How to grow your turnover to over a billion rand
By Denise Persson, CMO at Snowflake How can your company scale and break through the competition to get to US$100-million (R1.8-billion) in revenue? This has been the biggest challenge at every startup I’ve marketed for and taken public over the past 25 years, including Snowflake. It’s no small feat. Back when Snowflake was founded in 2012, an extremely small percentage of companies made it. According to a 2013 study by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, only about 0.02 to 0.05 percent of companies founded in the United States reached US$100-million in revenues in a reasonable timeframe. There’s also no magic formula, and what’s most important is how well you execute. But there are a few strategies or pillars that I believe marketing teams should follow as they scale. These pillars were the cornerstones of our marketing success at Snowflake during our journey to US$100-million. Create strong positioning Positioning is actually more than a pillar of marketing—it’s the entire foundation. And just as with a house, if the foundation isn’t strong, the walls will crack. With strong positioning, you can avoid cracks in your marketing, and your program investments will be more effective. Author Al Reis describes positioning as the battle for your prospects’ minds. Winning the battle is about how well you differentiate yourself in their minds. The first thing you need to do is define the category you wish to own. In 2016 at Snowflake, the category we were determined to own was “The Data Warehouse Built for the Cloud.” Our positioning has evolved since then, and today, Snowflake delivers the Data Cloud. But for our journey to $100-million, that was our positioning. We ran extensive focus groups with real prospects to make sure that our positioning worked with people who didn’t know Snowflake. Most often, companies do a few interviews with current prospects or customers, but that isn’t really enough. The category that you’re creating needs to be relevant to companies you will sell to at the next stage of growth. You also get a lot of data and insight back from prospects, and this data-driven process makes it easier to get buy-in internally, which is vital to create consistency in your positioning. Your employees, partners, and customers all need to describe you the same way. So for more than three years, our Data Warehouse Built for the Cloud positioning was everywhere, and if anyone described us differently, we asked them to change it. You can’t win the battle for your prospects’ minds if you are changing who you are every six months. The more consistent you are, the more impactful your marketing will be. Be the most customer-centric When you look at what the most admired brands in the world have in common, you’ll see that they all own their categories, they’re extremely consistent with their brand experience, and they have incredible customer loyalty. Within Snowflake’s marketing team, our number-one priority from the beginning has been to put the customer first. That means that we think from the outside-in, all the time. What do customers need from us? We did a few things to make sure we always kept our focus on customers. Our marketing team ran almost daily meetings with our sales engineers who were out in the field with our customers. That helped us learn which questions and concerns we needed to address. To scale our content development in those early days, we got almost every employee involved with writing content and creating videos that were laser-focused on what our customers wanted to learn. This helped us create trust and credibility, which startups often lack. Whenever possible, we put actual customers at the forefront of our marketing programs. We have thousands of brand ambassadors among our customers today, and they are our most effective marketing. To get customers involved in our marketing efforts, we worked on building direct relationships with them and made sure there was value for them to participate. We also started customer advisory board meetings, where we gave our customers fake dollar bills and asked them to invest them in different parts of our roadmap. This helped us prioritise the things that mattered most to them. Finally, I recommend companies start an annual customer engagement survey as early as possible. This also helps you establish your Net Promoter Score (NPS) score. Every year, we measure every single component of our customers’ experience with Snowflake, and the survey provides us with invaluable insights. Build for scale Many startups get to US$20-million and experience a slowdown in growth. This often happens because they rely on manual work, and because they don’t build their marketing technology stack and processes to scale. In 2017, the big topic at every all-hands meeting at Snowflake was around automating more work so we could get rid of the “hamsters.” The hamsters were all of the resources doing work that should be automated. In the beginning, they were very important in doing things such as setting up accounts for our customers. But it wasn’t really until we had a fully automated provisioning system that our free-trial sign-ups took off. We also built our marketing technology stack to scale with our growth from the beginning. If you don’t, you’ll have to slow down and start replacing parts, hindering your momentum. In addition, we scaled every component of our demand process. For example, we introduced live product demos to cut down on one-to-one meetings. We instituted a weekly Office Hours session where prospects can talk live to a reference customer and get all their questions answered. This eliminates the one-to-one reference call request and helps us respect our customers’ time. For startups looking to scale to US$100-million quickly, get rid of the hamsters as soon as you can, make sure your technology can grow with you, and find ways to improve every component of your buyers’ journey that is time-consuming. Be bold To break through in today’s competitive market and compete with large, well-known brands, you have to get noticed. The
The ESG balancing act
