Emmanuel Otori

Emmanuel is a Small Business Consultant, Start-Up Advisor and Consultant For SMEs across Nigeria. He's also the CEO of Abuja data School. He Has Worked With 50 Small Businesses, Including A World Bank And Federal Government Project. He Has Provided Advisory Services, Capacity Building Trainings And Consulting In The Hospitality, Information Technology, Fashion, Agric, Power And Services Sector.

Making Digital Strategies Work in a Disruptive Environment

Making digital strategies work in a disruptive environment is important because change is a constant phenomenon that private individuals and businesses experience. A disrupted environment is an atmosphere where unexpected events occur in a way that influences processes and procedures positively or negatively. For instance, an influence in marketing that leads to huge sales is a disruption with a positive impact. Disruption can occur at any phase of a business. By the idea of disruption, a company will not be able to compete with rivals during the transition if sound plans and strategies are not in place. The global pandemic of 2020 increased the need for digitalization to be adopted and used in daily life. Many began working remotely, developed new talents, and integrated technologies into products like chatbots. Digital strategy is focused on using technology to improve organisational performance, whether that means creating entirely new products or radically reimagining current processes. Disruptive innovations create new markets or displace current ones in the business world. Technology has quickly disrupted industries, which has impacted everything from work methods to expectations for results. By merging with business, technology has advanced beyond hardware and software in the current period. As digital technology becomes more widespread and firms continue their digital transformation journey, digital and business strategies will be synonymous. It describes a company’s plan for creating new technology competitive advantages and the techniques it will utilise to make these advancements. How to Survive in a Disruptive Environment ●       Maintain awareness of business trends A business can endure more easily if it is adaptable to new changes and enthusiastic about growth. Lookout for new technologies that competitors use, as you constantly evolve. Innovations with high potential should be extensively examined to learn the reasons, timing, and methods behind their introduction. Take note of the problems competitors are attempting to tackle and decide whether or not to pay attention to them. Maintain current knowledge and be informed of trends. ●       Recognizing the business SWOT analysis A firm can survive by adapting to changes in the marketplace. To ensure that the firm is moving toward its goals, it is important to periodically examine its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. To remain competitive, use this analysis. It involves developing new ideas and resolving problems that competitors are actively ignoring or unaware of. When there is a thorough awareness of the business’s inner workings, intelligent measures can be implemented to prevent being caught off guard. Examine previous concepts as you analyse your company to see if any might be substituted. ●       Practice strategies Planning is excellent for blueprints, however, it is less productive if not backed with the right effort and suitable strategies. Understanding the core objectives of your company and the issues you are attempting to resolve is more important in terms of strategy. A focus on ideas helps to adjust to market evolution, and give quick response to market disruptors. Ensure to weigh the impact of potential disruptions before making decisions. Your business goals must be understood and adhered to while developing digital strategies in a disruptive environment. Never create or put into action a strategy that goes beyond what your firm is capable of. There should be a strong commitment to your knowledge of what being digital means for your firm, even while you can change the specific techniques you’ve decided to employ. When an industry is disrupted, there is a chance to advance or lose your position. By closely monitoring your customers, keeping an eye on your competitors’ moves, and keeping up with technology, you can remain ahead of disruption.

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How Start-ups can Conduct Business Pitching for Solid Closing

