After a first funding round that closed on May 6, the Women in the Digital Economy Fund (WiDEF) announced its second round, on July 17. This round offers technical assistance to large private sector enterprises, including those in Africa, to help close the digital gender divide.
WiDEF is a joint effort by USAID and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, managed by CARE, the Global Digital Inclusion Partnership, and the GSMA Foundation. It will provide successful applicants with technical assistance valued between $50,000 and $150,000 for up to two years.
Applications close by September 12.
Zoho, an Indian multinational technology company, has partnered with She Code Africa (SCA), a non-profit organization that equips young girls and women with tech skills. Zoho will train SCA Academy trainers on Zoho Creator, its low-code app development platform, through "Train the Trainer" sessions.
Part of Zoho Creator's 'Young Creators Program' (YCP), the initiative aims to close the technical skill gap by empowering future business leaders with advanced digital skills. Zoho will host 30 female SCA Academy trainers for a three-day training session at its Lagos office, providing them free access to the Creator platform and training resources for a year.
Accurate birth registration data is essential for government planning and budgeting, ensuring efficient resource allocation. It also helps monitor progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as eliminating poverty, promoting quality education, and reducing inequality.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has underscored the critical need for e-birth registration to ensure Nigerian children obtain a legal identity. Celine Lafoucriere, Chief of UNICEF's South-West Nigeria Field Office, highlighted this during a media dialogue in Lagos on July 17.
The event, organized by UNICEF in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development and the National Population Commission (NPC), aimed to promote e-birth registration in South-West Nigeria.
Lafoucriere noted that without a birth certificate, a child remains invisible and lacks access to essential services such as protection, health, and education. "Birth registration is a fundamental human right and cornerstone of a child's legal identity," she said.
The dialogue underscored the collective effort required to ensure every Nigerian child is registered and has access to their legal rights and essential services.
According to the 2022 ‘Statistical Update on Birth Registration in Africa’ by UNICEF and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), out of the 164 million children under 5 worldwide who are unregistered, over half (approximately 91 million) reside in Africa. This lack of registration hinders effective planning and policy-making, as accurate data is crucial for these processes.
The E-birth registration will allow parents to register their children immediately after birth, addressing accessibility challenges in Nigeria. This system supports robust civil registration and generates vital statistics for effective planning and policy implementation.
Hikmatu Bilali
Stakeholders from government, civil society, donors, academia, and private industry are in Nairobi, Kenya, for DataFest Africa 2024, held from July 17-19. Organized by Aga Khan University and Pollicy, the event is themed "Opportunities for All: Harnessing Data & Technology for Africa’s Transformation."
Since 2019, DataFest Africa has celebrated data science's impact on the continent. This year's conference aims to foster discussions and innovations to help Africa harness data and technology for development.
A veteran of the technology sector with over 10 years of experience, he has also spent more than 8 years specifically within the gaming industry. Currently, he leads one of Africa's biggest video game development companies.
Thomas Shiva (photo) is a Rwandan serial entrepreneur active in the video game industry. He is the founder and CEO of Digital Realm Entertainment, a technology company specializing in interactive entertainment software.
Founded in 2019, Digital Realm Entertainment publishes interactive entertainment software, providing Africans with easy access to video games that reflect the continent's cultural identity, heritage, and interests. The company offers games in education, health, and culture, delivering immersive and personalized solutions to meet its clients' specific needs.
In addition to his role at Digital Realm Entertainment, Thomas Shiva holds several other positions. Since 2019, he has been the founder and executive director of the Rwanda Game Developers Association, an organization that raises awareness among Rwandan gaming and development communities about the gaming industry. The association participates in and organizes various industry events worldwide.
Since 2020, Thomas Shiva has also been the CEO of Neo-Troniks Systems, a company aiming to provide Africa with local access to the latest cutting-edge technologies. In May 2024, he became the local lead for Rwanda for the NASA International Space Apps Challenge, an international space exploration competition held over 48 hours in different cities worldwide.
