On paper, the origin story of the metaverse dates back as far as 1938 when French poet and playwright Antonin Artaud first used the term 'virtual reality' in his essay collection titled The Theatre and its Double. However, given Africa’s deep cultural and spiritual roots, one can easily speculate that the business of interaction outside physical reality has existed for far longer than that.

In Marvel’s Black Panther, we see the main character ingesting the mythical Heart-shaped Herb to induce a connection to the ancestral plane. The polarity between this cultural practice and Metaverse technology is unexplored and may never see the light of day. But it's an interesting introduction to the advent of the Metaverse in Africa.

The first use of the term 'metaverse' was in Neil Stephenson's 1922 novel 'Snow Crash.’ In 2023, the word is more than just the stuff of science fiction and has become relevant enough to transform how we interact and experience life.

As this article delves into the definition of the metaverse and its applications, it is important to note that while all three are related, the metaverse is not the same as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

Both experiences play vital roles in the growth of metaverse technology but are distinct in themselves. Augmented reality is known for its use of computer-generated digital overlays over users' real-world environment through a special lens.

The user's contact with their physical world is not completely removed with AR. VR enables a more immersive experience by simulating a virtual 3D environment through a VR headset, haptics, and in some cases body suit.

What Is Metaverse?

The metaverse is a shared virtual world created by fusing virtual and augmented reality to create a public digital world accessible through the internet. From economic and social systems to human emotions and mannerisms, the metaverse perfectly simulates every facet of real-world structures to provide users with the most realistic experience. What are some of the structures currently replicated on the metaverse?

Commerce: this encompasses the buying and selling of identities, real estate, avatars, digital 3D items, and so on.
Entertainment: artists in the industry can now host their music concerts or perform at virtual gigs organized on the metaverse.
Lifestyle: personal activities like events, meetings, tours, and strolls can also be carried out smoothly by individuals just as they casually would in the real world.

In other words, users can buy an office building, hang out in a café, play games, buy digital goods, or host a listening party on the metaverse’s virtual space just by being plugged into this independent virtual economy.

The device-independent nature of the metaverse means no corporation, government, or entity can claim the autonomy of the metaverse. And this quality is backed by two of the most uncompromisable tenders: non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and digital currencies.

By combining tech elements like head-mounted displays (HMDs), Internet of Things (IoT), Augmented Reality (AR), spatial tech, flexible work styles, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), the world has introduced a new definition of what it means to communicate and interact. Today, the metaverse helps organizations expand their business ventures in the digital space. And as a continent, Africa is making strides in the metaverse space.

Africa’s Interaction with the Metaverse

In 2021, US-based software development company Epic Games awarded Thrill Digital with a $40,000 grant. This support facilitated the birth of Astra, a project developed to maximize the power of digital technology in restoring the fashion industry post-COVID.

The brainchild of fashionista Alexander Erinie, Astra did not begin as a metaverse space in its own right. It was created as a fallback plan for the fashion industry that coincidentally collided with the explosion of the metaverse in Africa. Erinie and his co-founders Niyi Okeowo and Luke Jeffers were quick to leverage this opportunity to build Astra into a hotspot for virtual cities pivoting around P2E games, fashion, and cryptocurrency.

When it comes to Africa’s explorations with metaverse technology, another development to make headlines is Africarare's Ubuntuland, an online landscape that has already seen early settlers like M & C Saatchi Abel, Nedbank, World Data Lab, and MTN purchasing plots of digital land.

This metaverse village for showcasing everything African from sport, fashion, and entertainment to art and fashion has facilitated the impressive sell-out of South African artist Norman Catherine's debut collection of NFTs for $53,000. The opportunities that metaverse technology presents are not exclusive to multinationals and artists alone.

Through Ubuntuland in collaboration with Innovation Africa, we also see valuable change being affected in Africa, spanning millions of people, a move that broadens the horizons for metaverse technology and how it can be used to solve real-life problems in the connect.

