After another year of fast-paced innovation, media managers, experts and academics posed a few tough questions at this year’s Nordic AI in Media Summit (NAMS), hosted at the JP/Politikens former printing press. Both the ink-stained walls and the lyrics of Video Killed the Radio Star served as reminders that the news industry has survived previous rounds of technological changes. But Canadian AI expert Nikita Roy warned the audiences that survival is not a given: “Awareness is not immunity.”

The fourth edition of the summit, hosted in Copenhagen by the Nordic AI Journalism Network, shifted the focus from tools and experiments to some of the more fundamental issues AI is surfacing for the news industry. What will the news economy look like? What (and who) will be automated? What will journalism mean in the age of AI? Speakers and attendees agreed the jury is out for all of these questions. Or at least, no one has definitive answers for them yet.

NAMS is led by Olle Zachrison, head of news AI for BBC News, Kasper Lindskow and Sara Inkeri Vardar from JP/Politikens Media Group, and Agnes Stenbom Swedling from Schibsted, who until recently was a visiting fellow at the Reuters Institute.

The summit included keynote lectures by experts such as Ezra Eeman from NPO, Nikita Roy from Newsroom Robots and our senior research associate Rasmus Kleis Nielsen, now at the University of Copenhagen. There were also presentations of AI projects and tools from many organisations, and breakout sessions targeting specific issues, with most of the latter held under Chatham House rules.

If you couldn’t be in Copenhagen this week, here are five key takeaways from the summit, ranging from broad questions on how AI will change the future of journalism to more practical takeaways from newsrooms navigating these changes. You will soon be able to catch up with the conference programme in full here.

1. It’s time for a radical reimagining of the news economy

The impact of AI will bring a fundamental restructuring of both the supply and demand side of the news economy, said Shuwei Fang, a Shorenstein Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School. As she explained in this powerful essay we published in March, she predicts four paradigm shifts: scarcity to abundance, a human audience to a machine audience, attention to intention, and artefacts to liquid content.

She believes these shifts will result in significant changes for the news ecosystem. For example, news production could shift from a “stock model,” where a news product is first produced and subsequently consumed by users, to a “flow model” where content is crafted at the moment of consumption specifically for a particular user.

Another shift could be news going from a B2C product to B2A2C (business to agent to consumer). Here, the “A” layer includes multiple agents with different needs in their own right, depending on their purpose.

The ecosystem emerging can produce answers to extremely niche, detailed questions addressing individuals’ needs, Fang said. While this presents opportunities, the distance that AI creates between audiences and news organisations could alienate publishers from important information about what audiences need from them.

Fang also predicted that the market for news could start to bifurcate between luxury and commodity, with extremes at either end and a hollowed-out middle. The luxury end would be defined by intangible qualities like brand identity and trust, with offerings like member communities and shared live experiences. The commodity end will be defined by infrastructure and integration.

There would be AI and human presence across both ends of the spectrum. The middle, where most news organisations sit today, would be dangerous ground, Fang said.

Despite the risks inherent to the scenarios she painted, Fang is not a pessimist. “The market for knowledge could get much bigger,” she said, with possible expansion both on the supply and demand side. Opportunities include lower production costs and the possibility to use AI to reach underserved audiences.

However, the value brought by AI may not be evenly distributed, and power could concentrate in a handful of players. For news organisations thinking about how to position themselves for the future, Fang heeded a warning: “Be suspicious of solutions that require the least amount of change.”

2. It’s also time to rethink what journalism is

If the news industry is to reorient itself in light of AI, it will need to redefine itself. “People don’t want news, as in facts, but they might want sensemaking,” said Florent Daudens, CEO and co-founder of Mizal AI, a startup offering production agents for media companies. This is why Substack is growing even as other forms of media struggle, he said.

Facts might not be a great bet in a news ecosystem increasingly mediated by AI either, Daudens said, as tech companies could get them by striking a deal with a single newswire.

This thought was echoed by Fang: there’s so much free information online such as research and press releases that AI companies could draw from, and that, for some, may be indistinguishable from journalism by news organisations.

Nikita Roy suggested we are at a turning point that, if missed, could spell disaster for the news industry. “We are in our Nokia and Kodak moment, where we are looking at a new product but thinking with the metrics of an old product,” she warned. Instead of worrying about how to recover lost web traffic and otherwise defend the status quo, we need to leave behind old assumptions.

AI is disrupting something more fundamental, Roy said: how information moves, how value is captured, what it means to be a media company.

This is a bigger shift than the one from print to digital, as then the role of the publisher remained largely the same. To Roy, publishers may be approaching this from a loss perspective, feeling their losses but not considering what they could gain.

Echoing Fang, she also asked those present to consider the people they could reach that it had not been possible to serve before. “We mistake the container for journalism,” she said, referring to an article, a podcast episode or a newsletter issue. And then she asked a fundamental question: “If you knew nothing about websites, but you knew people still needed verified information to navigate their lives, what would you build?”

A slide from Nikita Roy’s presentation. Image courtesy of NAMS.

