Digital transformation is a crucial step in improving government efficiency, reducing bureaucracy, and fostering economic growth. Digitalization of public services is essential for enhancing transparency, reducing processing times, and improving accessibility for citizens and businesses.

On February 7, President Wavel Ramkalawan of Seychelles visited the Registrar General’s Office. The visit reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to digitalizing public services.

During the visit, he toured key departments, including Business Registration and Intellectual Property, which play vital roles in business development and innovation protection. He also engaged with senior management to discuss institutional achievements, ongoing challenges, and modernization efforts aimed at improving service efficiency.

Addressing the media alongside Registrar General Wendy Pierre, President Ramkalawan praised the office’s progress in digitalization, emphasizing its role in enhancing service accessibility. He also announced upcoming legislative reforms to support the transition to modernized operations.

The Registrar General’s Office remains focused on creating a transparent, efficient, and technology-driven framework to support Seychelles' development, with digital services set to improve accessibility and efficiency for all citizens.

Globally, digital transformation in government has proven to increase efficiency and reduce corruption. The 2024 UN E-Government Development Index (EGDI), which evaluates e-government readiness and e-participation across UN Member States, ranks Seychelles 92nd out of 193 countries with a score of 0.6773 (out of 1). This reflects its progress in adopting digital services. However, further modernization efforts are necessary to maintain this lead.

Hikmatu Bilali

 

Posted On lundi, 10 février 2025 14:39 Written by

Algeria is stepping up its efforts to protect citizens online, particularly children, as internet and digital technology use grows. This increased focus aims to address the rising online risks faced by an increasingly connected population.

Sid Ali Zerrouki (photo, left), Algeria’s Minister of Post and Telecommunications, launched a national awareness campaign on Saturday, February 8, aimed at protecting children from the dangers of unsafe internet use. The initiative focuses on risks related to online gaming, web browsing, and social media and will run until February 14.

This civic initiative aims to raise awareness among children, parents, and educators about best practices for safe internet browsing. It also seeks to inform them about ways to detect and avoid hidden cyber threats, while providing advice, recommendations, and best practices for the responsible use of digital tools,” the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications said in a release.

According to Minister Zerrouki, the program addresses the growing risks of the digital world, which require a preventive and proactive approach to protect citizens, particularly vulnerable groups such as children. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimates that more than one-third of young people in 30 countries worldwide have experienced cyberbullying, and one in five has missed school because of it. The organization also warns of other dangers, including hate speech, violent content, targeted marketing, screen addiction, and online exploitation and abuse.

The initiative aims to create a safe digital environment where children can fully benefit from being online. “Growing up online offers unlimited opportunities. Through computers, smartphones, gaming consoles, and televisions, children learn, imagine, and develop their social networks. When used wisely and made accessible to all, the internet has the potential to broaden horizons and spark creativity worldwide,” UNICEF explains.

Official statistics show internet subscriptions in Algeria grew from 39.8 million in the second quarter of 2019 to 54.9 million in the same period of 2024. While the number of children with internet access is unspecified, 35.2% of Algeria’s 45.95 million inhabitants (as recorded by DataReportal in early 2024) are aged 0 to 17. UNICEF also reports that a child goes online for the first time every half-second globally.

By Isaac K. Kassouwi

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji

Posted On lundi, 10 février 2025 10:15 Written by

Many African countries are making digital transformation a cornerstone of their socioeconomic development strategies. To achieve their ambitions, they are increasingly relying on regional and international partnerships.

Togo and Côte d'Ivoire are looking to strengthen their collaboration on digital transformation.  The topic was discussed during a meeting Thursday between Togo’s Minister of Digital Transition and Digitalization, Cina Lawson, and her Ivorian counterpart, Kalil Konaté, who was on a working visit to Lomé. 

The discussions covered key areas such as electronic communications regulation, digital innovation, infrastructure improvement, cybersecurity, digital resilience, and the protection of critical digital infrastructure.

The meeting reflects both countries’ ambitions for digital transformation. Togo’s “Togo Digital Strategy” aims to establish the country as a leading digital hub while improving citizens' quality of life through digital services. Ivory Coast’s digital agenda centers on boosting national economic growth by expanding digital services and making everyday life easier.

