TECH NEWS

  Sovereign satellite capabilities are a growing priority as African governments look to boost communications, broadcasting and digital access   NEWS ANALYSIS | BEN PAYTON | Ministers from Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda have agreed to push ahead with a plan to develop a satellite that will improve access …

  As countries like the UAE delegate decision-making to algorithms, evidence shows  these systems can cause widespread harm and erode democratic accountability   COMMENT | GABRIELA RAMOS & EMILIJA STOJMENOVA DUH | Earlier this month (April), the United Arab Emirates announced a plan to have half of its government services run …

  What lessons need to be learned   NEWS ANALYSIS | NOMALANGA MASHININI | South Africa’s first attempt to establish a binding artificial intelligence (AI) policy framework came to an abrupt halt just 16 days after it was officially gazetted. On 10 April, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies published …

  Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ugandan transport sector continues to reap the benefits of working as one unit under the Union Transport Alliance, with an all-in-one daily mobile phone bundle designed specifically for Uganda’s informal sector as the latest innovation launched. The Union Bundle, developed in partnership with MTN …

KAMPALA, UGANDA | Xinhua | Uganda has deployed a fleet of locally manufactured electric buses in the capital, Kampala, marking a significant step toward cleaner urban transport, officials said. E-Bus Xpress Kiira Ltd., a subsidiary of the state-owned Kiira Motors Corporation, announced in a statement on Monday that it officially …

Kampala, Uganda | NEWS CORRESPONDENT | Uganda’s push to position itself at the forefront of Africa’s artificial intelligence (AI) future took center stage this week at the Uganda DeepTech Summit, a flagship event under the National Science Week 2026. Bringing together global policymakers, researchers, innovators, and global technology leaders, the …

Kabale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | MTN Uganda, through its MTN Foundation, in partnership with the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance and Centenary Technology Services, has officially handed over a regional innovation hub to Kabale University, as part of efforts to expand digital skills and entrepreneurship among young Ugandans. …

Public debate on AI often centres on job losses, but a deeper concern is the potential erosion of human thought and the knowledge systems that underpin the very models AI depends on.   COMMENT | DANI RODRIK | Only a few years ago, AI seemed like merely a nice toy: …

  African hotel operators are moving beyond pilots, embedding AI to coordinate guest services, streamline workflows, and scale operations across the continent. Rising travel demand and tech-savvy guests are accelerating the shift toward fully integrated, data-driven hotel platforms.   SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | African hotel operators are moving …

Kampala, Uganda | NEWS CORRESPONDENT |  The CIO-CxO Digital Leadership Forum has appointed its inaugural advisory and governing boards, selecting a group of regional technology executives to oversee a mission centered on closing the country’s digital skills gap. Collin Babirukamu, executive director of IT at the Bank of Uganda, will …