As we navigate through 2026, the social media landscape is being defined by emotional storytelling, authentic connections and a strategic balance between human creativity and AI-powered innovation. The numbers paint a compelling picture: South Africa is home to 29.1.-million social media users aged 18 and above, representing nearly 65% of the adult population. South Africans spend an average of three hours…
In 2025, Africa Check investigated over 20 scams circulating online in Nigeria, from Facebook pages impersonating popular commercial banks to fake money-doubling investment opportunities. The risks of falling for these scams include losing hard-earned money or having personal information stolen, which could then be used for identity theft. In 2026, we expect scams to persist,…
Globally and locally, the customer service industry is in a state of change, driven by the proliferation of communication channels and the rise of artificial intelligence, pushing organisations to re-evaluate longstanding approaches and models to delivering exceptional service. New research shows that although nearly 90% of organisations plan to use AI to enhance the customer…
As we look toward 2026, the economic environment remains uncertain. Economists predict that South Africa could be heading into another stormy year, with geopolitical tensions and unstable global markets placing pressure on growth. Now is the time to make strategic decisions for 2026, and business trends can offer helpful insights. When approached with intention, the…
Africa’s youth population represents a significant economic opportunity and a real risk if we get this wrong. The continent’s youth population aged 15–24 is expected to increase by around 42% by 2030, with the number of young people entering the African labour force projected to exceed the rest of the world combined by 2050. Gigi…
Key findings Between Round 7 (2016/2018) and Round 10 (2024) of Afrobarometer surveys, both average interview duration and average question duration have increased significantly. The average time taken to complete an interview rose from 63.0 minutes in Round 7, to 78 minutes in Round 9 and 79.9 minutes in Round 10. The average time taken…
The world is smoking less, but the tobacco epidemic is far from over. A new WHO global report shows the number of tobacco users has dropped from 1.38 billion in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024. Since 2010, the number of people using tobacco has dropped by 120 million – a 27% drop in relative…
As the globe shifts, Africa has seen a marked increase in the adoption of Bitcoin. Increasing volumes of trade, investments from leading institutions, and new policies are changing the continent’s cryptocurrency environment. As of August 2025, the total cryptocurrency market had a market capitalization dip of 1.7 per cent. This was due to the PPI…
Cyber Insight, in partnership with Sophos, hosted an exclusive cyber security event on 19 August at the Eikenhof Estate in Stellenbosch, bringing together IT managers, clients and partners to explore the latest ransomware research and the future development roadmap for Sophos solutions. Ransomware remains a top concern for SMEs The event highlighted findings from the…
Retail in South Africa is changing. As customers become more digitally empowered, the traditional, staff-led in-store experience is being replaced with self-service, smartphone-driven journeys. Tobie van Schalkwyk, Business Unit Lead at Duxbury Networking. Image supplied Shoppers want speed, independence, and seamless access to the same product information and services they have online. But while most…
