Africa is a continent of over one billion people, 54 countries, vast land mass and a multitude of languages, customs and cultures. Panelists at the Africa Technology Summit held in Lagos, Nigeria, by the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology earlier this month agreed that Africa's diverse markets and the need to adapt to individual circumstances remain a stern challenge for tech startups looking to expand across the continent.
- Nominate your company for the African FinTech Awards 2017.
Panellists, who included Uber's Ebi Atawodi, Asoko Insight COO and Tony Elumelu Foundation CEO Parminder Vir, discussed the intricacies of the different technological ecosystems, which represent a major challenge for cross-border movement.
Ebi Atawodi, Uber GM for West Africa, said firms should shift their focus to ensuring the quality of their products was world class:
"Collaboration in the African tech space is practically impossible due to economies that are massively unique in their own ways. Rather, companies should strive to be world class."
Following a successful inaugural event in Ghana last year, the African Technology Summit has made a foray into Nigeria, pulling in the field's greatest minds and big firms in the tech and mobile space.
