As was to be expected, the second Transform Africa Summit kicked off with fanfare as thousands converged at Camp Kigali, the venue, yesterday. The more than two thousand delegates are from more than 80 nationalities.The languages and accents at the accreditation centre would have been like the Tower of Babel but luckily, they spoke one language; Technology. Expectations are high and all the major names in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) are in town. Another area where many players in the field also speak the same language is the need to make internet affordable and distributed right into rural settings to spur economic growth. That journey has already began with exhibitors – local firms inclusive– they are showcasing many ICT innovations and solutions ready-made for African countries. There is an excited sense of expectations that technology is the continent’s key to development. Many delegates point to Rwanda as an example of how investing heavily in ICT can bring rapid results. This should encourage our local investors in the field to take that as a cue and take full advantage of the summit, exchange innovative ideas to take the country to an even higher level. It was even announced at the beginning of the summit that Facebook has introduced Kinyarwanda among the ten languages used on social media, a vote of confidence in the path this country is taking to make the country an ICT hub of choice. The best minds are in town so our innovators should not hesitate to network with them and seek partnerships in order to strengthen the industry.
