Absa, in partnership with Microsoft and Women in Tech, is expanding its ElevateHer AI Programme to nine additional African countries. The initiative, initially launched in South Africa, aims to equip women with AI skills for real-world applications and promote responsible AI adoption across the continent.

• The ElevateHer AI Programme has already reached over 10,000 learners in South Africa.
• The expansion leverages Absa’s pan-African footprint, Microsoft’s Elevate AI skilling platform, and Women in Tech’s community networks.
• Head of Strategy and Transformation – Technology, Africa Regions at Absa, Tamu Dutuma, emphasized that digital confidence is becoming as crucial as financial literacy.
• Microsoft has committed over $4 billion in cash and technology globally to support AI skills development.
• Melissa Slaymaker, Africa Regional Director at Women in Tech Global, noted that the programme helps close the gender gap in emerging technologies.

Cellulant, a leading Pan-African payments company, has appointed Michael Muriuki as its new Chief Product & Technology Officer (CPTO). This strategic move consolidates the oversight of product, platform, and software engineering under a single role to drive further innovation and growth.

• Michael Muriuki has been with Cellulant for over a decade, most recently serving as Vice President of Software Engineering.
• He played a crucial role in modernizing Cellulant's Tingg platform into a cloud-native microservices architecture, which increased transaction throughput from about 1 million to 4.5 million transactions per day in 2025 alone.
• As CPTO, Muriuki will oversee Cellulant's product portfolio, technology foundation, and the development of AI, data, and insights capabilities to bolster the company's focus on enterprise payments and automation.

LG Electronics is positioning Africa as a crucial growth frontier for its AI-powered smart home expansion, accelerating its presence across emerging markets. This strategy was highlighted at LG InnoFest 2026 MEA in Abu Dhabi, UAE, where the company showcased its vision for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.

• The smart home appliance market in Africa is projected to see smart home penetration in Kenya double from 2.8% in 2025 to 5.8% by 2029.
• LG showcased AI-enabled home solutions including washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, and its premium Wallpaper OLED TV with True Wireless technology.
• Donghun Lee, LG's President for East Africa, emphasized that "connectivity and AI are central to our strategy as we continue expanding across Africa."
• LG's vision for the region includes the "Zero Labor Home" concept, aiming to reduce household chores through intelligent technology, and plans to expand its product portfolio with more mid- and entry-level offerings.
• The continent's urban population is projected to double from 700 million to 1.4 billion by 2050.