Author: june njoroge

• Girls remain grossly underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education courses, especially in tertiary institutions and consequently in related careers.
• The need to promote STEM education cannot be overemphasized given that over the next two decades, an estimated 20 million young people a year are expected to join the workforce in Africa.
• Research shows that an average STEM worker earns double the amount of a non-STEM worker and this trend is bound to continue.

Today, Africa joins the rest of the world in marking the 2023 International Girls in ICT Day with the overarching theme being ‘Digital Skills for Life’. The celebration could not have come at a better time as the continent dives deeper into the adoption and full realization of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), in which digital skills are key economic drivers; pertinently in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The International Girls in ICT …

Into a menacing economic quick sand African economies have been sinking, taking hefty blows from numerous unprecedented challenges birthed by the overarching global crisis. The status quo has instigated a clarion call to cushion them from dipping further beneath the horizon, by casting different viable iron rods, as the ‘one shoe fits all’ approach is not feasible due the dynamic nature of African economies. Inarguably, Africa has not been left unscathed amid the ongoing global ‘polycrisis’, as described in the 2023 World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Risks Report, to mean  a cluster of related global risks with compounding effects, such that the overall impact exceeds the sum of each part.

In light of this, on day three of the WEF in Davos, Switzerland, UN Secretary General António Guterres in his speech, stated that at present the world faces “a category five” storm of challenges that need urgent action. These include …

Africa is set to establish a $1B orbital spaceport in the Republic of Djibouti, positioning the continent in the global space race, making the first on African soil. This follows the signing of a partnership deal with Hong Kong Aerospace Technology to build a facility for launching satellites and rockets in the Northern Obock region.

Djibouti’s president, Ismael Omar Guelleh, presided over the signing of the preliminary deal, also to be done in partnership with Touchroad International Holdings Group, paving  way for the final agreement; a formal contract signing expected in April or May, following a visit to China by Djibouti experts.

Indeed, it’s a milestone for the continent which has been the only region in the world without a launch site. It’s a major project that will boost the economy of this desert nation in the Horn of Africa, and is projected to be built over five years.

The …

Africa’s Education Technology (Edtech) ecosystem has been growing exponentially, eradicating hurdles that have for aeons plagued the continent’s education sector and in the process, revolutionizing this critical contributor to African economies. However, the pressing question remains, can EdTechs solve Africa’s dire education crisis?

Arguably, quality education is the most significant investment that countries can make for the future of their citizenry. The pivotal need for the adoption and development of hybrid learning solutions in Africa’s digital learning landscape has become a necessity that especially came to the fore during the Covid-19 pandemic period, when school academic calendars at all levels were disrupted.  In this context, services like the APA article writing service EssayPro prove invaluable. They provide critical support to students and educators alike, ensuring continuity in education and research.

The pandemic became a springboard to a colossal market opportunity for EdTechs to swoop in and seal the deficit via …

Driven by a deep-seated hunger for change in Nigeria, on pins and needles citizens remain, eagerly awaiting the announcement of the country’s next president, which should happen any time from now, following the February 25th  general election. The slow collation and reporting of the votes by Nigeria’s electoral commission, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has only fueled the anxiety, coupled with whispers of electoral interference that the Commission has thwarted.

The three front-runners out of the initial 18 candidates are Peter Obi, Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar. Results from 176,846 polling stations are being counted manually and then relayed electronically to the INEC’s headquarters in Abuja, which then posts them on its website.

As of February 28, Tinubu leads in 25 out of Nigeria’s 36 states. Tinubu leads with 36% which translates to 7 million of the valid votes counted, Atiku is close behind with 30% an equivalent of …

The age of robots is here and in full throttle Africa is embracing this technology, pertinently in the rapidly evolving warehousing and logistics sector. Industrial robots are set to take over this lucrative field, performing various tasks and automating warehouse and storage processes. The global industrial robots market size is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.7% to $6.18B in 2023 from $5.39 of 2022. At breakneck speed Africa is drawing deeper into the whirlpool of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR); marked the rapid proliferation of robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) startups in the continent. In light of this, the Uniccon Group based in Nigeria made an indelible mark in November 2022, by building Africa’s first humanoid robot, a 6-foot-tall multilingual human-like robot called Omeife, launched by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The need for industrial robots in the warehousing and storage market, has been prompted …

The elasticity of Africa’s democratic fabric will be tested in 2023, with high-stakes elections slated throughout the year. Across the continent, 24 countries are holding different polls in 2023. From national to local assembly elections, economies are forecast to experience minimal economic growth, to be compounded by effects of the Russian-Ukraine war. To boot, the respective currencies of these nations are forecast to continue depreciating against the dollar, amplifying inflationary pressures in tandem driving up dollar denominated prices of imports. This already has created a daunting ‘dollar doom loop’ quagmire, that has hitherto left a trail of devastation not only among these nations, but across the world, further retrogressing economic activities.

The state of Africa’s democracy was concerning in 2022, due to the resurgence of unconstitutional takeovers by military coups. Burkina Faso experienced two takeovers. There were failed coup attempts in Guinea Bissau, The Gambia, and the island nation of …

The African technology landscape is speedily evolving pertinently defying history in its swift adoption of the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies (4IR), given that the continent was marginalized during the previous three industrial revolutions. Several countries in the continent have already established their Centers for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), with the most recent being Rwanda in mid-2022; as it pursues an economic model founded on technology akin to the the Asian Tigers’ pertinently Singapore.

Some technology trends that will shape Africa in 2023 include:

• Metaverse

The Metaverse will be among the key technologies that will continue to shape Africa’s tech scene. The Metaverse refers to a virtual-reality space in which users can interact with a computer-generated environment, together with other users. Businesses and individuals are predicted to continue exploring this digital environment and consider how they can leverage on its opportunities, to create immersive and efficient experiences to consumers. This …

The rapid snowballing of Africa’s rare earths metal production is set to become the world’s alternative source in 2023 and beyond, as global demand surges and world powers seek to wean off their dependence on China amid a new geopolitical multipolar world order. Africa’s vast reserves of rare earth metals have come under the radar of world powers fueled by the devastation emanating from the climate change crisis and calls for a drastic reduction in the growth and operations of extractive industries.

Furthermore, the race to net-zero emissions compounded by increased climate-induced natural disasters has intensified the green energy transition, instigating another scramble for Africa’s resources rare earth metals are at the heart of the race to green energy as well as providing opportunities for massive economic growth by injecting much-needed revenues to finance core socio-economic objectives in the continent.

Rare earth elements (REEs) refers to a group of 17 …

Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOS) in the country are looking to tap into the opportunities availed by the nascent Hustler Fund, having been identified as a key vehicle to disburse loans from the Kshs 50B kitty to Kenyans. Inaugurated by President William Ruto, the Hustler Fund is set to launch phase two of the Program in February which will position SACCOS as pivotal players in the initiative.

SACCOS regulated by the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) will be able to access between Kshs 10 to 100 million. In a consultative meeting with Co-operatives’ leadership under the Co-operative Alliance of Kenya (CAK), Co-operatives CS Simon Chelugui noted that the Co-operative movement is at the core of Ruto’s administration who sees the movement as instrumental in scaling economic growth.

The CS highlighted that SACCOS play a critical role in inculcating and mobilizing a savings culture among the large swathes of Kenyan …