6 key benefits of buying from iStore Pre-owned SA
When it comes to buying gadgets, many people are often hesitant to purchase preowned products. However, buying from a reputable source like iStore Pre-owned in South Africa can offer several key benefits. Here are six advantages to consider when buying from iStore Pre-owned South Africa. Lower cost One of the main benefits of buying preowned from iStore Pre-owned South Africa is that it is significantly cheaper than buying a new device. This can be especially useful if you want to own a high-end device but don’t have the budget for a brand-new one. With iStore Pre-owned South Africa, you can save up to 50% on the retail price of a new device. Additionally, all preowned devices sold by iStore Pre-owned South Africa come with a six-month to one-year warranty and are thoroughly tested and inspected before being put up for sale. Environmentally friendly Another key benefit of buying iStore preowned devices is that it is a more environmentally friendly option. By purchasing a preowned device, you are extending the life cycle of that product and preventing it from ending up in a landfill prematurely. This is especially important given the fact that electronic waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams globally. When you buy from iStore Pre-owned South Africa, you can feel good knowing that you are making a positive impact on the environment. Access to older models Another benefit of buying preowned devices from iStore Pre-owned South Africa is that you can get access to older models that may no longer be available for purchase new. This is particularly useful if you have a specific feature or functionality that is only available on older models. For example, if you prefer using a headphone jack, you may find an older iPhone model that still has one. Quality assurance iStore Preowned South Africa offers a comprehensive quality assurance program for all its preowned devices. Before a device is put up for sale, it undergoes a thorough inspection and testing process to ensure that it is in good working order. This includes checking the battery, screen, buttons, and ports, among other things. Additionally, virtually all preowned devices sold by iStore Preowned South Africa come with a warranty, giving you peace of mind in case something goes wrong. Upgrade options If you are someone who likes to upgrade your devices frequently, buying preowned from iStore Pre-owned South Africa can be a cost-effective option. When you purchase preowned, you can save money on the upfront cost of a device, making it easier to upgrade to a newer model when the time comes. Additionally, if you decide to trade in your preowned device when you upgrade, you can get a credit towards purchasing your new device. Same great service Finally, when you buy preowned from iStore Pre-owned South Africa, you can expect the same great service and support that you would receive if you were buying a new device. iStore Preowned South Africa has a team of trained professionals who can help you with any questions or concerns you may have about your device.
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South Africa’s Eskom to pay citizens for saving electricity
Lire en français Read this email in French. Editor’s Note Week 20, 2023 Read time: 5 minutes Settle into your favorite reading spot to read today’s edition, as it entails the biggest tech stories from across Africa. Enjoy! Pamela Tetteh Editor, TechCabal. Editor’s Picks Kenya to locally assemble smartphones Kenya is edging closer to local smartphone assembly. According to the ICT Cabinet Secretary, the smartphones will cost the proposed amount of $40, and will be released in July. Learn more. Nigerian telecoms may disconnect USSD Nigerian telecoms are set to stop facilitating banks’ USSD services due to the banks’ failure to pay over ₦120 billion ($260 million) in USSD debts. Learn more. SA to pay citizens for saving electricity Eskom plans to reward South Africans with as much as R3 million ($154,000) for every megawatt of power they save. This is to reduce the increasing hours of blackouts in the country. Learn more. Zimbabwe sells $39 million of gold-backed token Zimbabwe took a leap of faith and landed right on its feet! The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s first gold-backed digital currency sale sold 14 billion Zimbabwean dollars’ worth of gold-backed digital tokens—worth around $39 million. Learn more. MTN’s $320 million project MTN has kicked off a new project, Project East2West, which will invest R6 billion ($320 million) to connect 10 African countries between 2023 and 2025 with a fibre cable network. Learn more. Egypt sells stake in Telecom Egypt The Egyptian government has sold 9.5% of its stake in Telecom Egypt to pay its debt. The government wants to raise $2 billion by selling its stake in 32 companies by June. Learn more. The Next Wave Want to stay ahead of curve and get futuristic analysis of the business of tech in Africa? Then sign up for the Next Wave Newsletter to get started. It goes out every week at 7 AM (WAT). Ghana secures $3 billion IMF bailout Ghana’s request for a $3 billion bailout from the IMF has been approved. Investors had been betting on this news over the past six months, making Ghana’s cedi the world’s top-performing currency against the US dollar. Learn more. Africa to get another data centre Africa Data Centres has revealed its plans to commence construction on recently acquired land in Accra, Ghana’s central business district. The upcoming facility will be the largest in West Africa, excluding Nigeria, to date. Learn