In this week's tech news roundup, analysts predict tempered inflation in Nigeria, Vodacom and Maziv are taking their blocked merger deal to court, and big companies are flocking to Eko Atlantic. These stories and more are shaping the tech landscape in Africa.

Analysts expect Nigeria's headline inflation rate for February 2025 to decelerate when the National Bureau of Statistics releases inflation figures today. If the predictions are correct, Nigeria's headline inflation will decelerate for the first time since the NBS modified the way it calculated inflation. The deceleration is driven by lower petrol costs and a stable naira, with a cascading effect on the broader economy, driving down costs for consumers and businesses alike.

However, analysts also believe that Nigeria's inflation is at an inflection point—following the CPI rebasing—and expect inflation to accelerate as soon as April. Those analysts now predict that the CBN may fail to reach its inflation target by year-end due to global economic factors.

In other news, Vodacom, South Africa's second-largest telecom operator, and fibre company Maziv are taking their blocked merger deal to court in July 2025, hoping to overturn a decision that has stalled their fibre expansion plans for more than three years. The deal, initially approved in 2022, was blocked by the Competition Tribunal in October 2024, citing concerns that it would reduce competition and give Vodacom too much control over the fibre market.

The outcome of the court battle will have significant implications for South Africa's telecom industry. If the merger goes through, it could trigger more industry consolidation. If the court upholds the block, it will serve as a warning: big corporations can't push deals through without resistance.

Meanwhile, big companies are heading to Eko Atlantic, a futuristic city in Nigeria, drawn by its modern infrastructure, steady electricity, and planned business district. MTN Nigeria, First Bank, Dangote Group, and media groups TVC and Silverbird are among the corporations that have already secured land in the area. Eko Atlantic's rise mirrors a familiar shift in Lagos' tech ecosystem, with startups once clustering in Yaba before migrating to Ikoyi, where high-rise offices and luxury spaces project status.

The city is not for the average Nigerian, with land costs ranging from $1,150 to $1,720 per square meter, making it one of the most expensive areas in the country. It's a playground for the ultra-wealthy—telecoms, banks, and multinationals that eke out trillions of naira in revenue annually.

In other tech news, the World Wide Web3 crypto tracker shows Bitcoin at $83,242, Ether at $1,900, Ripple at $2.34, and Solana at $126.41. The GITEX AFRICA 3rd edition is now open for registration, and DICE 3.0 is back, bigger and bolder, with Africa's top innovators, business leaders, and policymakers gathering to discuss regional expansion, market barriers, and cross-border collaboration.

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