While such innovations are almost none-existent in Botswana, in other countries Online retail and related markets are already big especially in East Africa.
For many such countries, the internet based companies are already proving the fastest growing in both employment creation and economic contributions.
But such innovations do not thrive in a vacuum.
They need reliable internet.
Once developed, they reduce business costs, enhance the ease of doing business and link traditional businesses with the outside world in countries where internet based retailing has become developed.
Botswana should be more aggressive in investing in internet technology.
That of course should be preceded by an admission on the part of our Government that the world is going digital, that Botswana is lagging behind and that the future belongs to those who invest in the gig economy.
Official statistics put young Batswana at over half the population.
These are the people who are internet savvy.
They are also the people who are worst affected by unemployment, that official figures, conservative as they are, put at over 20%.
Given the high volume of university graduates that the country has been producing since 1998, many of who have never been gainfully employed since, it is only correct that the country’s economic policy increases its pace towards becoming a knowledge-based economy.
Not only will investment in internet technology create employment for the youthful population, it also stands to help diversify the economy away from the mineral sector and also state domination.
Across the world start-ups are known for their agility and also ability to attract foreign investments.
In his inauguration speech, President Mokgweetsi Masisi made it clear that he was awake of the dangers of youth unemployment.
He promised to make the issue a top priority.
The problem of youth unemployment has been allowed to drag on for far too long.
Creating employment for the youth will also help grow the economy to a new equilibrium.
It will reduce poverty while also dealing with simmering public discontent.
Investing in the internet infrastructure is the solution.
Most of the ground work has been done. There is some significant broadband already in place.
But of course more needs to be invested in developing internet infrastructure.
There is also no shortage of graduates.
Mobile phone access and use in the country has reached a saturation stage where the use is now almost universal.
And most importantly, high levels of youth unemployment means that with all ingredients in place there will be no shortage of takers.
All that government can do is work at establishing a robust e-commerce framework that can support the uptake of the sector currently dominated and to a great extent throttled, abused, and manipulated by the banking sector and the mobile phones.
Along that Government should develop a strong framework of capital venture companies that will put money into these internet-based start-ups.
For young people the gig economy presents with itself much more than jobs, but also the economic freedom from government control where the government sprawls every other economic sector.
