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With all the hype around the use of text messaging on mobile phones, like Google Trader or FrontlineSMS, it seems that the future of communication in Africa will be SMS.
Yet, Erik Hersman...
Published on: Sep 12 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Tropicalized Computing with Aurora Wireless
Aurora Wireless works in Northern Nigeria, a dry area not known for rain forests. Yet general manager, Abdulhamid Yahaya, is keen on “tropicalized computing” solutions – hardware and software designed to...
Published on: Sep 09 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on The Silent Arrival of Glo 1 Bandwidth in West Africa
This week, the Glo 1 fiber optic submarine cable landed in Nigeria to a fraction of the Seacom hype in East Africa. And yet it could be just as transforming.
Glo 1 landing in Nigeria
The 9,800 km long cable will bring direct...
Published on: Sep 07 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Write About Your Business Challenge – Win $4,000
Do you have a business challenge while working in low-income communities, that has created a new business model or initiative?
Regardless of its success or failure, the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise’s Bottom...
Here is an interesting video from the Barefoot College solar program in which they’ve trained illiterate women from African villages to be solar engineers for their communities in just 6 months:
Barefoot College makes...
The market opportunity for Nigerian software development is stunning, if you take a moment to look at its size. First we have Umar Bindir, Director General of National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP),...
Back in July, Kenya rejoiced with Seacom’s landing, expecting a quick and beneficial drop in Internet access costs and a dramatic increase in bandwidth. The general consensus was 50% to 90% drop in bandwidth costs....
Published on: Aug 28 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Solar-Powered Solutions to Support Mobile Phones
While there is an explosive growth of mobile phone usage in Africa, there has not been a corresponding growth in the national electric grid to support these phones. In Kenya, there are more than 17 million cell phone subscribers...
Published on: Aug 26 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Importing Computers into Kenya? Beware the Fees
Duty Free New Computers and Computer Parts
To great fanfare, Kenya Revenue Authority eliminated customs duties on the import of new computer hardware into Kenya recently. For HSCODE 85-23-49-0-0 their FAQ even says:
Q7....
Published on: Aug 24 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Interview: Samuel Okwiri of Lebra Solar Technologies
During a Inveneo Business Training, we interviewed Sam Okwiri about his new solar power company, Lebra Solar Technologies:
Sam, who used to work for WinAfrique, has started Lebra Solar Technologies to satisfy the power needs...