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What’s the Most Efficient Way to Deploy Mini-Grid Distribution Infrastructure?: A Study Assesses Different Approaches — And Finds a Clear Winner
Mini-grids have emerged as a viable technology to accelerate energy access in sub-Saharan Africa, but if they hope to become commercially sustainable, their profitability and distribution infrastructure must improve. Tombo Banda, Charles Sweetland and Faisal Olanipekun at CrossBoundary share the preliminary results of a Mini-Grid Innovation Lab study that explores the most efficient ways to deploy a distribution grid, highlighting the benefits and challenges of different approaches.
- Categories
- Energy, Technology
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A $200 Billion Opportunity: What Payment Data Shows About the Rise of Africa’s Digital Economy
Africa’s digital economy is growing rapidly, and according to Agosta Liko at Pesapal, businesses, financial institutions and governments could add US $200 billion to the continent’s GDP in the next six years by supporting that growth. He shares payment data that highlights how, and where, digital transactions are happening in Africa — both online and in person — and explores what that means for the digital economy’s growth prospects in the region.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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In Pursuit of a Cashless Africa: Learning from Nigeria’s Struggle to Accelerate its Transition to Digital Finance
The use of cash for payments is dwindling globally, while the electronic payments industry is burgeoning. As Osahon Akpata at Ecobank points out, this growth is also happening in Africa, though cash still remains king. He highlights several factors that are driving both the growth of digital finance and the ongoing usage of cash on the continent, exploring how African countries can accelerate their transition to a cashless economy — and what they can learn from Nigeria's struggles in that area.
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- Finance, Technology, Telecommunications
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Understanding Digital Public Infrastructure: What it Means — and Why it Matters — to Businesses and Governments in Emerging Markets
In recent months, there has been an outpouring of media coverage and analysis on the topic of digital public infrastructure (DPI). David Porteous, Priya Vora, Ravi Shankar Chaturvedi and Peter Rabley explore the ongoing efforts to develop a shared understanding of what DPI means, and how it can impact global digital development. They urge DPI stakeholders to look beyond narrow, government-centered use cases and existing digital systems to envision next-generation applications based on public and private sector collaboration.
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- Finance, Technology
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Using AI to Transform Impact Measurement: Overcoming Language Barriers in Global Development Research
Language and cultural barriers often create a “listening divide” between the providers and beneficiaries of global development programs. According to Daryl Collins and Pravarakya Reddy Battula at Decodis, these barriers make it difficult to develop effective anti-poverty solutions — and artificial intelligence (AI) can play a key role in addressing them. They discuss how Decodis is using AI technology to facilitate survey data collection and analysis in its poverty alleviation research, and highlight the role human intelligence must still play in guiding these efforts.
- Categories
- Technology
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Progress in Bridging the Digital Divide: Key Mobile Industry Innovations that are Bringing Internet Access to Developing Countries
More than a third of the world’s population have never used the internet, and closing this digital divide is an increasingly urgent global development priority. But as Andy McLean at Analog Devices explains, there’s more to the digital divide than a simple lack of internet access, as the problem is driven by other factors like affordability, users’ knowledge and skillsets, and access to electricity and reliable identification. He explores how the mobile industry is innovating to address this multifaceted challenge in developing countries.
- Categories
- Technology, Telecommunications
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The Overlapping Impacts of Off-Grid Solar: Four Ways Innovative Funding Can Enable the Sector to Advance Global Climate and Poverty Goals
How can the off-grid solar sector achieve its energy access and climate-related goals? Laura Fortes and Drew Corbyn at GOGLA argue that there’s one clear answer to that question: more and better finance. They discuss four ways innovative funding models can enable the sector to rapidly and radically accelerate progress toward universal energy access and other development goals.
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- Energy, Environment, Investing, Technology
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Navigating the Customer Engagement Cycle in the World’s ‘Mobile-Only’ Continent: How to Reach African Customers in a Shifting Online Landscape
Customer engagement has evolved over the years, as businesses' focus has shifted from continually acquiring new customers, to building long-term relationships with existing ones. But as Ayodeji Balogun at Terragon explains, businesses in Africa often struggle to foster this long-term engagement due to the complex nuances of the market — including the unique ways customers use digital tools. He explores how businesses can leverage mobile technology to optimize customer engagement in Africa, while navigating the market’s specific needs and challenges.
- Categories
- Technology