Smart series III: The ICT revolution in Rwanda

Revolution can only happen when there is popular mobilisation towards a worthy cause. It happens not because people desire for change but take practical steps to effect the change they desire in order to spur others on. It is about lighting one candle and spreading its effects until they become unstoppable. We may take it for granted but it is important to note that a true ICT boom has started in Rwanda. Out of the 22 countries in Africa and elsewhere where MTN operates, Rwanda has one of the highest consumption of internet per person. From GSMA (the Global body that coordinates all GSM-based Telecom activities) sources, Rwanda has the fifth highest level of mobile money penetration in the world and Rwanda is one of the nine countries in the world with more mobile wallets (Mobile Money Accounts) than the number of bank accounts attained in 2013. The ICT revolution is on but there are millions of more candles to be lit. The critical question that every one of us must answer, every business must respond is; How smart are we as users? How smart are we in using ICT in our everyday life? How smart are our businesses in using ICT solutions to differentiate ourselves, run our internal operations and processes as well as deliver innovative solutions to our customers, whether basic or advanced? ICT and Smart Citizen, Smart Life Today, your handset goes beyond a mere phone – for many of us the handset is a phone, chat-line, offers Internet access, is a radio, flashlight, TV, Camera/Video, scanner, entertainment (music, games, sports etc.), watch, library (books, dictionary, encyclopaedia), language translator, computer, digital post-office, shop, bank, insurance, personal data warehouse, map/directions, organizer(diary, calendar, notepad, personal assistant, reminder, alarm service, calculator, currency convertor, etc.). To be Smart means deriving maximum personal efficiency, ease of life and in quality decision making, all meant to make life a whole lot brighter. To be Smart means deriving more out of the limited resources at your disposal and there by getting more out of life. With the services already in store, how smart are we in using them to improve our lives and enhance our personal productivity and speed in acting? Beyond these basic features, there are locally developed apps that when adopted can make us even smarter. Apps services such as those used in geographical positioning, Tele-presence, etc can let you know for instance, the nearby services like restaurants with contact numbers in a city. The degree of our Smartness as individuals depends on our adoption of existing features, ICT services made available by government, institutions and businesses alike. We are not being Smart if we delay payments using rainfall, distance/ travel, time of day or even bank or business closure as an excuse. Mobile Money as a Smart payment solution (which is speedy, available, accessible and affordable) to effect payments at all times, everywhere and to anyone in Rwanda is here. Today in Rwanda, it is free to do any educational research, learn as a student or teacher, or for acquiring general knowledge using Wikipedia. There is a popular adage that if you think education is expensive try ignorance. When education or a form of it becomes free, then you have absolutely no reason not to be Smart. There is a Smart way to every need we may face so long as the will to look for Smart solutions is there. “Almost every business problem has an ICT solution.” Keeping this in mind, next week’s Smart Series will focus on ICT and Smart Businesses, mainly those operating in the ICT industry itself providing value-added services to the Telcos and those businesses and entrepreneurs that must use ICT as input to deliver Smart services. The writer is the CEO of MTN Rwanda.

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Smart series III: The ICT revolution in Rwanda