Tech (300)
To achieve its digital ambition, Chad, like most African countries, needs a qualified workforce. For that purpose, the country is actively forging partnerships to secure a skilled workforce, ensuring that its youth gain access to essential digital skills.
Simplon Africa, a social enterprise that provides training in digital professions, and WenakLabs, a tech hub in Chad, signed a partnership agreement in N'Djamena on Thursday, November 16.
One of the goals of this collaboration is to give the Chadian youth access to high-quality training in digital professions, improving their employability.
"This partnership shows a strong dedication to developing digital skills in Chad. By working together and sharing our expertise, WenakLabs and Simplon Africa want to create top-notch training courses, giving learners exceptional learning opportunities," said the Chadian hub.
Under the agreement, Simplon Africa will create the teaching content and provide learners access to its online training platform. On the other hand, WenakLabs will give access to its resources and training materials to support both face-to-face and online learning.
This collaboration will result in the launch of a campus in the next few months, offering both paid online and face-to-face training courses to its main targets: students, entrepreneurs, and professionals.
This new collaboration follows a previous partnership that led to the Tech4Tchad program in 2021. Funded by France, Simplon, and several partners, including WenakLab, Tech4Tchad has trained 150 young people in the digital field so far.
Samira Njoya
Côte d’Ivoire, like several African countries, wants to set up a regulatory framework conducive to the development of innovative startups. The aim of this framework is to support local startups and spur the growth of the local tech ecosystem.
On Tuesday, November 14, the Ivorian Senate unanimously approved a law on the promotion of digital startups. Defended by the Minister for Digital Transition and Digitization, Ibrahim Kalil Konaté, before the Research, Science, Technology, and Environment Commission, it aims to define an incentive-based legal and institutional framework for the creation and development of young technology companies in Côte d'Ivoire.
"We have noticed that startups face some challenges as their models haven't been structured around proven business models that demonstrate market viability. Our goal is to provide support, incubate these startups, and help them realize their full growth potential," said Ibrahim Kalil Konaté.
The new law is part of the Ivorian government's efforts to encourage the emergence of digital startups in the country. Between 2020 and 2022, more than 2,847 digital entrepreneurs were supported by the Ivorian government, to the tune of more than 577 million CFA Francs ($960,000). Earlier this year, the executive also launched "Start-up Boost Capital", a 1 billion CFA Franc fund established to finance local startups.
Upon the President of the Republic's promulgation, this law will further fortify these initiatives. It is poised to catalyze the development of startups in their early stages, providing a dedicated framework for the support and governance of these enterprises. The overarching goal is to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem, thereby accelerating socio-economic growth.
Samira Njoya
To bolster its digital transition program, Morocco requires a proficient workforce in digital professions. By ensuring the readiness of this workforce, the country wants to align the skills of its graduates with the dynamic requirements of the job market.
Morocco wants to triple the number of graduates in the digital sector within 4 years. To this end, an agreement was signed on Wednesday, November 15, by its Minister of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, Ghita Mezzour (photo, right), the Minister for the Budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, and the Minister for Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation, Abdellatif Miraoui.
The agreement covers a program that equips graduates with digital specializations from Moroccan universities, spanning the period between 2023 and 2027. The objective is to elevate the number of graduates from the current 8,000 across various training cycles to 22,500 by 2027.
Notably, it provides for the launch of new digital training courses in 12 universities across the country. These courses will be broken down into 144 new fields of study, including data analysis, digital technologies, cybersecurity, program development, big data, and artificial intelligence (AI).
This interministerial project, which will take effect from the start of the next academic year, is part of the country's new digital strategy, which is currently being finalized. Dubbed "Maroc Digital 2030", it replaces the current strategy, which aims to make Morocco a benchmark digital and technology hub in Africa by 2025.
The new strategy places particular emphasis on talented, creative young people. It calls for the training of 45,000 digital talents per year, the introduction of 50,000 young people to digital professions, and the welcoming of 6,000 new foreign digital talents per year, among others.