What does Business Pitching Entail? Business pitching means presenting a company’s concepts to another person. As an illustration, you might introduce your fledgling company to possible investors or your items to prospective clients. To get buy-in, a business pitch must clearly explain your strategy or objectives to the audience. Your goods and business are the subjects of your pitch. It is important to note that sharing your concept is never too early. You must always be prepared to make a pitch that’ll make potential stakeholders (investors or customers) interested your company. A pitch is a speech intended to persuade an audience to take a certain action. Your idea dictates its purpose and likely outcomes to anticipate. So the following reasons for a pitch are: To attract early adopters that will use your service To attract investors and/or partners who can help grow your company To request funding Types of Pitches Today, it is not uncommon that investors lack the patience and time to listen to traditional pitches where you reel off all the benefits of your product and then make a “great deal” to close. Here are the various types of business pitches: One-word Pitch: It is important that a word reflects your brand. It is a keyword that summarises the concept of your product or business. It can also give clarity to a first-time hearer about your products/services. This keyword is often coined from the mission, vision, goals, unique point or even the solution offered. Elevator Pitch: This is your go-to pitch for networking events, social media, and elevator rides with potential clients. Every salesperson is expected to have an elevator pitch, allowing you to discuss your product and company’s fundamentals within 30 to 60 seconds. In your speech, you should focus more on the why of your solution. This presents the concept of your product and company more persuasively. Investor Pitch: Here is a speech that describes the issues you hope to address as part of your investor pitch. You should not use industry jargon when presenting; it is exclusively for your pitch deck. In an investor pitch, you describe what you do, the level of business maturity, the size of the market, and your partners. If you can create a large company, investors will be interested. Customer Pitch: In contrast to investors, customers are looking for the problems that your product and business can help them solve. Get them to talk more about the issue than you do, and only then can you determine the appropriate remedy. Presentations can contain industry terminologies because it is considered that the audience is aware of the market. Follow-up Pitch: Here’s a reminder of a concept you’ve already pitched to a listener who hasn’t yet lived up to your expectations. This needs to be handled respectfully and with courtesy. A postal pitch or a cold phone pitch can be used to follow up with an investor or a client. Presenting a Pitch Firstly, when giving a pitch, begin with a short, friendly introduction and a memorable slogan to pique the audience’s interest. Note that you should keep your opening slide above to capture the investors’ attention. In an investor pitch, you should discuss a problem your business or idea addresses, whereas in a customer pitch, you should allow the customer explain their issue. Tell a story to raise thoughts, and then use pertinent data and facts to convince them of your plan (s) to resolve the issue. Furthermore, explain your approach to the audience, outlining the functions of your concept and testing processes. Use visuals to depict your product/service. These could be videos, images, or screenshots. Remember that businesses are not without rivals, but your unique selling point offers you an advantage in convincing your listener that your solution is the best one. Moreover, when making a pitch to an investor, describe your business model to demonstrate that you have a sound strategy for generating income. Your traction is a crucial component of your pitch because it details your past successes. Telling your investor how you intend to expand goes a step further. This demonstrates your maturity and where you see your firm going in terms of attracting customers. Conclusion You definitely do not want to waste your opportunity to close by being unprepared. Before pitching your business to prospective stakeholders, it is critical that you assess your level of readiness. Here’s what you should do below: ➢ Examine your pitch pattern to make sure it’s standard ➢ Improve your confidence level ➢ Memorise and practice your pitch ➢ Learn to focus on keywords to manage your time ➢ Have short versions of your pitch. ➢ Pair your story with a visual document called a pitch deck In your pitch session, sell your solution evidently to potential customers, investors and/or partners.

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Choosing an Ideal Price for your Product

Choosing an ideal price for your product is important as it determines the customer segment that will be attracted to your brand. It also defines its classification as a luxury or basic good. Before deciding the price of your product or service, here are some factors to consider: 1. The Price of your Competitors Your market competitors could be startups or established brands with differentiating factors that make customers rethink whenever they consider switching to a different product. You should compare product prices and consider your price falling within the (un)stipulated range. This doesn’t mean that you should copy their strategies however, closely monitoring their patterns will provide insights into the market’s entry points. 2. Suppliers or Service Providers The supply chain is a key determinant for delivering superb products or services. Some organisations have built solid relationships with suppliers. Hence, raw materials are available all year round at stable prices, which helps to maintain price consistency. However, this might not always be the case as prices of raw materials could fluctuate, transportation costs may increase, and other unforeseen circumstances might ensue. A selection of suppliers with quality service, integrity and proximity to raw materials is the best bet to make you deliver your products or services at reasonable prices. 3. Energy needs Many Nigerian businesses depend on electricity for their energy needs, but this isn’t reliable due to the epileptic power supply. Therefore, provisions for alternative energy sources should be included in your budget to avoid power supply interruptions that would affect your business’s day-to-day operations. Power supply is pivotal in determining the overall production cost. 4. Cost of Goods The cost incurred while making a product is referred to as the “cost of goods”. It includes; wages of the labour force, processing, packaging and energy expenses, as well as costs incurred during the procurement of raw materials. These costs exclude transportation and distribution. Profit on any product or service can only be determined with accuracy when the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) is known. A thorough analysis of units of goods produced and units sold is required for choosing an ideal price for your product.

