Public Management (435)
Absenteeism is one of the main problems affecting education in Africa. To address the problem, DRC is betting on technologies.
Last Thursday, Tony Mwaba Kazadi (photo, left), DR Congo’s Minister of Primary, Secondary, and Technical Education, inaugurated a digital attendance tracking system in Gombe. The system will allow the government to check the daily attendance of teachers under the Ministry of Primary, Secondary, and Technical Education.
According to Minister Mwaba Kazadi, the attendance system is “part of a positive sanction scheme that comes after punitive sanctions, which are still necessary to rehabilitate the education sector that once lacked strong leadership and exemplary governance.”
“You are now invited to use this tech system [...] which helps the Ministry [of Primary and Secondary Education] end absenteeism. It will provide credible data on the active workforce for an improved school administration. The human resource management department will also have to send us credible attendance rates to help us improve work performance,” he added.
Henceforth, teachers and administrative staff will use their biometric cards to certify their presence in classrooms and offices. The system is implemented to fight problems like absenteeism and duplicate records (by ghost workers) that affect the country’s education sector. It will also modernize the administration by capitalizing on modern technologies.
It is initiated to stabilize the formerly unstable public administration. With that digital attendance system, the country hopes to significantly reduce teachers’ absenteeism rate which is one of the reasons students’ achievements have dropped in recent years.
Samira Njoya
In the short term, the digitalization of the cadastre will improve land management and reduce conflicts.
DR Congo recently took a step further towards the digital transformation of its public service. On August 2, 2022, Minister of Land Affairs Aimé Molendo Sakombi (photo, left) signed an agreement with Luxembourg company eProseed for the implementation of e-Foncier, the country’s digital land management platform.
According to Minister Molendo Sakombi, the contract makes eProseed the government’s partner in the implementation of that project. It ends a “long quest for a reliable partner that will lead the digitalization of the cadastre and secure land/property titles,” he added.
The government official explained that the digitalization of the cadastre is required for the department of land affairs to meet expectations, fueled by the country’s large land potential. It will also help maximize revenues, reduce land conflicts and safeguard social peace, he informed.
The e-Foncier project will enable the government to make land management more transparent and secure more revenues. It will also make investors and individuals feel secure when it comes to land affairs. In addition, it will allow public authorities to access secure land data right from one single database and create more jobs.
The agreement with eProseed includes the construction of a "Land Tower", which will house the whole Ministry of Land Affairs, the General Secretariat, and the future National Center for the digitization of the cadastre, as of 2024. The company will also create an e-Foncier platform with a data storage feature based on artificial intelligence and blockchain. The platform will be the key tool for modern land management in DR Congo, we learn.
To fund the project, eProseed will contribute US$140 million without government support or sovereign guarantee. It will also disburse an additional US$15 million for the construction of the tower.
The e-Foncier project is part of ‘Horizon 2025’, the country’s digital plan that aims to resolve land conflict by securing land/property titles. For Minister Moelndo Sakombi, the implementation of this large project will usher in a new era, which will be utterly different from what is being witnessed currently.
Samira Njoya
Data is a key asset in the transformation of Africa’s agriculture sector. Therefore, by unveiling that platform, Senegalese authorities want to ensure the availability of reliable data for the elaboration of effective agricultural policies.
On Friday (July 29), Senegal unveiled AgriData, its national agriculture analytics platform. The platform was launched, in Dakar, by the National Agency of Statistics and Demography (ANSD), the Directorate of Agricultural Analysis, Forecasting and Statistics (Dapsa), and the Agricultural and Rural Prospects Initiative (Ipar). During the launching ceremony, AgriData awards were conferred to young journalists and researchers for their contribution to the development of sustainable agriculture in the country.
According to Cheikh Oumar Bâ, Executive Director of Ipar, the platform is a requirement to enable access to streamlined and efficient agriculture data for citizens. He explained that to ensure the reliability of the “reference platform,” data producers and users were rallied.
The new platform shares comprehensive, reliable, and timely agricultural statistics and data that can inform evidence-based agricultural development policies. Its aim is to allow easy and quick access to agriculture information produced by actors and stakeholders right from a single platform.
AgriData will also present the agriculture projects implemented by Senegal and their status reports. “The platform will present sectoral surveys conducted by national and international organizations,” Cheikh Oumar Bâ added.
Thanks to AgriData, which is part of Senegal’s strategy to meet the food security and sustainable agriculture goal by 2030, the country wants to pioneer agriculture data exploitation in Africa.
Samira Njoya
In Africa, the coronavirus pandemic demonstrated the need for e-learning initiatives. However, some constraints still affect the development of those initiatives. One of those constraints is teachers’ low ICT adoption. It is, therefore, crucial to train them on how to use IT tools to share their knowledge.
