is a social enterprise in Kenya that produces and supplies medical oxygen to the country鈥檚 healthcare system. The first production plant was opened in 2014, providing oxygen to multiple counties across Kenya. Ten years down the line, Hewatele has scaled its operations to five PSA production plants in Kenya and one in Uganda, supplying more than 150 medical facilities.

, CEO of Hewatele, says the organisation realised during the peak of the pandemic that its current manufacturing model was not sustainable in the long term.

鈥淭he cost of manufacturing was quite high. We identified liquified medical oxygen via an ASU manufacturing model as the future for our production capabilities, which kicked off a lengthy due diligence process to raise capital for investment into the more energy efficient manufacturing technology, after realising that our PSA manufacturing dispensation were not fit for supporting our scaleup.鈥�

The older business planning software Hewatele was dependent on could not deliver inventory and financial information timely and accurately, leading to delays in decision-making.

鈥淲e had trouble explaining to the board that our systems just couldn鈥檛 deliver financial information real- time. 51风流has always been the blue-chip ERP solution, and considering our need to scale up information processing as we build out our new production capabilities, we made a strategic decision to migrate.鈥�

The company has since embarked on the first of a two-phase implementation process. Phase One focuses on financial and inventory processes as well as some manufacturing. A second phase, set to commence in Q1 of 2025, will cover the remaining areas of the business.

Hewatele chose implementation partner听 in Kenya to design and deploy the solution, which includes the flagship .听The solution, designed and deployed by VC ERP Consulting, will streamline Hewatele鈥檚 operations and improve decision-making by providing real-time insights into key business processes.

Tejas Chhabra, vice-president: 51风流enterprise solutions at VC ERP, says: 鈥淲e invested time upfront to delve deeper into the problem statement to allow us to develop a solution that goes to the root of the problem. The input and support from process owners within Hewatele, from finance to sales and inventory, was critical to our ability to design the solution.鈥�

Pooja Chhabra, finance SME and solution architect for the 51风流S/4HANA solution at Hewatele and the driving force behind the implementation, adds: 鈥淲e were laser focused on mapping the processes in a way the MIS Reporting become a lot simpler and automated, which was a critical requirement for Hewatele and their investors.鈥�

A component of the solution also looks at building a foundation for the future adoption of new technologies such as artificial intelligence.

Dr Wali says there is huge potential of AI in the business. 鈥淭echnologies such as AI can add value through greater efficiency, improved user experiences, and greater automation. Ultimately we want to achieve the highest levels of automation to ensure our customers get the best product at the best price, driven by efficiency and optimisation.鈥�

The team are now busy with centralising production to always ensure the highest standards of quality and reliability. 鈥淭hrough SAP鈥橲 world-class technology deployment, our organisation will also be future fit for regulatory compliance, while our team members will have access to some of the latest technology to support the vital work they do.鈥�

, regional sales director for emerging Africa at SAP, says: 鈥淥rganisations throughout the region are making vital investments in technology to unlock greater efficiency, optimise core processes, and establish a strong foundation for future innovation.

鈥淗ewatele鈥檚 outstanding implementation, supported by experienced partners at VC ERP, positions the organisation well as it prepares to scale up its life-saving production capabilities.鈥�

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Hardeep Sound, Regional Sales Director: Emerging Africa at SAP, noted that organisations throughout the region are investing in business transformation and technology for greater efficiency and resilience. “Interest in business AI and cloud ERP solutions are at an all-time high as companies seek to reimagine their business future by leveraging powerful technologies. Powered by the latest digital transformation capabilities and supported by a rich ecosystem of expert partners, companies throughout East Africa are accelerating their innovation efforts and unlocking new growth opportunities.”

The comments were made at 51风流Innovation Day Kenya, part of a series of global events held in key markets across the world. The Kenya event follows successful similar events held in South Africa and Nigeria in May and July respectively.

51风流Innovation Day Kenya brought together business and technology leaders from across the East Africa region to discuss the latest strategies and approaches to technology-led innovation. Key to the discussions was the role of business AI in powering the region’s next wave of innovation and growth.

