[kictanet] Fwd: 10 Things We're Looking Forward To In 2017

Tue Jan 10 03:03:50 EAT 2017

Hi Grace,

http://www.domainmondo.com/2016/12/new-gtld-africa-redux-dotconnectafrica.html.
You can also check http://africainonespace.org/.

Regards

On 1/10/17, Grace Mutung'u (Bomu) <nmutungu at gmail.com> wrote:
> Should we also look forward to dot Africa in 2017?
> Anyone with a status update?
> On 9 Jan 2017 5:14 p.m., "Barrack Otieno via kictanet" <
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> From: "Eric Mugendi - iAfrikan.com" <newsletter at iafrikan.com>
>> Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2017 19:56:53 +0000
>> Subject: 10 Things We're Looking Forward To In 2017
>> To: otieno.barrack at gmail.com
>>
>> View the iAfrikan Weekly Digest in your browser
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/iafrikan-weekly-digest-
>> edition-142-9-january-2017-ten-things-were-looking-forward-to-in-2017/)
>> http://www.iafrikan.com/2014/05/14/convergence-partners-brandon-doyle/
>>
>> Edition 142
>> Monday, 09 January 2017
>>
>> From the Editor-at-Large
>>
>> Ngithemba ukuthi ningene kahle kunyaka omusha Afrika!
>> (https://whitezulu.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/uncibijane/)
>>
>> 2016 was a pretty big year for tech in Afrika, and we covered a lot of
>> the goings on on the continent- the ups and downs, openings and
>> closings, starts and ends. We had a look back at some of our biggest
>> stories (http://www.iafrikan.com/iafrikan-weekly-digest-
>> edition-141-most-popular-articles-in-2016/)
>>  as read by you, as well as our writers' picks
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/iafrikan-weekly-digest-
>> edition-140-19-december-2016-2016-in-afrikan-tech/)
>> . As we start the new year, there are a number of things we are
>> looking forward to.
>>
>> First of all, 2017 will see elections in a number of countries. Tech
>> powerhouses Kenya and Rwanda will have elections in August, and we are
>> keen to see how tech will be applied in those polls, especially given
>> developments elsewhere on the continent in the past year.
>>
>> We are also likely to see the growing adoption of the blockchain, as
>> the technology gets increasingly divorced from bitcoin and finds
>> applications in smart contracts, digital identity management and
>> distributed cloud storage.
>>
>> 2017 will also likely see the growing adoption of drones and other
>> means to overcome the continent's logistical challenges, the continued
>> emergence of African fintech startups,
>>
>> We're also going to have the Annual African Roundup later in January,
>> where we look back at the year that was, and chart our way forward
>> into the future of tech on the continent.
>>
>> What do you think the (near) future holds for African tech? What are
>> you looking forward to? What would you like to see more of in 2017?
>> Talk to us at newsletter at iafrikan.com
>> (mailto:newsletter at iafrikan.com?subject=What%20I%27m%
>> 20looking%20forward%20to%20in%202017)
>>
>> Eric Mugendi // Editor-at-Large
>>
>>
>> ** Ten Things We're Looking Forward To In 2017
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Here's a brief list of the things we are looking forward to in 2017:
>>
>> Our Annual Tech Round-Up
>> Yup. What better way to start things off than by looking back at how
>> far we've come over the past year? We will be having the iAfrikan
>> Annual Roundup on January 26 at Metta's flagship new space in Nairobi
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/12/05/metta-nairobis-flagship-
>> space-for-entrepreneurs-and-innovators-is-now-open/)
>> . On the agenda is a series of panel discussions covering topics such
>> as tech education, journalism, policy and governance, and startups.
>> (More details to follow this week)
>>
>> Bitcoin and Blockchain
>>
>> With bitcoin closing 2016 at US$1000, the cryptocurrency has found
>> adopters in the midst of cash crises in India and Venezuela.
>> Blockchain, which is the ledger system that powers bitcoin, shows
>> promise, especially for smart contracts and record-keeping. We are
>> likely to see innovative uses of these technologies in the coming
>> year. South Africa's Reserve Bank shared a smart contract
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/11/02/south-african-reserve-
>> bank-circulates-first-ever-smart-contract-using-private-
>> ethereum-blockchain/)
>>  on the Ethereum blockchain, and Senegal launched a bitcoin-based
>> digital currency
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/11/24/senegal-to-introduce-a-
>> new-blockchain-based-national-digital-currency-making-it-
>> only-the-second-country-to-have-a-national-digital-currency/)
>> , and we are likely to see similar moves in 2017 as the technology
>> becomes more mainstream.
>>
>> Drones
>> One of the biggest challenges in getting things safely and quickly
>> from one point to another on the continent is the lack of supporting
>> infrastructure - transport links in the form of roads and railways. In
