News (1785)
The Mauritian government has unveiled a series of ambitious measures aimed at fast-tracking the country's digital integration and development. The initiative seeks to boost socio-economic growth by focusing on key sectors such as education.
In Mauritius, secondary schools will the Google Classroom learning platform starting the next second term, the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, Science, and Technology recently announced. The move is part of an effort to enhance the online teaching experience and practices within the nation's schools.
"Google Classroom will be rolled out from the second term of the 2024 academic year. A comprehensive briefing session will be held for headmasters, and clear protocols and guidelines will be established. Training sessions will also be arranged for educators to optimize the use of Google Classroom," the ministry stated.
This initiative is a key component of the national "Digital Mauritius 2030" strategy, which aims to digitize the country's key sectors, including education. The strategy also includes providing internet connectivity in primary and secondary schools, introducing children to computers, and specifically coding, from an early age. To support this, the government launched a tablet distribution project in 2014.
For the implementation of Google Classroom, Google accounts will be created for both students and their parents. Teachers will be able to create engaging learning experiences that they can customize, manage, and assess. The entirely free application will also help manage classroom assignments, organize homework, enhance collaboration, and improve communication.
Samira Njoya
Financial inclusion has become a key priority for governments and financial regulators across Africa, with a particular emphasis on central banks. Initiatives are being implemented to improve access to financial services for a greater number of people.
Algeria's mobile payment interoperability project is nearing completion and should be activated this year, according to Assia Benchabla Queiroz, administrator of the payment systems group GIE Monetique. She recently spoke to Algérie Presse Service, Algeria’s state-owned news agency, about the project’s goal to ease transactions between users of various mobile money operators and enhance access to financial services.
“We are well advanced in the deployment of mobile payment (m-payment). The GIE monétique has specified its operating scheme, and each bank is expected to acquire its solution,” Queiroz stated.
To achieve that goal, mobile payment stakeholders will need to collaborate closely to establish common standards and protocols. They will also need to connect to a switch crucial for the smooth management of mobile payment flow across a platform. This initiative will allow users to conduct transactions even between customers of different banks, thereby promoting the widespread adoption of mobile payments for purchases and account-to-account transfers.
The project is part of the government's action plan to modernize the banking and financial system and increase its attractiveness and efficiency to enhance its contribution to economic recovery. Its implementation is expected to enable seamless communication among various payment service providers, paving the way for transparent transactions across different platforms, irrespective of the service provider used.
This progress will ease the use of mobile payment, particularly for making purchases using QR codes and conducting account-to-account transfers.
Samira Njoya
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of institutions and businesses adopting new technologies to improve their efficiency and competitiveness. However, many challenges remain, and not all countries are progressing at the same pace.
Despite an 8.21% growth, sub-Saharan Africa continues to be one of the regions with the lowest business digitalization rates worldwide. As of December 2022, only 27.65% of businesses had adopted digital solutions to enhance their efficiency, a slight increase from 19.44% in August 2020. In stark contrast, East Asia witnessed the most significant growth, with its digitalization rate soaring from 13% in 2020 to 54% in 2022, marking a 41% increase.
The World Bank, in its report “Global Digitalization in 10 Charts” published on March 5, attributed the slow adoption of digital solutions in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to the low usage of computers and the internet. The report further highlighted the lack of skills, poor adherence to stringent cybersecurity and data protection regulations, and inadequate awareness of digitalization challenges among businesses as contributing factors.
The World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) disclosed that less than 7% of micro-businesses in sub-Saharan Africa use digital technologies, such as smartphones and computers, for their operations, while 71% believe they are unnecessary.
A study conducted in seven African countries and published in April 2023 revealed that of these 71%, approximately 35% claimed they lacked the knowledge to use these technologies. This underscores a digital skills gap that needs to be addressed or the need for digital entrepreneurs to develop technologies that align with existing skill levels. The remaining 35% cited cost as a barrier to technology adoption.
As African countries progressively step into the fourth industrial revolution, businesses must integrate digital solutions into their core strategies. Digital skills have become vital to nurture and maintain business activities in a rapidly evolving competitive landscape. This vision aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which emphasizes that accelerating digital transformation must infiltrate all economic sectors to sustainably bolster the growth of African countries.
Samira Njoya
Like many African countries, Burkina Faso is accelerating its digital transformation, affecting various sectors of activity. In the education sector, the country has decided to join forces with several universities, including Russia's Synergy University.
On Monday, April 8, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Adjima Thiombiano, welcomed a delegation from Moscow’s Synergy University, led by Denis Bondgreuskiy. The Russian university aims to share its expertise in digital sciences with Burkina Faso.
“Synergy is a university that has built its education on the digital science system, and we would like to share this experience with Burkina Faso in terms of new technologies and science,” Bondgreuskiy said. The officials discussed many topics, including the educational systems of both countries and the significance of digital sciences in education.
