A former student used to work for a microfinance institution in Kenya. He quitted: he wasn’t comfortable with the high rates and fee charges of traditional microfinance loans (37 % average). Meant to promote financial inclusion, these loans may end up making borrowers poorer than they were. At the same time, the super-high interest rates […]
Smart Cities’ Challenges in Africa
Caught in the midst of traffic at Lagos after attending a discussion about the electricity challenges in Nigeria, I told my driver about how smart cities would improve people’s lives. He gave me a skeptical look, which I interpreted as “will I ever see this come true…?” I read recently an article about strategies for […]
The Power of Twitter in Africa
Last week I talked about Lagos and Nairobi as two “Cities in Motion.” I was surprised that they have come out quite high in terms of “public management” at IESE’s Cities in Motion Index (CIMI). This dimension includes actions aimed at improving the design of new organizational and management models. Something kept me thinking: one […]
The 4th Industrial Revolution: Threat or Opportunity?
The World Economic Forum (WEF) held its annual meeting last week. The theme of this year was “The Fourth Industrial Revolution: what it means, how to respond.” I didn’t follow the event but I was curious to find out whether they had any Africa-related discussions. And yes, I found an article titled “How can Africa […]