more. ‘Golf Mafia’ cleared of any wrongdoing Remember those alleged Zimbabwean gold mafia members who were accused of looting the country’s precious gold reserves? They have just been cleared of all wrongdoings as the investigations revealed no evidence of gold smuggling on their part. Learn more. Miva secures online university license Miva has been granted an online university license by the NUC. The university will commence offering degrees in eight courses before expanding to other fields. Read more. Who brought the money this week? This week, Kenya-based fintech company M-KOPA raised $250 million in debt and equity funding. Jia, a Kenyan fintech startup, received $4.3 million in seed funding. The round was led by TCG Crypto. Other participating investors include BlockTower, Hashed Emergent, Saison Capital, Global Coin Research, Packy McCormick, Anand Iye, Jared Hecht, and Rory Eakin. Figorr Nigerian cold chain technology company raised $1.5 million in seed funding. The round was led by Atlantica Ventures. Other participating investors include Vested World, Jaza Rift, and Katapult. Egypt’s auto-tech company Helpoo raised an undisclosed amount in funding from Saudi firm Morni. Chari, a Moroccan B2B e-commerce company, raised undisclosed follow-on funding from Plug and Play. South-African cybersecurity company Port443 raised an undisclosed amount in funding from Iziko2.0, a technology investment firm, and RMB Ventures. What else to read this weekend? What does the naira devaluation mean for Nigerians? Laid-off employees and tech newbies weathering the global downturn Do South African startups exit too early? What the tech ecosystem expects from a Tinubu presidency Kenya’s Data Protection Commissioner takes aim at loan apps Is the internet safer for women today than ten years ago? The story behind M-KOPA’s $250 debt and equity raise Nigerian banks and telcos faceoff Here is Safaricom Ethiopia’s 7-month report card Share TC Weekender Written by: Ngozi Chukwu & Hannatu Asheolge Edited by: Pamela Tetteh 18, Nnobi Street, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria Unsubscribe from TC Weekender
Read MoreKenya edges closer to local smartphone assembly
Local smartphone assembly has been part of the ICT ministry’s plan to foster digital inclusion for all Kenyans and provide affordable access to smart devices. HMD Global, which sells Nokia-branded devices, has revealed that it has similar plans and goals. Smartphones are not exactly cheap in Kenya. While companies such as Transsion (which manufactures TECNO, Itel and Infinix smartphones) and OPPO among others offer more affordable alternatives, they have since adjusted their prices upwards, compelled by the tanking dollar rate, inflation and local taxes. Specifically, in the Finance Act, 2022, the government proposed a 10% tax on the importation of phones, in addition to the existing import duty which stood at 25%. This development no doubt hinders digital inclusion and could stall smartphone penetration, as the majority of Kenyans cannot afford the devices. Earlier this year in a TV interview, Kenyan ICT and digital economy cabinet secretary Eliud Owalo proposed the possibility of manufacturing smartphones locally for $40 (a little over KES 5000), to bridge the digital gap. He shared that despite being competitors, telecom companies in Kenya such as Safaricom, Jamii Telecom, and Airtel, had come together to address the affordable smartphone deficit in the country. Owalo stated that the manufacturing infrastructure was being put in place as Kenya transitions from an importer of technology to a manufacturer. The target launch date for this initiative was set for July 2023. The feasibility study for this project has been completed and the necessary local and imported components have been sourced. During the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) week held in Nairobi, it was reported that the government is still on track to ensure the success of this project. According to the Cabinet Secretary, the smartphones will cost the proposed amount of $40, and will be released in July. The devices will be assembled in Konza City, Kenya’s upcoming green city. However, other than the mentioned telcos, it is still not clear which other companies will take part in the assembly process. Nokia to assemble some devices in Kenya A few weeks ago, HMD Global, manufacturers of Nokia smartphones, announced plans to assemble some of its smartphones in Kenya. HMD’s goal is the same: to improve access to affordable smart devices in Kenya. Nokia, which returned to the local market back in 2017, is a known brand, but its command in the smartphone market has waned as public interest has shifted to other brands. The brand is now trying to appeal to potential local buyers with affordable 5G-powered phones. HMD Global also intends to provide locals with device financing programs so they can purchase phones in payment installments. Safaricom also offers customers a similar phone purchase plan via the Lipa Mdogo Mdogo program. Customers are able to pay as low as KES 20 per day over an extended period for their very own smart devices. The program has been successful, seeing the sale of more than 0.5 million devices. Unclear partnerships For now, it is not clear if the government is only partnering with telcos for the local smartphone assembly. Other potential partners include Transsion Holdings and BBK Electronics (manufacturers of OPPO, Vivo and OnePlus devices). It is also unclear whether local assembly will be limited to smartphones only. However, more details will be revealed as the rollout date approaches.
