Browsing: big data in Africa

• 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 …

There has never been a generation that has benefitted from simplified access to and disseminating information than the currtient one.  Statistically, there are over three billion smartphone users worldwide. With the digital landscape connually growing, developing countries are not left behind. Although a significant number of people on the African continent have no access to internet connectivity, there is steady growth, and it is anticipated that at least 475 million users will be able to access the internet via their mobile phones by 2025.

What is big data?

Big data is a term used to describe significant volumes of data, either in structured or unstructured forms, which are relayed daily. In business, big data is useful for analysis and leads to strategic decision-making and planning.

Big data and technology

Technological devices run on data. They collect data and use it to perform different functions, processing it and assisting …

Technological advancements, financial sector innovations and recent health threats like the Coronavirus have fuelled a greater reliance and need for digital trade and online shopping. The surge in E-Commerce globally has resulted in the need for efficient payment and data management systems. The adoption of data centres provides a data management system solution that allows for efficient payment across e-commerce platforms.

What are data centres? 

Data centres are ICT command centres used by various businesses to provide cloud storage, data processing and applications support services. These are useful to ensure safe, efficient and reliable online markets.

IT penetration in Africa is the major determinant of the growth and development of data centres. Economic and administrative prioritisation has not been directed towards investments in IT infrastructure. A norm that IT investments are concerns for the private sector and not for the government prevails throughout the continent. As such, the continent is …