The Francophone University Agency (AUF), on Monday, July 25, kicked off a training session to train teachers in e-learning course designing and scripting. The training session is launched in the framework of Africa Digital Campus, which aims to boost distance learning.
For Ouidad Tebbaa, Regional Director of the Francophone Universities Association (AUF) in West Africa, “the AUF aims to train teachers who will constitute a skill pool to be used by the universities of Burkina Faso and Benin.”
“The project wants to boost the e-learning offer. It will provide the universities with adequate infrastructure and build teachers’ capacities in the e-learning field,” she added.
For two weeks, 69 teachers from Burkinabe public and private universities will be trained in course scripting and designing. They will become bridges assisting other teachers who are yet to grasp the importance of ICT in education.
“Digitilizing education requires paradigm shifts. We need to review pedagogical approaches and consider digitalization not as a constraint but as an opportunity,” explained Jean Marie Dipama, president of the Virtual University of Burkina Faso (UV-BF).
Throughout 2022, Africa digital campus will organize similar training sessions in other countries. The 2-year program is funded by the European Union to the tune of €2.8 million. It focuses on four key areas, notably developing e-learning, modernizing infrastructure and equipment to allow students and teachers to easily access learning platforms, knowledge sharing as well as awareness-raising to convince decision-makers to support the development of connectivity solutions.
Thanks to the training sessions organized by the AUF, 121 courses (for seven training programs) will be accessible on the UV-BF’s platform.
Samira Njoya
In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic forced most African countries to accelerate their digital transformation. In that regard, they focused heavily on boosting access to the internet and digitization of public services. Meanwhile, with the development of new technologies, cybersecurity has become an ever-present issue. Hence, the Nigerien government wants to devise a strategy to protect residents against cyber threats.
Niger validated Wednesday (July 20), the first draft of its national cybersecurity strategy. The draft was validated during a workshop held at the Niamey Congress Palace.
According to Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Hassane Baraze Moussa, the national strategy will safeguard Niger’s digital transformation. Cybersecurity “ is not a privilege. It is a requirement because of cyberspace issues. […] Elaborating a national cybersecurity strategy is a key step to guarantee Niger’s digital transformation,” he explained.
“Cybersecurity is essential in almost every human activity. It has become a priority for companies, but also for governments, which must protect people and properties,” the official added.
Niger initiated the elaboration of its cybersecurity strategy in June 2018. Almost four years later, the completed and vetted strategy is in line with the country’s 2022-2026 socioeconomic development program, the ECOWAS regional cybersecurity and cybercrime strategy, and the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection. It is part of Niger’s national security strategy.
Samira Njoya
The smart card will serve as an ID card, allowing access to various government services. It will be used as a payment card to settle transactions.
Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital, will start issuing smart ID cards to its residents. For that purpose, the state signed Wednesday (July 20), a partnership agreement with fintech company Verve International. The smart card is an enhanced version of the identity cards issued by the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA).
“We have upgraded the residency card from an ordinary plastic card, for identification purposes only, to a smart, multi-purpose card that combines biometric identification with other functionalities and benefits, that cuts across areas such as security, financial services, mobility, and access to government services and amenities,” explained Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
According to the governor, the smart ID card is “borne out of the need to embrace change and align with global best practices.”
Dubbed "LAG ID", the smart card is a first of its kind in the country. It will enable holders to conduct transactions anywhere and anytime, easily verify their identities and access various social amenities provided by the government. It will “ultimately help inform the government’s planning and provision of services designed to secure lives and property,” Governor Babajide adds.
The card comes with an electronic wallet that can hold funds and be used for daily transactions and support monetary authorities' cashless program.
The partnership between Verve International and Lagos State Government is in line with the fintech company’s ambition to create a digital identification system in Nigeria. Recently, the company partnered with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to develop a digitization framework for the efficient management of Nigerians’ identity.
Samira Njoyav
A few years ago, Ghanaian authorities initiated digital transformation projects to boost the adoption of digital technologies and promote innovation in key productive sectors.
Ghana inaugurated, Monday (July 18), its national e-pharmacy platform. The platform, dubbed “National Electronic Pharmacy Platform,” is the convergence of licensed local pharmacies. It “will enable Ghanaians to have access to prescribed medicines and buy them by making an order with a mobile phone through the ePharmacy app, website, or a shortcode, and have the medicine delivered to a requested location,” the government indicates.
“'The introduction of the National ePharmacy Platform (NEPP) is meant to safely and securely make available medicines, reduce the burden of cost and save time,” explained Ghana’s Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
According to Ghana's Ministry of Communication, although cell phone penetration is over 100% in the country, people have yet to fully embrace ICT in their daily lives or business operations. Less than 10% of the population uses the internet and mobile broadband use is extremely low, the ministry informs.
