Tech (695)
Djibouti has embarked on an ambitious effort to digitize its public services. This initiative aims to allow the country to reap the full benefits of the digital economy.
The Djiboutian government announced the upcoming launch of two new digital services: e-Cabinet and e-Building Permit. Unveiled at the 8th Council of Ministers session on Tuesday, May 14th, these initiatives aim to modernize governance, enhance administrative efficiency, and offer a digital solution for building permits.
Developed by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Innovation with technical support from the National Agency for State Information Systems (ANSIE), e-Cabinet expands the government's document management capabilities. This platform caters to high-level decision-making by providing advanced features for managing proposals, agendas, reference documents, and legal texts throughout their lifecycle. Additionally, it ensures seamless interaction between various government systems, centralizing document management and fostering secure communication.
As for the e-Building Permit platform, it will replace the current building permit issuance system which is now considered outdated. This new solution includes an online portal offering significant advantages for all stakeholders involved in the building permit issuance process. Key features include simplified permit submission, online payments, and real-time tracking of applications.
The deployment of these platforms is part of the "Djibouti Fondement Numérique," a project that also includes the development of national broadband infrastructure, the promotion of e-learning, and the improvement of the quality of telecommunications services at affordable prices.
These digital solutions are expected to digitize government decision-making processes, facilitate secure communication and document sharing between ministries and government entities, and significantly save time in processing services.
Samira Njoya
The global adoption of blockchain technology is accelerating. Governments around the world are taking notice, exploring its potential to bring greater transparency and efficiency to their operations.
Ghana is poised to become the first African nation to adopt blockchain technology for its government operations, according to Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia. The announcement was made during the 14th regional conference and annual general meeting of the heads of anti-corruption agencies in the Commonwealth of Africa, held in Accra from May 6 to May 11.
"We are going to adopt blockchain technology for government to ensure that all data and transactions in the Government space are transparent and tamper-proof, no one can change them, and so ours could well become the first blockchain-powered government in Africa," stated Bawumia.
This initiative is part of Ghana's Digitalization Strategy, which has been in place since 2017. The strategy has enabled the government to collect 201 billion GH₵ (approximately $14.2 billion) since 2023 through the digitization of public services via the Ghana.gov platform. Additionally, the new digital ID card has allowed the government to detect 404,707 fictitious names on the payroll of the National Service System and 29,000 phantom pensioners.
By adopting blockchain, Ghana aims to secure government data in a fail-safe manner. According to Bawumia, this technology will serve as a bulwark against corruption by monitoring every modification made to digital data.
Blockchain is an advanced database mechanism that allows for transparent sharing of information across a network. It can be used to record contracts, financial transactions, digital assets, votes, and much more, in a decentralized and secure manner.
Samira Njoya
Morocco is firmly committed to digital transformation. Recognizing that human resources are the cornerstone of this endeavor, the country is implementing initiatives to modernize educational programs by integrating digital skills from an early age.
The University of Moulay Ismail signed a partnership agreement with Cisco Network Academy, a global online learning platform offered by American technology giant Cisco Systems, on Wednesday, May 8.
This collaboration, established during a visit by a Cisco Network Academy delegation to Morocco, is designed to equip students and faculty with in-demand digital skills in critical areas like computer networking, artificial intelligence, programmable infrastructure, and cybersecurity.
The initiative aligns perfectly with Morocco's "Pacte Esri 2030," the National Plan for Accelerating the Transformation of the Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation Ecosystem by 2030. This strategic plan emphasizes preparing students with the necessary personal, cross-disciplinary, and digital skills to meet the evolving demands of the job market, reflecting both royal directives and the global digital revolution.
The partnership builds upon a tripartite agreement signed last December between the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education, the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, and Cisco.
Furthermore, this new collaboration aims to strengthen the training and certification programs offered through the "Centres code 212" hosted by Moroccan universities. Students and teachers will gain free, unlimited access to Cisco's partner training programs, along with support in preparing for industry-recognized certifications.