3. Agents might be the future

Agents took centre stage at this year’s summit. In a future when many people navigate the web with their own personal agent, as David Caswell outlined in an essay we published last year, publishers’ relationships with audiences would be mediated through this middle layer.

Florent Daudens described how agents would surf the web on behalf of the humans they serve, visiting websites, extracting and repackaging information according to their person’s wants and needs. They may even be authorised to pay for news, in a sort of micropayment system as suggested by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in a recent conversation with the Atlantic CEO Nicholas Thompson.

For news publishers, this would mean learning how to embed instructions for agents on their websites, instructing them on how to use their content, and working out how to serve information to agents in a way that would preserve the organisation’s tone and identity.

Key to this is keeping your data in order, which isn’t something many news organisations have prioritised until now. “Very few news organisations structure their data properly, and that’s a huge problem,” said consultant Madhav Chinnappa, until recently a visiting fellow at the Reuters Institute.

Roy described how this kind of future might work. In this new world, “you no longer need to be found, you need to be worth monitoring,” she said. Publishers would find themselves creating for two audiences: humans and agents. The latter wouldn’t only be the personal agents Daudens suggested, but also platform agents, newsroom agents, and even adversarial agents.

“By the time agents are reliable enough, it will be too late. We can’t wait and see. We need to experiment now, as much as we can,” Roy warned.

This might still seem far-fetched to some, but agents have already improved substantially over the last year, with the biggest impact on coding.

Agents also began playing a role in newsroom AI tools. Norwegian local media network Polaris Media Vest uses agentic as well as vibe coding for a range of journalistic tools and widgets, some of which non-coding reporters built, said Kaja Distad, head of editorial development.

In Schibsted, video experts taught an agent to work like them to develop a tool now used to convert any content from its subsidiary VG into a social-ready video. Football World Cup-focused chatbots developed by Swedish tabloid rivals Aftonbladet and Expressen both use agentic workflows. Danish publisher Bonnier’s new internal tool Flows allows journalists to set up their own agentic systems, combining research, extraction and planning, decision and writing. This tool is used, for example, to monitor, summarise and notify them of a story they may want to cover. In some ways, agents are already here.

4. Large legacy newsrooms send out nimble explorers

Characterised both as speedboats sailing ahead of a large ship and as light drones compared to heavy tanks, legacy newsrooms shared how they are using relatively small and fast-moving AI experiments to test out new ideas while protecting their core brand.

The military analogy was shared by Amalie Kestler, editor-in-chief of Politiken, the Danish newspaper in whose former printing press the meeting was held. Newsrooms can be run like tanks, heavy and slow with a centralised hierarchy, she explained. Or they can be run like drones, light and quick. The tank model has its place, but in some cases newsrooms should opt for the drone approach.

For Politiken, AI experimentation has expanded beyond data journalism and its multiuse tool Magna into the quick-paced vibe coding, leading to interactive widgets to encourage audiences to engage with news stories.

An eye-catching example was the “death machine”, which asks users to input information about their lifestyle and uses statistics to predict when they will die. At the same time, Politiken is also highlighting the human aspects to its journalism with video podcasts and live debates.

Gard Steiro, editor-in-chief and CEO of Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang (VG), built upon past NAMS presentations to make the case for moving on from experimentation to scaling. For him, this also means doubling down on the human touch that AI cannot replace in journalism. “There are people out there who need to be met at eye level and tell their stories, and rest assured that Sam Altman doesn’t give a damn about them,” he said.

Steiro also sees a great need for change to make the most of the opportunities afforded by AI. “If we don’t make an effort to change, the untapped potential will be so great that any startup will overtake us,” he said.

Legacy newsrooms are slow like large ships, so VG is sending out speedboats to test the waters. These include VG X, a new app-based news service that replaces articles with summarised information updated around the clock and managed almost entirely by AI, using a clustering algorithm to group together VG articles and videos into stories. As there is no CMS, editors can request changes directly in the product, akin to talking to it.

Another of these speedboats is VG Lab, an internal tool to quickly test ideas and get an assessment of whether VG could execute it, whether there’s a market for it, how much it would cost, and what similar offerings exist around the world. This is led by two people and a team of agents, and led to the creation of Norway’s fastest growing app last autumn, Steiro said.

Gard Steiro’s presentation. Image courtesy of NAMS.

5. What do audiences want?

An underlying motif pervaded the summit: the idea that AI could be used by publishers to get a better idea of what their audiences want and need through a new ability to ask direct questions.

Daudens mentioned this as an advantage of personal agents: by looking at what agents are seeking out from websites, publishers may figure out areas that require further reporting. Also by analysing how audiences use AI chatbots and the kinds of questions they ask, news organisations can know what kinds of stories they want more of.

In a panel discussion moderated by our researcher Felix Simon, the conversation turned to the importance of building relationships with the audience. “We can create as much journalism as we want, but if people don’t want to be sources, or don’t want to read us, there’s no point,” said Stine Thorsgaard Kjær, head of innovation and development at TV2 Østjylland.

There is a potential problem for journalists who use AI. In a closing keynote, Rasmus Kleis Nielsen asked a key question posed by the Reuters Institute’s survey data: audiences tend to be sceptical of AI in journalism.

