Salam alaykum,
Victoria from Techpoint right here,
Right here”s what I’ve received for you immediately:
- IHS Holding is contemplating the sale of its towers
- Regulators will save African gig staff
- Streaming giants face new prices?
IHS Holding is contemplating the sale of its towers
IHS Holding, the telecoms tower big, is reportedly contemplating promoting off its companies in Rwanda and Zambia.
The corporate is trying to see if there’s curiosity from potential patrons, with plans to make use of among the proceeds to pay down its money owed.
This transfer comes on the heels of IHS shedding 100 workers after struggling an enormous $1.9 billion loss in 2023—a surprising 304% bounce from the earlier yr.
The corporate, which runs over 40,000 towers throughout Africa, Latin America, and the Center East, continues to be within the early phases of those discussions and may find yourself holding onto these belongings for some time longer.
IHS has been hit exhausting by the devaluation of Nigeria’s naira, its greatest market, the place the forex has dropped over 70% in opposition to the greenback since President Bola Tinubu took workplace in Could 2023.
Regardless of these challenges, the corporate stays assured in its enterprise energy, though its shares have plummeted greater than 80% since going public in 2021.
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The corporate not too long ago revealed that it wants to lift between $500 million and $1 billion to remain afloat, working with advisors like JPMorgan Chase & Co. to determine the perfect path ahead.
Regulators will save African gig staff
In July 2024, Kenyan ride-hailing drivers have been again on the streets, protesting throughout a five-day strike. They’d been rallying for higher charges, safer working situations, and clearer communication from platforms like Uber and Bolt.
Regardless of some responses from these firms, the modifications have been minimal and have not addressed the drivers’ core points.
Just a few weeks in the past, drivers took issues a step additional, defying platform insurance policies by setting their fares, even risking suspension. The platforms, nevertheless, claimed they couldn’t do a lot because of tight achieve margins and competitors, whereas drivers are combating rising operational prices.
This ongoing back-and-forth raises questions on whether or not drivers’ calls for are reaching the correct individuals and if actual change is on the horizon.
The dearth of authorized safety for gig staff in Africa leaves them uncovered to exploitation and unchanging phrases.
For a deeper dive into the authorized challenges and what is likely to be carried out to guard these staff, try Oluwanifemi’s insights on how the regulation is catching up with the gig financial system right here.
Streaming giants face new prices?
The Affiliation of Communications and Expertise (ACT) is making a case for together with over-the-top (OTT) service suppliers like streaming and messaging platforms beneath the identical laws that govern telecoms in South Africa.
What’s it? ACT, which represents telcos like Vodacom, MTN, and Telkom, says that whereas OTT firms use their networks, they do not comply with the identical guidelines. They fear this might damage the telecom trade’s long-term sustainability.
Why does it matter? OTT providers like Netflix, YouTube, and WhatsApp want a powerful community infrastructure to work effectively. The ACT argues that since these providers use quite a lot of bandwidth, they need to assist pay for sustaining and upgrading the networks.
This concept, often called “Truthful Share,” means that OTT suppliers ought to contribute to the price.
This isn’t only a South African debate—it’s occurring within the EU and Asia too. Critics, nevertheless, argue that buyers are already paying for the info, so why ought to OTT suppliers pay as effectively?
Plus, there’s a fear that making OTT gamers pay may damage internet neutrality and drawback smaller Web suppliers. Nevertheless, the one OTT providers getting regulated in South Africa are voice-over-IP suppliers.
On the flip facet, ACT’s CEO, Nomvuyiso Batyi, warns that with out funding in community infrastructure, South Africa may fall behind, deepening the digital divide and resulting in “digital poverty.”
ACT isn’t demanding a particular resolution however desires to spark discussions. They recommend regulators discover new enterprise fashions to discover a stability for telecoms and OTT gamers.
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Have a terrific Thursday!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa.
