News & Events

Recent posts on the EduTech blog have explored some of the general opportunities, issues and challenges that are common to many efforts to use mobile phones as part of data collection efforts and have identified some of the key lessons as a result of projects which have used mobile phones to collect data in the education sector in Uganda.

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According to a post on the EduTech blog, even where there is common agreement on the potential utility of deploying mobile phones as part of a particular data collection effort, as well as a consensus understanding about relevant challenges that may complicate such an effort, decision makers may still be unsure about how to start their related planning efforts – or how best to change course once such efforts are underway.

According to an article published on BizTechAfrica, IBM  announced the results of a new study entitled ‘Setting the pace in Africa: How IT leaders deliver on the potential of emerging technologies’, which found that while nearly 87 percent of African IT leaders rank new technologies such as analytics, cloud, mobile and social media as being critical to business success, only 53% are pushing forward with adoption.

A recent study published by GSMA Intelligence on the socio-economic impact of the mobile industry in Sub-Saharan Africa has revealed that mobile contributes over six per cent of the region’s GDP, making it the fastest growing region globally.

According to an article published on The Next Web, The Internet can be a difficult space for entrepreneurs to maneuver considering the many facets to it. Should I start with a mobile presence first? Do I need an app or can I just optimize my website for mobile viewing? Should I advertise via Facebook or YouTube? All these are questions that companies tend to face.

According to an article published on Quartz, a group of Belgian researchers has come up with a novel way (pdf) of mapping the distribution of wealth in Côte d’Ivoire—by looking at purchases of mobile airtime minutes.

Innovation, mobile, tech and startups. These are Africa’s buzzwords. A continent that arrived late to the web revolution, Africa is catching up fast and leading the way in some aspects.

The continent is working overtime to build and create products, services and businesses that can rival that of the developed world. It is no longer the dark continent. According to a Daily Beast report, Africa is being heralded as the “new Asia” and the “home of the next Google”.

“Compared to dismal rates in the rest of the world, Africa’s growth is exceptional,” Gustavo Galindo, a portfolio manager with Russell Investments is quoted in the Daily Beast as saying. “It surprises me many US investors don’t realize the opportunities this creates, with some African stocks gaining 15% to 20% returns.”
 
That surprise is echoed in Africa, where young entrepreneurs are building products that not only solve African problems but can scale as well. In spite of lack of investor interest, the continent thrives and that is to a great degree thanks to tech hubs and co-creation spaces popping up with the aim of fostering innovation and technological growth.
 
Here are nine innovation hubs and co-creation spaces that are doing their bit to champion the African tech boom.

A research commissioned by mobile advertising network, Twinpine has given fresh insight into the unprecedented growth of the African mobile market, revealing that mobile penetration is driving internet usage across West Africa and playing a fundamental role in fuelling economic growth. The study – An analysis of Mobile Technology in West Africa: The Case Of Nigeria, Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire was carried out in conjunction with Kenya-based iHub Research   and analysed mobile usage across Nigeria, Ghana and the Ivory Coast.

Research commissioned by mobile advertising network, Twinpine has given fresh insight into the unprecedented growth of the African mobile market, revealing that mobile penetration is driving internet usage across West Africa and playing a fundamental role in fuelling economic growth.

The study – An analysis of Mobile Technology in West Africa: The Case Of Nigeria, Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire was carried out in conjunction with Kenya-based iHub Research and analysed mobile usage across Nigeria, Ghana and the Ivory Coast.

Sub-Saharan Africa subscribers of converged network services - such as Internet Protocol (IP) television - are forecast to increase from 1.1 million in 2010 to 21.4 million in 2017.

This is according to analysis from research firm Frost & Sullivan that says the number of subscribers in nations such as South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria is set to grow as Average Revenue Per User (ARPUs) fall.