It could be that journalists who want to use AI and be explicit about their use aren’t making a good case for this to the public, he suggested. If we want to both use AI and foster trust, there are many factors that contribute to trust that have very little if anything to do with technology. As our Trust in News Project found, it’s about brand, presentation, language, bias, factual accuracy.

“It remains really important that you, as a professional community of practice, continue to judge your own work by your own standards” when it comes to AI use, Nielsen said. But that’s only one leg of value and trust, and probably not the most important one. The second, he added, is a public test: the need to convince members of the public, “what is in it for us?”

Marina Adami writes articles on the future of journalism worldwide and occasionally works with the Reuters Institute’s research team. 

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Global payments company PayPal is betting big on Africa’s digital economy after expanding access to its digital dollar stablecoin, PayPal USD (PYUSD), to users across 70 global markets, a move expected to reshape how African businesses receive and move money internationally.

The expansion, announced from San Jose, California on May 26, positions Africa among the company’s strategic growth frontiers as demand rises for faster, cheaper and more reliable cross-border payment systems.

For Ugandan businesses, freelancers and online entrepreneurs, the development could ease one of the longest-standing frustrations in digital commerce: getting paid on time.

From software developers and remote workers to coffee exporters, online traders and creative professionals, many Ugandans operating in global markets have traditionally faced delayed settlements, high bank charges and costly currency conversion fees when receiving international payments.

The introduction of PYUSD now allows users to buy, hold, send and receive digital dollars directly through PayPal accounts, significantly reducing settlement times that often stretch from several days to weeks under conventional banking systems.

The company says the rollout is designed to modernise an international payments system that many businesses increasingly view as outdated and inefficient in an era of real-time digital commerce.

According to May Zabaneh, the current global financial infrastructure no longer reflects the speed at which modern businesses operate.

“Consumers and businesses around the world are looking for faster, more seamless ways to transact globally and the current system still charges too much, takes too long, and settles on timelines that were designed for a different era,” Zabaneh said during the announcement.

She added that expanding PYUSD access would help consumers access funds faster while lowering the cost of transferring money across borders.

Africa featured prominently in PayPal’s expansion strategy, with company executives describing the continent as one of the world’s fastest-growing digital commerce markets.

Otto Williams said the rollout is intended to support businesses driving growth across African economies.

“Bringing PYUSD to Africa is about delivering tangible value to the people and businesses driving growth in these dynamic markets,” Williams said.

“Consumers gain a flexible, stable way to move funds faster, while businesses can streamline cross-border payments, improve settlement times, and unlock new opportunities for growth.”

The move comes as Uganda’s digital economy continues to expand rapidly, driven by rising internet penetration, mobile money adoption and a growing number of young people working remotely for international clients.

Industry analysts say stablecoins are becoming increasingly attractive because they combine the speed and flexibility of blockchain technology with the stability of traditional currencies such as the US dollar.

Unlike volatile cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, PYUSD is fully backed by U.S. dollar deposits, Treasury securities and cash equivalents. The stablecoin is issued by Paxos Trust Company under U.S. financial regulations.

For Uganda’s growing freelance workforce, the development could provide quicker access to overseas earnings at a time when digital labour exports are becoming an increasingly important source of income for young professionals.

Technology startups, tourism operators, agribusiness exporters and e-commerce traders are also expected to benefit from lower transaction costs and faster international settlements.

Financial technology experts believe the rollout reflects growing international confidence in Africa’s digital payments future as global firms increasingly position themselves around the continent’s expanding online economy.

The expansion also highlights the broader shift underway in global finance, where digital assets and blockchain-based payment systems are gradually moving from speculative investments into mainstream commercial infrastructure.

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Android users who had pre-activated advanced security features such as SIM Watch could automatically lock devices if thieves insert a new SIM card.

Cybersecurity company Kaspersky has issued a new consumer safety advisory warning that losing a smartphone today carries risks far beyond the inconvenience of replacing a device, with stolen phones increasingly becoming entry points for financial fraud, digital account compromise and identity theft.

The company this week released a five-step action plan designed to help users respond quickly in the critical minutes after discovering a phone is missing.

Kaspersky said modern smartphones now contain sensitive financial, personal and professional information that can expose users to significant losses if devices fall into the wrong hands.

“In the routine of daily operations, it is easy to overlook how many critical aspects of our digital lives are tied to our mobile devices,” said Dmitry Kalinin.

“Losing a phone may lead not only to inconvenience, but also to data loss, compromised access to essential accounts, or even identity theft,” he added.

The company advised users to first attempt locating missing devices through built-in tracking services such as Android’s Find My Device or Apple’s Find My iPhone functionality.

Kaspersky users can also locate Android devices through the company’s “Where Is My Device” feature available via the My Kaspersky web portal.

Cybersecurity experts say device tracking systems have become increasingly important as organised phone theft networks target smartphones not only for resale but also for access to banking applications, digital wallets and social media accounts.

The second step, according to Kaspersky, is immediately placing the phone into “Lost Mode” and remotely locking the device to prevent unauthorised access.