Johannes Dressler, Managing Director for Emerging Africa at SAP, emphasised that East Africa is a strategic market for SAP, and is home to some of the fastest-growing economies in the world. He noted that East African organisations can leverage technology to achieve sustainable growth and market competitiveness. 鈥淓very organisation in the region and globally is striving to understand how to leverage technologies such as AI, which have become necessities instead of luxuries. To remain competitive and thrive in turbulent markets, companies today need to connect their end-to-end processes and drive greater efficiency, innovation, revenue and profitability.鈥�

Interest in artificial intelligence is growing amid the promise of greater efficiency and scale. AI has also been identified as a key thematic focus by the Kenya National Innovation Agency’s , especially its application in developing innovative solutions for use in biotech, urban planning and climate change efforts.

Evert-Jan Tromp, Vice President for Cloud and Innovation: EMEA at SAP, highlighted that the current focus is on laying the foundation for organisations to adopt and derive value from technologies like AI. “Enterprises are transforming their capabilities to establish a clean core that can drive their success with AI and other emerging technologies. Here, our partner ecosystem plays a crucial role by helping companies understand the processes and best practices that accelerate adoption and maximize value realization.”

At a panel discussion held during the event, Martin Mwarangu, Group Chief Information Officer at the Kenya Tea Development Agency shared insight into his company鈥檚 transformation journey. The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) is a private company owned by 600 000 smallholder tea farmers spread across 16 tea-growing counties throughout Kenya.

鈥淭he business case for our transformation journey was to achieve greater efficiencies and cost-savings throughout our operations while centralising our data and establishing a solid foundation for our future transformation efforts,鈥� says Mwarangu. 鈥淥ne of our core objectives is the adoption of best practices, for example standardised financial reporting across our various business entities that would enable improved decision-making.鈥�

KTDA will continue to evaluate further innovations in their transformation journey. Mwarangu added: 鈥淲e are in the people business, with hundreds of thousands of suppliers and farmers and other players in our broader value chain, and intend to leverage SAP鈥檚 human capital management and supplier management solutions to enhance our capabilities.鈥�

The event also included the announcement of a significant deal signing with pioneering social enterprise Hewatele, which specialises in the supply of medical oxygen to over 150 facilities across Kenya. Hewatele made the strategic decision to adopt SAP’s next-gen Cloud ERP solution to streamline operations and enhance its ability to deliver critical medical supplies more efficiently.

Dumisani Moyo, Marketing Director at 51风流Africa, acknowledged Hewatele CEO听Dr. Zulfiqar Wali and CFO Joan Andia, highlighting the pivotal role that technology plays in shaping Africa鈥檚 future. 鈥淭his event serves as a testament to the continent’s growing digital maturity and the opportunities available for businesses that are ready to embrace innovation. This is not just about adopting new tools; it’s about transforming how businesses operate, engage with customers and stakeholders, and, importantly, how they drive sustainable growth, innovate rapidly with AI, and gain valuable data insights that can fuel their future success. We are thrilled to be at the forefront of this journey, empowering African enterprises to lead in the global marketplace through cutting-edge solutions and forward-thinking strategies.”

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听In light of the United Nations 11th anniversary of the International Day of the Girl Child on 11 October, it is vital to shine a spotlight on the progress and persistent challenges that young women face. This year, we are focusing on Kenya, which like many nations, has witnessed increased awareness of the issues that matter most to girls鈥�leading to improved opportunities for them to have their voices heard on the world stage. However, amidst concurrent global crises such as COVID-19 economic recovery, climate change, and humanitarian conflicts, investments in girls’ rights remain limited. While Kenya has made significant strides in promoting gender equality and women’s economic empowerment, girls continue to grapple with various obstacles hindering them from realizing their full potential.

