Stakeholders of Africa’s
leading online shopping platform, JUMIA, referred to by economist as the king
of the continent’s E-commerce, has revealed that with the recent strides and
advancement in technology, the development of Africa could come earlier than
previewed.
The group made the
revelation earlier this week at the Pullman Hotel in Douala during a press
confab organised in partnership with mobile internet provider, YooMee and the
national carrier of Ivory Coast, Air Cote D’ivoire.
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L-R YooMee, JUMIA CEOs
and Air Cote D’ivoire GM during the press confab
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The press conference
which aimed at taking stoke of their activities of 2017 as well as setting
prospects for 2018 equally saw the presentation of the JUMIA mobile week expected
to run from March 19-25.
The mobile week, the
Chief Executive Officer, Kone Dowogonan holds, will presents Cameroonians with
the opportunities of buying any smart phone of their dreams at a 60% reduced
price and get it delivered to their door steps anywhere in Cameroon.
He equally announced that
as of last year, 90% of Cameroon’s 24 million population had access to mobile
phones but only a minute 25% of them had internet access.
A situation he described
as “troubling” for a nation on the verge of development.
While siting examples
the world over which relies on its digital economy for its day to day activities,
the young CEO expressed optimism that Cameroon and Africa in general was
gradually embracing modern technology, a tool he described as essential for its
development.
“With the current figures
we have, it is evident that more and more Cameroonians are using internet and
are been involved in the modern world. This is prove that all our hard work is
gradually paying off. The impact on the Cameroonian economy is enormous as
today the mobile business represents 3.5% of the nation’s income,” he said.
To Emmanuel Forson, Chief
Executive Officer of YooMee, a Cameroonian based mobile internet service provider
launched since 2011, the importance of internet made accessible to Cameroonians
cannot be over emphasised.
He highlighted that
access to internet opens up opportunities for education and aids to spur
start-ups such as at Silicon Mountain in Buea and equally facilitates the
livelihood of its users.
Reechoing the importance
of internet which he said is the gateway to Africa emergence as seen in most
Asia countries, he lamented the fact that most rural areas in Cameroon have no
internet access.
With this, he urged the
government whom he acknowledged has done a lot to make internet accessible to
invest in rural areas so as to ensure accessibility to all throughout the
national circle.
The General Manager of
Air Cote D’ivoire on his part used the press conference to announce to its
clients that henceforth all passengers onboard the Ivorian national carrier will
be connected to free wireless internet service throughout their journey.
This he said is to enable
businessmen to stay in touch with their businesses while on transit.
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