The company warned users to remain alert for secondary scams in which criminals attempt to contact victims pretending to help recover devices while seeking passwords, verification codes or banking information.

“Your mobile phone can be used for calls or messages from your number with requests for money or questions, all of which should be ignored,” the advisory stated.

Kaspersky also recommended that users immediately contact mobile network operators to block SIM cards and notify banks to suspend cards or unlink accounts associated with the missing device.

Analysts note that SIM hijacking has become an increasingly common tactic among cybercriminals because many financial platforms still rely on SMS verification codes for account recovery and transaction authentication.

The company further advised users to reset passwords for important services and secure password managers to limit exposure in case devices are compromised.

Kaspersky said Android users who had pre-activated advanced security features such as SIM Watch could automatically lock devices if thieves insert a new SIM card.

The company also highlighted anti-uninstall protection features designed to prevent thieves from removing security applications from stolen devices.

Beyond immediate security measures, Kaspersky stressed the importance of regular cloud backups to enable recovery of photos, documents, messages and contacts.

“If you had enabled device backups before the loss, you can restore almost everything, from contacts and photos to text messages,” the company said.

Where recovery becomes impossible, Kaspersky advised users to remotely erase all data from devices using Apple, Google or Kaspersky management platforms.

The company also encouraged users to take preventative precautions before incidents occur, including enabling automatic backups, activating location tracking, setting immediate screen auto-locks and securely storing sensitive documents and passwords.

Analysts say smartphone theft increasingly overlaps with cybercrime as criminals target devices not only for hardware value but for the personal data ecosystems connected to them, including banking apps, authentication tools, cryptocurrency wallets and business accounts.

Kaspersky argued that proactive security preparation remains the best defence against the growing financial and identity risks associated with lost or stolen devices.

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Ugandan businesses are coming under growing pressure to strengthen cyber security and fraud prevention systems as artificial intelligence-driven scams and deepfake-enabled identity fraud become more sophisticated across Africa’s digital economy.

New findings by Sumsub show that Uganda is among the African markets experiencing rising levels of digital identity fraud, underscoring the growing risks facing the country’s expanding fintech, mobile money and online business ecosystem.

According to Sumsub’s Identity Fraud Report 2025–2026, Uganda recorded a fraud rate of 4.7 percent in 2025, placing it among the continent’s most exposed markets to digital fraud.

Tanzania recorded the highest fraud rate in Africa at 5.0 percent, while Côte d’Ivoire saw fraud rise 51 percent year-on-year to 4.5 percent.

In Kenya, despite an overall decline in fraud levels, deepfakes already account for nearly 10 percent of fraud attempts, highlighting the rapid emergence of AI-enabled scams even in markets where traditional fraud is being reduced.

A similar shift is unfolding in South Africa, where overall fraud declined by 31 percent year-on-year to 1.4 percent in 2025, but deepfake-related incidents surged more than 269 percent over the same period.

Analysts say the data reflects a broader evolution in cybercrime tactics, with fraudsters increasingly deploying artificial intelligence tools capable of generating convincing fake videos, voices and digital identities that can evade conventional verification systems.

The findings come at a time when Uganda’s digital economy is expanding rapidly through mobile banking, fintech innovation, e-commerce and digital lending platforms, creating new opportunities but also widening exposure to sophisticated cyber threats.

Industry experts warn that many traditional fraud detection systems are struggling to keep pace because they rely on periodic software updates that can leave institutions exposed for weeks or even months before new threats are identified.

In response to the changing threat landscape, Sumsub has launched an Adaptive Deepfake Detector, a machine learning-driven fraud prevention system designed to identify emerging scam patterns in real time through continuous self-learning updates.

The technology analyses multiple layers of user activity simultaneously, including device intelligence, geolocation, IP addresses, biometric verification data and document authenticity checks, to detect suspicious behaviour beyond visual inspection alone.

According to the company, modern deepfakes have become so advanced that human review is no longer sufficient as a standalone defence mechanism.

“In 2026, the threat landscape has evolved, demanding risk management teams to respond with next-generation fraud prevention models,” said Nikita Marshalkin, Head of Machine Learning at Sumsub.

“Modern deepfakes can no longer be detected by the human eye, and decision-making should be based on multiple signal analysis in real time,” he added.

Marshalkin said the upgraded system combines advanced document verification, device intelligence and fraudulent network analysis to strengthen detection capabilities against increasingly sophisticated AI-driven attacks.

“That’s why we launched our upgraded Deepfake Detector, offering clients not just a tool, but rather an online learning system that combines advanced document checks, device intelligence, and fraudulent networks analysis to complement deepfake detection capabilities,” he said.

“When the price of failure is too high, a comprehensive approach to the increasing AI-driven fraud challenge is the answer we need.”

Cyber security analysts say the rise of adaptive fraud prevention tools reflects a wider industry shift toward real-time defence systems capable of evolving alongside increasingly dynamic threats.