Samira Njoya
The move is a strategic decision taken by Ghanaian authorities to help the University of Ghana’s students familiarize themselves with smart systems and cutting-edge technologies.
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Ghana's Minister of Communication and Digitalization, revealed on Tuesday, November 14, during the 75th annual New Year School Conference in Accra, the establishment of the Digital Youth Village at the University of Ghana. This initiative is designed to provide students with opportunities to engage with advanced technologies and intelligent systems.
"The Digital Youth Village for the New Year’s School is a project I am very excited about. The project would enable our students to have practical, hands-on learning about smart environments and smart offices alongside other cutting-edge technologies. Despite the challenges that have delayed the fruition of the project, I can confidently say that the Digital Youth Village for the New Year School and Conference of the University of Ghana will become a reality," said Ursula Owusu-Ekuful.
Ghana's authorities are actively advancing the nation's digital transformation by investing across various sectors to enhance the country's technology ecosystem. While not part of the continent's "Big Four" (Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa), which collectively accounted for 67% of total startup fundraising in Africa during the third quarter of the year, as reported by TechCabal Insights in "The State of Tech in Africa Q3 2023," Ghana, under the leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo, is making significant strides. The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) "E-Government Survey 2022: The Future of Digital Government" positions Ghana as the seventh-ranked e-administration champion among sixteen leading nations on the continent. Additionally, earlier this year, Ghana joined the Digital Cooperation Organization, further underlining its commitment to digital progress.
During the November 14 event held under the theme Nurturing Resilience: Adopting Technology and Embracing Humanism for Sustainable Development," Minister Ursula also disclosed the various projects (both completed or underway) in the tech sector, including the Smart Community Project and The Rural Community Project.
"By embracing people-centered technology, Ghana will continue to strengthen its educational systems, healthcare services, and businesses and promote our own culture while empowering citizens to face the future with confidence and the requisite skills," added the Minister.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
In an era where digital technology is rapidly gaining global traction, the Chadian government is intensifying its endeavors to catch up in the sector. Numerous initiatives are in progress, and results are already perceptible.
Chad and Morocco will extend their bilateral cooperation in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT). To this end, a technical assistance memorandum of understanding has been signed between Chad's ICT development agency ADETIC, and Morocco’s telecom regulator ANRT.
The collaboration includes training for ADETIC engineers and exchanges of experience between the two agencies. The aim is to help Chad adapt and implement the Moroccan ICT model in favor of digital acceleration in the country, with a view to a prosperous digital economy.
The collaboration between the two regulatory agencies overseeing the telecommunications sector is a crucial component of the Chadian government's strategy to bridge the gap in the digital domain. This partnership materialized following a three-day mission by the ADETIC delegation to Morocco, during which they visited the host country’s digital development agency ADD and the ARNT.
"Most of the discussions focused on the Moroccan model for the digital transformation of public administration, the legal and regulatory framework, the management of ICT technical infrastructures, as well as domain name management and the provision of universal services," ADETIC wrote on Facebook.
This new partnership allows ADETIC to leverage the extensive expertise of ARNT, which boasts 25 years of experience in telecommunications sector regulation, approval of telecommunications equipment, administration of ".ma" domain names, and the management of electronic certification, among other areas.
Samira Njoya
In recent years, the African continent has witnessed a proliferation of startups. However, in numerous countries, authorities have not sufficiently supported their growth. Recognizing this gap, Kampala has decided to address the issue.
Uganda is planning to introduce a national policy for startups. The project, led by the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), is supported by the Mastercard Foundation and coordinated by the Ugandan Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Cooperatives. The aim of the policy is to govern interactions between the government, incubators, startups, and investors, with a view to promoting a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country.
"Several multinationals come here and get several business facilitation privileges yet not so much is done for local start-ups. We believe that with this policy, Ugandan start-ups will have a chance to compete favorably on the market as it will not only establish what they need but also how to get support," said Keneth Twesigye, lead policy at Startup Uganda.
