Rwanda – Africa Tech Digest

Rwanda’s new SIM registration, Somalia’s Trade Information Portal, Cellulant’s partnership with GAINDE 2000

3Sep

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Africans in Tech, Mobile, Telecommunications

Rwanda’s new SIM registration, Somalia’s Trade Information Portal, Cellulant’s partnership with GAINDE 2000

What’s the news? Telecom operators will implement new SIM card registration procedures. The Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA), Rwanda’s telecom regulator, claims it will help reduce fraud. According to RURA, anyone who wants to get or swap a SIM card must do so at their telco’s service centres, authorised agent shops, or kiosks. Charles Gahungu, General Manager, ICT Regulation Department, RURA, said the new procedure would improve SIM card security because it will include ID verification and photographing peopl

“Born to Code”: Rwanda launches first coding academy

23Apr

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

East Africa

“Born to Code”: Rwanda launches first coding academy

Rwanda has embraced technology and is now preparing its young population for the future by launching a coding academy. The school's motto "born to code" encourages young people interested in coding to pursue it as a career. The academy focusses on cyber security and software programming, and 30 girls and 30 boys enrolled in the first intake. The Rwandan government and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) recently launched the Rwanda Coding Academy in partnership with the Ministry of ICT, Ministry of Education and Rwanda Polytechnic among other institutions. The Rwanda Coding Academy, which opened on the 4th of February 2019 with a total of 60 students; 30 girls and 30 boys. A statement from the Ministry of Education said, “This model school will graduate its studen...

Volkswagen Expansion in Africa With Ride-Hailing App Gains Traction

9Apr

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Apps, Ridehailing

Volkswagen Expansion in Africa With Ride-Hailing App Gains Traction

It’s been a year since one of the world’s biggest automotive companies, Volkswagen, bet on tiny and landlocked Rwanda as part of its expansion strategy in Africa. Since the 1950s, the German automaker has assembled cars in South Africa, and later in Nigeria and Kenya. The carmaker’s renewed interest in Africa is driven by the demand for brand new cars propelled by an emerging middle class as well as competition from companies like Toyota, Nissan, and Peugeot who are ramping up production in the continent. In Rwanda, Volkswagen set up a $20 million operation expected to produce up to 5,000 vehicles a year and create about 1,000 jobs. In Kigali, VW also placed a wager on another first for its global operations: ride-hailing services. The project is part of an initiative to use Rwanda ...

Rwanda emerging as a key tech and investment hub in Africa

15Jan

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

East Africa

Rwanda emerging as a key tech and investment hub in Africa

As South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria dominate the African tech ecosystem, Rwanda is slowly, yet assuredly, emerging as a key tech and investment hub with its ease of doing business. Partech Ventures’ 2017 report revealed that South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria accounted for 76 percent of total funding in 2017 and was the top three tech startup ecosystems to have highest number of startups funded per country. Whilst the trio continue to dominate, Rwanda, despite its small population, is positioning itself as a profitable commercial hub through its ease of doing business [Rwanda ranks 29th globally in World Bank’s annual ‘Doing Business Report’], and by implementing a lenient visa policy. Much of the partnership work has been undertaken by the Rwanda Development Board, whose mission is to stimul...

Africa Tech Summit Kigali to provide unrivaled insight, networking and business opportunities

5Jan

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

East Africa, Events

Africa Tech Summit Kigali to provide unrivaled insight, networking and business opportunities

Africa Tech Summit Kigali on February 13 – 15, will once again provide unrivaled insight, networking and business opportunities for African and international tech leaders and investors who want to business in Africa. The three-day African Tech Summit will feature three tracks – The Future Summit, The Africa Start-up Summit and The Creative Summit. Each will explore the latest trends, connect 400+ digital leaders, tech corporates, MNO’s, banks, investors, regulators, start-ups, creatives media, and leading tech ventures from across Africa over an action-packed three days of insight, networking and entertainment. The Future Summit will deliver a cross-sectional view of new technologies, solutions and opportunities across the African mobile, digital and tech landscapes. An array o...

30Dec

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

List & Guides

Meet Africa tech personalities of 2018

In this era of technology, it is exciting to see some of Africa’s sharpest minds go to work in search of life-saving solutions to myriads of problems facing the continent. In recent years, there have been local solutions to complex challenges in healthcare, finance and energy that could be relevant globally. Africa is rising and the proof is the growing number of creative digital developers and entrepreneurs who have placed technology and innovation at the forefront. Iddris Sandu Photo credit: The New York Times The 21-year-old tech guru has accomplished many incredible feats, including being responsible for algorithms that have made Uber, Instagram and Snapchat what they are today. From encouraging the study of STEM subjects in schools and at higher levels, Sandu, in 2017,...

How Africa’s Tech Generation Is Changing the Continent

30Dec

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Trends

How Africa’s Tech Generation Is Changing the Continent

DESIGNING FOR AFRICA is the objective of many new technology ventures. The continent is still a largely untapped market, particularly in remote, off-the-grid places. Mark Kamau, director of user-experience design for BRCK in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, holds a prototype for a mobile weather station.PHOTOGRAPH BY CIRIL JAZBEC Inspired by Silicon Valley, young entrepreneurs are bringing life-improving innovations to sub-Saharan communities. ONE DAY IN 2004, in the Kenyan farming village of Engineer—so named because an Englishman once ran a mechanical repair shop there—a slight and nearsighted boy was walking past the only printing shop when his eyes fell on something he had never seen: a computer. The boy watched as the owner stabbed at his keyboard. Edging closer, he saw pages ...

East Africa Top 10 Tech Startups to Watch

29Dec

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

East Africa, List & Guides, Start-ups

East Africa Top 10 Tech Startups to Watch

The tech startup scene in the African continent is experiencing record-breaking growth and increased international attention. In 2017, African tech startups received over $560M in investment according to research by Partech Ventures (a 53% increase from $367M in 2016). While South Africa and Nigeria still lead in attracting tech investments for the continent, East Africa is rapidly grabbing diverting more attention and investment dollars, catalyzed by strong innovation hubs and incubators. Nairobi stands as the pillar and anchor of East Africa’s interest, attracting 26% of total investments into Africa. Results from I-DEV East Africa Tech Survey showed strong evidence that Kenya continues to take a the lead in attracting attention and growing the ‘hottest’ companies to watch in East Af...