For Uganda’s financial sector, the implications are that banks, fintech firms, payment platforms and online marketplaces need to rack up investment in stronger digital identity verification systems as AI-generated impersonation attacks become more scalable and difficult to detect.

Analysts warn that if businesses fail to strengthen cyber resilience, the growing prevalence of AI-enabled fraud could undermine consumer trust in digital services, increase operational costs and expose firms to regulatory and reputational risks.

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Uganda has taken a decisive step into the future of digital connectivity, entering the global league of ultra-fast internet markets with the launch of 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) fixed broadband. The development marks a turning point in the country’s technological evolution, signalling a shift from basic connectivity to high-capacity digital infrastructure capable of powering a modern economy.

The milestone rollout by Savanna Fibre Uganda positions Uganda among a small but growing group of African countries deploying gigabit-speed internet, as competition intensifies to build the backbone of the continent’s digital economy.

Announced today in Kampala, the new service reflects a broader transition in how internet access is viewed—from a consumer utility to a strategic national asset. Industry players say the availability of ultra-fast broadband will significantly enhance productivity across sectors, enabling businesses, institutions, and households to operate at higher levels of efficiency.

Speaking at the launch, Savanna Fibre Uganda Chief Executive Officer Alex Wanyoike described the rollout as a statement about the country’s long-term direction. He noted that high-speed internet must evolve beyond a premium offering into a widely accessible tool that supports innovation, enterprise, and inclusive growth.

The introduction of 1Gbps speeds is expected to unlock opportunities across multiple sectors. In education, it could enable seamless access to digital learning platforms and global research networks. In financial technology, faster and more reliable connectivity supports real-time transactions and data processing. The creative economy, remote work ecosystems, and e-government services are also likely to benefit from improved bandwidth and reduced latency.

Crucially, the infrastructure lays the groundwork for emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and automation—areas that depend heavily on stable, high-speed data transmission.

The rollout aligns with Uganda’s broader policy direction under the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), which has consistently emphasised the expansion of quality broadband as a foundation for economic competitiveness and improved public service delivery. Regulators and policymakers increasingly view connectivity as central to national development, on par with traditional infrastructure such as roads and energy.

Savanna Fibre’s expansion comes at a time when demand for reliable internet is rising sharply, driven by digitalisation across both public and private sectors. Despite being a relatively new entrant, the company has rapidly scaled its operations, focusing on fibre-based solutions designed to deliver high speeds with consistent performance.

Company officials say the long-term strategy is not only to provide top-tier speeds but also to challenge the perception that high-quality broadband is reserved for high-income users. By widening access, the firm aims to accelerate digital inclusion and broaden participation in Uganda’s emerging knowledge economy.

Technology leaders at the launch underscored the importance of private sector investment in bridging infrastructure gaps. They argued that while policy frameworks provide direction, it is sustained capital investment and innovation that ultimately drive transformation in connectivity.

Analysts note that Uganda’s move into gigabit broadband could have ripple effects beyond its borders. As East Africa positions itself as a digital growth hub, improved connectivity will be key to attracting investment, supporting cross-border trade, and integrating regional markets.

At a structural level, the shift to ultra-fast internet represents more than just faster downloads. It signals a deeper transition toward data-driven economic activity, where competitiveness is increasingly determined by the ability to generate, process, and transmit information efficiently.

With the rollout of 1Gbps broadband, Uganda is effectively laying the foundation for that transition. The challenge now will be to ensure that the benefits extend beyond early adopters, reaching businesses, institutions, and communities across the country.

If successfully scaled, the move could redefine Uganda’s digital landscape—transforming connectivity from a constraint into a catalyst for growth, innovation, and national productivity.

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Besides cutting operational costs and raising efficiencies to enhance the customer experience, Equity Group wants to unlock more value from the digital ecosystem after completion of the restructuring process.

The Equity Technology Group Managing Director, Sarah Kabira, is to head the new company. She is being supported by a leadership team of experienced and well respected people in the ICT sector, including Eve Ngigi, John Kamara and Johnny Falla who, between them have had stints at Visa, Google, Andela and Lori. Kabira herself was formerly at Safaricom.

Referring to these developments during the recent release of their 2025 full year results in Nairobi, Equity Group Managing Director and CEO Dr. James Mwangi said executing its 2030 strategy involves leveraging next‑generation digital and AI‑enabled capabilities to scale impact, deepen inclusion and accelerate growth across the continent.

This Equity Group’s 2030 strategy positions the organization for transformative, continent‑wide growth, aiming to operate in 15 countries and serve 100 million customers by 2030.

Dr. Mwangi said, “Our focus is to build a future-ready institution that is scalable, secure and impact-led. Through our Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan, we are investing in next-generation digital and AI-enabled capabilities that enhance customer experience, strengthen risk management and lower the cost-to-serve, while extending access to affordable credit, insurance and investment solutions.”

He said, “As we progress toward our 2030 ambitions, we are evolving beyond traditional banking into a Transformation Finance Institution that mobilizes capital, connects ecosystems and accelerates inclusive, sustainable prosperity across Africa.”