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The Importance of Digital Skills for African Professionals

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) defines digital skills as using digital devices, community applications and networks to access and manage information. These skills may give you an advantage in specific technical careers such as marketing, design, development and data science. Learning these skills strengthens your existing skills to meet the demands of the digital world. Since many individuals lack the expertise to operate in the digital era, digital skills training is required worldwide. To be effective, it must be needs-driven and tailored to individual and national context     Importance of digital skills According to the 2017 Global Innovation Index, several African Countries, including Kenya, Uganda and Senegal, have been classified as ’Innovation Achievers’.’ Despite this, many African nations haven’t benefitted fully from global technological advancements. However, in today’s world, technology plays an increasingly important role in the economy and society as a whole. Digital skills can help you increase employability prospects, advance your career and make the most of modern technology. Acquiring internet skills is essential as the world is a fast-evolving digital world. Current technologies are being replaced by more advanced ones rapidly, so having a strong digital skillset and feeling confident in your capabilities to navigate a constantly changing digital environment will be very important for future employment. I strongly believe that building or owning a digital skill set will help you: Adapt the right digital devices, applications, software and systems. Find, review, organise and share information effectively Handle data appropriately and establish good data security practices. Be able to communicate and collaborate in digital setting. Use different online resources and tools to help study remotely and engage effectively with your learning Understand how to protect yourself, other colleagues, to stay safe in digital environment.  Conclusion Digital capabilities are the skills, knowledge and understanding which helps individuals to live, learn and work in a digital society. These skills help us use variety of technologies appropriately and effectively in different spaces and situations. Not only do digital capabilities help to engage and communicate with other people in your personal life, they also help you to succeed in the world of work. Employers are increasingly looking at what digital capabilities applicants and employees have. Skills in creating documents, presentations, spreadsheets and communicating via email and social media are important to many organisations. They want people to use technology to access information, be creative, innovative, solve problems, communicate, participate, learn and support others in digital spaces. Building and developing digital capabilities will definitely help to become better prepared and relevant for increasingly digital world.

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How to Leverage Networking to grow Your Startup

The idea of networking contributes to the growth and relevance of a start-up. We are familiar with the saying “no man is an island”. Running your business on a solo mode might retain the focus or vision of the business but it shuts the owner from the real experiences of other business owners. In this article, we would look at how building a solid network can maintain a start-up business. Success in business especially for a start-up trying to gain traction is not only dependent on how much the business is able to control financially, neither is it by the size of the team. There are other activities that not only boost a start-up but ensures its sustainability. Research has shown that many successful start-ups developed meaningful partnerships, which enabled them to achieve success quickly and sustainably. This is known as networking. What is Networking? Networking in business involves building relationships with potential partners for your business. It should not be mistaken for just hosting business meetings, exchanging business cards, joining business communities and organizing pitch parties. Notwithstanding, these are processes of networking that may get people to be interested in your business, trust what you do and desire to partner with you. These connections, if optimized, can boost a start-up business and expose it to more opportunities. What can networking do for your start-up business? Networking attracts excellent skills: Networking offers a large range of skills to make selections from. A start-up business with strong connections cannot lack top skills in its decisions. It cannot be limited to just the available but have the option of picking its desired. Networking helps you through competition: One can hardly talk about a business and its sustenance without recognizing the place of competitors – how they charge and what they do to stay as market leaders. Exposure through your business network gives insights to what you can do to stand out and also face competition in the industry without wearing out. In simple terms, networking breaks down the bulk of handling competitors as by others experiences, one is guided on essential approaches for effective results. Networking provides you with more negotiating power with potential investors: Investors seek to support a business that not only promises good return on their investment but will deliver rightly and on time. A strong network gives a business credibility and gives investors the assurance they need before they invest in your business. Also, your network can introduce you to other potential investors. Wider customer reach: Customers of a business are spread abroad. Networking links the business with its potential clients who in turn advocates on behalf of the business. The effect of this is a wider reach to the right customers thereby, increasing the business customer base. This connection is beyond boundaries; could be online or offline reach. Impact on business strategy: By exposure through networking, a start-up business gets to improve its strategies in communication, financing, operations and other aspects. Networking influences positively from the structure of the start-up business through its publicity even to the personal brand of the founders.

