Tech trends to leverage in 2025
It's never too early to be prepared 👀🤷🤷
Heyyy, Dear Innovator
haPpy WeekEnd 👋
Not the month of October speeding up like it stole something 👀
Did someone say it’s the 26th already?!
Hmmmm
In the spirit of running at break neck speed, we’ve stretched our collective necks a lirru bit into the future to bring you this one (…just small, nothing serious 🤭)
With this series, you’ll:
Get a recap of the tech predictions that were done at the start of 2024
See a snapshot of what the stats say and where users seem to be leaning towards (numbers don’t lie, y’know 😏)
aaand finally, how they both translate into the tech trends to look out for in 2025, and how you 🫵 can leverage it.
✨✨ Dive in! ✨✨
Recap of 2024 Tech Trends: Unraveling the predictions, realities and innovations
As 2024 kicked off, it was as though the tech world gathered around a crystal ball 🔮, predicting the upcoming trends and innovations that would define the year.
From AI to FinTech, developer ecosystems to climate tech, the prophecies varied from the extremely obvious to the cautiously optimistic. It’s been a whirlwind ride this entire year (especially considering the economic downturn in Nigeria) and now, it only seems fair to do a breakdown of those predictions and what’s been happening in line with them
1) AI:
It’s everyone’s party favourite these days 😁
AI was expected to continue its relentless expansion from 2023 and reports forecasted a rise in AI-driven applications and platforms.
Indeed, 2024 has been a banner year for AI. In healthcare, there’s been an increase in the use of AI for diagnostics, treatment planning, and speeding up procedures while reducing human error. Agriculture, finance and social media have also reaped benefits, with AI being used to monitor crop health, AI trading bots (who can forget a masterpiece by a member of the Consonance Community of Innovators, Racktor 😍) and X’s Grok.
These are only a tip of the ‘AI iceberg’ that 2024 has brought our way
2) FinTech and The Regulatory Tightrope:
FinTech was expected to maintain its upward trajectory despite facing increasingly stringent 🥵 regulations.
Innovations like blockchain-based microloans, AI-powered credit assessments, and seamless cross-border payments were anticipated. However, as predicted, more regulatory frameworks needed to evolve alongside these innovations.
In reality, FinTech remains one of the most dynamic sectors in 2024, even with all the scrutiny in this space. Different regulatory bodies across Africa, particularly in Nigeria and Kenya, have imposed more rigid frameworks to govern digital finance.
Blockchain-based microloan solutions, like Egypt’s MNT-Halan, have also grown in popularity, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking for alternatives to traditional banking. Cross-border payments like Monirates, who is a member of the Consonance Community of Innovators, have also become more fluid, allowing businesses and individuals to conduct transactions with greater ease.
3) Tech Skills as the New Oil 🛢️:
For this year, it was predicted that there would be a concentrated effort to nurture talent within the continent through developer bootcamps, international collaborations, and retention strategies to keep skilled Africans contributing locally.
True to those predictions, bootcamps and developer programs have exploded in popularity across Africa in 2024. The continent now boasts over 700k developers, and counting. More importantly, the conversation around retaining African talent has evolved into one about creating opportunities that compete with international offerings. On this, AltSchool Africa and Andela seem to be leading the charge.
Tech leaders like Adewale Adeyipo, CEO of CWG, have emphasised that Africa’s tech success depends on viewing transformation as "a journey without a final destination."
The focus for the entire ecosystem, this year, has been on squarely building robust, self-sustaining ecosystems that attract, retain, and nurture local tech talent.
4) Blockchain Beyond Cryptocurrency:
While blockchain has often been synonymous with cryptocurrency, 2024 was forecasted to be the year when more would be done with blockchain in Africa. Innovations around interoperability, scalability, and blockchain-AI convergence were expected to take root, impacting industries such as supply chain management, intellectual property protection, and finance.
In reality, blockchain has indeed expanded beyond crypto, and 2024 is seeing its integration into various sectors. Supply chain management has been a significant beneficiary, as blockchain provides greater transparency and efficiency across logistics operations. Moreover, blockchain and AI have started working in synergy, especially in areas like smart contracts and automated financial systems, further driving innovation in the fintech space.
In Ghana, Bitland, a blockchain platform, has become a game-changer in the real estate industry by providing secure, transparent records of land ownership, thereby reducing fraud and land disputes.
5) 5G and the Telecom Evolution
At the beginning of 2024, predictions highlighted the role of 5G technology as a catalyst for Africa’s digital transformation.
Telecom companies across the continent were expected to ramp up investments with the roll out of 5G infrastructure and with the goal of revolutionising key sectors like fintech, healthcare, and education.
It was also forecasted that 5G would support high-bandwidth apps in telemedicine that would allow healthcare providers to conduct remote surgeries, give real-time diagnostics, and virtual consultations, particularly benefiting rural areas with limited access to medical specialists.
In the fintech sector, 5G was expected to speed up digital transactions, expand the scope of mobile payments, and enhance user experiences. In education, it was predicted that students would be able to access interactive, dynamic learning environments, helping to bridge the education gap in remote areas.
So far, some of the predictions for 5G in 2024 are being realised, with significant progress in several areas:
Telecom Infrastructure Expansion: Telecom giants like MTN, Vodacom, and Safaricom have made significant strides in rolling out 5G infrastructure across Africa.
MTN Nigeria expanded its 5G services to over 13 cities in 2023, significantly enhancing its telecom offerings and contributing to fintech innovations.
Telemedicine and Healthcare: True to the predictions, the healthcare industry has started embracing the potential of 5G, particularly in telemedicine. Remote consultations and diagnostics are becoming more efficient due to the ultra-low latency and high-speed data transmission offered by 5G. Some hospitals in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa are now piloting these solutions to serve patients in remote areas. A good example of this is Hospyta
Fintech Growth and Digital Payments: As expected, the fintech sector has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of 5G. The rollout of 5G-enabled mobile payment platforms in Nigeria and Ghana has made financial services faster, more reliable, and accessible to a larger portion of the population.
Education and Remote Learning: While still in its early stages, immersive learning platforms powered by 5G are being piloted in some schools, with the aim of making virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) a core part of the curriculum. In South Africa this year, there’s been a deployment of VR-enabled classrooms, allowing students to engage in interactive science experiments or virtual historical tours.
Be back for part ✌️ where we’ll take you through user stats and the likely trends that you can leverage in 2025.
Toodles !👋