NEPP is part of the e-Transform strategy launched by the Ghanaian government a few years ago. The strategy aims to boost broadband access and improve the efficiency and quality of certain digital public services. It also eyes an enhancement of Ghana's digital innovation ecosystem to help create better jobs and a better economy. In addition, it will improve the allocation of government resources, leading to the efficient use of public funds. Above all, the strategy is expected to promote entrepreneurship and create more jobs.
Let’s note that according to the World Bank, with an average of 19% growth rate annually between 2014 and 2020, the digital sector is one of Ghana’s best-performing sectors.
Jean-Marc Gogbeu
Amid the accelerating digital transformation, most African countries are introducing electronic visa reforms. For authorities, electronic visa reforms can improve the administrative and financial management of travel documents.
Cameroon will launch the issuance of e-visas at its diplomatic missions, consular posts, international airports, and air, land, and sea borders by the end of July 2022. For that purpose, the country contracted research and development firm Impact Palmarès R&D SAS for a 10-year agreement to modernize, secure, and streamline consular services.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the e-Visa project aims to centralize and secure the data as well as control movement to and from the national territory. “It will also reduce the distance to be covered by applicants to request for visa and the queues in embassies. Those issues are the main problems reported by the diaspora and foreigners who want to visit Cameroon,” indicated Minister of Foreign Affairs Lejeune Mbella Mbella. The government official also revealed that the e-visa platform will help secure government revenues since fee payments are made online.
On Monday, June 27, 2022, Impact Palmarès R&D SAS delivered the IT equipment to be used for the project at the various diplomatic posts and embassies. Barely a week later, Cameroon submitted a draft project amending the January 1997 law on entry, residence, and exit conditions to the national assembly. In the coming days, a legal framework is expected to include e-visas.
“... To date, all the IT tools have already been developed. The equipment required has been delivered to Cameroon and [...] soon be deployed at diplomatic posts. The deployment has already begun at airports and it will be completed soon. Impact Palmarès is now ready to launch e-visa enrolment and issuance,” explains Ntaribo Ashu, Director General For Protocol And Consular Affairs at Cameroon’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Samira Njoya
African countries are taking measures to avoid being left out in the current wave of digital transformation. Apart from internet connectivity, they are also addressing employability for socioeconomic growth.
To attract more investors, Mauritius intends to improve employability in its IT sector. In doing so, the country aims to have 2,000 additional jobs created in its IT sector in the next two years. The figure was presented by its Prime Minister, Pravind Jugnauth (photo), last Thursday (July 7), during the official ceremony organized by Accenture Mauritius to celebrate its 20-year presence in the country.
“We are currently working to attract other tech giants to Mauritius. Based on the pipeline of projects facilitated by the Economic Development Board, in the next two years, 2,000 new jobs will hopefully be created in the IT sector. They include notably programming, claims processing, customer support, cybersecurity, and data analysis,” the government official said.
To improve employability in the IT sector, Mauritius plans to accelerate skills development by creating a Digital Industry Academy supported by Landscope Mauritius. A cohort of 1,000 people is scheduled to start artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and cloud computing training this month.
According to Pravind Jugnauth, with a 6.5% growth, the country’s IT sector is the only one that has not been affected by the global health crisis. In the sector, 30,000 people are already working for 900 firms, while 3,000 new jobs were created between 2020 and 2021, he added.
Samira Njoya
Thanks to information and communication technologies, African countries can efficiently manage their civil registration system, therefore improving population data and statistics.
The Nigeria Digital Identification for Development Project (ID4D) will cooperate with the National Population Commission (NPC) to digitize the civil registration system. The information was disclosed by ID4D coordinator Musa Odole Solomon, during a friendly visit to NPCs executive chairman, Alhaji Isa Kwarra, last Thursday (July 7).
At the end of the visit, Musa Odole Solomon expressed the ID4D project’s determination “to invest in the Civil Registry system to reinforce the foundational ID ecosystem by delivering National Identity Numbers at birth, as part of the birth registration process through links with the digitized Civil Register.”
According to the coordinator, “the project is designed, following an Ecosystem model and not limited to any single organization. It, therefore, involves different agencies of government, the private sector, and civil society. The project had since identified the National Population Commission as an important ecosystem partner.”
In 2020, the ID4D project secured US$430 million from the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, and the French Development Agency. It aims to develop an efficient identification system that will enable access to essential services. Its ambition is to increase the number of biometric ID cards issued from 40 million to 148 million by 2024.
According to Alhaji Isa Kwarra, the cooperation between ID4D and NPC will be useful in several areas. “We are trying to modernize our civil registration systems. We register births and deaths. We are supposed to be registering marriages and divorces, etc. Modernizing and digitizing our processes is very important and that is where you come in. We are willing to partner with you 100 percent. We are also involved in national identity coverage. I assure you of our total support and collaboration,” he said.
