KAMPALA
MARCH2010
Let’s do it again next year!
Follow THE SUMMIT
@DASummit2010
http://digitalafricasummit.wordpress.com
The 8th Annual Digital Africa Summit was
a resounding success. For speakers and
delegates returning from last year, Business
Excellence Global Media continues to offer
a good mix of cutting edge concepts, quality
speakers, a platform for dialogue and most
importantly decisions and applications for
the African market. Serge Koginsky, CEO
HTA Group, who attended last year’s Sum-
mit and was presenting the innovative EN-
ERGYGO at the Solution Zone this year, had
this to say, “Incredible! I don’t know why I
did not do it before. I’ve been to other con-
ferences that are very expensive and don’t
compare in terms of caliber and number of
business contacts. You meet the right peo-
ple, decision makers, from all over Africa.
It’s excellent. That is the name of the [orga-
nizing] company and that is what you get.”
digital africa summit 9-11 March 2010 - engaging positive change
For those experiencing the Digital Africa Summit for the first time,
opportunities for knowledge sharing have been phenomenal in both
the formal sessions and informal meets with fellow delegates.
As the ICT industry in Africa becomes more mature the players are
realizing that they must share, dialogue and move fast to see the kinds
of changes on the Africa ICT landscape that drive socio-economic
change. The levels of interaction are much more focused generating
open and honest debate; the purposes are not purely academic but
each player is concerned about the way forward, making decisions as
well as commitment to agendas. Meetings have been characterized
by hard-hitting questions followed by candid answers. The highlight
amidst the spirited debates is the summit’s focus on Africa applica-
tions specifically how ICT is a force for change in grass root Africa.
The lovely Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort again lends its’ own
brand of charm to the Summits’ synergy: varied interactive program,
quality speakers, delegates from a cross-section of areas in the ICT
industry, as well as a charity evening dinner. Particularly exciting this
year was that at least 1000 people around the world were able to fol-
low the Summit on twitter. In addition to contributions to discussions,
others used the tweets as a knowledge sharing opportunity to inform
ICT in Africa discussions at similar events in US.
Delegates will be looking to see results on certain key issues for ex-
ample the removal of taxes on access devices such as mobile phones
and PCs which would lower the costs of the devices and increase
consumption, and removing taxes on the termination of international
phone calls and text messages (SMS).

HOW MUCH SMARTER?
IBM’S DANCING ON THE
PRECIPICE, AGAIN
“What is the sound of the planet
talking? A century ago, the answer
was simple: people conversing in
web” (IBM’s leading automated transla-
tion technologies) in areas like health
care, trade and travel bringing to life
real-time automated translation solutions
all available on the internet.
It is estimated 2 billion people will be
on the Web by 2011 – and they’ll be doing
more than talking. Video on demand, IP
television and internet TV will account
for nearly 90% of consumer IP traffic by
2012. When people talk, it will be to many
followed by 21 zeros). The need for
this information to reach the last
half of Africa, triggering access to
massive amounts of information
and thus allowing informed deci-
sion making, better sustainable
practices and an interconnected
system of performance to deliver
our planet to the next level has
never been greater.

person or over wired networks. To-
day, it’s not just everyone, but also
everything talking to every other
thing, in constant motion.”
Last year, at the Digital Africa Summit, I
sat down with the Chief Technical Officer at
IBM Sub-Sahara, Clifford Forster and in what
would be an eye-opening conversation; he
explained what IBM was thinking.
A smarter planet; something he called
“the internet of things.” The idea behind what
was thought to be the next stage in innova-
tion and technological advancement. The
idea that all the main areas of our lives were
connected and that at no time in history than
today were we able to allow all these things
to “talk”. Energy, infrastructure, traffic, food,
banking, telecommunications, intelligence,
cities, etc; all these functions and elements
today are connected and monitored and IBM
is looking at ways of making a smart planet:
enabling sustainable businesses and systems
for a sustainable planet.
This year in his presentation, Walter
Mhlongo, took this conversation to the next
level with “Smarter Telecommunications”.
Africa has only about 1% of its information
online and so has to download about 99% of
its information from the rest of the world.
Challenged by language barriers despite
interconnectivity and facing similar problems,
he explained that IBM’s commitment to a
smarter planet had led it to develop “spoken-
“
more people – via social networking sites,
whose memberships will top 500 million
in the next three years. Figures that are “Incredible! I don’t know
not only indicative of the future, but also
of the countless opportunities that will why I did not do it before.
arise for companies to innovate, collabo- I’ve been to other confer-
rate and to feed into and re-define their ences that are very expen-
world in order to continue delivering top
sive and don’t compare in
notch services to their clients.
terms of caliber and num-
As I wandered across the conference ber of business contacts.
corridors, I ran into Walter’s colleague,
You meet the right people,
Dr. Shiyghan Narti, IBM’s Strategy and
decision makers, from all
Marketing Executive. He reaffirmed IBM’s
commitment to the continent, indicat- over Africa. It’s excellent.
ing that the company was investing over
That is the name of the [or-
$100 million in expanding its presence in
ganizing] company and that
Sub-Saharan Africa. With this investment,
IBM is better placed to enable its’ clients is what you get.”
to take advantage of the opportunities - Serge Koginsky,
presented by gaining new insights in ways
CEO, HTA Group
previously not possible.
“Over the next few years, you will see “We’ve had a good mix of
IBM playing a critical role as an innova- speakers, some of them
tor, providing inspired solutions to local
issues and creating high valued products
that matter to the communities and cli-
ents it serves”, he confidently states. “We
visionary.”
- Daniel Stern,
DIR, U-Connect
“
will continue to leverage industry leading
forums like the Digital Africa Summit to
engage in meaningful conversation with
our clients and partners across Africa.”
In just three years, IP traffic is expected
to total more than half a Zettabyte (a
Zettabyte is a trillion gigabytes or – 1

