The rate at which technology has evolved over the years has been extraordinary. The nature of man that has made him never to be contented has led to a steady pace of natural evolution of the advancement of innovation through technology.
Technology is changing rapidly as humans seek to find simplified and better ways of doing things. A report was released on August 20, 2019 by Gartner on Hype Cycle for ICT in Africa, which identified three technological advancements that are set to change businesses in Africa in the next couple of years. The technologies are:
- The Internet of Things
- Smart cities
- Low-Earth orbit systems
It has been projected that over the next 10 years, these technologies will transform the business narrative in Africa due to their high-penetrating status. The projection is worth looking into in relation to the preparedness for Africa to key into it, with a view to achieving certain milestones. I will look into these three technological breakthroughs in relation to the African continent in this piece.
Internet of Things
The concept of the Internet of Things in relation to how Africa has been able to fully grasp its potential is not as dim as it appeared to be some years back. Internet of Things alludes to smart Internet-enabled devices and systems, programmed to implement gathered data through embedded sensors. It involves not too complicated systematic process of data collection and data distribution.
The penetration of IoT technology in Africa as of now is low and slow, but it has a high potential for growing at an exponential rate due to the fact that more Africans are getting connected to the Internet.
The Internet of Things is set to be one of the next big things to transform the African continent in a few years time because many countries are now drastically taking advantage of its potential and applying it in the logistics and haulage industry, health sector and manufacturing sector, among others. Through the effective use of IoT, decisions taken by organisations will be based on verified facts using real-time data.
Fast delivery of goods and services will now be achieved and your house can now start to alert you via your mobile phone if there is a break-in, fire outbreak and shortage of groceries. You can also switch on or off your lights remotely. Everything will now be interconnected.
IoT is gradually making inroads into the technological plains of Africa as it has increasingly become a concept that is affecting our way of life entirely.
For IoT to effectively take root in Africa, however, there is the need to have a very wide broadband penetration across the continent. Broadband penetration is now one of the major goals of almost all the countries on the continent of Africa, but this must be pursued to logical conclusions, if the projection of Gartner would come to pass.
Smart cities
What makes a city smart has to do with a large amount of available data that is harnessed for productivity and connectivity. In a smart environment, information is sent in real-time through installed sensors. Traffic flow can be regulated by traffic lights. Traffic jams can be detected and alternative routes provided. An accident can be avoided. Robberies and road accidents can be detected by traffic lights while the police and hospitals will be alerted without delay.
It has been projected that in the year 2030, six of the world’s 41 megacities will be in Africa. The cities are Lagos, Kinshasa, Johannesburg, Cairo, Luanda and — Finish Reading on the Punch
