In today's digital age, access to technology is crucial for development. Initiatives that empower people with digital skills and tools are essential for creating a more inclusive and prosperous future.
On Sunday, November 10, Guinea’s Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah inaugurated the country’s first laptop assembly unit in Mamou, located within the Higher Institute of Technology (IST). This project, launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education, Chinese company Green View, and local partner Guinea Technologie Innovation (GTI), marks a significant step toward positioning Guinea as a technological leader in West Africa.
"Guinea needs to be a player in technology. We must not only consume phones and laptops but also manufacture them. We have resources, a vision, and the responsibility to train the talent to bring this vision to life," said Prime Minister Bah.
The initiative is part of the “Simandou 2040” vision led by the transitional president, Mamadi Doumbouya, which aims to modernize and diversify Guinea’s economy. As part of this strategy, the government intends to transform Mamou into a regional tech hub, called “Mamou Valley,” where academic institutions and businesses will collaborate to drive innovation. Additional initiatives are underway, including the construction of regional universities, the establishment of a Science and Innovation City, and the redesign of technology training programs.
With 4.87 million internet users as of January 2024, according to DataReportal, and an internet penetration rate estimated by the government at 52% in May, Guinea has potential for further digital inclusion. However, the high cost of computers and smartphones remains a barrier. This laptop assembly project is expected to help lower these costs, making technology more accessible, while also boosting the digital job market and supporting national economic transformation.
Samira Njoya
After gaining several years of experience in France, she returned to Africa to contribute to its development. She is passionate about promoting women's inclusion in the tech industry.
Longa Andrea Mbuyamba (photo), a Côte d'Ivoire-based digital transformation consultant based, is the founder of Abidjanaises In Tech, an organization focused on strengthening and promoting women’s participation in the digital sector in Côte d'Ivoire. Established in 2023, Abidjanaises In Tech aims to inspire, connect, and equip women with the skills needed to thrive in the technology field. Positioned as a business network, the organization aspires to build the largest pool of qualified female tech experts in the country.
"Our goal is to create opportunities, enhance digital skills, and spark interest in tech careers while raising awareness across our ecosystem. We reflect the diversity and dynamism of women from all backgrounds in the STEM universe [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] and work with determination toward a more inclusive, balanced digital future," the organization explains.
Abidjanaises In Tech hosts workshops, experience-sharing sessions, and mentoring programs to develop both technical and leadership skills among its members. It also highlights members' achievements on its communication platforms. Currently, the organization has over 280 members, including 38% professionals and 31% entrepreneurs and startup founders. In its first year, it generated more than fifty opportunities for its members.
Before founding Abidjanaises In Tech, Mbuyamba co-founded Panafrican Stories in 2018, a platform aimed at strengthening connections between Africa and its diaspora by sharing stories and insights on the continent.
Mbuyamba holds a State Certificate in Political Studies, specializing in economic intelligence, earned from Sciences Po Aix in France in 2014. She also obtained a Master’s in Management Science from IESEG School of Management in 2017.
Her professional journey began in 2014 as an account manager assistant at South African PR firm Amplicon PR. In 2017, she interned as a marketing assistant before advancing to project manager at Deloitte France. She later joined Accenture France in 2018 as a digital transformation consultant. From 2021 to 2023, she served as Head of Organization and Change Management for financial institution COFINA Group.
Melchior Koba
With rapidly evolving communication and delivery methods, modernizing postal services in Africa has become a necessity. Postal services must adapt to meet the changing needs of society, integrating digital solutions to stay relevant and effective in a fast-paced environment.
Burkina Faso introduced, on Tuesday, November 5th, new digita solutions aimed at enhancing postal and financial services. Presented by Minister of Digital Transition, Posts, and Electronic Communications, Aminata Zerbo/Sabane (photo), they include Poste Money, a mobile app that enables users to send and receive money, make merchant payments, and manage accounts. Poste Money includes a semi-offline feature to support areas with limited connectivity.
The government also presented Cashless PDI, an application designed to ensure the secure and transparent distribution of aid funds directly to internally displaced persons (IDPs).
