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Africa Tech Festival Awards 2023

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Africa Tech Festival

Nominations open for the African tech industry’s best of the best

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, August 24, 2023/APO Group/ — 

TAKING place at the Bay Hotel in Camp’s Bay, Cape Town on 15 November 2023, the achievements of some of the African technology, telecommunications, and media industry’s most illustrious pioneers and tech entrepreneurs, will once again be fêted at the prestigious Africa Tech Festival Awards (https://apo-opa.info/3myppVu).

As awards ceremonies go, Africa Tech Festival’s are a standout, not only in their recognition of the achievements of the companies and people who are making a difference in the lives of countless Africans, but for their reputation as an unforgettable evening of fun, food, and conversation in the company of some of the industry’s hottest talent.

The Awards Ceremony will welcome Africa’s leaders to an elegant evening celebration beginning with a cocktail reception at Tides restaurant with its magnificent seafront views, followed by a gala dinner in the Rotunda accompanied by live music.  The night will end with an afterparty soundtracked to a live DJ.

As encouragement to enter and commenting on the impact of winning the Start-up of the Year Award in 2022, Motunrayo Opayinka, founder of Womenovate says that it has: “brought significant visibility and recognition to Womenovate. As a result, we experienced various positive changes, including increased brand visibility and new collaboration opportunities. We were also able to expand our network with like-minded individuals, experts, and mentors, which for us is very valuable in our mission to support Nigerian women in STEAM. 

“Winning the prestigious award added to our credibility, helping us to further gain trust from our stakeholders, beneficiaries, and the public.”

In 2023, the Africa Tech Festival team have taken the event up yet another notch, introducing a new award category – the Creative Visionary Award –to commend the remarkable forerunners in the African media, broadcasting, and entertainment industries.

Award Categories

Creative Visionary Award – this new award is dedicated to honouring exceptional media, broadcasting, and entertainment professionals across Africa.

Connecting for All Award – dedicated to recognising and honouring network providers and services that have demonstrated exceptional commitment and effort in ensuring connectivity for all.

Innovation for Impact – recognises innovations in products or services that have disrupted traditional approaches, introduced novel solutions, and created tangible value for businesses and individuals in Africa.

CXO of the Year – honours exceptional leaders in Africa and their outstanding contributions in building teams, setting new standards, and delivering on a clear vision in a rapidly changing business landscape.

Changing Lives Award – dedicated to recognising and honouring organisations and initiatives that are committed to improving lives across the continent.

Winning the prestigious award added to our credibility, helping us to further gain trust from our stakeholders, beneficiaries, and the public

Female Innovator of the Year Award – honours the women who have made significant contributions to the fields of tech, media, and telecoms across Africa.

Sustainability Champion of the Year – formerly the ‘Green ICT Champion Award’, this award celebrates the remarkable achievements of individuals or organisation leading the way in the development and integration of sustainable energy solutions for the continent.

Fintech Innovation Award – acknowledges the transformative power of financial technology in driving economic growth, financial inclusion, and digital transformation.

Start-up of the Year Award – acknowledges the entrepreneurial spirit, technological innovation, and potential impact of start-ups in driving growth, solving challenges, and contributing to the advancement of Africa’s tech ecosystem.

HealthTech Innovation of the Year Award – recognises innovative solutions that are changing lives, advancing healthcare, and making a significant positive impact on individuals and communities.

Overseeing the development of the awards and responsible for the overall festival’s successful delivery each year, James Williams, Director, Events | Connecting Africa | Informa Tech comments that: “These awards are all about celebrating the optimists in industry for whom every challenge is a possibility and a solution waiting to be discovered and implemented. 

“The wealth of talent on the African continent is exceptional, which makes the public voting to select only one hero per category, a highly competitive process and extremely difficult.  That said, it is an honour to be amongst them all and we look forward to this event every year and to sharing their achievements with our connected community.”

Nominations are open until 7 September 2023, with short-listed candidates announced on 11 September 2023.  To enter, nominations need to be submitted on the Africa Tech Festival website (https://apo-opa.info/3qHFKtr). The short-listed candidates will be chosen by a panel of judges, and thereafter, the winners will be selected via a public vote.

For more information, please see website here: Africa Tech Festival 2023 – The Home of AfricaCom & AfricaTech (https://apo-opa.info/3myppVu) 

To register for a free visitor pass, please use this link.  Pre-registration open here (https://apo-opa.info/41MExyC).

(Please note that all requests are adjudicated and there may be some delay before you hear back from us).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Tech Festival.