The visit is part of a memorandum of understanding signed between Burkina Faso and Russia in various sectors, including higher education, last June. In December 2023, Synergy University President Vadim Lobov met with Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister, Apollinaire Joachimson Kyélèm de Tambèla, to discuss potential collaboration between the Russian university and Burkina Faso.
According to the “Measuring Digital Development: The ICT Development Index 2023” report published by the International Telecommunication Union in December 2023, Burkina Faso scored 28.5 out of 100 on the information and communication technology development index, ranking 40th in Africa. This score surpasses Madagascar’s 26.4 but falls short of DR Congo’s 29.1 in a ranking led by Morocco with 85.1.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
In a bid to enhance tax services management, tax authorities have invested in a new digital solution. It will replace the existing E-tax portal.
On Monday 8 April in Libreville, Gabon's tax authority inaugurated the "Digitax Gabon," a platform designed to simplify the collection of corporate tax revenues. The initiative mainly aims to optimize tax management and improve relations between taxpayers and the tax authorities. The launch ceremony was attended by Minister of Economy Mays Mouissi, Minister of Public Accounts Charles M'Ba, and Minister of Communication Laurence Ndong.
"This initiative, supported by the General Directorate of Taxes (DGI), aims to revolutionize tax management in Gabon by digitalizing administrative procedures. Digitax Gabon represents a major shift in the modernization of Gabon's tax administration. This innovative platform will enable the integrated management of all tax processes, including the management of the tax base, tax collection, tax auditing, the handling of disputes, and the remote payment of taxes," explained the tax authorities.
The new platform is in line with the public administration modernization drive initiated by Gabonese authorities in 2021, with the rollout of a plan to transform the economy. The country has since undertaken several initiatives to remain at the forefront of the technological revolution underway on the continent. Last January, Gabon secured a $68.5 million loan from the World Bank to accelerate its digital transformation through the "Digital Gabon" project.
For the September 2023- February 2024 period, the Ministry of the Economy’s tax collection target was XAF419.5 billion (around ‘686.3 million) but the actual collection stood at XAF560 billion.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Algeria is stepping up initiatives to implement its "paperless" strategy to achieve a successful transition to paperless administration by 2029.
The Algerian education sector will undergo a series of digital reforms starting from the 2024-2025 school year, Education Minister Abdelhakim Belabed announced on Monday, April 8, during a working visit to Mostaganem.
“The next school year will mark an unprecedented new digital era, following the complete digitization of all pedagogical, educational, administrative, and organizational operations in the education sector,” Belabed said.
The announced reforms include distance enrolment, particularly for the first year of primary school, set to launch on May 2, as well as guidance mechanisms and other programs to be announced shortly. The aim is to eliminate the need for parents to travel to school.
These reforms align with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s instructions to speed up the digitization process in key sectors, including education. In a national address in late December 2023, Tebboune spoke of completing the first phase of the digitization project by mid-2024.
The education sector, which is receiving special attention, will see ongoing digitization in areas such as re-registration, reorientation, and the use of school documents, which will be exclusively available on the Ministry’s digital platform. Additionally, 1,200 new schools will be equipped with electronic tablets.
Samira Njoya
The digital sector offers a wide range of employment opportunities for young people. By developing the necessary skills, they can seize these opportunities and improve their integration into the labor market.
Orange Digital Center announced on Tuesday, a partnership with Coursera, a leading provider of open online courses. The collaboration aims to equip young individuals in Africa and the Middle East with crucial digital skills, free of charge and at their own pace.
“At Orange, we firmly believe that digital inclusion is the key to creating a fairer and more prosperous future for everyone. In partnership with Coursera and through the Orange Digital Centers, we are opening the doors of certification training to all our beneficiaries, offering educational and professional development opportunities to those who need them most,” said Asma Ennaifer, Executive Director CSR, Orange Digital Centers and Communications, Orange Africa and Middle East.
The partnership will enable young people to acquire knowledge in vital areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship via Coursera, a leading global online platform.
The initiative aligns with Orange’s commitment to equip young talent with the knowledge and skills necessary to enter the job market, advance their professional careers, or inspire them to become digital entrepreneurs. For Coursera, the partnership continues its mission to offer transformative learning experiences to learners worldwide.
The partnership comes at a time when digital skills are increasingly in demand, especially among young people, who make up 60% of all unemployed Africans, according to the World Bank. The training courses provided by the two partners aim to prepare these young individuals for the business world and job market.
Samira Njoya
With a population of over 220 million, Nigeria is the most populous country on the African continent. It is therefore crucial for the government to establish an effective system for the clear identification of its citizens and residents.
IDEMIA Smart Identity, a division of French identity technology firm IDEMIA, announced the renewal of its partnership with the Nigerian National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) on Tuesday. The collaboration aims to upgrade the NIMC’s biometric system, making it one of the most advanced globally, according to IDEMIA. The future biometric matching system will be capable of processing up to one million identity verification searches daily.