To improve core postal services, La Poste has introduced DBOX (Delivery Box), an automated mail distribution system that addresses the rising demand for fast, secure postal services. Additionally, self-service deposit machines will be installed, allowing customers to deposit funds independently.
Future projects include the launch of a Postal Electronic Messaging Box (BMEP) for professional and personal digital exchanges, and Poste Mobile, which aims to extend financial services to rural and remote areas.
These initiatives align with Burkina Faso’s national digitalization plan and the Universal Postal Union (UPU) guidelines, as the country seeks to modernize its postal services. The UPU’s 2023 Integrated Index for Postal Development (2IPD) currently rates Burkina Faso’s postal development at only two out of ten, underscoring the need for urgent modernization.
Samira Njoya
Digital technologies can revolutionize African agriculture. The adoption of innovative technologies can boost productivity and enhance the competitiveness of farmers across the continent.
Access to technology, combined with tools such as big data, GPS, and drones, could increase crop yields in Africa by 10.5% to 20% over the next five years, the GSM Association (GSMA) projects. In its May 2024 report, Driving Digital Transformation of African Economies, the organization also predicts that expanding ICT usage in African agriculture could lead to a 23% increase in profits over the same period. GSMA emphasizes the need for African governments to make smart digital investments, as these could drive growth across several strategic economic sectors.
Agriculture remains a critical engine for growth and employment in Africa. Recent advancements are already delivering more efficient services to farmers. “For example, Aerobotics in South Africa provides data analytics and machine learning to process aerial imagery from drones and satellites, providing realtime insights on crop performance, pests, plant health, irrigation levels,” the report details.
Even simpler digital tools can enhance agricultural supply chain efficiency through better access to information and training. “SMS messages to smallholder sugarcane farmers about when to perform specific agricultural tasks was found to increase yields by 11.5%,” GSMA notes.
Additionally, technology is enhancing market access for farmers through new models of aggregation, logistics, and supply chain management. In Ethiopia, for instance, the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange now differentiates coffee quality more effectively, and its traceability technology allows small farmers to connect directly with global buyers.
Agriculture is essential to Africa’s economic growth and food security, and international organizations, including the United Nations, are calling for its digital transformation to improve product quality and yields. This interest has spurred continuous investment in agritech startups over the past five years, despite the 2023 funding crunch. According to Briter Bridges’ State of AgTech Investment in Africa 2024 report, the agricultural sector accounted for 13% of total funding and 5% of all fundraising deals in 2020. While this dropped to 6% of both funding and deal volume in 2023, Oxford Business Group’s Agriculture in Africa 2023, in partnership with OCP Group, forecasts a promising annual growth rate of 44% in African agritech from 2023 to 2028.
For African farmers to fully benefit from digital transformation, however, expanding network coverage, increasing access to mobile devices, and making internet access affordable are crucial. Addressing these issues could integrate more farmers into the digital economy. According to GSMA’s The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2024 report, boosting mobile internet use could add $795 billion to Africa’s GDP between 2023 and 2030.
Samira Njoya
Born in Nairobi to help residents save money, it now plans to expand to several other countries in the coming months.
Chumz is a fintech solution developed by a Kenyan startup, enabling users to save and invest money. Founded in 2019 by Samuel Njuguna, this Nairobi-based startup offers a mobile app available on iOS and Android, which has already been downloaded over 100,000 times, according to Play Store data. After downloading the app, users can create an account to access Chumz's services, set personal or group savings and investment goals, and take action toward them as soon as possible.
The app allows users to add friends or family members to create joint savings or investment goals. Chumz enables users to save with as little as 5 Kenyan shillings (about $0.04). Through the app, users can track their savings progress and receive periodic reports on their financial growth. They are also reminded to save through behavior-based notifications and deposit prompts.
“For example, if a user spends money at a pub, the app suggests investing a portion of that money instead of spending it all. Similarly, when a user receives mobile money, the app prompts them to save some of it. Chumz provides an easy and convenient way for users to save and invest, helping them reach their financial goals,” explains Samuel Njuguna.
After surpassing 200,000 users, Chumz now eyes the Rwandan market, with Tanzania, Uganda, and Botswana also on its growth agenda in the coming months. By 2026, Chumz aims to reach one million users in Kenya, its home market.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
He harnesses technology to address unmet needs in Algeria. He leads two companies, one of which connects individuals to local and international experts.
