This initiative aims to boost the education of students and simplify administrative operations through cutting-edge technology.

EdoCert, designed for students across the state, is a huge advancement in how academic credentials are issued and managed.

With innovative solutions, the platform is set to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and ensure secure, accessible verification of certificates for learners across the state.

Speaking at the launch of the unique EdoCert innovation solution, the Commissioner for Education, Honourable Dr. Joan Oviawe said, “We are very excited about this milestone and the long-term of this digitalization effort on our commitment to improving learning delivery across the state. I am glad to mention that certificates issued from 2019 to date will now be available online and accessible with students’ IDs and various identification codes of the students, and the certificates will be digitally verifiable”.

According to the Commissioner, the platform launched on the 4th of September, is designed to provide students with secure, easy, and cost-effective access to their academic credentials.

“This effort will significantly improve learning outcomes in the state and serve as a model for other states and countries in Africa to adopt. Thanks to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for supporting the initiative, EdoDiDA the Edo state data agency, Data Science Nigeria the implementing partner for the project.”

Dr.  Oviawe also disclosed that the initiative aligns with the transformation agenda championed by the Executive Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, who is committed to positioning Edo State as a leader in technology adoption within public service.

EdoCert represents a major leap forward in the state’s efforts to modernise education management. By automating the certificate issuance process, the platform eliminates manual errors, enhances data accuracy, eradicates fraud, and ensures consistency across records. 

It also offers scalability and accessibility, enabling students to receive their certificates promptly, regardless of their location. This digital approach is designed to foster inclusivity, ensuring that all students, including those in remote and underserved areas, benefit from this technological advancement.

Expressing his optimism on the innovative feat to position Edo State as a leader in technology adoption within public service especially as it relates to education, Dr Bayo Adekanmbi, the CEO of Data Science Nigeria, the Bill and Melinda Gates implementing partner in the state, said that the team is excited about the possibilities of DiCert, a digital public good in how citizens can easily access basic services like academic credentialing.

“For Edo State and other states that will adopt this strategic social investment, DiCert will expedite access to education certificates, eliminating costs associated with delays and unverifiable credentials, such as lost academic opportunities and missed scholarships. It will also offer instant verification for educational institutions and employers while enhancing the credibility of the learning delivery system”.

According to the Data Science expert, the impact of EdoCert extends beyond just operational efficiency. The platform plays a key role in fraud prevention and verification by incorporating security features such as unique identifiers and digital signatures, making it easier for guardians, institutions, and employers to verify the authenticity of certificates.

The platform’s additional feature of being able to integrate with the National Identity Number, for learners who have it further enhances the legitimacy of the certificates, verifying that the learner whose name appears on the certificate is the same as represented in the national identity database.

Additionally, it improves record-keeping and data management, providing the Ministry of Education with comprehensive and easily retrievable records of issued certificates, which supports better decision-making and future planning.

It is a reality that across much of Africa, health systems suffer from serious inefficiencies and are widely inaccessible, and this was exasperated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This led to traditional healthcare providers adopting new tech products such as virtual healthcare platforms, telemedicine, drones, big data analytics, wearables, and information management to improve overall health outcomes. 

More than 40 health-tech start-ups on the continent received series A funding in 2020 alone.

Almost a year ago, the Moroccan consulting firm Southbridge A&I and its Canadian partner Salient Advisory published a joint report on the financing challenges of healthcare delivery companies in Africa.

They proposed two continental mechanisms to better direct international funding to African startups and to provide pooled working capital solutions in Africa.

Recently, Southbridge A&I, Salient Advisory and SCIDaR launched the Investing in Innovation (i3) Program, implementing the first recommendation of this report, which will be headed by Startupbootcamp AfriTech (SBC), as the South African Implementation Partner.

Marketing and Storytelling Lead at Startupbootcamp AfriTech, Jocelyn Nyaguse says: “HealthTech innovations are on the rise in Africa, as the continent is served by only 2%2 of the world’s healthcare professionals.

Entrepreneurs are constantly finding solutions that are aligned with Sustainable Development Goals to empower the lives of Africans, and programs such as the i3 are a perfect fit for scaling these innovative solutions that better the lives of ordinary people.

“Earlier in June, statistics from the Global Startup Awards Africa (GSA) Summit revealed that 11% of all the 2021 GSA winners came from HealthTech. Globally, governments are actively seeking and embracing these new opportunities to improve the quality, reach and efficiency of health. Therefore, we are honoured to be selected as industry enablers that will improve the state of South Africa’s healthcare system,” Nyaguse adds.

As the most experienced, African-based and lead multi-corporate-backed tech accelerator that specializes in unlocking and growing Pan-African tech opportunities, SBC enables platforms to provide mentorship and skills training for startups to ensure they can scale. SBC supports startups across Africa, including entrepreneurs in the HealthTech space.