A joint study by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Google projects Africa’s digital economy will reach at least $712 billion by 2050, representing 8.5% of the continent’s GDP. The World Bank estimates Ivory Coast's digital economy could generate over $20 billion by 2050, contingent on increased public and private investment in five key pillars of digital development.

Currently, Togo lags in digital governance. The 2024 UN E-Government Development Index gave Togo a score of 0.3920 out of 1, below the West African average (0.3957), the African average (0.4247), and the global average (0.6382). Ivory Coast, ranked 124th globally with a score of 0.5587, performs better than regional averages but remains below the global benchmark.

In cybersecurity, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ranked Togo and Ivory Coast in Tiers 2 and 3, respectively, in its 2024 Global Security Index, highlighting the need for improved digital security measures in both countries.

By Isaac K. Kassouwi, 

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji

Posted On lundi, 10 février 2025 08:32 Written by

The digitization of public services is underway in several African countries. In Mali, authorities launched a digital platform in January to improve access to judicial services. In February, they are taking another step in the same direction.

Malian authorities have approved plans to establish a National Agency for the Security of Civil Status Documents, aiming to digitize these records and improve their reliability. The draft legislation was adopted during a Council of Ministers meeting last Wednesday and will be submitted to the National Assembly for approval before implementation.

The new agency will be tasked with strengthening the security of civil status documents by implementing electronic solutions for their design, production, identification, and authentication, according to an official statement. It will also support the Civil Status Data Processing Center, which currently faces challenges including poor coordination among stakeholders and weak document security.

This initiative aligns with Mali’s broader strategy to leverage digital technology for modernization and economic growth. Several projects are planned for 2025, including expanding the government’s intranet network to 15 new regions, developing and deploying specialized administrative applications, and launching a digital literacy platform.

In January, Malian authorities launched a digital platform to improve access to judicial services. The success of the new agency, however, will depend on the government’s ability to secure necessary resources and address challenges related to digital infrastructure and administrative staff training.

By Isaac K. Kassouwi,

Editing by Feriol Bewa

Posted On lundi, 10 février 2025 08:02 Written by

Francophone Africa, with its strong economic potential, is emerging as a key attraction for companies seeking new opportunities. Despite its dynamic and rapidly evolving environment, the region remains largely untapped by international startups.

Startbutton, a pan-African fintech company that enables businesses to expand internationally without physical offices, announced on Friday its expansion into seven new Francophone African countries: Benin, Togo, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Conakry, and Cameroon. This move brings the startup's operations to 15 African markets.

Commenting on the expansion, Startbutton co-founder Malick Bolakale stated: “Francophone Africa maintains strong trade ties with Europe, particularly France, creating unique payment flows and business expansion opportunities. The region is less saturated than Anglophone Africa but holds significant economic potential.” This strategic analysis underpins the company’s decision to target the high-growth potential of the Francophone market.

Startbutton’s expansion aligns with its broader goal of becoming a key infrastructure provider for businesses operating across Africa. With over 300 million people, Francophone Africa represents a strategic destination for companies looking to scale. Currently, Startbutton processes over $5 million per month, generating revenue through transaction fees ranging from 0.5% to 1%. With this expansion, the company expects an additional $2 million in transaction volume from Francophone markets.

Despite ongoing challenges related to cross-border payments and regulatory compliance, Startbutton aims to establish itself as a central player in Africa’s evolving commerce landscape by offering local currency payment solutions while ensuring adherence to local regulations.

This expansion is a major asset for payment companies seeking to enter Francophone Africa without the need for physical offices, reducing operational costs while ensuring regulatory compliance. Startbutton already serves over 100 businesses across 20 countries, primarily in aviation, gaming, and e-commerce, facilitating cross-border growth with tailored payment solutions.

By Samira Njoya,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji

Posted On vendredi, 07 février 2025 13:48 Written by

Beninese authorities have made digital technology a key pillar of the country's socioeconomic development. The government has recently begun searching for an expert to strengthen the development environment for digital public services.

