DIGITAL AGE
Officer of Zoom affirms that the work dynamics have changed . ‘ Work is no longer a place , it ’ s a space ’. In the twelve months ending January 31 2021 , Zoom ’ s revenue grew exponentially to USD 2.65bn from USD 623m in the previous year , reflecting the transformation in professional as well as personal engagements on digital platforms .
In mid March 2020 , the Kenya Government announced a lock down and closed schools and all institutions of learning . Travel restrictions were also imposed . Over 15m students were sent home . This was an important measure aimed at reducing the spread of the deadly virus . There were students who were sitting their exams that year .
After the initial shock had settled , various institutions looked at ways to get children to continue with learning . One of the greatest challenge was getting affordable access . Digitized education content was available on various platforms . As part of the Safaricom Covid-19 Relief plan , students were given free access to primary and secondary education content and past papers through four education portals ( Longhorn , Viusasa , KICD and Shupavu Web ) for a period of 6 months to September 2020 . This support allowed over 2m students access learning materials from the portals .
For university students a subsidized bundle was provided to access education content . Zetech University ’ s Moses Maina is proud of their ability to successfully graduate students even in the pandemic as a result of the affordable bundles that supported continued learning . Over 60 learning institutions leveraged these offerings to ensure learning continued . This area still has great potential as many students were not able to access education content due to lack of smartphone devices .
E-commerce is another area that is transforming the retail space . It thrived during the pandemic . Its popularity grew in the beginning as customers avoided going to the shop where they would be in contact with other shoppers . Customers wanted to keep socially distanced . The convenience of shopping and
“ With onset of the Covid-19 pandemic , the adoption of digital services grew exponentially to levels never imagined before . While in the beginning it reflected the strive to survive , digital services are now seemingly the norm as we navigate this new normal .”
getting goods delivered at the door-step started to create a habit . Go-beba and Glovo saw orders grow in excess of double digit according to an article written by Andea Capital . The growth of these companies has resulted in creating new opportunities for employment fueling the gig economy . Boba boda riders have now hooked into the distribution arm of most of the e-commerce platforms expanding their business beyond just carrying passengers . The net is enabling small enterprises access customers much easily online with minimal marketing costs .
Entertainment too evolved as we all spent more time at home . Video streaming services , online games , online concerts grew significantly in the period . Payment models also made it easier to access from free models , ad supported models and paid models .
As the pace of digital transformation continues to accelerate most government bodies are embracing digitization . In line with Vision 2030 , the government has launched a Digital Blue Print which sets out the opportunities and challenges in maximizing the benefits that digital technologies bring . It has six digital economy pillars - Digital Government , Digital Business , Infrastructure , Innovation Driven Entrepreneurship and Digital Skills and Value .
Looking briefly at Digital Government , adopting digital technologies enables governments to understand their citizens better and achieve better outcomes , provide services more effectively and efficiently , find new solutions to policy challenges and commercialize some public services . In driving efficiencies , the Department of immigration has fully digitized the application of passports and booking of appointments . Digitization of government collections has made it easier for citizens to comply . The Ministry of Lands recently announced the launch of the National Land Information Management System ( NLIMS ) that will enable users search and carry out land transactions online reducing delays , loss of file issues and curb fraud . New opportunities for employment in the global markets are enabled through the power of the internet as well as accessing global markets for goods and services .
As governments embrace digitization they shift the citizenry towards adoption of digital services . As we move towards attaining Vision 2030 , more needs to be done to support citizens with access to reasonably priced devices now that connectivity is accelerating at a good pace .
Covid-19 was a great catalyst of the digital transformation that had already began . And the pace does not seem to be slowing down . An OECD Article titled , ‘ How is the digital transformation affecting people ’ s lives ?’, shows that life in the digital age can be positive as digital technologies expand the boundaries of information availability and enhance human productivity , but can also imply risks for people ’ s well being , ranging from cyber bullying , emergence of disinformation ( fake news ) and cyber hacking . It has led to loss of jobs as processes get automated , but it has also created new jobs . The agility to ride the tide will be key ; constant re-skilling will be critical . ■
Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi is the Mobile Data Lead , Safaricom Plc . You can commune with her on this or related matters vide email at :
Fawziakimanthi @ gmail . com .
MAL 46 / 22 ISSUE 7