Kheireddine Boulefa (photo), an Algerian tech entrepreneur, is the founder and CEO of Moustachir, an online consulting platform that connects users with Algerian experts across various fields, both nationally and internationally.
Founded in 2022, Moustachir enables users to engage with high-level Algerian specialists across diverse sectors, including economics, finance, entrepreneurship, and import-export. The platform also offers technical consulting in web and app development, artificial intelligence, networking, cybersecurity, operating systems, data analysis, and robotics.
In addition, Moustachir provides consultations in social, educational, linguistic, artistic, and media fields. With over 90 consultants, the platform extends services such as business domiciliation, training programs, and coworking space rentals.
Beyond Moustachir, Boulefa is also the CEO of Yinvesti, an Algerian crowdfunding platform that connects entrepreneurs and investors. Prior to founding Moustachir, he launched EURL KHEIROTAXI, a chauffeur-driven vehicle reservation platform, which he led until 2022.
Before his entrepreneurial ventures, Boulefa worked with Oriflame SPO, a beauty products company, joining in 2013 as an agency director in Algeria. In 2017, he became a project manager at BlueGreen Business, a startup incubator, a role he held until 2022.
Melchior Koba
Africa’s shift toward a digital economy faces a critical skills gap, largely due to insufficient training systems that fail to meet current demands. Addressing this challenge swiftly is essential to enable Africans to fully engage in the global economy and remain competitive.
Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) has launched the Digital Learning for NSUK (DL4NSUK) initiative in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and US technology company Cisco. The event, held on 7 November 2024 at the School of Postgraduate Studies' SB Mohammed Auditorium, makes NSUK the first Nigerian university to participate in this digital literacy program.
In his speech, the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, stressed the importance of digital literacy, aligning the program with the Federal Government's National Digital Literacy Framework under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The government has set itself the ambition of achieving a digital literacy rate of 60% among young people and adults by 2025 and a national digital literacy rate of 95% by 2030, he said. He also stressed the need to prepare students with digital skills in view of the new know-how requirements of the job market between now and 2030. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi expressed NITDA's commitment to developing the digital skills of Nigerians through higher education, making NSUK an exemplary partner in this inaugural initiative.
These efforts are linked to the government's goal of developing the country's digital economy, which contributed 13.12% to total nominal GDP in the first quarter of 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Enhancing the digital skills of the population is essential to support this growth.
Professor Sa'adatu Hassan Liman, Vice-Chancellor of NSUK, emphasized that the aim of the program was to make the university a regional leader in ICT, artificial intelligence, and robotics. She stressed that integrating cutting-edge technologies into NSUK's curriculum would enable students to acquire essential skills, such as problem-solving and innovative thinking, that are vital in the digital age.
Hikmatu Bilali
Digital cooperation is crucial for driving technological advancement and economic growth. It allows countries to work together to address digital challenges and spur innovation.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and Digital Affairs, Augustin Kibassa Maliba, is currently on an official visit to Warsaw, Poland, to strengthen digital cooperation between the two countries. This visit, which began on Thursday, November 7, seeks to finalize agreements on key projects aimed at advancing the DRC’s digital development.
According to a statement from the DRC’s ICT Ministry, the agreements will promote cooperation across key digital segments, including infrastructure modernization through the development of high-speed networks and data centers to improve connectivity. Cybersecurity is also a focal area, with initiatives designed to enhance defenses against cyberattacks.
Another priority is supporting e-government by digitizing public services to improve their efficiency and accessibility for citizens. Additionally, the agreements include plans to establish ICT training centers, aimed at developing young talent in the digital sector and stimulating innovation, especially by supporting tech startups.
This initiative is part of the “Horizon 2025” National Digital Plan, launched to drive the DRC’s digital transformation goals. It follows a recent meeting between Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Polish President Andrzej Duda on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September. The two leaders announced plans for future partnerships in digital transformation and defense.
