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Digital Government Services is a Key Enabler of Socio-Economic Transformation
By: Habib Mahakian, Vice-President – Emerging Africa, Dell Technologies
In the last 12 months technology has been pivotal in connecting people with business sectors, whilst enabling the provision of essential services to local communities. As eCommerce accelerated and manufacturing altered supply chain processes – technology flourished and transformed the way people shopped, worked and received goods.
Habib Mahakian, Vice-President – Emerging Africa, Dell Technologies
These digital migrations also reached public services, with healthcare and schools going virtual, resulting in an increasing number of people making the shift to digital across many facets of everyday life. We’re now used to ordering groceries online, getting video calls from our doctors, and socialising and engaging on digital platforms.
With these changes come shifts in citizen expectations. As the private sector continues to rapidly progress and meet customer needs via a digital-first approach, it’s crucial that the public sector innovates in tandem, and delivers service provision which utilises the full potential of digitalised infrastructure.
We now stand at an exciting juncture, with the technology to turbocharge a trust-centred public service experience, and in turn, drive innovations in how we process data, deliver communications, and create efficiencies across the board.
Building interactivity into the public sector
Across Emerging Africa, both the public and private sectors are making significant investments in digital transformation, with a view to integrate digital technology into local economies, specifically in sectors such as engineering, healthcare, telecommunications and education. This highlights the appetite for digital, interactive, and collaborative services even before the onset of the pandemic.
By digitising services and making them available to users online,around the clock, governments can not only increase digitalisation to give citizens the services they need but it can do so while decreasing costs and increasing productivity,with reduced administrative burdens for providers. Beyond resources, the implementation of the public user experience is vitally important, as it impacts the uptake.This is evidenced in the growing demand of digital services across Emerging Africain segments such as eCommerce, telehealth, digital banking and more.
Digital transformation is a journey, not a destination
As the world forges a pathway towards economic recovery and governments look to build back better, unlocking the next normal of public services will depend on technology and the will to truly transform. The benefits of digitising public services are clear for both governments and their citizens. However, digitising surface-level services is not enough – this must be supported by deeper and infrastructural digital transformations to be sustainable. This means removing unnecessary processes with the design of a digital strategy that considers citizen, and workforce experience, as well as cost savings.
From challenges in regulatory policies to lack of infrastructure and access to connectivity – there are still cities and countries in Emerging Africa that are more complex that we usually imagine.
For instance, access to reliable and high-quality bandwidth is a critical factor in bringing the benefits of technology to businesses and therefore investment in telecommunications infrastructure is key to becoming a digitally enabled economy. The continent’s growing populations and lack of legacy technology infrastructure can be turned to an advantage if countries adopt new technologies straight away and use them to leapfrog into the 21st century.
According to the International Monetary Fund, the digital economy already accounts for more than 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) in some African nations. This could be more than doubled to 12-20% if countries harness the economic potential of digital technology.
Therefore, what organizations and governments need to understand is that digital transformation is not a destination, but a never-ending journey. With the right infrastructure, policies and connectivity in place, businesses can expand, jobs can be created, and economic diversification will accelerate – promoting growth, inclusion and improving citizen experiences.
Collaborating for success
Collaboration is reliant on equity when it comes to connectivity – which must be addressed as a key part of any digital transformation. By partnering with IT and Telecom companies, governments can boost connectivity, and extend the availability of services for all.
There is much to be gained through the digitisation of government services and we are at a unique crossroads, with ample opportunity for transformation. Governments now can build back better services, boost resilience, and enhance relations with citizens, with technology the all-important bridge. Prioritising the digitisation of government services is akin to prioritising the citizens they serve and enabling the next era of technology led, human progress.
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Airtel Africa in Strategic Collaboration with Top African Artists to Promote Better Data Usage
Airtel Africa, telecommunications and mobile money services provider across 14 African countries, has partnered with three internationally renowned African artistes, Fally Ipupa (Democratic Republic of Congo), Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania), and Simi (Nigeria) to engage customers on how to enhance their digital experience by making the most of their data bundles.
Through this collaboration, Airtel Africa aims to enable customers to make informed decisions about their data usage habits. The artists have collaborated with Airtel Africa to create a special song to provide customers with practical tips and tools that will help them to maximise their data for everyday use, from browsing the internet to streaming and accessing essential apps.
The collaboration is part of the ongoing #SmartaWithData campaign that promotes education on better data usage and management. It aims to rally Airtel Africa’s customers to GET smarter data settings, SET smarter data speeds, and GO #SmartaWithData for a more rewarding digital experience.
