The event’s official press conference is currently taking place at the Ministry of Digital Transition, Posts and Electronic Communications, marking the beginning of preparations for a forum that will bring together leading stakeholders from across the UEMOA region.

This year’s edition highlights the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI), FinTech and financial inclusion in reshaping financial services, driving innovation and strengthening digital sovereignty across member states.

On 14 and 15 July 2026, Ouagadougou will welcome policymakers, industry experts, businesses, startups and institutional partners to discuss innovative solutions that can foster a more inclusive digital economy throughout the UEMOA region.

Through this event, the organizers aim to encourage collaboration, promote knowledge sharing and identify practical strategies to accelerate digital transformation while unlocking the full potential of AI and financial technologies for sustainable economic development.

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Mellieha, Malta – The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) reinforced its position at the forefront of sports innovation as WBSC Head of Digital Innovation Valerio Cianfoni presented a high-impact workshop on WBSC eSports: New Partnerships and Opportunities during the WBSC Europe Congress on Friday.

The workshop opened with a comprehensive review of WBSC’s eSports evolution over the past four years, underscoring the scale and global engagement achieved since 2021.

“Digital baseball/softball is not a future concept – it is already a thriving global ecosystem,” Cianfoni noted. “We are engaging new generations of athletes and fans at unprecedented scale.”

The participation numbers in WBSC eSports events were particularly impressive – surpassing figures of many traditional Baseball/Softball World Cup events – demonstrating the rapidly growing interest in eBaseball and the digital transformation of baseball and softball worldwide.

Key milestones include:

• WBSC Virtual Cup 2022
  • 8,000+ participants
  • Hosted across 4 countries
• WBSC eBaseball Series (2022–2024)
  • 261,000 participants
  • 3.1 million games played
  • 260,000 streaming views
• Olympic eSports Series (2021 & 2023)
  • 34,200 participants
  • 586,000 games played
  • 1.9 million streaming views in 2023 alone

Building on this momentum, WBSC is preparing for a significant new phase of growth.

The WBSC and partner Newdin have extended their collaboration to deliver the WBSC Virtual Cup across the 2026–2028 cycle. The renewed partnership will further strengthen tournament infrastructure, international reach, and competitive quality.

In parallel, the WBSC and KONAMI are advancing plans to launch the WBSC eBaseball Series 2.0. The next-generation series aims to elevate competitive standards, enhance the fan experience, and further integrate eBaseball into the global baseball and softball landscape.

Another key focus of the workshop was the promotion of the multiple opportunities for National Federations to actively participate in the eBaseball ecosystem:

• Activate New Audiences
  Engage youth, digital-native communities, and the fast-growing eSports sector.
• Develop National Pathways
  Establish domestic eBaseball structures aligned with WBSC’s global competition framework.
• Increase Visibility and Recognition
  Benefit from official rankings and exposure through WBSC and KONAMI digital platforms.
• Collaborate and Innovate
  Partner with WBSC and commercial stakeholders on event delivery, promotion, and technological innovation.

“eBaseball is not just an additional activity—it is a strategic development tool,” Cianfoni emphasised. “It offers federations a powerful way to expand participation, modernise engagement, and connect with entirely new communities.”

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The program is open to citizens of member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), including Togo. The scholarships cover master’s and doctoral degree programs specializing in artificial intelligence and next-generation technologies.

As artificial intelligence continues to play an increasingly important role across various sectors, this initiative provides Togolese students with an opportunity to gain advanced knowledge in high-demand fields such as machine learning, data processing and analytics, automated systems, and digital innovation.

Recognized as one of Pakistan’s leading institutions in science, technology, and engineering, COMSATS University aims through this program to strengthen the skills of young people in areas related to innovation, research, and digital transformation.

Interested applicants can submit their applications online through the university’s dedicated platform. The deadline for submitting applications is set for the end of June 2026.

For further information, candidates may contact the university’s International Admissions Office at: int.admissions@comsats.edu.pk.

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The gathering focused on how inclusive and accessible digital infrastructure can create greater opportunities for young people across Africa. It also provided Wave with an opportunity to showcase its financial inclusion mission at one of the continent’s leading sports and cultural events.

Taking place shortly after the Africa CEO Forum, the Business Brunch further reinforced Kigali’s position as a hub for discussions on growth, innovation, and African leadership. For Wave, the event highlighted the growing connection between youth culture, entrepreneurship, digital finance, and economic inclusion.