As part of this collaboration, Poland will contribute its expertise, particularly in connectivity infrastructure. With an ultra-high-capacity network covering 81.1% of households, Poland is a leader in fiber optic technology—a model the DRC aims to emulate to reach its own connectivity targets by 2050. Leveraging Polish expertise, the DRC aims to achieve over 50% fiber optic coverage and connect more than 90% of its population to the mobile network by 2050, facilitating comprehensive digital transformation and inclusive economic growth.
Samira Njoya
He is committed to empowering African youth by providing them with the tools and guidance needed to reach their full potential. Through technology, he has already managed to reach thousands of young people across the continent.
Patrick Ngounou (photo) is the founder and CEO of Student’s Mag, a startup aimed at improving access to education and employment in Africa. A Cameroonian-born, Ngounou envisions making his company an essential partner for African students.
In 2008, Student’s Mag began as a 152-page directory listing training programs available in Cameroon. As demand from parents for educational information grew, Ngounou and his team realized the need for a more sustainable solution. This led to the official launch of the startup Student’s Mag in 2023.
Today, leveraging technology, Student’s Mag connects talent, experts, academic institutions, and businesses across Africa. The platform democratizes access to information and supports young people in their educational and professional journeys. It offers a comprehensive range of school and career guidance services tailored to the needs of African students, helping them make informed choices about their studies and easing their transition into the job market.
Young users can access digital directories of universities, an AI-driven job portal, and scholarship opportunities at partner institutions. Universities, training centers, and companies can also promote themselves through the platform.
"Since our launch, more than 2,000 students have already benefited from our services, finding valuable guidance and resources for their academic and professional paths. This direct impact on the lives of young Africans is the greatest reward for our work," Ngounou told We Are Tech Africa. The startup has already reached over 4,000 young people and lists 1,400 institutions across Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Gabon, and Togo.
Ngounou also has extensive experience in international mobility and entrepreneurship. In 2006, after three years as a junior consultant in international mobility, he founded Advisers Agency, a firm that helps African students pursue studies abroad. In 2012, he expanded his business ventures by launching Advisers Services Sarl, a freight transportation company that has worked with major clients like Guinness, Bolloré, and Fobert Centrafrique.
After completing his baccalaureate, Ngounou studied mathematics for a year at the University of Yaoundé 1. In 2003, he enrolled at Cambridge International College, earning an advanced diploma in finance in 2006. He is currently pursuing a Global International MBA in impact entrepreneurship at the Catholic University of Milan.
An active member of the Junior Chamber International (JCI), Ngounou recently won third place in the 2024 Orange Social Venture Prize for Africa and the Middle East (POESAM) in Cameroon.
Melchior Koba
He has over 10 years of experience in industrial operations and digital transformation projects. He leads a startup that leverages technology to revolutionize the agricultural sector.
Amine Derj (photo) is a Moroccan tech entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of Jodoor, an agri-tech startup. Founded in 2021, Jodoor aims to provide Africa and the Middle East with a robust, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural infrastructure to meet the needs of tomorrow's agriculture.
The company offers “turnkey” soil-free farms in Morocco and across the Maghreb region, using technology that reduces water consumption by 80% and enables pesticide-free production, promoting environmentally friendly farming practices. Jodoor supports farmers with sustainable solutions, encourages female inclusion, and also develops agricultural management software and offers technical consulting services.
In addition to Jodoor, Derj is the co-founder and corporate relations lead for the EDHEC Social Impact and Innovation Club, an organization launched in 2018 to advance social impact through innovation. The club collaborates with social organizations to accelerate projects with high social and environmental value.
Derj holds a degree in industrial engineering from the National Institute of Applied Sciences, Centre Val de Loire, obtained in 2013. In 2014, he earned a master’s in project and program management from SKEMA Business School and later, in 2019, completed an MBA at EDHEC Business School in France.
To build his expertise, Derj joined the mobility company Iveco in 2013 as an industrial project engineer. In 2014, he moved to TE Connectivity, where he served as a supply chain analyst for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. From 2021 to 2024, he was head of digital transformation at Infomineo, a firm specializing in outsourcing services such as research, analysis, design, and language support.
Melchior Koba
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Digital technologies offer an innovative approach to preserving cultural heritage and traditions. Across Africa, countries are harnessing these tools to increase the visibility of their heritage and drive economic growth.
