27 months

When one thinks of ICT (information and communications technology) leadership in Africa, it’s often the established hubs in Kenya, Egypt, South Africa and Nigeria that spring to mind. There’s no denying that a healthy mix of talent, ideas, infrastructure, market opportunity and favorable business climates exist in these regions. A casual stroll around StartupAfrica or any of the well-known African tech blogs reveals a whole host of pioneering mobile apps, open source software projects, web platform solutions, backyard tech, ICT4D initiatives, technology-focused enabling NGOs and the like. Each is geared toward African consumers and beneficiaries; many are already competing on a global level. Predominantly, though surely not exclusively, the bulk of these innovations stem from one of these aforementioned nations.

Where does Cameroon fit into the picture?

Within the last few months I’ve had the pleasure of getting acquainted with some inspiring young leaders in the ICT space right here in Buea and neighboring Douala. They range in expertise from a netentrepreneur pushing the web’s future in Africa, an outsourcing and custom software company CEO, a group engaged in social entrepreneurship to build community telecenters and wired schools all over Cameroon, to the youngest of the bunch who—a smallbiz wunderkind still in his teens—is already creating jobs as a cyber café owner, with aspirations to become a regional broadband ISP.

Rather than present their stories in one big post, I’ve decided to devote a separate interview to each one. So for this, a series of four profiles of ICT entrepreneurial leadership in Cameroon, we’ll lead off with “FEE” of Kerawa.com. I had an opportunity to catch up with him recently. Here’s our dialogue.

Watch for parts 2-4 throughout this week and next.

Tell me a little about yourself.
“I am FEE. Co-founder of Kerawa.com”

Where did the idea for Kerawa.com come from?
“Kerawa.com was created to establish another link between demand and supply; by providing an online tool that will promote various offline transactions.

An online classifieds, in simpler terms.

We realised that somewhere out there, just around you, there is always someone who needs what you have and who has what you need. This is especially true in our African communities.

You see, you might want to purchase a used car. By chance, someone around your neighbourhood could be selling his at an affordable price. You get to know about this offer on Kerawa.com and just walk over to the seller’s residence, inspect the car, and buy it with real cash. You may even end up gaining a friend in the process.

Commerce should be this easy.”

What new features can we expect from the next release of Kerawa?
“Kerawa.com presently is principally a C2C friendly tool. The next iteration of Kerawa will be geared towards including some B2C and B2B components, making Kerawa more enterprise friendly.”

What’s next after Kerawa?
“Nothing in mind. There are still lots of things to be done in Kerawa. A lot of room for innovation and excitement.”

What are the challenges faced by African entrepreneurs launching web startups?
“Where other countries already have an internet market, we African netentrepreneurs have the hard task of actually creating the internet market itself. We still have a low percentage of users who use the internet, or who are even aware of its potentials.

Before becoming actual business men, we become preachers. Helping spread the wonders of new information technology and how it can aid our struggling African economy.”

What’s unique about software created in Africa? Should it be marketed differently from software created elsewhere?
“The constraints we face force us to approach software development differently. We have less skilled people, less money, less time, and less access to information.

But less is more. It forces us to develop simpler solutions. To focus on the essentials.

Marketing is twice as hard because our companies feel more comfortable with software developed overseas. This is paradoxical, because overseas companies are increasingly outsourcing their projects.

The fault is also partly ours. We need to create better software. Better products sell for themselves.”

What advice would you give a budding African IT entrepreneur?
“Just do it; the African way. It is our ability to transform our disadvantages into advantages that determine our success.

There is no excuse in life. You can either do it or you can’t. You either succeed, or you fail.”

Other thoughts/comments?
“We want to seize this opportunity to thank everyone for helping us cross our 10 000 ads milestone. It’s very encouraging.

Thank you too, Bill, for this interview.
Don’t forget to kerawise your stuff.”