http://www.360globalnewsnetwork.com/

Global News Network 360, Waiyaki Way, Westlands (2026)

05/08/2026

𝐃𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫

Health CS Aden Duale has gazetted new rules requiring all inbound travellers staying in Kenya for less than a year to have valid travel health insurance.

The cover must provide a minimum benefit of $50,000 (about KSh6.4 million). Insurers offering the policy must meet strict financial and operational requirements, including a nationwide provider network.

The government says the new rules will protect taxpayers from costly emergency medical bills while ensuring visitors receive timely healthcare.

05/08/2026

𝐌𝐓𝐍 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐇𝐒 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫.
MTN has secured the required shareholder backing to acquire all remaining shares in IHS Towers, clearing a key condition in its plan to take full ownership of the telecommunications tower company. IHS shareholders approved the transaction by the required two-thirds majority at an Extraordinary General Meeting on 4 August 2026. Under the merger structure, an MTN-established temporary entity will merge into IHS and cease to exist, while IHS will remain the surviving legal entity and become a wholly owned MTN subsidiary.

Completion remains subject to regulatory approvals that are still in progress. Once finalised, IHS will be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange but will retain its existing corporate registration, contracts, licences and permits unless MTN later restructures or rebrands the business. MTN agreed to acquire the outstanding IHS shares in February 2026. Group president and chief executive Ralph Mupita said full ownership would strengthen MTN’s strategic and financial position as demand for digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence grows across Africa, supporting its Ambition 2030 and three-platform strategies.

05/08/2026

𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐗 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐨 $𝟕.𝟖𝐛𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 $𝟏𝟖.𝟑𝐛𝐧.
SpaceX reported a 92% increase in quarterly revenue to $7.8bn. Spending rose more than 550% to $18.3bn, and the company recorded a $2bn net loss for the first six months of the year. Shares fell more than 7% in after-hours trading on Tuesday, after initially dropping nearly 9%, as investors weighed the rising costs disclosed in the company’s first quarterly business report since its June US stock market debut. Finance chief Bret Johnson said capital expenditure would remain at a similar level for the rest of the year.

Starlink was the only business unit generating an operating profit, producing $1.6bn in the second quarter, while SpaceX’s rocket operations recorded a $542m net loss on $962m of revenue. The AI computing division generated $2.5bn in revenue but lost $1.2bn as the company invested in data centres and prepared to expand computing capacity from 1.4 gigawatts to at least 10 gigawatts next year. Elon Musk said SpaceX could reach $1tn in annual revenue by 2030, although analysts cautioned that the company’s valuation rests heavily on long-term expectations as its shares remain below the $135 listing price and well under their June peak of $176.

05/08/2026

𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟕-𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞 $𝟓𝟐.𝟓 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧.
Nigeria’s foreign reserves rose above $52.5 billion on 17 July 2026, surpassing the Central Bank of Nigeria’s annual target and reaching their highest level in 17 years. It attributed the increase to stronger foreign exchange inflows, sustained capital inflows and renewed investor participation across asset classes. Acting Corporate Communications and Investor Relations Director Hakama Sidi Ali said the rise reflected growing confidence in Nigeria’s economic management and reforms introduced under Governor Olayemi Cardoso.

Headline inflation eased to 15.91% in June from 15.93% in May, while food and core inflation also moderated, supported by monetary policy measures, exchange rate unification and improved market transparency. The naira strengthened as the gap between official and Bureau de Change exchange rates narrowed to below 2%. Other reforms implemented over the past 34 months include banking sector recapitalisation, the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number, the B-Match foreign exchange platform, the Nigeria Payments System Vision 2028 and the Nigerian Overnight Financing Rate benchmark. It would continue prioritising monetary and price stability, investment inflows, stronger financial markets and sustainable economic growth.

05/08/2026

𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐒𝐃𝐊.
Visa is expanding Visa Pay across Africa through a software development kit that allows banks, mobile money operators and fintechs to integrate its payment services directly into their existing applications. The SDK is available in markets including Zambia, Sudan, the Republic of Congo and Tanzania, supporting services such as e-commerce payments, remittances, virtual cards, humanitarian disbursements and person-to-person transfers.

The embedded model would help financial service providers launch secure domestic and cross-border payment products more quickly while creating new growth opportunities. The company also plans to add Tap to Pay, extending Visa Pay to contactless payment experiences in the future.

05/08/2026

𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐂𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐁𝐍 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 $𝟏 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠.
First Holdco Plc, the parent company of First Bank, has gained the clearance of the Central Bank of Nigeria for a $1 billion equity issue to fulfill the regulator’s new minimum capital requirements. The deal opened on 3 August 2026 and involves the sale of a major block of shares formerly owned by RC Investment Management Ltd to institutional and retail investors. The bridge investor bought the stake following the departure of Barbican Capital Ltd due to internal leadership and ownership disagreements

The transaction will enable RC Investment Management to dispose of its temporary ownership, and will widen First HoldCo’s regional and worldwide investor base as well as boost its capital position and the liquidity of its shares. The offer is likely to change the ownership structure of the group and has caught the attention of investment groups looking for exposure to West Africa. First Bank chief executive, Olusegun Alebiosu, said demand was robust enough for the transaction to possibly be completed within a week.