By prioritizing youth training and upskilling the population in digital capabilities, Morocco seeks to cultivate a robust pool of graduates equipped with specialized knowledge in innovative fields. This initiative aims to accelerate the nation's digital transformation journey and position Morocco as an attractive destination for both domestic and international investors.
Samira Njoya
The Gambia has made significant progress in its digital transformation journey. To advance even further, the country is receiving support from the organizations it belongs to, such as ECOWAS.
The President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, and the Gambian Minister of Digital Economy, Ousman A. Bah, signed a grant agreement on Friday, May 3, during the 15th Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
This $180,000 grant aims to strengthen The Gambia's digital infrastructure and enhance the country's governance through new technologies.
This initiative is part of an ECOWAS strategy to strengthen the digital capabilities of all its member states. It comes at a time when The Gambia is intensifying its efforts to accelerate digital transformation and improve telecommunications infrastructure to provide its population with innovative new services.
Currently, the country is working on a comprehensive digital strategy set to launch in the coming months. Additionally, The Gambia is preparing to connect to a second international fiber optic submarine cable, funded by the World Bank at a cost of $30 to $35 million. The government is also considering enhancing national connectivity via satellites.
The ECOWAS grant is expected to support the implementation of this strategy, which includes digitizing administrative services, improving citizens' digital skills, and creating a standardized digital identification system, among other initiatives.
Samira Njoya
The Burundian government has pledged to modernize services offered to citizens. However, several regions of the country still lack comprehensive internet coverage and digital skills, limiting access to digital services in these areas.
On Monday, April 29, the Ministry of Communication, Information Technology, and Media announced the launch of a national survey on ICT access and usage among households, businesses, and public administrations in Burundi. This initiative aims to assess the state of digital service usage and access while identifying the knowledge and needs of the Burundian population.
According to Thierry Kitamoya (photo), Assistant to the Minister for ICT, this survey is part of the Digital Economy Foundations Support Project (PAFEN), financed by the World Bank to the tune of $92 million. The PAFEN aims to expand broadband internet access for underserved populations, enhance the government's capacity to provide digital services, and lay the groundwork for accelerated digital economy development in Burundi.
The survey, which began on April 29, will continue until May 17, led by the Burundian Center for Population and Development Studies (CERPED) and the Tunisian company SFM Technologies. The survey will target varied samples across different communes and provinces to provide a comprehensive overview of ICT access and usage in Burundi.
The survey results will inform the design and goals of digital access programs, the formulation of new broadband policies, and the assessment of ICT penetration levels in Burundi.
Access to high-speed internet connectivity is now indispensable in Africa, where digital transformation is accelerating. However, the high cost of internet remains a significant barrier for a population eager to take advantage of new technologies.
The Malagasy government has rescinded its recent decision to raise the price of a gigabyte of data to $0.95, reversing a policy introduced last month. This U-turn was announced by the Ministry of Digital Development, Posts, and Telecommunications (MNDPT) in a statement following a review of internet service providers' pricing practices in the country.
"The government found that the artificially high prices maintained by telecommunications operators did not reflect the commitments made during negotiations. As a result, this measure aims to restore fair competition and reduce costs for end users," said the MNDPT statement.
Initially, the government had decided to raise the price of a gigabyte from $0.45 to $0.95, justifying this measure by arguing that it would promote a more equitable distribution of internet access across the country. However, this decision made internet access increasingly difficult for many Malagasy citizens, further widening the existing digital divide.
In response to their customers' needs, several providers did not implement the new rates. According to data from Kepios, a consultancy specializing in digital usage studies, Madagascar had 3.8 million social media users as of January 2024. Following the price hike, many internet users were forced to cut back on their internet-related expenses or visit cybercafés, thus turning what was once a widely accessible service into a luxury product in Madagascar.