Planned upgrades to be incorporated in the new company include next‑generation digital, AI‑enabled systems, and the launch of innovative applications supported by a modern go‑to‑market model. These developments are expected to drive more effective service to diverse customer segments while building a culture of client centricity, agility, and innovation.

Based in Nairobi, Equity Group operates as a non-operating holding company, with significant regional operations contributing nearly 50 pc of total assets and 54 pc of profit before tax.

During 2025, net profit was KSh75.5 billion ($580 million), up from KSh48.8 billion the previous year. The balance sheet expanded by nine percent to KSh1.97 trillion or $15 billion,  (FY2024: KSh1.8 trillion), and customer deposits rose by four percent to KSh1.46 trillion (FY2024: KSh1.40 trillion).

The Group currently operates banking subsidiaries in six African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Equity also maintains a commercial representative office in Ethiopia.

Equity Bank was recently named the Best Regional Bank in East Africa and retained its position as Kenya’s most valuable brand in 2025, reaffirming the Group’s regional leadership and commitment to financial inclusion and socio‑economic transformation.

Beyond lending, the Group is strengthening market linkages for SMEs by enabling cross-border trade through its regional footprint and integrated digital payments and transaction-banking capabilities; helping businesses access new customers, suppliers and growth opportunities across the region.

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The Air Transport IT Insights 2025 Report shows that while airlines in the Middle East and Africa are increasing investment in digital systems, airports are lagging behind—creating fragmentation across the aviation ecosystem. Only 43 percent of airports in the region plan to increase technology spending, compared to 63 percent globally.

In this interview with 256 Business News,’ Aviation & Technology Lead Michael Wakabi, SITA President for the Middle East, Africa and Türkiye, Selim Bouri, explains why data integration matters more than new terminals, why AI is only as good as the data behind it, and why Africa has a unique chance to build smarter aviation systems from the ground up.

Q: Your report suggests Africa and the Middle East are not getting the full value from aviation technology investments. What is the problem?

Selim Bouri: The issue is not that investment is too low—it is that the value coming from that investment is often limited because systems are still fragmented.

The challenge is global, not just African. Airlines and airports are investing more in technology, which is positive, but what they get from that technology depends on data quality, data integration, and how connected those systems are.

In Africa and the Middle East, airlines are investing aggressively, and all of them plan to continue doing so. But airports are moving much more slowly. Only 43 percent of airports in the region plan to increase technology investment, while 12 percent are actually considering reducing it.

That is worrying because aviation challenges today cannot be solved by infrastructure expansion alone. Building bigger airports or buying more aircraft takes time. Technology helps solve immediate capacity constraints, disruptions, and sustainability challenges right now.

Q: So how can airlines and airports harmonise performance across the ecosystem?

Selim Bouri: We are seeing progress. About 73 percent of airlines and a similar number of airports are investing in data-driven decision-making systems.

For airlines, this includes tools that optimise aircraft trajectories using data from weather, fuel consumption, and aircraft performance. For airports, it includes biometrics, self-service systems, passenger flow management, and AI-driven customer service.

The problem is that many of these solutions still operate in isolation.

You can optimise passenger flow in one terminal, but if that is not linked to aircraft turnaround, baggage handling, fuel coordination, or slot management, delays simply move somewhere else.

That is why integration is critical. Improving one point in the system is not enough. The next stage is linking everything together so the entire ecosystem improves at once.

Q: Why is integration still so limited? Is it a technology problem or a mindset problem?

Selim Bouri: It is a combination of both, but mostly complexity.

Air transport involves many players—airlines, airports, governments, border agencies, ground handlers, and passengers. Each has different systems, different standards, and different levels of data maturity.

Airlines are often ahead because they control more of their own operations. Airports are more complex because they must coordinate with multiple airlines, governments, and service providers.

The technology exists. The real challenge is agreeing on standards, funding models, and collaboration.

Even basic IT and telecommunications infrastructure is still the number one investment priority for 56 percent of airports globally. Without that foundation, you cannot even collect and trust the data needed for advanced systems.

Q: Are the costs of fragmentation that obvious?

The new addition to the departure terminal at Entebbe that is set to open in May

Selim Bouri: Absolutely—and Africa actually has an opportunity here.

In some regions, airports have had to keep layering new technology on top of outdated systems. That creates inefficiency. In Africa, many airports still have the chance to go directly to smarter systems from the start.

It is like mobile networks. If you are building today, you do not start with 2G—you go directly to 5G.

The same logic applies in aviation.

For example, around 40 percent of airlines already use AI-based tools that optimise fuel consumption by 3 to 10 percent on the same route with the same aircraft. On a typical narrow-body flight, that can mean savings of between $75,000 and $150,000 without buying a new aircraft.

That is immediate return on investment.

Q: How can cash-strapped African airports avoid a patchwork approach as technology keeps evolving?

Selim Bouri: The answer is not chasing every new technology. It is focusing on the fundamentals.

The fundamentals are data collection, open interfaces, standardisation, modularity, and scalability.

Whatever system is chosen must be flexible enough to evolve without forcing the airport to rebuild everything later.

Airports are long-term investments. You are not building for one year—you are building for the next 10 to 20 years.