The i3 program is a $7 million pan-African program designed to support 30 companies per year over two years, specialising in HealthTech and the supply chain in Africa. I3 aims to identify early-stage or growth-stage innovators across the continent that can make a tangible impact on public health, whether in terms of availability, accessibility, quality or transparency of health supply chains.

These companies, selected by four leading accelerators across the continent, will be eligible for a systematic grant of $50,000 as well as a market access program through events organized across the continent. 

This ambitious program is sponsored by partners who will be heavily involved throughout the program.

These include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the African Union Development Agency, the World Health Organization AFRO, and two major players in the pharmaceutical industry: the Merck Group and AmerisourceBergen.  

Cheikh Oumar Seydi, Director, Africa, at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, commented: “African health innovators have shown increasing capacity to leverage technology to optimize supply chains and advance access to medicines. Such local innovations have the potential to change how supply chains and health systems function – and it is time to support them. We are pleased to be collaborating with strong global and continental partners to jointly strengthen African health systems and accelerate progress towards universal health coverage.” 

Speaking on the launch of the report and i3 program, Remi Adeseun, Director of Salient Advisory, said: “There has been considerable progress over the past year as supply chain innovations work to enhance access to quality medicines. Our report provides investors, donors, and governments with actionable recommendations on engagement strategies to advance companies’ growth and impact. With funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and along with our esteemed partners, we are excited to be launching the Investing in Innovation program to connect promising companies to customers who can power their impact and scale.”

South African HealthTech startups are encouraged to leverage opportunities by applying for the i3 program to receive business support that will enable their businesses to scale.

How to apply:

Applications for the first cohort of 30 companies are now open and will close on August 14.

With the program officially launching on September 19, 2022, start-ups working in health product distribution across Africa are invited to apply here.

Some key data from the Nigeria health tech space are below:

Spurred by these findings, a consortium of global and continental organizations, with funding from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has announced the launch of a pan-African initiative to support companies’ impact, access to markets and commercialization.

Salient’s report, titled ‘Innovations in Digitising Distribution of Health Products’, highlights more than 80 healthtech innovators in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria. Tech-enabled approaches to digitizing medicine distribution to underserved pharmacies, drug shops, clinics and hospitals, pioneered by companies such as Lifestores, Maisha Meds and Shelf Life, recorded rapid growth in the past year, mirroring trends seen in B2B e-commerce on the African continent. Innovators are also demonstrating an increasing interest in powering rural supply chains, improving availability of medicines, and bolstering resilience of supply chain operations.

Investor interest has also been strong; 36% of all-time funding reported by health care supply chain innovators profiled was raised in the last 12 months. However, exclusionary funding trends remain entrenched: only 2% of recent funding was raised by Black, women founders, a total of just $1.6 million in 2021.

Inspired by the progress and potential of African innovators in supply chain, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, alongside Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa, AUDA-NEPAD and AmerisourceBergen, are launching a $7 million pan-African initiative to provide 60 promising early and growth-stage companies with risk-tolerant grants alongside commercialization support to power their impact at scale. The program, called Investing in Innovation (i3), is coordinated by Salient Advisory, SCIDaR, and SouthBridge A&I and is operationalized with CCHub, Startupbootcamp, IMPACT Lab, and Villgro Africa. Applications for the first cohort of 30 companies are open now here.

Applications will close in mid August.

Cheikh Oumar Seydi, Director, Africa, at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, commented:

“African health innovators have shown increasing capacity to leverage technology to optimize supply chains and advance access to medicines. Such local innovations have the potential to change how supply chains and health systems function – and it is time to support them. We are pleased to be collaborating with strong global and continental partners to jointly strengthen African health systems, and accelerate progress towards universal health coverage.” 

Dr Abdullahi Sheriff, AVP, Global Market Access, Sustainable Access Solutions at MSD also commented: 

“There has been considerable progress in tech-driven innovation in health product distribution across Africa. Spurring and scaling disruptive innovation in health supply chain is key to expanding access to medicines for all. That’s why we, at MSD, are excited to collaborate on the i3 program.” 

Dr Janet Byaruhanga, Senior Programme Officer – Health at AUDA-NEPAD also commented:

“The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the capacity of African innovators to leverage tech-enabled solutions to transform medicine distribution. AUDA-NEPAD will continue to leverage its mandate and comparative advantage to foster partnerships that strengthen evidence, deploy innovation, enhance policy environments and facilitate critical investments, while creating valuable and high-impact jobs across the continent.”

Speaking on the launch of the report and i3 program, Remi Adeseun, Director of Salient Advisory, said: 

“There has been considerable progress over the past year as supply chain innovations work to enhance access to quality medicines. Our report provides investors, donors, and governments with actionable recommendations on engagement strategies to advance companies’ growth and impact. With funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and along with our esteemed partners, we are excited to be launching the Investing in Innovation program to connect promising companies to customers who can power their impact and scale.”

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