News (1090)
Morocco becomes the fourth African country to join UNESCO Digital Skills Initiative, Following Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, and Nigeria
On Tuesday, April 23, Moroccan authorities, in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Chinese tech giant Huawei, initiated a program aimed at enhancing the digital skills of educators, particularly those teaching literacy. The objective is to boost the digital competencies of 10,000 literacy educators by 2025. The launch was announced last week through press releases from both UNESCO and Huawei.
“Literacy is the foundation of lifelong learning and a driver for sustainable and participatory development. In light of the digital transformation, it is essential that literacy instruction leverages the full potential of technology. We are proud to support the Kingdom of Morocco as a member of the UNESCO Global Alliance for Literacy in improving the digital skills of 10,000 literacy teachers by 2025,” stated Isabell Kempf, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL).
This program is a component of the national strategy for the digitization of education, which is part of the Morocco Digital 2030 strategy. The strategy aims to position the kingdom as a regional leader in digital education. In November 2023, the Moroccan government collaborated with American company Oracle to foster digital skills in higher education, thereby providing professors and students with access to training, learning resources, and specialized software.
In essence, the implementation of this initiative will enhance the quality of education in Morocco, better equip students for the digital era, and bridge the digital divide in the kingdom.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Faced with the growing enthusiasm for social media, an increasing number of advertisers are turning to these platforms to promote their products. However, many platforms sometimes do not comply with the regulations imposed by the government.
On Thursday, April 24, the Mauritanian Advertising Regulatory Authority (ARP) granted the first 12 permits for ordinary individuals to advertise on social media. This move is part of an initiative to foster a legal, healthy, and organized advertising practice on social media platforms.
At an official ceremony in Nouakchott, Doro Sow, the ARP Administrative and Financial Director, underscored that these new permits do not limit advertising freedom. Instead, they are necessary for ensuring compliance with Mauritania’s advertising laws.
The issuance of these permits is a component of the ARP’s new approach to regulating advertising on social media platforms. This strategy follows the ARP Council’s publication of deliberation No. 01/2024 on March 12, 2024. The deliberation outlines the conditions for authorizing advertising on digital platforms and personal social media accounts, as well as the procedures for revoking these authorizations.
The decision required individuals advertising on social media to comply with the law within a one-month period starting March 13, 2024. The first licenses were consequently issued to individuals who adhered to this procedure.
The ARP’s objective is to regulate digital platforms and ensure adherence to advertising laws across the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. The country’s Law No. 2018-017 on advertising stipulates two regimes for conducting advertising activities and related services: the authorization regime and the declaration regime, each depending on the specifics of the activity.
Samira Njoya
Enhancing digital infrastructure and facilitating cross-border telecommunications can greatly benefit Africa's economic development by improving connectivity and enabling online commerce, fostering innovation and growth across the region.
The Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy of The Gambia has unveiled the US$50 million Western Africa Regional Digital Integration Programme (DTfA/WARDIP) SOP-1. Funded by the International Development Association (IDA) and supported by organizations like the African Union, Smart Africa, and ECOWAS, the initiative, launched on April 24, aims to transform the digital landscape across The Gambia, Guinea Conakry, Guinea-Bissau, and Mauritania.
Ousman A. Bah, Minister of Communication and Digital Economy of The Gambia highlighted the program's objectives, emphasizing its role in addressing critical digital challenges and unlocking opportunities. The initiative comprises three components: connectivity market development, data market development, and online market development, aimed at fostering cross-border telecommunications, facilitating data-driven services, and enhancing the digital ecosystem for cross-border commerce.
For Lacina Kone, CEO of Smart Africa, the initiative is a milestone in regional digital innovation and integration, emphasizing the importance of collaboration for economic transformation.
Access to the internet and connectivity are crucial for economic development in developing nations. The World Bank's Policy Research Working Paper 9853 highlights that expanding 3G and 4G connections by 10 percentage points can boost the economy by 0.41 percentage points, with 3G contributing 0.02 percentage points and 4G contributing 0.05 percentage points. Overall, increasing internet penetration enhances annual growth per worker by 0.6 percentage points. Yet, despite global mobile broadband coverage, approximately 16% of the population in central and western Africa lacks access, as reported by the ITU Mobile Network Coverage Facts and Figures 2023.