The integration of digital technologies in the preservation and promotion of intangible heritage presents significant opportunities for Senegal, according to Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. During the opening ceremony of the 15th Dakar Biennale of Contemporary African Art on Thursday, November 7, he urged cultural stakeholders to utilize digital tools to enrich and disseminate the country’s cultural heritage globally.
"Digital technologies have transformed the cultural value chain, making the cultural economy increasingly digital. Digitalization offers an opportunity to enhance our rich intangible heritage. The national cultural sector must seize and harness the considerable potential offered by digitalization," President Faye stated.
This call to action aligns with the mission of the Biennale—a prominent event that, beyond its artistic focus, aims to place culture at the center of contemporary issues. It also reflects the recommendations from UNESCO's 2018 report, Re-thinking Cultural Policies: Placing Creativity at the Heart of Development, which underscores the transformation of the cultural value chain and highlights the central role of digital technology in the evolving cultural economy.
The implications of this vision for Senegal are substantial. By fully embracing digital technologies, the country could not only preserve and promote its intangible cultural heritage but also enhance its creative economy, generating new job opportunities for youth and women. Digital transformation will facilitate better management of cultural data, archiving, and access to works, paving the way for a redefined role for Senegal on the global cultural stage.
Samira Njoya
As more Africans connect online, concerns about the inadequate protection of personal information are fueling a growing focus on data privacy and regulatory control in digital communications. This shift reflects broader global efforts to strengthen data protection in online spaces.
Zimbabwe’s Minister of ICT, Postal, and Courier Services, Tatenda Mavetera, announced new regulations mandating that all WhatsApp group administrators register and obtain a license from the Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ). The announcement was made at the POTRAZ breakfast meeting on Wednesday, November 6.
This licensing, which starts at a minimum fee of $50, will apply to various groups, including businesses, community organizations, and churches. Non-compliance could result in penalties, and POTRAZ advises groups to seek guidance on fulfilling the new obligations.
Minister Mavetera emphasized the new requirements as essential for enhancing data privacy and security, impacting any group that collects personal information. "Even churches who collect personal data ought to have such a license and appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO)," she explained, underlining the government’s intent to strengthen data security for all citizens.
Zimbabwe enacted the Data Protection Act in 2021 to safeguard personal data and regulate its handling across all digital platforms. With WhatsApp groups commonly used for communication, government entities argue that requiring licenses for group admins and Data Protection Officers aligns with the Act’s mandate to protect personal information from potential misuse.
The Postal & Telecommunications Sector Abridged Performance Report for Q2 2024 reveals that mobile internet and data traffic in Zimbabwe increased by 12.5%, climbing from 58.44 petabytes in Q1 2024 to 65.75 petabytes in Q2. This rise likely reflects consumers' growing reliance on mobile data for internet access, with social media being a major contributor to this consumption.
Alongside the license, group admins must appoint a certified DPO, a role mandated by Zimbabwe’s Data Protection Act. The Act defines personal data as any information that can identify a person, and the government asserts that group admins, having access to members' phone numbers, need to protect such data accordingly.
Hikmatu Bilali
Visa has announced investments in four African fintech startups from its Visa Africa Fintech Accelerator, underscoring its commitment to financial inclusion and Africa’s digital ecosystem.
The investments focus on startups addressing Africa’s unique challenges including: Workpay, a Kenyan HR and payroll platform operating across 35 countries; Oze, a Ghana-based digital platform providing SMEs with record-keeping tools and an ML-powered credit scoring system; OkHi from Nigeria, a smart addressing solution to verify and locate physical addresses; and ORDA, a Nigerian restaurant management software supporting over 1,500 restaurants with inventory and order processing tools.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has awarded Currenzo, a Nigerian subsidiary of global financial platform Africhange, an International Money Transfer Operator (IMTO) license. This license allows Currenzo to process remittances directly into Nigeria without intermediaries, offering faster and more affordable transfers for Nigerians locally and abroad.
With this approval, Currenzo can now partner directly with Nigerian banks to streamline payments and reduce costs. The company has already partnered with three Nigerian banks and is actively seeking a settlement partner to secure transactions.
By using blockchain technology, Africhange aims to offer low-cost, efficient cross-border transfers, particularly for the African diaspora.