Looking back upon 2014, one of the more striking tech stories has been the rate at which ICT continues to penetrate, and emerge from within, Africa.
Recent news
Post-2015 agenda: ICTs in education will be ‘very critical’
Plans are currently being laid for a new era of development, as the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) edge closer to their 2015 expiry date. What will replace them will be a more inclusive framework that leverages new technology and innovation to help reach targets.
Creating opportunities for two million Ethiopian farmers
When Dr Mitslal Kifleyesus-Matschie returned to her country Ethiopia in 2007, she went with the aim to contribute to poverty eradication in rural areas by creating a company that allowed farmers to enter the 21st century market.
Investments surge for African startups in 2014
A recent report made by VC4Africa, the leading peer-to-peer network that enables African entrepreneurs and investors to find each other online, has revealed that 2014 saw a significant growth in startup ventures in Africa.
Tech hubs the key to getting women connected
More and more, throughout parts of Africa, tech hubs are emerging to help women realise the benefits of digital technology. Created by women, for women, these communities not only train women and girls with digital skills for business and everyday life, they provide an important support network to ensure they stay connected.
Africa’s gaming industry takes flight
To an observer, the matatu minibuses darting through Nairobi’s congested streets seem like a grave threat to public safety. But to Kenya’s developers, these death-defying taxis look like a smartphone game just waiting to be created. In Ma3Racer, developed by Kenya’s Planet Ruckus, gamers must dodge pedestrians, bikes and trucks, all while driving a rickety matatu bus. The app has proven a hit with […]
The only way out of poverty is…
A youth leader with a passion for community development, Eric Mbotiji often travels to villages throughout his country Cameroon to identify the educational and health-related needs of local communities and its young people. A frequent blogger for UNICEF Voices of Youth and Advocates for Youth, Mbotiji has written a guest post for eLearning Africa to share his latest experience – travelling to Northern Cameroon […]
Ethiopia’s tech economy on the rise
Despite setbacks, Ethiopia’s tech economy has been making strides, luring entrepreneurs from throughout Africa and gaining international recognition. This is due to a mix of increased government support for ICT development and the establishment of start-up incubators and hubs that are creating an ideal landscape for the tech industry to grow. By Steven Blum Now home to 1,000 members, incubator iceaddis is the first […]
The importance of algorithms in education and development
Algorithms are becoming an increasingly pervasive aspect of everyday life – so much so that a recent UK Council for Science and Technology report described our epoch as the ‘age of algorithms’. Yet despite their prevalence, often providing the driving force behind our usage of a range of products and services from mobile phones to insurance policies, they remain relatively obscure to the general […]
ICT empowers communities in fight against Ebola
The current outbreak of Ebola in West Africa is the worst on record, with the World Health Organization reporting 5,420 deaths – Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia have been the hardest hit nations. As international efforts are stepped up to combat the disease, attention has turned to the ways in which mobile technology can assist in Ebola awareness, diagnosis and prevention.
