Reaping from the mobile phone

Another step has been made in making use of the range of m-commerce possibilities offered by the mobile phone in Rwanda.One can not only top up airtime and transfer money, but can now also access a range of banking services and pay utility bills—such as electricity and DSTV—using their handset. We can expect this to be the trend as more service providers join in the mobile technology revolution.It has been with us since the cave to know that technology can be quite adept at enhancing or offering relevant solutions. It was, therefore, inevitable that mobile technology should bring the people and service providers together.The merits of the mobile phone are well established with the capability to reach every corner of the country, with the promise of reduced cost of financial transactions.The much quoted M-Pesa phenomenon in Kenya provides a veritable example. Technological progress takes place in conducive situations that provide incentives and opportunities for innovation and economic activity for a broad cross-section of society.Rwanda is ready and seeks to increase mobile penetration by 60 per cent in 2012, from the current estimate of 41.6 per cent. Technological change is at the root of economic growth, of which the country has long held ambitions of being a leader in information and communication technologies in the region. ICT is emphasised in the Vision 2020 framework in Rwanda’s commitment to effectively facilitate socio-economic development.Opportunities abound in this, if one considers how tablets, smart phones, and social media have created new industries centered on developing applications for these platforms. Rwanda has its eye to exploit this, joining countries such as Kenya which has taken an early step in the region with an improved telecommunications infrastructure and a resource pool of IT professionals.Kenya provides a handy example, as innovations such as M-Pesa and other advances in communication technologies have raised the country’s profile. This has, in turn, helped to attract investments in information technology such as CISCO Systems and IBM, one of the major IT companies globally.Kenya aside, Rwanda has all it takes, including the incentives and available opportunities, to lay the foundation to achieve its long term objectives in ICT.In the meantime, the mobile phone has emerged as one of the major tools in the ICT sector with the capability and promise to go a long way towards socio-economic empowerment of the people and the country.Though there are still hurdles to overcome, the country is poised for continued growth flowing from development and expansion of telecommunications networks, power grids and transport infrastructure.Twitter: @gituram