The edutainment campaign is currently active on the Airtel network in seven African countries; Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia, and Malawi to its young customers aged 18-35 years.
Speaking about the campaign, Rohit Marwha, the Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at Airtel Africa, stated: “Our goal with this campaign is to ensure that our customers get the most out of Airtel data bundles, thereby enhancing their online experience.
In collaborating with these artists, who our customers love and engage with on a daily basis, ensures that they are aware of these data hacks, and they can seamlessly adopt usage and management of their data through clear messages that resonate with them.
“At Airtel Africa, our priority is in creating exceptional customer experiences with our products and services. We hope that through this edutainment campaign, delivered through authentic internationally acclaimed African artists, our customers will be empowered and have rewarding online experiences, whether for business or leisure.”
The #SmartaWithData campaign by Airtel Africa offers tips to help customers make smarter use of their data, while also encouraging them to join in and share their own tips. Customers can access all data bundles easily via USSD, Airtel Lite or the MyAirtel App.
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Lagos State chapter has shut down normal operations of Lagos Television, Eko FM/Radio Lagos and Lagos Traffic Radio in protest over the non-implementation of the N85,000 minimum wage to workers,
NLC, in collaboration with workers of the three broadcast stations under the aegis of Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), on Monday picketed the station.
The workers, few weeks ago, had notified the management of the three stations of their readiness to down tools following the failure of the stations to implement the minimum wage being implemented by the Lagos State Government.
The workers were seen on Monday morning blocking the entrance and exit to the Agidingbi complex of the broadcast stations, displaying placards.
The placards with various inscriptions read, “Oracle is the answer, it’s all we need”, “Pay us minimum wage,” among others.
Speaking with newsmen, Comrade Funmi Sessi, chairman of NLC, said the protest was peaceful to draw the attention of the management to the demands of workers.
“We started in a peaceful manner, and we are going to end it in a peaceful manner. No body is going to push us the wall.
“I assure everybody that we shall be peaceful because we are Lagosians.
“We are here this morning you can see the workers of government in communication departments that is LTV, Eko FM, Traffic Radio, all here to show their displeasure against the injustice that is been meted out to them.
“They work to the best of their abilities and now at the receiving end by being shortchanged. And not receiving the new minimum wage as being approved and agreed by the law set by the Federal Government of Nigeria
“This is an injustice to the set of workers. The managements have been given the mandate to pay the minimum wage has been announced by the Lagos State Government. They are Lagos State workers.
“Since the government has commenced implementation of the N85,000 minimum wage since November, they have never collected the minimum wage.
“The arrears of the three months and the 13th months; they have not been enjoying the benefits. So, why this disparity for these set of workers even in the face of this hardship?
The leadership of their union had engaged the management previously. They gave a-21-day notice to dialogue.
“After several engagements with managements, they gave 14 days, then seven days. They followed due process, yet there was no resolution. Now when they saw that the workers are resolute to fight for their right, they are saying sheathe your sword.”
Comrade Sessi noted that the state governor had been doing a lot by showing compassion on workers, urging him to prevail on the management to do the needful.
“Though, the governor has been doing a lot and showing empathy to workers, we are hereby appealing to him to prevail on the management to do the needful and avoid unnecessary disruption to operations in the interest of the majority.
“We will sustain this struggle until the government listens and takes appropriate action on these demands,” she said.
West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in Ghana, has announced a new initiative, which will allow students to resit their WASSCE papers as early as January and February 2025.
This is a change from the norm in Ghana, where candidates had to wait for the next private exam cycle.
The Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, John Kapi, disclosed this while speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show in Ghana.
He explained that the new programme, referred to as WASSCE PC1, provides a faster route for students to improve their grades.
“Students who access their results now and realise they need to resit one or two papers have until 8th January to register online through our website or at WAEC-accredited internet cafés. The exams will take place from 24th January to 15th February 2025,” Mr Kapi stated.
According to him, to aid candidates in their preparations, WAEC plans to expedite the release of chief examiners’ reports, saying, “These reports will provide detailed feedback on where students may have gone wrong and how they can better approach their studies and the examination process.
“We’ve advertised this programme widely through banners, our website, and our results checker platform to ensure that both students and parents are aware,” Mr Kapi added.
He said students whose results have been cancelled are also eligible to sit the WASSCE PC1 exams, provided they have not been banned for some years for malpractice.
“For now, the exams will be conducted in regional capitals due to the limited number of candidates. Prospective participants are urged to complete their registration by the 8th of January to take advantage of this opportunity.”
WAEC, however, expressed optimism that this initiative will allow candidates to quickly improve their grades and qualify for the next cycle of admissions, avoiding a year-long delay in their academic progress.
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