The panel featured prominent figures including BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall, Wave Mobile Money Regional Director and Head of Public Affairs Coura Tine Sène, Bank of Kigali CEO Dr. Diane Karusisi, and Rwanda’s Minister of State for ICT and Innovation, Yves Iradukunda. Discussions explored how cultural platforms, financial infrastructure, institutional investment, and supportive public policies can work together to promote youth entrepreneurship and inclusive growth.

Wave emphasized the importance of providing simple, reliable, and affordable financial services to support the ambitions of Africa’s increasingly entrepreneurial youth. Whether they are content creators, business owners, athletes, or innovators, access to suitable financial tools remains a key driver of progress.

“Across Africa, the next generation is creating its own opportunities, building businesses, and contributing to the continent’s economic transformation. Our mission is to make financial services accessible enough to support this momentum every day,” said Coura Tine Sène. She also noted that Wave’s partnership with the BAL helps connect financial inclusion with entrepreneurship, culture, and youth ambition.

Beyond brand visibility, Wave aims to contribute to the strategic conversations shaping Africa’s economic future. The company seeks to expand economic participation for students, informal sector workers, entrepreneurs, creators, and emerging talents.

The discussions also underscored the importance of stronger collaboration between governments, financial institutions, private sector players, and cultural platforms. As Africa’s digital economy continues to grow rapidly, sustainable inclusion will depend on bridging the gap between innovation, access to services, and the real needs of communities.

Through its involvement in basketball and youth-focused initiatives, Wave views sport as a powerful platform for engagement and impact. This approach enables the company to embed its mission in spaces where young Africans learn, create, innovate, and build their futures.

For Wave, financial inclusion goes far beyond access to an account or payment service. It means integrating simple, reliable, and affordable financial solutions into people’s daily lives to support their projects, businesses, and aspirations.

By participating in this high-level discussion, Wave Mobile Money reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the links between sport, culture, innovation, and economic inclusion, with the goal of delivering meaningful impact across African communities.

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The agreement was signed by Attia Byll, Chief Executive Officer of SIN, and Justine Adebiyi, Chief Executive Officer of ST DIGITAL Togo, marking a major collaboration between two key players in Togo’s digital ecosystem.

On one side, SIN operates the Lomé Data Centre, a Tier III-certified infrastructure accredited by the Uptime Institute, with a service availability rate of 99.982%. On the other, ST DIGITAL positions itself as a leading provider of sovereign cloud solutions, artificial intelligence, and software engineering services across West Africa.

The partnership will notably enable the hosting and processing of local companies’ data within Togolese territory. ST DIGITAL’s vision is to reduce dependence on foreign infrastructures while enhancing the security and control of strategic data.

In practical terms, the collaboration will focus on several key areas, including the deployment of competitive cloud and artificial intelligence services, as well as the strengthening of local expertise through continuous training programs.

With the ambition of positioning the Lomé Data Centre as a leading digital hub in West Africa, the new targeted service offering is expected to enhance Togo’s attractiveness to businesses while supporting the emergence of a stronger local digital ecosystem.

According to Attia Byll, the partnership will help democratize access to high-quality digital services. She explained that the objective is to allow both large corporations and small businesses to benefit from solutions tailored to their needs and financial capacities.

“Our partnership with ST DIGITAL today is about ensuring that individuals or companies that cannot afford to rent half a rack or an entire rack for data hosting can still access a suitable and affordable service,” she stated.

For her part, Justine Adebiyi emphasized that the agreement goes beyond a simple commercial partnership. According to her, the collaboration should contribute to positioning Togo as a regional model for digital transformation and data sovereignty.

Present in several Central and West African countries, ST DIGITAL develops solutions focused on digital transformation, operational process optimization, and next-generation cloud infrastructures.

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Organized by Ivory Coast’s Telecommunications/ICT Regulatory Authority (ARTCI), the conference aimed to establish a shared vision on several key issues, including personal data governance, cybersecurity, and the regulation of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

At the conclusion of the discussions, participants adopted a declaration calling on African governments to treat data protection as a strategic pillar of digital sovereignty. Regulators emphasized that the issue now goes beyond administrative or legal considerations and should be integrated into the continent’s broader digital development agenda.

Key recommendations include strengthening the capacities of national data protection authorities, enhancing cooperation among African countries, and introducing stricter compliance requirements for both public institutions and private-sector organizations.

Participants also highlighted the need to modernize regulatory frameworks to keep pace with the rapid growth of digital financial services, biometric technologies, international platforms, and AI-driven applications.

This initiative comes at a time when many African countries are accelerating their digital transformation through the deployment of e-government services, electronic payment solutions, and digital identity systems. However, regulators warned that this rapid digitalization also increases exposure to cyberattacks, misuse of personal data, and growing dependence on foreign technology platforms.

