News (1352)
Zimbabwe's economy is largely dependent on the exploitation of natural resources. With the fourth industrial revolution underway, Harare wants to make digital technologies the foundation of the country's development by 2030.
Zimbabwe approved, Tuesday (Dec.20), the national 2023-2030 broadband program. The program aims to accelerate broadband penetration in the country and reduce the cost of access to 2% of the average monthly income per capita from the current 10.1%.
The program plans several key projects that will be funded by the government and private investors. In addition, a broadband committee will be established to provide a periodic assessment of progress, facilitate coordination and collaboration, and make suggestions for adjustment.
The broadband program is part of the Emmerson Mnangagwa government's strategic vision to make Zimbabwe a high-income economy by 2030. The government wants to drive access and adoption of broadband services across government agencies, businesses, households, and individuals to transform Zimbabwe's growth trajectory from one driven largely by natural resource exploitation to one driven by innovation.
For Minister of Information Monica Mutsvangwa, “the importance of broadband and its transformative benefits include the following: enhancement of global competitiveness, job creation, increased productivity, improved national security, and enhancement of performance in education, agriculture, health, and governance. [...] All of these are prerequisites for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Isaac K. Kassouwi
The platform aims to take advantage of the growing e-commerce industry, and the development of new buying habits.
Public postal operator Egypt Post will launch an e-commerce platform in 2023. The platform, called ECOM Africa, aims to boost trade between Egypt and other African countries.
In an interview with the Arabian Business, Sherif Farouk, chairman of Egypt Post, said the new platform will "help and benefit from major international e-commerce and online advertising companies, such as Amazon and Alibaba."
For several years now, Egypt is trying to boost its trade with other African countries by leveraging postal services. In 2020, the Egypt Post signed an agreement with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) to implement the Ecom@Africa initiative, which aims to promote and develop e-commerce between African Posts.
The agreement aims to enable Egypt to overcome the obstacles to e-commerce and make the country an e-commerce hub on the continent, given its strategic location. It is in line with the country’s plan to increase its exports to other African countries from US$5 billion currently to US$10 billion by 2025.
Thanks to the announced platform, the country's companies will be able to sell their products easily in other countries of the continent. "The Egypt Post fleet will be instrumental in delivering these goods to clients in other African countries," added Minister Farouk.
Samira Njoya
With the acceleration of digital transformation across Africa, cybersecurity has become a major concern, with increasingly targeted attacks. The issue pushes governments to streamline their digital defense strategies.
Last December 14, the Chadian Ministry of Telecommunications and the National Agency for Computer Security and eCertification (ANSICE) launched a workshop for the development of a national cybersecurity strategy.
The cybersecurity strategy to be developed during the workshop -organized in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)- aims to find ways to better fight cyber threats. "It is important to assess the cybersecurity challenges to define and prioritize the responses to implement in a strategy capable of enhancing the cybersecurity of every institution,” said Digital Minister Mahamat Allahou Taher.
In recent days, Chad has accelerated its efforts to strengthen its cybersecurity. On December 5, two bills were passed to strengthen the country's cybersecurity framework. The first bill ratifies Ordinance No. 007/PCMT/2022 of August 31, 2022, on cybercrime and cyber defense, while the second ratified Ordinance No. 008/PCMT/2022 of August 31, 2022, on cybersecurity.
To strengthen its legal framework, the government decided to quicken the elaboration of the cybersecurity strategy, which was not really advancing. In 2019, during a meeting with participants from 32 national and regional institutions, it was already decided that the elaboration of the national cybersecurity strategy would be accelerated. In February, the country also hosted cybersecurity experts from various countries and the sub-region to discuss issues related to assessment methodology, strategic cybersecurity policy, online commerce, banking, legal and regulatory framework, and technology standards.
Samira Njoya
The booming tech and digital sectors play an increasingly important role in East African economies. To support the countries in their projects and foster digital integration, partner institutions are committing significant funds.
