Acceptance of the Digital Growth in Africa to Be A Global Leader William Jackson, M.Ed. Let The Bible Speak TV #LTBSTV
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William Jackson and others are sharing content on Let The Bible Speak TV during the week addressing ministry and technology. Based in Jos. Nigeria the messages are inspirational, motivational and informative. The blogs will be posted here but links to the TV presentations are posted in the above link. If more information is needed contact William Jackson
Let The Bible Speak TV 2020
The pandemic has been disruptive globally and disrupted the growth and stability of businesses globally. The United States has projections that up to 60% of small and medium businesses will close permanently directly affecting the economic growth and stability of local neighborhoods and communities. Living in Jacksonville, Florida in an area called Lakewood there have been upwards of 7 if not more small to medium businesses that have closed thus far and the spirit of the community is changing. It seems like
the life is being drained from it.
The closure of these businesses will have economic effects on the communities they are in and a gradual spread of economic issues will expand as workers that are unemployed, under employed, cannot pay rents, mortgages, car payments, utilities and even shopping for food.
The human tragedy will grow.
Unemployment statistics are rising faster than the rates of the Great Depression in comparisons show that once businesses are closed they will never return. Already larger corporations are filing for bankruptcy to protect assets and the investments that stockholders have put in to build
viable business interests that are not fading away.
The ramifications will be felt locally then nationally as monies are not available to provide tax payments that support services that support communities and cities. When compared globally countries around the world are strategically changing their business models. The African continent has experienced economic shifts in the beginning of the pandemic, business leaders have looked at how they can strategically change
their business models to support businesses at all levels.
Decisions are difficult, African business leaders have made rapid changes that are increasingly solid and foundational to saving many business that are small and medium. The United States model of hands-off and offering loans, grants is not helping small and medium businesses because of the processes put in place are not beneficial to smaller
and medium business owners.
African Tech Startups are still growing even during a pandemic because African businesses are providing services that Africans need and collaboration is available. The original thought was that funding’s would drop, which they did as a result of the COVID19 crisis. To help Startups adjust they were told to continue to develop their ideas and make adjustable terms when asking for investments and funding. Even if it would slow growth, but slow growth is better than
no growth.
The annual African Tech Startups Funding Report from Disrupt Africa showed that startups on the continent of Africa in January thru March raised totals. In US dollars $100 million in funding even though there was a big decline of investments
there are signs of rapid recovery.
COVID19 still presents a change and challenge in economic recovery, because attitudes of investors are still cautious. This does not stop African digital innovators, African content creators and STREAM advocates still following their dreams to start their businesses. Looking for ways to provide a needed service that is cost effective and sustainable in
the pandemic.
The wonderful news to African business owners is that some investors remain active throughout this pandemic crisis and African business startups have avenues to go if they need additional funding. Many investors are already looking past the pandemic unlike American and even British businesses that are looking at bailouts, safeguards, bankruptcy strategies
and quick sales of all or portions of the business to keep alive.
Too many global businesses like those in the US and Britain are not looking at the well-being of their employees and throwing them to unemployment lines, food-lines, potential for homelessness and even families going hungry. African businesses are putting in strategies that help build adjustments to save small and medium
businesses.
Systems set in place in Africa are not perfect, because many small and medium businesses do not have a relationship with banks and cannot apply for loans, grants and other services. So those older businesses that are private and even family owned face closure and will affect families because they are family
owned businesses.
Even though some of the economic news is dire the year of 2020 is still on course to beat last year’s record and become the best yet for investment into African tech startups, and more opportunities will be done over the course of the year. The simple fact of the matter is that plenty of investors have funds that need to be invested and waiting for the right business model to invest and watch those
business grow.
The pandemic shows that intellectualism matters, business networking matters, building a professional learning network matters, collaboration matters and helping people humanely and humanistically matters. African businesses see the need to help the people of Africa in their respective nations,
communities and neighborhood.
Africa is learning from the United States financial decisions what not to do and what the political administrations are not following American models of leadership. Doing some research of investment leaders I found information about Zachariah George, chief investment officer at Startupbootcamp Africa. He is a principal at Nedbank Venture Capital, he states “So any VC fund in Africa that was raised in 2017 or later and there are plenty of them given that the African
VC industry is only seven to-eight years old at best.”
That means that VC’s have cash to invest, they just need to be impressed by digital innovators to see the value in their ideas. Investing through the crisis, African startups still have places to go during COVID-19 African technology startups have a better chance of funding than many American technology startups. Historically those businesses during extreme disasters with vision benefit because they attack the issues and problems of
the times and fill a gap.
They are unique, diversified in their services and know that even during disasters like a pandemic this is the time to expand,
collaborate, invest, build, create and grow.
African businesses that are small, medium and large need to take advantage of any and all business Zoom meetings, GotoMeetings, Webinars and digital workshops to build their network, build relationships with potential Venture Capitalists, banks and the diversity of investors. Using the Internet to research more about how to seek investors, how to prepare a business during hard
economic times and what businesses may be more stable and surviving.
As a blogger and content creator I encourage African small and medium business owners to research VC firms to find resources to keep them going, expand or even tech companies to seek additional investments. As an educator of STREAM, I’m not a financial expert, strategist nor advisor just providing encouragement, opportunities
and inspiration to follow their dreams even in a pandemic.
There are always risks with investments during challenging times like this pandemic so African business owners need to be sure they have done their homework and research. To follow reliable and
and trusted advisors.
The flexibility of technology allows for flexibility in seeking funding, investments, collaborations and even partnerships. Africa is growing to be a technological powerhouse by providing trainings, workshops, classes and conferences for youth, teens and young adults that will be future leaders for Africa. These youth, teens and young adults will provide STREAM, Technology-driven and real world solutions
that have the potential to be great investments.
