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Monique Maddy at TechCrunch has an overview of Africa's technical growing pains and related challenges. As anywhere else, the future depends on connectivity. However, the continent represents only 10 percent of the total Internet users in the world, despite representing 16 percent of the world population.
The scale and complexity of Africa's technical landscape sits at the heart of the problem, and connectivity issues are particularly prevalent. Internet users in Africa represent only 10 percent of the total users in the world, despite representing 16 percent of the world population, according to Internet World Stats. And only 31 percent of the total population has access to the internet, which represents a penetration that is well below the rest of the world at 52 percent.
[...] Africa is at a technical tipping point. To survive and thrive in this diverse and highly complex marketplace, we need businesses that are flexible and capable of adapting both their products and their business models, which can most effectively work with local companies and talent to develop and promote local content and digital solutions while leveraging the power of the smartphone and widespread connectivity.
Barriers to growth include use of zero-rating by some of the world's largest players as they try to both push into the region while setting up obstacles to entry by competitors. She also asks how large Western companies plan to see a return on investment or whether Chinese companies will beat them to the punch.
Source : The intensifying battle for Africa's burgeoning tech landscape
See also :
Madhvi Gokool - AFRINIC Update (2017)
Michele McCann - iGDP in Africa (2014)
(Score: 3, Funny) by Gaaark on Sunday February 25 2018, @05:41PM (4 children)
I can just see teh African facebook
"I carried a jug of water 14 miles so i could take a dump before going to my shitty job carrying water jugs on my head."
466 likes
"I just gave birth to my 40th child (14 of who are still alive)"
589 likes
"I'm, like, some random white guy living in Africa"
1 likes
***Meant to be funny, but probably seems racist (I mean...how many times on facebook have you seen someone posting about taking a dump....seriously....)***
**Just meant for chuckles...relax**
*Don't hate the player (disclosure: i am not a player) hate the facebook*
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 3, Interesting) by HiThere on Sunday February 25 2018, @07:11PM
That's not unfair though. It really happens. But it's not the big problem. Tech often starts in enclaves and spreads out. The problem is you need to be able to trust the government, and while some African governments are "trustworthy" many aren't.
Note I said "trust". This is a relative term and relates to stability of operating conditions, not protection of liberties or some such. Many businesses are willing to invest in places where the government is oppressive, but few are willing to invest much in places where the government is unstable.
Javascript is what you use to allow unknown third parties to run software you have no idea about on your computer.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 25 2018, @07:35PM (1 child)
Q) Whaddya call an African that's taking a dump?
A) Showoff...
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 25 2018, @08:39PM
A) Thief! Stop stealing my fertilizer!
(Score: 2) by arslan on Monday February 26 2018, @02:00AM
Well.. the # of baby pics is gonna skyrocket.. on the bright side, or may much much worse, the pet pics will be more than just cats & dogs..