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Afreximbank Posts Robust Q1 2026 Results with 25% Growth in Net Income and Improved Profitability

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2 days ago

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May 22, 2026

By

Afreximbank

The results demonstrate continued resilience, disciplined balance sheet management and strong deal execution despite a challenging global operating environment

The growth in net interest income and profitability demonstrates the strength of our operating model and the continued relevance of our mandate

CAIRO, Egypt, May 22, 2026/APO Group/ –African Export-Import Bank (“Afreximbank” or the “Bank”) (www.Afreximbank.com) and its subsidiaries (the “Group”) announced its results for the three months ended 31 March 2026. The results demonstrate continued resilience, disciplined balance sheet management and strong deal execution despite a challenging global operating environment.

 

The Group continued to expand its lending activities in Q1 2026, resulting in total credit exposure growing by 2% to reach a portfolio of US$42 billion, up from US$41 billion as of 31 December 2025. This performance reflects Afreximbank’s leading role as a Development Finance Institution (DFI) in financing trade and trade-enabling infrastructure, and its strategic contribution to economic resilience across Africa and the Caribbean.

Average loans and advances for Q1 2026 stood at US$32 billion, up 8% compared to the same period in the prior year, driving the recorded growth in interest income. The Group’s liquidity position remained strong, with cash and cash equivalents of US$5.6 billion, representing 14% of total assets, consistent with FY2025 and above the Bank’s strategic minimum.

Asset quality also remained strong, with the non-performing loan (NPL) ratio at 2.40%, broadly in line with 2.43% at FY2025 and below industry average.

Shareholders’ funds increased to US$8.6 billion at 31 March 2026, up from US$8.4 billion at FY2025, supported by internally generated capital of US$268.9 million and new equity investments received during the quarter, underscoring the Bank’s continued ability to mobilise capital from its shareholders in support of its growth and development mandate.

The Group delivered strong profitability during the quarter.  Notwithstanding declining benchmark rates, total interest income rose by 14% year-on-year to reach US$813.6 million, while net interest income increased by 24% to US$510.0 million, compared with US$411.2 million in the first quarter of 2025. The Group’s cost-to-income ratio remained contained at 19%, well within the Group’s strategic ceiling of 30%. As a result, Profit for the period increased to US$268.9 million, up from US$215.4 million in Q1 2025.

The Group continued to maintain a strong capital position, with a capital adequacy ratio of 23% as at 31 March 2026, in line with the Bank’s long-term capital management targets.

During the quarter, Afreximbank continued to demonstrate its counter-cyclical role in response to external shocks. In March 2026, the Bank launched a US$10 billion Gulf Crisis Response Programme to help member countries mitigate adverse spillover effects from the Gulf crisis. The facility is designed to support liquidity, stabilise trade and payments, and address supply-side disruptions, particularly in energy, tourism and aviation, fertilisers, food and other critical imports.

The Bank also continued to deploy targeted financing and advisory support to strengthen trade flows, industrial capacity and economic resilience across Africa and CARICOM. Regional integration received further momentum following South Africa’s ratification of the Bank’s Establishment Agreement in February 2026, bringing one of Africa’s largest and most diversified economies into the Bank’s membership and giving the Bank full continental coverage.

Highlights of the results for Afreximbank Group are shown below:

Financial Performance Metrics

Q1’2026

Q1’2025
Gross Income (US$ million)

874.1

784.9
Net Income (US$ million)

268.9

215.4
Return on average equity (ROAE)

13%

12%
Return on average assets (ROAA)

2.62%

2.38%
Cost-to-income ratio

19%

16%

 

Financial Position Metrics

Q1’2026

FY’2025
Total Assets (US$ billion)

41.7

42.3
Total Liabilities (US$ billion)

33.0

33.9
Shareholders’ Funds (US$ billion)

8.6

8.4
Non-performing loans ratio (NPL)

2.40%

2.43%
Cash/Total assets

14%

14%
Capital Adequacy ratio (Basel II)

23%

          23%

 

Mr. Denys Denya, Afreximbank’s Senior Executive Vice President, commented:

“Against a backdrop of continued global uncertainty, heightened geopolitical risks and tight financial conditions, the Group delivered a resilient first-quarter performance, underpinned by disciplined balance sheet management, sound asset quality and strong capital and liquidity buffers. The growth in net interest income and profitability demonstrates the strength of our operating model and the continued relevance of our mandate. Our swift launch of the US$10 billion Gulf Crisis Response Programme further underscores Afreximbank’s counter-cyclical role in supporting member countries during periods of disruption. We remain focused on stabilising trade flows, easing liquidity pressures and advancing the industrial and economic transformation of Africa and the Caribbean.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Via Licensing Alliance Expands Voice Codec Program with New Licensee, New Licensors, Publishes Comprehensive Pool Rate Structure

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2 days ago

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May 22, 2026

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Via Licensing Alliance

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 May 2026 – Via Licensing Alliance (Via) today announced continued momentum for its Voice Codec patent pool, including the addition of a new unnamed licensee and new licensors, NovaVoice Limited and Cordial IP, further growing the program’s patent stack and market penetration from its initial five, large global licensors.