By Topco Marketing Achieving balance across the three pillars of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is a complex challenge that many organisations face. Implementing an ESG strategy can be daunting, especially when considering the various hurdles that must be overcome. There are several reasons why ESG implementation can be difficult: According to a LinkedIn survey conducted by Kaizen Institute in 2024, 40% of respondents prioritise the Environmental Pillar of ESG, often overshadowing social and governance aspects. To achieve true balance, organisations must adopt a holistic approach that integrates sustainability into every aspect of the business. So, how can organisations overcome common ESG challenges and achieve success? Despite these challenges, there are several strategies that businesses can employ to overcome them: Join the conversation The Future of Sustainability Conference hosted at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg, is a must-attend event for professionals and stakeholders across industries focused on sustainability, innovation, and transformation. Set to take place on 26 and 27 March 2025, the event promises to foster rich dialogue, inspire actionable insights, and spark collaborations that will shape the future of Africa’s sustainable development. Join us to learn how to: The Future of Sustainability conference: Where connections meet innovation Our conference is the perfect platform to connect with organisations and individuals who share your passion for sustainability. Join us to: Top speakers to watch We are proud to announce an exceptional lineup of keynote speakers and panellists, each with unique expertise and a shared vision for Africa’s sustainable future: Key topics and panel discussions This year’s conference will feature high-impact panel discussions tackling the most critical issues surrounding Africa’s sustainability journey. Expect thought-provoking conversations on: Have a look at the programme here and the event fact sheet here. Thank you to our gold partner, Heineken Beverages South Africa; our premium digital partner, iME; our silver partner, Old Mutual Insure; our bronze partners, Nestlé, Nespresso, Dell Technologies/Intel and Isanti Glass; and our showcase counter partner, AECI. A special thank you to our knowledge partner, The Carbon Trust, and strategic partners: UN Global Compact Network South Africa, Good Governance Africa, GreenCape, and Primedia Out of Home. Don’t let ESG scare you! Partnering and collaborating with other organisations might be your solution. 🌱 Register now Secure your spot at the Future of Sustainability Conference and start driving ESG success through effective communication, collaboration, and connection. Ticket link: https://qkt.io/FOS2025 For more information go to the Future of Sustainability website Invoices are available upon request from marketing@topco.co.za
What to look for when recruiting
By Juanita Vorster Business leaders across the globe worry about attracting and retaining top talent, especially as remote and hybrid workforces are becoming the norm. In their responses to surveys they often list it as a main inhibitor of profitable growth into the future! Despite this, most business leaders and managers prioritise other tasks over recruitment and talent selection rather than seeing it as a vital part of their jobs. In addition, many business leaders and managers do not have the skills required to ensure that the right people are found and placed in the right jobs. Statistically, using traditional recruitment methods has a 60% failure rate, resulting in an enormous waste of time and money. Getting recruiting right is therefore something that can’t be left to an HR department or line manager alone; business leaders have to get personally involved. Getting the right people for the right jobs as a four-stage process with each step being of equal importance: Specify Before advertising a vacancy, business leaders must be crystal clear about the job specification as well as the attitudes and behaviours of the person needed for the job. This, in turn, needs to align with the purpose, vision and values of the company. The best talent has a choice these days and will simply not work for an organisation whose values they don’t share; another reason why leadership needs to be actively involved in recruitment. These specifications should be written down and be clear enough for anyone to understand. This will help to prevent two common recruitment mistakes: deciding what the job specifications are based on the available talent or hiring based on chemistry rather than true fit. The popular saying “hire for attitude, train for skill” is very noble in its intent, but business owners and leaders adhering strictly to this sentiment might run the risk of not achieving the optimal mix of behavioural competencies needed for peak performance. Find Owners and leaders of smaller organisations often fall into the trap of thinking that they won’t be able to attract top talent, so they approach the vacancy listing process with a timid attitude. Top talent isn’t always the most expensive people or the most qualified. Instead, they are the people who are the absolute best fit for a specific role in a specific organisation. It is therefore of utmost importance that a vacancy listing is not just a list of required skills and experience; to attract the appropriate talent, the vacancy listing must reflect the true culture and values of the business and what it’s like to be part of the team. To access the top talent pool, business leaders must involve those who are experts in selling the benefits of the company in creating the vacancy listing. Marketing people are often a better choice for this task than an HR department or even recruitment agencies. That is the best for a business to attract top talent – that might be currently employed – rather than limit itself to a talent pool of despondent job seekers. During the interview process of shortlisted candidates, top talent will most likely ask questions to help them determine whether the values of the business align with their own values. If they can’t get a clear idea of what the values are or how the business practically lives those values, or they feel that their values do not align