One thing I think is for sure, building Mobile Apps for Africa will set us free somehow, since it appears Mobile phones are becoming a substitute for PC’s in the region.

That said and done, I have a hard time trying to come to terms with how Mobile Operators control and create restrictions around building APPs around their Platforms. Safcom doesnt have an API available and getting Celtels API is almost impossible hence most companies tend to buy turnkey solutions from South Africa or the UK.

So I don’t know if the theory that the more Mobile developers we have, whether the more development opportunities we will have. Somehow I don’t see the direct relationship because the fact that we still need to integrate these services with someones infrastructure seems mind boggling to me.

I have been actively involved in web development for years now, I have lived in Kenya and the US. Money never really was the driver in my entrepreneurial spirits, I think just the sheer fact that I could create and develop and empower was good enough. I agree with Riyaz – passion and other aspects drive certain types of people to develop and create things, if somewhere down the line your idea stands out then money becomes the overall fulfillment factor.

I also think there are so many Kenyan web developers, software programmers, Internet Engineers and Software geeks. However that has not necessarily translated to any innovation simply because the economic drivers and also business opportunities for innovative ideas have not been put in place for young entrepreneurs. I think we are still suffering from old money controlling new money, and nothing will change until that system gets replaced.