Mastercard will buy stablecoin payments infrastructure firm BVNK for up to US$1.8-billion, as the card giant deepens its push into blockchain-based transfers. Increasing regulatory clarity and broader usage of stablecoins have created opportunities for card networks to expand beyond traditional cards into faster, lower-cost digital payment systems. Mastercard and rival Visa are competing to establish…
At the Arise News Women of Impact in Africa 2026, revered South African anti-apartheid activist Sophie Williams-De Bruyn called for African youths to take risks and push borders. In her acceptance speech as one of the honourees, she urged the continent’s youth to see themselves as the future, adding that “the future is bright.” Williams-De…
MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita and Abdulsalam Haykal, Syria’s minister of communications and IT, at MWC. (Image supplied by MTN) MTN Group has moved to formalise its exit from the Middle Eastern country of Syria. In a statement today, the South African-based telecommunications giant says MTN Group president and CEO Ralph Mupita met with Syrian…
Africa accounts for less than 1% of global data centre capacity. (Image source: 123RF) Despite its meteoric rise in data centre development and it accounting for 20% of the global population, Africa still only has 0.6% of global data centre capacity. This is based on the 2026 Economic Report: Data Centres in Africa, published by…
Namibian President Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on African leaders to re-energise efforts to improve access to clean water and safe sanitation, saying that delayed investment has left millions vulnerable to climate shocks, poor health, and economic stagnation. Addressing the African Union Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) Summit on Sunday, President Nandi-Ndaitwah said the gathering…
More than 60 years after the UN launched its formal decolonization drive, Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday urged renewed commitment to completing the unfinished business of ending colonial rule. Since 1945, more than 80 former colonies comprising some 750 million people have gained independence. However, 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories remain on the UN list, home to…
Calling for sweeping reforms of global institutions, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told African leaders on Saturday that the absence of permanent African seats on the Security Council is “indefensible,” declaring: “This is 2026 – not 1946.” In a world marked by division and mistrust, he said, the African Union (AU) stands as a “flagship for…
Standard Bank has confirmed the phased roll-out of smart ID application and renewal services at select branches, with no convenience or logistics fees during the launch period. The service will initially be available at the bank’s Rosebank, Maponya Mall and Westgate branches before scaling further. During the launch phase, clients will pay only the standard…
Zijin Mining is finalizing a $4 billion all-cash acquisition of Allied Gold Corporation, tightening its grip on African gold output as prices surge. Under the agreement, Zijin Gold International will pay C$44 a share, valuing Allied Gold at about $4 billion. The assets produced about 400,000 ounces in 2025 and are expected to reach about…
Across the winding corridors of district health offices in Uganda, a quiet but profound transformation is taking place. It is not marked by grand announcements or sweeping reforms, but by the steady, deliberate strengthening of the systems that keep communities healthy. Guided by the World Health Organization’s District Health Management Team (DHM), district teams are…