05/08/2026

𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐱 𝐈𝐃𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐩𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝟑𝟎% 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐱 𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬.
Nigeria has implemented a tax regime for virtual assets that requires registered crypto exchanges, wallet providers, trading platforms and peer-to-peer escrow operators to validate a user’s Tax Identification Number before a new account can be activated. The rules issued by the Nigeria Revenue Service under the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025 and the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, encompass cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, tokenised assets and other virtual assets. They detail requirements around tax registration, transaction reporting, record-keeping, valuation and handling of taxable digital asset activities while confirming that ownership of and trade in cryptocurrencies is legal.

Enterprises making profits from virtual asset transactions will be subject to a corporate income tax of 30%, and medium and large enterprises would have to maintain full records of transactions and establish systems to meet the reporting duties of NRS. The steps follow an executive order from President Bola Tinubu in July 2026 to coordinate government oversight of virtual assets and try to bring a market used by an estimated 22 million to 26 million Nigerians further into the formal tax system, with about 40% of users relying on virtual assets for international transfers. Exchanges catering to Nigerians are already subject to compliance and operational costs, and operators implementing the framework may also introduce additional reporting requirements on existing customers.

05/08/2026

𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝟔𝟐.𝟒% 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐤𝐨𝐦 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐁𝐂𝐗 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞.
Data accounted for 62.4% of Telkom’s operating revenue in the quarter ended 30 June, reflecting the South African telecom operator’s continued shift from fixed-line voice services towards mobile broadband, fibre connectivity and enterprise digital products. Mobile service revenue increased 10.2%, supported by an 11.4% rise in mobile data revenue and 9.1% growth in prepaid service revenue as customer numbers and data consumption increased. Artificial intelligence-driven customer value management platforms generated 54.6% of prepaid service revenue by supporting personalised offers and customer engagement.

Openserve expanded homes passed by 13.2% year on year and grew fibre subscribers by 15.5%, while launching its own internet service provider to improve network monetisation without abandoning its open-access model. BCX revenue declined 10.9% as cautious business spending reduced hardware and software sales, but cybersecurity revenue rose 36.6%, and cloud revenue increased 11.8%. Continued investment in mobile, fibre, cloud, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, combined with disciplined capital allocation and operational efficiencies, would support growth despite macroeconomic pressures and the continuing decline of legacy fixed-line and voice services.

05/08/2026

𝐍𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐂𝐮𝐭𝐬 𝟏𝟏𝟐 𝐀𝐓𝐌𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝟗.𝟎𝟖 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧.
Nedbank removed 112 ATMs and closed seven branches in South Africa over the year to June 2026 as customers shifted towards digital payments and mobile banking. The bank ended the period with 539 branches, down from 546, while its ATM network has contracted by 345 devices over six years. Digitally active personal and private banking clients increased to 3.5 million from 3.2 million, Money app users rose to 3.18 million from 2.82 million, and PayShap rapid interbank settlements grew 81% year on year. Teller transactions fell to 1.95 million in June from 2.3 million in July 2025, while annual ATM withdrawals declined to 72.6 million from 73.8 million. It recently acquired the iKhokha platform and also expanded digital payment acceptance among SME customers.

Headline earnings were unchanged at R8.4 billion for the six months ended 30 June 2026, while headline earnings per share increased to 1,841 cents from 1,800 cents. Profit rose to R9.08 billion from R8.13 billion despite higher oil prices, inflation and global uncertainty linked to the US-Iran conflict and closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Chief executive Jason Quinn said South Africa’s economic prospects were supported by financial reforms, credit rating upgrades and a more credible economic plan, although weak business confidence remained a constraint. It expects South African GDP growth of about 1.3% in 2026 and 1.4% in 2027, with banking-sector credit growth projected to reach about 7% by year-end.

05/08/2026

𝐀𝐈 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝟓𝟓% 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚’𝐬 𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 $𝟒𝟖𝟒 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧.
As the continent’s digital economy evolved, criminal networks deployed artificial intelligence to perform faster, more convincing, and larger-scale attacks, which accounted for 55% of recorded cybercrime cases across Africa in 2025. Financial damage due to cybercrime is on the rise, from $192 million in 2024 to $484 million, according to statistics from 36 nations in INTERPOL’s African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026. Online fraud continued to be the biggest concern as crooks used AI, social media and mobile money services to target more than 1.1 billion mobile consumers. Scam centres were identified in 72% of the countries examined, with the greatest concentration in West and Southern Africa.

Cyber dangers differed by location, with East Africa seeing mobile money fraud and ransomware assaults on key infrastructure, while West and Central Africa saw high levels of business email compromise and romantic scams. Criminal groups in Africa targeted businesses and individuals in Europe and North America. At the same time, deepfakes, content created by AI, and synthetic identities were used more frequently for sextortion, harassment, and opening bogus bank accounts, mobile loans, and SIM registrations. One of the major vulnerabilities was the lack of real-time collaboration between banks, telecom operators and law enforcement agencies, INTERPOL said. By 2025, 17 African countries had adopted or amended legislation on cybercrime, and four international operations resulted in more than 1,500 arrests, the seizure of hundreds of electronic devices and the recovery of over $100 million in cybercrime-related assets.

Global News Network 360

05/08/2026

05/08/2026

05/08/2026

05/08/2026

05/08/2026

05/08/2026

05/08/2026

05/08/2026

05/08/2026

05/08/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request