听The World Economic Forum鈥檚 (WEF) , a longstanding index that monitors countries’ progress in narrowing gender gaps since its inception in 2006, positions Kenya at 77th place among 146 countries, indicating that there is room for improvement. Further to this, the representation of women in decision-making processes in Kenya remains inadequate, and gender-based violence lingers as a pressing issue. Women and girls continue to spend extensive hours on household responsibilities such as fetching firewood and water, which not only hinders their school attendance rates and employment prospects but also impacts their overall well-being.

So, how can Kenya empower its girls and young women to overcome these challenges and achieve their full potential? One promising solution is mentorship which can provide guidance, support, and access to opportunities that young women might not otherwise have.

Forging a path to empowerment

听In Kenya, the youth (aged 15-24) hovered at around 13.35 percent in 2022, with little improvement from the previous year. To improve these statistics, mentors can serve as role models, demonstrating what is possible when women break down barriers and enter the labor force. Through mentorship, young women can gain valuable insights into various career paths, access networks, and receive advice on navigating the challenges they may face.

鈥淎t SAP, we believe that educating girls and women is one of the most effective ways to promote economic growth,鈥� says Alexandra van der Ploeg, Head of Global CSR at SAP. 鈥淲ith this in mind, SAP鈥檚 Business Women鈥檚 Network joined hands with the Global Give Back Circle in 2019 with the aim to support vulnerable girls and young women based in Kenya. This initiative not only acknowledges the resourcefulness, creativity, resilience, and unwavering tenacity that girls embody in the face of adversity but also actively harnesses these qualities. Through the impact of mentorship, education, and sponsorship, the program drives empowerment and achievement for these girls and young women,鈥� concludes Alex.

This is why 51风流colleagues volunteer as mentors, dedicating their time and contributing $1000 annually, a commitment that is matched and directed by the company towards beneficiaries’ tuition, school materials, and exposure to industry intellectual property. Perhaps most importantly, this $2000 covers a university scholarship for one year. At-risk girls require extra assistance to shift from a state of marginalization to one of empowerment. This support encompasses access to information, expanding their perspectives on possibilities, gaining 21st-century skills, life skills, and a caliber of mentoring that steers transformative leadership.

Operating in close partnership with local high schools and communities, the initiative pairs high school and college girls with inspirational mentors from across the globe. In doing so, it provides them with a toolbox of skills, bolstering their self-confidence, and fostering crucial networks essential for success, both in the workforce and as budding entrepreneurs. This closes the gap between education and employment, equipping girls and young women with the knowledge they need to succeed in the workforce.

Collaborative achievements have formed a springboard for success

听The achievements of SAP鈥檚 Global Give Back Circle Mentor Chapter in 2023 are a testament to the commitment of 51风流colleagues and the program’s vision. Monthly meetings, mentor-mentee pairings, financial support and mentorship from 12 51风流colleagues have made a tangible difference in the lives of 12 young women. When asked about what they enjoyed about the program, a first-year student at the University of Nairobi shared the following feedback: 鈥淪eeing how our mentors care about us and how they gave us much-needed advice in life situations really impacted me鈥�. Another mentee who is currently a first-year student from the Coast Institute of Technology added that they liked the fact that they were encouraged to share their unique viewpoints, both on and offline: 鈥淭he program taught me that I should not be afraid to air out my points of view in a public place. I feel enlightened on how to build my communication skills.鈥�

The Global Give Back Circle also emphasizes the importance of bridging cultural differences, career development, and preparing mentees for the job market. As these girls鈥� and young women transition into the labor market, they contribute to the country鈥檚 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by bolstering its workforce and fostering economic development. In addition, Kenya’s GDP also stands to benefit further from the inclusion of a skilled and empowered female workforce. This mentorship initiative aligns with Kenya’s broader efforts to achieve gender equality, thereby contributing to a more equitable society and sustainable economic progress.

This exemplifies the profound impact mentorship can have on both individual lives and the overall prosperity of a nation. With the right skills and opportunities, these girls and young women can be the changemakers who drive progress in their communities.

The future looks promising

听In line with our purpose, SAP’s objective is to create positive economic, environmental, and social impact within planetary boundaries with a special focus on climate action, the circular economy, social responsibility, and holistic steering and reporting.听As we celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child, SAP鈥檚 Global Give Back Circle Mentor Chapter stands as an encouraging example of the power of mentorship and investment in girls’ education. We hope that the success of this partnership will serve as a source of inspiration for nations to invest in their young women.