>> 2016, we saw the application of drones and other unmanned aerial
>> vehicles (UAVs) to deliver medical supplies and other small packages
>> in Rwanda (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/10/16/rwandas-pioneering-
>> drone-delivery-service-for-medical-supplies-finally-takes-off/)
>>  and Madagascar
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/10/31/with-7-out-of-10-
>> residents-living-in-remote-rural-areas-madagascar-is-
>> counting-on-drones-to-deliver-much-needed-medical-care/)
>> , and the establishment of a humanitarian air corridor dedicated to
>> drones (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/12/16/the-worlds-first-
>> dedicated-humanitarian-air-corridor-for-drones-is-being-set-up-in-malawi/)
>>  in Malawi.
>> We are likely to see further trials with this technology in 2017,
>> accompanied by increased investment in supporting infrastructure as
>> one way of overcoming these challenges.
>>
>> Elections
>> There will be a number of polls in the coming year, among them
>> Angola's legislative election, Kenya's general election and Rwanda's
>> presidential election, all in August. The past year saw
>> election-related internet shutdowns in Uganda and The Gambia
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/12/01/gambia-becomes-the-
>> latest-afrikan-country-to-shut-down-the-internet-on-election-day/)
>> , and already there has been much discussion
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2017/01/03/making-sense-of-kenyas-
>> digital-election-conundrum/)
>>  over plans to introduce a manual backup for the technology that will
>> be used to run Kenya's poll.
>> Ghana's 2016 general election
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/12/14/ghanas-peaceful-and-digital-elections/
>> )
>>  was significant because it saw the successful use of technology to
>> transmit results. The Electoral Commission even developed an app for
>> this, making the results instantly available as soon as they were
>> published.
>> The coming year is likely to see a repeat of these paradoxes - the
>> blocking of internet access, and the use of technology to transmit
>> results after polls are done.
>>
>> Fintech
>> The African financial technology space saw much promise in 2016, with
>> a number of high-profile fundraising rounds by startups such as
>> Paystack (https://techpoint.ng/2016/12/19/paystack-raises-1-3m-seed-
>> investment/)
>>  and BitPesa (http://disrupt-africa.com/2016/03/kenyas-bitcoin-
>> startup-bitpesa-raises-funding-from-bitfury/)
>> . Going into 2017, we are likely to see more funding going into the
>> sector, as investors put money into startups fixing up the payments
>> ecosystem.
>>
>> Governance and Technology
>> As e-government initiatives take hold in Africa, an increasing number
>> of essential services are being delivered online. We're keeping an eye
>> on these, and the difference they are making in our everyday lives.
>> One place where they can make a difference is in easing the
>> interaction between citizens and their governments
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/10/03/lessons-from-tanzanias-
>> digitization-of-person-to-government-payments/)
>> , making it easier to access services such as registration of
>> businesses, acquiring essential documents, and keeping the authorities
>> accountable.
>>
>> Hubs
>> A report published in 2016 stated that the number of tech hubs in
>> Africa had doubled
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/08/19/did-afrikas-tech-hubs-
>> really-double-in-number-within-a-year-or-are-we-just-
>> counting-them-differently/)
>> , and we asked if this was really the case. There have been a number
>> of closures as some hubs found it hard to keep up with the 'everything
>> is free' model, and the lack of proper growth models has brought this
>> statistic into question.
>> Going forward, we are seeing spaces like Nairobi's iHub adopt a more
>> commercial approach in order to stay open and provide a much-needed
>> service to the tech ecosystem. 2017 will likely see more spaces adopt
>> this commercial approach, as funding patterns change and startups have
>> to work harder to earn their keep.
>>
>> Information Security
>> One of our biggest stories last year was about a breach
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/10/19/a-burundian-hacker-was-
>> able-to-get-the-details-of-over-500-000-kcb-kenya-customers-through-a-
>> vulnerability-in-the-banks-app/)
>> in (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/10/19/a-burundian-hacker-was-
>> able-to-get-the-details-of-over-500-000-kcb-kenya-customers-through-a-
>> vulnerability-in-the-banks-app/)
>>  a bank's security
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/10/19/a-burundian-hacker-was-
>> able-to-get-the-details-of-over-500-000-kcb-kenya-customers-through-a-
>> vulnerability-in-the-banks-app/)
>>  that exposed customer data. As more and more of our information finds
>> its way online, we are seeing instances of data loss and other similar
