Africa sees mobile money expansion

afaricom, East Africa's largest mobile operator, is expanding its M-pesa mobile money transfer service across Africa, reports Wireless Federation.

Meanwhile, the Zap service operated by Bharti Airtel has also been expanding steadily over the past year. In addition, MTN's mobile money transfer service boasts over one million registered customers in Uganda alone.

Former Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph who chairs the board of directors of both Safaricom and Vodacom is expected to lead the expansion of the M-pesa service across Africa.

Global IT purchases will rise 7.1% in 2011 to $1.7 trillion, according to forecast data from Forrester Research, states Business Wire.

“Our forecast of 7.1% for IT purchases is still a bullish one, given the economic weakness in Europe, the questions about the US recovery, and the potential slowdowns in Asian economies,” says Forrester Research vice-president and principal analyst Andrew Bartels.

The Latin America and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions will have the highest growth rates in 2011, both at 9.8%, notes Forrester.

MTN Ghana Foundation has sponsored 20 basic schools in the Volta Region to participate in the annual National Spelling Bee Competition, says Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.

More than 280 competitors, aged between eight and 14, were drawn from 140 schools across the country and are participating in this year's competition, which ends in February.

Nana Adjei Perbi, education portfolio adviser for MTN Ghana Foundation, emphasised the organisation's commitment to the development of education and its continuous support for projects and events aimed at improving teaching and learning.