IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Emerging African economies are increasingly embracing IT services solutions in a bid to support their growth initiatives.

That’s according to the latest insights released today by International Data Corporation (IDC), with the global advisory services firm also explaining that growing public and private sector IT spending, together with maturing and increasingly competitive business environments, are also driving IT services demand.

"AfriNIC will be allocating IPv4 for the next two years, meaning people are not in urgency mode compared to other regions. Organizations are still in their comfort zone," said Adiel Akplogan, CEO of AfriNIC, the regional Internet registrar.

There are those who suggest that the disparate state of the connectivity services market in South Africa is due, in part, to the various business models that exist and the need to make technology work.

Yusuf Ibrahim's computer screen is awash with colourful maps and charts. From his desk in downtown Nairobi, Ibrahim can track outbreaks of deadly diseases and keep on eye on the progress of potentially tricky pregnancies. "With the touch of a button I can see what's going on across the country in real-time," Ibrahim said. "It is amazing."

Ibrahim's computer is collecting vital health and epidemiological data from hundreds of miles away via travelling healthworkers with mobile phones.

“The AU would coordinate with ITU and all development partners to continue activities on harmonising policies and regulations in Africa based on the platform created by Harmonisation of the ICT Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa project,” the statement noted.

Lack of existing health-care systems and underdeveloped privacy laws are likely to push faster adoption of mobile health business models in Africa compared to developed countries.

Operators and partners from developed countries are projecting that it will take at least five years before they can navigate through laws and develop appropriate business models, but in Africa, m-health projects are taking off.

An expert believes African countries should consider using digital technologies to solve issues in existing cities instead of constructing new “smart cities”.

This comes amid authorities pledging to construct smart cities but failing to deliver because of high upfront infrastructure costs and socio-environmental complexities.

Prevailing economic issues including the 2008/09 global economic recession has exacerbated matters.

Now, to change the world, I am typing on a computer about the challenges that African governments are still facing in applying technology for faster information dissemination, service delivery, and bringing governance closer to the people at the click of a computer mouse.

He said connecting rural communities on the continent to tackle challenges in education, health and governance required a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented information society.

President Mills made the call in a speech read on his behalf by Communications Minister, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, at the opening session of the Fifth African Regional Conference on Rural Communications in Accra.

Building trust online remains a big hurdle to fully taking advantage of the Internet in Africa, and at the Africa Domain Name System Forum meeting in Nairobi earlier this month, experts called for more rapid implementation of security mechanisms on the central elements of the Internet infrastructure and recommended the use of DNS security (DNSSEC) extensions to counter the issue.

Building trust online remains a big hurdle to fully taking advantage of the Internet in Africa, and at the Africa Domain Name System Forum meeting in Nairobi earlier this month, experts called for more rapid implementation of security mechanisms on the central elements of the Internet infrastructure and recommended the use of DNS security (DNSSEC) extensions to counter the issue.

Jeong, a Senior Research Fellow with the Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI), stated this at a Stakeholders’ Workshop and Instructors Training on capacity development of e-government for Nigerian civil servants.

A total of 30 Nigerian civil servants are currently undergoing a three-week capacity training in e-government in South Korea.

The latest (2006-2007) World Economic Forum Global Information Technology report shows that African countries are still lagging behind in terms of using opportunities offered by ICT for development and enhancing competitiveness.

Whereas North America's 340 million population is heavily covered with about 74 per cent having access to the Internet.

Since Internet and technology associated with it is a most potent denominator for economic and social equilibrium, it explains why the African continent still moves its economy at a snail speed.

He said in a continent where majority of the population lacked access to quality healthcare services, telemedicine offered a better option to bring comprehensive healthcare to the people, using information technology (IT).

Telemedicine is a concept where rural and deprived health centres are linked up to state-of-the-art health facilities in urban areas or a given area to enable medical personnel to diagnose and treat patients through the internet or any IT means.

The report, by South Africa-based telecommunications analysts BMI-TechKnowledge, which is represented in 40 African countries, said over 80 percent of African internet use is routed through satellite connections.

This follows deliberations during the 4th Meeting of the Ministerial Bureau of the 5th Pan-African Conference, held in Windhoek, Namibia.

The meeting, held on Wednesday and Thursday this week, reviewed progress made in the collective work of the Ministers of Public Service, under the auspices of the African Union Commission (AUC).

Aliyu Aziz, a technology advisor to Nigeria's government, has a goal.

The free texts from South Africa's largest HIV treatment site are part of a push in Africa to boost health by targeting the continent's 624 million mobile phone subscribers.

"I check my cellphone all the time -- I think that's why it [the drug regimen] is working so well," said patient Emily Moletsane, 40, in a queue at Johannesburg's Themba Lethu clinic which averages more than 450 people a day.

Namibia’s Prime Minister, Dr Hage Geingob, opened the meeting underlining that ICT was a greater catalyst for Africa if it was to attain development, saying that these innovative attempts still reside amidst traditional approaches to learning and teaching.