Uganda is actively enhancing its technological ecosystem. To qualify as a startup in the country, specific conditions must be fulfilled. These include maintaining a temporary management structure, allocating a portion of the budget to research and development, having majority ownership by Ugandans, and being locally incorporated in Uganda.
Let’s note that in Africa, the technology ecosystem is booming. African startups attract investors from all over the world, but for a variety of reasons, the largest share of funds is invested in Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya. In the "Venture Capital Activity in Africa Q3 2023" report published by the African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA), over $2.95 billion was invested in African startups in the first nine months of 2023.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
While presenting promising prospects and undeniable opportunities, technological advances can pose challenges in combating crimes, especially in Africa. This compels defense and security forces to improve their capabilities, notably those related to cybersecurity.
Last Monday (November 13), the Chinese Embassy handed a digital forensics laboratory to the Seychelles police’s cybercrime division. According to the Seychelles News Agency, the laboratory was handed out by Mu Jianfeng (photo, left), Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Seychelles.
The laboratory is funded, to the tune of one million Yuan ($137,000), by the Chinese government. "The laboratory will be fully operational in the next few days, and its main functions include secure data extraction, storage media backup, rapid data acquisition, data analysis and authentication, and data recovery. It will be an effective tool for the Seychelles police and relevant authorities in digital data investigation and evidence collection," said Mr. Jianfeng.
The new laboratory comes at a time when the Seychelles government is stepping up measures in response to a growing rise in cybercrime in the country. In November 2021, a new law on cybercrime and other related offenses came into force in the country after being approved by the National Assembly.
In January 2023, discussions were also held between the Seychelles police force and an Interpol delegation to set up a unit to combat cybercrime.
Through this acquisition of technical equipment and the training of human resources to combat cybercrime, Seychelles will be able to secure its information systems, which are an indispensable component of digital transformation.
Samira Njoya
With this orbiting, Djibouti has joined the exclusive group of African nations with satellites in space, alongside Kenya, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Uganda, and Angola.
The Republic of Djibouti successfully launched its first satellite, Djibouti 1A, on Saturday, November 11, from the Vandenberg spaceport in California, USA. The satellite lifted off aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.
"We have put in place all the necessary elements to succeed in this project: firstly the selection of Djiboutian students, because the objective was to make the satellite but not to buy it, and have it manufactured by our students to make this technological leap and say in an uninhibited way that Djibouti is capable of manufacturing a satellite, launching it, collecting results for the climate but also getting started in development perspectives. The result is that 10 technicians and engineers were trained," said Nabil Mohamed Ahmed, Djibouti's Minister of Higher Education and Research.
The new satellite is the result of collaboration between the Djiboutian government and Centre Spatial Universitaire Montpellier-Nîmes (CSUM) in France. In 2020, the Centre began training Djiboutian engineers who played a key role in designing, constructing, and testing the nanosatellite. Successfully passing vibration tests in March, Djibouti 1A was deemed launch-ready by July. This satellite, intended for space research and communications, will gather real-time national data from climatological and seismic stations. It aims to monitor variables like temperature, rainfall, river depth, and hydrometry, contributing to enhanced agricultural production and environmental change monitoring.
Samira Njoya
In the digital age, students need to access some tech tools. Unfortunately, in certain settings, this is challenging. In that context, South Africa is taking steps to provide some of those tools for its inmates.
The South African Supreme Court of Appeal has granted the government a 12-month deadline to formulate and promulgate an updated policy for correctional centers, enabling inmates to use personal computers in their cells for educational purposes.
Henceforth, an inmate enrolled in an accredited higher education institution requiring a computer for academic purposes will be permitted to use one without internet access in their cell.
"I observe that ever more educational materials are available in electronic form, and such materials are most conveniently and economically accessed on a computer. [...] Coursework is now routinely composed and submitted electronically. I have found that the right to further education includes the right to pursue that education. If a prisoner has a personal computer, it is a tool of indispensable value in the pursuit of many courses of further education, " said Judge David Unterhalter.