Read MoreShared struggles: Laid-off employees and tech newbies weathering the global downturn
As the global tech downturn persists, laid-off employees and tech newbies find themselves facing a common battle. From navigating job uncertainties to adapting to changing market dynamics, they share a collective journey marked by challenges and resilience. In an era marked by technological innovation and digital transformation, the tech industry has long been a beacon of opportunity and growth. However, the global tech downturn has cast a shadow of uncertainty, causing a ripple effect that has impacted the job market, and left many individuals grappling with the harsh reality of layoffs and limited prospects. The global tech downturn characterised by a slowdown in the tech industry, has been fueled by factors like economic shifts, market fluctuations, and widespread changes within the industry. Laid-off employees, once established in their tech careers, find themselves grappling with unexpected job loss and the daunting task of reinventing their professional paths. Simultaneously, tech newbies aiming to penetrate the industry, face an uphill battle as they encounter a more competitive and uncertain job market. Origins of the global tech downturn Rising interest rates, driven by high inflation, led to price increases for technology services. This prompted companies to make cuts, including layoffs, to reduce costs during leaner revenue periods. These higher rates directly impact venture capitalists (VC) and other funding of startups. Furthermore, the surge in online activity during the pandemic resulted in overstaffing and rapid team expansion in tech companies. However, as the world finds its post-pandemic balance and offline activities increase, the demand for tech services has decreased, leading to fewer job openings. The tech industry encountered another setback in March 2023 when the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapsed due to its lack of diversification and a bank run. SVB played a crucial role in funding tech startups that faced challenges in obtaining support from other banks due to higher risks. As a result of SVB’s collapse, venture capitalists and banks have become more apprehensive about assuming the risks associated with supporting startups. Industry implications After experiencing over a year of bullish performance and reaching record highs, the global tech stock market started to decline in May 2022, and this decline has continued into 2023. In May 2022, Y Combinator, a startup accelerator, issued a statement with a strong suggestion for founders. “If your plan is to raise money in the next 6-12 months, you might be raising at the peak of the downturn. Remember that your chances of success are extremely low even if your company is doing well. We recommend you change your plan,” the statement read. Venture capital firm Sequoia also warned startups about the imminent economic recovery, urging founders to “move fast to extend runway and fully examine the business for excess costs.” African firms began terminating employees in response to the advice. Firms like Egypt-born mobility startup, Swvl, laid-off a third of its staff two months after going public via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). Other tech startups including Kenya’s logistics startup, Sendy, laid-off 10% of its staff. Bolt, an Estonia-based ride-hailing platform, also laid-off 17 of its 70 employees in Nigeria. Egyptian healthtech startup Vezeeta, also laid-off 10% of its 500-strong workforce. The aforementioned startups represent only a fraction of the layoffs that have occurred during the global tech downturn from its onset until the present. It remains uncertain how long this economic downturn will last and which tech startups and investors will remain standing for the long haul. The struggles of laid-off employees and tech newbies In the midst of a global tech downturn, re-entering the tech industry can be a challenging endeavour, particularly for individuals who have been laid-off and newcomers seeking to establish themselves. To delve further into this subject, TechCabal spoke with individuals who fall into both groups. Uche* was a tech newbie, and when asked about the impact of the layoffs on her perspective, she responded, “I guess it has made me more careful. I imagine that if I join any company, I’ll do thorough research just to make sure that they are not going under three months after.” A senior software engineer who had been on the job for just eight months also shared his experience with getting laid-off and the duration it took him to secure another job. “I was laid-off because there were no funds and the company was trying to downsize. It was a very long period for me. It took me 4 months before I could get another job and I was so broke,” he said. Comparing the job market before the tech downturn with the current situation, he said, “Before the downturn I will say getting a job was not as hard as it is now. Then, there were jobs everywhere and companies were just expanding because there was money. The thing with IT is that you are always hiring. Except if there is no money to fund the team. Around February last year, I was being pushed. Literally every week, I get DMs on LinkedIn telling me there’s a role for me and they will like to talk to me about an opportunity. But all of that now has stopped.” Ruth*, an individual who has been in the tech field for a year, discussed her perspective on the layoffs. She said, “Whenever I hear Meta laid-off 11,000 people, it makes me feel like they didn’t need to have hired all those people, to begin with. Some companies are very very guilty of over-hiring. Maybe they do that because they don’t want to have to make one person do so many things. Managing employees is a lot of work, some companies are not able to find a balance with that and unfortunately, they start letting people go.” She suggests that one person could be hired to handle multiple roles and be paid well, instead of hiring multiple people to handle related tasks. “Instead of hiring a social media manager and a digital ads manager, if one person can do the job, pay them well. The