“Taking this next step in the enhancement of our system with IDEMIA Smart Identity was a natural choice for us. We wanted to ensure that we deliver the best-in-class solution to our fellow Nigerians, and the pure power of the biometric matching we will receive ensures that the solution is future-proof for our growing population,” said Abisoye Coker-Odusote, CEO of NIMC.
The initiative is part of the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) project, funded by the World Bank since 2020. The project aims to issue digital identities to 148 million citizens by June 30, 2024, a goal that Nigeria appears to be on track to achieve, according to a recent World Bank report.
The partnership renewal follows the government’s recent announcement of the introduction of innovative identity cards with a payment function, powered by AfriGO, a national domestic card system. This will enable all types of social and financial services.
The system upgrade should allow NIMC to provide all Nigerians with access to a secure and reliable identity, enabling them to exercise their rights and responsibilities as citizens. The initial system was designed to handle 100 million entries, but it has now been upgraded to handle around 90 million registrations. This necessitates the extension, which will include 250 million entries to cover the entire Nigerian population.
Samira Njoya
The 2Africa subsea cable aims to interconnect Europe, Asia and Africa. Its landings in African countries are encouraging partnerships to improve connectivity on the continent.
Authorities in Akwa Ibom State have entered into a partnership with MainOne, a leading West African provider of data centers and connectivity solutions, to construct approximately 140 kilometers of fiber optic infrastructure in the region. The partnership, announced on April 5, aims to provide high-speed connectivity across several regions of southern Nigeria.
This collaboration follows the February landing of the 2Africa cable at Qua Iboe in Akwa Ibom State. The 45,000-kilometre fiber optic submarine cable, part of a consortium led by American company Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, will connect Europe, Asia, and Africa, with a nominal capacity of up to 180 terabits per second.
Abayomi Adebanjo, Regional Director of MainOne, stated at the 2Africa landing that his company is "dedicated to improving Internet capacity and driving various aspects of development, including economic growth, digital transformation, healthcare, security, agriculture and increased state revenue in South-South Nigeria."
In addition to the 2Africa cable, Nigeria is connected to six other cables: Google's Equiano, SAT3, MainOne, Glo1, Africa Coast to Europe (ACE), and West Africa Cable System (WACS). As of February 2024, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reported that 163.3 million people in Nigeria had Internet access, with 93.4 million having broadband access.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
In 2023, sub-Saharan African countries lost nearly $1.74 billion due to Internet outages and restrictions on access to social networks. Despite these losses, governments continue to use this lever for a variety of reasons.
Voluntary internet blackouts in Sudan, Chad, Senegal, and Comoros resulted in a loss of $39.5 million in the first quarter of 2024, according to data aggregated by Internet Society Pulse.
In Senegal, internet blackouts on February 4-7 and 13 followed the postponement of presidential elections, leading to an estimated loss of $75,523. In Comoros, a blackout from January 17-19, following the re-election of President Azali Assoumani, resulted in a loss of $24,252.
The situation in Chad is more complex, with internet access being cut off since February 28 due to events such as the attempted assassination of Supreme Court President Samir Adam Annour, the assassination of opposition leader Yaya Dillo, and subsequent civil demonstrations. The blackout has already resulted in nearly $2.95 million in losses.
In Sudan, losses are estimated at $36.5 million due to disruptions in internet services amid escalating violence. Internet Society Pulse reports a drop in connections and traffic, with the two main internet service providers, Sudatel and MTN, which hold 53% and 21% of the market share respectively, having completely disappeared.
Additionally, the Amhara region of Ethiopia, home to over 40 million people, has been without internet access since August 3, 2023. This comes in the wake of conflict between the government and the nationalist and irredentist Amhara militia, known as the Fano, formed in the 2010s.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
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Since it arrived in Guinea in 2006, Huawei has contributed to the implementation of various digital projects. In the years to come, the government would like to benefit from its expertise once again.
The Republic of Guinea is turning to Huawei for assistance with several digital initiatives. On April 5, Rose Pola Pricemou (photo), the Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and the Digital Economy, met with a delegation from Huawei in Guinea to discuss potential collaborations aimed at bolstering the nation’s digital infrastructure and fostering technological advancement.
The projects under discussion include training for those involved in computer systems modernization services (SMSI), strengthening the backbone, implementing the Guinea Safe City program, expanding Internet coverage to underserved rural areas, and organizing ICT Girls’ Day on April 25.
These initiatives, for which Guinea is seeking Huawei’s support, form a crucial part of the National Digitisation Strategy’s implementation, which aims to modernize the country’s administration and key sectors. Huawei has been a long-standing partner in this process, having been operational in the country since 2006. The company has spearheaded numerous projects, including the construction of 4,000 km of fiber optic cable, thereby contributing to the development of Guinea’s communications infrastructure.