The Beninese government aims to leverage Starlink’s space technology to improve Internet access in poorly covered areas and strengthen digital inclusion. This issue was one of three areas of cooperation discussed on Wednesday, February 5, during a meeting between Romuald Wadagni (photo, center), Minister of State for Economy and Finance, and representatives of U.S. company SpaceX, which operates the Starlink satellite Internet service.

Discussions also focused on developing innovative digital solutions for e-education and e-health—key drivers of social transformation—as well as enhancing connectivity for more effective border surveillance. “Digital inclusion is a key tool for addressing tomorrow’s challenges. This partnership illustrates our commitment to modernizing the country and reducing the digital divide for more inclusive and sustainable development,” said Wadagni.

This initiative aligns with the government’s vision of making “Benin the digital hub of West Africa” and using digital transformation as a key lever to accelerate economic growth. However, telecom adoption, particularly Internet use, remains limited.

According to the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Post Office (ARCEP), Benin had 8.5 million unique mobile subscribers, with a penetration rate of 67%. ARCEP estimates that by the end of 2023, the country had 7.0 million unique Internet users, representing 55.4% of the total population. The GSMA, the global association of mobile operators, reported that 3.8 million Beninese regularly accessed the Internet via mobile phones in 2023, accounting for 28% of the population.

Bridging this digital divide offers numerous benefits for the population. “The adoption of digital technologies opens new avenues for development, whether by increasing the added value of existing agricultural resources, facilitating access to global value chains, improving education and healthcare, reducing transaction costs, or enhancing the efficiency, transparency, and governance of government services for citizens and businesses,” the GSMA stated in its report “Driving Digital Transformation of the Economy in Benin: Opportunities, Policy Reforms, and the Role of Mobile”.

While Starlink launched commercial operations in Benin at the end of 2023, discussions with the government are still preliminary. No agreement has been signed or announced, and it is unclear how residents in underserved areas would specifically benefit from any potential partnership.

By Isaac K. Kassouwi,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji

Posted On vendredi, 07 février 2025 13:40 Written by

Education systems worldwide face significant challenges, including limited access, geographic disparities, and disruptions caused by social unrest or security crises. To address these issues and ensure inclusive education, innovative solutions like remote learning are crucial.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) signed a historic decree regulating distance learning for primary, secondary, and technical education, the Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship announced on Wednesday. This initiative is part of a broader effort to modernize the Congolese education system, making it more inclusive and accessible to all, in line with President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo’s vision.

"Through a multimodal model combining digital platforms, radio, television, and offline materials, this decree ensures that all students, including those in low-connectivity areas, can continue their education. This is a decisive step toward educational equity and reducing territorial inequalities,” the ministry said in a statement.

The decision comes at a time when the eastern part of the country is facing significant security challenges, including armed conflicts that hinder access to education for many children. According to UNICEF, approximately seven million children did not return to school for the 2023-2024 academic year due to factors such as poverty, lack of infrastructure, child labor, and, in some regions, ongoing instability.

Distance learning is thus emerging as a strategic solution to ensure education continues despite these obstacles. Moreover, this approach will help prepare Congolese youth for the challenges of the 21st century by fostering essential skills such as autonomous learning and digital literacy. UNESCO highlights that distance learning strategies strengthen the resilience of the education sector, offering opportunities to bridge the gap between rural and urban populations.

By Samira Njoya,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji

Posted On vendredi, 07 février 2025 09:08 Written by

African agriculture still faces numerous challenges that prevent the continent from achieving food self-sufficiency. Just as mechanization was key to the Industrial Revolution, digital technology in today's Fourth Industrial Revolution offers significant potential to transform the sector. Ethiopia is embracing this potential with an ambitious new strategy.

The Ethiopian government officially launched, on Tuesday, its Digital Agriculture Roadmap (DAR), a national plan to accelerate the digitalization of the agricultural sector, the Ministry of Agriculture said. Developed by the ministry in collaboration with the Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI), the roadmap will be implemented from 2025 to 2032.