>> breaches. It is clear that we need to take information security much
>> more seriously in 2017.
>>
>> Mobile
>> More Africans are using mobile phones now than ever before, and
>> innovators are finding new and innovative ways to use the technology,
>> from virtual post office boxes
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/07/18/you-can-now-use-your-
>> mobile-phone-number-as-a-virtual-post-office-box-in-kenya-2/)
>> in Kenya to hyperlocal weather forecasts
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/07/25/this-hyperlocal-weather-
>> forecast-service-is-helping-afrikan-farmers-improve-their-yields/)
>>  for farmers in West Africa and more. 2017 will likely see more
>> innovations along this line, with the technology expected to further
>> change how we consume news, information and entertainment content.
>> Mobile tech continues to make an impact on the lives of Africans
>> everywhere, and 2017 will likely see the trend continue.
>>
>> Startups
>> On a panel discussion at the Kenya round of the Seedstars World
>> startup competition, I hosted a panel discussion on the future of
>> African startups
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/10/17/seedstars-nairobi-panel/) . One of
>> the talking points was where startups could most likely thrive, and
>> the main areas where this could happen are in agriculture, energy,
>> technology and logistics, where significant gaps exist that tech could
>> potentially solve.
>> Going forward, a number of startups are trying to solve these
>> problems, which we have featured at some length. As we meet and talk
>> to these startups, one thing is clear, despite the challenges that
>> keep getting in their way, they are determined to solve some of the
>> continent's most pervasive problems, be it a need for creativity and
>> innovation (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/11/14/meet-jean-claude-bastos-
>> de-morais-whose-african-innovation-foundation-
>> empowers-innovations-made-by-africans-for-africa/)
>> , collaborative brilliance
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/10/31/meet-takunda-chingonzoh-
>> whose-belief-in-collaborative-brilliance-is-the-force-
>> behind-zimbabwes-techvillage/)
>> , or opportunities to showcase their work
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2016/07/03/innovations-made-by-
>> africans-for-africans-my-experience-in-botswana-
>> gaborone-at-the-innovation-prize-for-africa-5th-edition/)
>> .
>> We're looking forward to finding and talking about more innovations
>> and startups in 2017.
>>
>>
>> ** News
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> http://www.iafrikan.com/2017/01/09/no-more-fake-news-to-
>> sway-your-views-as-the-pants-on-fire-detector-comes-to-the-rescue/
>> * Nokia Is Back In The Smartphone Business, With A 5.5 Inch Device
>> Running Android 7 Nougat
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2017/01/08/nokia-is-back-
>> officially-unveil-the-nokia-6-running-android-7-nougat/)
>> * Some Of The Most Exciting Announcements From CES 2017 So Far
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2017/01/05/some-of-the-most-
>> exciting-announcements-from-ces-2017-so-far-2/)
>> * After A Successful Launch In Rwanda, Zipline's Drones Will Now Trial
>> Medical Deliveries In Tanzania
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2017/01/06/after-a-successful-
>> launch-in-rwanda-ziplines-drones-will-now-trial-medical-
>> deliveries-in-tanzania/)
>> * Kenya's Internet Is Largely Free From Censorship, A Five-Month Study
>> On Access And Online Activity Has Shown
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2017/01/04/kenyas-internet-is-
>> largely-free-from-censorship-a-five-month-study-on-access-
>> and-online-activity-has-shown/)
>> * SEACOM's Internet Insights Reveal That Video Dominates Data Traffic
>> In South Africa
>> (http://www.iafrikan.com/2017/01/05/video-dominates-data-
>> traffic-volumes-in-south-africa-and-other-internet-
>> insights/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter)
>>
>> Tweet - This Week's iAfrikan Weekly Digest Edition 142 by Eric Mugendi
>> - "🔟 Things We're Looking Forward To In 2017
>> (https://twitter.com/home?status=This%20week%27s%
>> 20iAfrikan%20Weekly%20Digest%20by%20%40mougendi%20-%20%22%
>> F0%9F%94%9F%20Things%20We%20Are%20Looking%20Forward%
>> 20To%20In%202017%22%20http%3A//iafrikan.com/iafrikan-weekly-
>> digest-edition-142-9-january-2017-ten-things-were-looking-
>> forward-to-in-2017)
>> http://www.twitter.com/iafrikan
>> http://www.iafrikan.com
>> https://www.facebook.com/iafrikan
>> http://instagram.com/iafrikan
>>
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>>
>> --
>> Barrack O. Otieno
>> +254721325277
>> +254733206359
>> Skype: barrack.otieno
>> PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
>>
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-- 
Barrack O. Otieno
+254721325277
+254733206359
Skype: barrack.otieno
PGP ID: 0x2611D86A