with those of the business, they’ll go look for employment somewhere else. Assess It is astonishing that many companies around the world still rely on an impressive CV with one or two interviews as the only activities to recruit talent. Even references can’t be guaranteed as a mark of quality as they can be influenced by litigation around labour disputes. True top talent will be able to prove that they are the best during an assessment that must form part of the recruitment process. The difficulty of the assessment will of course differ depending on the job level recruited for, and businesses must never abuse the assessment process to gain free insights or labour. Assessments may appear to be time-consuming and costly, but the cost of getting recruitment wrong has been estimated as about four or even five times the employee’s annual salary! It’s therefore much less expensive to use assessments than to recruit and train an employee who was never right for the job or whose aspirations conflicted with those of the business. Negotiate The final stage in the recruitment process should be a discussion and negotiation between the selected candidate and their potential direct manager on the exact details of the role and remuneration package. People can truly make or break a business – irrespective of its size or shape. With economic pressure rising and an increase in leadership burnout, no business leader can afford to stand back and allow mediocre talent to come on board. Juanita Vorster is a successful entrepreneur with a knack for turning complex business concepts into simplified, practical advice.
The B2B Formula: The 5 key pillars to growth engineering
By Andrew Honey, Founding Partner and Group CEO of ThinkSales Global B2B market-leading companies are led by CEOs who understand the factors that impact revenue growth and profitability and then design a strategy to address these factors. Factors impacting revenue growth and profitability in the B2B landscape: Revenue growth engineering: How market leading B2B companies do it Ultimately, for B2B companies to excel, they must enable the Sales organisation within the business to deploy a customer-centric, differentiated customer engagement process. The 5-pillars of a market-leading B2B sales organisation The foundation of a successful B2B organisation is what we call a ‘revenue growth approach’ that simultaneously focuses on sales growth and margin protection. There are five key pillars that must be developed and then matured in every organisation to achieve this goal, finally reaching a level of optimisation that ensures a strong, sustainable and above-all competitive B2B business. The five key pillars of a high-performance sales organisation: 1. Competitive strategy Many companies do not have a documented, customer-centric sales organisation strategy that differentiates the organisation for a competitive advantage. Instead, many companies simply have a set of actions they will take to make a budget, not founded on market opportunity, but rather an increase on the previous year’s sales. Furthermore, strategy too often fails to be translated into an execution. As a result, sales managers are not equipped with a clear road map of where to focus or what exactly their sales reps should do differently. The solution: Executives should conduct a 360-degree GAP analysis of their sales organisation and then design an ideal future-state strategy. The potential for a competitive advantage for a company is for the sales organisation to perform a set of activities differently to their competitors. This is simultaneously differentiating and difficult to commoditise. 2. Customer engagement If the process and systems for prospecting and customer engagement is either not defined or randomly followed by sales reps, the business has no control over how customers are perceiving a B2B organisation. This can result in sales teams who are unable to articulate value to customers or guide them through a quality decision-making process. The solution: B2B organisations must develop an agile approach to mapping, refining and testing processes in response to changing business environments and customer needs. 3. Sales talent An ill-defined approach to hiring and developing sales talent means that leadership teams do not develop star performers who are able to articulate value and differentiate the business. This often leads to missed opportunities and missed targets, because the sales team is unable to engage on value and with the correct level of stakeholders on a B2B level. The solution: Building a strong sales force starts with hiring. Companies that rely on scientific assessment tools over gut instinct to identify competitive sales DNA will win in the end – as this will result in a high percentage of sales reps who can meet their revenue targets. 4. Sales management In many organisations, top sales reps are promoted into sales management positions in the hope that a star performer will somehow rub off on sales reps who report to them. The reality is that this is seldom the case, particularly if the sales rep in question relied on their charisma and relationship-building skills to close deals. The solution: Strong sales management abilities rely on a systematic, metrics-driven approach including coaching to drive sales rep activities and outcomes. They also need good change management capabilities as B2B customers are constantly evolving and changing, and so how an organisation sells to them must be both agile and adaptable. 5. Sales enablement Since 70% of B2B buyers are doing their own online research before they even reach out to a brand, presenting compelling collateral that effectively positions your solution is an important foundational principle. How a customer engages with your brand is therefore the product of sales collateral that supports the entire buying funnel. The solution: A buyer-centric view is essential when developing engaging collateral. Industry-aligned and needs-driven content captures a buyer’s attention, while evidence-based case study content that demonstrates a strong return-on-investment is important to help position your brand as a leader, overcome scepticism and justify buying decisions.
