What is business without tech in our current age? The pandemic made everyone have to up the ante on their tech game, especially when it comes to work matters. The 2nd edition of the Nation Digital Summit which happen on the 2nd to 4th of March 2021, was a three day summit is a yearly congregation of business leaders, techpreneurs, investors, corporate decision makers, the government and academia discussing the theme, ‘Global Tech-over.’ The Global Tech Over talks about just how much tech affects your work and life flow in this day and age. It is nearly impossible to exist as an organization without the adoption of tech.
The yearly Nation.Africa Digital Summit brings together diverse marketing stakeholders from across the continent and much-sought-after experts in the digital world, with vast learnings from successful enterprises that have grown from SME’s to become the most reputable organizations in Africa through adoption and embracement of digital ready culture.
In Africa, most companies are exploring various digital transformation options so that they remain relevant. Organizations are considering varied solutions in an effort to offer a differentiated experience. Digitization has flattened the world into one common environment and increased the diversity of cultures and of people. Innovation remains a gauge for organizations to survive and thrive in an environment that is continuously changing.
This year’s digital summits focus and topics were;
- Digital transformation technologies.
- How tech is affecting different sectors .e.g. Automotive, Agriculture, Finance, Marketing etc.
- Demystifying mar-tech.
- Mar-tech tools.
- Gen C audience and how businesses have adopted to the rise of this Gen.
- Case study of businesses that have adopted Mar-tech/digital tech.
- Brand building in a fragmented digital space and in a pandemic.
- Business Agility in a pandemic.
Speaking on the sidelines of this year’s Nation Digital Summit at the Sarova Whitesands in Mombasa, Nation Media Group Chief Executive Officer Stephen Gitagama said the company launched Nation.Africa platform during the pandemic and was able to serve their consumers digitally due to the trust it has built among its clients over many years. Mr. Gitagama said trust of information published on different NMG platforms earned the company a high number of subscribers when Nation.Africa was launched.
The CEO said the company’s strategy to go online exceeded its expectations despite being launched despite a number of challenges which include the Covid-19 pandemic.
“NMG has moved from the traditional media model in both news and advertising,” he said. “We are now dealing and collecting revenue directly from users instead of depending only on advertising. The company has also distinguished itself from fake news agents and it will serve as an example to other companies to use technology to reach customers.”
The summit featured delegates from across Africa both from government and the private sector.
Ms. Immaculate Kassait; Data Commissioner, challenged all business leaders to establish data policies in their businesses as soon as one thinks of starting a business.
Dr. Wale Akinyemi; Organizational Culture Expert, spoke on The Tech Revolution 50 years on, and he challenged business leaders to be open-minded and embrace the innovative solutions suggested by their young innovative employees and see the possibilities that could be achieved.
A lot of the discussions were fundamentally about, how businesses are developing their operations in a digitally disruptive ecosystem, monetizing content creation strategies, innovative business models, and tapping and nurturing talent in a digitally forward environment.
The Founder of Israel Innovative Institute, Mr. Leo Bakman, Oliver August, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Nation Digital, and Dr. Catherine Ngahu, Chair SBO Research Limited were among the panelists that joined the summit virtually.
All leaders were challenged to change their criteria when it comes to technology and the digital space.
Ultimately, the Nation Digital Summit is about exchanging of ideas, and inspiring and helping organizations to apply the most appropriate tech and digital strategies in line with the trends and demands of the world.
The summit saw over 180 participants join both physically and virtually.
