Technology is seemingly shifting and influencing how we actually get things done in Liberia. It is also impacting our total existence, from hand held gadgets like digital phones to digital tools and information services that are becoming increasingly plentiful around us.
Education & skills Building
I remember when the UL had challenges transitioning to online registration; today, it is not just using an all access portal, but tinkering with a robust e-learning environment.
Just about every learning institution around the country today is yearning for a piece of the digital space to prepare their students for what is unfolding.
Young people and even some adults are now attending basic introductory classes, beginner and advanced coding bootcamps, and tech hubs like iCampus Liberia, Startup Liberia and other tech prep facilities to learn a bit or more about software development, digital marketing, and data skills.
Thanks to Lonestar Cell MTN, Orange Liberia, Starlink and others for expanding the availability of internet services to enable ease of connectivity across the nation. This sort of access means more students outside central Monrovia can actually get online for classes, scholarships and advanced learning.
Finance & mobility
The inception of Mobile money platforms like Lonestar Cell MTN Mobile Money and Orange Money are two of the main catalysts driving financial movements for easy access, even in traditional and usually hard to reach areas, considering road conditions during the rainy season. It helps a lot of people save, send cash, extend helping hands and pay bills without a bank account.
From where we were a few years ago to this point, that’s huge, especially in a country where bank branch access is still limited. It’s cutting out travel time, reducing cash risk, and letting small businesses take digital payments and do needful transactions where necessary.
Agriculture & Technology
Technology is also influencing the agricultural industry with the advent of Agri-tech apps, other platforms, businesses and groups that are connecting rural farmers, agricultural producers and innovators to buyers, climate forecasters, seed and soil analysis and pricing information.
This kind of digital transformation is not only revolutionary, it reduces post-harvest loss and helps farmers make better harvest decisions.
Healthcare Industry
With fewer doctors per capita, technology is helping stretch expertise in our healthcare industry.
Clinics in Monrovia and counties are using tablets and SMS to track maternal health, report disease outbreaks faster, and consult specialists remotely.
Innovations in the health industry, although not hugely visible to the public, is making remarkable inroads as different players come online to change the industry for the better; startups in telehealth pilots and digital health records are starting to bridge gaps and show promising results in healthcare delivery as medical schools and other medical professional training institutions prepare practitioners for tomorrow.
Government’s Involvement & transparency
The possibility of digital transformation will not be rooted unless there’s national will to make it happen. National leadership investment and involvement in digital growth is paramount. There’s a need to set aside a digital awareness day and a blue zone in every county to nudge digital innovations.
Government also needs to understand that the possibility of digital ID projects, e-tax systems, and open data portals are the goals for reducing paperwork, corruption, and long queues.
The underpinning of a national digital transformation strategy is to put more public services online over the next few years and get as many people committed to the transformation.
Challenges
Government’s refusal or failure to invest in technological growth, the lack of reliable electricity, internet affordability, and digital literacy are possible hurdles to this growth.
As one of many countries that leapfrog from many analog models to digital existence, we may be skipping other innovations as the world passes us by.
