Future of IT in Africa

Future of IT in Africa

Posts 1-4 of 4
  • Ingo Lange
    Ingo Lange
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    Does Africa need technology?
    Hi,

    my name is Ingo - a former marine research guy - It analyst - entrepreneur - technology transfer & alternative education consultant/mentor - currently living in Singapore ...

    My interest in Africa ? Well ... from my own experience so far ... I hope I got the spelling right ! (to be honest, my wife has been there several times and is just crazy about it !)

    In my mind Africa is somehow occupied with "Out of Africa" and "The gods must be crazy" from where this very "provoking" post title - Does Africa need technology? - originated. Think about it ! Isn't the hammering global political agenda "more technology = better life" something we need to rethink about in our own backyard, before we dump all the electronic/plastic/ideology waste in a continent with still so much untouched resources? (most of the life quality indexes of the western world are progressing into a negative steep decline with top speed - and most "so called" free - first world - countries fail to deliver on there constitutional promises!)

    Resources - that has been the keyword ! Let's be honest again, western and now more and more the eastern forces of the world are on the move to fight for these resources in future (as they did in the past):

    Oil - Minerals - even (educated) People

    What does Africa really need ?

    I think the answer is as simple as that:

    Education !

    I hope you all can agree on this conclusion and coming from this direction I am going to build a bridge into the world of ICT & Media. Thanks to open source and cheaper/mobile hardware getting better access to global knowledge Africa will be able to became an equal partner within the global society and business world. Yes, Africa definitly needs technology to get there!

    A starting point is to teach the young (and old!) generation how to use this technology (for themself and for the benefit of the local communities!) This will provide better choices ... and isn't that what life is all about!

    So, anybody here with project initiatives in education ? Under "acceptable" conditions I would be on my way to Africa. I love to work with children keen to learn and achieve something in life and I prefer to look into laughing faces !
    (something very hard to find in todays Europe and I don't mention Asia here at all)

    Best regards
    Ingo Lange
    • 23 May 2006, 07:13 am
  • Prof. Dr. Tim Pathron
    Prof. Dr. Tim Pathron
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    Re: Does Africa need technology?
    Hello yes Africa needs more Technology, actually I was planning on investing on some form of Technology there in North and West Africa, but I dont know yet due to the fact that I dont have any business parthner.

    I would be glad if you see sence in my proposal and jion me in reviving Afica and also do good business in the future to come.

    Yours
    Tim Pathron
    • 23 May 2006, 08:24 am
  • Joseph Abandoh-Sam
    Joseph Abandoh-Sam    Group moderator
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    Re: Does Africa need technology?
    Sorry people for the long period of silence. I needed some time off to complete my Bachelor degree. I have been able to achieve that. My graduation is on the 28th this May.

    To the main point (question) "Does Africa need technology?" My answer is neither yes or no but that we need both. I agree that one of the key needs for Africans is education. But It must come with technology. If you are talking about a education, I believe it will be unfair to compare an educated person in Africa with some one in the western countries.

    The reason being that Africans are taught with a different technology from other western countries. For example a highly educated person in a certain community in Africa may not be considered educated else where in the western or eastern world and vice versa.

    Malaysia started almost on the same level as Ghana ten years ago. But now in terms of development and technology, they far a head of us. But most of the technology and products they produced were learnt from Ghana. But since they had easy access to better technology, they shot ahead. Whilst people are extractinmg manual oil from palm kernel in Ghana, a machine else where is generating the same kind of product at a faster and a better refined way.

    We have the knowledge to tap into the natural resources that we have but we do not have the right technology to implement them. Therefore we need education on up coming equipments (how to use and maintain) and also the right technology to execute them.
    • 26 May 2006, 02:02 am
  • John Adegbola
    John Adegbola
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    Re: Does Africa need technology?
    I wish to respond to this question, though it may be a bit late.

    I quite agree with the responses so far that Africa needs technological education and its facility.

    One major problem is the uneven spread of the available technologies. Access is only restricted to these technology as it is often too expensive to the common African .

    This is why several initiative are encouraged on the provision of technological education and facility.

    I recently canvassed for a non-profit in the name Computer Educational Support Initiative (CESI) to help alleviate some of these problems. The organization is with the aim of providing computer and information and communication and technology education and facility to Nigerian youths.

    Such initiatives are welcomed and I would implore people with similar intents outside Africa to encourage, assist and promote such initiatives.
    • 22 Aug 2006, 12:08 pm