With recent financial backing of $60 million from the World Bank, the Guinean government is hoping to ramp up its efforts in collaboration with Huawei. The government’s primary digital projects currently include the construction of a digital village, extension of the national fiber optic network, connection to new international fiber optic submarine cables, launch of the public telecommunications company Guinée Télécom, digitization of the administration and various public services, and provision of Internet connectivity to 300 schools and some universities.
Samira Njoya
E-health provides much-needed services in Africa, particularly by extending healthcare provision to regions where health workers are scarce. However, challenges persist, including the need for better coordination of various initiatives.
The International Committee of Digital Health Experts in Africa (CEISNA) has partnered with the Higher Institute of Public Health in Bamako, Mali, to improve the country’s healthcare systems, according to an announcement made on April 6.
"In a country facing major health challenges, the involvement of the senior management of Mali's Institute of Public Health in this collaboration is not only remarkable but essential. This partnership clearly illustrates Mali's determination to promote the well-being of its population through digital innovation in health," says CEISNA in a press release.
The collaboration will see the implementation of targeted initiatives to strengthen local capacities, expand access to quality care, and leverage modern technology to serve the Malian population better. The partnership also plans to foster a synergy of expertise to stimulate the development of innovative digital health solutions, promote knowledge sharing, and launch projects aimed at transforming healthcare access in Mali.
The partnership aligns with the joint commitment of CEISNA and the Institut Supérieur de Santé Publique de Bamako to enhance Mali’s healthcare systems through digital technology. This comes as Mali is in the process of overhauling its healthcare system, with the National Strategic Plan for Digital Health 2024-2028 approved last December.
The collaboration is expected to herald a new era in the collective effort towards sustainable development and the promotion of public health in Africa, ultimately contributing significantly to the well-being of the people of Mali and the wider region.
Samira Njoya
The benefit of remote work culture to African technology adoption lies in its capacity to democratize access to global talent and foster collaboration across borders, among others, thereby propelling Africa's technological advancement.
South Africa has officially passed its digital nomad visa regulations into law, following a draft released in February. The law, which took effect on 28 March 2024, paves the way for the issuance of digital nomad visas. This move aims to attract international talent and stimulate economic growth.
The regulations follow months of deliberation and public consultation. Despite concerns about its impact on the cost of living and tax leakage, the government is optimistic about the benefits for the economy.
South Africa's diverse landscapes and thriving tech scene make it an attractive destination for digital nomads. According to the ‘State Of The ICT Sector Report’ released on 31 March 2024, 5G network coverage in the region has seen a significant increase, growing from 20% in 2022 to 38.42% in 2023, while all provinces in urban areas have achieved 97- 100% coverage for both 3G and 4G/LTE networks. This growth is attributed to the substantial investments in mobile infrastructure. The enhanced network reliability and speed are expected to boost IoT and digital service advancements, marking a notable step in the transformative journey of this new era of remote work.
The digital nomad visa is crucial for driving technology adoption in Africa by attracting global talent, fostering knowledge transfer, promoting entrepreneurship, strengthening tech ecosystems, and encouraging remote work culture.
Hikmatu Bilali
In January 2023, Ghanaian fintech Zeepay raised $10 million, bringing the total funds raised since its launch in 2014 to $24.6 million. The company aims to continue its expansion in its markets and to attract new capital.
Ghana-based fintech firm Zeepay has successfully concluded a funding round, securing an undisclosed amount from pan-African investors including Africa50, Oikocredit, Injaro, Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund, and I&P. The announcement was made in a press release on Thursday, April 4. The funds are set to bolster Zeepay’s operations in cross-border remittances and mobile money in Africa and the Caribbean.
Andrew Takyi-Appiah, the startup’s founder, stated, “The raise will greatly assist us in completing our ongoing expansion drive into the rest of Africa. Our short to medium plan is to expand our mobile money reach into a minimum of 10 countries within the next two years, leveraging remittances in partnership with MoneyGram, and we are delighted to see this vision come through.”
Established in 2014, Zeepay specializes in facilitating instant remittance settlements to mobile money wallets in Africa and the Caribbean on behalf of leading international money transfer organizations (IMTOs). The fintech firm, which operates in around 20 countries globally, has already raised over $24 million to accelerate its growth, particularly in Africa and the Caribbean. Through its technology and various partnerships, Zeepay enables real-time money transfers abroad via a mobile wallet to more than 150 countries.
The fintech sector is the most appealing segment of the African technology industry for investors. In 2023, young entrepreneurs in this segment raised $852 million, and $1.9 billion in 2022, as per data from Partech Africa, a tech investment firm with offices in Dakar (Senegal) and Nairobi (Kenya).
Adoni Conrad Quenum