Additionally, he is the regional organizer for The Global Game Jam in Rwanda, an international video game creation competition. In 2015, he founded the Open Source Collective Association, and in 2020, he launched Neo-Realm Aerospace, a space technology startup in Rwanda.
Thomas Shiva holds a software engineering degree from the University of the People, an online university based in California, USA. He is also a graduate of the SAE Institute Germany, where he earned a bachelor's degree in game design and interactive media.
An international speaker and pioneer in developing local African technology ecosystems, Thomas Shiva has participated in numerous conferences and events. Since 2021, he has been a mentor at the International Game Developers Association, and in 2022, he served as a judge for various Global Startup Awards competitions.
Melchior Koba
With the ongoing technological revolution, African countries have established a timeline for digitizing their various sectors. In Madagascar, the digitization of the education sector is progressing steadily.
Malagasy authorities kicked off the digitization of the country's educational system during a three-day workshop held in Toamasina from July 15 to 17. The project, which begins in the Atsinanana region, aims to equip educational administration zones and schools with the necessary tools and resources to harness the power of digital technologies.
This initiative seeks to establish a comprehensive system for monitoring staff attendance, managing school fund transfers and expenditures, expediting data collection, facilitating remote learning opportunities and maintaining accurate student registries.
"The extension of digital services in the Atsinanana region is a significant first step in the digital transformation of the education sector in Madagascar. The Digital Governance Unit and the Ministry of National Education plan to extend this project to other regions of the country in the coming years," the Ministry of National Education (MEN) declared in a statement.
The Malagasy government is actively forging partnerships to support the digitalization of its education system. Since 2014, the MEN has partnered with Orange Solidarité Madagascar on the "Digital Schools" program, which aims to leverage new technologies to improve access to education. Most recently, in February 2024, the MEN joined forces with UNICEF to connect secondary schools to its digital library.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
In 2019, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) adopted a National Digital Plan to guide the development of its digital economy. This strategic framework aims to foster digital transformation across various sectors, enhancing economic growth and improving public services, with various initiatives already being carried out to advance the plan.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is exploring the establishment of a National Unified Information Center, according to a statement from the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Digitalization (PT-N).
Minister Augustin Kibassa Maliba (photo, center) met with Ashraf Attia, President of the Egyptian technology group Omega Gate Tech, on July 18 to discuss the initiative. According to Khaled Rhaïem, Omega Gate Tech's DRC representative, the discussions aligned with the DRC's ongoing digital transformation strategy.
"We discussed the construction of the National Unified Information Center. This approach perfectly aligns with President Félix Tshisekedi's vision. The center will consolidate all census databases and implement 5G technology," Rhaïem said.
The proposed center aligns with the National Digital Plan Horizon 2025 (PNN 2025), which aims to modernize the DRC through accelerated digitalization and key infrastructure development with 48% of its 69 projects already underway, 15 completed and 18 in the operationalization phase (according to the PNN 2025 mid-term review published in December 2023).
The National Unified Information Center envisions a centralized platform for collecting, managing, and disseminating critical national data across sectors like security, health, education, and the economy.
Omega Gate Tech, with its presence in Egypt, UAE, Libya, and Saudi Arabia, is seen as a potential partner to support the DRC's digital transformation. Their involvement could pave the way for significant technological advancements and a promising digital future for the country.
Samira Njoya
d.light, a global provider of affordable household products and finance for low-income households, has secured a $176 million securitization facility to purchase receivables in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Announced on July 17, this financing from African Frontier Capital will help d.light expand its PayGo consumer finance offering, making solar-powered products accessible to more low-income households and communities without electricity.
Over the next three years, the facility will provide reliable, renewable energy to an estimated six million people across the three countries.
The African Union (AU) will assess the Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the African Digital Compact on July 18–19, 2024, in Accra, Ghana. This follows the roadmap's endorsement by African ICT and Communications Ministers in June.
The Continental AI Strategy and the African Digital Compact aim to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation through new technologies for sustainable development, economic growth, and societal well-being. It will position Africa as a leader in the global digital economy, promoting homegrown digital solutions through a strong talent pool and public-private partnerships.