According to World Bank data, The Gambia's internet usage rate was 33% in 2021. However, access to fixed broadband remains significantly below the global average of 13.6, standing at 0.19 per 100 inhabitants. Mobile subscriptions are higher, with 101 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, but 4G uptake remains low, accounting for just 4.5% of all data subscribers.
Hikmatu Bilali
Data centers are becoming the backbone of cloud services adoption. They provide users with everything they need to get started – online storage, computing power, software, servers, and applications – all accessible over the internet.
From 2012 to 2022, the number of data centers in West and East Africa saw a significant increase, jumping from 9 to 134. This information was highlighted in the "Digital Progress and Trends Report 2023" published by the World Bank in March 2024.
The report explains: “Development funding for data centers is increasing to fill the financing gaps. In Africa, where an estimated annual investment of between US$4 billion and US$7 billion is needed to bridge the region’s data center gap, the US International Development Finance Corporation is providing funding of US$300 million to Africa Data Centers to support the expansion and development of seven existing and greenfield data centers in five African countries.”
The ongoing technological revolution in Africa, accelerated by the digital transformation spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, has made digital infrastructures, especially data centers, essential. An increasing number of globally recognized providers have established a presence on the continent, leading to a rise in the number of these infrastructures in Africa.
Several American companies, including Raxio Data Centres, Digital Realty, and Oracle, along with France's Orange and China's Huawei, have set up operations in various African countries. Local entities like Africa Data Centres, Paix Data Centres, Onix Data Centres, and MainOne continue to expand across the continent. In addition to private sector involvement, African governments are also investing in these infrastructures in their pursuit of digital sovereignty.
The "Cloud Computing Market" report published in December 2023 by U.S.-based market research firm MarketsandMarkets projected that the global cloud market would grow from $626.4 billion in 2023 to $1,266.4 billion by 2028, with a compounded annual growth rate of 15.1%. While this growth is promising, Africa and the Middle East hold marginal shares compared to North America, the undisputed leader in the sector, according to the same source.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Guinea is working on several digital projects and is seeking experienced partners to effectively bring them to fruition. The West African country is eager to move forward quickly with the implementation of these projects.
Guinea and the United States have expressed a shared interest in digital sector collaboration. Aminata Kaba, Guinea's Minister of Technical Education and Vocational Training, and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo discussed this during the Smart Africa ministerial roundtable in Nairobi on Thursday, April 25th.
The meeting centered on the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation in Guinea and Africa at large. The need to bolster cooperation in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) between the two nations was also emphasized, as noted by the Ministry overseeing the Digital Economy.
The discussions specifically focused on enhancing ICT cooperation, including an ongoing partnership with U.S. firm Cisco to establish a Networking Academy in Guinea. The dialogue also explored potential joint initiatives between Africa and the U.S. aimed at facilitating access to and adoption of technologies suited to the continent's needs.
Following the meeting, the Secretary of State announced an upcoming initiative that will offer young Africans the chance to participate in immersion experiences within the U.S. startup ecosystem, particularly in Silicon Valley.
The meeting forms part of Guinea's efforts to develop its digital sector through partnerships. For the U.S., it presents an opportunity to seek collaborations that will further the Digital Transformation in Africa (DTA) project. This government initiative seeks to broaden digital access across the continent. As part of this project, the U.S. invested $82 million in 2023 towards new digital infrastructures, digital projects, and technical programs in Africa.
Samira Njoya
By leveraging satellite broadband services like Starlink, Africa can address connectivity challenges, harness the potential of the digital economy, and accelerate economic development across various sectors.
The National Communications Authority (NCA) has granted Starlink approval to provide satellite broadband in Ghana. This follows the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization's approval of the Satellite Licensing Framework, an NCA press release dated April 25 revealed.
The NCA confirmed Space X Starlink GH LTD's application approval to offer Satellite Broadband Services in Ghana. Administrative procedures for issuing the license are underway, the release added.
This announcement follows Starlink's impending discontinuation of services in Ghana from April 30, 2024, due to a lack of the required license.
