Airtel’s second gateway

Nigeria’s internet backbone is getting a much-needed second set of lungs. Airtel Nigeria CEO Dinesh Balsingh has announced plans to launch a second international internet breakout point in Akwa Ibom state in the Southern part of Nigeria. The project will use the massive 2Africa submarine cable to carry data traffic from Akwa Ibom state, joining MainOne as the other subsea cable outside of Lagos. 

The resilience play: Nearly all of Nigeria’s international data flows through a single zone in Lagos. This makes the entire country’s internet vulnerable to local cable cuts or station glitches. By opening a new path in the South-South, Airtel is creating a bypass that improves speed and reliability for the North and South, ensuring the country stays online even if Lagos faces a disruption.

This move follows Airtel’s recent push to expand its infrastructure. The company has added over 2,200 network sites since late 2023 and expanded its fibre network by 25%. While 4G is now available at 99.9% of its sites, Airtel is also doubling its 5G presence to cover Nigeria’s top 20 cities within the next year.

Why it matters: This is a major victory for internet stability. While projects like the 90,000km BRIDGE project focus on laying cables on land, Airtel is fixing the international door through which that data enters. Diversifying these entry points is essential for a digital economy that cannot afford the massive subsea cable outages seen in previous years.

The big picture: In 2026, the competition between telcos is no longer just about who has the most users; it’s about who has the most reliable network. By adding satellite partnerships with Starlink to its new subsea route, Airtel is building a multi-layered system designed to keep Nigeria connected regardless of where a cable might break.

South Africa has launched Scam Signal, a real-time fraud detection service designed to help banks prevent authorised push payment (APP) fraud. 

What is authorised push payment (APP)? This type of fraud occurs when criminals manipulate individuals or businesses into authorising payments to accounts controlled by fraudsters. Because the customer approves the payment, banks often have limited ability to stop or reverse the transaction once funds are sent.

Who is making this happen? The South African deployment was made possible through collaboration between several major unnamed banks, MTN Chenosis, an API marketplace, global analytics firm FICO, Jersey Telecom, and the GSMA, the advocacy and lobbying organisation for the mobile communications industry.

Why this launch? Financial fraud continues to rise in South Africa, with losses approaching R2.7 billion ($168 million) in 2024. APP fraud is particularly difficult to tackle because it exploits human behaviour rather than technical system weaknesses, leaving traditional fraud controls less effective.

How Scam Signal works: The service is delivered through APIs that connect banking systems directly to mobile networks. It enables banks to assess fraud risk during live transactions by analysing mobile network data alongside banking data. The system identifies behavioural signals associated with social engineering scams (like suspicious call activity) while a payment is being made. This allows banks to intervene in real time by pausing transactions or sending alerts.

Will this work? The South African launch follows a successful rollout in the UK in 2024. According to the GSMA, Scam Signal reduced the number of scam victims by up to 40%, providing early evidence of the model’s effectiveness.

The Kenyan government launched the National Electric Mobility Policy this week at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi. The move transforms what was once a 2024 draft proposal into a hard regulatory framework designed to slash the country’s $5 billion (643 million KES) annual fuel import bill.

The shift: In early 2024, Kenya was still in the research and analysis phase, with the draft policy focusing on creating an enabling environment. Fast forward to today, and the finalised policy has teeth. It officially mandates that 5% of parking spaces in all new commercial buildings must be reserved for EV charging, a requirement backed by the 2024 National Building Code. It also introduces the new green reflective number plates to give EVs a distinct legal identity on the road.

The government is playing it smart by targeting high-usage segments, specifically bodabodas (motorcycles) and matatus (minibuses). These two- and three-wheelers already make up over 90% of Kenya's EV fleet, which surged from 1,300 units in 2022 to 24,754 by early 2026. By focusing on the vehicles that spend the most time on the road, the policy aims to maximise the impact on urban air pollution while utilising Kenya’s 90% renewable energy grid during off-peak hours.

What next? To solve range anxiety, the policy sets a massive goal of 10,000 public charging stations by 2030. The policy includes zero-rated VAT and excise duty on electric bikes and lithium-ion batteries, incentivising local assembly.

South Africa has signed a new framework economic partnership agreement with China, a move aimed at securing duty-free access for selected South African exports to the Chinese market. Trade Minister Parks Tau and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Wentao, signed the agreement in Beijing, setting the stage for a deal expected by March 2026.

Why is South Africa running to China? According to the International Trade Centre (ITC), trade between the two countries reached $4.5 billion in 2024. This comes as South Africa's trade partnership with the US, estimated at $26 billion in 2024, has recently come under strain. In August 2025, the US imposed a 30% tariff on South African exports, making South African goods significantly less competitive in the US market. 

And what of AGOA? For years, South Africa benefited from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which grants eligible African countries duty-free access to US markets. AGOA expired last year and was only recently renewed, leaving exporters with months of uncertainty. While South Africa remains in talks with the US over the 30% tariff, the China deal serves as a hedge, ensuring export access even if negotiations stall.

What China is offering: China has pledged to remove tariffs on exports from African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations. South Africa’s new agreement fits into that broader strategy and is expected to deepen trade ties in sectors such as mining, agriculture, and steel. If anything, this deal reflects South Africa’s efforts to reduce reliance on a single market in an increasingly unpredictable global trade environment.