The Smart Africa Alliance was founded in 2013 by seven African heads of state. Today, the organization has forty member countries, more than 50 private sector members and is multiplying strategic partnerships.
Chinese technology company KaiOS Technologies has joined the Smart Africa Alliance, a policy initiative to promote digital technology in Africa. The aim is to accelerate digital innovation and foster sustainable development on the African continent. The announcement was made in a press release published on Wednesday, June 26.
“This partnership ensures that previously unconnected citizens have access to essential digital services such as messaging, news, entertainment and education through affordable and reliable smartphones with KaiOS and internet access,” can read in the press release.
And to add: “The partnership also aims to strengthen businesses by distributing affordable payment terminals for merchants using KaiOS smartphone technologies, enabling underserved merchants to accept digital payments and manage their businesses efficiently.”
This initiative is part of the Smart Africa project, the main goal of which is to create a single digital market in Africa by 2030. The organization, supported by 40 African countries and several international organizations, is multiplying partnerships in this sense. In October 2023, it partnered with Orange Middle East and Africa to foster entrepreneurship and sustainable jobs for young people in Africa in the digital domain. Earlier in 2023, the pan-African organization partnered with Amazon Web Services to equip young Africans with digital skills.
As a reminder, the Internet usage rate increased from 16% in 2013 to 37% in 2023, while the global average is 67%, according to data from the International Telecommunication Union. When it comes to digital payments, mobile money is the leader on the continent, generating $44.9 billion in financial transaction volume valued at $836.5 billion. This amount represents 66.39% of the $1,260 billion exchanged on the Mobile Money service worldwide in 2022, according to data from the Global Association of Mobile Phone Operators (GSMA) “State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2023”.
Adonis Conrad Quenus
Read also:
Smart Africa and Amazon Web Services collaborate to train more young Africans in digital skills
Orange and Smart Africa join forces to promote entrepreneurship and sustainable jobs for young people in Africa
