Presentation by Maclean T. Mbepula

Shekinah Invest

OPEN ACCESS 2009 CONFERENCE:THEME: HARNESSING THE RAPID GROWTH OF FIBRE OPTIC FIBRE

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SOCIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

OUTLINE CURRENT SITUATION WHY I.C.T. ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITIES CHALLENGES WAY FORWARD RECOMMENDATIONS REFERENCES

Map of Malawi• Population: 13 million• 118,484 square kms• Males: 49 %• Females: 51%• 32 % population growth (1998 - 2008) • 6.2 million : 18 years and above - 3.2 million are females

http://www.nso.malawi.net

CURRENT SITUATIONGOVERNMENT ACTIVITIESPRIVATE SECTOR ACTIVITIESPUBLIC RESPOND / TRENDS

GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES Growing Awareness of Importance of I.C.T.Investment in Fibre Optic InfrastructureChanges in policiesDecrease or total removal of tax on most I.C.T.

imports Youth Development Funds

PRIVATE SECTOR ACTIVITIES Growing Employment of I.C.T.s in daily activitiesCompleted Fibre Infrastructure Projects:MTLESCOM and Malswitch (MALINK)Cost of technology and services decreasing

Competitiveness of Cellular NetworksZAIN, TNM & MTLZAP – Money Transfer Service Through Mobile

TechnologyBlackberry ServiceRoamingInternet

Competitiveness of the Banking IndustryNBS, MSB, OIBM,

(BIG Banks slide - lined – under dogs seem to be leading)

Credit Cards & Debit Cards (NBS and MSB)OIBM – Cash-back Services

Competitiveness of Internet Service ProvidersSkyband, MTL, TNM, ZAIN, BURCO, SDNP,

MALAWINETIncreased number of hotspot areasCheaper charges for internet use because of

increased competition

PUBLIC RESPONSEGrowing Usage of I.C.T. Infrastructuree.g. increase in internet users

(www.worldinternetstats.com)Increased Expectations because of public exposure

to different or newer services

OPPORTUNITIESDevelopment At Very High RatesSkilled Work ForceNon- Saturated market places:Customers with many unmet needsDirect Initiatives from Government to Attract

Investors (Malawi Investment Procurement Agencies)

WHY I.C.T. ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SUPPLY CHAINS

It can solve some of Malawi’s/Africa’s most pressing problems and challenges

High Unemployment RateLow Wages LeveragePositioningMovement

CHALLENGESSlow Development and Deployment of I.C.T.

Infrastructure e.g. Debit and Credit cards for e-commerce

Slow Decision Making ProcessHigh Illiteracy Levels (58 %)Cost of Technology

Cost of Doing BusinessLack of Professionalism amongst I.C.T. Practitioners

in MalawiGenerally Poor Customer ServiceAfrican DisporaFinancing / Funding HurdlesHigh Interest Rates

WAY FORWARDResearchI.C.T. Entrepreneurship DevelopmentsFacilitation of Generic Business Building CoursesI.C.T. Entrepreneurship training

RESEARCHFeasibility Business Orientated ResearchAcademic Orientated Research

DEPLOYMENT OF SOLUTIONSI.C.T. Entrepreneurship DevelopmentFacilitation of Business Building CoursesI.C.T. Entrepreneurship

OUR RECOMMENDATIONSInnovative Application of I.C.T. in Malawi

“African Solutions for African problems”Business to Entrepreneurship MentoringVirtual CompaniesBusiness to Business Learning

Networking and CollaborationIntroduction of Compulsory Business Awareness

CoursesNurturing of Tertiary Level Business Start-Ups,

Inventions, Innovations or LicensingCreating Incentives For Professional Business

Establishment

REFERENCES [1] Millennium Development Goals, (MDGs) from the Millennium Declaration.

(September 2000). (www.un.org/documents/ga/res/55/a55r002.pdf ) [2] “Guide to Investing in Malawi – 2009”, by MIPA – Malawi Investment Procurement

Agency”, 2009 [3] United Kingdom DTI Innovation Report -Competing in the global economy: The

Innovation Challenge. (December 2003). Department of Trade and Industry. http://www.dti.gov.uk/DTI/Pub7035/2k/12/03/NP.URN03/1607

[4] Malawi Growth and Development Strategy : From Poverty to Prosperity, 2006 – 2011 (MGDS). (2005).

[5] Vadim Kotelnikov (2007), Small and Medium Enterprises and I.C.T. UNDP Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme. http://www.apdip.net / http://www.unapcict.org, ISBN: 978-974-8283-93-7

[6] British Council Inter-Action campaign’s Leadership development initiative, campaign slogan