By Entrepreneurship Campus
This is an article published for the first time at Huffington Post, writen by Mary Olushoga.
Supporting innovation in Africa is no easy task. Political instability, civil wars, terrorism, and uncertainty often disturb the ecosystem of progress and sustainable development. I meet with three of Africa's most innovative young women entrepreneurs who share their thoughts on how to improve and support innovation. Often, we find that when discussing innovation in Africa, such discussions normally don't include young African voices, particularly that of women and girls. But their voice matters and without the inclusion of African women and girls in such discussions, whether of that involving technology, sustainable development, or innovation -- change cannot happen.
Research conducted by the African Development Bank (AfDB) shows an increase ranging from 10 to 30 percent in the number of women-led enterprises over the last decade. In Uganda alone, women account for 40 percent of businesses (EIU, 2010). As the number of women entrepreneurs and innovators increase, their voices can no longer be ignored. African women and girls have a significant role to play in Africa's economic and innovative transformation.
Nkem Uwaje, Managing Director of FutureSoft Nigeria and winner of the 2012 Etisalat Nigeria Prize for Innovation states, "We can improve innovation in Africa by supporting people with innovative ideas and I think that competitions and contests are a good way to start. African governments and the private sector need to work together to launch more contests and competitions that focus on innovation."
Innovation needs an enabling environment. This means creating hubs where innovators can meet, share ideas, and collaborate. We [youths] need a space where ideas can be incubated and where prototypes can be developed. Without this, we are bound to fail as a continent. In addition, ICT development is very important to Africa's innovation ecosystem and future. ICT is vital to ensuring that Nigeria and Africa will not be left behind. Everyone keeps talking about the digital divide, but instead of bridging it, it keeps on getting bigger. We need government policies that ensure that technology is not a privilege but a basic amenity. My company, Futuresoft is playing its part in making ICT more accessible through ouriConnect project."
Entrepreneur and innovator, Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, CEO at WeCyclers -- a company determined to fix the urban waste management system and focused on giving low-income communities in developing countries a chance to capture value from waste and clean up their neighborhoods through an incentive-based recycling program says, "to improve innovation in Africa, we need to invest more in education.
You cannot innovate when you do not have a good education." Adebiyi-Abiola holds an MBA from MIT, a Master degree from Vanderbilt University, and an undergraduate degree in computer science from Fisk University. She is also a 2013 Echoing Green Fellow. Adebiyi-Abiola continues, "we also need more technology incubators and accelerators. The co-creation hub in Lagos was extremely supportive of my work when I first started. They worked hard to ensure my team's success and development. It will be great to see more hubs throughout Africa -- hubs dedicated to supporting aspiring entrepreneurs."
Founding CEO of Yeigo Communications and ReKindle Learning in South Africa,Rapelang Rabana adds, "to improve and support innovation in Africa, the single most powerful thing to do is to deliver quality broadband internet to the majority of Africans. That, I think, will do a lot more than any 'Ministry of Innovation,' than any innovation fund, or any kind of innovation vehicle that we can think of."
Access to information and communication is the most empowering thing we can do to support innovation. It opens doors for greater innovation in farming, education, health, and financial services." Rabana's company, Yeigo is credited with creating ground-breaking applications and services that took advantage of the internet, mobile and cloud computing technologies to reduce communication costs in South Africa. In 2008, Swiss-headquartered Telfree Group of Companies, a pioneering next-generation telecoms operator, acquired a majority stake in Yeigo, enabling the group to provide the full range of telecommunications services.
As we think about innovation in Africa, let us listen to the voices of young innovators because their voice matters. Young Africans are the future of the continent and their efforts should be supported. More recently, the AWP Network launched an innovative photography contest to showcase how African youths view innovation and entrepreneurship in their local community. To participate in the contest or have other ideas on how to support and improve innovation in Africa, Tweet @Africwomenpower or visit www.awpnetwork.com.
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togeda
7/11/2020ReplyIdeally competitions and contest are powerful tools in encouraging creativity, innovation and enterpreneurship. It is indeed the enterpreneurship campus competition seek to bridge. Thank you campus competition for the opportunity and encourage
eduheal
7/10/2020ReplyGreat article. The core of the article is summarize as thus:
“Supporting innovation in Africa is no easy task. Political instability, civil wars, terrorism, and uncertainty often disturb the ecosystem of progress and sustainable development. I meet with three of Africa’s most innovative young women entrepreneurs who share their thoughts on how to improve and support innovation. Often, we find that when discussing innovation in Africa, such discussions normally don’t include young African voices, particularly that of women and girls. But their voice matters and without the inclusion of African women and girls in such discussions, whether of that involving technology, sustainable development, or innovation — change cannot happen.
The young ones are not always carried along and the need for competition and contest to motivate and support enterpreneurship. These are greatproblem.
However, I thank the enterpreneurship campus for the taking the bull by it horns and given young persons like me the opportunity to gain this knowledge.
yinka
4/14/2016ReplyEducation is the foundation for innovation.
yinka
4/14/2016ReplyEntrepreneurship competition has forced many youths to come out and share great ideas which they never knew that would solve many problems in Africa and the world. More of this competition in Africa can improve innovation Africa. Ideas lead to innovation. The Government, private organizations and Non Governmental organizations should also support innovation in Africa.
salmaabdulai
4/12/2016ReplyI agree with you @imeldansi, we need to rescue the continent when we are young to have a long term lasting impact on our economies. Once we start creating wealth at a younger stage through sustainable entrepreneurship opportunities, we would have the opportunity to contribute to the development of the continent. Early education in entrepreneurship would change the mindset of the youth who at a least point run to stand for political positions because of money and power and who do not understand the need for sacrifice abuse their offices. We need the education early, but we need it to be more practical, cos Africa is very theoretical.
