Par Axel Toubson
#TechFriday n°2️⃣9️⃣5️⃣ – Issue of 31/07/2026
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This week: social media becomes a civic tool in Cameroon. Pocket fans take over daily life. AI is everywhere — exam-result tampering after Cameroon’s Bac, Cameroon’s push for inclusive AI at Shanghai’s WAIC, Rwanda’s breast-cancer screening app, Meta AI’s new parental alerts. Elsewhere on the continent: Senegal digitizes its tax stamp, Zimbabwe rolls out child online-safety strategy, Benin lays groundwork for a digital state, and Facebook’s lock feature sparks debate. Your #TechFriday recap is here.
From outrage to action: how Cameroonians mobilize online 📱🇨🇲
Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp and X are playing an increasingly important role in civic engagement in Cameroon. They help to raise awareness, spread calls for solidarity and keep the spotlight on certain issues, whilst emphasising the importance of verified information and respect for legal procedures. Click here for full story
Heat, blackouts, traffic: in Cameroon, the pocket fan has an answer 🪭🇨🇲
USB-rechargeable, compact and affordable, pocket fans are becoming a part of everyday life for people in Cameroon. They offer a practical solution to the intense heat, power cuts and travel. Their success is also being driven by social media and online shopping. Click here for full story
Cameroon’s Bac 2026 has an AI cheating problem 🤖🇨🇲
Since Cameroon’s Bac 2026 results dropped, a troubling trend has emerged: failing candidates reportedly used generative AI to turn their ‘Failed’ SMS from the exam board into a ‘Passed’ one. A simple trick, brought to light by the vigilance of other candidates, which has reignited the debate on the responsible use of AI among young people. Click here for full story
At Shanghai summit, Cameroon calls out AI’s exclusion of the Global South 🌍🤖
Cameroon, which attended the WAIC 2026 in Shanghai, called for a more inclusive global governance framework for artificial intelligence. Discussions focused on ethics, infrastructure, data protection, funding, research and the role of developing countries in AI. Click here for full story
Check Me, the rwandan startup putting AI to work against breast cancer🎗 🇷🇼
Child safety: Meta AI starts flagging teen distress signals 🛡️
Meta is rolling out a feature that alerts parents when a teenager expresses thoughts of suicide or self-harm in a conversation with Meta AI. Based on AI analysis and human verification, this feature aims to strengthen prevention and protection for young users. Click here for full story
No more paper: Senegal moves tax stamps online 📲🇸🇳
With SenTimbre, Senegal is digitising the purchase of tax stamps via an online platform run by the DGID, which is accessible at any time and secured by a QR code. The country is also preparing for SENTAX, a future unified tax system, as part of the Technological New Deal aimed at creating a more modern and efficient public administration. Click here for full story
Zimbabwe unveils a 2026-2030 plan to protect children online 🛡️👧🏾🇿🇼
Zimbabwe is rolling out its 2026–2030 national strategy for the protection of children online. In response to the rise in internet use amongst young people, the country aims to tackle cyberbullying, sextortion, grooming, online exploitation and harmful content through coordinated action. Click here for full story
Identity, payments, data: Benin lays the groundwork for digital government 🏛️🇧🇯
Benin is launching the development of a national roadmap to modernise digital public services. The project aims to strengthen digital identity, electronic payments and the secure exchange of data in order to simplify administrative procedures and improve the efficiency of public services. Click here for full story
Facebook’s profile lock is sparking distrust, not just security 🔒
Designed to protect profiles against photo theft, Facebook’s lock feature has divided opinion. Whilst some see it as a legitimate form of protection, others have reported suspicious friend requests from strangers, which are perceived as a sign of social status or, worse still, an attempt to hack their account. Click here for full story
Claude can now sign into your accounts without seeing your passwords, thanks to 1Password 🔐
Burkina Faso trains lawmakers on artificial intelligence 🖥️🇧🇫
On 15 July in Ouagadougou, around thirty Burkinabe deputies attended a training course on artificial intelligence, its uses and ethical considerations, organised by SPIVTEN. This initiative forms part of a national plan launched in 2025 to regulate the use of AI within the public and private sectors in Burkina Faso. Click here for full story
Chad equips its national police with new tech to fight cybercrime 👮🏽♂️🇹🇩
ADETIC has provided digital equipment to the Chadian National Police to modernise its operational capabilities. Computers, cameras, IP systems and videoconferencing facilities are intended to improve investigations, coordination, services to the public and the fight against cybercrime. Click here for full story
France bets on sovereign AI cloud with Mistral-Microsoft tie-up 💶🤖
Mistral and Microsoft are deepening their partnership: multiple billions of dollars so Microsoft can use the French AI lab’s data centers, while Mistral’s models join Copilot. The deal reflects Europe’s push for digital sovereignty — a debate that echoes as far as Cameroon, where most data still lives abroad Click here for full story
Inside Mali’s plan to wire every classroom by 2026 🌐🇲🇱
Mali just signed two agreements with AGEFAU to connect public schools to the internet and boost young people’s digital skills: universal access centers, Wi-Fi hubs, and training programs for job seekers and career changers, plus a clear target — every secondary and technical school online by end of 2026. Click here for full story
Google rolls out selfie video sign-in to kill the password 📹 🔒
Google is testing video selfie authentication as a secure way to regain access to an account. Using facial recognition, proof-of-life verification and anti-deepfake checks, this solution aims to reduce the risk of identity theft and complement passwords. Click here for full story
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That’s it for this week. We wish you a good weekend and look forward to hearing from you in the comments.
TechGriot ✌🏾😁
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