The Africa Mobile Infrastructure and Mobile Broadband Market Report 2022 highlights that mobile networks dominate the African telecommunications markets, handling up to 98% of voice and data traffic while comprising the majority of voice and internet connections. Yet, insights from "The State and Future of LEO Satellite Internet Connectivity in Africa" report, released in January 2022, suggest that MIT research predicts satellite technology will bolster internet access in Africa within the next five years, particularly in remote areas hampered by terrestrial-based system limitations. This advancement aims to bridge connectivity gaps and diminish the digital divide.
The approval is timely as Ghana and other West African countries encountered an internet outage on March 18 due to submarine cable disruptions, impacting various sectors such as commerce, academia, economy, and social activities. This incident underscored the significance of satellite broadband services.
Hikmatu Bilali
Guinea has initiated the digitization of public services. This initiative aims to enable the country to benefit from the digital economy and requires the involvement of workers in this sector.
Guinean Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah unveiled two new digital platforms on Wednesday, April 24th. The two platforms dubbed “e-Learning” and “e-conseil” aim to boost efficiency through innovative training and management tools for civil servants.
Developed with the National Agency for Universal Telecommunication and Digital Services, "e-Learning" provides online courses, accessible even without internet. These courses will enhance civil servants' skills in various fields and familiarize them with essential computer tools. Participants can earn verifiable certificates upon successful completion of training.
"e-conseil" allows different government departments to automate communication and workflow. This platform facilitates remote collaboration among government officials, allowing them to contribute to inter-ministerial council and cabinet meeting preparations, ultimately saving valuable time. Security is a top priority, with the platform employing robust, internationally compliant solutions. Data is securely hosted by the Regulatory Authority for Posts and Telecommunications (ARPT).
These platforms represent the Guinean government's commitment to digitizing and modernizing its administration. These digital solutions will equip civil servants with the necessary Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills to thrive in the country's ongoing digital transformation. Their launch follows a recent workshop where the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of a unified effort to accelerate the digitization of Guinea's public administration.
Samira Njoya
In recent years, Huawei has become a focal point in the trade dispute between China and the United States. This has compelled the company to make a number of strategic shifts, such as overhauling its supply chain and creating a new operating system for its flagship devices.
Chinese tech giant Huawei is calling on developers to create applications for its homegrown HarmonyOS operating system. The announcement came from Eric Xu, Vice Chairman and Rotating Chairman of Huawei, during the 21st Huawei Analyst Summit held April 17-19 in Shenzhen, China.
"We call on all app developers and owners in China to join our HarmonyOS-native app ecosystem as soon as possible, and work together to deliver a better experience to consumers," Xu said. He emphasized strengthening the native app ecosystem as a key objective for 2024. "This is a massive undertaking," he acknowledged, "but we have broad support in the industry and from many app developers."
The development of HarmonyOS stems from US sanctions imposed on Huawei in 2018 and intensified by President Trump in 2021. These sanctions aimed to limit Huawei's access to key technologies, including Google's Android operating system. Facing a market dominated by Android (with 70.79% market share) and Apple's iOS (28.46% share according to StatCounter in March 2024), Huawei needed an alternative solution.
With a goal of exceeding one million applications in its native ecosystem, Huawei has invested in developer training. Over 380,000 developers have already obtained HarmonyOS certification, and the company reports that more than 135 universities in China now offer HarmonyOS courses, as detailed in their annual report published in late March.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
In recent years, the innovation ecosystem for sporting events has experienced a significant upswing, marked by the rise of highly promising startups. As this sector continues to grow rapidly, numerous initiatives are being launched to support its expansion, particularly in Africa.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced the launch of the "Triple-Double: NBA Africa Startup Accelerator" on Thursday, April 25. This continent-wide initiative focuses on early-stage African startups in the sports sector.
The accelerator aims to fuel Africa's tech ecosystem by providing mentorship, capital, and growth opportunities to the next generation of African tech entrepreneurs. Led by ALX Ventures, a prominent tech incubator, the program targets startups developing solutions in event management and ticketing, youth development, artificial intelligence, and digital marketing within the sports and creative industries.
The launch aligns with two key initiatives: President Biden's 2022 Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) program, fostering stronger US-Africa collaboration in digital transformation, and the US Department of Commerce's Africa strategy, which promotes investments in priority African projects and continental economic development.
For the inaugural cohort, ten startups will be chosen. They'll receive mentorship from a combined team of NBA Africa and ALX executives, along with private sector experts, who will provide guidance on product development, business growth, and market entry strategies.