Read MoreThe future of financial inclusion remains unclear with Nigerian banks, telcos faceoff
In the ensuing battle between the telcos and the banks, Nigerians may truly suffer the bane of financial inclusion Telecom operators have insisted on withdrawing their services should deposit money banks (DMBs) fail to pay over ₦120 billion ($260 million) in Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) debts. The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) Gbenga Adebayo, said their terms were simple—payment of debt or risk disconnection. Adebayo who spoke to TechCabal on the phone revealed that the industry regulator—the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)—had given ALTON the nod to unplug the support on the USSD platform to banks. On Thursday, May 18, CEO of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc Segun Agbaje described the USSD as a clumsy technology during a media parley organised to discuss the lender’s recently released full-year 2022 and Q1 2023 earnings report. He further stated that the ongoing fight between banks and telcos over USSD is nothing but a distraction by telecom firms from the real issue of high data cost, adding that Nigeria had one of the highest data costs in the world. Responding to the comment, Adebayo said all they need from the banks is to simply pay the debt owed. “Even in the narration going to the press, they are changing the story every day. Last week, they agreed they owed money and would find a way to pay. Following that, they said end-user billing will be applied to it. I don’t know how that would work knowing that the service is rendered per session billing. They have consumed the service, they charged the subscribers. How does end-user billing pay for the service they already owe?” “Today, they are saying USSD is expensive because of the high cost of data. they are changing the story every day, we are saying one thing: you owe us, pay us,” Adebayo explained. A protracted battle This is the third time an issue of this magnitude is reoccurring. In 2019, ALTON threatened to shut down the service over who would bear the cost of transaction fees. The same feat repeated itself in June 2021, two months after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) transferred the cost to users at ₦6.98 ($0.015) fee per transaction. 2023 is the third time the issue has come up. In 2019, the debt was ₦32 billion ($69,200.513) but by 2023, the debt had now grown to ₦120 billion ($259,501,926). A business analyst Chika Mbonu, believes that disconnection will affect everyone, especially the financial inclusion plan. “There are a lot of people at the bottom of the pyramid that use the USSD. Everyone who uses it and the whole system will suffer difficulties,” Mbonu explained. He stated that everyone—telcos and banks inclusive—involved in the matter may have to shift positions. A public expert, Bala Zakka shares Mbonu’s thoughts and believes that the constant bickering between telcos and banks could negatively impact the sector. “I will call for restraint because if the telcos cut off the service, losses would be huge. It may end up causing social, and industrial calamities across the board. So many stakeholders would feel the brunt,” he said. Between January and December 2020, the value of USSD transfers increased, going from roughly ₦30 billion ($64,875,481) to ₦551 billion ($1,191,546,347). In November last year, data released by the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement Systems (NIBSS) revealed that transactions worth ₦38.9 trillion ($84,121,874) were performed electronically through the NIBSS Instant Payment platform (NIP). These figures highlight USSD’s potential because several local banks expose their NIP through their various channels like internet banking, bank branch, Kiosks, mobile apps, USSD, and so on Banks are still using USSD At least 13 commercial banks still make use of the USSD service, TechCabal can confirm as of the date of publication. The 13 include Access (Diamond) Bank, EcoBank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Heritage Bank, Keystone Bank, Polaris Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Sterling Bank, Union Bank, Wema Bank, and Zenith Bank. Meanwhile, the CBN’s acting director of corporate communication, Dr Abdulmumin Isa, had previously disclosed that the apex bank was intervening in the crisis. “The CBN is very much aware of the protracted dispute between the banks and telcos and has been engaging all stakeholders to ensure an amicable resolution,” he stated. Financial inclusion finally in the mud? The importance of USSD as a service cannot be taken for granted. Nine out of 10 mobile transactions in sub-Saharan Africa flow through the service. This is important considering that non-connected feature phones still dominate the landscape in the region. This means, only about half the continent’s population makes use of mobile phones, and a much lesser number are connected to the internet. Similarly, a survey from Agusto & Co Consumer Digital Banking Satisfaction Index for 2021 showed that USSD banking was the most popular banking platform among Nigerians. The report revealed that USSD banking makes up about 35% of the frequently used digital banking platforms. Given all available data, Zakka’s opinion may prove to be the way forward for both parties to come to a peaceful resolution. The implications of cutting off the service could add more to an already complicated problem. Since, it has been clearly established that not many Nigerians have smartphones to do mobile banking, what are the odds that disconnecting your average tailor, cobbler, or trader would help the situation?
Read MoreWith an impending naira devaluation, what is at stake for Nigerians?