The suspension of this decision is expected to pave the way for new discussions between the government and the country's mobile operators. A potential reduction in prices should help liberalize the market and allow various users to reconnect with the internet, which is a crucial tool for students, traders, and local startup founders.
Samira Njoya
Digital technologies are driving the rapid transformation of Africa's economy. Recognizing this, African leaders are ramping up efforts to establish high-quality digital services and expand access to high-speed internet.
African Information and Communications Technology (ICT) ministers have set a target to boost the continent’s internet access by 20% within the next five years. This resolution was reached at the Connected Africa 2024 summit, which took place in Nairobi from April 21 to 25. The summit concluded with a declaration aimed at fostering a digitally connected and empowered Africa, setting several ambitious goals for the continent’s digital transformation.
Kenya’s Minister of Information, Communication, and Digital Economy, Eliud Owalo, underscored the significance of collaboration in propelling Africa’s digital transformation during the summit’s closing ceremony. According to the official, by harmonizing digital policies across the continent, the continent can expedite its aspiration to become a leading global trade power under the African Continental Free Trade Area. He also disclosed a plan to equip one million young Africans with digital skills by 2027 ,through capacity building, to advance the collective vision of a digitally empowered Africa by 2030.
The 14 African ICT ministers who attended the Connected Africa 2024 summit will follow a comprehensive digital empowerment roadmap. This roadmap includes agreements, commitments, and political resolutions, such as initiatives to integrate digital skills into educational curricula, develop broadband infrastructure, facilitate digital trade via the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and encourage research and innovation in artificial intelligence.
The fourth edition of the Connected Africa summit is in line with Africa’s Digital Strategy 2063 and the African Union’s Vision 2030. The aim is to synchronize the efforts of African nations to hasten digital transformation and bridge the digital divide across the continent.
Samira Njoya
Morocco becomes the fourth African country to join UNESCO Digital Skills Initiative, Following Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, and Nigeria
On Tuesday, April 23, Moroccan authorities, in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Chinese tech giant Huawei, initiated a program aimed at enhancing the digital skills of educators, particularly those teaching literacy. The objective is to boost the digital competencies of 10,000 literacy educators by 2025. The launch was announced last week through press releases from both UNESCO and Huawei.
“Literacy is the foundation of lifelong learning and a driver for sustainable and participatory development. In light of the digital transformation, it is essential that literacy instruction leverages the full potential of technology. We are proud to support the Kingdom of Morocco as a member of the UNESCO Global Alliance for Literacy in improving the digital skills of 10,000 literacy teachers by 2025,” stated Isabell Kempf, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL).
This program is a component of the national strategy for the digitization of education, which is part of the Morocco Digital 2030 strategy. The strategy aims to position the kingdom as a regional leader in digital education. In November 2023, the Moroccan government collaborated with American company Oracle to foster digital skills in higher education, thereby providing professors and students with access to training, learning resources, and specialized software.
In essence, the implementation of this initiative will enhance the quality of education in Morocco, better equip students for the digital era, and bridge the digital divide in the kingdom.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Guinea is working on several digital projects and is seeking experienced partners to effectively bring them to fruition. The West African country is eager to move forward quickly with the implementation of these projects.
Guinea and the United States have expressed a shared interest in digital sector collaboration. Aminata Kaba, Guinea's Minister of Technical Education and Vocational Training, and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo discussed this during the Smart Africa ministerial roundtable in Nairobi on Thursday, April 25th.
The meeting centered on the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation in Guinea and Africa at large. The need to bolster cooperation in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) between the two nations was also emphasized, as noted by the Ministry overseeing the Digital Economy.
The discussions specifically focused on enhancing ICT cooperation, including an ongoing partnership with U.S. firm Cisco to establish a Networking Academy in Guinea. The dialogue also explored potential joint initiatives between Africa and the U.S. aimed at facilitating access to and adoption of technologies suited to the continent's needs.
Following the meeting, the Secretary of State announced an upcoming initiative that will offer young Africans the chance to participate in immersion experiences within the U.S. startup ecosystem, particularly in Silicon Valley.