In September, the selected startups will showcase their products at a New York City Demo Day to a panel of industry leaders from the US, Africa, and across the globe. Following this, four winning companies will be awarded financial support, continued mentorship, and the chance to collaborate with NBA Africa and the Basketball Africa League (BAL) on current and future initiatives across the continent.
Sports-focused startups interested in applying have until May 31st to register.
Samira Njoya
EMpact has a presence in multiple markets around the world. For its initial foray into Africa, the company has chosen Côte d’Ivoire.
As part of its launch in West Africa, EMpact, an American investment firm that fosters entrepreneurial initiatives of young talents to accelerate startups serving vital value chains in frontier markets, has selected the Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny (INP-HB) and the International University of Grand Bassam (IGUB) in Côte d’Ivoire as its academic partners.
The program is designed to spark innovations in the agricultural value chain and promote sustainable practices, not only in Côte d’Ivoire but across the West African region, where the studio intends to expand. In this context, both current students and alumni from partner universities and others will benefit from entrepreneurial guidance through a hybrid training program provided by the partner academic institutions and EMpact’s global program. Following the training, there will be an incubation phase succeeded by a startup accelerator offering ongoing mentorship and continuous training to the participants.
For the Ivorian partners, particularly INP-HB, this program is poised to play a pivotal role in the development of agricultural entrepreneurship and, consequently, the African economy, which is heavily reliant on this sector.
“We believe in the fundamental role that entrepreneurship plays in the development of a country. One of the main challenges facing our countries is job creation and the placement of our young graduates. This partnership is a relevant response to the growth in student unemployment as it strengthens links between our research system and the valorization of outcomes through innovative companies. Agriculture, which remains one of the key pillars of development in African countries, is the primary beneficiary. Entrepreneurship is gaining unprecedented momentum in our region, which makes this partnership even more relevant and timely for us,” stated Moussa Diaby, the Director-General of INP-HB.
In West Africa, EMpact will follow the model already being used in Guatemala, Central America. By 2025, EMpact plans to incorporate other frontier markets, such as those in Central Asia, and begin to interconnect these markets through the cross-pollination of ideas, capitalizing on their inherent similarities and complementarities.
Vanessa Ngono Atangana
More...
Launched in 2011, the African Entrepreneur Award returns annually with new challenges while maintaining a constant goal: to encourage entrepreneurship, support innovation in Africa, and contribute to the socio-economic development of the continent.
Africangels, Africa's leading angel investor network, announced on Thursday, April 25, the opening of applications for the 8th edition of the African Entrepreneur Award. This prestigious competition aims to acknowledge African and international entrepreneurs who have made a significant impact in Africa.
This year, five major awards will be presented to the winners. The African Entrepreneur of the Year Award will honor the individual whose entrepreneurial impact has been the most significant. The African Startup of the Year Award will be given to a young entrepreneur with high potential. The Next Impact Award will reward leaders for their impact on the economy and their innovative solutions to societal challenges. Lastly, the African'Elles Award will be dedicated to innovative women who propose solutions to societal, economic, and environmental challenges.
The African Entrepreneur Award will provide winners in thematic categories with opportunities for expansion by offering advisory support, access to international networks, financing opportunities judged by a panel of investors, as well as extensive media visibility. Additionally, winners will receive an endowment of up to €40,000.
The competition will take place in two stages. The first stage is a regional call for applications that will run from April to August 2024. At the end of this period, a selection will be made in six regions to identify three regional finalists, who will automatically qualify for the international phase. The second phase, which will be international, will take place in November of the same year. A final jury composed of influential personalities will then designate the winners of the African Entrepreneur Award. Applications for this year’s edition are open till August 20.
Samira Njoya
Cybersecurity is crucial for Africa's economic growth. Strong cybersecurity not only attracts foreign investment but also helps Africa maximize digitalization benefits, fostering inclusive growth and prosperity.
The National Information Technology Agency NITA has teamed up with SmartInfraco and Trend Micro to strengthen cybersecurity for government entities with antivirus services. The agreement, inked on April 24 in Accra by Richard Okyere-Fosu, NITA's Director General, alongside Mazen Al-Adhami from Trend Micro and Harkirit Singh, CEO of Smart Infraco, seeks to deliver cybersecurity solutions, safeguarding the digital landscape from potential threats.