A recent report by Absa Group Ltd. predicts a 15% devaluation of the Naira when the Tinubu-led administration assumes office. What are the implications for Nigerian citizens? In a few days, Nigeria’s president-elect, Bola Tinubu, will be sworn in. The president-elect assumes office with promises aplenty and very high expectations from Nigerians. In his 80-page campaign manifesto, amidst economic plans to address fiscal, monetary, and trade reforms, Tinubu promises to “carefully review and better optimise” the naira system. However, a recent report from Absa Group Ltd., a Johannesburg-based financial services firm, stated that following Tinubu’s inauguration, the Nigerian currency will be devalued by 15% to alleviate severe trade imbalances and dollar shortages. Investopedia defines devaluation “as the deliberate downward adjustment of the value of a country’s money relative to another currency, group of currencies, or currency standard.” In 2021, Nigeria embraced a multiple exchange rate regime by keeping a stronger pegged rate for official transactions and weaker rate for unofficial transactions. This method was employed to avoid an outright devaluation of the naira. According to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), it operated a “managed float” policy at the time, which allowed it to intervene in the exchange market when necessary. However, the controlled nature of the exchange regime has now driven demand to the unofficial black market, leading to a wide discrepancy between the official and parallel markets, according to the Absa report. For context, CBN’s official exchange rate is around ₦460 per dollar, while the currency traded at around ₦752 per dollar in the black market in March. If the Absa report is to be believed, what then are the implications of a 15% currency devaluation on the ordinary Nigerian? More hardship “For the ordinary Nigerian, a devaluation by at least 15% means more inflation, which means a further increase in the cost of living and a further erosion of their respective purchasing power. Life in Nigeria will get harder. It is unfortunate, but that is the likely reality,” Basil Abia, a research consultant, told TechCabal. Inflation erodes purchasing power and plunges more people into poverty. Nigeria’s inflation rate has been hovering around the 20th percentile since the beginning of the year, rising to 22.04% in March—the third consecutive increase in 2023. Global economy and finance expert, Kalu Aja echoes Abia’s concern. “For the average Nigerian that spends the bulk of their income on food, a devaluation will see the cost of food rise simply because the means of production, PMS, and fertilizers are still imported,” he said. A double-edged sword Abia noted that the devaluation will result in increased inflation and an erosion of the Nigerian consumer’s already dwindling purchasing power. This will, in turn, affect the profitability margins of export-based micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMES) due to increased costs of imports, and increase the cost of living in the country. However, he adds that there could be some benefits from the devaluation. “If it is perceived to be temporary, it may present attractive opportunities for foreign investors to invest in our domestic financial markets. It is not certain, but it is a possibility that FPI (foreign portfolio investments) inflow to Nigeria may temporarily increase,” Abia said. Aja shares a similar view: “For citizens that spend Naira, it [devaluation] means imported inflation is more severe and reduces purchasing power. Keep in mind, devaluation is not entirely bad. It can be a strategy to reduce a budget deficit or boost export, but you can devalue your way to wealth.” For Adedeji Olowe, founder of Lendsqr, a lending SaaS fintech, the impact of the devaluation on the Nigerian economy may be minimal. “The devaluation would be on the official exchange rate which nobody has access to in the first place. Furthermore, it makes the USD that the government earns go a very long way and helps the funds that are stuck to move out [say Emirates Airlines] but with substantial losses,” Olowe said. The devaluation also indicates that the Tinubu-led administration will likely retain the existing float policy and maintain an artificial exchange rate amid Nigeria’s foreign exchange (FX) shortage. The implication, according to Abia, is that the current economic uncertainties caused by a multiplicity of FX windows will be further accentuated. “There’s also a chance that the alternative FX window might be the closest accurate valuation of the Naira, forcing an increased transactional demand by investors, importers and individuals to use the FX window for all their FX transactions and needs,” he said. Aja adds that the issue with the exchange rate is the wide arbitrage, which the devaluation will address. He told TechCabal, “the devaluation seeks to close that artificial gap and bring more certainty to economic planning. You can’t plan if you have to buy $1 at 740 or 488; devaluation closes the gap a bit, less swings, makes the exchange less volatile, and even encourages remittances.” The implications of an impending currency devaluation on Nigerians are far-reaching and multifaceted. While it is poised to address imbalances in the foreign exchange market, the darker side is the burden that falls heavily on the most vulnerable segments of society, exacerbating poverty and inequality. As the country faces economic turmoil, it is crucial for the incoming government to implement comprehensive and sustainable measures to stabilize the currency, promote economic diversification, and improve the overall well-being of Nigerians.