Social media lead generation ideas for your business
By Rucien Petersen, Managing Director, Spottmedia There are many challenges businesses could face when it comes to building a brand on social media. A few challenges include lack of creativity, online reputation management and the ability to become noticed and stand out. However, there is one challenge and theme that is becoming a daily issue for many businesses and that is the creation of content on a consistent level. Content is the life blood for a business on social media. If you do not have content your socials become inactive and dormant. There are three main aspects brands should consider when it comes to positioning themselves on social media. These aspects include education, information or entertainment. The creation of content should be based on these three aspects and should align to the business goals and objectives. Below I discuss a few ideas we focus on when creating content for a business on social media. Here are 7 social media lead generation ideas to try next: Run a competition If you start out generating followers and engagement is not that easy. A great way to draw attention, generate followers and engagement is to run a competition. Partner with brands that align to your company’s values. When it comes to running a competition the trick in making it a success is the prize on offer. Make sure the prize is of a higher value, what we found with competitions is that the higher the value, the higher the interest and traction. Product/service feature and benefits If you are stuck with creating unique content the simple and easiest content to focus on is your product and service offering. However, we found that most brands are going this route on social media. One way to differentiate yourself from your competitors is to focus on the benefits customers will derive from your product/service. So instead of simple images of the product, share more about the experience and value potential customers will gain from it. Blog Blogging contributes to your brand being found online and is an effective tactic used to educate potential customers. Besides writing about the value your product/service can offer, you can also write about solution offerings. The words “How to” have been the most searched keywords on Google. Blog using ‘How to’. If you are a baker, you can write regular blogs on How to bake the perfect chocolate cake? How to bake a simple carrot cake? How to start a bakery? Use this content on your website as it will help your business with SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) then share this content on your social media pages. Tips Another form of content can be to provide weekly tips. Once you understand who your target audience is. Try to see how you can add value to them by providing tips and ways to overcome the challenges you have experienced. These tips can be in the form of short video clips or carousel images. CSI (Corporate Social Initiative) There are many needs within our communities. As a startup or small business you might not always have the funds to sponsor a NGO. The easiest way to get involved in your community is to offer what you have (service, product or knowledge). This will only cost you time and you can use the sponsorship as content for your social media pages. Customer reviews Credibility and trust is a major issue when it comes to consumers buying into your business and service offering. Asking your clients for reviews and posting it on social media gives you more content to play around with and to use. Posting your customers feedback instills confidence and trust amongst potential customers when conducting research online on your brand. User Generated Content Humans connect with humans and user generated content is an effective way to establish a human connection. User Generated Content can either be in the form of your clients or an influencer campaign. You can post about your clients’ experience in your store or shop. Alternatively run an influencer campaign where you run a trade exchange offering an influencer product/service in exchange for posts over their social media platforms.