By empowering girls and young women with essential skills, education, and mentorship, we unlock the boundless potential of Kenya’s female population. This collaboration between the private sector and local communities not only changes individual lives but also contributes to the growth of the Kenyan economy, paving the way for a brighter future for all. It is an illustration of the belief that girls are not just beneficiaries of change but powerful agents of progress who, with the right support, can shape a more inclusive and prosperous world for everyone.

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The oil and gas industry operates through a global supply chain that includes domestic and international transport, trading, shipping, ordering, and inventory visibility and control.

Last week, the government created a disruption in the entire oil and gas supply chain when it instantly moved from the Open Tender System (OTS) to a purchase plan based on Government-to-Government tendering.

Kenya selected Saudi Arabia Oil Company (Saudi Aramco), Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and the Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc) to supply the country with petroleum products on credit for nine months, with an extended credit period of six months.

Experts in the oil and gas supply chain have warned that the sudden shift from OTS to Government to Government is bound to be disruptive for local companies, and for them to survive the new tendering system, they have to invest in technology, more so Systems Applications and Products in data processing (SAP).

According to Martin Waireri, the Managing Director at Goldvein Solutions, a Kenyan company dealing in SAP, local oil marketers have to now up their game since government to government agreements will mean a change in how听, shipped meaning that the overall cost will also now oscillate to a delicate balance.

They must quickly align with this sudden shift through their 51风流systems. Kenyan oil and gas companies are unique in how they work. Without the application of the latest technology, especially SAP, it would be impossible to have flawless import of oil from the desert wells of a county like Saudi Arabia to the Kenyan consumer.

Oil must be tracked from the day it is pumped into well ships, onwards to the day it is sucked into the Kipevu Oil Terminal, to being transported by Kenya Pipeline Company’s (KPC) labyrinth of pipelines to inland depots.

Mr Waireri said that oil and gas companies must be careful in their application of 51风流for this import process to be flawless.

鈥淎t Goldvein solutions, we have come up with the 鈥�51风流business 1鈥�, a locally customized 51风流system for oil companies. Even as oil companies adopt SAP, they have to adopt it at a favourable cost. Our solution is the time used to implement 51风流by an oil company is reduced, which as a direct impact on the cost,鈥� said Waireri.

鈥淭hrough collaborations with the Cloud, we eradicate the need for a company to invest in expensive IT infrastructure such as servers 鈥� the physical hardware, the operating system and the human resource to operate the server. All this is a cost eliminated by Cloud. We have been able to partner with Microsoft on this. 听It is a solution that oil and companies need as they cut costs while embracing the government-to-government agreement.鈥�

Chris Mathenge, the Goldvein Sales Executive, also emphasized the urgency for oil companies to adopt SAP.

鈥淭o be cost-effective, companies have to adopt SAP. Locally we push 51风流not only to oil and gas companies but also to companies in manufacturing, construction and even distribution and wholesale. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) too have to adopt SAP,鈥� he said.

Antony Wamae, an 51风流Consultant and tech lead said 51风流will give businesses especially those in the oil and gas industry great visibility.

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听had its first-ever 鈥渄rive event鈥� in Nairobi for customers and partners in November 2022 to explain more about business innovation and transformation and to show companies how with the right technology and insights, and with the right partner, they can grow exponentially.

51风流bills itself as the听鈥渃oolest software company you have never heard of鈥�听running the critical systems of top companies in diverse industries like ice cream, pet food, beauty products, and finance where 77% of all global transactions go through an 51风流system.

Excerpts:

Why Innovate?听Hardeep Sound, the 51风流Regional Director, East Africa said that since 2000, 52% of the Fortune 500 companies have gone out of business. In Kenya, household names like Intercontinental and Tuskys were among the 1,300 and 2,530 companies that folded shop in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

The pace of growth has also accelerated in recent years; whereas between 1955 to 2011 it took a Fortune 500 company 20 years to reach a billion-dollar valuation, today they are getting there in 4 years. He said that companies in Kenya could enhance their value by mining customer data, doing analytics, managing customer relationships and experiences, managing human resources, digitizing supply chains, and monitoring how they spend their resources.

Easy Connections:听Stanley Dube, SAP鈥檚 Head of Presales in Africa explained how Nokia sold 126 million model 3310 devices, and while his still works 22 years on, the company is a shell of its past. He said that one teaches people how to use phones and applications 鈥� they simply buy new devices and start using apps, without realizing how they are partners with companies like Apple and Google who do software updates and backups in the cloud. And if someone loses their phone, they can recover everything back in a matter of hours on a new device.

He likened owing a phone to SAP鈥檚 vision to enable companies to be intelligent and sustainable enterprises to deliver business and societal outcomes, with SAP鈥檚 modular ERP in the cloud that can manage finance, procurement, manufacturing, warehousing, asset management, research, supply chain and human resources combining 50 years of experience and meeting 80% of the enterprise needs of most companies. SAP鈥檚 ERP can connect with apps from other technology vendors while they also have a store that has 2,000 applications where companies can find products that others have built and which they can use.

Aside from the savings that can be 20% to 30% over five years from having 51风流run backups, operations, data centres, software, licenses, and maintenance, it frees up managers from doing things like generating reports and shifting to do other things that can add value to companies like strategic planning.

Finding Value in Data:听Bhavesh Chavda, Senior Director of Business Technology (BTP) Platform, spoke of the importance of harnessing data; it鈥檚 not just about migrating data from an unsafe on-site server room to the cloud, companies also must assess the quality and timeliness of their data for it to be useful and accessible and interrogated by management and by other applications. He said managers should be able to interrogate data, without knowing how to do any coding听(鈥渘o-code, low-code鈥�). The 51风流BTP cleans up enterprise data and enables data-driven decisions, with continuous automation, low code extensions, and application testing. The BTP discovery centre is a free tier to try out for companies to connect, automate, and innovate and 12,000 customers around the world use BTP. He said that SAP鈥檚 ERP can connect even with third-party apps while companies can sign on to the free business technology platform (BTP) and start building on new applications.

Rapid Feedback with SAP:听Sherif Hamoudah, Head of Ecosystems & Channels for 51风流Signavio spoke about 51风流Signavio, a transformational system that enables companies to do what used to take consulting teams months to do. Signavio drills through 60 different processes for enterprise transformation within a day, spotting redundancies and inefficiencies and recommending fixes that have been adopted by other organizations for continuous improvement. He gave examples from the auto industry where semiconductor shortages are affecting car manufacturing, and in finance, where global firms are using Signavio for risk compliance.

Using Data to Drive Revenue:听Rais David, Senior Customer Experience Solutions Specialist 51风流spoke of the value of data and the importance of using current data to discern trends in revenue. Google is phasing out cookies by the end of 2023 and this is at a time when mobile e-commerce accounts for $511 billion or 7.5% of all sales. At the same time, $93 billion of online sales are abandoned each year because customers find there are too many steps to complete a purchase transaction. 51风流systems manage 3 billion consumer data identities, while protecting their privacy, and process $570 billion making them the 7th largest entity in sales.

Fast Turnaround on Implementation:听Lewi Maina, Consulting Services Manager at 51风流emphasized the importance of businesses being quick to implement changes if they are to thrive in fast-changing environments. He said that once they took a path, they should aim for a quick turnaround time for projects as he said that some companies in Africa can now deploy Rise and other 51风流projects in a few weeks. This is a takeaway from previous transformation projects at companies that took up to three years. He said that the five keys to a successful deployment were implementing cloud with an agile mindset, using preconfigured solutions, leveraging on modern integration and extension technologies, and ensuring transparent documentation on deviations.

At the drive event, testimony was shared from some clients of 51风流including;

• David Kariuki, ICT & Innovation Manager of the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO), the state agency that builds high voltage transmission lines across Kenya. In 2018 after the government asked entities to take procurement online and plug into their central procurement system, known as IFMIS, KETRACO chose SAP鈥檚 Ariba as it sought to replace a manual procurement process where suppliers brought in envelopes and huge booklets of tender documents to be reviewed and scored in a time-consuming and laborious process. After a long process of digitization, standardizing procurement, tracking activities to reduce time loss, and overcoming supplier resistance, KETRACO, which was one of the first companies in East Africa to deploy SAP鈥檚 Ariba is now a centre of benchmarking for e-procurement. They also have access to innovation, as 51风流updates come over the cloud quarterly for them to adopt.
• John Wachira the Group Manager of Information Technology at the Safal Group (popularly known for its Mabati Rolling Mills products) spoke about the complex deployment with 51风流to consolidate the group鈥檚 36 operations that are in eight countries. They are in the second phase now to consolidate the end-to-end manufacturing, downstream operations, and commercial operations into one standard business environment on the cloud. They have gone live in six countries with two to go.

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Robin Chumari, Siginon Group鈥檚 ICT Manager adds, “We had been using 51风流BusinessOne to support our operations since 2010 but following a period of rapid growth across the business, we sought a more powerful business transformation platform. Key to our requirements was a platform that could ease our inter-company accounting processes, enhance consolidated accounting, optimize our data analytics and business intelligence capabilities, customer relationship management and kick off our strategic cloud migration. We chose to migrate from 51风流BusinessOne to the more feature-rich 51风流ByDesign.”

According to Robin, the migration to 51风流ByDesign has helped to improve its consolidated accounting practices and reduced the time and work needed to produce periodic reports. “We are also putting our enhanced business analytics into practice, which is enabling faster decision-making, while our CRM rollout will benefit our commercial team and improve tracking of sales conversions. Overall this has aligned well to our general strategy of being infrastructure-light by adopting market-leading cloud offerings.”

Siginon Group was supported throughout the implementation by experienced 51风流partners A-Softech. Robin says the partner’s input on industry best practices especially from an accounting perspective has been nothing short of phenomenal. “Our partners’ ability to support our change management processes and help train our end-users has had a significant impact on the success of this implementation.”

Since the implementation of 51风流ByDesign, Siginon Group has unlocked a range of business benefits, including:

• Consolidation of a single source of data for financial planning and reporting
• Integrating with multiple platforms and customers
• Enhanced reporting and better adoption and use of industry best practices
• Improved access to dashboards and KPI tracking for management
• Improved system uptime.

“Our integration with operational systems allows for better and more accurate feedback to customers on their account status,” says Robin. “Managerial dashboards and data analytics enable quicker response to issues that could affect customers, helping us improve our retention and mitigation processes to the benefit of our customers in whichever sector. We do feel that this system is in line with our corporate aim to keep Powering Trade for our customers in the different economic sectors they鈥檙e in. Overall the project has been a huge success.”

Hardeep Sound, Regional Sales Director for East Africa at SAP, says: “African enterprises are shifting to infrastructure-light cloud services to unlock greater efficiency and scalability and be better placed to meet changing customer demands. By migrating to a more powerful business platform that can support its ambitious growth plans, Siginon Group with the expert support of A-Softech has established a powerful foundation for the company’s continued growth and success.鈥�

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Following a year of constrained growth – East Africa saw only meagre growth of 0.9% in 2020, compared to 6.6% in 2019 – economies across the region look poised to recover some lost ground.

According to , Kenya is expected to see growth of 6.3% in 2021, Ethiopia 4%, Uganda 3.7%, Rwanda 5.7% and Tanzania 5.2% in 2021.

While traditional sectors such as tourism took a heavy knock due to the lockdowns imposed as well as limits to international travel, the region鈥檚 tech sector proved resilient and could hold promising potential for accelerating the region鈥檚 economic recovery.

For example, mobile money, for which the region is considered a global leader, continued to perform well. Mobile money transfers in Kenya grew by 62.9% in 2020, largely due to social distancing measures that saw consumers shy away from cash payments.