digital africa summit 9-11 March 2010 - engaging positive change

QUICK CHAT
Gerald Ilukwe,
CEO, Galaxy Backbone PLC
Overview of 8th Annual Digital Africa
Summit
It was time well spent. There is more
experience coming into play. Last year was
more about planning and things that need-
ed to get done like laying infrastructure.
This year we are hearing more about what
worked and what didn’t – feedback from
the field as it were. We’ve made progress.
There is more maturity in the industry.
Salient points emerging
The 7th Annual Digital Africa Summit was
my first one. The sessions were helpful in
strengthening convictions I had about my
company. This year was significant because
I interacted with people who have gone
through similar experiences that we are
now going through in Nigeria. A case in
point was, MD Uganda Africa Online, Jo-
seph Barungi’s discussion on Africa’s inter-
net revolution. It is encouraging to know you
are not alone. African operators now know
what needs doing and hopefully we can pull
our governments along.
Going forward
Discussions about building capacity as
eloquently discussed by His Excellency
the Vice President of Uganda, Prof. Gilbert
Bukenya, in his opening remarks must
clearly separate increasing African con-
tent from building software and hardware
capacity. When we talk about reaching rural
communities with ICT we must consider:
i) First building capacity in ICT soft
and hard ware.
ii) Providing affordable digital access
to rural communities and finally,
iii) Increasing the relevant content
digital africa summit 9-11 March 2010 - engaging positive change
“
“I was impressed by the
range and depth of topics
presented by the differ-
ent speakers. It was also
encouraging that much of
the material was new and
many ideas were put on
the table; it represents
opportunities”
- Rachel Payne, Google INC
Country manager
“ tion.
COOLEST GADGET
The ENERGYBOX is an electrical storage
facility manufactured by ENERGY-GO and
exhibited at the summit by HITECH AF-
RICA, the official reseller. The gadget has
an off-line generating system, output volt-
age of up to 230 VAC, power of between
600-1000 Watts, Integrated charger 150
Watts, Seales maintenance free battery
and EC-Conformity. It is effective in small
and medium sized activity (and that can go
as far as construction), medium electrical
level charging and social activity. The best
feature about this device however, is the
fact that it is mobile. You can charge and
carry it wherever you are going, even in
the middle of the sea, you’ll have power.
Solutions, right?
MEDIA PARTNERS
THE NEW VISION is the
leading English daily newspa-
per with several editions from
Monday to Friday aimed at the
discerning reader seeking bal-
anced and accurate informa-
www.newvision.co.ug
NTV, Uganda’s leading TV
station went on air in No-
vember 2006. The station airs
across Uganda on both free-to-
air as well as on DSTV channel
141. NTV Uganda is a subsid-
iary of Nation Media Group,
East and Central Africa’s
largets media group.
www.ntvuganda.co.ug
The Observer, your paper
of record, is one of Uganda’s
most professional newspapers.
Started in 2004, it has become
a primary source of credible
news and information for many
Ugandans. It is published every
Monday and Thursday and has
a strong online presence as
well.
www.observer.ug
 Pictorial

1 2

3 4 5

6 7 8 9

1. A cross section of delegates at the opening day

2. Neemish and Zimbabwe’s ICT PS Samuel Kundishora.jpg
3. Delegates exchange contacts during a social break on the last day
4. Delegates access the internet at the MTN Internet centre during the summit
5. Ethiopian Minister of Transport and Communication, Hon Deriba Heiy Kuma addresses the Charity Dinner where he was Chief Guest.
6. Mobile Monday’s Jari Tammisto chats with Dillon at dinner.
7. Managing Partner Neemish Ladwa chats with Mr Ruyooka Ambrose, Commissioner IT and IMS in the ICT Ministry of Uganda.
8. A delegates takes a penalty kick during the Charity dinner to support the Bukenya Foundation
presentations
9. Delegates enjoy just one of a number of sumptious lunches.

digital africa summit 9-11 March 2010 - engaging positive change