The World Bank recently granted US$15 million to strengthen and accelerate regional digital integration efforts in the East African Community (EAC).
According to a statement issued by the EAC on Saturday, December 17, with that funding, the World Bank -through its Single Digital Market (SDM) initiative- wants to help the region become a deeply integrated and dynamic hub for digital investment, innovation, and growth.
For EAC secretary general Peter Mathuki, the funds will be used to create, among other things, regional digital innovation centers in all partner states to address digital challenges. "This support will further enhance the region's competitiveness and skills development that are central to successful digital transformation," he said.
Developing digital infrastructure and the economy is one of the development priorities of EAC member countries (Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda). Two years ago,
decided to align their tax regulations concerning the digital economy. The alignment aims to increase member countries’ revenues from the ICT sector and establish a legal framework that can help countries regulate large digital firms in the years to come.
According to a study conducted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in 2020, by 2025, the digital economy’s contribution to GDP would reach 9.24% in Kenya, 5.96% in Rwanda, 4.57% in Tanzania, and 4.18% in Uganda.
To achieve this, the community can rely on the World Bank and its single digital market initiative. According to the EAC release, the project will focus on the development and integration of the connectivity market, which will involve the creation of a legal, regulatory and institutional environment conducive to information technology and communication to strengthen digitization in the region.
Samira Njoya
The Malagasy government is determined to achieve its digital transformation ambitions and deploy e-governance nationwide. It also wants to give digital training to its citizens.
Last Tuesday, the IFC and the Malagasy Digital Ministry announced a partnership aimed at improving access to advanced and specialized computer training courses in the country.
The program aims to train, within two years, 6,000 people, including public and private sector employees and youth, in IT occupations such as software development, cloud architecture, data engineering, and cybersecurity.
“The project aligns with the government's commitment to better prepare for the digital economy by developing the needed digital skills and modernizing its administration to improve service delivery, boost economic growth and create much needed jobs,” said Digital Minister Tahina Razafindramalo (photo, right).
Indeed, for several years now, digital transformation has been the core of the Malagasy government’s actions. The country defined four main axes for its development programs. They are notably the digitization of public education, health and land services, the use of new technologies in agriculture, the development of technical infrastructures, and financial inclusion.
To achieve these four objectives within a short period, the government secured support from the World Bank, which pledged more than US$140 million for the various projects. According to the international financial institution, an acceleration of the digital transformation could allow the Malagasy government to create “about 140,000 new jobs linked to digital skills across nine sectors by 2027, including apparel, agri-processing, and tourism.”
Samira Njoya
Digital health systems are expanding rapidly in Sub-Sahran Africa, democratizing access to healthcare for millions of people. However, as it is not sufficiently financed, the sector is still growing to its full potential.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and its private sector partners recently set up a US$50 million catalytic fund to support the digital health sector in Sub-Saharn Africa.
The fund, called Digital Health Impact Accelerator (DHIA), was announced during the Africa HealthTech Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda, on the sidelines of the Second International Conference on Public Health in Africa (December 13-15, 2022).
The fund “will help further strengthen regional and global data systems and surveillance capacity for data-driven decision-making, enable better patient care, and transform millions of lives,” said Country Technology Services Manager at the Global Fund and Lead for the DHIA.
“The Global Fund has played a key role in strengthening digital health systems and health data in low- and middle-income countries since its inception. These tools are critical to defeat infectious diseases and prevent future health threats,” he added.
Indeed, digital health is not yet fully developed and exploited in Sub-Saharan Africa. The coronavirus pandemic helped stimulate the segment and, since then, innovative e-health initiatives have multiplied. Same for the number of cell phone users. The GSM Association estimates that by 2025, there will be at least 634 million mobile users in Sub-Saharan Africa. The figures prove that digital technologies have already taken an important place in residents’ lives. Those technologies will also change habits in how they access healthcare in the near future.
Through the DHIA Catalytic Fund, the Global Fund and its private partners aim to “support countries to accelerate and scale up digital health solutions through more widespread internet access, strengthened information systems for data sharing, extensive use of mobile technologies, patient-centric digital tools, and unique patient IDs, among others.”
