Technology drives Africa transformation

Google chief executive Eric Schmidt hailed Nairobi as “a serious tech hub” following his visit this year. Like Google, several global corporates have made the city their continental home, but it was not always that way.

Kenya’s tale demonstrates both government support and grassroots networks are vital for success. Bitange Ndemo, permanent secretary at Kenya’s ministry of information and communications, has spearheaded his country’s technological embrace. He has backed everything from laying east Africa’s first undersea cable and extending 4G networks throughout the country this year via shared infrastructure, to whipping up support for Konza, a $10 billion techno city.