Africa: Technology

Recent litigation between the South African Reserve Bank and fintech company Kastelo has brought exchange control compliance and crypto arbitrage under intense regulatory scrutiny. The case raises critical questions about how fintech business models involving cross-border transactions, foreign exchange, and digital assets must navigate South Africa's evolving regulatory framework, particularly regarding the use of individual foreign investment allowances for commercial purposes.

The South African Reserve Bank's dispute with fintech Kastelo has evolved from an account freeze into a pivotal test case for how exchange control regulations apply to crypto arbitrage platforms. As the litigation moves beyond procedural questions to substantive regulatory compliance, businesses operating cross-border digital asset models face critical uncertainty about when client foreign exchange allowances can legitimately support platform-based crypto transactions. The unresolved merits may fundamentall

Nigeria's regulatory sandbox framework represents a progressive shift toward innovation-friendly regulation in the financial technology sector. This comprehensive analysis examines how the Central Bank of Nigeria...

The European Union's AI Act introduces mandatory watermarking requirements for AI-generated content, creating compliance obligations that extend beyond EU borders to affect Nigerian businesses using global AI services. This analysis examines how these transparency requirements intersect with Nigeria's existing regulatory framework and highlights the need for comprehensive AI governance legislation.

The focus for South African entrepreneurs is rightly on building the business, finding customers and generating revenue. Offshore structures and international expansion often feel like something to think about later. The reality, however, is that many technology businesses reach a point where the structure that worked on day one is no longer the structure that best supports future growth.

Kenya's Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry has published a draft National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy that proposes sweeping reforms to the country's IP ecosystem. The policy introduces new legislation for geographical indications and trade secrets, establishes specialized IP courts, and addresses emerging technologies including AI-generated works and blockchain applications.

The Nigerian Communications Commission has issued comprehensive guidance on implementing a Cyber Resilience Framework specifically designed for the Nigerian communications sector. This framework establishes standards and protocols for telecommunications operators and service providers to strengthen their cybersecurity posture and operational resilience against evolving digital threats.

European financial regulators have issued new guidance on managing ICT risks from frontier AI models under DORA, setting expectations that will reshape how financial entities assess their technology providers. The statement from the European Supervisory Authorities outlines three core risk mitigation strategies—prevention, detection, and management—that will drive increasingly detailed scrutiny of AI service providers' cybersecurity, governance, and operational resilience. ICT service providers,

Togo's partnership with Poland to build a domestic drone industry, Kenya's establishment of a National Cybersecurity Agency, and a landmark tribunal ruling on AI-generated copyright protection signal Africa's evolving technology governance landscape. These developments raise critical questions around technology transfer, digital infrastructure protection, and intellectual property rights in an increasingly AI-driven economy.