Selam,
Victoria from Techpoint here,
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
- Tanzania goes offline as protests erupt on election day
- How one startup is making SME data bankable
- Please Call Me creator hit with R13M legal bill
Tanzania goes offline as protests erupt on election day
Internet users across Tanzania were cut off on Wednesday as authorities disrupted connectivity during a tense election day, sparking fresh concerns about digital freedoms in the country. The blackout came just as protests erupted in Dar es Salaam, with residents in Kimara and Ubungo reportedly setting a bus and a gas station on fire. Reports say more demonstrations broke out in Magomeni, Kinondoni, and Tandale.
NetBlocks, an Internet watchdog group, confirmed the disruption, saying live data showed “a nationwide interruption to Internet connectivity.” Users had complained earlier in the day about slow speeds before the blackout hit. The US Embassy later issued a security alert warning of “country-wide protests” in multiple locations.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who’s running for a second term under the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, faces growing criticism over her administration’s clampdown on opposition voices. Rights groups say the arrest and detention of opposition figures, alongside the Internet shutdown, show a worrying pattern ahead of the general elections next week.
This isn’t Tanzania’s first brush with digital blackouts. Authorities pulled a similar move during the 2020 elections, blocking social media and messaging platforms to control the flow of information. Since May 2025, access to X (formerly Twitter) has also been restricted, a decision that rights advocates call a major blow to free expression online.
Last year, Internet Service Providers like Airtel, Vodacom, Halotel, and TTCL also blocked X for nearly a day, just as activists used it to raise alarm over abductions and killings in the country. The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) denied involvement but later deleted its own X accounts without explanation, fuelling more suspicion.
And if that wasn’t enough, TikTok Live and Instagram Live were recently blocked too, following the suspension of Mwananchi Communications’ digital arm last year for allegedly posting “prohibited content.” With every new restriction, digital space in Tanzania is shrinking, and many worry the country is fast sliding into a full-blown online blackout zone.
How one startup is making SME data bankable
If you’ve ever run a small business in Nigeria, you probably know the struggle: a customer messages you on WhatsApp to place an order, but you’re not sure if the product is still in stock because someone might’ve just bought it on Instagram, your website, or in-store. That kind of chaos is exactly what Storebridger wants to fix.
Founded by Hameed Damee, Storebridger helps small businesses manage all their sales channels — website, social media, and physical store — from one simple dashboard. It centralises inventory, syncs every sale in real time, and even helps owners build a custom online store without any tech skills. Think of it as the all-in-one toolkit for SMEs who are tired of juggling WhatsApp messages, spreadsheets, and POS receipts.
The idea came when Damee started helping his wife run her small business and realised how messy things could get. After working with Shopify, he also noticed that many global eCommerce tools weren’t designed for how African businesses operate — flexible pricing, informal negotiations, and multiple sales channels. So, he decided to build a platform that truly understands how business gets done here.
But Storebridger’s big play isn’t just about sales. It’s about helping small businesses access credit. By linking a company’s sales data and inventory to banks through its POS system, Storebridger allows lenders to evaluate businesses based on actual performance, not just financial statements. That means a store’s stock and sales history can finally speak for them when applying for loans.
From syncing sales across channels to turning inventory into credit potential, Storebridger is quietly building what could become the backbone of small business growth in Africa. Find out more about how this startup is helping SMEs sell smarter and grow faster in Sarah’s latest story for Techpoint Africa.
Please Call Me creator hit with R13M legal bill
South Africa’s long-running Please Call Me saga just took another dramatic turn. The Constitutional Court has overturned a previous ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeal that had gone in favour of Kenneth Nkosana Makate, and instead, ordered him to cough up a hefty R13 million ($755,000) to cover Vodacom’s legal costs.
It’s a big blow for Makate, who’s been locked in a 16-year legal battle with Vodacom over the ownership and compensation for the Please Call Me service, that free message option for users who’ve run out of airtime. The new ruling means Makate must pay the telecom giant’s legal expenses, which include fees for three counsels and multiple court appearances.
This all comes after the Supreme Court of Appeal earlier ruled that Vodacom should pay Makate between 5% and 7.5% of revenue generated from the Please Call Me service over the past 18 years, a figure that could have reached R29 billion. Vodacom, of course, wasn’t having it and argued that the decision ignored crucial evidence and could cripple its operations.
Makate had reportedly turned down a R47 million settlement offer, insisting he deserves a share of the service’s full earnings since it launched. Despite this latest setback, he’s not backing down. The former Vodacom trainee says he plans to contest the costs order as the case heads back to the Supreme Court on November 18, 2025, this time before a new panel of judges.
So, the saga continues, a 16-year tug-of-war that’s now as famous as the service itself. Whether Makate will ever get his payday or Vodacom will finally close the case remains anyone’s guess.
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Have a superb Thursday!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa