7 African Tech Leaders Blazing Trails
by Amma Bonsu
“If Africa misses the current global IT boat, there may never again be an opportunity for rapid wealth creation on the continent.” This call to action by Herman Chinery-Hesse, one of Africa’s leading techies, captures the desire of Africans around the world to leave their digital mark. Indeed, recent technological advancements have positioned Africa as an emerging market whose presence can no longer be ignored by the world. The Atlanta Post looks at the work of Chinery-Hesse along with 6 others who have developed tools to impact their communities at home and abroad.
Herman Chinery-Hesse
They call him Africa’s Bill Gates. His real name is Herman Chinery-Hesse and he is the founder of theSOFTtribe (SOFT), a leading software development firm. Although based in Ghana, SOFT provides advisory services and technology solutions to businesses across the continent. Chinery-Hesse, a graudate of Texas State University, is passionate about information technology. In a poignant moment he explained, “Technology is the only way for Africa to get rich. We don’t have proper infrastructure and we can’t compete in manufacturing. But if you put me behind a PC and tell me to write software for a Chinese customer, then I can compete brain for brain with anyone trying to do the same thing in the U.S.” www.softtribel.com
Ory Okolloh
Ory Okolloh started out as an impassioned blogger who wanted to democratize information and increase transparency through her site, Mzalendo (Swahili for patriot). When disputed presidential election results led to violent unrest in her native Kenya, Okolloh helped create Ushahidi (Swahili for “Witness”), a tool that collected and mapped eyewitness reports of violence using text messages and Google Maps. A few years on this activist has emerged as one of the most powerful tech figures in the world, currently serving as Google’s policy manager for Africa. It is a tremendous accomplishment for a woman who started out just blowing off steam.
Chinedu Echeruo
Imagine you want to use public transport to get to a particular venue but you do not know how to even start. Well, Chinedu Echeruo created a solution to this problem. When you enter an address or a landmark in the appropriate origin and destination fields, Hopstop gives you the fastest and most convenient option to navigate the complex transit systems of New York, Boston, Washington D.C and San Francisco. The service is available online, and via text and voice interfaces. The next stop for the Harvard grad is expansion to 14 U.S. cities.
Obinna Ekezie
With the expanding demand for online travel arrangements to African destinations, Obinna Ekezie, a former NBA player, is using the power of the internet to fill a vacuum in the travel industry. He created Wakanow, a booking site with services ranging from hotel accommodation to airport pick-ups. And if the team continues at this pace, it’ll soon be the biggest online travel agency in Africa.
Victor Coker
When Victor Coker realized that there was a gap in market analysis he stepped in with Nice Insight. The tool connects customers and vendors by providing businesses unfiltered feedback on their products. With an MBA from MIT this son of Sierra Leone has developed a system that is being used by on by the pharmaceutical and biotech companies in the U.S., Africa and around the world.
Herve Djia
Herve Djia is a socially conscious mobile app developer eager to eradicate corruption in his native Cameroon. To that end he’s created an anti-corruption tool which allows users to report any demands for bribes by civil servants. The app, No Bak Chich, introduces transparency to many administrative processes and even shares the real price that people are supposed to pay for goods and services. Entered into Google’s Android developer challenge, the app is already a winner in our book. www.djiathink.com
Kofi Afaedor
QluQlu is a group-buying site founded by Kofi Afaedor. It provides merchant discounts to subscribers so they can take advantage of great deals for a limited time. Apart from offering customers a cost effective and convenient shopping experience, QluQlu has become a platform for Nigerian businesses to reach a more diverse client base.
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