GlobalData stated that 5G could find its major use case in helping IoT applications to overcome 4G limitations. (Image source: Christoph Scholz/Flickr)
GlobalData has revealed how 5G can influence the deployment of emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous vehicles, robotics and drones, and virtual reality (VR)
Nigeria has a mobile penetration rate of about 90 per cent. (Image source: WorldRemit Comms/Flickr)
In a move that underscores its mission to deliver the right offer to the right customer at the right time, fonYou has opened a new office in Nigeria, where more than 30mn new mobile subscribers are expected to come online by 2025
Beehive will sell and support its products across the continent, helping customers take the next step beyond customer communications. (Image source: rawpixel.com/Pexels)
Customer communications expert Quadient has partnered with financial services specialist Beehive Online Solutions to spread customer experience revolution across Africa
Drones will be used by South African miners for mineral exploration. (Image source: Gabriel Garcia Marengo
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has made tangible progress in introducing new technologies, with mobile phone penetration reaching 44 per cent in 2017, with over 400 million subscribers. Mobile has effectively leapfrogged fixed-line telecoms infrastructure
Technology raises income levels and enhances the quality of people’s life. Over time, transportation and communication costs fall, logistics and regional supply chains become more effective and trading costs will decline. That, in turn, opens new markets and drive economic growth across Africa.
Various examples of advanced technologies being used by African governments, businesses and consumers cut across sectors. East Africa has led the development of mobile money (m-pesa) in Kenya, facilitating access to financial services to millions of ‘unbanked’ populations. New start-ups like EC CASH provide mobile money transfer and micro financing, while FarmDrive connects smallholder farmers with lenders and hello tractor links farmers with the nearest tractor owner. South Africa uses biometric data and payment cards to deliver social security across the country.
Rwanda boasts the worlds first cargo drone delivery service with Silicon Valley start-up Zipline, which delivers critical medical supplies to remote health centres thanks to recent regulations that gave drones the status of government flights. And in Malawi, a drone test corridor for humanitarian purposes was launched in 2017 in a partnership between the United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund (Unicef) and the government.
Drones are also deployed by South African miners for everything from mapping to mineral exploration to tracking stockpiles. Drones deliver samples from sites thus surveyors spend less time gathering data in the field and more time interpreting it. The use of drone mining helps track deposits in deep mines.
Further examples of innovative local services include VULA Mobile (medical diagnosis app) in South Africa connecting health workers with specialists. Biscate is a mobile-recruitment service for blue-collar workers in Mozambique. In education, fundi bots offers science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) training in classrooms and communities and KYTABU has improved access to textbooks and audio books. More significantly, 3D printing can tackle Africa’s chronic housing deficit by building a house in 24-hours at a low cost. In Ghana, Global Positioning System (GPS) is used to establish addresses where street names and numbers or maps are incomplete.
New technologies are vital to boost agricultural productivity - SSA is endowed with 60 per cent of globe’s uncultivated arable land. Farmerline, a Ghanaian agro-tech company uses cellphones to provide timely information to farmers on weather forecasts, market prices and financial services. iCOW advises farmers and herders on crop cycle, fertilising, seeding, poultry and best practices; FAMEWS collects data and maps the spread of fall armyworm infestation to protect crops and livestock.
By economist, Moin Siddiqi
*The full report: “Preparing the African Continent for the Fourth Industrial Revolution” will be published in African Review March 2019.
The objective of Mowali is to increase the usage of mobile money by consumers and merchants. (Image source: rawpixel.com/Flickr)
Orange Group and MTN Group, Africa’s mobile operators and mobile money providers, have announced a joint venture, Mowali (mobile wallet interoperability), to enable interoperable payments across the continent
The Carmix 3.5TT is renowned for its robust performance in concrete mixing. (Image source: Carmix)
Genuine Volvo Parts are specifically developed, tested and approved to get the very best results from your Volvo machine. (Image source: Volvo CE)
The Cat G3520 Fast Response natural-gas generator set is available for dealers around the world. (Image source: Cat)
The transaction will give TotalEnergies an interest in hydropower projects in Uganda, Rwanda and Malawi. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
Hyde Johannesburg marks a major milestone for Ennismore as the brand’s first hotel in Africa. (Image source: Ennismore)
Bboxx is championing the economic empowerment of Africa. (Image source: Bboxx)
Lafarge Africa is a leading producer of building materials and construction solutions. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
Africa in 2024 exemplified resilience and ambition, with strides in renewables, infrastructure development, and global energy partnerships. (Image source: Synergy Consulting)
Goldwind is planning to build a new green methanol factory. (Image source: Hapag-Lloyd)
The new marketplace was unveiled at bauma China (Image source: MYCRANE)
