IoT in Africa: Where are we coming from? Where are we, and where we are going?
For the next coming weeks, I will be talking about IoT development in Africa under the main theme captured above. Past technological development related to IoT in Africa will be revisited and I will be considering some countries as case studies.
Introduction
The present and the future industrial revolution will be characterized by new technologies ranging from Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT). The Internet is viewed as worldwide interconnectivity of computers, so also, the Internet of Things is the integration of things into the internet. Things that range from Refrigerators to Home security systems, Cars, and so on. The ability to integrate all these things to make life easier for human beings is one of the opportunities the Internet of Things has and will bring. For a place like Africa as a whole, IoT can still be seen as an emerging technology because the power of IoT has not been fully tapped into by the African Continent. If there is going to be technological development in Africa, one field the continent needs to look into is IoT.
There has been little or no implementation of IoT in Africa either by private or public companies. To begin with, the integration of IoT into Agriculture, a well-practiced profession on the continent will bring about better agricultural productivity. IoT in Agriculture will serve not only commercial farmers but also subsistence farmers. In the same vein, African streets and public places need IoT. IoT now connects everything together and Africa should not be any different. IoT implementation in industries, public offices, schools, homes, armed forces, and government parastatals will bring about technological development.
Next, I shall be writing on Kenya, Animals, and IoT.
