Tag Archives: tech

ChatGPT is a prime example. Training GPT-3 required roughly 700,000 liters of water for cooling alone. A Greenpeace study estimates that data centers will consume 664 billion liters annually by 2030, compared to 239 billion liters in 2024. BERLIN/SANTIAGO | Friederike Rohde | AI is often portrayed as the harbinger of a prosperous, more efficient future. …

Equity Group is also accelerating its entry strategy. In September, Equity Group chief executive James Mwangi met with officials from the Ethiopian Investment Commission to discuss licensing and operational frameworks, according to Semafor Africa. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY |  Ethiopia’s banking market, once sealed off to foreign participation, has …

  Absa and MEST Africa announce the Top 10 finalists for the MEST Africa Challenge 2025 Johannesburg, South Africa | THE INDEPENDENT | Two Ugandan startups have made it to the list of Top 10 finalists of the MEST Africa Challenge (MAC) 2025.  Credify Africa Inc and Kanzu Finance Ltd from Uganda, …

Several African countries are prioritising innovation through targeted investments and grassroots initiatives. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Innovation in Africa is proving more resilient than the global slowdown suggests, according to a new report. The Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), ranked …

A new survey shows global companies are accelerating their hiring from Africa’s tech hubs, with 93% highlighting plans to ramp up hiring from the continent. The report underscores Africa’s growing role in remote work. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | When power flickers in Eldoret, some 311 kilometres northwest from …

    Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Absa Bank Uganda, in partnership with GirlCode, has successfully hosted the 2025 GirlCode Hackathon, empowering 50 women tech enthusiasts in Uganda. The event was part of a continent-wide hackathon spanning 30 hours and engaging 700 women across 8 African cities, focused on fostering …

COMMENT | Angela Huyue Zhang | After four extensions of the statutory deadline to ban TikTok or force its Chinese owners to divest, US President Donald Trump has now signed an executive order transferring the app to US ownership. The announcement follows years of diplomatic sparring, bureaucratic maneuvering, repeated efforts by federal …

GUANGZHOU | Xinhua |  In a junior high school classroom in the southern tech hub of Shenzhen, a 14-year-old student surnamed Geng deftly adjusted the parameters of a neural network model, having previously used his AI-powered “study buddy” to refine the narrative flow of his essay. In this classroom, students …

Online tech courses surge in Africa as learners seek in-demand skills to crack a tough job market. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Young Africans are increasingly sidestepping traditional degrees in favour of online tech courses that promise faster, more practical routes to employment as the job market tightens and …

TECH NEWS | THE INDEPENDENT | In a world where technology drives lifestyles, BLACK has emerged as a proudly Ugandan brand redefining audio and wearable electronics. As Uganda’s first Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) audio and wearables brand, officials say BLACK  is not just about innovation— “it’s about celebrating the creativity, resilience, and …