Hearing the name of the country of Africa conjures images of wild adventurous safaris, ex the grandeur of the exotic animals and a civilization that is far removed from modern technology. While it’s true in part, there is no lack of digital resources in the country. In fact, Africa’s ripe digital revolution is perhaps the single most important factor that is boosting their economic status in the world today. The African subcontinent is on its way up and after what seemed like an endless fight to recover from colonization, it remained semi-dormant when it came to the worldwide tech revolution, but that isn’t the case anymore.
Putting the past behind them
For what seemed like an eternity, Africa’s lack of a basic infrastructure held it back from joining in the modern era of digital technology. The rest of the world had left them behind. The country was best known for its tourism, their natural resources and the agriculture. The diamond industry is the major resource that has given Africa a viable place in world economics, but things are beginning to take a turn for the better.
Africa’s bouncing back
They are experiencing a new digital revolution. The telecom industry has made significant progress in providing larger networks of internet access for business and citizens, with competitive pricing that makes it affordable for more people living within its areas of coverage. More people living in Africa own and use smartphones as well as other high tech devices and there is an increase in access to social media, web browsing and online shopping. This new trend is changing the way of life for Africans and this is just the beginning for them. This type of high tech development will bring with it changes that improve the job market through more employment opportunities. This will help in the battle currently waged against the regions where severe poverty is rampant and the positive effects of Africa’s new digital age are already starting to be seen.
Greater investments being made in Africa
Multiple tech companies are making investments in the brand new opportunities for their business to grow and expand in Africa. This is creating new job pools for employment opportunities for the locals. It will have a domino effect as higher education and tech training will be needed, creating more jobs in the field of education. The big tech businesses realize this and they’re willing to make an investment to grow their own workers from within the areas they plan to provide with their goods and services.
A work in progress
All of these wonderful changes take time, but with a little patience, Africans will soon see their landscape and environment change around them for the better. The startup industry in the African continent is beginning to take shape nicely. Investment funding is already beginning to pour in from venture capitalist firms. Local entrepreneurs have taken the lead in the appropriate distribution of funds to give the new businesses and research projects a good start for success in the future. While the industry is still in its infancy, things are rolling forward at a nice speed.
Still a long way to go
While development of the infrastructure is currently underway, there are still obstacles to overcome. The local governments were resistant to many of the new initiatives at first, but there has been a steady softening of their stance that is leading to a more supportive attitude towards the spread of technology through telecom and digital sectors. They are beginning to realize that this is a necessity if they want to compete within the global markets.
The current focus
Big data and the Cloud are the main focus presently. Analysts realize that these are the most efficient means for providing the best customer experience and for analyzing new trends across the brand new developing markets. This is a tool that is more of a requirement for big investors who will need to develop their strategic plans. So far, everything looks good and the digital revolution in Africa is well under way.