GoKawiil
Tech News
Uber abruptly halted its operations in Nigeria and Uganda's Kampala on a single day, sending an email notice announcing the wind-down that arrived the same day service was cut. Some drivers and passengers were left stranded mid-trip as the app stopped working with no prior warning, sparking outrage on social media dubbed the 'Uber rapture.' Uber had run in Nigeria since 2014 and in Kampala since 2016.
Uber has ceased operations in both Nigeria and Uganda with immediate effect, ending its ride-hailing services in the two African markets. In Uganda, the shutdown removes a widely used transport option for commuters in Kampala.
Adebola Festus Adekunle, 26, and Mudasiru Afeez Olawale, 24, were extradited from Nigeria to face U.S. charges tied to sextortion schemes that led to the deaths of two minors in Mississippi and North Carolina. Both men were arrested in Nigeria in August 2023 as part of 'Operation Artemis,' an international crackdown on sextortion rings targeting American minors, and now face charges including sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death, production of child sexual abuse material, and coercion of minors.
Nigeria has introduced a set of financing, procurement, and infrastructure measures aimed at establishing a sovereign cloud computing capability. The initiative is designed to keep more government and citizen data within national borders while building up local technical expertise.
Pan-African venture firm Ventures Platform has closed an oversubscribed $83 million Fund II, nearly double its $46 million debut fund from 2022. The firm will now invest across Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt in addition to Nigeria, writing checks up to $3 million in fintech, healthcare, SaaS, and AI-driven startups over the next three to four years.