Bandwidth & Speed of Internet Access
The ever reducing cost of bandwidth in Europe, Asia, America and the rest of the west e.t.c. has meant that Information technology solutions and products can be packaged, bought, sold or utilised in real time across geographical boundaries. Solutions and products include ecommerce applications, websites/portals, video conferencing applications, business and networking portals (such as Linked In, Face book, Twitter and Tansali), virtual private networks, online data storage and archiving solutions, online desktop publishing solutions (such as Visa Print in the United States), EGovernment applications, patient medical online applications, online stock market trading platforms and many more.
On the other hand the cost of bandwidth and the speed of the Internet in most African countries, certainly Nigeria and Ghana is rather mediocre and can certainly be improved. In West Africa, Globacom’s submarine cable system popularly known as Glo-1 laid across the Atlantic is certainly an exciting development and provided that local distribution of the bandwidth (at an affordable cost) can be perfected with no inherent bottlenecks, we are looking at a revolutionising future in our use of information technology, in enhancing and automating not only the business environment but our way of life in its entirety.
Research & Information Technology Advancement
Africa is certainly blessed with human intellect as highlighted by the emergence of such notable figures in the world of technology such as Philip Emeagwali (regarded as a father of the Internet and a pioneer of super computers) and many other Africans in various sectors in many parts of the world contributing, enhancing and assisting in the current technological advancement.
There is an urgent need for governments in African countries to support information technology research, indigenous software development, manufacture of computer hardware, networking products etc, so that instead of strictly consuming, these countries can produce similar products and services locally.
We have many more such gifted individuals like Mr Emeagwali, in the villages, suburban African towns and provinces but there is nothing in place to encourage and to fully develop and harness their gifts.
Africa needs a research and technology institute that at least attempts to compete with the likes of MIT, Stanford and Harvard University which between them have trained and produced individuals such as Tim Berners Lee (inventor of the world wide web), Larry Page and Sergey Brin (Founders of Google) and Microsoft’s Bill Gates and a host of others who have contributed immensely to the current information technology revolution.
The use of Information technology in the educational system
The take up of Information technology both as an aid for studying and as a core discipline in educational institutions across most African countries is still quite poor. With the ever reducing cost of desktop, laptop and other hand held computer devices, the governments in these countries need to focus on very early penetration of information technology in the educational system. There is absolutely no reason why a five/six year old cannot be exposed to using computers and the Internet, to begin to explore beyond their immediate geographic location and start to build up very essential IT skills required in today’s society, that is increasingly getting dependant on Information technology, affecting every aspect of our lives.
The curriculum used in both primary and secondary education levels need to be revised to build in as much information technology education as possible. Computers (that are increasingly becoming more affordable) need to be provided for students from the start of their primary education all through to graduate and postgraduate studies.
Finally, in the wider technology arena, we need to encourage the likes of Mohammed Bah Abbah (a northern teacher in Nigeria) who recently created a simple refrigerating device aka the Pot-in-Pot Preservation Cooling System – to continue to think literally and out of the box.
Such individuals need to be encouraged, provided with the relevant infrastructure and platform not only to articulate such ideas but to assist them take it to the next level. Who knows we might even be able to export and sell such inventions for the much required foreign exchange?
To fully partake and contribute to the current technology revolution, an enabling environment such as suggested is certainly required.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Valentine Waturuocha
Quelle/Source: 234NEXT, 09.03.2010
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