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How to Bridge the Skill Gap in Nigeria

What is Skill Gap? Skills Gap Analysis is a method of determining which skills and knowledge gaps exist between the workforce system in Nigeria and its students of higher learning. On a general note, the disparity in skills of a job candidate and what employers demand takes its root from primary through the secondary and higher education system. It is obvious that students are not armed with the skills for real-life experiences but are made to focus on a memorization learning technique which most times is disappointing as they seem to be taken unawares when plunged into the workforce. Such a technique is insufficient as oftentimes they seek to memorize excellently in order to get desired grades rather than getting armed with the knowledge for practical application. It is obvious that from this technique, hands-on activities, brainstorming and other real experiences are obstructed. There is no doubt that this divergence has been in existence for years but it is becoming alarming, Hence, the pressure on employers to do more with the little they can get from employees. Higher education, according to data, is not effectively preparing students for work situations. Therefore, research has proven the need for an upskill in educational contents, concepts and curricular activities. Why is there a Skill Gap? It is understandable that the school system is a primary determinant of the skills gap in Nigeria by expensive fees, discrepancies in curriculum and deficiency in skills acquired in relation to what is required – other systems contribute to this gap such as the government, immediate society and direction of the economy. Advancement is inevitable, therefore, new fields have been created, technology has advanced in the society meanwhile, learning paths have not been upgraded. The administrative economy has a role to play in the increased rate of unemployment due to lack of jobs created in relevant fields. Increase in skilled jobs has also contributed to the skill gap in Nigeria where a high skill is required for a role not necessarily requiring the qualifications and abilities demanded for. How to bridge the Skill Gap? Skills commonly lacking include verbal communication, writing, problem solving, critical thinking, human relation, and time management, teamwork, good judgment, financial management, leadership, decision making and intelligence quotient. In bridging skill gaps in higher institutions in Nigeria, the above skills will need to be integrated in the system. It is important this be done to bring the realness of the workforce system even while still in school. Other ways of bridging skill gap include: Training on general and specific fields. Skill prediction and workforce insights through job fairs and exhibitions. Redesigning outdated curriculums to flow with advancement in the workforce system. Goodness of bridging Skill Gap Projected insight into the job markets. Increased chances of excelling in employment Individual development for a greater good and beyond job environments. Innovation

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Why You Need to Invest in Women-Owned Startups

Irrespective of the industry, establishing a new business is not an easy feat as it comes with a lot of challenges ranging from hiring the right team to maintaining the right customer base. Forming the right team is critical in business, especially for start-ups. Over the years, most businesses have been prejudiced in their workforce selection as they fit only men in  management and relegate women to menial and insignificant roles. However, in recent times women have risen to occupy managerial roles and they have been very effective at it. We now have women-owned start-ups rising except for some constraints which affect their growth. Most times, these constraints depend on the region of the start-up, hence, its is advisable to set up women owned businesses in environments favorable to it. In 2020, during the covid-19 outbreak, several firms incurred losses, the female owned businesses were hit hard and consequently there was a significant drop in financing. Though not everyone’s firm suffered equally, the share of “dollar to women founders” fell drastically by 0.5% from 2019 to 2020. Investors generally have more faith in men-owned businesses than women because they believe men have been in the business of managing enterprises and so they are skilled. Also, there’s an unfounded belief that women are prone to exaggerate their estimates when given opportunity to start a business. But we believe that female financing would get better if there is an increase in female investors. Entrepreneurs typically do not start a business until they are in their late 20s, about the same time as women begin their families, and combining both responsibilities can be a challenging feat. Regardless of the possible constraints to supporting women, there are still tangible reasons to invest in women-owned start-ups and they include: Start-ups are delicate, they need vigour fuelled into the business to keep through the growing stage which is usually not an easy one. By nature, the emotional IQ of women is such that it is resilient. Women are meticulous beings and have the ability to multitask. These qualities keep businesses going and productive; investors are usually drawn to progressive start-ups. As the business progresses, operations begin to level up, ideas start to take root, some even take a new turn. This calls for flexibility and women are wired to be adaptable. Apparently, it fits the gender personality and such business would thrive in their Women are good at yielding returns for a business as researches have proved it that female founding businesses turn in more revenue than male founding businesses. According to research, women have better understanding of unmet needs and so know how to channel the products and services to the right target of a business opening up huge business prospects. Other researches back this up that women-owned businesses return twice as much as the dollar invested, companies with female leadership have a nearly 3% greater return on equity. On the argument of balancing work and family life, most women entrepreneurs have found solutions to balancing the responsibilities from these ends. And they tend to give their best to ensure a great return on investment. In conclusion, gender disparity should not be a barrier to harnessing the best a business can while in operation because when a business thrives, it contributes to the development of the economy.  