Samira Njoya
Congo plans to considerably advance its digital projects in 2023. For that purpose, it is multiplying partnerships and agreements with specialized companies.
Last Tuesday, Congolese Digital Minister Leon Juste Ibombo (photo, left), signed a memorandum of understanding with Sivakumaran Kathiresan (photo, right), the vice president of ATDXT, an Indian company specializing in digital transformation.
The memorandum between Congo and the Dubai-based company aims to support the country in the implementation of several projects, including the most important which is the digitization of the Post and Savings Company of Congo (Sopéco).
According to Sivakumaran Kathiresan, the memorandum aims to enable the construction of digital infrastructure and contribute to the digitalization of the Congolese economy.
“We will build data centers, finance the digitization of the Sopéco, promote the revival of its activities and proceed to the design of single windows in Congo,” he said.
The memorandum adds to the other agreements and partnerships already signed by Congo for its digital transformation this year. The country has teamed up with several partners to build choice digital infrastructure and build resilience. In November, the Digital Minister signed an agreement with Canadian company Casimir Network to train local talents in innovative technologies and build and operate a datacenter that will host the servers of the country's blockchain services.
With ATDXT, which is also established in Great Britain, the United States of America, India, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo aims to take advantage of Indian expertise to implement its digital development policy and achieve the objectives of the digital strategy "Digital Congo 2025".
Samira Njoya
In Africa, the ecommerce industry is booming. According to the IFC, the number of online shoppers on the continent has risen by 18 percent since 2014. This growth, fueled notably by the coronavirus pandemic, could continue over the next decade.
Last Wednesday, Gabonese ecommerce platform Olatono Market, announced it raised €45,000 to accelerate its expansion in Central Africa, strengthen partnerships and create a platform that revolutionizes ecommerce in Gabon.
"Our innovative platform differs from the existing offers. It is launched to meet the expectations of customers who are increasingly searching for solutions that give them command over their choices, enable them to compare prices and access products wherever they are in Gabon,” said Thierry Dzime, founder of Olatano Market.
The platform created in March 2021 wants to transform the ecommerce industry in Central Africa. It developed a service called Achat Flex, allowing individuals to purchase products online and pay on delivery, by installments, by mobile money, or by bank cards. It was a first in Gabon where ecommerce was gradually gaining ground.
Thanks to the funds secured, Olatano Market's managers want to develop even more services, accelerate the start-up's growth, strengthen its workforce and sign new agreements. "We are delighted to support the expansion of the company and the launch of the new product Achat Flex. The ambition is to help the future champions of Gabon’s economy emerge. We are pleased to have made these investments in a start-up with great potential. We will support its progress," said Fabrice Nze-Bekale, President of Gabon Angel Investor Network (GAIN).
According to a report by the GSMA and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Gabon became the e-commerce leader in the ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States) zone in 2021, overtaking Cameroon.
Samira Njoya
The program aims to finance the development of African tech ecosystems.
Last Tuesday, Digital Africa announced its first 15 “Connectors" (leaders who will collaborate with Digital Africa for the development of local and regional tech and entrepreneurial ecosystems).
In a release accessed by We Are Tech Africa, Digital Africa explains that the 15 leaders will help find customized solutions to community challenges and generate effective opportunities. “Africa needs African-designed solutions to the continent's structural and infrastructural problems, be it in health, sports, energy, agriculture and we believe that it is in the made-in-Africa tech that can do it,” explains Aphrodice Mutangana, director of partnerships at Digital Africa.
A few months ago, Digital Africa launched a call for applications for its "Connectors Digital Africa" program. At the end of the selections, fifteen high-level African personalities were chosen, with three connectors per region: North Africa, South Africa, West Africa, East Africa, and Central Africa. They were selected based on their professional experience, and their strong sense of leadership, but especially for their commitment to having a positive impact on the African tech ecosystem.