The decision to review the policy comes after a Johannesburg inmate, serving a 20-year sentence for robbery, complained that he was struggling to complete his computer course because he couldn't work from his cell, where he spent most of his time. Pending a review of the policy, the judge declared that the inmate has the right to use his PC in his cell as long as he remains enrolled at a recognized institution of higher or university education in South Africa.
However, the inmate must make the computer available for inspection at all times, and any breach of the rules by an individual inmate could result in the computer being seized.
Samira Njoya
In 2020, Chad unveiled a strategic plan for digital and postal development, reflecting the government's determination to catch up with its technological backlog. To implement these projects, the country needs experienced partners.
Egypt and Chad are considering avenues for digital cooperation. The matter was discussed, last November 9, on the sidelines of a working meeting between Mahamat Allahou Taher (photo, center), Chad's Minister of Telecommunications and Digital Economy, and an Egyptian delegation in N'Djamena, Chad.
According to the Chadian Ministry of Digital Economy, the discussions focused, among other things, on the issue of international fiber optic interconnection (Chad-Egypt), the digitization of Chadian public administration, and the training of executives in digital skills.
The meeting is part of the strategic plan for digital and postal development (PSDNP 20-30) launched by the Chadian government in 2020. It takes place in a context marked by the acceleration of digital transformation in the country and the relaunch of work on the trans-Saharan fiber optic backbone in Chad.
For Egypt, the meeting is part of the government's efforts to implement its "Digital Egypt 2030" digital transformation strategy. To achieve this, Cairo is multiplying partnerships with countries with which it has good relations.
Collaboration between the two countries should enable Chad to take full advantage of Egypt, which is already well advanced in its digital transformation, particularly in e-governance and the provision of high-speed connectivity. The country plans to issue 5G network licenses to telecom operators by December. As for the provision of online services, since 2019 the country has launched the dematerialization of most of its public services. This initiative propelled the country to the 6th position among 16 African nations leading the way in e-government in 2022, as reported by the United Nations.
Samira Njoya
More...
Africa is the continent with the most significant and pressing health challenges. With digital technologies, the continent can advance its healthcare system and address some of the issues in the sector.
Seychelles wants to accelerate the digitization of its healthcare services. The country has decided to assess the maturity of its digital healthcare system using a tool developed in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Centre for Digital Health (CWCDH), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The information was revealed at a recent four-day workshop held in Mahe and attended by the country's health officials, Commonwealth representatives, and international partners.
During the workshop, Seychelles' Minister of Health, Peggy Vidot, noted that the tool would help measure progress in the digital transformation of the country’s health sector. "In this era marked by rapid technological progress, the integration of digital health solutions emerges as a critical imperative. Seychelles embarks on a transformative journey, leveraging the power of digital innovation to fortify our healthcare system," he said.
The preliminary findings of the assessment indicate that the Seychelles government has made substantial progress in its efforts to enhance digital health systems, particularly through investments in an electronic health information system.
The findings also underscored that there is still significant work to be done. This includes establishing systems for incorporating user and patient feedback into digital solutions, adopting standards for network infrastructure and training, integrating monitoring and evaluation into project implementation, mapping existing digital solutions, policies, and guidelines into a cohesive digital health strategy, and enacting legislation for data storage and security.
Samira Njoya
During the US-Africa summit in December 2022, Cisco Systems declared a $200 million in-kind contribution to Africa. One year later, the positive impacts of this commitment are already evident.
Technology multinational Cisco recently inaugurated a sixth incubation center for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa, in partnership with Mafikeng Digital Innovation Hub (MDIHub), an innovative techno coworking center based in Mahikeng.
The new hub, baptized the EDGE Centre for Experience, Design, GTM (Go to Market), and Earn, aims to support the development of SMEs in the digital age, helping them access cutting-edge connectivity and networking technologies.
