Half a year passed after business trip to the Africa. Visited 3 countries (5 countries if includes transit country) where Botswana, Rwanda, Tanzania. Purpose of trip was explore possibility of the IT business. It was very exciting trip. So, I’d like to share a bit about trip and results.

Botswana:

Arrived at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport at 21:00. After leaved Tokyo, roughly one day. Immigration and Customs is easy. No problem.

Exit a gate, Hotel shuttle driver has been waiting.

Hotel is “Peermont Mondior Hotel” nearby the exhibit hall.Transportation between Hotel and Exhibition hall is Taxi, which arranged by Hotel. It is possible to walk to the Exhibition hall but not recommend.

Exhibit at Global Expo Botswana(GEB) was main purpose. GEB is an annual major event in Botswana.

Number of exhibitor is around 160 and over 20 countries. From Japan, 2 company which included my company was exhibit. Category of industry is wide. From the agliculture to the Oil, IT company was few.

Electricity and WiFi is fine at the exhibition hall. There are no power outage when I was stay. Power plug is not popular type called B3L. You should be prepared appropriate adopter. My convertion plug was little bit small.

So, Weather is basically good but if you gonna go in rainy season, be careful by Heavy rain. Umbrella is not useful.

There are 3 mobile operators in Botswana. Almost people who attend expo had a mobile phone. Percentage of smart phone is around 80%. Over 90% is Android.

  • Botswana Telecommunications Corp(BTC) – Fixed and Mobile
  • Mascom Wireless (MTN) – Mobile
  • Orange Botswana – Mobile.

I think BTC is most biggest.

Around 90% company has own web page and own domain name but others are hasn’t. They were used gmail or yahoo instead of company mail. Additionally, Web design is mostly static. It mean they don’t think it important to have the interactive Web and the company domain name.

I asked possibility of the IT business to Visitor. In many visitor told me that “Of course, IT has potential to growth. But… for now, I don’t have an offer to you. Sorry.”

After get back to Japan. I received a couple of requests. One is setup of the new web page. And another is Chatbot prototype for the Tourism Organization. Both done with no income, such a kind of volunteer. But it doesn’t matter for now.

So, Also government might has many IT work and needed IT infrustractures. But ordinal company dosen’t have much work of IT. Of course, In the near future, IT demands will be increased.

Finally, I have to say thank you all who stop by our booth, and Taxi driver. People in Botswana were very familiar and kind people. I hope see you again.

Rwanda:

In contrast to Botswana, Rwanda’s land area is small, and population is huge. Botswana does not have direct flight to Rwanda. So, I need once back to the South Africa.

 There are many hills. In Kigali city, temperature is high but upper of the hill is cool. Hotel is “Kigali Guestlux Hotel” and was so comfortable hotel. Power outage is frequently. 3 or 4 times in a day. That’s horrible.

Purpose of this trip was to visit technical high school “Tumba College of Technology” which is supported by JICA(Japan International Cooperation Agency). Reason of visit is to see situation of ICT. Because, Rwanda government is promoting ICT.

One of issue is lack of teaching materials, also PC part. Therefore, They needs to repair PC themselves. Of course, they don’t have latest PC. Employment rate is little bit low. But in this high school has a counselor for find a job. Counselor follow up after graduate too.

I didn’t use bike Taxi. Bike Taxi is very popular in Kigali. Men and women, everybody use it 😄

I went a couple of places. Inema Art Center, Nyamata Church, Kigali Genocide Memorial. R.I.P.

Tanzania:

Dar es Salaam is final destination. Here is the Julius Nyerere International Airport. Immigration is No problem. To enter Tanzania, Yellow card must be needed.

Customs, It was a problem. Customs check my bagguage, and they said, “You should be payed tax for projector”. I brought a projector to use at the Global Expo Botswana, am not spposed to use it in Tanzania. They don’t miss it. Oh well. I deposits it at Airport Customs.

Purpose of visit to the Dar es Salaam is sightseeing and meet a friend. Hotel is “Best Western Plus Colosseum” Botswana and Rwanda never met cockroach. But here it is 😩

Went to TingaTinga village. Painter writing art and selling it. There are many vivid colored arts. It’s impressive.

Kilimanjaro beer taste is good. Kilimanjaro mountain is most highest mountain in Africa. 5,895m.

2 weeks journey is over. back to Tokyo.

It was long journey that everything is exciting. As I mentioned above, I had a couple of offer received from Botswana. There are many opportunities in IT area. Issue is how to reduce the communication cost and fee. I’m thinking continue to explore chance. Someday I will go to Africa again to expands business.

Thanks.

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