Africa's new digital frontier
14 May 2012 Last updated at 09:22 ET
For internet entrepreneur Njeri Rionge, Africa represents the next economic frontier. She say strong indigenous, African-owned companies are needed to take advantage of the boom times ahead.
Ms Rionge is as famous in Kenya for her success in starting up several companies at the same time as she is for Wananchi.com, a cable, broadband and internet-based telephone company.
She started her dot com dream and first big venture, Wananchi.com, with the hope of bringing internet connectivity to the masses. Today the firm has grown to become the largest internet service provider in East Africa and is worth $173 million (107 million) a huge sum for a firm with an initial start-up of $500,000 (308,000).
Despite her determination to succeed, she has not always known what she wanted to do.
"I touched many things before I touched the thing that I turned to gold," she told the BBC's African Dream series.
"I did hairdressing, I did buying and selling of clothes in London and then the thing that actually created the opportunity for success."
That opportunity came in the form of Wananchi.com in 1999, at a time when very few people had internet access.
She envisioned the easy access of information via the internet as a way of bridging the gap between East Africa's educated elite and the rest of the population.
Despite the necessity of the internet in modern communication and education, the beginning of Wananchi.com was not without its hurdles and frustrations.
Read the rest here:
Africa's new digital frontier
- Payments to Minneapolis digital fund dry up - June 5th, 2012 [June 5th, 2012]
- 4 June - Currency Report with Nomvuyo Guma - Video - June 5th, 2012 [June 5th, 2012]
- Digital Nomads - Travel Blogger - Nomadic Samuel - Video - June 5th, 2012 [June 5th, 2012]
- Hyperinflation not possible but $13125 gold is? - Martin Armstrong - Video - June 4th, 2012 [June 4th, 2012]
- Urgent Message for Greece - Video - June 4th, 2012 [June 4th, 2012]
- GCASH Transactions AVP - Video - June 4th, 2012 [June 4th, 2012]
- 30DC Announces Successful Test of - MagCast - Digital Publishing Platform - June 4th, 2012 [June 4th, 2012]
- Google-YouTube is all about MONEY and TOTAL CONTROL - Video - June 3rd, 2012 [June 3rd, 2012]
- Akron and Uniontown Dentist Improves Dental Care With Digital Radiography - June 3rd, 2012 [June 3rd, 2012]
- Paysafecard Code (PSC) Generator German _ Deutsch Version Tutorial 2012! Newest Version - Video - June 2nd, 2012 [June 2nd, 2012]
- Battlefield 3 Online Gameplay - TIME IS MONEY - June 2nd, 2012 [June 2nd, 2012]
- 120530 - Bill To Audit The Fed - Video - May 31st, 2012 [May 31st, 2012]
- So Money Corporate Video solutions - Video - May 31st, 2012 [May 31st, 2012]
- TNMM-TheNextMillionaire Maker!.. Review how to make money online! - Video - May 31st, 2012 [May 31st, 2012]
- FIFA 12: Wasting My Money - Ep23 "Youtube" - Video - May 31st, 2012 [May 31st, 2012]
- 3 Companies Unexpectedly Embracing Digital - May 31st, 2012 [May 31st, 2012]
- Mary Meeker Talks About How Digital Is Changing Everything - May 31st, 2012 [May 31st, 2012]
- 10 Commandments of Digital Analytics - May 31st, 2012 [May 31st, 2012]
- Refocusing student media to align with digital first approach - May 30th, 2012 [May 30th, 2012]
- Alcatel-Lucent Says Europe Risks Turning Into ‘Digital Desert’ - May 30th, 2012 [May 30th, 2012]
- Alcatel-Lucent Says Europe Risks Becoming Digital Desert - May 30th, 2012 [May 30th, 2012]
- The Color of Money: Our digital devolvement - May 30th, 2012 [May 30th, 2012]
- Digital Generation Bottomed Out: Finerman - May 30th, 2012 [May 30th, 2012]
- In Person: Kramer will take USA Today into digital tomorrow - May 29th, 2012 [May 29th, 2012]
- Digital money management changing face of estate planning - May 29th, 2012 [May 29th, 2012]
- NWO Survellience - The Smart Grid - Video - May 28th, 2012 [May 28th, 2012]
- Amazon deal boosts profits at Entertainment One but bid plans weigh on shares - May 28th, 2012 [May 28th, 2012]
- Whole Lotta Money Mr.Jackson, Nubz ,Ashley Rae (Official Music Video) (720p) - Video - May 28th, 2012 [May 28th, 2012]
- ricky b - dr j ( ball up on this bitch) - Video - May 28th, 2012 [May 28th, 2012]
- Coachella Valley Unified students remain frozen in digital divide - May 28th, 2012 [May 28th, 2012]
- Alertpay Payza (Credits) Free, Get AlertPay Cash Now - Video - May 27th, 2012 [May 27th, 2012]
