New technological innovations are shifting and
transforming Africa. Smart young entrepreneurs, developers and
programmers have sprung up in innovation hubs, accelerators and
incubators centers around the continent to build information and telecom
solutions that exploit the continent's blend of challenges and
opportunities.
Each year, the number of
technology hubs across Africa is rising and new technology is changing
the way all sectors do business. From healthcare to education,
agriculture to business, technology has changed it all.
According to the global telecoms industry body
GSMA’s Ecosystem Accelerator, a program that works to enable
partnerships between operators and developers in the continent, there
are a total of 314 tech hubs and incubation centers in Africa recorded by July 2016.
On its last mapping, the World Bank reported that there were 117 tech centers
spread across the continent. GSMA says the 314 or more tech hubs in
Africa are spread across 93 cities in 42 countries. Though the hubs are
concentrated in five South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria and Morocco,
the rest of Africa cannot be ruled out.
Kenya’s iHub
is an example of a wild success story. The hub gave rise to Africa’s
innovation center movement, inspiring upsurge in tech across the
internet and is often referred to as the African Silicon Savanah having
launched more than 170 startups since inception in 2010.
And
as Africa innovate solutions to making life a little easier, here are
top ten innovations and inventions developed by Africa for Africans and
the world
1. M-Pesa
Originally
designed to allow microfinance-loan repayments by phone and reducing
interest rates, this mobile phone-based money transfer which has changed
millions of lives has expanded to Afghanistan, South Africa, India,
Romania and Albania. Due to its quick, safe and easy way of working, M-Pesa
have millions of registered users many of them being from the rural
areas. M-Pesa also offers loans and saving services. M stands for Mobile
while Pesa is Swahili word for Money. Launched by Safaricom,
Kenya’s largest mobile operator and Vodafon in 2007, the mobile-money
system is the most successful system of its kind in the entire globe.
After depositing money to their mobile accounts through M-Pesa agents,
one can buy goods and services in whatever place they choose.
2. NappiDaddi
The
mobile phone app help fathers of young children become more involved in
their children’s early care and development. It uses game like elements
to motivate fathers to face the numerous challenges of childcare, as
well as facilitate the exchange of knowledge through peer to peer
advice. The parenting app won in the for Early Children Development
(ECD) hackathon during the 2015 South African Innovation Summit. It was
developed over 24 hours by a team of Kanya Msila, Suleiman Henry and
Sonke Gender Justice of MenCare.
3. E-Voucher
The
use of electronic vouchers by Zimbabweans cash-strapped small scale
farmers’ access agricultural inputs. Farmers are able to pick inputs
from pre-registered retailers within their area, supplied by per
registered wholesaler or supplier. The agricultural inputs can be seeds,
fertilizers and lime, agrochemicals, and tools or spare parts farming
equipment.
Swipe cards re loaded with e-vouchers
of $160 and distributed to selected vulnerable beneficiaries. The
beneficiary in turn pays 10 per cent of the value of the purchase to
retailer in cash on purchase day, while rest of the total amount is
deducted from the swipe card. This scheme not only promotes
farmer-driven and market friendly recovery and development, it also
supports re-establishment of agro dealer network across the country.
3. E-Wallet
Nigerians
farmers are able to receive subsidized electronic vouchers for inputs
to their mobile phones which allows them to purchase seeds and
fertilizers and other tools directly from agro-dealers. Cellulant, a
technology business in the mobile and digital services sector in Africa,
developed the mobile wallet network which serves thousands of villages
and more than millions farmers. The system also cuts the cost of
fertilizer by 50 per cent.
4. MLouma
Connects
Senegal farmers to food purchasers by displaying real time market
prices, products and localizations. The mobile service Mlouma uses web,
SMS and a call centre approach to reach maximum number of users. Since
many farmers cannot read or write, the preferred and faster way by
farmers is a simple call to sell their products.
5. ESoko
Started
in Ghana as TradeNet, it allows farmers to collect data and get advice
on market prices, weather forecasts, and growing tips to help them
increase their yields and profits as well as solutions to marketing
products, monitoring activities and sourcing goods to help them connect
with other farmers. This is done through personalized SMS alerts, buy
and sell offers, bulk SMS messaging, SMS polling and surveys. The
technology also provides extensive deployment support, strategic
planning and field training to clients.
6. Farmerline
Farmerline
uses voice and SMS to collect data, share new farming techniques, and
better link smallholder’s farmers to other actors along the agricultural
value chain across Ghana.
7. Mobile AgriBiz
The
civil wars in The Democratic of Congo had a horrific impact on the
country and especially agriculture but that has been used as a stepping
stone as the country is recovery. Technology has caught up with the
country and in 2016, Mobile Agribiz was launched in Kinshasa. The mobile
app is a web and SMS application that helps farmers decide when and how
to plant crops, how to select the best crops for a given location using
climate and weather data and connections available in the market.
Farmers are connected to buyers. The app also teaches them how to plant
or use fertilizers.
8. Community Surveillance Project
Helps
fishing communities in Sierra Leone fight against illegal, unreported
and unregulated fishing through the use of mobile phones, GPS enabled
cameras and motor boats. Those caught are forwarded to the government
and European Union and an investigation is started.
9. Farming Instructor
Provides
online and offline agriculture information to farmers. From text,
speeches and animation, farmers and Tanzanians are encouraged to engage
in agriculture activities. The texts are written tips from all over the
world and can be shared and exchanged. All written speeches is converted
to sound and users can listen via Text To Speech engine feature of the
app. As the animations tips are easy to follow and interesting to keep
farmer glued.
10. Poultry Farming Guide
The
app focusses on providing information, tips, and advice to help farmers
operate a profitable chicken raring business in Uganda.
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