That means choosing technology that can scale with future traffic, future disruptions, and future operational demands.

Technology will change, but the need for interoperability will not.

Q: Is there a risk Africa could overinvest in hardware and underinvest elsewhere?

Selim Bouri: The bigger question is what strategic role a country wants aviation to play.

Do you want a national airline? A regional hub? A cargo gateway? A maintenance centre? A tourism destination?

Those choices determine investment priorities.

What is clear is that aviation is a major force for economic growth in Africa, and Africa is one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world.

Technology should be the first strategic pillar, not the last.

IT spending may represent only about 3.6 percent of airline revenue and around 8 percent of airport revenue, but it is often the most transformative investment an airport can make.

Q: If you had to prioritise, what are the top three things’ airports and airlines must do now?

Selim Bouri: First, implement AI where it creates operational value. Not because AI is fashionable, but because it helps make better decisions at the right time.

Second, improve data integration and data integrity. AI is only as good as the data behind it. If the data is weak, AI creates more disruption, not less.

Third, address capacity and sustainability in two stages—immediate technology upgrades first, and longer-term infrastructure expansion second.

Africa has a unique opportunity to build smarter from the beginning.

Instead of building first and fixing later, airports can use technology to define what should be built in the first place. That is where the real competitive advantage lies.

Q: Thank you for your time, Mr Bouri

Selim Bouri: Thank you for having me

The post SITA: Why African airports are investing more but getting less value appeared first on 256 Business News.

The Government of Kenya has approved TouristTap, a digital payments platform developed by Craft Silicon, for use across the country’s tourism sector in a move aimed at accelerating cashless transactions and improving visitor experience.

The platform was unveiled at the “Tap into Kenya” event in Nairobi and will be deployed across key tourism touchpoints, including national parks, hotels, coastal destinations, and other attractions.

Officials say the rollout is part of broader efforts to modernise Kenya’s tourism ecosystem by integrating secure, seamless payment systems for both international and domestic travelers.

TouristTap enables users to make payments directly from NFC-enabled mobile devices by entering local till numbers, paybills, or mobile numbers, and completing transactions with a secure PIN. The system eliminates the need for cash or currency exchange, allowing tourists to transact more easily across multiple service providers.

The platform is supported through a partnership involving KCB Bank as the acquiring partner and Visa, with payment processing powered by CyberSource on the Visa Acceptance Platform.

According to stakeholders, the integration is designed to ensure global standards of security, reliability, and scalability, enabling high-volume, real-time transactions across the tourism value chain.

Kenya’s tourism sector generated approximately KES 500 billion in revenue in 2025, underlining its importance to the economy and the need for more efficient payment systems.

Speaking at the launch, Rebecca Miano said the adoption of digital platforms such as TouristTap would strengthen Kenya’s position as a competitive global tourism destination.

She noted that improving payment systems is critical to enhancing visitor experience and boosting transparency across the sector.

Craft Silicon Group CEO Kamal Budhabhatti said the platform would support financial inclusion and operational efficiency by enabling secure, cashless payments across the tourism ecosystem.

From the payments sector, Chad Pollock said seamless and secure transactions are a key component of modern travel, adding that digital payments can help unlock growth across the tourism value chain.

Johnson Ondicho said the bank is providing the acquiring infrastructure to support the platform, in line with efforts to expand digital payments adoption in key sectors.

TouristTap is expected to enhance transaction transparency, reduce reliance on cash, and improve efficiency for businesses operating within Kenya’s tourism industry.

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Africa’s gaming industry is shifting toward AI-driven risk management, with operators adopting predictive tools and identity systems to tackle fraud and protect players in real time.

Africa’s fast-growing gaming industry is entering a new phase of risk management, with operators increasingly deploying artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to detect harmful behaviour and fraud in real time.

Insights from a recent industry discussion at the Africa Gaming Expo 2026 point to a structural shift away from reactive responsible gaming models toward systems designed to anticipate risk before it escalates.

Industry players, including identity verification firm Sumsub, say traditional approaches—where intervention occurs only after clear signs of harm—are proving insufficient in a market defined by rapid growth, mobile access and evolving user behaviour.

Historically, operators have relied on visible warning signs such as large losses or erratic betting patterns to trigger intervention. However, new tools now allow earlier detection of risk through behavioural signals such as increased deposit frequency, loss-chasing tendencies and prolonged session intensity.

“Responsible gaming has largely been reactive, with operators intervening once clear signs of harm have already emerged,” says Richy Emah Sumsub’s Regional Director for North/West Africa. “But by that stage, the damage is often already done.”

Emah further says that the industry is now moving toward earlier intervention models. “Early behavioural indicators can signal risk long before it escalates, allowing operators to act more effectively and in real time,” he said.

The shift is being enabled by advances in machine learning, which allow operators to move beyond static rule-based systems toward dynamic models that assess player behaviour continuously.

At the same time, the sector is facing a rapidly changing fraud landscape. According to data from Sumsub, fraud in iGaming rose by 8pc year-on-year, but the nature of threats has changed significantly.

