Are tech companies upbeat about Africa?

Many still believe that central to Africa’s development is mining, agriculture and to a lesser extent manufacturing. No one talks about large scale manufacturing to derive economies of scale and scope, excepting perhaps a couple of Africa’s own tycoons. That include Aliko Dangote and a few other business honchos like him. Is technology taking a backseat in the development discourse of the continent?

When Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said that he would spend a few months in the continent visiting different countries in the region, many though things are changing there. Our portal www.trendsnafrica.com carried a story about the  much publicized visit of Dorsey. In fact, there were reports also emanating from different corners in the print and internet media eulogizing what other tech majors including Google, Microsoft, Apple, Dell  etc have been  doing to enter the Africa in a grand  scale. There were theories spun and floated about the rationale of their Africa entry. A few columnists thought emerging markets like China, India and a few other ASEAN market are no longer the market for tech companies. The technology absorption in these countries is happening at a higher pace and some of them are turning to be technology leaders and not followers. A classic case is that of China and how that had matured from the rank of reverse engineering (euphemism for piracy) to a ubiquitous  high-tech leader. The other example is India, which is laying a strong digital backbone and made its intention clear to be a technology leader.

But overnight Dorsey his grand plans to be the technology  leader of Africa had to be put on hold threatened by  the  possibility of his ousting from the Twitter by a predator investor. He realized the fact that  his own stake in the company he founded-Twitter-  has declined to 2%. Though he stalemated his ouster through clever  deals, he had to postpone  his long trip to Africa  to an indefinite period. No one knows when it is going to take place, given the high tension corporate problems he is beset with. Does it mean his competitors like Apple, Facebook, Google etc also put on hold their Africa Safari?

Yet, the opportunities that Africa presents in technology and related segments   no one can discount. Increasing penetration of mobile phones is not the only criterion or the increased application of technology in hydrocarbon sector. Whether it is precision agriculture (computer aided agriculture), Internet of Things (IoTs), which are revolutionizing machine to machine language, or cloud computing or robotics, which  run on artificial intelligence, African countries are fast catching up with their peers, so much so that there are annual events in at least a dozen countries   or so, which showcase their
tech capabilities. An equal number of companies have an evolving culture of startups and have started talking about toning up their laws in intellectual property rights. Many universities, higher schools of learning and even primary schools have reoriented their
curricula to give importance to science and technology. These are encouraging signs, which have to be consolidated and built on.

What do these developments portend? Africa’s tryst with technology and science is irresistible and unstoppable. Those who invest first will have the first mover advantage.  No one knows that much clearer than the global tech companies.