Mobile banking hits East Africa

Zain plans to bring mobile banking to over 100 million people in East Africa through its new Zap service, reports The Citizen.

"It represents the most comprehensive mobile banking service and will provide millions of people with access to banking for the very first time," the mobile operator says.

To deliver the service effectively, Zain is partnering with international and regional banks, including Citigroup and Standard Chartered Bank. This will allow Zain customers in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to use their mobile phones to pay bills and purchase goods and services, among other things.

The Ugandan government, supported by the European Commission and Technical Co-Sponsored by IEEE, will host Information Society Technologies Africa 2009, says IT News Africa.

Organisers say the event (which takes place in Kampala from 6 to 8 May) will focus on the role of ICT for Africa's development and specifically on applied ICT research topics addressing major societal and economic challenges.

These challenges form part of the European Commission's Framework Programme 7 ICT theme. The conference programme combines strategic keynote presentations, technical and policy papers, case studies, workshops, an exhibition, and social activities.

The Information Technology Association of Nigeria's (ITAN's) admission to the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) is expected to open up new opportunities for the Nigerian IT and services industry, states All Africa.

ITAN president Dr Jimson Olufuye notes the admission also demands the emulation of best practices and effective showcasing of local success stories in the global arena.

"My expectation is that WITSA chairman Dato Dan Khoo's visit will boost more investments in ICT at the grassroots, the states and the federal level. My hope is that the visit would provide more capacity to engender the expected boost," Olufuye says.