Beyond regulatory concerns, African governments are also focused on securing the long-term growth of the continent’s digital economy. According to estimates from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Africa’s digital economy could reach $721 billion by 2050 if investments and digitalization efforts continue at scale.

In this context, data protection authorities now view digital trust and the security of personal information as essential foundations for the expansion of e-commerce, digital financial services, and public digital platforms across Africa.

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Known as DoctaMob, this e-health solution, recently launched in Lomé, positions itself as a super app inspired by international platforms such as Doctolib while being specifically designed to address local healthcare needs and realities.

Available on both Android and iOS, the application enables users to book medical appointments, locate nearby healthcare facilities, find on-duty pharmacies, request ambulance services, and arrange home healthcare visits. It also offers teleassistance features and remote medical guidance.

DoctaMob’s primary objective is to digitize the patient journey and make healthcare services more accessible. The platform aims to address key challenges within the healthcare system, including long waiting times for consultations, the lack of centralized health information, and mobility constraints faced by many patients.

Ensuring the reliability of services is another core component of the project. According to the platform’s promoters, healthcare professionals must provide supporting credentials and undergo a verification process before their profiles are approved. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other practitioners are therefore listed only after verification, helping to reduce the risk of fraudulent profiles and uncertified services.

The initiative is part of the growing healthtech ecosystem in West Africa. Similar to platforms such as Rivia in Ghana, ASKcare in Senegal, and Kénèya Koura in Mali, a growing number of startups across the region are leveraging the widespread adoption of smartphones, mobile money, and digital technologies to improve healthcare access through telemedicine, medical geolocation services, and the digitalization of healthcare delivery.

Beyond the Togolese market, DoctaMob has regional expansion ambitions. Its founders plan to gradually roll out the platform in other African countries facing similar challenges related to healthcare access and the coordination of medical services.

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Led by Cyber Defense Africa, the initiative aims to develop local capabilities in the design, assembly, and deployment of drones in Togo. These technologies are expected to serve key sectors including security, agriculture, logistics, industry, and the monitoring of critical infrastructure.

Backed by €24 million in funding mobilized by the Polish public bank BGK under the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative, the project aligns with Togo’s ambition to strengthen its technological capacity, promote knowledge transfer, and foster the emergence of local expertise in strategic domains.

Through this partnership, the Ministry of Public Service Efficiency and Digital Transformation reaffirms its commitment to a forward-looking digital transformation—one that prioritizes technological sovereignty, the development of local talent, and the establishment of resilient infrastructure capable of meeting the country’s long-term priorities.

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YAS Togo achieved a total score of 70,146 points, outperforming Canalbox, which recorded 65,754 points. This result marks a significant turnaround, as Canalbox had maintained the top position in both 2023 and 2024.

A closer look at the metrics reveals that YAS Togo leads across nearly all key performance indicators, with the exception of latency. The operator posted average download and upload speeds of 45 Mb/s and 14.83 Mb/s, respectively, compared to Canalbox’s 39.69 Mb/s and 9.42 Mb/s.

In terms of web browsing performance, YAS Togo recorded a success rate of 52.85%, ahead of Canalbox’s 48.31%. The same trend is observed in video streaming performance on YouTube, where YAS Togo achieved a success rate of 71.37%, significantly higher than Canalbox’s 64.98%.

However, Canalbox retains a competitive edge in latency, with an average response time of 12.95 milliseconds, compared to 22.50 milliseconds for YAS Togo.

Regionally, the Togolese subsidiary of Axian Telecom ranks 4th out of 18 operators assessed, while Canalbox Togo holds the 8th position.

Despite these improvements, the regulator highlights a paradox: the quality of experience for fixed internet services remains below that of mobile networks, even though fiber technology is expected to deliver superior speeds and overall performance.

Indeed, in 2025, Togo’s two mobile operators secured the top two positions in the nPerf QoE rankings across the Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine (UEMOA) region.

In light of these findings, the regulator commended ongoing efforts by internet service providers but urged them to intensify investments in infrastructure and service optimization to deliver a more consistent and satisfying user experience.

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By 2026, Zhengzhou is no longer defined solely by its demographic strength or its role as a transportation node. At the core of its transformation lies a fully integrated “urban brain” that is reshaping city governance. By leveraging data flows, the city is optimizing mobility, streamlining logistics, and enhancing capital circulation. This is not merely a technological upgrade, but a structural transformation of the city’s operational DNA.

