Johannesburg, 29 Oct 2015
Accelerating digital innovation in Africa was the theme of the Transform Africa 2015 conference, held in Kigali, Rwanda on 19-21 October. Knotion was privileged to attend the conference at the invitation of the Rwanda Minister of Youth and ICT. The conference focused on new ways to deliver on the Smart Africa target of US$300 billion invested in ICT development in Africa by 2020.
Smart Africa is an initiative that was introduced by African heads of state at Transform Africa's 2013 conference, with the view that technology innovation has the power to be the disruptor for development in Africa.
As one panellist commented: "When you are a disruptor, you should be fighting for a better way, constantly focusing on how to do it better." The conference revealed some exciting examples of how technology is being harnessed to improve daily life on the continent.
Youth education
One of the key messages of the conference was the importance of youth education. African countries cannot realise the dream of having a Smart Africa if we do not train our children. Africa needs to think about how it trains the workforces of 2025/2030. Governments should ensure that regulations support the youth to create innovative solutions, companies and build wealth for the continent.
Africa has more children under 20 years of age than anywhere else in the world, and half the population is under 30. The decisions and policies that are made today will impact on the wealth of African children in the future.
Rwanda is taking the lead, with 95% enrolment of children and 98% of girls in education. Fifty percent of Rwandan learners currently follow a scientific track. A Smart Africa scholarship fund has been established and its first beneficiaries are now attending Carnegie Mellon University in Kigali.
Apps for Africa
One panel discussion revealed there are more innovations that affect real life coming out of Africa than America. A notable example is how data from mobile phones is being used to track the movement of people and coupling this with data on malaria incidence, resulting in a better understanding of how the disease is spread and thus how its spread can be prevented.
In Rwanda the development of apps is spreading rapidly among the youth. One of the many apps exhibited at the conference was the 'Safe Moto', which is like an Uber for motorcycles. The 'moto', or small motorcycle, is the main form of transport in central Africa. Customers enter their pick-up and drop-off destinations into the app, and choose a star rating for the quality of driver they want. The better the driver, the higher the fare. 'Safe Moto' also tracks the driving style of the motorcycle owner, which motivates them to drive more safely and increase their rating. In a country where 80% of all accidents involve motorcycles, this is a life-changing application.
Smart cities, smart countries
Smart cities and countries were also discussed, in particular the challenge of developing solutions that are aligned to the culture of the residents. As part of the Kigali Smart City concept, Ericson is helping the local authorities implement a smart transport system that will improve service delivery, as buses are currently unreliable and users do not know if and when a bus will arrive. With the new system, a passenger can request a bus and the bus drivers will know who is waiting where. Payments will also be digital, reducing the need for cash currency. Rwanda currently has 25 services online and plans to have 30 by the end of 2015.
The conclusion was that Africa does not have to copy the infrastructure and mechanisms of developed countries; Africa can think differently and accelerate its own digital innovation. A prime example is how mobile money is currently transforming the lives of people in rural areas, whereas developed countries base most payment solutions on credit card platforms. Similarly, in Gabon, technology is being applied to improve the tax system, visa applications and agriculture.
What was not addressed is the cost of building smart cities. Governments in Africa do not have an easy task in promoting the use of technology while also facing pressing challenges of food and shelter for their people. In addition, such large-scale initiatives require a 'master architect'. While international ICT product vendors are lining up to provide 'bricks', 'mortar' and 'doors' to build smart cities, Knotion believes that without a 'master architect', Smart Africa will quickly grow in complexity and become difficult and costly to manage. However, using enterprise architecture as a planning tool to support the 'master architect' in the planning of smart cities will go a long way in addressing these concerns.
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