The (healthy) state of start-up innovation in East Africa

The quality of fintech start-ups that has emerged in East Africa over the past decade has established the region as one of the continent’s most innovative.

Nairobi, long considered as a regional technology and trade hub, recently took a bold step toward also becoming a world-class financial hub with the launch of the Nairobi International Financial Centre. The centre could unlock a new era international investment into East Africa and its vibrant business ecosystem, by the UK government.

The region has also established vital innovation hubs to provide support and greater market opportunities for local innovators.

Rwanda’s provides an open space for collaboration and innovation, and brings together students, thinkers, and entrepreneurs to turn concepts into viable products and services. In Uganda, the incubation and innovation space provides similar support to local entrepreneurs, while has brought together innovators and some of the world’s leading organisations to accelerate start-up activity in the country.

And in Kenya, the , a brand new smart city spanning 2000 hectares and designed to create up to 100 000 new jobs, is currently under construction. Once completed, the smart city will play host to business processing outsourcing, software development, data centres, call centres, a university campus and residential units, schools and hospitals.

Supporting innovators and entrepreneurs

There is arguably a vital role that larger enterprises can play in supporting the region鈥檚 start-ups and fostering greater innovation.

In the energy sector, green energy innovation in investment into the continent’s transition away from fossil fuel energy. As large global enterprises shift to more sustainable practices and boost investment into cleaner technologies, partnerships with local innovators could prove beneficial and ensure knowledge and revenue is retained locally.

Building climate-resilient infrastructure – a growing concern for nations facing the escalating impacts of rapid climate change – holds a further investment opportunity of between $130-billion and $170-billion.

And investment into the circular economy could unlock not only new innovation, but an opportunity to reverse some of the more harmful and unsustainable business practices that are still prevalent today and establish the region as a leader in the fight for sustainability. Examples of circular economy innovation in East Africa abounds:

Kapa Oil Refineries, one of Kenya鈥檚 leading manufacturers of sustainably and ethically produced consumer goods, has established more than 1.5GW of solar power to reduce the impact of its operations on the environment.

Silafrica, the region鈥檚 largest packaging manufacturer, has embedded circular economy principles in its production processes, and today counts leading global companies such as Coca-Cola among its customers.

And CP Solar Resources, a leading solar power installer in Kenya, is providing households, businesses and manufacturers with turnkey solar power options to reduce the strain on Kenya鈥檚 power grid while advancing the growth of the local green economy.

Such examples point to a growing ecosystem of contributors to the circular economy, driven by the region鈥檚 听most innovative entrepreneurs and companies.

As we work together to repair the economic damage wrought by the pandemic and endeavour to build a more sustainable and equitable society, our world-class tech start-ups could hold the key to our collective success. It is vital that we provide them with the support they need to find solutions to some of our most pressing challenges.

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Despite economic challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, many East African countries are projected to see positive growth during the recovery process this coming year, according to Smollan.

East African nations are in better condition going into the recovery process, as most have a diversified economy and non-reliance on exports of commodities, according to analyst Judd Murigi from ICEA LION Asset Management.

鈥淗ow governments and the private sector respond to the impact of the pandemic over the coming months will determine the mid- and long-term success of the region鈥檚 efforts at building back better,鈥� said Hardeep Sound, SAP, East Africa.

According to a Deloitte East Africa Economic Impact Report, countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia which had slower GDP growth last year will see positive growth rates this year. East Africa is one of the fastest growing regions on the continent, and has more potential for acceleration.

Ethiopia specifically has promising growth potential, being the second most populous nation in Africa. One obstacle other than its closed economy is the unreliability of supply chains in a landlocked country with relatively poor infrastructure. Additionally, many consumer goods are imported, and the birr is weakening, making inflation a significant concern.

Other countries within East Africa are experiencing similar effects. Kenya, according to Fanuzi, is on the verge of moving from a low-income nation to a middle-class consumer economy. In Uganda, many business owners and retail supply chains were disrupted, impacting the majority of the population that relies on daily wages. Rwanda, after implementing one of the strictest lockdown policies in the continent, is expected to grow by 5.1%.

