[kictanet] Would sorting out physical addressing lead to exponential growth in Nairobi?

[Andy G]

Thanks Adam. Exactly my point. mydoorhandle seems a novice idea and may
just provide a solution, to an extent, of Nairobi's woes.


On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 1:29 PM, Adam Nelson <adam at varud.com> wrote:

> My Door Handle is attempting to address this very problem:
>
> http://mydoorhandle.com/
>
> However, Andy brings up an important point.  The fact that one can get
> pizza from Naked Pizza or Hashmi or Chowpaty (excellent vegetarian Indian
> food btw) actually betrays the problem.  These are local businesses with
> local knowledge.
>
> The purpose of a standard addressing system is to allow anybody to find a
> residential or commercial location in order to service them quickly and
> without requiring deep local expertise.  It's not just boda boda drivers
> who need to know how to find places, software developers writing delivery
> routines in Germany need to know, and American scientists doing water
> distribution projects need to know, and Indian cell tower planners need to
> know.
>
> The answer to the question, "does the lack of a physical addressing system
> stifle the potential in Nairobi?" is a qualified "yes".  Companies will
> find a way around the problem, and they'll keep on doing it so the
> potential of Nairobi isn't completely stifled.
>
> Nonetheless, this is one of the problems that simply has to be solved and
> the only question is 'when', not 'if'.  I personally think it's incumbent
> on government leaders to be tackling all of the 'when' problems now because
> every year that they wait is simply another year of lower efficiency that
> could have been used to "promote the general Welfare".
>
> -Adam
> ---
> OpenStack for Africa: http://signup.kili.io
> Musings: https://twitter.com/varud
> About Adam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcnelson
>
>
> On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 1:02 PM, Andrea Bohnstedt <
> andrea.bohnstedt at ratio-magazine.com> wrote:
>
>> Ask the people who deliver things?
>>
>> Naked Pizza and Hashmi have stored my address with my phone number - and
>> yes, it contains my formal street address plus the details on how to find
>> it. When I place an order, they reconfirm that I'm still at the same
>> address. Plus their delivery person usually has my phone number with him
>> just in case he gets lost (yay for technology - and pizza, obvs).
>>
>> I think it's a bit more tedious the first time you order when you have to
>> give detailed directions - but if a company is smart and saves those, then
>> that cuts down on processing time with each additional order.
>>
>> On 20 May 2013 12:49, Andy G <andy.gesora at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>  So Nairobi is the most advanced city in East and Central Africa.... So
>>> JP Morgan has just been granted a licence to setup a rep office in
>>> Nairobi.... So most of the iNGO's and corporates have set up in Nairobi....
>>> So Nairobi is the pioneer in alternative payment systems aka mPesa....
>>>
>>> But does the lack of a physical addressing system stifle the potential
>>> in Nairobi? CCN previously tried  address most buildings in town, but no
>>> one ever quotes the "22 Kimathi Street" when corresponding.
>>>
>>> A majority of tech startups in Kenya today are web based, with mobile
>>> technology (payment systems) providing an overwhelming support system. A
>>> friend once quoted as saying 95% of his online payments were on mobile
>>> money. We have lots of tech companies that have tried building solutions to
>>> make it easier for Nairobi's consumers.... from ordering food online, to
>>> shopping, to casual labour, to ticketing... name it. But the achilles heel
>>> always remains addressing. Where do i as a tech startup owner send your
>>> goods to in Buruburu once you have bought? Or if i have a party and order
>>> for drinks online, how does someone deliver in some flats named "Pearl
>>> apartments" deep in langata on a nodescript dirt road?
>>>
>>> Would perhaps naming of streets and physical addressing help solve lots
>>> of issues in Nairobi as well as create many mid level startups and thus
>>> jobs that we are so desperately seeking?
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Andrea Bohnstedt <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/andreabohnstedt>
>> Publisher
>>
>> www.ratio-magazine.com
>> www.africa-assets.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>>
>> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
>> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
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>
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> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
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