In a profound team-up, Africarare partnered with Innovation Africa on March 8, 2023, to empower communities in Africa’s rural areas with light and water. Innovation Africa's 15-year-old journey has executed 800 projects in 10 African countries and Africarare is accelerating its mission by building a village for Innovation Africa right in Ubuntuland.

The objective of this move is to educate viewers on the good work being carried out across the continent and provide them with the privilege of witnessing the transformation taking place while contributing through the purchase of "Drops of Life", a unique collection of NFTs whose proceeds will go to Innovation Africa to support their projects.

Other developments the metaverse has birthed in Africa are:

Innovation and tech hotspots
Digital inclusion schemes
Digital cultural experiences
Digital marketplaces
Asset management in the metaverse

In 2024, the concept of metaverse technology is still new to Africa but is rising at an impressive pace as countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt build metaverse-friendly technology and develop initiatives that ensure Africa is not lagging as the world evolves.

Potential of Metaverse Technology in Africa

For a purely virtual reality, the concept of metaverse technology is powerful enough to integrate sustainable changes into different sectors in Africa such as infrastructure, agriculture, health, and lifestyle. As the world evolves, the need for efficient systems increases.

Companies such as Meta are keeping up with the trend by establishing programs like the XR program to further develop metaverse technology and advance its adoption. As of writing Meta has not only set up shop in Lagos, Nigeria but has their sights set on supporting creators and collaborating with firms like Imisi3D, and Electric South to build worlds and amplify African voices as they tell their stories.

With developments like this in view, there’s a lot to benefit and expect when it comes to the future of metaverse technology in Africa:

Employment Opportunities

The tech revolution in Africa expanded with a force powerful enough to push back on unemployment in the continent but the march is far from over.

Through the metaverse economy, soft skills can thrive in non-technical professions as much as occupations like engineering and computer science.

Other job opportunities in this economy are Storytelling and marketing specialist; a huge indicator of the potential for variety when it comes to career options within the metaverse industry.

Integrated Learning Experiences

Public services can increase efficiency using the metaverse for utilities such as automating tasks, curating accurate data for intelligent decision-making, and predicting rising needs among the masses but the best aspect of using the metaverse to transform learning experiences is the potential it holds for the educational sector in Africa.

Not only will integrated learning break geographical barriers, but it foster more exploratory learning so students all over the continent can interact with 3D things.

Enhanced Agricultural Practices

The presence of farming techniques passed down from one generation to the other gets the corn growing but fails to equip farmers with more sustainable techniques to multiply yields and establish food security in Africa.

The metaverse introduces a new ballgame where farmers can simulate realistic farming scenarios using VR headsets. The result of this is an opportunity to learn and implement sustainable, modern practices in water, agroforestry, and crop rotation. Using this method, countries can alleviate hunger in regions while maintaining economic stability.

Economic Growth & Public Security

When the underserved can access personalized financial products through the metaverse, the economy ultimately receives a boost as poverty reduces, creating room for opportunities when foreign investments begin to flow in.

On the other hand, public safety can be guaranteed when metaverse technology is maximized to plan and maintain infrastructure in Africa. Some use cases are supervising road conditions and organizing traffic routes. This is a long leap in efforts to ensure the security of the general public while cutting costs.

CONCLUSION

The metaverse fuses virtual and augmented reality, replicating real-world structures like commerce, entertainment, and lifestyle in digital spaces. It’s a technology that would serve as one of the stepping stones into the future of tech as we know it. And every expectation has been met so far as users get to engage in various activities—from buying digital goods to hosting events—with the metaverse's device-independent nature ensuring no single entity governs it. Africa is embracing this technology, seen through initiatives like Astra and Ubuntuland, fostering economic, social, and developmental advancements. Today, metaverse technology in Africa shows promise in employment, education, agriculture, and public security, signaling a transformative era for the continent's growth and progress.