"Bringing the Cisco Edge experience to regions including the North West is essential to provide South Africans with a chance to participate in the global digital economy. At Cisco, we believe that technology plays a critical role in powering an inclusive future for all. By connecting people and businesses via the Cisco ecosystem and platforms, we create real impact and help prepare the country for a digital future," explained Clayton Naidoo, Senior Director for Country Digital Acceleration at Cisco Africa.
The new center launched by Cisco is part of its program called Country Digital Acceleration (CDA), introduced in South Africa in 2019. The global program aims to establish EDGE centers to contribute to the secure digital transformation of governments and enterprises.
The center will serve as a business knowledge-sharing space to drive business innovation. It will also offer digital skills training through the Cisco Networking Academy, an IT and cybersecurity training program that partners with educational institutions worldwide.
In South Africa, Cisco has trained almost 260,000 learners through this program, with a high female participation rate of 50%.
Samira Njoya
Following years of political instability, Somalia is gaining attention for the concerted efforts undertaken by authorities to foster the country's development. These efforts are notably evident in the technology sector.
On Tuesday, November 7, the Somali Ministry of Communications and Technology announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the International Telecommunication Union at the 2023 edition of the ITU Regional Development Forum for Arab States in Manama, Bahrain. The aim is to advance digital development, ICT policies, cybersecurity, capacity building, digital infrastructure strengthening, and connectivity in the country.
"The Government of Somalia is strengthening cooperation with the ITU. This agreement will be used to promote the Modernization and Transformation Process in Somalia, which aims to build and foster change that leads to sustainable development. Technology and Digital are the basis," said Jama Hassan Khalif, Somali Minister of Communications and Technology.
Despite a challenging political and security context, Somalia is doing everything necessary to get on board the digital revolution underway on the continent. The country intensified its efforts in recent years, in line with its 2019-2024 ICT Policy and Strategy, and various technical and financial partners are stepping in to support local authorities.
In October 2022, the European Union, Expertise France (EF), the German Agency for International Development Cooperation (GIZ), and the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP) launched the €11 million "Digital for Development - D4D" program to support the digital transformation of several countries in the Horn of Africa, including Somalia. Last September, it launched a consultation for the future deployment of fifth-generation Internet in the country and also launched its national identification system.
With less than 2 million Internet users and a penetration rate of 9.8%, this new agreement should help, among other things, to reduce the digital divide and promote technological progress in the country. The country is still one of the continent's poor performers in terms of e-government, according to the 2022 edition of the report "E-Government Survey 2022 The Future of Digital Government" by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Over the past few years, numerous African countries have embarked on a digital transformation journey, making strategic decisions and introducing digital tools to facilitate this transition.
Bola Tinubu (photo), President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, launched the electronic civil registration and vital statistics system (e-CRVS) in Abuja on Monday, November 6. The system is the result of a collaboration between the National Population Commission (NPC), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and Barnksforte Technologies Limited, a company specializing in the provision of technological solutions in Africa and worldwide.
This new technological tool should contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 16.9.2 on legal identity for all. In addition to e-CRVS, the national geospatial data repository and the national coordination committee of CRVS were also launched at the same event.
"Digitizing civil registration in Nigeria transcends technology; it's a pledge to future generations. Now, every child's existence will be acknowledged, marking a new era where every significant life event informs our nation's development," said Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria.
In October 2022, African ministers responsible for civil registration met in Addis Ababa to reflect on progress and accelerate efforts towards 2030 through reformed systems. The conference aimed to provide a dynamic platform for education, awareness-raising, knowledge, and experience sharing on CRVS, legal identity processes, and products. Nigerian authorities took the lead by setting up their e-CRVS, which will enable, among other things, the collection of information such as birth registration, stillbirth registration, birth certificate, adoption, marriage notification, divorce notification, migration, or death certificates.
"The aim [...] is to accelerate the improved civil registration and vital statistics systems in Nigeria over ten years, from 2023 to 2030 in a bid to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG):16.9.2 - legal identity for all, including birth registration," explains Nasir Isa Kwarra, Chairman of the National Population Commission.
Adoni Conrad Quenum