This pandemic has created a need to change the thinking of African investing by bankers, insurers, VC and governments. There is more optimism on the continent being shown from collaborations with China and even future investments by Mexico, Canada, Japan and other European markets that are locking out the United States not just because of the pandemic, but because of slanderous words and disrespectful behaviors
toward African, Indian and nations of color by the American administration.
As an educator, content creator, sponsor of technology conferences and advocate for African educational growth and ministry the existing calamity has many challenges, and the opportunities at hand for investments far outweigh the challenges, and many investors are excited about the unique
opportunities to invest in businesses on the African continent.
The best investment is in education, teaching youth, teens and young adults to be engaged in as many educational activities as possible. Nations that build their youth of all cultures to be the leaders needed for the future will be leaders. Many nations in Africa like Nigeria are expanding their access to the Internet, mobile devices are growing in numbers in Africa that out grow even the United States and Canada. With mobile technology small and emerging business owners can begin to compete even on a small
scale.
Starting is important, youth, teens and young adults that are web developers, coders, digital innovators, artists and mixologist for musical groups and singers are making changes to industries that need the infusion of new ways to attract generations to listen to new forms of music and
even the movie industry.
There is a mounting influx of digital technologies developing in Africa that are embedding themselves in the lifestyles of people. Africa is slowing becoming the next digital influence of the world. African people cannot allow foreign nations to come in and steal their innovators, creatives and intellectuals. Africa must never allow another nation to take away their indigenous intellectual innovators or put them away so someone else can take credit for what Africans are developing. The act of Blogging is still a form of storytelling, sharing thoughts ideas, mental projections that inspire African people to grow and
develop.
Webster’s dictionary describes blogging as, “diary: a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page.” Africans have been rapidly moving into the digital age that is embracing cosmopolitan ideas and multicultural collaborations with the help of technology. The inclusiveness of technology is taking many into the 21st century where they are connecting
to the world.
Blog (weblog) technology is web based and inclusive to all people regardless of color and culture thus allowing a explosion of ideas and intellectual exchanges that carry on the tradition of intellectual growth that developed at the time of Timbuktu and other areas of Africa where there were universities and places of study way before Europe itself started reading. There is an estimated 8 million bloggers in America (The State of Blogging (2005), Pew Internet & American Life Project) but
Africa has double if not triple that number.
Change blends with the traditions of traditional living, lifestyle and technology inclusion; technology is infused in all aspects of life and is expanding daily. In order to compete Africa need to accept change and embrace the execution of productivity tools that are prevalent in the business and educational world. Africa’s success is base on the education of its boys and girls, men and women. It is a known fact that when women are educated they will teach the village and all will prosper and grow. Not to say that men do not teach, but they set the foundation of growth, but sometimes do not
share and are selfish with their successes.
There is so much technology available in the African infrastructure in business and even ministry that ministries are offering technology classes. Businesses and schools of secondary and higher education, the question is, are teachers and business leaders being taught the appropriate use of these technologies that are becoming relevant in the business and
educational world?
Africans should be exposed to and using diverse technologies, if not they may again be hindered by being unprepared to do business on a global scale. The possibility of expanding and encouraging knowledge, requiring the proficiency of reading
(literacy/comprehension) and writing (creative thought process).
Blogging requires the participation of writers and readers involved in a symbiotic relationship that is dependent upon each other. Statistically Africans are behind in technology applications and implementation (digital divide) professionally
and educationally, but the potential to take charge is huge.
Blogging is a new world, a world of digitized created writings on a multitude of subjects that readers can ravagered consume and interactively respond to. Where does this help the African business community when it comes to gaining new incites in business and cultural awareness? The act of blogging opens doors to avenues of business ventures to expand literary and informational talents and understand the power of the
reader or audience.
Why is blogging important to African writers; because of the wealth of information that is important to educational and professional growth. Africans need to become aware of the potential to expand their knowledge base locally and globally in areas of politics, economics, business, medicine, education and cultural diversity. Many that are blogging allow the participants to be co-creators in this age of digital media that is transforming social interaction, taking social networking to new levels of cognitive growth not just empirical information that is irrelevant and in some cases professionally
and socially detrimental.
Blogging is a new wave for cyber-publishing for Africans to share their stories, ideas, passions, and in some cases rants and raves. This media is not about complaining about perceived or experienced injustices, although in the cases of social injustices and be blogged about and are. The opportunities are endless as to what a writer can do, what they can share and how
they can engage discussions.
Blogging instills creativity, empowerment and critical thinking skills into people that allows for their talent in writing. The very nature of the Internet is allowing African people to not just retrieve information, but post information that may
compete with resources of traditional newspapers and magazines.
The capability for Africans to launch their own newspaper, magazine, radio and even television shows at a very low cost is within the grasps of a person with a computer that can support this technology. If the mind-set does not change for many, Africans will once again they maybe left out, disconnected and have a limited impact to social, business and political issues. African voices need to be heard like distant rumblings of
thunder that people listen to and respect.
African people must embrace technology and all that it has to offer, all the possibilities of imagination, innovation, self-empowerment, and cultural enhancement. Blogging is just a tip of the digital iceberg. The Internet, Podcasting, Micro-blogging, Video-blogging, Wikis and other forms of communication are all interactive and self directed tools that avail themselves to cognitive growth and connection to multicultural awareness that is being embraced and welcomed to all growing African communities. Technology is
about communication between peoples.
Let us start communicating and engaging creative skills in our writing to inform and empower, go forth and Blog to build
a better and increasing intellectual Africa.
Let The Bible Speak TV Jos Nigeria
William is the digital innovator for his brand My Quest To Teach using the hashtag #MyQuestToTeach sharing his journey teaching, mentoring,
community activism and community collaborations.