CNN is reporting what we’ve always known, Africa is undergoing a technical revolution that is producing African tech voices that need to be heard. Luckily through new technology, those voices are being heard throughout the African Diaspora. Check out a few of CNN‘s picks for African tech leaders that you should be following on Twitter. Our personal favorite is TMS Ruge (@tmsruge), who didn’t make CNN‘s list. Who is your favorite? Share with us in the comments section.
Ory Okolloh (@kenyanpundit)
Ory Okolloh is the policy manager and government relations manager for Google in Africa. She is a co-founder of Ushahidi and served as the organization’s executive director from inception until December 2010. Ory is also the co-founder of Mzalendo, a website that tracks the performance of Kenyan Members of Parliament.
‘Gbenga Sesan (@gebengasesan)
‘Gbenga Sesan is the executive director of Paradigm Initiative Nigeria, a social enterprise that connects underserved people-groups with ICT-enabled opportunities. Originally trained as an electronic and electrical engineer, Sesan completed management training at various universities, including Oxford University and Harvard University. He has also consulted for companies including Microsoft, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the International Telecommunications Union and the British Council. Gbenga is inspiration to many young tech enthusiasts who also have aspirations of a career in the technology industry. Of course, these young people could help themselves to achieve this by obtaining an cissp issap qualification.
Mariéme Jamme (@mjamme)
Mariéme Jamme is a CEO, blogger, technologist and social entrepreneur with a passionate commitment to helping empower her fellow Africans through education, leadership, social entrepreneurship and economic development. Mariéme supported Appfrica International Inc. and the State Department in the USA to organise the Apps4Africa contest across West Africa Central and Southern Africa.
Jon Gosier (@jongos)
Jon Gosier, 30, is a designer, software developer and writer who has spent the last several years supporting Africa’s emerging tech scene. He is the founder of metaLayer.com, a tech start-up that is making the world’s information easier to understand, visualize and share. In 2009, Gosier spoke at TED in Oxford, UK about his first company Appfrica and one of their projects which connected rural African villages with the internet through a call center and light infrastructure. Gosier is also the organizer of the annual Apps4Africa competition which encourages African software developers to develop solutions to local problems.
TMS Ruge (@tmsruge) – The Burton Wire’s Pick
TMS Ruge is currently serving as the lead social media strategist for the Connect4Climate campaign at the World Bank. In 2007, he cofounded Project Diaspora, an online platform for mobilizing, engaging and motivating members of Africa Diaspora to engage in matters important to the continent’s development. A technology enthusiast, Ruge writes and speaks extensively on Africa’s current renaissance driven by technology, youth and the Diaspora. He is a frequent contributor to several online publications including CNN, PopTech, The Globe and Mail, The Guardian. He blogs at the projectdiaspora.org. He was born in Masindi, Uganda and grew up in Uganda, Kenya and the United States.
Read more at CNN.
Like The Burton Wire on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @TheBurtonWire.
[…] and engineers working in their field in 2010. NPR guest host Celeste Headlee spoke with two technologists — Ayori Selassie and Greg Greenlee — about who we’re not paying attention to and what can […]
Comments are closed.