Is Internet of things enough for Africa?

NAIROBI, KENYA: There are a lot of discussions on the Internet of Things (IoT) and its contribution to solving problems of our world. But are IoT technologies sufficient to address the grand challenges of Africa?

Whether we are referring to your smartphone or a sensor tracking rain fall, the IoT is a means to an end, which more often than not is about optimisation. If an athlete wants to optimise his or her running route they will need to track the distance and monitor the altitude – this can all be done with a phone or GPS watch.