Kenya: 1,000 Dagoretti Families to Get Solar Lamps

[The Star]NOMINATED MP Sonia Birdi has partnered with Lions Club to donate 1,000 solar lamps to selected homes in Dagoretti.

Nigeria: Lack of Gas Constraints Power Reforms, Says BPE

[Independent]The Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) Mr. Benjamin Dikki has declared that the lack of gas supply is the major challenge impeding the government's transformation agenda in the power sector , stressing that Nigerians would smile as soon as steps taken by the government are completed

Nigeria: FG Signs MoU With U.S On Development of Power Sector

[Leadership]The Federal Government on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the U.S Government to fast track the development of Nigeria's power sector

Nigeria: Minister Takes Delivery of Abandoned 248 Containers of Power Equipment in Lagos

[Leadership]Prof. Chinedu Nebo, Minister of Power on Thursday took delivery of abandoned energy equipment in 248 containers from the Nigerian Customs Services at Apapa, Lagos.

Kenya: Kenya Power Promises Stable Supply

[Capital FM]Nairobi -Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir on Sunday said the government was actively seeking to bring down the power cost of doing business in Kenya in order to effectively compete with other African countries in attracting investors.

SES launches new digital TV platform for West Africa

SES in cooperation with service provider Computer Warehouse Group, today announced the launch of a new digital TV platform for West Africa on SES’s ASTRA 2F satellite at 28.2 degrees East.

This independent and neutral TV platform in Nigeria will be the country’s first free-to-air (FTA) DTH digital TV platform and provide the opportunity for broadcasters to reach millions of satellite homes in West Africa which are pointing their dishes to 28.2 degrees East. Besides providing additional growth opportunities for local and international broadcasters, the platform could be used to quicken the pace of digital migration.

The platform provides end-to-end contribution, ground and space services to local, regional, national and international TV broadcasters across West Africa. SES will be providing the space segment and specific ground services, while CWG will be managing the teleport services as an SES partner teleport operator, providing high operational standards. The service will start in September 2014.

The 28.2 degrees East orbital position is SES’s prime orbital position for West Africa and its FTA reach is one of the highest in the region. Today, SES already transmits 28 FTA channels at the 28.2 degrees East neighbourhood.

Austin Okere, Founder and CEO of CWG, said, “For years, the majority of households in West Africa has been shut out of the digital broadcasting experience. Together with SES, we are excited to enable broadcasters to deliver their content cost-effectively, and in excellent technical quality to millions of households across the region.”

Ferdinand Kayser, Chief Commercial Officer of SES, said, “Broadcasting via satellite provides better picture quality and a 100 percent coverage of even the most remote areas and regions. The long-term partnership with CWG will open up new possibilities for local and international broadcasters and allow them to drive digitalisation and reach their audiences across West Africa quickly and cost-effectively.”

www.ses.com

 

Rwanda: Carnegie Mellon Uni graduates its first class of engineers and entrepreneurs

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Rwanda announces that its first class in Africa graduated on 24 July, 2014. The ceremony, which took place at the Serena Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda, awarded 22 students with master’s degrees in information technology (IT).

The graduation underscores Carnegie Mellon University and the Government of Rwanda’s commitment to educating engineers and entrepreneurs who are striving to make an economic impact in East Africa. Many of the students have ambitions to be the next technical innovators and business leaders responsible for ushering the region’s economic and social growth into the future.

In 2007, the International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations agency for information and communication technologies, recommended establishing Centres of Excellence throughout Africa to cultivate the science and technological skills required for developing an IT workforce and expertise in Africa. Motivated to elevate global intellectual and economic vitality, Carnegie Mellon University became the first U.S. university to offer a master’s degree programme taught by full-time faculty resident in Africa. 

“Being present in East Africa is the only way to understand the region’s technology needs,” says Bruce Krogh, the inaugural director of CMU in East Africa. “Creating a long-term education programme is critical, because it gives students time to analyze problems and develop solutions in the context in which they occur.”

Lammudi app now available on iOS

Lamudi has launched its iOS app in nine new countries in Africa as the company seeks to capture the growing smartphone market in the region.

The launch of Lamudi’s iOS app follows the successful roll out of the company’s Android app last month. The app, Lamudi: Real Estate for Sale and Rent, is now available on iOS devices in 16 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Lamudi, a division of African Internet Holding, has so far made the app available in nine countries in Africa.

Sacha Poignonnec, co-CEO of Africa Internet Holding, said: “The launch of Lamudi’s Android app last month was a great success. We saw huge demand from our customers in Africa, so we decided to keep the momentum going by moving on to iOS straight away.

The new iOS app puts thousands of global property listings from 16 countries in your pocket. In total, listings from nine African countries are now available on iOS. This means your dream home is now just a tap away.”

The Lamudi iOS app launched in Morocco last month and is now also available in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. The company’s Android app is available for users in 17 countries across the region.

