Kenya's parliament is considering a new Business Law (Amendment) Bill 2024 to address worker conditions in the growing business process outsourcing (BPO) and IT-enabled services (ITES) sector. The move follows a September court ruling that allows BPO workers to sue companies locally, sparked by complaints from former Sama employees who said they were underpaid and overworked moderating harmful content for Meta.

The bill seeks to force BPO and ITES employers to provide all necessary tools for their workers, ensuring that they can't dodge responsibility by claiming they aren't the direct beneficiaries of the services provided. It will improve working conditions and align Kenya with global labour standards. However, the bill could also push big players like Sama, Majorel, and Telus—that employ thousands of Kenyans—away.

In other news, Nigerian banks have raised $1 billion from the capital market, according to the Director General of Nigeria's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Emomotimi Agama. The banks were forced to raise fresh capital after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) raised the capitalisation requirements for the country's biggest banks in March 2024. The move is expected to improve the banks' ability to lend and support economic growth.

Meanwhile, StartupFuel, a startup founded by Ashley Martis in 2017, is tackling AI misinformation with its product, DiligenceGPT. The platform aggregates startups' data and presents it to VCs like a "report card," showing the startups' financials, business and revenue models, traction, competitors, market barriers, and traction attained. The startup has trademarked its product name and filed for a patent, highlighting the proprietary nature of its technology.

In addition, Nigeria has raised its interest rate to 27.5%, the sixth consecutive hike since January 2024, as the central bank continues to fight inflation. The move is expected to attract foreign investors and rein in inflation, which quickened to 33.8% in October.

Finally, opportunities abound for startups and entrepreneurs in West Africa, with applications open for the 2025 Acumen West Africa Fellows Programme, the 2025 Google for Startups Growth Academy: AI for Cybersecurity, and the CcHub-Mastercard Foundation Edtech Fellowship 2025.

These developments highlight the dynamic nature of the tech industry in Africa, with governments, startups, and entrepreneurs working together to drive growth and innovation.