Ethiopian authorities are aiming to capitalize on their agricultural sector by modernizing it. To achieve this, they are implementing projects to digitize the sector.
The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) on Tuesday launched two digital initiatives in partnership with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to enhance agricultural input and output market systems.
The first project involves the creation of a digital platform that will connect smallholder farmers with potential buyers. "This initiative modernizes the agricultural market system, improving price discovery, risk management, and transaction transparency. It ensures a consistent supply of quality products, promotes traceability, matches supply with demand, and stabilizes market prices," explained the ATI.
The second project focuses on automating the input voucher system. The ATI is introducing eVoucher 2.0, electronic vouchers with a digital code that can be used to purchase goods or services online or in stores. The adoption of this system is expected to enhance the distribution of agricultural inputs and combat fraud.
These projects are part of a broader effort by Ethiopian authorities to modernize the agricultural sector. They have signed various partnerships to achieve this goal, confirming their intention to leverage technology for agricultural advancement. In June, the ATI partnered with Digital Green, a U.S.-based organization promoting the digitization of agriculture, to develop a knowledge-sharing platform.
The launched projects will help ensure a sustainable market, improve the supply of inputs to farmers, and strengthen the connections between farmers and agricultural product consumers.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
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He aims to reduce wait times for patients seeking medical attenetion. To achieve that goal, he developed a WhatsApp chatbot designed to connect healthcare providers directly with patients.
Blessing Museki (photo), a renowned Zimbabwean computer scientist and entrepreneur, is the founder of Cloomi, an innovative tech startup that connects people to healthcare providers. Launched in 2023, Cloomi offers a WhatsApp chatbot that anonymously links Zimbabweans with various healthcare providers, including pharmacies, medical laboratories, and diagnostic imaging centers. Through this app, patients can check the availability of services and compare prices. They also receive the physical address of providers, a location map, and the WhatsApp number of the selected business.
"We have made over 10,000 successful matches since launch, with users receiving responses within minutes during the day on regular working days," stated Blessing Museki in July 2024. The platform currently features more than 230 pharmacies, over 20 medical laboratories and diagnostic imaging centers, and a database of more than 700 registered healthcare practitioners across Zimbabwe.
Blessing Museki is also a chatbot developer for BNP Paribas. Before founding Cloomi, he co-founded Joblock in 2019, a platform that enables job seekers to manage and share their professional references securely. In 2020, he co-founded SwiftLog and Freshslate.app. SwiftLog is a platform that facilitates the recording of water and electricity meter readings via smartphone, while Freshslate.app allows users to store and share their COVID-19 test results.
Blessing Museki graduated from the University of Zimbabwe in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and computer science. He also holds a master's degree in financial markets with information systems, obtained in 2007 from London Metropolitan University. He gained experience by working for several years as a developer for companies such as Econet Wireless, London Stock Exchange Group, Transport for London, and M&G Investments.
Melchior Koba
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) provide greater opportunities for creativity and learning at preschool and primary levels. However, access to digital education remains insufficient in Africa due to the lack of preparedness for integrating digital technologies into early learning.
The Mastercard Foundation, in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria, hosted its first EdTech conference in Abuja from Monday, July 8 to Wednesday, July 10. Themed "Education Tech for Resilient, Inclusive Learning In Africa," the conference aimed to discuss the integration of technology into learning systems across Africa.
The event concluded with the adoption of 10 key actions to strengthen the EdTech ecosystem in Africa:
Champion local innovation through supportive EdTech policies, with governments as leaders, proactive enablers, and consumers of quality content and delivery mechanisms.
Harmonize cross-sector policy by coordinating inter-ministerial strategies, plans, and initiatives on technology-enabled access to education for all.
Underwrite foundational infrastructure through creative use of resources such as Universal Service Funds to invest in electricity, the internet, devices, and dedicated infrastructure for education programs.
Drive decisions with data by investing in government systems and capabilities for timely collection, analysis, and informed decision-making.
