Listers, Interesting opinions in the media this weekend. Regards ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "Eric Mugendi - iAfrikan.com" <newsletter@iafrikan.com> Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2016 06:31:55 +0000 Subject: What Was Mark Zuckerberg Up To On His Visits To Kenya And Nigeria? To: otieno.barrack@gmail.com http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=255c5f5125&e=84a60ba6eb Edition 126 | Monday, 5 September 2016 Get yourself the first palm sized Android PC for ZAR 1,499.00 (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=9c85ff0e19&e=84a60ba6eb) ------------------------------------------------------------
From The Editor-at-Large
Molweni, Afrika! (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=892f482d0a&e=84a60ba6eb) Mark Zuckerberg was in Kenya and Nigeria this past week (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=4216083d09&e=84a60ba6eb) . Understandably there was a lot of buzz about the places he visited, the things he did, and the people he met. While some took this visit to be a validation of the continent's tech industry, others saw it as a quest for new markets and business by the social network, following a government ban on Free Basics in Egypt (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=f5b1dafa51&e=84a60ba6eb) and an outright rejection in India (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=6831d59ab0&e=84a60ba6eb) . Facebook does have a plan to grow its presence on the continent, especially given the sheer number of people who remain offline even though 95% of the world lives within range of a 2G signal. Initiatives such as Aquila (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=00b0805547&e=84a60ba6eb) and OpenCellular (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=3bdeaad0f4&e=84a60ba6eb) may appear to be groundbreaking, but there are smaller ventures such as BRCK (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=f21ac53054&e=84a60ba6eb) , which Zuckerberg himself visited while in Nairobi, which are likely to lose out to the social network's vastly deeper coffers. However, there are signs that the Facebook founder is keen on growing the next generation of techies, considering the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative's investment in Andela (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=b3ee2d30e6&e=84a60ba6eb) , and Zuckerberg's visit to Abuja (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=848785c5ff&e=84a60ba6eb) to attend the Aso Villa Demo Day with President Buhari. However, the narratives around the initiatives that Zuckerberg visited are also worrying. BRCK was touted as 'an American-owned, Kenya-based start-up' (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=5e15b01ae8&e=84a60ba6eb) , and Andela, it was often pointed out, was founded by Nigerians but is incorporated in the US. The fact that these initiatives have to be qualified through references to the US is worrying enough, but the questions that they bring up do need answering. Why bring up the connection if not to serve as an indictment on the current state of the startup and tech ecosystems in these countries? Mark's visits did spark off a couple of niche stories. Like how Nigerians and Ghanaians will argue over who has the best jollof (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=4ae397aefe&e=84a60ba6eb) , and how Kenyans have had monster traffic jams after recent visits by world leaders, but Mark's visit left Nairobi largely uncongested (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=2cb0a73c79&e=84a60ba6eb) . What were your impressions of Mark's visit? Let us know at newsletter@iafrikan.com (mailto:newsletter@iafrikan.com?subject=Here's%20what%20I%20thought%20about%20Mark%20Zuckerberg's%20visit) Eric Mugendi // Editor-at-Large http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=d485619d28&e=84a60ba6eb Share (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=e32a5584eb&e=84a60ba6eb) http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=253384309c&e=84a60ba6eb http%3A%2F%2Feepurl.com%2Fcebfrf Tweet (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=94336a4bda&e=84a60ba6eb http%3A%2F%2Feepurl.com%2Fcebfrf) http://us5.forward-to-friend.com/forward?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=ec2b318dac&e=84a60ba6eb Forward (http://us5.forward-to-friend.com/forward?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=ec2b318dac&e=84a60ba6eb) http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=3b854c82c0&e=84a60ba6eb Share (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=944fd3f5fb&e=84a60ba6eb) ------------------------------------------------------------ Editor's Picks OPINION AND ANALYSIS http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=ba68425349&e=84a60ba6eb ** What We Can All Learn From Mark Zuckerberg's Visit To Nigeria (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=fd258d714f&e=84a60ba6eb) By Oladunni Adetula ------------------------------------------------------------ So Mark Zuckerberg was in Nigeria, and of course it's a BIG deal. What makes it even more notable is the fact the world's seventh-richest man came into the country quietly without making headlines or giving anyone cues before his arrival. Perhaps the biggest thing he taught us is that humility and simplicity are key components for every entrepreneur. Tweet (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=2b40f5804b&e=84a60ba6eb) ------------------------------------------------------------ OPINION AND ANALYSIS http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=eba13760a0&e=84a60ba6eb ** Internet Access May Be Getting More Affordable, But More Than Half Of The World Remains Offline (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=59d3b9cf66&e=84a60ba6eb) By Ikwap Amos ------------------------------------------------------------ A new report by the International Telecommunications Union indicates that 3.9 billion people do not yet have access to the internet, despite falling prices for ICT services and increasing mobile broadband coverage. Seven billion people (95% of the global population) live in an area that is covered by a mobile-cellular network. However, four out of five people in developed countries actively use the internet, compared to two out of five in developing countries and less than one in five in the Least Developed Countries. Tweet (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=6b952ae1ab&e=84a60ba6eb) ------------------------------------------------------------ OPINION & ANALYSIS http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=f9f1682fcb&e=84a60ba6eb ** This Is Why Morocco's First Gaming Studio Shut Down After 18 Years Of Operations (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=f4f98bd32f&e=84a60ba6eb) By Yassine Arif ------------------------------------------------------------ Ubisoft Casablanca was set up in 1998 by Ubisoft, a French multinational video game developer and publisher. This was the first gaming studio in North Africa, developing such famous titles as Donald Quack Attack, Beyond Good and Evil, and Prince of Persia: Two Thrones, which was co-developed with Ubisoft Montreal. However, the studio announced that it would shut down in July of this year. Yassine Arif, who worked as a developer at the studio, goes through the reasons for the closure of the only official video game studio in Morocco, and the lessons this holds for other similar ventures in Afrika. Tweet (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=ed3e3c1d2d&e=84a60ba6eb) OPINION & ANALYSIS http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=cf34e56531&e=84a60ba6eb ** The Revolution Will Be Hashtagged (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=1a51b5562e&e=84a60ba6eb) By Kungela Mzuku ------------------------------------------------------------ and #LawsonBrownHighSchool (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=b8fe3d4744&e=84a60ba6eb) have been making waves in South Africa this week thanks to protests over hair rules that were previously enforced in the schools, sparking a variety of reactions across the country. Twitter and social media in general have played a major role in connecting and channeling these conversations in South Africa. Social media has its perks, just like any inventions but this one in my opinion is what makes it so revolutionary. Before Twitter, Facebook, or any other social media platform, communities suffered in silence and one was confined to their own space. Revolutions were only witnessed on television, but that has since been "censored" by the government. So who does one trust? Tweet (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=71cdaf6392&e=84a60ba6eb) ------------------------------------------------------------ IN OTHER NEWS 🌍 Code for Africa's innovateAFRICA Fund to Invest $1 Million into Digital Media Startups (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=74d5a8050b&e=84a60ba6eb) - TechMoran 🌍 West Africa's First Mirror Project Is Making Open-Source Software Easier To Access In The Region (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=fcc4270d08&e=84a60ba6eb) - iAfrikan Flag for South Africa on Twitter Twemoji 2.1.2 WhereIsMyTransport raises £1.165m in funding, opens its transit API to everyone (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=517da28249&e=84a60ba6eb) - JollyBoss Flag for South Africa on Twitter Twemoji 2.1.2 The University of the Witwatersrand has officially opened the (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=d35f0780fa&e=84a60ba6eb) Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=265b70ce22&e=84a60ba6eb) in Braamfontein (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=17ca8cbce5&e=84a60ba6eb) - ITWeb Flag for Kenya on Twitter Twemoji 2.1.2 iHub Nairobi has a new CEO (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=1cc3554d12&e=84a60ba6eb) - TechMoran Flag for Nigeria on Twitter Twemoji 2.1.2 WorldRemit and other international money transfer operators have had their services restored in Nigeria (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=ced778e077&e=84a60ba6eb) - ITNewsAfrica PODCAST http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=e31aaf4fa3&e=84a60ba6eb Replay: Elizabeth Resor on Mapping and Open Data for Road Safety (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=1161f8d881&e=84a60ba6eb) In this episode, we explore the issue of traffic accidents and data mapping with Kenyan-based researcher Elizabeth Resor (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=cfe59d16c6&e=84a60ba6eb) . Tobi Asehinde (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=0e7736ebcf&e=84a60ba6eb) provides an update on the importance of conducting keyword research, especially for digital businesses. Listen to show (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=0fa0eecde8&e=84a60ba6eb) | iTunes (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=112f06e0e7&e=84a60ba6eb) Duration: 51 mins ONE LAST THING How betting firm SportPesa's Bulgarian gang connections are betting big on football in Kenya and beyond (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=1e4c41149f&e=84a60ba6eb) ⚽️ http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=98ab225dd7&e=84a60ba6eb Tweet (http://iafrikan.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=b5c77b5d9fe8557cd2e26f469&id=a88afa3e58&e=84a60ba6eb) Anything you want us to cover? 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