Read MoreWinter is coming: Eskom warns of more load shedding in chilly months
South Africa’s national power utility Eskom has warned that it might need to implement high stages of load shedding in order to meet surging demand during the winter months. Yesterday morning during the System and Winter Outlook briefing, Eskom cautioned that the power system is severely constrained and there is a high risk of elevated stages of load shedding in winter. Giving a performance overview, Eskom Generation group executive, Bheki Nxumalo, said that the power generating system continues to show poor performance, with frequent plant breakdowns subjecting the country to elevated stages of load shedding. These shortages will persist throughout the winter months, necessitating the continued implementation of load shedding. Nxumalo added that unavailability of the three units at Kusile Power Station and the unit at Koeberg 1 Power Station have removed 3,080MW of capacity from the grid, equivalent to three stages of load shedding. “We are striving to reduce plant breakdowns to 15,000MW or below for the winter period to keep loadshedding at lower stages. We, however, concede that this will be extremely hard given the unreliability and unpredictability of the power generating fleet and that we are already about 3,000MW worse off this winter compared to the same period last year,” said Nxumalo. According to the outlook, with breakdowns or unavailable capacity due to unplanned maintenance at 15,000MW, loadshedding might be predominantly implemented at Stage 5 for the winter period. Should breakdowns reach 16,500MW, loadshedding might be implemented at Stage 6. If unplanned outages reach an average of18,000MW, loadshedding might be required every day and might be implemented up to Stage 8. Eskom emphasised that the 18,000MW scenario that could culminate in Stage 8 is an ultimate worst case scenario. “We fully comprehend the adverse impact that rotational load shedding has on South Africa’s already fragile economy and its people. We are doing everything to mitigate the intensity of rotational load shedding including taking lessons from the rest of the world. We have seen that effective rotational load shedding during winter months requires a coordinated effort among all stakeholders within a country,” said Eskom board chairperson Makwana. Interim Group Chief Executive of Eskom, Calib Cassim, said that South Africa experienced the highest levels of load shedding as the energy availability factor (EAF) deteriorated to 56% in the past financial year, against the target of 60%. However, he also remarked that there were some encouraging developments in the efforts to deal with the electricity crisis in the country. “The establishment of the National Energy Crisis Committee (NECOM) and the development of South Africa’s Energy Action Plan, overseen by government, are some of the positive developments aimed at addressing the electricity crisis. Furthermore, the determination by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) of a favourable tariff increase as well as the debt relief solution by the National Treasury are critical enablers of sustainable electricity supply industry,” Cassim commented. Speaking on the possibility of a national blackout which has been touted by the media over the last few weeks, Eskom Group Executive for Transmission, Segomoco Scheppers, stated that there are a number of control measures, including load shedding, that are aimed at protecting the power system from collapsing. “Efforts are underway to return a number of units from outages to mitigate the worst case scenario of 18,000MW or above from materialising. Eskom will also keep planned maintenance at a maximum of 3,000MW during the winter period,” said Scheppers.
Read MoreIf AI is taking over, how are Africa’s edtech platforms gearing up for adoption?
As the demand for customised learning grows across Africa, Edtech startups in Africa are keen on joining the AI bandwagon. While some feel there needs to be more time for incorporating AI into learning, others think there’s no better time than now. There is a new revolution in town—Artificial Intelligence (AI)—and edtech startups in Africa are not missing out on the wave. Edtech startups in Africa are positioning themselves to leverage this transformative technology to revolutionise education and drive positive change across the continent. With the growing demand for personalised learning and remote education, these innovative companies are increasingly exploring the potential of AI to enhance their offerings. The adoption of AI in education has the potential to revolutionise the way students learn, access educational resources, and interact with educators. African edtech startups are aware of the transformative potential of AI and are getting ready to embrace this technology to take their businesses to the next level. To the CEO of AltSchool Africa, Adewale Yusuf, there has never been a better time for Africa to get involved in a cutting-edge solution. “I think that for the first time, we might have some chances to be a part of some innovative solutions. Some of these things might start from Africa and not just us participating in them,” he said on a call with TechCabal. Vahid Pourahmary, VP of Engineering at uLesson, a Nigerian edtech platform, believes that, AI is just an enabler—a means to an end in itself. “If you think about technology, technology has always been a part of education even If you go back to the time when we had an abacus to do maths,” he said. “Technology has always been in some sort or some form part of education, whether you wanted it or not. During the pandemic, whether you wanted it or not, you had to start teaching online. When the calculators were invented, whether you wanted it or not, you had to start introducing calculators in the way you are teaching. Every education organisation in the world has somehow used technology to teach,” he added. Where does Africa’s edtech ecosystem stand in this revolution? “In the edtech ecosystem, everybody is asking and answering the million-dollar question ‘How are you going to implement AI into your existing infrastructure?” says Pourahmary. He believes that the approach to answering this question is a matter of “when” rather than “how”. He states that education is at the core of uLesson. “At the core, education is our mantra, we use technology to enable that, to make it faster. AI is just one step into that process. Technology is at the core of how we deliver educational content. It might be right now with AI, we don’t know what it is going to be in a few years from now.” Pourahmary said. “We at uLesson want to make sure our learners learn, whether we do it with AI or whether we do it without it. It is just part of the technology that has always come and has been used in different ways.” Oluwabunmi Borokinni, Founder, TechChild Africa, feels AI will play a redefining role in access to education in Africa. She believes AI-powered platforms can provide distance learning opportunities for students in remote areas with limited traditional educational resources. “In Africa, we have a lot of areas where they only have access to traditional educational resources. To be able to help that, we need AI-powered platforms that can provide distance learning opportunities for them,” she said. Africa’s edtech startups remain bullish despite funding decline What pain points in Africa’s edtech is AI addressing? Pourahmary believes that it is hard to tell exactly what pain points AI will address in Africa. “Right now, people need to wait for the dust to settle for us to know what we can do with AI. I think it is hard for us to tell exactly what AI