Enhance delivery capacity along the EdTech value chain by upskilling teachers to deliver learning using EdTech and supporting leaders in education systems to work with tech-enabled processes and data.
Systematize EdTech integration by introducing (where nonexistent) and enforcing clear, context-relevant standards for technology integration into the educational curriculum.
Guide context-relevant innovation with clear and timely guidelines and approval processes for content, tools, and licenses to encourage innovation, investment, and technology mainstreaming.
Diversify learning pathways for out-of-school youth by developing flexible technology-enabled alternatives for learning, accredited certification, and re-entry to the formal education system.
Lower access barriers to EdTech through strategic private-public partnerships that support responsive, evidence-based policy and affordable solutions for all.
Embed responsive inclusivity (gender equity, persons with disabilities and refugees and displaced persons) in policy and innovation processes, centering and engaging diverse young people throughout development and delivery.
The conference is part of the Mastercard Foundation's efforts to promote digital education in Africa. It coincides with the African Union's declaration of 2024 as the "Year of Education," urging all governments to intensify efforts to ensure quality education for all.
The African Union's Digital Education Strategy (2023-2028) and its implementation plan call for African countries to develop national digital education strategies. They aim for at least 50% of educational institutions to have safe and secure high-speed connectivity at significantly less than $25 per Mbps per month, at least 20% of students and 50% of teachers on the continent to have access to digital devices by 2027, and one-third of students and all teachers to have access by 2030.
Samira Njoya
In recent years, health tech startups have been providing valuable alternatives to populations. In Zambia, a tech entrepreneur has taken a significant step to facilitate access to health sector information by launching a digital solution.
MedSearch Zambia is an e-health solution developed by a Zambian startup. It enables users to access comprehensive information related to the health sector in the country. Founded in 2018 by Zanga Musakuzi and based in the capital Lusaka, the startup aims to enhance how Zambian populations search for healthcare services.
"We have developed a medical directory application, which works as a health information Hub and guide that allows users who are in search of specific health services or medication to quickly and easily find one near them regardless of their location," the startup states.
Its mobile application is available on iOS and Android and has been downloaded over a thousand times from the Play Store. After downloading, users create an account to access MedSearch Zambia's healthtech services. To ensure credibility and reliable information on its web and mobile platforms, the app partners with a wide range of healthcare providers, including pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, and even agroveterinary service providers.
Beyond providing health sector information, the startup offers medical research advice, customized training for organizations, and a "Water and Sanitation" department. It also features a medical tourism service that enables people to seek treatment in India.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
He aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises manage their accounting more efficiently. To achieve this goal, he has developed an innovative technological solution that automates financial management.
Fabrice Koffi, an Ivorian accountant and entrepreneur, is the co-founder and CEO of Keiwa, a startup that supports African entrepreneurs by providing management tools tailored to their needs.
Launched in 2018 by Koffi, Bertrand Dago, and Terrence Kondou, Keiwa is a simplified accounting application that promotes financial inclusion for businesses. It offers financial and inventory management services suitable for all types of activities, addressing the needs of daily operations tracking.
Keiwa enables users to create quotes and invoices, automatically record sales and expenses, manage inventory and credits, and access real-time financial reports. The application also facilitates the archiving of supporting documents and important records, making them easy to retrieve. Keiwa is currently available in Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire.
The application is a project of Dathan Group, a company founded in 2015 to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in managing their activities. Thanks to Keiwa, Dathan Group was awarded the jury's favorite prize at the "L'Arbre à Palabres" hackathon organized by Société Générale's Lab Innovation Afrique in 2017.
Fabrice Koffi graduated from Sup'Management University in Morocco with a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance in 2017. In 2013, he worked as an accountant at Société d'expertise comptable et de conseil (SECC) in Côte d'Ivoire. In 2015, he became a partner and co-manager at Cabinet UTC, a consultancy firm supporting SME development. In 2016, he became the head of accounting at AgriTecno, a company manufacturing biostimulants and plant nutrients.
Melchior Koba