Richard Okyere-Fosu highlighted the agency's cybersecurity efforts, noting antivirus services as a crucial missing component, with only about 30% of government systems equipped with proper antivirus which poses a significant risk to the nation's digitalization agenda. “It is in the face of such risk that NITA as part of our mandate has over the past few years collaborated with partners within the public and private sector to roll out a series of interventions to address information and cybersecurity in general across the public sector space,” he explained.
The antivirus services offered through this partnership will maintain system integrity and prevent cybersecurity incidents, addressing significant gaps in antivirus coverage across government systems.
Mazen Al-Adhami and Harkirit Singh expressed dedication to providing government organizations with comprehensive cybersecurity solutions, including endpoint and email security measures.
Ghana is ranked third (3rd) in Africa and 43rd globally on the 2020 Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The country is one of the few African countries to have a national cybersecurity strategy and national incident response capabilities. Yet it is subject to cyber incidents that cause significant disruptions to businesses and the economy. In September 2021, a vpnMentor Research Team, headed by Noam Rotem and Ran Locar, uncovered that 700,000 individuals in Ghana had their data, totaling 55 GB, compromised, exposing them to risks such as fraud, hacking, and identity theft. This not only endangered the affected individuals but also posed significant threats to the institutions and the Ghanaian government.
The signing ceremony marks a significant step towards enforcing security compliance and safeguarding government data and infrastructure to accelerate Ghana's digitalization efforts.
Hikmatu Bilali
Undersea cable disruptions are a recurring issue in Africa, resulting in considerable financial setbacks for numerous stakeholders in the continent's telecommunications industry. Significant improvements could be realized through investment in this sector.
Guinea and Gambia are set to be linked by a second subsea optical fiber cable in the near future. The Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and Digital Economy for Guinea, Rose Pola Pricemou, and her Gambian counterpart, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Ousmane Bah, signed a memorandum of understanding to this effect on Wednesday, April 24, in Banjul.
The memorandum aims to combine efforts and resources to carry out a feasibility study for the creation of a new submarine cable. The World Bank will fund the future infrastructure as part of the West African Digital Integration Project (WARDIP).
Under this agreement, both countries stand to benefit from reduced project-related costs. For example, Guinea could see its expenses cut by more than 40%. This initiative underscores the two nations’ commitment to bolstering their cooperation for a more accessible and prosperous digital future.
Gambia and Guinea are currently connected to the ACE (Africa Coast to Europe) cable, which they primarily depend on for high-speed internet services. Frequent disruptions on this infrastructure lead to service interruptions, making it imperative for the two nations to connect to a second submarine cable capable of providing backup.
The rollout of the second subsea cable is expected to not only enhance the quality of high-speed telecommunications services but also to broaden the reach of these services to thousands more individuals and lower costs. The project is also poised to accelerate the implementation of the two countries’ digital transformation goals.
Samira Njoya
Despite the ongoing funding challenges in the African technological landscape, the platform 'Africa: The Big Deal' maintains an optimistic outlook for a resurgence in the near future.
Equity funding mobilized by startups in Africa accounted for less than 1% of all funds raised globally in the first quarter of 2024. This was reported by Africa: The Big Deal, the database that tracks over $100,000 deals captured by African startups, on Tuesday, April 23.
The total funding for these startups was $332 million, compared to the global startup funding of approximately $58.4 billion during the same period. This represents a 47% decrease in funding for Africa compared to the same period in 2023, while a global decrease of 21% was also noted. All regions, except Europe, experienced a decline.
"If we compare Q1 2024 funding to the funding heatwave peak (in late 2021/early 2022), start-ups are currently raising 5x times less quarterly than they were when fundraising peaked in Q3 2021. This is a more serious contraction than the global average (3.1x), which is very much influenced by Europe and US numbers (2.7x). It is in line with the Asian trend though, and much less dramatic than the gap registered in Latin America (14x)," explains Africa: The Big Deal.
Despite the challenging performance of African startups, ‘Africa: The Big Deal’ remains hopeful for the upcoming months. The platform notes: "...We have seen in the past that the trends observed in the US and Europe usually take a couple of quarters before they impact Africa." It anticipates that the recent resurgence of funding in the United States and Europe will eventually ripple through to Africa.
Adoni Conrad Quenum