AI-driven fraud techniques—including synthetic identities and deepfake-based verification bypass—now account for a growing share of cases.

“Fraudsters are already using AI—from synthetic identities to deepfakes—to bypass safeguards,” Emah observes. “The only viable response is to fight AI with more advanced AI.”

A central theme emerging from the industry is the importance of robust identity verification as the backbone of risk management.

Without strong onboarding systems, operators face challenges in preventing underage gambling, detecting multi-accounting and identifying fraud patterns—risks that are amplified in Africa’s mobile-first and cross-border digital environment.

“If there is one non-negotiable safeguard, it is strong and frictionless identity verification from day one,” Emah stressed. “Without that foundation, you cannot effectively prevent abuse or build accurate risk profiles.”

Despite the growing role of automation, industry players stress that human oversight remains critical. Customer support teams are still needed to interpret behavioural signals and engage users appropriately.

“Responsible gaming is not just a technological challenge—it is a human one,” Emah said, noting the importance of combining automation with accountability and empathy.

The move toward predictive risk management reflects a broader strategic recalibration within the industry, where responsible gaming is increasingly viewed as a driver of long-term sustainability rather than a compliance obligation.

“Africa’s gaming industry has a choice—scale first and manage risk later, or build responsibly from the outset,” Emah warns. “Those that choose the latter will define a more sustainable future for the sector.”

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Upgrade from legacy system signals shift toward integrated finance, automation and real-time decision-making

Equity Bank Uganda has launched a redesigned digital platform for businesses, signalling a shift toward integrated financial management, automation and real-time banking.

Regional lender Equity’s Ugandan unit has rolled out a redesigned digital platform for enterprises, positioning it as a core pillar in its push to deepen business banking, digitise client operations and capture a larger share of transactional flows.

The new platform, Equity Online for Business, replaces the lender’s earlier EazzyBiz system and will become mandatory for all corporate and SME customers using the bank’s digital channels from April 8. The migration signals a decisive move away from fragmented standalone online banking tools, toward a more integrated financial management ecosystem.

Speaking at the launch of the platform at Protea Hotel in Kampala, on Wednesday, Executive Director Claver Serumaga said the new platform was designed around the evolving needs of modern businesses. “Commerce is evolving rapidly, with customers expecting immediacy, reliability and seamless integration. Equity Online for Business responds to these needs by consolidating all essential financial tools into one platform: enabling businesses to manage accounts, supplier payments, payroll, recurring bills, foreign transactions and reconciliations with clarity and efficiency,” said Serumaga.

At its core, the platform reflects a strategic pivot by embedding banking services directly into business workflows rather than operating as a separate interface. Through APIs, ERP integrations and host-to-host connectivity, Equity is targeting firms seeking tighter alignment between finance, procurement, payroll and treasury functions.

This design positions the bank within a broader shift in financial services, where institutions are competing not just on access to capital, but on how effectively they integrate into clients’ operational systems.

Equity Online for Business consolidates multiple functions—payments, payroll, supplier management, foreign exchange and reconciliations—into a single interface. The emphasis is on reducing friction in day-to-day financial operations while enabling real-time visibility across accounts.

The platform introduces automated reconciliation tools, management dashboards and audit trails, allowing businesses to track transactions and monitor performance without heavy manual intervention. For finance teams, this reduces accounting overheads while improving accuracy and compliance.

Liquidity management features are a central component. Businesses can view multi-currency positions in real time and deploy automated sweep transfers to optimise working capital—capabilities typically associated with more advanced treasury systems.

The inclusion of real-time foreign exchange updates and instant inter-country transfers also signals an attempt to support regionally active firms, particularly those operating across East Africa. 

A defining feature of the platform is the shift toward client-side control. Corporate administrators can independently onboard users, assign roles and manage access permissions, reflecting growing demand for internal governance in digital banking environments.

The user interface has been redesigned around simplicity and customisation, with adaptable layouts, language options and omnichannel access via web and mobile. This aligns with a broader industry trend toward consumer-grade user experiences in enterprise software.

Security architecture has also been reinforced, combining password protection, one-time passwords (OTP), token-based authentication and structured approval workflows. The layered approach is intended to address rising concerns around fraud and unauthorised access in digital financial systems.

The launch underscores Equity’s intent to position itself at the centre of a cash-lite, digitally driven business ecosystem. By offering tools that extend beyond basic banking into financial management and analytics, the lender is seeking to deepen client dependence and increase transaction volumes flowing through its platforms.

Crucially, the strategy hinges on making the bank’s infrastructure part of how businesses operate daily—handling everything from statutory payments to supplier settlements—rather than a peripheral service.

“Equity Online for Business is more than an online banking portal, it is a comprehensive financial management tool designed to eliminate inefficiencies and give businesses the confidence to make real‑time decisions,” said Serumaga. “We are committed to continuously improving this platform based on customer feedback and investing in technology that supports business growth,” he added.

As competition intensifies among banks and fintechs in Uganda’s corporate segment, platforms like Equity Online for Business are becoming key battlegrounds, where differentiation is defined by integration, speed and data visibility as much as by pricing.

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