Big Data in Urban Planning: Transforming East African Cities
Rapid urbanisation – evident in the growth of cities like Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, and Kampala – poses a special challenge to East Africa’s urban landscape and contributes to the widespread development of informal settlements. This expansion places immense pressure on existing infrastructure, leading to critical gaps in transportation, water, sanitation, and energy provision. These challenges are aggravated by the impacts of climate change, including escalating weather extremes and increasing water scarcity.
Small Data, Big Decisions: How SMEs Can Turn Local Data into Business Insight
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are vital contributors to East Africa’s economy. In countries like Uganda and Kenya, they employ up to 90% of the population and account for about 40% of the GDP. Despite many challenges like power shortage and limited funding which put a ceiling on their chances of long-term survival, the digitization of SMEs has the potential to counter their effects by eliminating operational inefficiencies and using predictive capabilities to add value to an enterprise.
From Fields to Skies: How Drones are Transforming Agriculture in East Africa
East Africa’s agricultural sector has long relied on traditional farming practices, with smallholder farmers using age-old techniques to cultivate the land. However, climate change, population growth, and food security concerns are driving the need for innovation. Drones, once a futuristic concept, are now emerging as a transformative tool for East African agriculture.
Wired and Wireless: The Fibre Optic and Satellite Infrastructure Powering East Africa’s Digital Leap
Despite being home to some of the fastest-growing economies in the world, East Africa’s internet penetration rate remains below 40%, lagging significantly behind the global average of 66.2%. Approximately 70% of East Africa’s population lives in rural areas, where traditional connectivity infrastructure is often inaccessible or unreliable.
Smart Cities and Bright Futures: Tech-Driven Transformation for East Africa’s Urban Landscape
In East Africa, the concept of smart cities offers an exciting opportunity to address the region's pressing urbanisation issues, such as inadequate infrastructure, inefficient public services, and environmental concerns. With East Africa experiencing an average annual urban population growth rate of 4.32% between 2020 and 2025, the adoption of smart city solutions can play a crucial role in shaping the future of these urban centres.
Caught in the Web: Using Machine Learning to Combat Scam SMS Messages
Aisha was mindlessly scrolling through her phone when an SMS pinged. The message announced a job vacancy at a well-known company, offering an attractive yet believable salary. It ended with, ‘Click this link to find out more.’
Bridging the Digital Divide: Uniting East Africa Through Digital Inclusion
The digital divide in East Africa represents a critical challenge that extends beyond mere access to technology. The digital divide broadly captures the inequalities in access to modern information and communication technologies (ICT) across different demographic and geographic lines, in addition to digital illiteracy, which is the ability to effectively use them.
Build or Buy? Implementing AI Solutions for East African Organisations
The approach to implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions can vary significantly with specific use-cases. One of the critical decisions for organisations to consider is whether to develop bespoke AI solutions or integrate off-the-shelf products into their IT estate. This decision is key for large-scale digital transformation projects requiring substantial investment, as the limited resources within the East African region leave little room for failure.
Hackers, Heists and High Stakes: Safeguarding East Africa’s Financial Future
In the span of a weeks in 2024, East Africa’s financial sector was struck by a series of incidents, exposing critical vulnerabilities. In Uganda, a billion Ugandan shillings (UGX) were stolen by G4S guards from a bullion van enroute to Kampala. At the Bank of Uganda, hackers siphoned UGX 60 billion in merely 60 seconds - a sobering reminder of the high stakes in digital finance.
