Plans For Successful DA 2016 Begin in Earnest

Intense preparations for the successful hosting of the 2016 edition of the Digital Africa Conference & Exhibitions have commenced, with the organizers promising to make this year’s edition the biggest in the history of the 4-year old annual gathering of major, medium, and niche players in the broad ICT sectors, as well as the leading industry regulators and ICT promotion agencies from across Africa. At a media parley held in his office in Abuja, last week, Chairman of the Digital Africa Global Consult, organizers of the annual technology show, Dr. Evans Woherem announced that the 2016 edition has its theme as “Accelerated Development for Africa with Internet of Everything (IoE).”

Living a connected life

The 2016 edition of Digital Africa Conference & Exhibition is the fourth in the series of successful events earlier held in 2013, 2014 and 2015, and which has attracted renowned ICT experts to discuss Africa’s ICT sector development as well as proffer solutions to the challenges limiting the continent’s advancement to the point of digital singularity with the rest of the globe. Dr. Woherem noted that the Internet of Everything (IoE) has gone from a small and interesting topic of conversation to an industry with the potential to change the way the world functions. “In recent years, we’ve entered a new era of connectedness beyond the human realm. 

More and more objects in our physical world are now able to communicate with each other or with us through embedded sensors, tags, and actuators without human involvement.“These ‘smart objects’ can see, hear, feel, and smell the world around them. Intelligence embedded into personal items, household appliances, cars, clothing, factory equipment, and infrastructure generates vast amounts of valuable data that can be collected, networked, and analyzed for a wide range of business, societal, and personal advances,” he added.

Dr. Woherem observed that everything one can think of is now about to start being linked to every other thing in the world through the Internet adding that in the past, only computer servers were interconnected into the Internet, then eventually the laptops, tablets, and smartphones also got connected. Today, according to him, every other thing imaginable is about to start being linked to the Internet, leading to a world of Internet of Everything (IoE).

“Internet of Everything helps the cities and vehicle owners or drivers. The cities that embrace technology in the future will be the winners in the management of the increasing sizes of cities due to rural to city migration. Barcelona is one of those cities doing that today through the Internet of Everything (IoE). “It is full of innovation and transforming into a smart city through the Internet of Everything. Job creation has increased due to smart city implementation. Elderly ones can put a piece of technology on their necks that helps them to be much more independent and enriches their quality of life. The Internet of Everything is also helping to remove the silos in departments and how many things were done.”

Dr. Woherem said that Africa needs leaders that have a good vision of the modern Africa, countries, cities and villages they want to create to modernize, enhance economic growth, increase standard of living, and make life more pleasant and convenient for her people. He, therefore, urged Africa to get ready to embrace the new trend of Internet of Everything (IoE). “Since the evolution of the first and second industrial revolutions till date, Africa has been at the lower rung of the technology league table. Hence, Africa is the least developed continent economically and so the weakest in power, for there is a positive correlation between having technology and economic development. Europe and more particularly England, supported heavily by technology, started the first and second industrial revolutions followed by the US, Asia and Japan,” he stated.

Billed to hold June 1-3, 2016, this year’s edition will see speakers relating the influence of IoE in areas such as Infrastructure needs and the role of government; The Environment (Smart Cities & Homes, Urban Development); Agriculture; Security (Oil & Gas); Health & Life Style; Retail: Opportunities for SMEs, Training, Managing Warranties; as well as Transportation and Logistics.

The previous Conferences have had in attendance notable personalities including Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Nigeria’s immediate past Minister of Communications Technology; Mr. Folusho Phillips, Chairman Nigerian Economic Summit Group; Mr. Peter Jack, Director General of Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency; Mr. Ernest Ndukwe, Chairman, Open Media; and Mr. Austin Okere, CEO, Computer Warehouse Group.

Others included Nicholas Haan, Director, Global Grand Challenges, Singularity University; Mr. Shawn DuBravac, Chief Economist and Director of Research, Consumer Electronics Association, USA; Mrs. Florence Seriki, President, Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN); Robin Raskin, Founder and CEO, Living in Digital Times, USA; Mallam Mohammed Hayatudeen, renowned banker and economist; Prof. Pat Utomi, founder, Centre for Values in Leadership, and Mr. Russell Southwood of Balancing Act amongst many others.

As in previous years, the 2016 Digital Africa Conference and Exhibitions will also feature exhibitions, plenary, workshops, panel discussions to be led by high profile speakers drawn from local and global organizations, Gala Night as well as the reputable Digital Africa Innovation Awards where individuals and organizations in Africa will be honoured for their contributions towards the growth of ICTs in the continent.

The exhibition will cover products and services in various areas such as Telecommunications, Consumer Electronics, Wearables, Entertainment, Education, Computing, Smart Homes, Applets, Social Media, Security, 3D Printing, and many others. Organizers of the event are also calling on interested exhibitors to leverage on the advantage provided by Digital Africa Conference & Exhibition for maximum exposure and visibility for their brands and connect with the largest gathering of consumers under a roof.