Tech hubs are springing up across Africa. In Rwanda, the government has worked to boost access to information and communication technologies, with a view to harnessing the information age for its 11 million people. Apart from Rwanda, there are centers in Nairobi, and some are taking shape in Uganda and many other countries. For example, at Makerere University, students in the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology develop apps and sell them on the Samsung and Google app stores. However, these apps are downloaded and used by people mostly outside of Africa. I’ve detailed a number of reasons why this is the case below and also suggested some possible solutions;
Smartphone penetration
According to bizcommunity.com, global smartphone adoption has surpassed 1 billion phones. And, in at least 30 countries, at least half of all mobile users use smartphones, with Japan topping the list with 82% penetration, followed by Switzerland and Kuwait, both with 80%. In Africa, however, Egypt tops the list with 37%, with two East African players Tanzania and Kenya with 13% and 12% respectively in the top 5. The adaptation of smartphones has been low so far, this is due to the high costs. of these devices. Access to smartphones would make it easier for people to access online content, such as digital products and news, from the comfort of their homes. After this, it would be easier to turn these people into buyers and sellers.
However, this is beginning to change as low-cost devices are coming onto the market. For example, in Uganda, you can get a smartphone from Techno for less than $50, and prices are expected to drop even further.
digital divide
The digital divide actually refers to the lack of skills to use the powerful information and communication tools that someone may possess. As an example, I might have a smartphone, but when I’m only using it for voice calls. If I can’t use it to text or access the web because I don’t know how to, that’s what’s known as the digital divide. This is a common scenario in Africa, where various people have access to very powerful tools, but lack the necessary skills to take full advantage of the potential of these tools. The main cause of this is high illiteracy rates, as many people still cannot read or write. Language is also another big barrier here. Those whose reading skills are limited to their local languages are effectively excluded.
However, with the advent of mobile banking, telecom operators have invested heavily in advertising to help people take advantage of these tools. They have also provided free data packages to get people interested in using the web, as in the example of Airtel Uganda and MTN Uganda. I think this will go a long way towards tackling the digital divide, but more needs to be done.
internet costs
South Africa is one of the most technologically advanced countries in Africa; however, two-thirds of its adults have never used the Internet, according to voanews.com. A recent survey study by the South African Network Society, a research organization that analyzes the social impact of new telecommunication networks and technologies in Africa, found that only 34% of South African adults use the Internet. That’s about 12 million people. What is happening in South Africa is only a microcosm of what is happening in many parts of the continent. Reasons for the dismal internet statistics in Africa include; expensive home internet access due to lack of infrastructure, high mobile data prices, among others. Therefore, it is difficult to assess the feasibility of the digital market on the continent, because only a fraction of the people on the continent have access to the web. The only hope here is that the global internet giants Facebook and Google have put it on their agenda. to make Internet access a reality, and Google has already begun experiments in Africa.
local applications
According to Nicholas Rixon of Bizcommunity, “There is a need for local app developers to develop specific apps for the African market that solve local problems and provide utility to the local market. The rise of mobile technology spawned a business gold rush of mobile phones Looking to create the next best app for consumers and businesses The market is full of international apps, many of which do not add value in the African context Local consumers are looking for apps that help them in their daily activities to solve problems and increase their effectiveness” This statement concludes that there is a need for Africans to develop applications to solve purely local African problems. This will help drive mass adaptation, just as m-pesa was able to do in Kenya, and as a result, many previously unbanked people now have access to mobile banking.
Easiest money exchange platform
I firmly believe that nothing accelerated the growth of e-commerce in Europe and North America more than the emergence of PayPal. In Africa today, the story is still different. People in North Africa and the Middle East use an online payment system called cashu. In sub-Saharan Africa, many people are still unbanked and there is no alternative option to conduct digital transactions. When you read developer forums across the region, many of them complain that it’s too difficult for them to profit from their efforts. A money exchange platform should be developed that is cheap enough and easy to use.