In an interview with The Standard on Thursday at the YMCA building in Kanifing, founder and chief analyst, Karim Sy said his organisation aimed to create an ecosystem by connecting different communities through ideas.

He added: “We hope to stimulate creativity and also foster collaboration between different countries. We are almost in eight countries now. Africa has to take opportunity of the new digital economy. The economy is emerging and we have to think how to go quicker in fostering our involvement in that new economy. Some are talking about the third industrial revolution. So, it is changing everything; the way we do business, the way we socialise and live. You don’t need a visa to go to the internet. You can do business anywhere in the world and people can buy your products on the internet.

“Also, the great change in IT is that it can leverage competitiveness in different areas like education, agriculture, industry and all the usual sectors we have. Now that we have this ACE project, this is even more very useful.”

Mr Sy said if more efforts are put into the initiative, The Gambia stands good chances of boosting its local economy and reducing significantly the rate of unemployment.

On words of wisdom for ICT learners in upgrading their skills, he said: “The thing is everybody needs to get started; start doing things, be job creators not only job security. We need to change the mentality in The Gambia and in all Africa; Africa is not poor. We have a lot to give to the world and we have to do it on our own.”

Meanwhile, speaking at the launch of the Jokkolabs, the permanent secretary, Ministry of Information and Communication Infrastructure, Lamin Camara, expressed hope that the initiative would provide participants with basic skills in development and also entrepreneurial projects that will promote social change.

He added: “Jokkolabs will create collaborative ideals by involving community through effective linkages in the realisation of ICT social hub in The Gambia.

“ICT is meant to provide services and we can do and achieve that through collaborative means and capabilities that will create avenues where people will share ideas and knowledge to draw concepts such as tech lab, co-working space and business enterprises in order to prevail.”

Source: Standard.gm