Samira Njoya
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In Africa, citizen identification is a real challenge. According to estimates presented by the World Bank in 2018, 45% (about 500 million people) of Sub-Saharan African residents were unable to prove their identity in 2018.
State IT agency Sénégal Numérique SA signed, Thursday, July 7, a partnership agreement with the mayors of 19 of Dakar’s municipalities. Thanks to that agreement, the municipalities will be connected to the IT agency’s digital platform Senegal Services, facilitating citizens’ access to administrative documents.
“Thanks to the partnership, the civil status records issued by municipalities in Dakar will be accessible through the Sénégal Services platform and the state’s one-stop-shop portal. It will allow all those residing in the country to easily access those records,” explains Cheikh Bakhoum (photo, left), director-general of Sénégal Numérique.
Senegal and the European Union recently launched Nekkal, a program aimed at interconnecting civil registration centers and digitalizing civil status records. “We have already launched the digitization process. We will digitize 15 million civil status records, create an index of 30 million records and build 34 centers in the 14 regions. We will also train 3,000 civil registration officers and managers. Above all, we will train 600 archivists since we noticed that archiving is not factored in the management of civil registration,” indicated registrar general Aliou Ousmane Sall at the time.
The digitization of civil registration services will improve the traceability and reliability of birth data. So far, only 62% of children aged 0 to 5 years are registered at birth in Senegal. Those who are registered usually face several challenges including double matriculation and file destruction.
Samira Njoya
One of the important reforms implemented by African countries in recent years is the introduction of biometric ID documents. The new system can help authenticate holders based on a set of biometric information.
Benin will officially stop the issuance of non-biometric ID cards. The decision was decreed during the ministerial council held in Cotonou, last July 6. The country, through the National Agency for the Identification of Persons (ANIP), will replace them with biometric cards per the decree n° 2020-396 of July 29, 2020.
According to a release issued after the ministerial council, the ANIP has taken, since 2020, appropriate measures to efficiently assume its tasks. Thanks to those measures, national ID cards’ processing time is reduced to one week, we learn.
The satisfying results achieved by the agency prompted the government to “stop the issuance of non-biometric cards, which are no longer compliant with international standards,” the release reads.
The new identity card is a visa-card-like document with an integrated microchip that stores biometric data like fingerprints, names, surnames, etc. Presented as a tamperproof document, it includes a QR Code (containing an electronic signature) and a holographic code making it hard to falsify the identification information.
Samira Njoya
In Africa, the land management sector is confronted with several issues, from cumbersome administrative procedures to illegal documents. The Guinean government has decided to rely on technology for an efficient solution to problems affecting the efficiency of the national land leasing process.
The Guinean Ministry of Urban Affairs rolled out, Wednesday (June 29), habitatguinee.app, a land management platform. By rolling out the platform, the ministry wants to address the problems identified in the land management sector and help people (land lease applicants notably) easily complete administrative procedures.
According to Minister of Urban Affairs Ousmane Gaoual Diallo, the aim of the platform “is clearly to promote efficiency and secure the collection of government revenues by mitigating potential risks.”
During the roll-out ceremony, Prime Minister Mohamed Béavogui (photo, center) explained that a valid lease is required from citizens and investors alike for their construction or investment projects.
“The platform connects all the ministerial departments and institutions involved in the lease contract process in Guinea. It dematerializes the lease granting process and centralizes the already granted leases on a single platform,” explained Souleymane Diallo, a representative of Global High Tech, the Ministry of Urban Affairs’ partner in the development of habitatguinee.app.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
As digital transformation is increasing in Africa, governments are intensifying public service digitization. It is, therefore, necessary to guarantee digital trust. Hence digital identification measures are being taken by some countries.
The Tunisian Ministry of ICT signed Friday (July 1), a partnership agreement with the National Agency for Electronic Certification and telecom operators for the implementation of "mobile ID," a mobile identity project. The project concerned will transform sim cards into identity tools by linking users’ national identity card numbers to their phone numbers.
"This new service will reinforce digital trust in Tunisia by giving citizens a new secured and simple tool that allows them access to all the digital services and also provides them a digital signature,” explained ICT Minister Nizar Ben Neji.
Under the partnership agreement, telecom operators will verify users’ identities and link their phone numbers with their ID card numbers. The National Agency for Electronic Certification will issue personal identification numbers for every identified citizen. It will also generate personal QR Codes, which citizens can use to sign administrative documents online. The long-term goal is to allow Tunisians to connect to the public administration platform, log in with their identification numbers, request administrative documents, and sign them if need be online.
Mobile ID was announced in February 2021, in the framework of the government’s digital transformation program. According to the Ministry of ICT, it will rid the public administration system of the certified signature and certified copy requirements. In its initial phase, it will facilitate Tunisians’ access to the 120 administrative services already digitized. Then, it will gradually be rolled out to include the whole public administration.
Samira Njoya