FibreCONEXT2020 Virtual Conference - Navigating changing environments

Posted: 24 November 2020

As we move to 2nd gear in our digital transformation journey – our country is being pressed to increase pace and switch to a higher gear. The Covid-19 pandemic provided a glimpse of what can be achieved by organisation and households alike. From remote work, to distributed teams, online learning and everything in between – society has become accustomed to what we now refer to as the new normal. Right now, we’re at a tipping point in Africa’s development. We’re hurtling headlong into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), which has the potential to turbocharge the socio-economic development of the entire African continent. We’ve got the youngest continent in the world, if we make the right decisions in the next few years, we could pave a bold new path of African prosperity.

This increased pace of technological adoption – has, without a doubt, become a pull factor for the public sector to re-examine its eco-system of service delivery. The 4th and eventual the 5th industrial revolution will deliver hyper-connectivity, data-rich platforms, high-speed processing, as well as autonomous devices and vehicles. However, there is the vital piece that is human capital: the new skills and mind-sets required to put it all it together. How do we actualise and drive this forward?

To accelerate building of infrastructure relevant for the 4IR, businesses can play a vital role in engaging with the government on projects that can be tested and scaled. At the same time, labour unions can facilitate any negotiation deadlocks that prevent timeous project rollout. It is beyond working from home, it is beyond having virtual meetings – but about a reimagined world of collaboration, new commerce, innovation, and a simplified (and harmonized) local government sector.

We will remain in the 2nd gear if we don’t harness the energies in the telecoms infrastructure space. Our challenge is clear: We need to not only empower our businesses with the necessary technology to compete in the global marketplace, but give the people of Africa access to broadband, and the skills they need to create meaningful futures for themselves in a bold new world of technology. We’ve already taken a proactive, world-leading collaborative approach to our continent’s economy – it’s time we did the same for our technology.

Listen to Xolile George talk more about 4iR and its role in Africa’s economy at the #FibreCONEXT2020 Virtual Conference with a theme of “Navigating changing environments”. This year we offer you unrivaled access to senior decision-makers from Africa’s fibre and telecommunications experts. The 5-day event will be packed with streaming content from CEO’s and top executive level speakers, a lively exhibition and an opportunity to engage with speakers during and after the event.


To view the keynote speakers and event program, register for FREE by clicking the link below.