Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter and mobile payments company Square, tweeted his farewell to Africa on Wednesday, but announced that he would return and temporarily move to the continent for at least three months in 2020.
JHe uggested that he may move to Africa for at least three months next year.
Sad to be leaving the continent…for now. Africa will define the future (especially the bitcoin one!). Not sure where yet, but I’ll be living here for 3-6 months mid 2020. Grateful I was able to experience a small part. 🌍 pic.twitter.com/9VqgbhCXWd
— jack 🌍🌏🌎 (@jack) November 27, 2019
The tech exec was in Ethiopia this week, as part of a month-long tour across the continent that he had tweeted he was making in October. At the time he said he would be meeting with entrepreneurs in Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa.
Africa seems to be the tech-destination as just this week, Former Alibaba Group chairman Jack Ma was also in Ethiopia, signing an agreement to establish a new trade platform.
2 years ago, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, said while in Nigeria that “The future will be built in Africa”, before travelling to Kenya, the “world leader” in mobile money, on his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa, a surprise trip which has propelled Africa’s entrepreneurial spirit into the news.
“It’s inspiring to see how engineers here are using mobile money to build businesses and help their community,” Zuckerberg said after visiting Nairobi’s iHub, the most famous of Africa’s innovation hubs
“Just landed in Nairobi! I’m here to meet with entrepreneurs and developers, and to learn about mobile money – where Kenya is the world leader,” Zuckerberg told his 78-million followers on Facebook. Kenya has 5.3-million Facebook users, many of whom access the social network via mobile.
A foundation for African tech is the continent’s 442 active hubs, accelerators, and incubators (as tallied by GSMA). These spaces have become focal points for startup formation, digital skills building, events, and IT activity on the continent.
Prominent tech hubs in Africa include CcHub in Nigeria, Pan-African incubator MEST, and Kenya’s iHub, with over 200 resident members.