Grace Ashiru
This week, the African tech scene has been abuzz with activity, and in the latest episode of the Techpoint Africa Podcast, our distinguished hosts, Oluwanifemi Kolawole and Bolu Abiodun, dive deep into the most significant developments. They discuss the standout stories and provide a thoughtful examination of the key tech narratives that have shaped the landscape in the past week.
Telecom operators in Nigeria are considering implementing a load-shedding strategy similar to that used by the power sector. This move aims to better manage their services as they push for tariff increases due to escalating financial difficulties.
It seems the current economic conditions are impacting all sectors.
The president of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMS) has expressed concern that consumers will hold the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) responsible for poor network performance. However, Bolu disagrees, arguing that it’s typically the network providers who bear the brunt of the blame.
Shifting focus to Lagos, the state government has been making significant strides recently. Over the past three weeks, Lagos has been rolling out new strategies to boost revenue, particularly within the tech sector.
One of the groundbreaking initiatives announced by the government is the tokenisation of real estate assets using blockchain technology, transforming these assets into transferable NFTs. This pioneering move is designed to simplify real estate transactions while making them more accessible to the general public.
The tokenisation project is planned to unfold over a 16-month timeline, with the Ministry of Science and Technology spearheading the effort in collaboration with various agencies and partners.
A budget of ₦500 million has been allocated for the implementation of this initiative, which aims to revolutionize the real estate market in Lagos.
In other news, we concluded with a discussion on the startling new rates introduced by Kenyan gig drivers, which have sparked debate compared to the rates set by e-hailing platforms.
