Embracing the idea of going full digital
Ester Kamati
Snydewel believes that online services, new smartphone-driven applications and online payment solutions are the future and is keen to appreciate the rise of digitisation in the country.
“We can go kicking or screaming or we can embrace it,” he says, explaining that technological growth is something that cannot be denied or supressed. He describes the revolution as a benefit and advises that Namibia, “as a nation of young people, should learn to innovate and develop apps and tech solutions ourselves.”
He believes that there are many new business sectors to uncover and emphasises that the youth should be making sure we don't get left behind.
Snydewel emphasises the entrepreneurial goldmine offered by technological advancements that are readily available for entrepreneurs to tap into.
“Government and business in Namibia can streamline and secure their processes, offer real solutions to their stakeholders that will be less time intensive; no need to stand in lines anymore and generally create a more digitally advanced and enhanced society where data is secure and convenience is the name of the game.” He applauds Namibia's steady rise on the Global ICT ranking index, calling it “encouraging and proof of our country's commitment to becoming a digital and technologically innovative force to be reckoned with in Africa”.
Embracing the revolution
“The Fourth Industrial Revolution provides the solution to uplift Namibia and Africa as a continent. We can engage and implement best practices and adapt them for our own needs and circumstances. We must engage and implement the best possible solutions, hardware and people to continue to improve our ICT rankings in the coming years.”
He believes that the population needs to let technology and innovation work for them in the quest for economic development.
“We must lead from the front in innovation in embracing technology,” he says, noting that some people are still hesitant because of the change that comes with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“It's human nature to be wary of change; the status quo is safe and secure. However, not developing and not innovating will not keep us safe and secure.”
Setbacks of digitisation
The need for watertight security is one of the challenges that come with embracing the Fourth Industrial Revolution, because there needs to be trust when embracing financial technology applications and online payments.
“Can we trust that robots will not be hacked by people with dubious intent? Will our car, crammed full of software and artificial intelligence (AI), take over our decision-making process, or will we remain safely in the driver's seat?”
The world at your fingertips
Snydewel emphasises some of the ways in which the future has sneaked up on people when paying for food, fuel or services with a smartphone app, “or hailing a cab through a new app like LEFA.”
He believes that internet connectivity needs to be “stable, fast and on demand” in order to fully embrace technology.
“The financial technology (FinTech) sector is red-hot, with traditional financial institutions increasing their FinTech investments and competing with start-ups to offer financial services products faster and more efficiently,” he says, hinting that it is one of the sectors in which innovations have the greatest benefit for Africa.
“FinTech start-ups focus on disrupting the already existing banking industry. In Africa, we need to build the technical infrastructure and systems from scratch.” which is the way in which he sees Namibia and the rest of Africa rising.
Snydewel believes that online services, new smartphone-driven applications and online payment solutions are the future and is keen to appreciate the rise of digitisation in the country.
“We can go kicking or screaming or we can embrace it,” he says, explaining that technological growth is something that cannot be denied or supressed. He describes the revolution as a benefit and advises that Namibia, “as a nation of young people, should learn to innovate and develop apps and tech solutions ourselves.”
He believes that there are many new business sectors to uncover and emphasises that the youth should be making sure we don't get left behind.
Snydewel emphasises the entrepreneurial goldmine offered by technological advancements that are readily available for entrepreneurs to tap into.
“Government and business in Namibia can streamline and secure their processes, offer real solutions to their stakeholders that will be less time intensive; no need to stand in lines anymore and generally create a more digitally advanced and enhanced society where data is secure and convenience is the name of the game.” He applauds Namibia's steady rise on the Global ICT ranking index, calling it “encouraging and proof of our country's commitment to becoming a digital and technologically innovative force to be reckoned with in Africa”.
Embracing the revolution
“The Fourth Industrial Revolution provides the solution to uplift Namibia and Africa as a continent. We can engage and implement best practices and adapt them for our own needs and circumstances. We must engage and implement the best possible solutions, hardware and people to continue to improve our ICT rankings in the coming years.”
He believes that the population needs to let technology and innovation work for them in the quest for economic development.
“We must lead from the front in innovation in embracing technology,” he says, noting that some people are still hesitant because of the change that comes with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“It's human nature to be wary of change; the status quo is safe and secure. However, not developing and not innovating will not keep us safe and secure.”
Setbacks of digitisation
The need for watertight security is one of the challenges that come with embracing the Fourth Industrial Revolution, because there needs to be trust when embracing financial technology applications and online payments.
“Can we trust that robots will not be hacked by people with dubious intent? Will our car, crammed full of software and artificial intelligence (AI), take over our decision-making process, or will we remain safely in the driver's seat?”
The world at your fingertips
Snydewel emphasises some of the ways in which the future has sneaked up on people when paying for food, fuel or services with a smartphone app, “or hailing a cab through a new app like LEFA.”
He believes that internet connectivity needs to be “stable, fast and on demand” in order to fully embrace technology.
“The financial technology (FinTech) sector is red-hot, with traditional financial institutions increasing their FinTech investments and competing with start-ups to offer financial services products faster and more efficiently,” he says, hinting that it is one of the sectors in which innovations have the greatest benefit for Africa.
“FinTech start-ups focus on disrupting the already existing banking industry. In Africa, we need to build the technical infrastructure and systems from scratch.” which is the way in which he sees Namibia and the rest of Africa rising.
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