The meeting forms part of Guinea's efforts to develop its digital sector through partnerships. For the U.S., it presents an opportunity to seek collaborations that will further the Digital Transformation in Africa (DTA) project. This government initiative seeks to broaden digital access across the continent. As part of this project, the U.S. invested $82 million in 2023 towards new digital infrastructures, digital projects, and technical programs in Africa.
Samira Njoya
Guinea has initiated the digitization of public services. This initiative aims to enable the country to benefit from the digital economy and requires the involvement of workers in this sector.
Guinean Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah unveiled two new digital platforms on Wednesday, April 24th. The two platforms dubbed “e-Learning” and “e-conseil” aim to boost efficiency through innovative training and management tools for civil servants.
Developed with the National Agency for Universal Telecommunication and Digital Services, "e-Learning" provides online courses, accessible even without internet. These courses will enhance civil servants' skills in various fields and familiarize them with essential computer tools. Participants can earn verifiable certificates upon successful completion of training.
"e-conseil" allows different government departments to automate communication and workflow. This platform facilitates remote collaboration among government officials, allowing them to contribute to inter-ministerial council and cabinet meeting preparations, ultimately saving valuable time. Security is a top priority, with the platform employing robust, internationally compliant solutions. Data is securely hosted by the Regulatory Authority for Posts and Telecommunications (ARPT).
These platforms represent the Guinean government's commitment to digitizing and modernizing its administration. These digital solutions will equip civil servants with the necessary Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills to thrive in the country's ongoing digital transformation. Their launch follows a recent workshop where the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of a unified effort to accelerate the digitization of Guinea's public administration.
Samira Njoya
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In recent years, Huawei has become a focal point in the trade dispute between China and the United States. This has compelled the company to make a number of strategic shifts, such as overhauling its supply chain and creating a new operating system for its flagship devices.
Chinese tech giant Huawei is calling on developers to create applications for its homegrown HarmonyOS operating system. The announcement came from Eric Xu, Vice Chairman and Rotating Chairman of Huawei, during the 21st Huawei Analyst Summit held April 17-19 in Shenzhen, China.
"We call on all app developers and owners in China to join our HarmonyOS-native app ecosystem as soon as possible, and work together to deliver a better experience to consumers," Xu said. He emphasized strengthening the native app ecosystem as a key objective for 2024. "This is a massive undertaking," he acknowledged, "but we have broad support in the industry and from many app developers."
The development of HarmonyOS stems from US sanctions imposed on Huawei in 2018 and intensified by President Trump in 2021. These sanctions aimed to limit Huawei's access to key technologies, including Google's Android operating system. Facing a market dominated by Android (with 70.79% market share) and Apple's iOS (28.46% share according to StatCounter in March 2024), Huawei needed an alternative solution.
With a goal of exceeding one million applications in its native ecosystem, Huawei has invested in developer training. Over 380,000 developers have already obtained HarmonyOS certification, and the company reports that more than 135 universities in China now offer HarmonyOS courses, as detailed in their annual report published in late March.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
In recent years, the innovation ecosystem for sporting events has experienced a significant upswing, marked by the rise of highly promising startups. As this sector continues to grow rapidly, numerous initiatives are being launched to support its expansion, particularly in Africa.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced the launch of the "Triple-Double: NBA Africa Startup Accelerator" on Thursday, April 25. This continent-wide initiative focuses on early-stage African startups in the sports sector.
The accelerator aims to fuel Africa's tech ecosystem by providing mentorship, capital, and growth opportunities to the next generation of African tech entrepreneurs. Led by ALX Ventures, a prominent tech incubator, the program targets startups developing solutions in event management and ticketing, youth development, artificial intelligence, and digital marketing within the sports and creative industries.
The launch aligns with two key initiatives: President Biden's 2022 Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) program, fostering stronger US-Africa collaboration in digital transformation, and the US Department of Commerce's Africa strategy, which promotes investments in priority African projects and continental economic development.
