Information and Communication Technology (ICT) stakeholders are set for a major digital exposition, aimed at bridging the huge gap between the rate of innovations and their adoption, which threatens the fast developing local industry.
The digital fair themed Powering the Digital Future will take place between March 7th and 9th 2014 at Sarit Centre in Nairobi. It will offer the public a chance to learn technological capabilities of various companies and latest digital trends.
The fair will also act as a platform for researchers, learning institutions, the business network and regulators to share experiences and reflect on expected impact of the evolving digital technology.
BAKE is among the organizations that will participate in the fair. Other companies include; the ICT Authority, Safaricom, Google, Tecno, the Marketing Society of Kenya (MSK), The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), Scarlet Digital, Najivunia.com, WASP Africa, Niaje and the Text Book Centre.
Organizers of the fair, Eyeballs Marketing, say although there has been a high growth in applications development, their benefits are yet to penetrate the economy due to lack of awareness and limited access among Kenyans. Poor consumer culture and inappropriateness of some of the innovations have also been cited as barriers to their adoption, especially among the poor.
“Digital technologies can only impact the lives of individuals in the society if they offer appropriate solutions to problems and are easily available for use at affordable prices,” says Eyeballs Marketing CEO, Martin Muli.
Muli says the promotion of ICT agenda in the country is being hampered by lack of sensitization and awareness hence the need for the Digital Fair, which is the first of its kind in Kenya.
It will have two levels of exhibition, the business digital fair and the digital future fair.
The business digital fair will be for businesses to display and show case unique and superior technologies that are in use to enhance the customer experience.
“The business digital fair booths will strictly comprise of businesses, both corporate and SME, and will offer them a chance to provide a full digital experience to the public as well as generate business leads,” explains Muli.
At the digital future fair, different techies and organizations will present solutions that can positively improve the lives of Kenyans. These solutions will be presented to key decision makers in Government and corporate sectors who have the capacity to engage techies and adopt the digital solutions.
The experts will be expected to tackle ideas on the future of digital technology in areas like disaster management, healthcare, agriculture, management and governance, security and public transport.
In a bid to boost the adoption of digital technologies, the Government launched a Broadband Strategy last year to streamline the ICT sector. The strategy provides a roadmap to transform Kenya into a knowledge-based society driven by a reliable high-capacity nationwide broadband network.
Eyeballs Marketing has been involved in planning and management of various successful events like the recent Kenya Social Media Awards, Grand Wedding Anniversary and several county editions of the ongoing Miss Tourism Kenya.