African tech companies turn environmental sustainability to their advantage
The recent Greening ICT workshop, run by the Netherlands Trust Fund V’s Ghana Tech project, also looked at how to reduce the energy consumed by electronics and ICT sustainability certification. The workshop does not just aim to increase tech companies score on operating in an environmentally friendly way. It also aims to lay out tangible benefits, such as attracting clients, talent, investors – while saving on costs. Some energy-saving tips are surprisingly easy to implement. For example, using cloud databases saves energy compared to installing new servers. And reducing the brightness of screens from 100% to 70% can save one-fifth of the energy used by the monitor. “It was an opportunity for us to learn how to save energy as managers of offices,” Raldwin said. “For me it was more like a dual knowledge, where you learn more about energy saving, and how to save the environment, with what you do with your electronic devices when they’re at their end of life.” The Netherlands Trust Fund V (NTF) (July 2021 – June 2025) is based on a partnership between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands and the International Trade Centre. The programme supports MSMEs in the digital technologies and agribusiness sectors. Its ambition is two-fold: to contribute to an inclusive and sustainable transformation of food systems, partially through digital solutions, and drive the internationalisation of tech start-ups and export of IT&BPO companies in selected Sub-Saharan African countries.