Hi Guys! It’s the end of another busy week in the world of tech. Asides the fanfare of the inauguration of new U.S. president, Joe Biden, there were several interesting happening across the global tech space during the week.
Here is a quick roundup of some of the major stories around the globe you might have missed.
Nigeria travel ban lifted
A travel ban on Nigeria imposed by former American president, Donald Trump has been rescinded. The ban which has restricted Nigerians from getting tech jobs in the US was lifted by new US president, Joe Biden, on his first day in office.
The president signed 17 executive orders to revoke some of his predecessor’s policies, making it the highest by any president on his first day in office.
Before now, the outright ban prevented Nigerians from applying for permanent residency or jobs that require residency in the US due to perceived security issues.
However, with new orders, Africans who carry the US dream will have something to smile about.
Facebook’s oversight board to rule on Trump ban
Facebook’s suspension of President Donald Trump’s account is to be reviewed by its new Oversight Board.
On January 7, Facebook suspended Trump’s account indefinitely, one of the company’s most consequential acts. That decision followed the former president’s incitement of a violent mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol.
On Thursday, Facebook announced that the former president will be able to submit a user statement to a five-member case-review panel of its independent board.
The ruling by the board will be binding on both Facebook and Instagram.
Kenya plans 5G deployment
Kenya’s telecoms regulator has started making plans to deploy 5G technology across the country.
The Communications Authority of Kenya recently allocated 122 frequency bands bearing the hallmarks of mid to high-frequency 5G bands.
The country currently has 4G network in all of its 47 counties. With the latest development, the regulator is looking to encourage telcos like Safaricom and Airtel to proceed with 5G trials which they temporarily shelved.
Apple is working on a VR headset
Tech giants, Apple is reportedly developing a standalone virtual reality headset that could debut in 2022.
The headset is expected to include a processor more powerful than the M1 chip currently included in the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro.
And it would cost more than most competing products.
Instacart lays off 1,900 workers
Instacart has announced that it is laying off 1,877 workers. The decision comes as the company moves to new delivery models.
Among those included in the layoffs are 10 workers in Illinois who were the first to unionize within the company.
According to the company, it will be providing severance packages to those affected by the move as well as trying to place them in open positions either in the company itself or at its retail partners.
In the blog post referencing the layoffs, the company said it had been testing new workflows with its retail partners including Partner Pick.
You can check out other news that happened during the week here. Have a nice weekend!!
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