The apps provide the perfect platform for house-hunters to rent, buy or sell property on the go. Both the iOS and Android apps are designed to meet the growing demand for mobile internet services in emerging markets. The Africa and Middle East region shipped 130 million smartphones in 2013, with sales increasing by 50% in the fourth quarter, according to a recent report from research firm Gartner.

A key feature of the Lamudi app is its customised search function, which allows users to easily filter results by country. The app also provides match alerts, with users receiving a notification as soon as a property that suits their needs hits the market. House-hunters can also bookmark their favourite properties to access at any time and on any device.

All listings on the app feature high-quality photo galleries, detailed property information, maps, and multiple contact details for property owners or agents. Users can also share their favourite properties with family and friends via Facebook, Twitter or email.

The Lamudi iOS app is now available in Morocco, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Peru, Mexico and Colombia.

www.lamudi.com

 

Lendico attracts 3 billion rand in loan demands globally

Lendico, the online peer-to-peer banking service available in Europe and Africa, has just reached the milestone of R 3 billion in loan demands globally. The site, which launched less than 4 months ago in South Africa, where it is backed by Africa Internet Holding is also present in Spain, Poland, Austria and Germany.

Six months after it was first launched in Germany, Lendico is now present in five countries, counts more than 50,000 registered users and has received credit enquiries worth over 3 billion rand. With this strong demand, the Lendico team is growing and now comprises around 150 experts from the fields of finance, risk assessment and underwriting across two continents.

Lendico works by connecting borrowers and lenders to allow both sides to benefit from attractive conditions. Once prospective borrowers have created a loan project on lendico.co.za, Lendico analyses their credit worthiness and offers them extremely competitive rates. Investors can then compare all loan projects online and enter bids as low as R250. If a loan project gets fully funded, the borrower receives his or her loan and investors receive their respective principal and interest payments from the first month. The site also allows investors to diversify their portfolio across several loan projects, thereby earning higher returns compared with similarly secure investments.

By removing the need for banks, Lendico saves costs which can then be passed on to customers. The present market environment is particularly favourable for credit marketplaces such as Lendico, since investors are suffering from low interest rates that are below the inflation rate. This means that the service’s high returns represent an increasingly attractive alternative to traditional banks.

Laurens Pohl, MD for Lendico South Africa, commented: “An increasing number of borrowers are breaking free of the high rates charges by bank and instead choosing a more favourable Lendico loan. We provide a secure and transparent loan marketplace, and offer great deals for both borrowers and lenders with no hidden fees or complicated paperwork. In future, we are confident that we can build on the achievements of the past few months and continue to help customers in South Africa save money in the loan market.”

www.lendico.co.za

 

ADSoftware finalises implementation of AirPack for Nova Airways

ADSoftware has announced the successful launch of its Airpack Fleet Management System and Logistics Solution to Nova Airways, Sudan’s largest carrier.

The AirPack solution proved to have the answer, with two specific modules inside the maintenance software which are dedicated to airworthiness management, regulatory compliance and fleet reliability. AirTime would enable the engineering department to coordinate the compliance of the aircraft with the required maintenance programs, applicable airworthiness directives, service bulletins, log books, planning, mechanics and shop activity. AirStat presented a next-generation reliability and statistics reporting tool for generating key elements of the airline’s performance. It also allowed the airline to share these elements with the local civil aviation authorities and aircraft manufacturers. Next-generation analytics, such as AirStat, are leading to broader perspectives in terms of aircraft maintenance, emphasizing the use of predictive maintenance techniques in addition to traditional preventive measures.

Nova Airways is currently the largest Sudanese airline operating a fleet of 3 CRJ200, 1 CRJ200LR and 1 B737-500. While the Sudan Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) has been relentlessly pushing for a safer airspace, Nova Airways has been working hard to remain fully compliant with all its local aviation standards. Now the airline has moved another step ahead and has furnished its maintenance department with ADSoftware’s maintenance ERP suite. The package selected comprises of five AirPack modules with the main focus being on airworthiness management, supply chain and fleet reliability in accordance with EASA and FAA standards.

On site and B2B training has been provided to Nova Airways to facilitate a smooth production phase and allow users working on the system to gain confidence and operate efficiently in their day to day work. “Generally speaking the training provided by ADSoftware was top notch and I can confidently say that the AirTime module has enabled us to control the airworthiness part of our maintenance with great success”, says Demelash Alemayehu, Maintenance Director at Nova Airways.

Commenting on the successful launch of the AirPack solution at Nova Airways, the CEO of ADSoftware Fred Ulrich said, “Airworthiness follow-up is a must have requirement for all operators who are eventually accountable to their authorities.  Nova Airways has stepped up to this responsibility by implementing this system and must be commended for doing this”.

 ADSoftware together with Hi-Fly Marketing, its African local sales office, have worked hand-in-hand on this project to ensure Nova Airways receives the best support and understanding possible. This collaboration between the French aviation software developer and publisher and the South African based aviation services firm has been successfully running for 6 years.

www.adsoftware.com