Africa Tech Bytes #1
Episode 1: March 2021
Hey there, my name is Jesse. I am a techie-fanatic!
As you can guess, I consume quite a huge amount of content — videos (TikTok), articles, newspapers, memes — on technology but also in entrepreneurship and finance. Yes, you read right, I’m from the last generation that still reads the newspapers and magazines :)
And because I am not a sponge, that takes takes takes, I have decided to put together some of the cool content I think would be of interest to others like me. I will also seek to answer the SO WHAT about the news I am sharing from my perspective.
This will be a monthly newsletter that will bring you all the interesting stuff happening in the African tech space: in bits and bytes.
Here is the first edition of Africa Tech Bytes.
Hope you enjoy! And please feel free to leave a comment below.
5G is here (in Kenya)
While the launch by Safaricom is on a trial phase in Nairobi and parts of Western Kenya, it is exciting because of the possibilities that exist with IoT (my pet subject) that comes with the super-fast internet. IoT refers to the Internet of Things, in a broader sense, everything that’s connected to the internet.
The network aims to push internet speeds to about 700 Mbps- 1000 Mbps. To put it in perspective, you can download a 2-hour movie in under 3.6 seconds. Currently, it takes about 15 minutes or so on 4G.
For me, I am keen to see how 5G will support digitalization and connection across industries such as businesses, medicine, and a lot more in connecting machines and other IoT.
Safaricom, confirming its role as the trailblazer technology company, says 5G will “empower our customers with super-fast internet at work, at home and when on the move, supplementing our growing fiber network,” Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said.
The network is supported by Huawei and Nokia. Interestingly, unlike the US, Kenya and a couple of European governments, don’t mind working with Huawei. The U.S. has barred the Chinese firm from doing business with U.S. companies over privacy concerns.
My concerns though are the costs, availability and whether it will be consistent everywhere I go. 5G networks have much shorter wavelengths compared to 4G, this means that it requires way more antennas and cell towers to ensure reliability. However to boost uptake of 5G and associated devices, I am keen to see whether Safaricom will come up with a Lipa Mdogo Mdogo package for 5G enabled phones.
Drone owners in Kenya will now pay Ksh 3000 registration fees
Drones in Kenya are no longer a foreign concept. This has catapulted innovation in various sectors with entrepreneurs and businesses using them for a myriad of reasons. From the photographer/ videographer taking aerial shots, to the Architect who needs to inspect a building. This has also been seen to be utilized in agriculture to get data from farms.
Drone activity however is of great concern to governments, more so public safety and security risks. The KCAA (Kenya Civil Aviation Authority) has been given the go ahead to implement and enforce the Civil Aviation (Regulatory Fees and Charges for Unmanned Aircraft Systems) regulations, 2020. This means they have a mandate to charge fees to the owners of Unmanned Aircraft systems like drones. Drone pilots or owners will now pay KSH 3,000 registration fees for their devices.
The regulation however is a positive sign that the Kenyan government is taking note of the great potential that drone technologies have for the country. We hope to see in the future unmanned aircraft being utilized to carry medicine, vaccines and emergency equipment to remote regions in the country.
Flutterwave reaches USD $ 1 Billion Valuation
Nigerian payments startup Flutterwave has closed a US $ 170 Million Series C funding round. Why is this important? This is so far the largest amount ever secured by an African tech startup, giving it the coveted US $ 1 Billion valuation. Cellulant, an African digital payments startup cofounded by Kenyan, Ken Njoroge raised US $ 47.5 Million on its Series C in 2018.
Flutterwave, a ‘unicorn’ by its own right, is a fintech company that provides a payment infrastructure for global merchants and payment service providers. More than 290,000 businesses use its platform for payments with more than 150 currencies and multiple payment modes including local and international cards, mobile wallets, bank transfers, Barter by Flutterwave. It is live in over 20 African Countries and expanding rapidly.
Liquid Telecom rebrands
The company has rebranded to Liquid Intelligent Technologies. The rebranding is a culmination of its business transformation effort from being a telecommunications and digital services provider to a full one-stop-shop technology group through a group-wide rebrand. With the fast growing demand for connectivity, the company has also been an aggressive expansion, bringing its services to countries like Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Liquid Intelligent Technologies may not be a household name to many in Kenya, however they are responsible for the internet infrastructure running in several homes and businesses in Kenya. They run the largest independent fibre network in Africa. The company has also been responsible for supporting the local tech scene in Kenya, participating, sponsoring and supporting several local events in the space.
Xiaomi (Chinese electronics giant) to enter the electric car business
A while back, there were rumors that Apple was planning to enter the electric vehicle business. To be honest, an electric vehicle is closer to a smartphone now than a traditional vehicle in its make up. Electric vehicles now are a combination of software, electrical and electronic systems, a motor and wheels. So it comes as no surprise that Xiaomi, known for its great range of mobile phones and smart devices, has decided to throw its hat into the EV (Electronic Vehicle) ring with an estimated investment of USD $ 10 Billion.
I am keen to see whether other non-automotive players may enter the motor-vehicle industry. Case in point, Google with their self-driving cars.
New York launches digital vaccination health app/ passport
New York has announced the launch of the Excelsior Pass- a free, voluntary digital app developed in partnership with IBM that will verify if an individual user is fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or has recently tested negative for the illness.
What is so interesting about this? The app runs on an IBM blockchain and is able to cross-reference patient data with the state health records. It is worth noting, IBM cannot access personally identifiable data nor can other businesses.
This would have wider application especially if re-entry into certain spaces, countries, businesses would require digital proof of vaccination. It is however not isolated, several other countries, and regions have been testing the concept for a while now. For example, several African airlines have already joined Africa Unions Digital Vaccine Passport Platform (Kenya Airways included).
