Nigeria's National Communications Commission (NCC) has gained veto power over significant telecom deals, a move it claims will benefit investors. The effectiveness of this new regulation will depend on the NCC's ability to approve transactions promptly, which will be crucial for major players like Airtel, MTN, and Glo.

TechCabal's daily newsletter covers several African tech and business developments, led by an investigation by Nigeria's antitrust watchdog into Uber's exit from the market. The edition also reports that South African regulator ICASA is reviewing the impact of digital platforms, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority has fined executives at Altvest, and solar company Sun King has introduced smartphone financing for customers. These stories span competition policy, digital regulation, financial enforcement, and consumer fintech across African markets.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has outlined the requirements for Starlink to enter the South African market. This announcement is part of a broader discussion on recent developments in the region, including a Kenyan court's approval of Safaricom's $1.6 billion sale to Vodacom and Mastercard's establishment of a cybersecurity hub in Africa, as reported by Techpoint Africa.

Namibia has rejected an appeal from Starlink to change its operational rules, according to Techpoint Africa. The decision comes amid discussions on various topics, including Moov Africa's telecom service challenges and Naspers' initiative to launch free AI services for businesses in South Africa.

Kenya’s Communications Authority has proposed creating a standalone licence for data centre operations, saying co-location facilities should no longer be regulated under the Network Facilities Provider Tier 2 category. According to Capital FM, the regulator argues that a specific licence would better reflect the distinct role of data centres in Kenya’s digital infrastructure market. The proposal signals a potential shift in telecom and cloud-infrastructure oversight, though the blurb does not provide details on timing, fees, thresholds, or industry reaction.

Starlink's attempt to establish operations in Namibia has faced a setback as the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) rejected the company's appeal against a previous licensing denial. This decision leaves Starlink without a means to enter a key telecom market in southern Africa.