Coffee farmers early this week had reason to smile when they grossed in Rwf 150 million with the click of a button.The farmers were participating in an online coffee auction of their specialty coffee that has earned international reputation for its quality.The Rwandan Revenue Authority (RRA) seems to be reading from the same script and have not been left standing. The body has unveiled a new tax payment system via mobile phone that will save taxpayers time and money.RRA and the farmers are not the only ones who have embraced technology to improve their services. Every sector of the government has gone hi-tech, and it goes without saying that Rwanda’s ambitious drive towards becoming an Information Communication Technology ICT hub is just a stone-throw away.All this is part of the third phase of the National ICT policy and Action Plan (NICI III) that covers the period 2011-2015 before embarking on the fourth and last phase. Key areas that were supposed to be covered by NICI III were service delivery across five focus areas; skills development, private sector development, community development, e-government and cyber security.The availability of free Wi-Fi internet connection in most parts of the city goes in the same sense; it will not only help expand the use of ICT to solve everyday problems, but will also improve efficiency in service delivery.The government is aware that through the availability of fast and affordable internet, Rwanda will transform into a truly digital realm, and from the evidence on the ground, it is firmly on the right path.
