Below is a delayed version of our flagship newsletter, Techpoint Digest

Mālō e lelei,

Victoria from Techpoint here,

Here's what I've got for you today:

• African ICT leaders urge tax cuts on digital gadgets
• Ghana flags 38 cyberbullying lending apps
• Content creators in Nigeria and Ghana can now earn on Meta

African ICT leaders urge tax cuts on digital gadgets

At the LEAP summit in Shanghai, China, African telecom and ICT leaders called on governments across the continent to lower the cost of digital gadgets to reduce the digital divide and boost efficiency in various sectors. 

The summit, part of the Mobile World Congress from June 24 to June 28, brought together key players to discuss digital advancements.

John Mo, secretary general of the African Telecommunications Union, urged tech companies to partner with governments to set up manufacturing plants in Africa. 

He highlighted that affordability is a major issue, especially in rural areas where digital literacy is low. He stressed that reducing taxes on digital gadgets and services would help bridge the access gap.

Mo also emphasised the need to empower young people to use digital tools for their prosperity. He noted that Africa’s median youth age is 19, presenting a huge potential for digital growth. He called for cooperation between governments and tech firms to unlock this potential.

Uganda’s ICT undersecretary, Sophia Nantongo, echoed Mo’s sentiments, calling for lower taxes on digital gadgets to make them affordable for young people. She pointed out that over 90% of digital devices in Uganda are imported and heavily taxed, making access difficult. Nantongo also invited tech firms like Huawei to set up manufacturing plants in Uganda.

Zimbabwe’s ICT minister, Tatenda Mavetera, urged young people to embrace ICT for future opportunities. Meanwhile, Kenya’s principal education secretary, Dr. Beatrice Muganda, called on global tech companies to turn African universities into training hubs to produce more skilled graduates.

Ghana flags 38 cyberbullying lending apps

The Ghana Cybersecurity Authority (GCA) has identified 38 digital lending mobile apps involved in cyberbullying. 

In 2024 alone, they've received 130 reports of users being bullied by these apps, showing a surge in such cases. 

These apps violated the Banks and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institution Act, 2016 (ACT 930), and failed to meet the Data Protection Commission’s (DPC) compliance standards, leading to misuse of users' data and personal information.

The GCA explained that when users install these apps, they often grant access to their data, including contacts, photos, and personal identifiable information (PII) like the Ghana identity card. 

Shockingly, users get credited with money in their mobile wallets without even requesting a loan. A week later, the app operators start extorting high-interest loan repayments, using threats of sharing nude photos, whether real or fake, on social media, or blackmailing the victim by calling them a thief or a criminal.

Even after victims repay the demanded amounts, these fraudsters continue to ask for more money. The GCA warned people to avoid these apps, emphasising that those who use them do so at their own risk.

What’s more, in January 2023, the GCA also released a list of digital lenders engaged in cyberbullying. This situation highlights the ongoing struggle to regulate and protect users from abusive practices by rogue digital lending apps.

Content creators in Nigeria and Ghana can now earn on Meta

Content creators in Nigeria and Ghana can now make money from ad revenue on Meta platforms like Instagram and Facebook. 

This change, announced by Meta on June 27, previously blocked creators with Nigerian and Ghanaian addresses from Facebook monetisation unless their page was managed from an eligible country.

As of May 2024, there were over 50 million Facebook users in Nigeria and more than 10 million in Ghana, according to NapoleonCat. Now, creators in both countries can earn through in-stream and live ads. 

Meta automatically places ads in natural breaks of videos or allows creators to choose their placements. Earnings depend on advertisers and the number of video views.

In-stream ads include pre-roll ads (before the video), mid-roll ads (breaks into the video), and image ads (static ads below the video). After-roll ads may play after the video content. Other monetization options include ads on reels, bonuses, and subscriptions.

In April 2024, Ghana started taxing content creators and influencers earning on platforms like YouTube, X, and TikTok, including remote workers on Fiverr and Upwork. With this new development, creators earning on Meta platforms may also be taxed.

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Have an amazing Thursday!