African automotive company Autochek has secured a $13.1 million seed round almost a year after raising $3.4 million pre-seed in November 2020. The company, led by CEO Etop Ikpe, has seen astonishing growth in demand since launching in August last year, not just from a consumer perspective but also from its business and banking partners. […]
Coronavirus news live: African Union to buy 110m Moderna vaccines, NZ to set vaccine mandates for 40% of workforce
AU vaccine deal arranged in part by the White House; New Zealand will announce sweeping vaccine mandates for workers in cafes, bars, hairdressers and gymsEU medical body approves Moderna Covid booster vaccine for all adultsPapua New Guinea approves mas…
Born in Blackness by Howard W French review – dehumanised in the age of discovery
The scale of the west’s exploitation of Africa and Africans in the pursuit of economic power is laid bare in this painful, passionate retelling of Eurocentric historyThe way we think about history is entirely wrong, says Howard W French at the start of…
The Nigerian fish market where gods and commerce meet
The all-women market appoints a ‘mother of wealth’ to pray for their good fortune – and in this recession-hit country the role is more important than ever Folasade Ojikutu wears a traditional white lace dress for her work at the lagoon dock behind Oluw…
The power and poetry of Africa’s wildlife: buy an exclusive print
The Guardian has partnered with the Alycats, award-winning photographers who devote their time to fighting illegal wildlife hunting and poaching in Africa in support of the Singita Conservation Foundation. The Alycats have curated six prints exclusivel…
Kenya cracks down on digital lenders over data privacy issues
Digital lenders that share personal data of loan defaulters, with third parties, risk license withdrawal in Kenya after lawmakers added a clause — granting the banking regulator the mandate to revoke permits of operators who breach customer confidentiality — to the new law passed by the country’s National Assembly. Typically, loan apps collect borrowers’ phone […]
Vendease gets $3.2M to help hotels and restaurants buy food supplies in Africa
Vendease, an online marketplace that allows restaurants and other food businesses to buy supplies straight from manufacturers and farms, has raised a seed round of $3.2 million, the company confirmed to TechCrunch. The news is coming seven months after TechCrunch announced that the company, founded in January 2020, took part in Y Combinator’s winter batch […]
Olympus US hack tied to sanctioned Russian ransomware group
An “ongoing” cyberattack against the Japanese technology giant Olympus was caused by a Russian ransomware group sanctioned by the U.S. government, according to two people with knowledge of the incident. A new malware variant known as Macaw was used in the attack that began on October 10, which encrypted Olympus’ systems in the U.S., Canada […]
CISA, NSA, FBI say BlackMatter ransomware group is targeting the US food industry
A joint advisory issued by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National Security Agency (NSA) has warned that the BlackMatter ransomware group has targeted “multiple” organizations deemed critical infrastructure, including two organizations in the U.S. food and agriculture sector. The agencies did not name did not name […]
Matt Hancock appointed UN special envoy to help Covid recovery in Africa
Former health secretary’s role comes as MPs release damning report into UK’s pandemic responseMatt Hancock has announced he has been appointed a special representative to the United Nations. The former health secretary will focus on helping African cou…