Trends that shaped tech sector in 2013

The year 2013 has been characterised by positive progress in the ICT sector with some direct impacts of the progress being felt and others in readiness for better things to come.The ICT sector managed to stand up for itself and at the same time eased other sectors’ development. There were memorable events, trends and milestones that changed the Rwandan tech industry:Wi-Fi launchThe City of Kigali became the first in East Africa to launch free wireless Internet–in specific areas around the city in September under the “Smart Kigali” initiative. With that, Kigali joined the ranks of “digital cities” such as Buenos Aires, Bangkok and Taipei, among others.Under the initiative, free broadband Wi-Fi Internet is accessible in public places that include commercial buildings, bus stations, airport, in public transport buses and cabs; Improving Internet connectivity and access in hotels and restaurants. It also aided in establishing online automated navigation system for direction using the newly implemented street and home addressing information system.The initiative, jointly pushed forward by of the Ministry of Youth and ICT, the City of Kigali, Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda Utilities and Regulatory Agency (Rura), Rwanda Hotel and Restaurant Association, and major telecom operators, was viewed by many as a positive step in modernising the lifestyle of city dwellers and visitors through use of ICT for better service delivery.“Smart Kigali will significantly contribute towards delivering better services. We want internet broadband to be accessible for everyone to be able to access information anytime,” said Jean Philbert Nsengimana, the minister for youth and ICT, during the launch earlier in the year. ICT conferences held in KigaliRwanda also advanced it’s pursuit to be a regional or African hub for ICT by hosting major conferences, most notably Transform Africa and ICT for Agriculture. Transform Africa was hosted by President Paul Kagame and Dr Hamadoun I. Toure, Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). From the conference, it was resolved that there was need to use ICTs in reducing poverty, creating prosperity while increasing productivity of various sectors across the continent.At the conference, collaboration between the private sector and the government was also encouraged with Rwanda lauded for the government’s involvement in driving the ICT sector.The ICT for Agriculture conference, which followed on the heels of the Transform Africa Summit, sought ways of how the IT sector can be leveraged to modernise the country’s agriculture sector and increase access to markets.The conference, the first of its kind, brought together delegates from across the world, some of them in different stages of information and communication technology involvement in agriculture.The conference also involved a hackathon (an event in which computer programmers and others involved in software development, including graphic designers, interface designers and project managers, collaborate intensively on software projects) where youth involved in IT were tasked to come up with solutions to increase farmers’ access to information and open up possibility of markets.ICT growth toward external marketsIt was in 2013 that IT firms based in the country sought for market outside in a bid to grow their enterprises. Most of the market seeking was as a result of bilateral agreements by the Rwandan government and other governments. In September, a delegation of more than 20 Rwanda ICT firms headed out to Congo-Brazzaville to study the country’s ICT market and business opportunities following bilateral agreements between the two countries. After the study tour, the firms went on to put up investments in the country and plan for more countries to target in the near future. A delegation of Rwandan entrepreneurs also went to Bangkok, Thailand, in November on a similar mission.There was also growth of small and medium ICT enterprises, with some reaching out to world renowned investors like the Young Presidents Organisation (YPO) for strategic partnerships and funding. YPO members showed interest in mentoring and investing in the country’s ICT firms, terming them as ‘the next big thing’.ICT competitionsDuring the year 2013, the Private Sector Federation’s ICT chamber organised and held ICT solutions competitions where youth involved in ICT in various levels tussled out to come up with the best and most applicable solutions. The competitions, popularly known as ‘Hackathons,’ came in handy in motivating the youth involved in IT to be more innovative. The best ideas out of the competitions were incubated and turned into full enterprises. Transparency international Rwanda’s Ifate, an online corruption reporting system, is one of the projects that are as a result of the competitions.Going by the year’s events, trends and progress in the country’s ICT sector, 2014 is set to be a better year for the sector with more opportunities for investors and impact felt in the lives of ordinary citizens.

National

Trends that shaped tech sector in 2013