A transformation accelerated by climate challenges

Zhengzhou’s smart city evolution is the result of long-term strategic planning. Early in the 14th Five-Year Plan, the city introduced the concept of “one brain for the city, one network for the entire territory,” prioritizing data integration from the outset. Unlike many cities that initially struggled with fragmented systems, Zhengzhou focused on breaking down data silos.

The establishment of a dedicated Big Data Administration elevated data to a strategic asset. Through a unified municipal cloud platform and cross-departmental data-sharing systems, the city had aggregated over ten billion data points by the end of 2025, spanning key sectors such as transportation, healthcare, education, and social services. This comprehensive data visibility enables real-time monitoring of urban operations, much like a digital control dashboard.

Extreme weather events in 2024 further accelerated this transition. Zhengzhou strengthened its resilience strategy by deploying an intelligent flood prevention system that integrates meteorological, hydrological, and urban planning data. Supported by artificial intelligence, the system enables a shift from reactive disaster response to proactive risk prediction.

Technology embedded in everyday life

The true value of a smart city lies in its impact on daily life and in Zhengzhou, this impact is tangible.

In urban mobility, the “City Brain – Transportation Edition” optimizes traffic flow without relying solely on infrastructure expansion. In districts such as Zhengdong and Jinshui, adaptive traffic signals adjust in real time based on traffic conditions, increasing average speeds during peak hours by more than 15%. Meanwhile, the “One Network for Parking” initiative connects tens of thousands of parking spaces to a centralized cloud system, allowing users to locate, navigate to, and pay for parking via mobile devices.

In public services, the “Zheng Bang Ban” application has become an essential digital gateway. From business registration to civil services, nearly all administrative procedures are accessible online. By promoting paperless processes and electronic certification, Zhengzhou has achieved close to full digital availability of public services, significantly improving both user experience and the business environment.

The city is also advancing in healthcare and community services. Through interoperable medical data systems, telemedicine is now widely available across district-level hospitals, enabling access to high-quality care locally. In parallel, the digital upgrading of older residential areas—with smart access control and support systems for elderly residents demonstrates a people-centered approach to technology deployment.

Zhengzhou and Wuhan: two complementary models

A comparison with Wuhan provides valuable perspective. Wuhan, home to the renowned Optics Valley and a dense network of universities, excels in technological research and development. Its smart city model is driven by advanced innovation in artificial intelligence, semiconductor development, and industrial internet platforms.

Zhengzhou, by contrast, has adopted a more application-oriented approach. Rather than focusing primarily on developing core technologies, it integrates and scales existing solutions, particularly in logistics. Its multimodal transport data platform, developed within the airport economic zone, enables end-to-end visibility and intelligent coordination across supply chains—achieving a level of digitalization that, in certain areas, surpasses Wuhan.

Governance also differs. While Wuhan’s model is closely tied to its industrial and research ecosystem, Zhengzhou emphasizes urban management and public service delivery for a large population base. Its “network + digital” governance model is characterized by high responsiveness and operational efficiency, particularly in areas such as mobility management and local service provision.

Additionally, Zhengzhou has demonstrated strong institutional capacity in data integration. By overcoming administrative barriers, it has achieved citywide data centralization, giving it a competitive edge in emergency response and strategic decision-making.

Challenges ahead

Despite its progress, Zhengzhou faces several challenges. Ensuring data security and protecting privacy are critical as data volumes continue to grow exponentially. Bridging the digital divide is equally important, particularly to ensure that elderly and low-income populations fully benefit from digital services.

Another key issue is the sustainability of its operational model. Moving beyond a predominantly public investment framework toward a more market-driven approach, with increased private sector participation, will be essential for long-term scalability.

Toward an era of intelligent governance

Looking ahead, Zhengzhou is positioning itself as a regional computing hub, supported by the development of national computing infrastructure nodes. The next phase of its smart city evolution will go beyond data connectivity, integrating artificial intelligence into decision-making processes.

From traffic forecasting and urban planning simulations to personalized education and precision healthcare, AI-driven applications are expected to play an increasingly central role. Zhengzhou’s trajectory points toward a more predictive, adaptive, and intelligent urban system.

Ultimately, Zhengzhou’s strength lies in its pragmatic approach. Rather than pursuing technology for its own sake, the city focuses on solving real urban challenges and improving quality of life. In doing so, it demonstrates that smart city success is not limited to top-tier metropolitan areas such as Beijing or Shanghai.

Zhengzhou offers a compelling model: one where effective implementation, strategic positioning, and citizen-centric innovation define the future of urban development.

 Source :  https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20260317A05NRL00

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