For the inaugural cohort, ten startups will be chosen. They'll receive mentorship from a combined team of NBA Africa and ALX executives, along with private sector experts, who will provide guidance on product development, business growth, and market entry strategies.
In September, the selected startups will showcase their products at a New York City Demo Day to a panel of industry leaders from the US, Africa, and across the globe. Following this, four winning companies will be awarded financial support, continued mentorship, and the chance to collaborate with NBA Africa and the Basketball Africa League (BAL) on current and future initiatives across the continent.
Sports-focused startups interested in applying have until May 31st to register.
Samira Njoya
EMpact has a presence in multiple markets around the world. For its initial foray into Africa, the company has chosen Côte d’Ivoire.
As part of its launch in West Africa, EMpact, an American investment firm that fosters entrepreneurial initiatives of young talents to accelerate startups serving vital value chains in frontier markets, has selected the Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny (INP-HB) and the International University of Grand Bassam (IGUB) in Côte d’Ivoire as its academic partners.
The program is designed to spark innovations in the agricultural value chain and promote sustainable practices, not only in Côte d’Ivoire but across the West African region, where the studio intends to expand. In this context, both current students and alumni from partner universities and others will benefit from entrepreneurial guidance through a hybrid training program provided by the partner academic institutions and EMpact’s global program. Following the training, there will be an incubation phase succeeded by a startup accelerator offering ongoing mentorship and continuous training to the participants.
For the Ivorian partners, particularly INP-HB, this program is poised to play a pivotal role in the development of agricultural entrepreneurship and, consequently, the African economy, which is heavily reliant on this sector.
“We believe in the fundamental role that entrepreneurship plays in the development of a country. One of the main challenges facing our countries is job creation and the placement of our young graduates. This partnership is a relevant response to the growth in student unemployment as it strengthens links between our research system and the valorization of outcomes through innovative companies. Agriculture, which remains one of the key pillars of development in African countries, is the primary beneficiary. Entrepreneurship is gaining unprecedented momentum in our region, which makes this partnership even more relevant and timely for us,” stated Moussa Diaby, the Director-General of INP-HB.
In West Africa, EMpact will follow the model already being used in Guatemala, Central America. By 2025, EMpact plans to incorporate other frontier markets, such as those in Central Asia, and begin to interconnect these markets through the cross-pollination of ideas, capitalizing on their inherent similarities and complementarities.
Vanessa Ngono Atangana
Launched in 2011, the African Entrepreneur Award returns annually with new challenges while maintaining a constant goal: to encourage entrepreneurship, support innovation in Africa, and contribute to the socio-economic development of the continent.
Africangels, Africa's leading angel investor network, announced on Thursday, April 25, the opening of applications for the 8th edition of the African Entrepreneur Award. This prestigious competition aims to acknowledge African and international entrepreneurs who have made a significant impact in Africa.
This year, five major awards will be presented to the winners. The African Entrepreneur of the Year Award will honor the individual whose entrepreneurial impact has been the most significant. The African Startup of the Year Award will be given to a young entrepreneur with high potential. The Next Impact Award will reward leaders for their impact on the economy and their innovative solutions to societal challenges. Lastly, the African'Elles Award will be dedicated to innovative women who propose solutions to societal, economic, and environmental challenges.
The African Entrepreneur Award will provide winners in thematic categories with opportunities for expansion by offering advisory support, access to international networks, financing opportunities judged by a panel of investors, as well as extensive media visibility. Additionally, winners will receive an endowment of up to €40,000.
The competition will take place in two stages. The first stage is a regional call for applications that will run from April to August 2024. At the end of this period, a selection will be made in six regions to identify three regional finalists, who will automatically qualify for the international phase. The second phase, which will be international, will take place in November of the same year. A final jury composed of influential personalities will then designate the winners of the African Entrepreneur Award. Applications for this year’s edition are open till August 20.
Samira Njoya