Video and audio surveillance in the workplace
By Jessie Taylor A balance of rights Video and audio surveillance in the workplace is an increasingly common practice used by employers to monitor employee behaviour, ensure security, and prevent misconduct. However, while surveillance can be a useful tool, it also raises important legal and ethical considerations. Employers must balance their need to protect company interests with their employees’ rights to privacy. Employers often face challenges when proving employee misconduct at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and bargaining councils. The burden of proof lies entirely on the employer to establish that a dismissal was fair. Many employers rely on video evidence to strengthen their cases, believing that visual proof of wrongdoing, such as theft, guarantees a favourable ruling. However, this is not always the case. While the CCMA and courts have accepted video evidence in certain cases, there have been instances where such evidence was rejected. Factors that influence the admissibility of video evidence include: While video evidence can be useful, it is not automatically admissible. Employers must ensure compliance with evidentiary and privacy laws to use surveillance footage effectively. In South Africa, workplace surveillance is subject to various legal provisions, including: Employers must inform employees of surveillance measures and ensure that monitoring does not infringe on their rights. Failure to comply with these legal requirements may render surveillance footage inadmissible in legal proceedings and expose employers to legal action. Employers do have certain obligations when installing surveillance in the workplace. While employers have the right to implement surveillance, recourse is available to employees who feel their rights have been violated. Video and audio surveillance can be a powerful tool for employers, but it must be used responsibly and within the boundaries of the law. Employers should prioritize transparency, compliance, and fairness when implementing surveillance systems to avoid legal disputes and maintain a positive workplace environment. On the other hand, employees should be aware of their rights and take action if they feel their privacy is being infringed upon. A well-balanced approach ensures that workplace surveillance serves its intended purpose without undermining trust and employee well-being. Sources: Labour Guide | Legal Leaders
Tailoring your workspace to retain and attract talent
By Andile Mgudlwa, Managing Director of Facilities Management Division at Empact Group There is very little doubt that dealing with the global pandemic resulted in a significant shift in how we perceive our workplaces. Whilst society as a whole seems to have gone back to how things were before March 2020, the workforce and the businesses they are employed by seem to be divided on how best to move forward. Employers are on a drive to get people back to the office for better corporate culture and face-to-face collaboration. Workers on the other hand seem to be torn between the flexibility that comes with working remotely (and the resultant savings on transport costs) and missing the in-person interaction they have with their colleagues when they are at the office. Hybrid working arrangements seem to be the solution that more employers are adopting to address these different needs. Most companies have put policies and incentives in place to entice people to spend some time at the office with the option of working from home on selected days. Some of these initiatives are starting to produce the desired result, however a large part of the working population has found it difficult to abandon the comfort of their home offices. For a significant shift to happen there needs to be a re-think in how the office is currently perceived. Insisting on keeping the office set up the way it has always been, is not an option anymore. In order to attract and retain key talent, employers need to come up with innovative ways to address the needs of the increasingly young workforce. More and more companies are now looking towards facility managers to support them develop workspaces that will provide the required balance and keep people engaged. This has resulted in a shift in the traditional role of a facilities manager, a shift referred to as “basement-to-boardroom”. Facilities management is now seen as one of the levers that employers can utilise to drive this strategy and deliver the required results. Facilities managers who used to focus only on maintenance and the provision of services are now spending more time thinking about enhancing the experience of people working and visiting their facilities. Companies now look to facilities managers to understand the needs of their employees as well as clients and tailor the workplace environment to meet their combined needs. In order to remain competitive in the current talent war, a company’s employee value proposition needs to stand out above the competition. Facilities managers together with their clients need to constantly keep asking themselves what the future of working in an office building looks like. Facilities managers have a number of tools available in their toolbox to support an organisation in meeting its strategic goals. Some these tools include: Deciding which is the best tool to reach the strategic goal will depend on the company’s specific requirements at the time and these requirements will evolve as the company’s strategy evolves. Facility managers and facilities management providers therefore need to keep their fingers on the pulse to ensure that the experience is in line with the company’s requirements. The real-time data that comes from the CAFM (Computer Aided Facilities Management) and IWMS (Integrated Workplace Management System) technologies will ensure that decisions made are informed and data driven. That way the facility managers will always support the organisation by enhancing the workplace experience to meet the ever-changing requirements of the workforce.
