing the UNDP workforce data that claims only 27 per cent of professionals in STEM across Africa are female, she described the gap as evidence of systemic exclusion rather than a lack of ability.

“When women are excluded, Africa loses talent, creativity, and insight. We lose the diversity of ideas and perspectives that drive innovation, and we limit our collective ability to solve the complex problems facing our continent,” she said.

Madam Obo-Nai said Telecel Ghana has deliberately structured its digital skills programmes to address gender imbalance, particularly through its Foundation-led STEM initiatives targeting upper primary and junior high students.

According to her, the telecom operator has designed training programmes in coding, robotics, the Internet of Things, and mobile application development, with 70 per cent of participants female.

She also referenced the Telecel Female Engineering Student Scholarship Programme, which she said has supported more than 100 women since 2011 through tuition assistance, mentorship and work placements, with the aim of strengthening the pipeline of female talent in engineering and related fields.

Beyond programmes, Madam Obo-Nai emphasised the need for broader institutional change, arguing that inclusion efforts must extend beyond training initiatives to encompass policy, hiring, and leadership systems that actively create opportunities for women.

She said the digital systems currently being built across Africa, from fintech to artificial intelligence and data governance, will ultimately be inherited by girls who are currently in basic and secondary schools.

Ing. Obo-Nai called on leaders in the room to identify specific actions they had taken to support girls who are not yet in leadership spaces, the mentorship gaps that still exist in their organisations, and the commitments they were willing to make to expand access for young women.

The Golden Hour, hosted as part of the Forward Africa Leaders Symposium pre-dialogue series, is an intimate dinner-and-conversation platform that brings together senior leaders, policymakers, and industry executives to reflect on Africa’s development priorities through focused thematic discussions.

Designed as a curated space for candid exchange, the session encourages leaders to interrogate the systems shaping the continent’s future.

Source : www.myjoyonline.com

Ericsson and Mobily have expanded network capacity and coverage in the Mashaer area, while extending the use of AI for network optimization, performance monitoring, and operations during Hajj 2026.

Mobily and Ericsson mark 20 years of collaboration in supporting connectivity for pilgrims during Hajj season, with expanded 5G capacity and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based capabilities for a faster, smoother, and more reliable mobile experience during Hajj 2026 in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Ericsson and Mobily have expanded network capacity and coverage in the Mashaer area, while extending the use of AI for network optimization, performance monitoring, and operations during Hajj 2026.

As part of the network expansion, Mobily more than doubled 5G capacity through additional sites in the Mashaer area using Ericsson Radio System solutions, including Massive MIMO radios, and activating new spectrum. This helped more pilgrims stay connected at the same time, even in highly crowded locations where demand for mobile and digital services was at its highest.

Mobily and Ericsson also scaled the deployment of AI-based Uplink Interference Optimizer and Coverage Gap Mitigation algorithms across the network. The capabilities are deployed with zero-touch, closed-loop automation which enabled the network to instantly self-optimize and proactively mitigate coverage gaps in near real time without the need for manual intervention, ensuring seamless connectivity for millions of pilgrims.

The collaboration also introduced an AI-powered monitoring tool jointly created by Ericsson and Mobily that continuously checked end user experience for key digital services and voice calls. It simulated user journeys and tested call quality in the background to help detect issues early, such as slow applications, video quality challenges, or unclear voice calls. This meant better, more reliable connectivity and higher service quality for pilgrims, while providing clearer insights to the network teams to optimize the network performance during Hajj.

Mobily and Ericsson have also deployed another co-created tool, the GenAI Intelligent Assistant for operational intelligence. The assistant enabled Mobily operations teams to ask questions about network performance in simple language and receive clear responses based on information from areas including customer complaints, roaming, capacity, and network performance. This made day-to-day operations faster and more efficient, and supported better, more consistent service for pilgrims during Hajj.

“For 20 years, Mobily and Ericsson have worked together to support connectivity for pilgrims during Hajj season. As demand continues to grow, our focus remains on providing network performance and service quality that supported the needs of pilgrims in Makkah. Through expanded 5G capacity and AI-based operations, we evolved how we plan, optimize, and operate the network during one of the most important seasons of the year.”

– Alaa Malki, Chief Technology Officer, Mobily

“Hajj is one of the most demanding connectivity environments in the world. Our collaboration with Mobily brought together 5G, AI and closed loop automation to support network performance and customer experience during the season. Building on two decades of collaboration with Mobily, we remain committed to supporting digital infrastructure in the Kingdom.”

– Håkan Cervell, Vice President and Head of Ericsson Saudi Arabia, Ericsson Europe, Middle East and Africa

The longstanding partnership between Mobily and Ericsson has supported Hajj connectivity for two decades through network planning, optimization, capacity expansion, and managed services.

Source : www.techafricanews.com

The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, together with the Administrator and Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), Tanko Rashid Computer, have undertaken a monitoring tour of selected One Million Coders Programme training centres in the Greater Accra Region.

The visit, conducted on May 20, 2026, forms part of government’s broader digital transformation agenda aimed at equipping citizens with digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills. The delegation visited the Accra College of Education Centre in Ayawaso West, the Gbegbeyise JHS Centre in Ablekuma West, and the Mamprobi Community Information Centre in Ablekuma South, where trainees are currently receiving instruction in various digital fields.

The programme covers areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, Software Development and E-commerce, and is open to participants across different age groups.

During the tour, the Minister encouraged trainees to remain committed to completing their courses, reiterating government’s goal of training over one million Ghanaians in digital and AI-related skills by 2028.

He also highlighted ongoing international partnerships that provide participants with access to globally recognised digital courses and certifications at no cost.

Mr. Nartey George further disclosed that government is working with industry stakeholders, including the Business Outsourcing Association of Ghana, to create remote work and outsourcing opportunities for programme graduates.

Members of Parliament for the respective constituencies visited joined the engagements and commended the positive impact of the initiative in their communities.

Also accompanying the Minister were the Deputy Administrator of GIFEC and member of the One Million Coders Implementation Committee, Nana Akyaa Amoah-Amissah, and the Director of Corporate Affairs at GIFEC, Francisca Adjei.

Source : www.classfmonline.com