Empowering Africa through technology: insights from Sentech Africa Tech Week 2024

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele delivered a speech on “The Innovation Imperative 2024: How Governments Can Leverage Artificial Intelligence and New Technologies for Economic Growth.” Minister Gungubele stressed the importance of digital skills in navigating the changing economic landscape, as highlighted in the Presidential Commission’s report on the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He highlighted the role of government initiatives and partnerships in fostering digital literacy, enhancing broadband infrastructure, and leveraging artificial BroadCast Unitedligence to drive economic empowerment.

“By leveraging satellite technology and collaborative partnerships, we are making progress connecting underserved areas and empowering communities through digital access.” – Rain Kgari, Acting Executive Officer, Sentech Broadband

• The panel discussion “Broadband: The Pillar of Digital Transformation” shed light on the critical role of broadband connectivity in driving digital inclusion and social transformation. Panelists highlighted initiatives such as the SA Connect project and discussed strategies to bridge the digital divide, especially in rural and underserved areas. Insights from industry leaders highlighted the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors to increase broadband accessibility and drive socio-economic development.
• Joseph Ndaba, Commissioner for the Presidential Commission on the Fourth Industrial Revolution and CEO of MDIHub“We need to ensure that technologies such as 5G benefit all South Africans and focus on development aspects and partnerships to achieve inclusive connectivity,” he said.
• Peter Mafagana, Acting Chief Technology Officer at Broadband Infraco, added: “The South African broadband market has seen significant growth and investment, with a focus on improving accessibility and speeds; however, while progress has been made, challenges remain in closing the digital divide, particularly in rural and underserved areas.”

“Building an accessible and compliant data usage platform is critical to effective decision making and customer engagement.” – Steven Tshehla, Portfolio Manager, Sentech Management Infrastructure Business

• In a panel discussion titled “Unlocking the Data Goldmine: Using Technology to Safely Leverage Company Data,” speakers delved into the challenges and opportunities in data management and cybersecurity. The discussion centered around strategies to improve data quality, use technology to identify trends, and build strong partnerships. The panel emphasized the importance of ethical data practices and cybersecurity measures in harnessing the potential of data to drive business growth and innovation.
• Jordan Seke, CRM Advocate, Strategist and Change Manager at Wits University added“Implementing an automated and standardized master data management system is key to reducing human errors and improving data quality.”
• Jessy Severins, Group Director of AdTech and MarTech at Jumia Group, reminds us, “Building a customer data platform requires collaboration between legal, compliance, marketing and customer experience teams to ensure regulatory compliance and gain data-driven insights. Ethical considerations and cybersecurity measures are critical to effectively leverage customer data while maintaining trust and privacy in a digital environment,” he noted.

Technical seminar themed “Promoting Financial Inclusion through Fintech Collaboration” The presentation was moderated by Chipo Mushwana, Head of Emerging Innovation and Payments at Nedbank, who highlighted the transformative role of fintech in extending access to financial services, empowering marginalized groups and supporting SMEs. She stressed the need for strategic collaboration and regulatory coordination to accelerate digital innovation and promote inclusive economic growth. “Africa is at a tipping point in the transformation of financial services,” Mushwana noted. “The opportunities presented by technology will continue to improve livelihoods and economies on the continent. We want to collaborate to drive economic growth, and we want to collaborate to drive financial inclusion. There is a lot of work to be done, and we at Nedbank are committed to getting it done.”

Ralf Fletcher, CEO of Topco Media, concluded: “As we conclude Sentech Africa 2024, the message is clear: collaboration, innovation and inclusion are the cornerstones of Africa’s digital future. From harnessing artificial BroadCast Unitedligence and broadband infrastructure to unlocking the potential of fintech, stakeholders across a range of industries are committed to driving positive change and fostering an inclusive digital economy.”

As Africa charts its path towards digital transformation, partnerships and collective action will continue to play an important role in creating a brighter, more prosperous future for all.