Category: Data Science

SUAFI program graduates pose for a celebratory photo. Nairobi. The Strathmore University-Absa Financial Innovation (SUAFI) Program celebrated its first COHORT of graduates from the program. The partnership between @iLabAfrica-Strathmore University and ABSA Bank Limited oversaw the graduation of 105 ABSA Bank employees from the SUAFI program. The selected trainees, chosen from 500 applicants, were required to complete a mandatory Agile and Scrum Methodology course before specialising in their respective fields of deployment. The engaging training programme, which started in April 2023, got the trainees embarking on courses in Cybersecurity, Data Science, Business Intelligence, and DevOps & Automation. Dr Joseph Sevilla, Director of @iLabAfrica Research and Innovation Centre, cited the importance of the program, noting, “As a research centre of excellence in ICT innovation and development, we are proud to be…

How can financial institutions ensure inclusivity, digital transformation, and analytics in their operations for an enhanced customer experience? This was the first topic of the first panel discussion at the 2nd annual Global Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (GDSAI) summit hosted by @iLabAfrica-Strathmore University last year  The panel, featured Hartnell Ndungi, Chief Data Officer at Absa Bank Kenya; Ezekiel Macharia, CEO at Kenbright Holdings; and Satyajit Turumella, IT Advisory Director at Grant Thornton Advisory East Africa, explored the transformative impact of digital technologies on financial services. Digital transformation is revolutionizing the landscape of financial services, reshaping customer acquisition, improving client satisfaction, and simplifying banking procedures. In the pre-revolution era, customers heavily depended on face-to-face interactions with bank staff, making processes such as opening accounts, conducting transactions, and accessing financial services…

In an increasingly interconnected digital world, prioritizing investments in education and skill development, especially for youth, is important, given that data-driven insights are shaping the path for the future. Recently, after a successful Data Science Hackathon, @iLabAfrica-Strathmore University joined forces with World Data Lab to host a thought-provoking discussion with the theme, ‘The Future of Consumer Class and Jobs.’ The event held at Strathmore University sought to shed light on the challenges and opportunities facing Africa’s youth, especially in Kenya. With the African youth population projected to increase significantly in the next few years, it becomes important to address the job and skills gap that exists. Statistics from the World Data Lab revealed that over half of Kenya’s youth are employed in the informal sector. This finding highlights the challenges…