can do for us in education unless we start trying. It’s a little too early, I think we need to wait a bit more,” he told TechCabal. Borokinni also believes that AI will allow for accessibility on different fronts for students with disabilities. “There are a lot of AI-powered text-to-speech systems, where students who are blind can easily listen to a lecturer or to a course that is originally in text,” she said. “AI has been able to help prescribe or describe what a slow learner can do to be able to pick up in class, or the kind of activities slow learners can participate in to help in improving their learning abilities.” Yusuf believes that “real learning” will happen with the entrance of AI and also believes that AI will expose the weaknesses of learning that have been in the past. “For a very long time, learning has always been about ‘la cram, la pour’, now we are seeing first-hand that a lot of things you want to cram are going to be automated by AI. Real learning will happen with the entrance of AI,” he added. What is the role of AI in the future of edtech in Africa? According to Yusuf, Africa’s edtech ecosystem is at the precipice of AI adoption. “The future is the future, and we are living right in the middle of it and this demands that everybody wakes up to the reality of changed learning. You have to question yourself, how can we integrate some of these things into what people are learning? We live in a new world where people get to learn the concept of AI and how it will impact their world.” Borokinni believes another role AI can play in the future of edtech in Africa is language. “In Africa, we have diverse languages, so we might want to look at incorporating AI into our language learning in Africa to promote our cultural heritage. I once started a neural learning where we have an AI system that can convert English to different languages in Africa.” She also
Read MoreNexford University eyes Kenya in helping local graduates find jobs
The collaboration aims to alleviate constraints in the job market, particularly the extended average duration of five years for Kenyan graduates to find suitable employment due to a lack of relevant skills. Nexford University, a US-accredited online university, has partnered with the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) and Africa Digital Media Institute (ADMI) to help Kenyan graduates find jobs. The collaboration aims to address job market constraints. For instance, Kenyan graduates take an average of five years to find a job due to a lack of relevant skills. To this end, and through tailored Nexford and ADMI courses, graduates will gain the skills they need to be successful in today’s job market. Employers will also benefit from the partnership since they will be able to design programs specifically to improve employee skills and productivity. The programs will be informed by a nationwide skills survey of 270 of Kenya’s largest employers. The partnership makes sense because the local tech space has been growing over the last couple of years. Amid major layoffs in the tech market, tech skills are still in high demand, and the partnership will help Kenyan graduates to acquire the skills they need to succeed in the growing sector. Nexford University is a leading provider of skills-focused, US-accredited master’s and bachelor’s degree programs globally at a fraction of traditional costs. According to the institution, Nexford master’s degrees cost around $2800, compared to the US average of $36,000. Nexford learners in over 90 countries have since completed over 33,000 courses, and graduates have gone on to work at companies like Google, Microsoft, KPMG, and EY. Tech Cabal had a chat with Nexford University’s CEO Fadl Al Tarzi, who mentioned that the identification of specific skills will depend on the ongoing survey results. From the preliminary findings, it is evident that power skills such as critical thinking and communication skills continue to be highly prioritised. The CEO added that there is an increasing demand for data analytics skills due to the significant digital transformation efforts happening. Tech Cabal further wanted to understand how the skills survey of 270 of Kenya’s largest employers would inform the design of the courses aimed at boosting employee skills. Fadl Al Tarzi clarified that the curriculum has been developed using a backward design approach, starting with a thorough analysis of employer needs. This approach ensures that the curriculum is aligned with the desired outcomes, allowing for a clear and focused educational journey. “That end is typically what employers are looking for. So, for instance, if we identify banks are looking for people who know how to analyse credit risk – we then map that backwards to identify what skills are needed in order to know how to analyse credit risk, then we build a curriculum that delivers on that skill and measures whether learners know how to analyse credit risk,” said CEO Al Tarzi. It was also critical to understand Nexford University’s approach to integrating tech skills into the customised courses provided to Kenyan graduates, considering the increasing emphasis on technology in the country’s job market. In his response, the CEO said the focus on technology is not limited to Kenya alone but has become a global phenomenon. Digital transformation is now prioritised by employers worldwide. While significant advancements have been made in the tech startup sector and substantial investments from venture capital firms in the past decade, most businesses worldwide still have not fully embraced digitisation. He highlighted that approximately 75% of the world’s GDP comes from traditional legacy industries where the process of digitisation is only in its early stages. “So our programs weave digital transformation skills both horizontally and vertically. Learners can build specific—say software development skills—but equally when enrolled in say a finance or accounting course they will still be learning about how to use, say blockchain, in that specific functional setting,” he added. Organisations such as Microsoft, which has an ADC office in Nairobi, have been working in partnership with local universities in Kenya to assess and enhance their curricula, aligning them with the current industry requirements. Will Nexford take the same approach? – Tech Cabal asked. “Many organisations are following a similar approach, a key difference here is we’re integrating these practical skills within our degree programs – so rendering the choice between skills and credentials no longer necessary. Learners will build practical skills while enrolled in our degree programs,” clarified Al Tarzi. The institution is also engaged in discussions with several local universities to provide bootcamps to its students. These bootcamps, which are usually six-month intensive programs, focus on hands-on practical training and serve as a valuable complement to its degree programs. Nexford says millions of dollars have been invested in developing a technology-enabled platform that automates many traditionally manual administrative tasks, providing little value to learners. At the same time, the absence of physical infrastructure costs, typically associated with traditional universities, enables passing on the resulting savings directly to learners. “The impact of this specific partnership will likely be felt more across driving business performance, as when we upskill existing employees that will help drive business performance. 75% of job seekers find a company more appealing if it offers additional skills training, and companies experience 24% higher profit margins when they invest in training,” concluded Nexford CEO.