Why frontliners are the key to your organisation’s success
By Tom Marsicano, CEO of ‘and Change’ Frontline workers and managers are the backbone of any institution. The people who offer your services to customers reflect your organisation’s internal state of affairs. Therefore, their careers and happiness are core to your success, and their buy-in is the key to effecting positive organisational change. Organisations worldwide must manage extreme change, especially in the face of the so-called ‘polycrisis’ – a term coined by the World Economic Forum describing the ongoing global crises affecting our lives. From economic depressions to global conflicts, many institutions are treading water, hoping to maintain their development while keeping their workers’ happiness intact. This circumstance is especially true in South Africa, where we must deal with compounding factors like inflation, crumbling infrastructure, and brain drains. Frontline workers are usually the first to experience significant organisational changes, from restructuring to implementing new systems or determining new ways of working. The most successful of these front liners can see these changes as an opportunity, not a threat. Yet developing that mindset does require training, supportive management, and reasoning from leaders to ensure the change is fully understood – a vital process in avoiding resistance to the change. These are all critical elements of change management, and the risk of not seriously taking change resistance is evident when you consider that 70% of organisational transformation efforts fail without proper employee buy-in. So, what can those of us across an organisation do to ensure that frontline workers are ready and willing to embrace change? Implement change management principles across the organisation, from executives to frontline managers to workers on the ground – the change value chain. Frontline managers From their relationship dynamics with their teams to their dual role as both recipients and agents of change, team leaders are essential to managing the current seismic shifts organisations are facing. Research from Prosci, and on-the-ground experience tells us that there are multiple vital activities that frontline managers must perform in times of change: Senior executives/sponsors As those giving permission and approving funding for the change, top-level leaders of an organisation also have an essential role in giving frontline managers the support they need: The frontline workers themselves Much of the change management work should be conducted by organisational leaders, and ambitious workers on the frontline can leverage the change to showcase their leadership abilities. In our consulting experience, we’ve seen how successful organisation-wide training can be. One of our clients in the FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) sector was implementing an entirely new distribution process for their products and decided to train their distribution units at the ground level in change management skill sets. The adoption of the new system was rapid, and this not only empowered workers across the business but also dramatically heightened efficiency. We advise our clients always to acknowledge the frontline experience. However, one must go beyond simple verbal recognition and follow through with action to ensure their lives and careers are positively affected by the change – especially in these difficult times. Sources: WEF | Business Tech | Forbes | Prosci
The Future of Sustainability Conference 2025: The countdown begins!
Cape Town, 13 March 2025 As the world accelerates toward a more sustainable future, the Future of Sustainability Conference 2025 is set to take centre stage in just two weeks! With a continuous mission to drive impactful change, this year’s conference will bring together some of the most influential thought leaders in the realm of sustainability to tackle Africa’s most pressing environmental and economic challenges. The Future of Sustainability Conference, hosted at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg, is a must-attend event for professionals and stakeholders across industries focused on sustainability, innovation, and transformation. Set to take place on 26-27 March 2025, the event promises to foster rich dialogue, inspire actionable insights, and spark collaborations that will shape the future of Africa’s sustainable development. Top speakers to watch We are proud to announce an exceptional lineup of keynote speakers and panellists, each with unique expertise and a shared vision for Africa’s sustainable future: Key topics & panel discussions This year’s conference will feature high-impact panel discussions tackling the most critical issues surrounding Africa’s sustainability journey. Expect thought-provoking conversations on: Have a look at the programme here and the event factsheet here. Why you should attend The Future of Sustainability Conference 2025 is an unparalleled opportunity to engage with global and local leaders, participate in groundbreaking conversations, and collaborate on solutions that will shape the future of Africa’s sustainable economy. Whether you are in business, government, or the NGO sector, this conference will provide you with the insights, tools, and connections you need to lead the charge toward a more sustainable world. At the heart of Topco Media conferences is networking and you are sure to leave with new business contacts. Thank you to our gold partner, HEINEKEN Beverages South Africa; our premium digital partner, iME; our silver partner, Old Mutual Insure; our bronze partners, Nestlé, Nespresso, Dell Technologies / Intel and Isanti Glass; and our showcase counter partner, AECI. A special thank you to our knowledge partner, The Carbon Trust, and strategic partners: UN Global Compact Network South Africa, Good Governance Africa, GreenCape, and Primedia Out of Home. Secure your spot today! The Future of Sustainability Conference 2025 is only two weeks away, with limited tickets still available. Don’t miss out on this transformative event that will help define the next chapter of Africa’s sustainability journey. Book your ticket on Quicket. Join us at The Future of Sustainability Conference 2025 and be part of the movement driving Africa’s sustainable future! For more information, please contact:Thabiso M. Mohlabengthabiso.mohlabeng@futureofsustainability.co.za
