UB taps into Infinitech’s software capabilities
The University of Botswana (UB) plans to set up a Software Development Hub on campus in six months’ time.
This was revealed by the Vice Chancellor Prof David Norris recently during the signing of a Memorandum of Action (MoA) between the institution and Infinitech, an indigenous software development company.
Infinitech, represented by Managing Director, Mooketsi Nthathe, himself a technology entrepreneur, invests in software that promotes financial inclusion as well as digital inclusion.
Prof Norris said they had met with a consortium of three companies that expressed a desire to work with UB students to develop software applications. Not only is this consortium looking to develop Apps but it also intends to manufacture some of the gadgets like phones, laptops, and others in the university.
It is for this reason that Prof Norris is “very happy” that Mr. Nthathe and his group will also be residents in the software development facility that “we shall be opening in the next six (6) months or so”.
Infinitech’s solutions have been implemented in different sectors. They have got products around insurance for both longterm and short-term insurance. Nthathe explained that they have developed Apps for the local insurance market –Botswana Life, and also implemented wallet solutions around that. They have also implemented the Water Utilities Corporation App.
“It is an App that enables consumers (Batswana) to use their mobile devices to fetch their bill from WUC remotely on their phones and to also make a payment. “And then we have added other value-added services on the App where you can remotely initiate and submit a meter reading as well as to engage the WUC in as far as self-services are concerned in things like reporting any customer queries”, Nthathe explained.
As a tech entrepreneur Nthathe is always looking out for innovation and providing niche services that can potentially help the country. Already Infinitech has a presence outside Botswana.
“We are going to launch very soon a service that allows the Zimbabwean Diaspora to be able to purchase electricity and other digital products from Zimbabwe using their local wallets”, he revealed. According to Nthathe, the Zimbabwean Diaspora in Botswana are already familiar with the process of buying electricity which follows the same rule as buying it from a corporation in Zimbabwe.
“However the payment method will be originated in Botswana and then the product will be fetched and delivered”. Nthathe says this will give the Diaspora market value-added service and it is going to be the first of its kind in the region.