Archives For Mobile
Another well executed technology start up showcase by way of Demo Africa was held in Q3 of 2012 and another opportunity to scope the lay of the land and establish what is missing or out of place in our growing ecosystem. { With a startup I am proud to be associated with securing an investment of USD 50,000 soon after, and in advanced statges of closing another round at an impressive valuation 
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I had the honor of moderating a number of sage panels, composed of thought leaders, opinion shapers and individuals who are invested in the technology and entrepreneurship space in Kenya. Each panel was hosted after a number of presenters had put for the case for the business or product that they were launching. Continue Reading…
The value and state of the technology space in Kenya and Africa at large has come under close scrutiny and criticism over the past months from those invested in it, those looking to invest in it and those who tend to keep an eye on what’s happening. From claims that there isn’t enough money, to there is a good idea glut, to skills deficits, to we are working towards grants and hackathon prize money and the big one that says we are all about hype with no meat on our bone.
We may choose to look at it negatively from the get go, but I always suggest looking through a different pair of eyes to derive perspective and context. During the Olympics or any other global sporting event where we send our athletes, we are united by this invisible bond of pride; knowing and feeling that we are the best of the best. I wish to use this analogy to quell the disquiet among those who think that technology showcases and competitions are a waste of time and effort. Continue Reading…
Factors that govern the economics of service and product delivery are the same across different industries and sectors. To draw a parallel with the mobile industry and give perspective, it is said to be more expensive per unit to transport goods within Africa than it is to Europe. Poor infrastructure by way of dilapidated or nonexistent roads, railway lines with different gauges, poor logistical planning and business models have made intra Africa trade a costly nightmare. Plans to address this have been floated, with the ideas being a focused on consolidated pan-african road and rail networks.
So how does this related to uptake of local content on mobile? In the rapidly changing world of technology, mobile network operators introduced mobile data, that has seen an increase in the consumption of services brought about by increased mobile phone utility. With this increased uptake, there has also been an increase in the demand for services that rely heavily on mobile data. This has seen all mobile network operators invest capital to own shares in the various undersea cables that connect us to the rest of the world to reduce reliance on satellite connectivity that is expensive. This initial surge by consumers on mobile data was driven by the need to access information and content which more often than not was created or resided outside the country. According to the State of the Mobile Web report released in July 2012 by Opera, the top 10 visited properties are Facebook, Google, Twitter, Waptrick, Tagged.com, Eskimi, Goal.com, BBC, Nation and Wikipedia. Of these properties, only one would be considered local, and I think differently about the social networks on the list as they would probably dominate the ranking in other countries as well . Continue Reading…
The tariff wars between the mobile operators was bound to have a resounding effect at some point in time, with the day of reckoning coming by way of Safaricom announcement of their half year results that saw a 47.4 percent dip in half year net profit to Ksh 4 billion. Traditional voice and messaging has in the past been majorly peer to peer and served as the cash cow for mobile network operators. With consumers calling for lower tariffs on both these fronts, mobile network operators are having their work cut out for them, if the plum profits they have enjoyed in the past are to remain constant.
TNS Research International East Africa released a report last year dubbed – Digital Life 2010 that looked into what Kenyans are doing online. That alongside other research can help in determining where to place effort and financing toward the creation of compelling new services for mobile network operators. What is important though is that this innovation need not come from within the operators but they should look to the growing local developer community.
My growth area forecasts are as follows.
The past weekend saw a Kenyan media house air a captivating investigative series covering what was claimed to be the largest drug haul in Kenya, tracing the drama and intrigues from the Netherlands to the shores of the Kenyan coast with names mentioned and all manner of conspiracy theories put forward. The blogosphere and social media sites exploded with conversations around this content and it was interesting to read peoples take on the “expose”.
More than deal with the contents of what was aired, I feel that we can use technology to better enhance the information experience of Kenyans. I choose the term “information experience” because a lot of what we consume is not “news” in the way that we choose to define it, but more of information. Continue Reading…
This week came with the news that Naspers, a South Africa-based multinational media company with principal operations in electronic media and consolidated revenues for the year ended March 2011 standing at R. 33 billion {Ksh 396 billion}, closed its local operation of Kalahari {www.kalahari.co.ke}; their online retailing outfit. Though the exact reason for this pullout is yet to be disclosed officially, it draws sharp focus to what makes electronic commerce tick, more so that such a well heeled operation would wind up.
First let us walkthrough what would be considered a basic well thought out user experience for e-commerce . Continue Reading…
One billion dollars. What does the mention of that amount do to you? For some it may be too big to process while for others the opportunity to get a piece of it or at least discover the story behind the number would be more overwhelming.
To break it down, that is the estimate value in monetary terms that is held in the value chain of the COMESA trade pipeline on a daily basis in form of transit bonds. An amount, if unlocked can be used to expand and grow the very same businesses that commit it to enable them trade across the region. Continue Reading…
— App release—
As we go about our daily lives, we all get into certain situations where we find it difficult to pick the best spot to spend some time, whether with family, friends or just by ourselves. Often, we are confused about where to go, how much time will it take etc etc. If you have ever found yourself in such a situation, then you need to download AroundMe, a locally-developed Kenyan app on your Nokia phone.
From shopping to restaurants to hospitals to banks and even gas stations, wherever in Kenya, this app is your go-to directory for all the service you could ever need. The minute you log on, it triangulates your location and depending on where you want to go, it gives you a list of all the available locations. Continue Reading…
It may feel abit dumb to start off like this…but any kiosk owner will tell you this. If you all stock the same nyanya skuma, you will be left with no recourse but to compete on price. The kaching comes with setting yourself apart…I would stop here and have you call me and pay me to walk you back to the school of basics but am in a good mood today.
Like I told you before, you better stop this price war maneno or you will all soon go out of business or best bet see massive hemorrhages on your bottom line. Micheal Joseph has said time and again – he has investors to take care of, and I have to agree with him on that point, coz I would expect a divided on my shares, if I had bought like 1 million of those “papers” when the country was going green and this not alluding to the referendum. My boy Rene is willing to take a hit for the next 5 years because he has a big brother with deep pockets. Deep pockets get depleted, and if your strategy doesn’t work out, you will be out of a job – tail tucked and the Kenya operation will be spun to some other hapless investor with big visions and their head in the clouds, with grand plans of a turnaround. Rene was on Business Daily explaining their strategy…you will remember the Vuka tariff that was discontinued…hmmm
Bwana Atul of Yu, jumped over the cliff late last night and put it out that they too had “amuad” and dunked prices to 5cts per second or more directly 3 bob per minute and 50cts per sms on onnet messaging.
Mickael Ghossein has been quiet thus far after the sparing between the Pinks, Greens and Blacks, but I kinda guess he too is thinking of their new lower price point. I am sorely hoping that his decisions will have a good measure of thought and not some knee jerk reflex. Continue Reading…
