Mobile Apps Are Transforming Africa

Africa is commonly perceived as a backwater full of misery, poverty, corruption and of course, safaris. The story that has been told from time immemorial is that we are a backward people with backward ways in need of colonial supervision and kind-hearted missionaries to show us the way to enlightenment.

Despite mountains of evidence to the contrary, this is the story that continues to be told to this day. This is not to say that there aren’t parts of Africa that are backwaters, rife with misery, poverty and corruption. But that’s just part of the story.

The other part of the story – the real one – is that Africa is and always has been a place of richness. The ground beneath our feet is rich in natural resources which are abundant enough to power multiple industries in Africa. It goes without saying that we are rich in intellect and keen on breeding innovation.

So today I want to talk about how mobile innovation, in particular, can change the face and future of Africa. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have positively impacted several countries in the areas of health, finance and agriculture.