The government aims to enhance agricultural productivity through inclusive, accessible, and sustainable digital solutions, Agriculture Minister Girma Amente said. The strategy is designed to facilitate access to agricultural extension services via smartphones, improve input availability, strengthen financial services such as loans and agricultural insurance, and enhance coordination across the entire value chain, from production to commercialization, he said.

The DAR rollout will occur in two phases. The first, from 2025 to 2029, will focus on establishing basic digital infrastructure and developing priority services for agriculture. The second, from 2030 to 2032, aims to expand and diversify the digital ecosystem across the sector.

Authorities acknowledge that Ethiopia’s agricultural digitalization faces significant challenges, particularly limited connectivity and a lack of digital skills, which could slow technology adoption.

According to the report Driving Digital Transformation of the Economy in Ethiopia: Opportunities, Policy Reforms and the Role of Mobile, published by the GSMA in October 2024, 76% of Ethiopians still do not use mobile internet.

GSMA also estimates that smartphone penetration, a key tool in the DAR, stands at just 36% in Ethiopia. Additionally, the association rates the population’s proficiency in basic digital skills at 41 out of 100.

By Stéphanas Assocle,

Editing by Wilfried ASSOGBA

Posted On jeudi, 06 février 2025 14:33 Written by

Morocco's e-government journey began in 2013 with the Maroc Numérique Plan and advanced in 2020 with the Maroc Digitale Strategy. By 2030, the government aims to accelerate this progress, creating a more efficient administration.

Morocco plans to launch its digital public services portal, e-services, on February 14, 2025, according to local media reports. Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, the Minister Delegate in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, made the announcement on Tuesday before the Public Finance Control Committee at the House of Representatives, the reports said.

The online portal already centralizes around 600 public services, including more than 300 for citizens, about 200 for businesses, and nearly 100 for public administrations. The goal is to improve access to administrative services by streamlining procedures and reducing processing times.

The initiative is part of the Digital Morocco 2030 strategy, unveiled in September 2024. According to the United Nations, Morocco currently scores 0.5618 out of 1 on the Online Service Index, part of the E-Government Development Index (EGDI). The country ranks 100th globally and 11th in Africa, with ambitions to break into the global Top 50 by 2030.

The portal's launch is expected to facilitate interactions between citizens and the administration, improve access to essential services, and contribute to better digital governance. The Digital Morocco 2030 strategy document states that processing times for requests should be reduced by 50%, the reports added.

 By Adoni Conrad Quenum,

Editing by Feriol Bewa

Posted On jeudi, 06 février 2025 14:26 Written by

Google and the IFC project that Africa's digital economy will make up 5.2% of the continent's GDP by 2025. While this potential attracts some tech companies, others are strategically pulling back.

IBM is ending operations in Nigeria, Ghana, and other key African markets, transferring its regional functions to MIBB, a subsidiary of Midis Group, a multinational IT and telecommunications conglomerate, effective April 1, the company said. The transfer will also affect 34 other African countries where IBM has a presence.

"IBM are partnering with MIBB to launch an alternative operating model, and are still committed to doing business in Africa, this new operating model shows a strong commitment by IBM to a continued focus in Africa. IBM will continue to invest and innovate in Africa, including through the ongoing development of the industry’s most cutting-edge AI and hybrid cloud technology to ensure the success of our clients," IBM said in a statement. 

IBM, present in Nigeria for over 50 years, has provided infrastructure and consulting services to critical industries such as banking, telecommunications, oil, gas, and government. The company cited growing competition from companies like Dell and Huawei, combined with global financial challenges, as factors in the repositioning.

In 2024, IBM's consulting business revenue declined 2% to $5.18 billion, while infrastructure sales dropped 8%, the company reported. Overall revenue increased 1% to $17.55 billion, driven by a 10% rise in software sales to $7.92 billion. Its exit comes as cloud adoption expands rapidly across Africa. A Telecom Advisory Services study commissioned by AWS projects cloud usage in Nigeria to triple over the next decade, potentially contributing $30.2 trillion to the country's economy by 2033.

MIBB will take over operations, support, and local client relations while marketing IBM’s products and services, including software, hardware, cloud, and consulting, the company said.

By Samira Njoya,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji

Posted On jeudi, 06 février 2025 14:10 Written by
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