Africa, data and Internet of Things (online) Edition 2
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Africa has the youngest population in the world, with a median age of approximately 19 to 19.7 years old. This means roughly half the population is under 20, with over 60% of the population under 25 years old.
And this means it has a huge Gen Z population.
Gen Z includes individuals born between 1997 and 2012. As of 2026, this cohort is roughly 14 to 29 years old. They are known as "digital natives" who grew up with internet access and mobile technology from a young age.
In this webinar we want to introduce the work of Abdur Rahim Biswas, Managing Director at WAZIUP and David Li, Director at Shenzhen Open Innovation Lab in various African locations, their lessons learned and the motto to look very carefully at what has worked so far, before starting projects with assumptions not based in local realities.
At the heart of the discussion is the work of Joy Tang, Internet of Things Whole System & Innovation Strategist, who for the past decades has been working in different African contexts.
With the evolution of the Internet, she has been focusing on the design, development and deployment of oneVillage Initiative (OVI) for whole system thinking and collaboration:
• Highlights the role of ICT in building an interdisciplinary, bottom up approach
• Focuses on critical issues that threaten the viability and stability of global villages;
• Provides capacity building services to unleash human potential and motivation to do good.
She is currently in Zinder, Niger, attempting to create a Tech Hub for local production. Through the seminar we want to find ideas, projects and sponsors.