07 Oct 2015

Ditec Mobile Company has launched Botswana’s first and only online mobile application store called Di-Apps Mobile Application Store.

Ditec Mobile is a 100 per cent citizen owned company that designs, customises and manufactures hi-tech mobile phones and has a handset, Pioneer, that has been promoted in over 10 African countries.

Speaking at the official launch of Di-Apps Mobile Application Store, the Minister of Youth Sport and Culture, Mr Thapelo Olopeng commended Ditec Mobile Company for the achievement and said it must be encouraged and supported as it would go a long way in improving Botswana’ earnings.

He said the achievement bears testimony to the fact that the young people of this country are creative and can stand their ground in the creative global environment and his ministry therefore remains steadfast in its support and empowerment of the youth of Botswana.

Mr Olopeng urged other role players such as the public sector, parastatals and private sector to rally behind the young and support them as this would not only boost their confidence but would also lead to innovation and economic advancement of Botswana.

He pointed out that most of the major global brands started as locally based innovators which grew due to the support of governments and private partners in their respective countries.

The minister also cautioned the young investors and entrepreneurs to be resilient and focused on their goals to ensure success, adding that their conduct and competiveness would attract investors.

“Therefore it is critical that technology companies develop synergies to aggregate various applications and digital content to serve young people, this will not create employment opportunities for them but will empower them to grow,” Mr Olopeng said.

He said the current content available on the Di-Apps store shows that there is a huge potential for the youth to innovate and come up with solutions or services that can be pushed through smartphone technology. “I would like to draw your attention to the following locally developed APPs for your consideration: learn Setswana App, Thanodi Translator and Maele le Diane,” Mr Olopeng said.

For his part, the board member of Botswana Innovation Hub, Mr Jacob Thamage in his welcoming remarks said as the increase in usage of smartphones has brought with it endless possibilities services that can be provided through smartphone technology, innovative companies are constantly expanding the envelope of possibilities of applications.

“Likewise, Ditec Mobile has seized this opportunity and developed a Di-Apps Mobile Application Store which sells applications with local content and that come pre-installed in all their smartphones and at Botswana Innovation Hub we find this very exciting,” Thamage said.

 

He said Di-Apps is set to stimulate application development and usage of local content which will make it possible for Botswana’s creativity and technology to be availed to the world within this platform. Ends