Browsing: Big data

AI Systems in Africa
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize Africa’s climate-smart agriculture initiatives.
  • Nigeria’s Data Science Centre in Lagos projects to train over one million Nigerians in data science by 2027.
  • Rwanda is looking to invest $76.5 million over the next five years in setting up comprehensive AI ecosystem.

Across Africa, an increasing number of countries are embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) investments. AI is programming that provides machines the ability to think, learn and act on their own.

In 2014, Africa Heads of State from 32 countries signed what has now become known as the Smart Africa Alliance. The deal was dedicated to identifying priorities and stimulating investment in AI-powered investments.

Through the alliance and with the backing of Facebook and Google, the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences has launched a master’s degree in AI. Since then, all around Africa, nations are embracing and investing in AI technologies.

African countries are

 

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