DIG Africa launches the digital disruption caucus to shake up EA’s tech space

The Digital Innovation Group (DIG Africa) comprising of East Africa’s top techies, recently launched the digital disruption caucus at the Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya.

The Caucus, which according to Ali Hussein, a seasoned techie from the region and a member of the Digital Innovation Group, will be meeting every quarter in a bid to make the Digital Ecosystem in the region engaging and self-sustaining through the following methods:

1. Capacity Building – Through sharing expertise and growing skill base through targeted development programs for members.
2. Influencing Policy – Advance policies that address mission critical issues for technology’s future growth.
3. Establishing Standards – Establish common standards and frameworks to drive efficiency and quality innovation.
4. Research and Data – Work with industry, academia and government to bridge the knowledge and research gap.
5. Thought Leadership – Own Africa’s innovation narrative as the champion for positive change through tech innovation.

“Articulating the DIG Africa objectives. My favourite is influencing policy in the digital space across Africa. With my work in KICTANET and now in the DIG Africa, I’m super passionate about ensuring the right policies are in place to drive more innovation across Africa,” said Ali Hussein.

“Too often business people don’t engage enough with policy makers and then get surprised when bad policies are enacted. This is a challenge to all of us to engage. Spend 5% of your time understanding the policy environment around you and what’s to come to ensure you future-proof your business,” Hussein added.

During the launch Jerry Shikhule was announced as the chairman of the initiative. He noted that the initiative comes a year since the Digital Innovation Group was launched.

“This starts an amazing journey to drive thought leadership, building capacity in the industry and influencing policy,” he added.

Shikhule is an expert in business development and enterprise software sales, he has had the opportunity to plan, develop, accomplish, and showcase major initiatives that drove industry change with millions of dollars in recurring revenue.

“I have led and been part of teams that support individuals, managers, executives and the organization as a whole—and most importantly the customers, whose service experiences have been immeasurably improved through implementation of these forward-thinking ideas,” he notes on his LinkedIn bio.