The addition of the new licensee, unnamed at this time, reflects growing industry adoption of the collaborative licensing pathway Via’s Voice Codec program creates for accessing IP rights to critical voice technologies. This addition reflects a growing market uptake of advanced voice technologies, including EVS and IVAS, driven by rising demand as 5G and 5G-Advanced technologies are adopted worldwide.

Additionally, Via continues to prioritize transparency and has published its full rate structure for the Voice Codec pool, providing further clarity and predictability for implementers and to the broader market. For implementers, the full rate structure allows for complete visibility as they consider the appropriate royalty structure to choose from to meet their product level costs, evaluate future growth paths for their product lines, or plan their geographical expansion plan needs. This level of disclosure not only reduces uncertainty in licensing decisions but also enables more consistent benchmarking, reinforcing confidence in fair, market-aligned SEP licensing practices. The program’s royalty rates are listed on Via’s website at https://www.via-la.com/licensing-programs/voice-codec/#license-fees.

The addition of the new licensors indicates increased interest from patent holders in licensing their voice technology SEPs through highly efficient, aggregated licensing vehicles such as patent pools. Future growth in both the licensor list and the number of patents consolidated through the pool license will continue to enhance the value of the Voice Codec License for implementers. Via’s Voice Codec program licensors are listed here: https://www.via-la.com/licensing-programs/voice-codec/#licensors.

Via’s Voice Codec pool covers Enhanced Voice Services (EVS), which supports voice communications across more than one billion and growing active devices globally, as well as Immersive Voice and Audio Services (IVAS), which will play a central role in next-generation voice and spatial audio applications.

“We are pleased to welcome these new entrants to our pool, which signal continued growth and momentum our Voice Codec program,” said Kevin Mack, President of Via Licensing Alliance. “This pool license offers strong value relative to other market options and represents the only collaborative licensing solution for EVS and IVAS technologies, making it a smart and efficient pathway for companies seeking to license critical voice capabilities.”

EVS remains a foundational technology for high-quality voice communications in 5G and 5G-Advanced networks, with adoption continuing to expand as 5G, 5G-Advanced and future network iterations reach global scale. As spatial audio and advanced voice technologies expand into 6G and a broader range of non-cellular devices, the importance of IVAS technologies is expected to increase, with Via’s pool offering an early and effective licensing pathway.

For more information about the Voice Codec patent pool, including information for prospective licensees, please visit https://www.via-la.com.

About Via Licensing Alliance:
Via Licensing Alliance is the collaborative licensing leader, dedicated to accelerating global technology adoption, fostering participation, and generating return on innovation with balanced licensing solutions for innovators and manufacturers of all sizes around the globe. Via has operated dozens of licensing programs for a variety of technologies. Via is an independently managed company owned by industry-leading participants with over 25 years of intellectual property licensing leadership. For more information about Via, please visit https://www.via-la.com.

 

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Joint statement welcoming the Republic of Togo’s announcement on Visa facilitation for African nationals

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2 days ago

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May 22, 2026

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Togo

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank commend the Government and people of the Republic of Togo for hosting Biashara Afrika 2026 and for their continued commitment to advancing Africa’s economic integration agenda

LOMÉ, Togo, May 21, 2026/APO Group/ –The AfCFTA Secretariat and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) welcome the announcement by the Government of the Republic of Togo, under the leadership of H.E. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Council of the Republic of Togo, regarding measures to facilitate visa-free entry for all nationals of African States holding valid passports, as announced by the Minister of Security on 18 May 2026.

The announcement was made in Lomé on the sidelines of Biashara Afrika 2026, the continent’s premier trade and business platform, which has brought together policymakers, private sector leaders, investors, and stakeholders from across Africa to advance dialogue on intra-African trade, investment, and regional integration.

Throughout the engagements, participants underscored the importance of facilitating the movement of African citizens, entrepreneurs, and investors as an important enabler of intra-African trade and economic cooperation. Against this backdrop, the announcement reflects the growing continental momentum towards strengthening connectivity and deepening African integration.

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank, to which Togo is a State Party and a Member State, envision a continent where goods, services, capital, and people move more freely across borders in support of an integrated African market. Measures that facilitate mobility and connectivity continue to contribute towards advancing the broader mandate of both institutions; the attainment of the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank commend the Government and people of the Republic of Togo for hosting Biashara Afrika 2026 and for their continued commitment to advancing Africa’s economic integration agenda.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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