Their missions will include acting as ambassadors representing Digital Africa in the region and providing a link between their community and Digital Africa, organizing activities and events on behalf of Digital Africa, identifying and mobilizing resources, and helping to map the ecosystem and suggest solutions.
"Connectors" is one of several initiatives launched by Digital Africa since its inception in 2018. In October, the pan-African initiative launched "Fuzé", a program that aims to provide a solution to the financing problems faced by African startups.
Samira Njoya
In recent years, Morocco has built a number of partnerships to develop its digital sector. Last October, the government announced international partnerships that would help create more than 14,000 direct digital jobs in the country.
On December 6-9, 2022, Morocco hosted a mission of Portuguese tech entrepreneurs in partnership with several digital actors, namely the Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade of Portugal (AICEP Portugal Global), the National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE), the Confederation of Enterprises of Portugal (CIP) and the Association of Companies for a Network of Innovation of Aveiro (INOVA-RIA).
The mission aimed to present the current potential of the Portuguese technology ecosystem, identify business opportunities and establish partnerships with Moroccan tech companies.
During the 4-day visit, participants took part in B2B meetings in Casablanca. In Rabat, they also participated in a forum with the Moroccan public administration and local entities that have digital projects. Through that visit, the Portuguese tech entrepreneurs wanted to present themselves as privileged partners in the Moroccan ICGT industry and consolidate the relationship between the two countries’ digital actors.
Portugal is among the most business-friendly, stable, and open countries in the European Union in terms of innovation, digitization, and technical expertise. It is currently the 7th most advanced country in Europe according to the "Digitization in Europe 2020-2021" report. According to the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report 2020, it is the 6th best-prepared country in the world for the energy and digital transition, enabling a greener and more inclusive economy.
Thanks to the envisaged partnerships, Morocco will be able to take advantage of Portugal’s skills and experience to effectively implement the numerous projects planned in its digital strategy. In the Maghreb, Morocco is one of the pioneers of digital transformation. In 2005, the country started implementing digital strategies, including the "e-Morocco 2010" strategy, followed by the "Digital Morocco 2013" plan, "Digital Morocco 2020" and "Horizon 2025". In 2020, it was ranked fourth in the MENA "Digital Risers" (ranking of countries in terms of digital competitiveness).
Samira Njoya
More...
Changing processes, management procedures, and interfaces called for by the ongoing digital transformation require investments, which most small businesses can not afford. The partnership aims to help in that regard and support small businesses through various means.
Pan-African fintech MFS Africa and the International Trade Centre (ITC) recently signed a partnership agreement to accelerate the digitalization of African markets.
According to a release issued by the ITC last Friday, the two “entities will support businesses in more than 10 African markets (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia) through product integration, capacity building in fintech and digital payments, exposure to investment and business-to-business meetings.”
“With this partnership, ITC will strengthen its commitment to support small businesses in accessing financing and in digitalization and jointly tackle SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). This partnership is the next step into ITC’s ambition to collaborate with the private sector to scale solutions supporting small business,” said Robert Skidmore, Chief of Sector and Enterprise Competitiveness at the International Trade Centre.
According to the LSEG Africa Advisory Group's 2018 report, "The challenges and opportunities of SME financing in Africa," SMEs are crucial for job creation and economic growth in Africa. In Africa, they account for about 90 percent of established businesses, create between 60 percent and 80 percent of jobs, and contribute 40 percent of GDP. In comparison, SMEs in the United States and Europe represent 53% and 65% of established businesses respectively.
Through this partnership, ITC and MFS Africa will help put small businesses at the heart of financial inclusion and digitalization. The partnership marks an important step in contributing to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It will "build a new era where small business is at the heart of economic growth for the benefit of millions of African citizens," according to Ali Ouedraogo, head of expansion at MFS Africa.
Samira Njoya
Information and communication technologies have proven their worth in improving efficiency and facilitating growth in various sectors. For that purpose, in a bid to leverage their power, Cameroon wants to up its investments in the sector.
