We’re in for a major growth explosion in Africa – if we have the right technology in place. This is the finding of a recent study conducted by the University of South Africa (UNISA) for MasterCard, which analysed the growth potential of 19 cities across sub-Saharan Africa. It clarifies the most important elements that are required of us if we are indeed to enjoy this growth explosion: we need to be globally competitive, we need to attract investment, and we need to innovate. None of these is possible without technology. Luckily, we have that in spades. Even better, we have the right attitude to put technology to work for us.
There is a fascinating paradox at work in sub-Saharan Africa at the moment. We are relative newcomers to technology, which you might think would be a hindrance. Not a bit of it. On the contrary, we are not wavering between the past and the future. Instead, we’re jumping straight into new technologies like Wi-Fi, broadband, mobile phones and the most important new technology that will define our future prosperity: cloud computing.
Cloud computing is simply the ability to make transactions over the internet. Well, I say ‘simply’ but really it is a sensational new business enabler. Our willingness to adopt cloud computing will give us advantages over countries that are wary of it, wary not for any good reason but because they’ve become attached to a slower and more pedestrian way of doing things.
I travel extensively and what I can tell you is that, compared to other parts of the world, our continent buzzes with excitement. Internet usage is probably the most revealing indicator of our technological sophistication. Nigeria, for example, has the highest amount of internet penetration in Africa, tripling over the last two years to over 45 million users. This puts it among the top ten countries for internet usage worldwide, meaning that 2% of the global internet population are Nigerians.
We recently held two customer events in West Africa with 170 people attending in Nigeria and 85 in Ghana. The purpose of the events was to showcase the latest functionality in our ERP (enterprise resource planning) software, Sage Evolution. I mention this for two reasons: a high attendance rate at such an event proves the enthusiasm Nigerians and Ghanaians have for technology, and; the thing that most captured the interest of our market – what they came to see above all the other features we’ve packed into Evolution – was the product’s enhanced mobility module. Clearly, these are people who are very interested in going places.
There is another intriguing element to Africa’s relationship with technology that we shouldn’t overlook. At Sage, our direct competitors in products like Evolution are large European companies with very well established names. Whereas that might work in their favour in other parts of the world, in Africa it just doesn’t cut it.
Here, business owners are interested in the fact that we have now opened a local Sage Pastel office in Nigeria dedicated for the West African Region. The purpose of this office is to reinforce the existing Sage Pastel Business Partner Channel and position ourselves for the ongoing growth we continue to see in this market. Our local channel will continue to provide the local support team and local expertise. They don’t want to have to wait for an expensive foreign team to be flown out every time there’s a problem. They want to be dealt with in their own time zone and on their own terms. They want to receive a quote in their own currency, they want affordability and they want an upfront understanding of their long-term total cost of ownership. Above all, they want to know that they’re buying a product which addresses their basic business needs underneath all the frighteningly sexy bells and whistles. These are the details that have given us an installed base of 350+ companies in West Africa, a base that is growing steadily with the participation of a thriving channel model.
I have a lot of respect for the way business tools are chosen here. Yes, our name and reputation are important, but the fact that we earned our stripes in Africa really matters.
Speaking as an African, I say we all have to keep cultivating confidence in ourselves, enthusiasm for technology and fearless early adoption of the new and the wondrous. These are the things that will help us to compete on a world stage. Speaking personally, at Sage Pastel we know that we need to keep developing management technologies like Sage Evolution, for they demonstrate exactly the level of innovation that will attract the type of investment Africa needs.
Editorial contacts
Jennifer Kann
083 455 3289
jennifer@lingocom.co.za
About
Sage Pastel Accounting
Pastel Accounting is South Africa's leading developer of accounting, payroll and business management software for the small, medium and large enterprise market. Since inception, Pastel has developed an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the industry, establishing itself as a market leader and the preferred choice of South African business. The numbers speak for themselves; daily, 200 000 businesses use Pastel Accounting to run their businesses and nine out of 10 accountants recommend Pastel Accounting.
Sage Pastel
Softline is a leading provider of business software and related services. Founded in 1988 by Ivan Epstein, Alan Osrin and Steven Cohen, Softline was established during the formative years of the business software industry. Whilst Softline’s heritage is in the SME market the group also offers expertise and solutions that meet the needs of specific industries and larger organisations. In 2003 Softline was acquired by The Sage Group plc, a FTSE 100 company. Softline has a solid track record offering customers local expertise backed by the global Sage brand. The group delivers quality software solutions to make customers’ business lives easier.
The Sage Group plc
The Sage Group plc is a leading global supplier of business management software and related products and services, principally for small to medium-sized enterprises. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989. Sage has 6.3 million customers and 13,600 employees worldwide. We operate in over 24 countries covering the UK, Europe, North America, South Africa, Australia, India and China. For further information please visit www.sage.com.
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