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Why You need a Functional Website

The vision of every business is to achieve its set goals, meet the demands of clients and create solutions peculiar to life challenges. Irrespective of the drive of a business, accomplishing more results with less resources is usually an approach most use in achieving these visions. Thanks to the impact of digitization in day-to-day activities, every business ranging from small-sized to large-sized get a chance to be optimized as there are many opportunities to get on with. Ecommerce enables businesses to trade goods and services over the internet in the various levels of business-to-business, business-to-consumer and consumer-to-consumer relationships. Why Online Visibility is Important? Is there a need to put your business online? Of course. Among many reasons, looking for the right audience is a major factor in running a business. Generally, different audiences exist, hence, the need for wider reach to find a niche in the market. Businesses put themselves up online majorly through websites, social media platforms, emailing strategies and mobile apps techniques. As much as it is important to set up a website for your business, it is imperative that you ensure the website is functional and responsive. Facts about online visibility and reputation management: 98% of the audience expect to see visual structures that are appealing. Understand that your audience/viewers have needs for which they seek solutions and would not appreciate unresponsiveness when in search of solution. Gain is the bottom line of businesses. This can be in the form of financial profit and other business support. Competition exists in business. Your business may not be solid, it doesn’t stop the presence of competitors in the market. Residing on the few facts expressed above, a functional business website can go a long way in helping your business succeed as there are many things it can do. On the business side, the cost of operating and managing a business website is minimal compared to setting up physical strategies of reaching target audience and engaging market interaction. Less operational cost with effective results generates more revenue. Why Social Media Presence is Not Enough In a bid to get your business running, creating Ads, posting on social media platforms is not sufficient to maximizing the benefits of digitization in business. These can give publicity to your business but having a website that is effective is more beneficial as it creates an online presence for your business. Having a website for your business gives your business the feel of trustworthiness. The integrity of a business is core in attributing organizational values both from the business team and clients. When a client gets introduced to your business and finds a center to get more resources on what your business entails, it creates a sense of credibility to what you do, hence, confidence to engage in your business. Furthermore, if the website is responsive, customer services available and call-to-action prompt, the impression alone gives the viewer a level of satisfaction. How a Functional Website Provides Significance Having a website that showcases your business and gives you the opportunity to reach a wider customer base. Offline operations may not offer these opportunities as there are mobility limitations and other factors. A functional website helps you identify loopholes, monitor customer interaction, track customer patronage, fetch reviews and give insights to the business. These activities help you in making business decisions in finances, publicity, operations, customer relationship, potential areas in need of your business solutions. Lastly, in a business, market augmentation is such that an expansion in target audience or product line occurs. This is very much achievable when your business is online and has a website that is functional. Effectiveness of a business component has a way of rubbing on the choices of the market audience. What is a functional business website like? A business website that is functional has good content. It is compatible across devices. The creative visual designs attract viewers and make them stay longer on the site. It displays only relevant information. The website is easy to navigate.      

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How to Structure African Startups to Go Global

Africa has recently made significant progress toward realizing its ambition of being a launching pad for most startup businesses. However, Africa’s track record of maintaining and ramping up startups is a different tale. Only few African startups with global impact exist on the continent, the most stemming from the tech industry. In comparison, the Western and Eastern part of the world have countless businesses with global reach which the African continent is a major customer to. Taking an example from the tech space, China boasts of more than 100 pillar startups, the United States can boast twice the count of China. In contrast, African startups with recognition and financial power are few and there are at most a quarter of other continent’s counts. According to Statista (2020), African startups are emerging massively with Nigeria predicted to have over 3,300 startups as at 2020, the largest number in Africa. Following that, in the same year, South Africa and Kenya recorded roughly 660 and 600 startups, respectively. It is evident the African continent is charging up for a universal value creation. Moving startups beyond Africa to meet customers on a global scale requires startup entrepreneurs to put in conscious efforts that will achieve this goal. This is necessary due to existing factors such as migration of native Africans to other continents, needs common to many irrespective of race and color and the need to put Africa at the top of productive continents. The methods to structure African startups for global takeover can be categorized in channels, value and investment strategies. Channels (Mediums) Strategy Utilize tech solutions: There is barely an impact desired lately that does not introduce the role of digitalization. Embarking on a global quest without a remote strategy will result in slow impact and oftentimes costly processes but the involvement of tech in startup activities make operations more efficient and effective from the point of showcasing its solutions to delivery of value to customers. Value Strategy Create a global product: People buy products that satisfy their needs. African startups should envisage offering solutions that go beyond its immediate region as there are demands for solutions across the globe. Bear in mind that target markets are widely spread across the globe. Potential customers could be anywhere be it the least region to the greatest region. Giving value to regions with needs peculiar to proposed value: Unique to some regions are lifestyles, fashion, beliefs people are comfortable with. Therefore, A startup that seeks to expand its customer base can create value that will meet the particular region according to their lifestyle and culture. Seek for areas in need of what a startup has to offer. Removing the “African” clause: On a global level, there is room for cultural diversity and universality. The “African” clause here is holding up to the ideology that a business must stem, build its team, grow and die in Africa alone without spreading it to the world. This way, the African potential resides only within the continent but an expansion to other continents put up African startups for a show. It is important that African startups accommodate international collaboration and publicity. Relationship Strategy Seek international support: Business networking is a powerful tool that helps spread businesses. This technique is tested and proven reliable even in the conventional pattern of running businesses. Power of “Word of Mouth” spreads businesses faster. Likewise, establishing relationships with international and united bodies gives the opportunity to sell business solutions to immediate networks who in turn share to their own network thereby, bringing more customers. Investment (Financing) Strategy Level up through the series of startup funding: In the phases of startup thriving, there are series of its funding and investment sourcing staging from Series A to Series B to Series C. Each stage has requirements peculiar to investors/sponsors, startups excelling through each process demands improved efforts as this strategy is usually competitive. Only a small percentage of African entrepreneurs make it past the Series B investment level which takes a toll on revenue generated through capital investors. African startups can sign up for global investment slots, grants and sponsorship that will expose them to a wider customer base every time they pitch solutions.