Last Tuesday, Cameroonian President Paul Biya (photo) signed a decree empowering the Minister of Economy to ink a EUR84.1 million loan agreement with the International Development Association (IDA). The funds thus secured aim to finance PATNuC, a project to accelerate digital transformation in the country.
According to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (Minpostel), the project being implemented since 2021 aims to pursue ICT reforms and policies, improve citizens’ digital skills, encourage the development of digital apps and services and increase the reach and use of digital services to boost employment and entrepreneurship in Cameroon.
PATNuC has three main companies. The first is the establishment of new institutional, legal and regulatory frameworks conducive to the growth of the digital sector, the enhancement of digital trust, the creation of digital platforms, and the acquisition of relevant equipment for the secure and resilient development of digital services in Cameroon.
The second component focuses on stimulating the local market by facilitating Internet access and the inclusive use of ICTs for the development of the country’s economic fabric. "Its specific objective is to promote the expansion of digital networks in rural areas by focusing on underserved areas to improve mobile broadband services in those areas. It will do so mainly through public-private partnerships (PPPs)," explains the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.
The last component focuses on strengthening disruptive agricultural technologies (DAT) to improve market linkages and value addition in targeted rural communities.
S.A.
E-governance is one of the priorities of the Algerian government. The choice aims to promote economic growth and improve employment and living standards.
Last Wednesday, Algeria launched its e-governance platform featuring over 300 digitized public services offered by various ministries. The platform allows citizens access to the services and detailed information on administrative procedures.
According to Prime Minister Aïmene Benabderrahmane, the platform plays a “vital role in promoting unified access to digital services, which spares citizens the burden of wasting their time searching for digital public services and checking official sites and sectoral portals.”
Since 2020, Algeria has made notable progress, establishing a solid foundation for its effective digital transformation. According to the UN E-Government Survey 2022, Algeria ranks 112th out of the 193 countries surveyed in the report. It also has a high e-governance index and is among Africa’s top 16 in that index.
The unified e-government platform is part of the national strategy for an efficient digital transformation. For Minister Aïmene Benabderrahmane, it is an important milestone in the implementation of the country’s program to achieve digital transformation, promote the widespread use of ICT tools and improve economic governance.
Samira Njoya
In Africa, there is still a shortage of qualified workforce for the continent’s digital ambitions. Hence the importance of actions like training and youth support which Orange is offering across the continent.
Last Wednesday, telecom operator Orange officially inaugurated its Digital Center in Conakry, Guinea. The tech infrastructure is the result of a collaboration between the operator and the German development cooperation agency GIZ. It will allow young graduates and non-graduates to be trained in digital technology, to be incubated, free of charge, and to become self-employed. They can also take part in accelerator programs.
According to Ousmane Boly Traoré, general manager of Orange Guinea, this new digital center will allow young people to be not only competitive in the job market but also to find the resources necessary to train in new technologies, embark on entrepreneurship and create jobs.
The center spans over 600 square meters. It hosts four of Orange group’s strategic programs, namely a Coding School, the digital manufacturing workshop FabLab Solidaire, the accelerator Orange Fab, and the investment fund Orange Ventures Middle East and Africa.
The programs are free for everyone. Young people will receive training (90% hands-on training) while project leaders will receive support, including acceleration and investment.
Over the past few years, Guinea has taken action to develop its population’s digital skills. Last September, the Minister of Technical Education and Vocational Training, Alpha Bacar Barry, unveiled the government's plan to transform the national telecom academy into a National Digital School. Orange’s initiative enriches such actions and offers the youth more opportunities to get digital training and get the skills needed to let the country benefit from the digital economy.
Orange Digital Guinea is the thirteen similar infrastructures launched by Orange in the Middle East and Africa. It is in line with Orange's approach to digital inclusion. According to Frank Lütje, chargé d'affaires of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Republic of Guinea, it aims to strengthen access to the labor market as well as entrepreneurship to help the youth fully contribute to a better future for their generation and Guinea as a whole.
Samira Njoya