How Africa Can Lead in the Global Technology Space | Mark Essien | TEDxGbagada

African countries are best positioned to take the lead on technology advancement in the global space. Brilliant technopreneur - Mark Essien, shares his thoughts on why he's made this bold assertion, with practical examples on how to reach that point.
Mark Essien, a software developer and the founder of Hotels.ng -Nigeria's first and largest hotel booking platform, is listed by Forbes as one of the Africa's promising Young Entrepreneurs.
During his M.Sc he identified an opportunity in the Nigerian technology market for a dedicated hotel booking platform. Equipped with a software developer’s skillset and an evolving administrative experience, Mark Essien assembled resources and a dedicated team to drive the product, pushing Hotels.ng until it has become what it is today, a platform that started with 100 listings and has now become Nigeria's largest booking platform with more than 7,000 hotels listed.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@danielaokafor4451]

Brilliant ideas. A self-driving keke sounds great but then think about all the keke drivers that would be displaced considering unemployment is still a big issue in Nigeria. My favorite part is the VR tech + Education. Great talk +Mark Essien.

[@EngineerBrains]

I think it is a great idea to. Yes some people might be displaced but any technology that will create opportunities for us to develop from within is a win-win for all of us. I believe such prosperous undertakings will will translate into great success that can cascade to everyone - including the unemployed and those keke driver. If you have been to Lagos recently, those thingsa re source of chaos, nuisance and pollution

[@victoryenofe]

Now imagine the jobs tech will create in this industry alone. Those keke drivers can become technicians or programmers. Technology still needs the human factor to function. Plus if we start this, it means we will have products and experts to export to other parts of Africa and the world.

[@yukinat1]

🙌🏾🙌🏾👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪 Africa wake up 🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬this guy is way beyond the future I salute you Sir.

[@Fido1hn]

wow. I've listened to quute a few TEDs, this is really good. Thanks to the speaker.

[@udemesamuel]

Nice talk mark, never heard about solar tree before, we just wish these ideas are implemented. or maybe we just have to disrupt!!!!

[@OpataChibueze]

I believe in the Solar Tree idea as the socio-economic impacts are quite advantageous in comparison to many other possibilities. What I guess is missing is the indigenous way of going about them so they can be locally created.

[@fnsilly8983]

I love being black

[@IkemNzeribe]

You are brilliant. Don't sleep on traditional African medicine, though. The future of African medicine lies in going back to traditional healing and indigenous knowledge, not aping the Europe's failed industrial medical system.

[@Kassiusday]

Ikhenaten Nzeribe PERFECTLY RIGHT ! 👨🏾‍⚕️🙇🏾‍♂️👨🏾‍⚕️

[@demoma4532]

No

[@weareallbornmad410]

The drone medicine is actually being used in Rwanda. This and the blood-diagnostic device is part of what is called telemedicine, and that is sought after on highest levels of African Union. Those are happening. I'm not completely convinced by the self-driving keke - I thought you said that the issue is the roads are bad? Self-driving doesn't help with that. Also, the VR education idea definitely has potential, but I thnk African kids should be taught African perspectives, not someone else's. There's a lot of discussion on how relying on Western textbook material is actually destructive in some cases. Anyway, I loved the talk.

[@AyowumiOgunjobi]

This is brilliant. My favourite is part is the solar tree.

[@youtubeoffname]

Well done, Mark. The drone technology was tested in Africa (foreign creativity, of course). Like with your education suggestion, the message, for me; is for us to learn to look problems in the face; and to analyse, and solve them. Just like others do. When we also do, we may well get ahead. But getting ahead is not the first aim. You will know that boasting of greatness when we have not yet completed the first step is our biggest, and often embarrassing, fault. So, I just wish we can make a start. Not to copy curriculums set by others (supposing they had set out to deceive us? They, so far, exactly have) but to study our own environment and its presenting problems - and find enough unity of both good sense and purpose to solve them. Then, the world may embrace our labouring ingenuity, too. We, can also be the source of few world solutions. I would bet racism would be solved in one, then. You, Mark, has the credit of being the first Nigerian speaker (on any topic) I have come across on the Internet where god has not been seen/invited as solver of all problems. That fills me with hope for our tomorrow - even if late for my generation. When we engage our problems with enquiring minds, no country on earth has more resources, or potential. But we need locally-based research centres - public and private - and universities whose focus is understanding our unique environment, and finding solutions to actual cries of all our population. We can. Only when we stop praying, and start learning to try. Mistakes would teach until perfection. Again, like everywhere else. 'Could you be loved?' - Marley asked.

[@abasibekwe9427]

mark,yiu are great. so much spectacular ideas that if invested on,will change our country for good. kudos

[@johng5295]

Thanks in a million. Awesome.

[@angelachikaebirim8894]

Mark is a very smart guy

[@Kassiusday]

Imagine saying that “HEY WESTERN FOLKS “ HERE IN USA : UNITED STATE OF AFRICA WE HAVE DONE IT 10 years ago ....

[@jamessmith6909]

*UNA: United Nations of Africa. It could definitely happen if we work towards it.

[@dyana3965]

Great some ideas.

[@eyahmeenusah7504]

Great ideas B. BigUp urself.

[@MegaDiva1999]

brilliant.loved this

[@jiggadred]

Awesome lecture!

[@jebb.]

Great ideas

[@user-uh8wg1fy8n]

Good speech

[@donjiaye6263]

Smart dude thanks

[@alindaderick814]

Nice ideas

[@Idimmusix]

To think that this talk was given Seven years ago.

[@amuomkuol]

techknowldgy or the knowldge of skillfulle workes.also a sience governed by mathematics and phylosophy.

[@saikoujammeh2396]

wandaful.

[@olumideogunlana4662]

Dream big but a little reasonably

[@m.k.s.7417]

I Dream, that Africa, WILL Lead in the Global Tech. Space/maybe even "MONOPILISE TECH.!!" (And I 'd "support Asia"; "Native AmeriCANs" and others (too); etc., in other ways/means/Areas -etc.) - (-M.K.S.).

[@missy8590]

I see that happening too

[@sawyermiller8739]

There is nothing I would love to see morr than to see the continent of Africa Africa finally emerge as a global economic power. It has been suppressed long enough by colonialism! It should have been a power anyhow if Europeans hadn't ravaged it with colonialism! The future is African

[@boulama]

now 2019, seeing and talking about theranos haha

[@IkemNzeribe]

Haha, well she fooled billionaires, right? Give the kid a break!!!

[@elchefe7701]

Is he an Nigerian Prince?

[@oma3801]

Elizabeth Holmes? Lol

[@jessecovington6639]

a lot of this speech seems to be based in fantasy