Kenyan consortium hosts mobile app lab

A software consortium has been selected to be part of a programme that will give Kenyan developers access to international markets, reports Business Daily Africa.

The group, comprising of iHub, eMobilis, the World Wide Web Foundation and The University of Nairobi's school of computing and informatics, have been chosen to host the East Africa lab of the Finnish government-backed initiative.

The consortium became part of the African Regional Mobile Application Laboratory, a programme driven by Finland's government and Nokia to create sustainable businesses.

Telkom Kenya plans to introduce mobile banking services by year-end, states Bloomberg.

The service will allow users to send money from abroad, carry out electronic banking, and pay for goods and services online, as well as transfer funds locally.

Mobile phone operators in East Africa's biggest economy are diversifying into banking products to fill a gap in a country where four out of every five people don't have a bank account.

Musa Capital is planning to raise $125 million for G-Mobile to build a telecom network in Malawi, says Global Telecoms Business.

G-Mobile plans to spend $25 million by the end of this year to start building a network in Malawi and expects to begin offering services by December. The company will invest $150 million in the country over the next three years.

G-Mobile is appealing a fine of $6.9 million imposed in August by Malawi's telecom regulator, for not rolling out services as stipulated in its licence agreement.