On today's episode of the Techpoint Africa Podcast, our hosts, Oluwanifemi Kolawole and Chimgozirim Nwokoma discuss African tech stories making the waves this week.
First is the e-hailing drivers strike in Kenya.
Ride-hailing drivers in Kenya started a five-day strike early this week, demanding fair pay and the removal of value-added taxes.
They protested at the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) office on the first day, following a government mandate ten months ago that forced Bolt and Uber to lower their commission to 18%.
The strike by Kenyan ride-hailing drivers aims to secure influence in Uber and Bolt’s pricing decisions, arguing they cover expenses like insurance and parking fees.
Chimgozirim and Oluwanifemi agree that labour laws in Africa don't give enough support to workers in the gig economy and this hinders some of the drivers' efforts to get better perks.
Next is Chowdeck and it's new "ad product"
Chances are that if you are a Chowdeck user and you open the app right now, you'll see an ad.
It first happened in May when users began seeing ads for Nigerian artist, Ayra Starr’s album ‘The Year I Turned 21'.
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Chimgozirim believes this is a good idea but questions how the startups hopes to juggle a possible ad product and delivering quality services to users.
Last is the Nigerian government's plan to create a mobile app for farmers.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, announced this move in an interview, addressing questions about extension services for training farmers in modern farming practices.https://techpoint.africa/2024/07/16/nigeria-plans-develop-app-farmers/
According to the Minister, the app's development is driven by the low ratio of extension workers to farmers.
Chimgozirim believes this is another ill-advised move from the government.
Here's an agricultural fun fact for you:
On average, the agricultural sector contributed 24.87% to Nigeria's GDP over the past decade. However, the sector's contribution has been declining since 2020, dropping from 26.21% to 25.18% in 2023.
You can catch up on the conversation on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and anywhere you get your podcasts. You can also send your questions and observations to podcast@techpoint.africa or share your thoughts using the hashtag #TechpointAfricaPodcast.
