COVID-19 – Africa Tech Digest

What will commerce look like in Africa over the next decade?

25Sep

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Africa, ecommerce

What will commerce look like in Africa over the next decade?

With Covid-19 restrictions forcing more people to shop online, e-commerce companies and platforms on the continent have enjoyed a surge in activity. Jumia, for instance, saw a significant uptick in major indicators in the second half of last year. Also, retailers that did not previously have an online presence were compelled to do so. The pandemic essentially propelled widespread growth in African e-commerce. However, there are questions of whether that growth can be sustained in the long run. Juliet Anammah, Group Chief Sustainability Officer and Chairperson of Jumia Nigeria thinks it can. Continue reading Image: Business Fights Poverty

Online Learning & Working Sees Increase in ADHD Symptoms – Expert

19Sep

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Health Tech

Online Learning & Working Sees Increase in ADHD Symptoms – Expert

Technology has enabled remote working, learning and social connections during the Covid-19 pandemic, but increases of up to 80% in time spent in front of screens has seen a rise in ADHD symptoms such as lack of focus, poor concentration, and restlessness among both adults and children. Excessive screen time, either watching television or using devices including laptops, mobile phones and tablets, negatively affects concentration, memory and learning and contributes to problems with sleep, obesity, depression and anxiety – and aggravates the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Psychiatrist Professor Renata Schoeman, convenor of the ADHD special interest group of the SA Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP), said studies in a number of countries, including China, I...

7 Quick Tips to Get Hybrid Working Right for Your Business

29Aug

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Health Tech, Opinion

7 Quick Tips to Get Hybrid Working Right for Your Business

In a recent report conducted by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), which included almost 209,000 participants in 190 countries, South Africa emerged as one of the countries that would embrace ‘fully remote’ work. Compared to a global average of 24%, 44% of SA respondents said they want to work fully remotely. Moreover, over half of South Africans said their preference in the future will be a job that allows them to work from home at least occasionally. As South Africa experiences its third wave of the pandemic, many companies that had been steadily re-opening their physical offices are being forced to return to remote working. Continue reading

Digitization of Africa’s Transport Sector as Businesses Experience Post-COVID Recovery

28Aug

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Africa, Africans in Tech, ecommerce

Digitization of Africa’s Transport Sector as Businesses Experience Post-COVID Recovery

Truck and bus drivers in Nigeria are using Cellulant's technology - Tingg Proximity Pay (In store payments) - in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 LAGOS, Nigeria, August 28, 2021/APO Group/ -- Digitizing the transport sector has become inevitable. As the different countries adopted different measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, one of the first sectors to be hit hard was the transport sector as the movement of goods and people came to a standstill. We are seeing the tide turning with the availability of vaccines and the roads and air travel opens up more and more daily. However, businesses operating in the transport sector are having to relook at their operations, especially the need to digitize their payments. The universal quest for leveraging innovative ...

Covid-19 travel pass for South Africa – what to expect

16Aug

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Apps, Health Tech

Covid-19 travel pass for South Africa – what to expect

Covid-19 travel passes have become an international sticking point, as countries and citizens continue to face travel restrictions unless they provide proof of vaccination or a negative test. Parts of the world, including North America and the European Union, have begun to relax restrictions as many of their populations have been vaccinated. This allows businesses to introduce Covid-19 passes, blocking citizens and travellers from entering unless they can show proof of vaccination. Continue reading (Image Credits: Unsplash)

African Development Bank Coding for Employment program marks milestone: 130,000 users across Africa

14Aug

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Education, West Africa

African Development Bank Coding for Employment program marks milestone: 130,000 users across Africa

The program’s online platforms offer in-demand technical courses such as web development, design, data science and digital marketing – for free ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, August 13, 2021/APO Group/ -- On International Youth Day, the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) announces the enrolment of 130,000 users in its Coding for Employment digital skills program. The milestone comes as Coding for Employment works to equip African youth with information and communication technology, entrepreneurship and soft-skills training to compete in a digital economy. The program’s online platforms offer in-demand technical courses such as web development, design, data science and digital marketing – for free. With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in lockdowns and schoo...