Telecom
Cellulant Appoints Akshay Grover as Chief Executive Officer
The Cellulant Board of Directors on Monday announced that Interim CEO Akshay Grover has been appointed Group CEO and Director of Cellulant effective October 1, 2021.
The appointment follows an executive search process following the announcement in January 2021 by Ken Njoroge, then CEO of the group, of his intention to step down. Akshay has been acting in his role since April 2021.
“We are delighted to appoint an executive of Akshay’s caliber and experience to this role,” said Cellulant Board Chairman Dr. Sam Kiruthu.
“Akshay brings a broad and diverse industrial experience in the fields of technology and finance.
“While Akshay served as Interim CEO, the Board of Directors were impressed with his commitment to openness, attention to detail, and constant focus on the future of the business.
Akshay has demonstrated that he has the skills, attitude and vision to lead the leadership team to achieve Cellulant’s future and mission.
Upon his appointment, Akshay said he looked forward to making Cellulant Africa’s most prolific and innovative payments platform.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the Board of Directors and our exceptional leadership team to maximize this opportunity to generate additional growth and value for all of our stakeholders,” he said.
He said, “Cellulant is well positioned to lead and transform the payments landscape in Africa.
“Our deep connectivity with more than 120 banks and 40 mobile operators on the continent allows us to have an unmatched network on the African continent.
“We reduce friction around payments and in doing so create a transparent way for businesses to collect and make payments.
“Our integrated payment platform caters to both offline and online solutions that drive the success of businesses of all sizes while delivering a superior user experience for the end customer.
Akshay has over 20 years of professional experience in the technology, media and communications industry in emerging markets. During the early years of his career, he held positions of increasing responsibility within the financial advisory teams at KPMG and EY.
Prior to joining Cellulant as Group Chief Financial Officer in January 2021, Akshay was Chief Investment Officer at iSON, a diverse technology group present in more than 30 countries in the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.
Mazen Mroue, a non-executive director at MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, has resigned effective February 27, 2026, to prioritise other responsibilities within the MTN Group, the company announced in a Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) filing.
MTN Nigeria
The notice, signed by company secretary Uto Ukpanah, stated: “This is to enable Mr. Mroue to focus on other priorities within MTN Group Limited. The Board wishes to express its appreciation to Mr. Mroue for his immense service to MTN Nigeria and wishes him success in his future endeavours.”
Mroue joined MTN Nigeria’s board on June 1, 2022, bringing over 28 years of telecom experience. A veteran MTN executive, he previously served as CEO of MTN Uganda and MTN Liberia, non-executive director at MTN Cyprus, and held leadership roles at MTN Ghana.
Since February 2022, he has been MTN Group’s Chief Technology and Information Officer, overseeing technology strategy and governance. Earlier, as MTN Nigeria’s COO from August 2018 to January 2022, he also sat on the MTN Nigeria Foundation board.
The exit follows MTN Nigeria’s stellar 2025 results, posting a ₦1.70 trillion profit before tax—reversing a ₦550.3 billion loss in 2024 driven by forex woes—marking one of the telco’s strongest rebounds.
Google has rolled out support for Yorùbá and Hausa languages in its AI-powered Search features—AI Overviews and AI Mode—enabling millions of Nigerians to get quick answers, summaries, and conversational web exploration in their mother tongues.
The update forms part of Google’s push to cover 13 African languages, including Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, and isiZulu, selected based on high search activity across the continent.
Now, a Kano student can ask complex questions in Hausa, while an Ibadan trader seeks business tips in Yorùbá—both receiving culturally nuanced AI responses via text or voice on Android, iOS, or web.
Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s West Africa Communications Manager, said: “Building truly global Search requires nuanced local understanding. With Gemini-powered AI, we’ve made advanced capabilities relevant in Yorùbá and Hausa, so Nigerians converse naturally with Search in their mother tongues.”
To use: Open the Google app, tap AI Mode, and query in Hausa or Yorùbá for personalised guidance—breaking language barriers and making technology reflect Nigeria’s diverse identity.
MultiChoice is closing its continental streaming platform Showmax after 11 years, notifying subscribers Thursday of the board’s decision to discontinue the service in the near future to refocus on sustainable digital offerings.
MultiChoice
The email assured no immediate disruption: “You can continue streaming as usual, and no action is required from you at this time.” Showmax, launched in South Africa in 2015 and expanded across Africa, offered movies, series, documentaries, and sports to rival Netflix and others amid rising online entertainment demand.
The shutdown follows Canal+’s approved takeover of MultiChoice last year, with the French giant offering ZAR 125 per share for remaining stakes.
The deal mandates HDP ownership boosts, local content investment, and splitting MultiChoice’s SA broadcasting arm into an independent entity to meet regulations.
MultiChoice prioritised subscribers during the transition, promising advance notice on timelines.
Showmax’s exit signals consolidation pressures in Africa’s cut-throat streaming market, where global players dominate despite local content strengths.
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