AI and African languages: The need to bridge the digital divide
By Shumirai Chimombe “Language is the most important thing for the survival of Africans – and many other people in the world – but for Africans it has assumed a special significance. Africa is the second biggest land mass on Earth. It also has, population-wise, about 1.4 billion people. It is estimated that by 2050 almost half of the world’s population may be African. So what happens in Africa is bound to have a tremendous effect on the prospects of us all as a global community.” This was part of a presentation delivered by Professor Kwesi Kwaa Prah, a sociology professor and the founder and director of the Centre for Advanced Studies of African Society, during a meeting hosted by the University of Pretoria in July last year. In his talk, titled ‘African Languages in an AI World’, Prof Prah indicated that Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionised life in terms of using technology to acquire, accumulate and use knowledge. This is why it has become vital for African languages to be integrated into the development of AI technology to preserve cultural and linguistic heritage. “Now what Africa faces in my estimation should be more work done on our languages and the preservation of our languages because that is the heart – the center of everything. Culture is the determinant of human beings and we have to make sure that African languages are written first. Without that we can’t make any progress.” He referred to the ‘AI and the Future of Work in Africa’ whitepaper written by a cross-organisational team including Microsoft Research, Microsoft Philanthropies, University of Pretoria, NEPAD, Lelapa AI, and Oxford University. The whitepaper noted that while African languages are increasingly represented in AI large language models (LLMs) they lag behind English performance substantially, and currently only a small number are well-represented. African culture and context are also notably underrepresented in generative AI training data, leading to poor performance in African workplaces. This is why it is essential to use representative African data to build models which work in African contexts. In addition to creating equitable data ecosystems, it is also important to incorporate indigenous knowledge in culturally and socially sensitive ways. Africa.com echoed this sentiment, indicating that the inclusion of African languages in AI systems is a critical challenge that threatens to widen the digital divide, particularly in regions where local languages play a central role in daily communication. Developing language models that understand and generate text in languages like Swahili, Zulu, and Hausa is crucial for ensuring that Africa is not left behind in this technological era. Responding to the call for AI inclusion According to Africa.com African countries are now embarking on projects to integrate AI into local languages and develop LLMs that are tailored specifically to their diverse local languages. By doing this, African tech innovators are laying the foundation for a more inclusive digital future. In South Africa for example, the company Lelapa AI has developed their VulaVula project, an AI-driven language processing tool that facilitates communication across several local languages, including Zulu, Sesotho, and Afrikaans. The Nigerian government, in collaboration with local AI startups, is developing and training an LLM specifically to cater for the country’s very diverse linguistic community. This initiative is supported by a large network of volunteers fluent in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Ibibio, and Pidgin, who are contributing to the data collection process. Researchers from across the continent are collaborating on an open source AI project to develop machine translation for African languages. Masakhane – meaning “We Build Together” in isiZulu is a grassroots organisation whose mission is to strengthen and drive natural language processing (NLP) research in African languages, for Africans, by Africans. According to Masakhane, “despite the fact that 2000 of the world’s languages are African, African languages are barely represented in technology. The tragic past of colonialism has been devastating for African languages in terms of their support, preservation and integration. This has resulted in a technological space that does not understand our names, our cultures, our places, our history.” This cross-cutting collaboration to level the digital and AI playing field consists of about 1000 participants from 30 African countries with diverse educations and occupations, as well as about three countries outside Africa. Overcoming the barriers Although progress is being made in making AI more accessible, there are still some specific challenges in developing models in African languages. One of the most significant issues is related to the scarcity of data. Many African languages are considered low-resource, meaning that there is a limited amount of digitised text available to train AI models effectively. Also, in many African communities, oral traditions are the primary means of communication and exchanging information.This raises ethical questions about consent and ownership when collecting data. By addressing these challenges around data scarcity and ethical concerns, African innovators are not only preserving their linguistic heritage but also paving the way for a more equitable digital landscape, concludes Africa.com in its article, ‘AI’s role in preserving and promoting African languages.’ Sources: University of Pretoria | Artificial Intelligence News | AI and the Future of Work in Africa | Africa.com | Masakhane