- Our digital devolvement - May 27th, 2012 [May 27th, 2012]
- Obama Calls for Govt. Apps as Part of Digital Strategy - May 26th, 2012 [May 26th, 2012]
- Dreadsquad - May 25th, 2012 [May 25th, 2012]
- A-Trak - May 25th, 2012 [May 25th, 2012]
- Young Money 101 - 3 Days (Official Video) - Video - May 25th, 2012 [May 25th, 2012]
- The Times-Picayune to cut print papers to 3 days a week amid industry's digital age struggles - May 25th, 2012 [May 25th, 2012]
- PBS and SAFARI Montage Sign Expanded K-12 Digital Distribution Deal - May 23rd, 2012 [May 23rd, 2012]
- TEDxSussexUniversity - David Birch - Identity in the 21st Century - Video - May 20th, 2012 [May 20th, 2012]
- FIFA 12: Wasting My Money - Ep22 "Desperate Housewives" - Video - May 20th, 2012 [May 20th, 2012]
- Currency Trading With Binary Options Trading With Digital Options - Video - May 20th, 2012 [May 20th, 2012]
- Could digital sales also be contracting? - May 20th, 2012 [May 20th, 2012]
- Ampichino - May 17th, 2012 [May 17th, 2012]
- "The End of Money" is Nigh Says Author David Wolman - Video - May 17th, 2012 [May 17th, 2012]
- Gemalto's Xavier Larduinat talks about "Strategic Initiatives in Digital Security" - Video - May 17th, 2012 [May 17th, 2012]
- tv.ibtimes.com - "the end of money" is nigh says author david wolman - cashless society - Video - May 17th, 2012 [May 17th, 2012]
- Whole Lotta Money Trailer [720p] - Video - May 17th, 2012 [May 17th, 2012]
- Digital Business Card USA - Promote Your Business by Text or Email - Video - May 17th, 2012 [May 17th, 2012]
- The great digital outdoors: Drive-ins see the light by upgrading technology - May 17th, 2012 [May 17th, 2012]
- Turner's Digital Execs Bet Their Content Will Draw Big Upfront Dollars - May 17th, 2012 [May 17th, 2012]
- IAB Launches Digital Media Sales Certification to Set New Professional Benchmark for the Interactive Advertising ... - May 17th, 2012 [May 17th, 2012]
- How to Make Money On Line, all forms, all courses, all together Digital-Supermarket BookStore - Video - May 15th, 2012 [May 15th, 2012]
- MySingleLink launches new, secure revolutionary digital wallet - May 15th, 2012 [May 15th, 2012]
- Digital River Announces Results of International Commerce Survey - May 15th, 2012 [May 15th, 2012]
- ACN Digital Satellite Television Directv Dish Network ACN Customers Save More Money! - Video - May 12th, 2012 [May 12th, 2012]
- ACN Digital Phone Service - Replace your home phone and save money -- See Offer Below! - Video - May 12th, 2012 [May 12th, 2012]
- Digital Coin Counting Money Jar [DEMO] - Video - May 12th, 2012 [May 12th, 2012]
- Runescape Ultimate Money Making Guide : 500K - 1M Per Hour - Video - May 12th, 2012 [May 12th, 2012]
- Research and Markets: Australia - Digital Economy - M-Commerce Developments and Projects - 2012 - May 12th, 2012 [May 12th, 2012]
- Is digital opening up a new chapter for publishing? - May 12th, 2012 [May 12th, 2012]
- The Digital Skeptic's Guide to 3 Wall Street Slayers - May 12th, 2012 [May 12th, 2012]
- Ep 02 - Digital tips - Orange Money.mp4 - Video - May 9th, 2012 [May 9th, 2012]
- What's next for money and payments? EVENT - Video - May 9th, 2012 [May 9th, 2012]
- GET MONEY RECORDS (CLIENT BASED PROJECT) MOTION PIMP PREVIEW - Video - May 9th, 2012 [May 9th, 2012]
- Night Air Digital - Video - May 9th, 2012 [May 9th, 2012]
- Digital Risk Calls For New Industry Standards Taskforce To Oversee Mortgage Risk Due Diligence - May 9th, 2012 [May 9th, 2012]
- The Bitcoin learning curve - 00 - Video - May 6th, 2012 [May 6th, 2012]
- Why care about Bitcoin - 01 - Video - May 6th, 2012 [May 6th, 2012]
- Understanding Bitcoin - 02 - Video - May 6th, 2012 [May 6th, 2012]
- Bitcoin currency rules - 03 - Video - May 6th, 2012 [May 6th, 2012]
- Bitcoin transaction properties - 04 - Video - May 6th, 2012 [May 6th, 2012]
- Bitcoin rule enforcement part 1 - 05 - Video - May 6th, 2012 [May 6th, 2012]
- Toss up: digital car radios - May 6th, 2012 [May 6th, 2012]
- CISPA - Our Congress Can't Sleep At Night Because of Digital Bombs - May 2nd, 2012 [May 2nd, 2012]
- Digital Wallet War Heats Up Again - May 2nd, 2012 [May 2nd, 2012]
- Digital Signature Software supports 8 languages. - May 2nd, 2012 [May 2nd, 2012]
- The Case Against Digital Sprawl - May 2nd, 2012 [May 2nd, 2012]
- Digital TV on PC - Video - May 2nd, 2012 [May 2nd, 2012]
- Money Time 29,April 2012 Part 1 - Video - May 2nd, 2012 [May 2nd, 2012]
- Hiding Money From Your Spouse Gets a Lot Harder - Video - May 2nd, 2012 [May 2nd, 2012]