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How to Curb Mass Migration of Tech Talents from Africa

The search for commensurate rewards is one that drives the human pursuit in different sectors, from medicine, to tech, to artisanship and entrepreneurship. This is why tech talents have been leaving the African continent in search of greener pastures. Due to the ongoing trend where the immediate environment does not facilitate the growth and expansion of talents, people are forced to new locations. Places like Silicon Valley encourages tech enthusiasts to build more and develop already existing technologies in order to improve the quality of lives. The impact of human capital in developing a region cannot be overlooked as it is a key factor. Through human capital development, values gained from experiences and skills are transferred as solutions to organizations, companies and establishments which in turn develops the country or regional economy. Not only are tech employees migrating, start-ups are also migrating. It is no doubt the 4 M’s of business which are money, machine, manpower and material are key factors to sustaining business growth and achieving success in an industry. In a scenario where there is money and material but no manpower to coordinate the working process or utilize available resources, productivity is hampered. Therefore, the constant migration of proactive minds to other climes will have a long reaching effect in the development of the African continent if not checked. Hence, if you set up the industries and put up the infrastructure with no requisite man-power you have already set yourself up for failure. Common problems which cause tech migration: The issues can majorly be classified into 4 M’s which are lacking as seen in Africa. They include: Method The nature of tech jobs differs amongst the various arms of technology and usually requires flexibility. Most tech jobs can be done remotely and so disrupts the conventional mode of technical jobs. In Africa, not many countries have companies that accept working remotely as it is believed, distance might affect productivity. Machine Infrastructure is a great component in getting jobs done in the tech space. A tech operator would need his tech tools like computers and other gadgets to get his job done. These tools do not power themselves and obviously need power supply, internet connection, network configurations and the likes. Not having electricity or power supply elements can be highly discouraging. Industries and organizations come under infrastructure as there are fewer companies to create opportunities, provide the suitable workspace and meet the needs of employees. Money Money is a big factor in brain drain in Africa where most tech employees are overworked and under-paid which is why they look to work with the western world where they get paid according to the value they offer and duration of tasks. The salary of tech employees outside Africa can sum up $200,000+ per annum and those in Africa can’t earn up to that following the unfavorable conditions of the environment. Manpower The master of it all. With the numerous unfavorable situations, skilled individuals migrate, families move along, friends inspire skilled friends to leave also because everyone wants to make it. Africa is left to worsen with already existing problems and more to come. In years to come, only few inhabitants would be skilled and Africa would be forced to invite home its people to provide solutions with their expertise. Solutions to retaining tech abilities in Africa Amidst the whole situations, possible solutions to minimize or stop brain drain in Africa include: Good Working conditions for employees. Favorable rules and regulations set up for start-ups. Up-skilling staff through job training and workshops. Start-up support in every aspect e.g. funding, advisory, mentoring and networking. Building the tech sector as a separate industry to be budgeted for. Increasing the remuneration of tech employees and modus operandi according to work functions. Healthy start-up competitions. Setting up Tech regulatory bodies to monitor and evaluate technological progress in the country/region. Inculcating tech in educational curriculum.

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