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Digital activism: Are online spaces becoming less safe for women?
While still facing steep patriarchal oppression, African women are using the internet to build communities, learn, and call out unjust systems. However, these efforts are met with vitriol which affects the social media experience for women. How are online spaces evolving and are they becoming more aggressive towards women? Digital technology has seen more advancement in human history than any other innovation — reaching more than half of the world’s population and revolutionising the human experience in less than two decades. One of the ways that digital technology has significantly impacted the world is in how we socialise and communicate, with a potent example being social media. Social media connects almost half of the entire global population, enabling people to make their voices heard and talk to people across the world in real-time. For women and many socially disadvantaged people, social media platforms like Twitter have provided a platform for women to share critical stories, build community, organise and mobilise for resources, and importantly, call out unjust systems. In the past decade, there has been a growing popularity and interest in feminist ideology across Africa, which is directly linked to social media. Young activists across the continent are increasingly taking advantage of digital tools to organise in search of radical change in the way that African societies are structured, as is evident in movements like #ArewaMeToo, #FreeSheena, #ShutItAllDown, and #AmINext, among others. According to notable journalist and activist, Kiki Mordi, we can’t speak about social movements in our generation without speaking of social media. “The digital space helped us to connect with one another, and it helped for scale. In the past when I attended protests, it was a lot of work getting people to be interested in the cause. Social media made us more efficient at organising as it exposed us to a lot of people and helped us build networks,” she said over a call. Emitomo Tobi Nimisire, a Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights advocate, shares that a very useful application of social media in the fight against inequality is how it provides a platform for women to get some semblance of justice. “In recent years, we’ve seen people use social media to call out their abusers. One of the reasons this happens is that we have a failing justice system, and people are left with little to no option but to leverage their online platforms to get some semblance of justice,” she shared with TechCabal. Injustice is fighting back Nimisire believes that anti-feminist movements are getting stronger than ever. “There are anti-equality movements offline and a lot of funding goes into these spaces. These movements happening offline are validating the bullies online and justifying their violence and hate towards women,” she said. She is not wrong. While the internet has connected women across the continent and given access to knowledge, support, and community, it has also exposed women to aggression and pathways for abuse. There is a growing incel movement consisting of angry and belligerent men; some as young as twelve, that is built around the hatred of women. This culture is so strong that experts fear it could provoke terrorism, with over 1,000 daily references on the internet to misogyny and degrading actions towards women. Every 29 minutes, someone on an online incel forum posts about rape. Further analysis of this movement shows that this violence towards women on the internet is currently at an all-time high, eight times higher than in 2016, which has led to a growing trend of women dropping out of social media platforms altogether. “Social media is just a replication of our immediate social space. If misogyny exists in real life, it will exist on social media. Because we are far from erasing the normalcy of misogyny in real life, it is the same thing online. There was a time I felt some semblance of hope. A time on social media when women came out to speak on topics that were considered taboo and that period brought me joy. However, the misogyny will fight back and it did. Other people hated how bold women and girls were becoming online and how we were building platforms to fight misogyny. It’s the same thing as real life. As soon as a woman speaks up, there are many people waiting to tell her to shut up,” Mordi shared over a call with TechCabal. Ann Holland, cofounder of Sistah Sistah Foundation opened her Twitter account to specifically speak about the inequalities that women faced at the hands of the patriarchy, especially in Zambia. She moved to Twitter from Facebook, where she faced a lot of bullying at the hands of misogynists, for openly being a feminist and decrying the unfair treatment of women, especially in regard to issues like sexual abuse and female genital mutilation (FGM). With over 30,000 followers on Twitter, Ann is popular for standing up for women, speaking up against inequality, and her unwavering love for Beyoncé. Holland is no stranger to digital harassment and has been bullied, sued, and even arrested for her commitment to equality. “As much as the internet is a safe space, it is also a dangerous place for women. Sometimes, all you need to do is exist as a woman for people to hate your guts on the internet. They hate you for speaking up, they hate you for changing the minds of their victims, and they hate you for creating platforms for women to feel safe and want more from society. These things get to you, regardless of how tough or strong you are,” she shared. Holland is extremely careful of what she shares about herself online, as she is scared of what people can do with that information in her real life, considering that she is the target of a lot of hate. However, according to Holland, despite the harassment and bullying, there is still a significant improvement in the way that people respond to feminist messages on social media. “In spite of how
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