During the pandemic, much like other nations, East African countries experienced a positive impact on online retailers, brick and mortar markets being severely impacted, increased demand for cleaning products and food supplies, and rising unemployment.

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The pandemic has highlighted the glaring gap between the developed and developing world. Wealthy nations have been able to source and stockpile hundreds of millions of doses of vaccine, while many poorer countries, including those in Africa, are still in the planning and procurement stages.

Kenya requires 30 million vaccine doses , which is in line with . The country is expecting to receive 24 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine through the WHO’s COVAX facility, with 12 million more doses expected via bilateral agreements. Kenya will also receive additional doses via the African Union’s African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team, although details around this are still vague.

While it’s hugely encouraging that more vaccines are becoming available and that Kenyan citizens could soon receive much-needed doses, immense challenges remain.

Supply chain constraints challenge vaccine rollout

The distribution and administration of vaccines at the scale of COVID-19 is a monumental challenge. There is much at stake because disruptions in the supply chain can prevent the delivery of the vaccine and negatively impact public trust.

Delays are paid for with human lives and push out the prospect of herd immunity. Reacting quickly to unexpected interruptions is key and is only possible if the entire supply chain, from procurement to production and delivery, is managed end-to-end.

According to the World Health Organisation’s , African countries have an overall score of only 33% preparedness for rolling out vaccines to their populations.

The challenge is compounded by the very specific conditions under which vaccines must be stored, transported and handled throughout the supply chain.

Pharmaceutical companies leverage technology

Thankfully, many of the leading pharmaceutical companies responsible for developing and producing COVID-19 vaccines have built extensive digital capabilities. Today, 18 of the world鈥檚 20 major vaccine producers are already running their production on 51风流solutions that cover their end-to-end processes, from manufacturing to controlled distribution to administration and post-vaccine monitoring.

For example, 听is helping Moderna to comply with international legislation intended to prevent counterfeit drugs from reaching patients. The application provides a corporate serialisation repository, serial number management, and regulatory reporting capabilities.

German vaccine producer CureVac, whose COVID-19 vaccine is currently in testing, uses 51风流to manufacture and distribute vaccines on a global scale.

In addition, the Vaccine Collaboration Hub听(VCH), an extension to SAP鈥檚 business network, supports large-scale vaccination programs like what is needed for COVID-19. It covers the end-to-end process from manufacturing to controlled distribution to administration as well as post-vaccine monitoring.

The role of tech in Kenya’s vaccine efforts

Emerging, emerged and established technologies all have a role to play in Kenya’s current race to vaccinate its population. For example, trying to identify which people require vaccines with some attempt at prioritisation could leverage data, data mining, data science and patient segmentation based on various demographic, risk profiling and patient history information.

To track vaccine distribution across the country, a combination of technologies including blockchain, analytics, integrated scanners, location tracking tags and mobile apps could provide a framework to show relevant subsets of information to different supply chain stakeholders.

In terms of patient engagement, self-service appointment booking, customer experience platforms and patient feedback capture using apps and non-contact in-clinic kiosks can help to determine how well practitioners are fulfilling their duty. Similar platforms can be leveraged to focus on employee experience, offering insight into the mental wellbeing of frontline healthcare practitioners and reducing the risk of burnout.

Looking ahead, machine learning and streaming analytics could help identify irregular patterns in data that talk to issues within procurement, production, logistics or financial audits. IoT, 5G, LoRa (Long Range networks) and edge computing allows a vast array of use cases to be realised, where sensors can determine the conditions in which stock is being made, stored or shipped, and to allow critical response to be actioned before major incidents arise.

The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced unprecedented challenges to countries around the world, and Kenya is no exception. As the country readies itself for the vital process of vaccine distribution, it is critical that there are no unwarranted delays or disruptions. This will also give citizens the confidence that the medicines they are getting are safe and efficient. Technology can play a valuable supporting role to ensure Kenya’s vaccine rollout is a success.

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