Kanju: For When Formal Systems Fall Short

Kanju: For When Formal Systems Fall Short
Lagos Computer Village

note: this post is a largely AI-generated exploration of ideas

African kanju (a term rooted in West African Pidgin English, from the Yoruba word "kร njรบ" meaning "urgency" or "hustle") refers to innovative problem-solving in resource-constrained environments. Below are some examples:

1. Informal Tech Repairs

Lagos "Computer Village": A market in Nigeria where technicians repair and refurbish electronics using scavenged parts (e.g. soldering discarded phone components to build new devices). [1]

Kenyans repurposing old phones: Modified mobile phones used as remote controls, flashlights, or radios in rural areas. [2]

2. Agricultural Adaptations

Zai pits in the Sahel: Farmers dig small pits filled with organic waste to concentrate water/nutrients in arid regions, boosting crop yields. [3]

Ugandaโ€™s "push-pull" farming: Farmers plant pest-repellent grasses alongside crops to combat pests without pesticides. [4]

3. Energy Solutions

Nairobiโ€™s "jua kali" artisans: Welders and mechanics build low-cost solar water heaters from scrap metal and recycled materials. [5]

Ghanaian "dumsor" innovations: During power outages (dumsor), households rig car batteries to power lights and fans. [6]

Bitcoin Miners in Nigeria: Trojan Mining 2 MW hydropower bitcoin mining site has created jobs, funded local initiatives, and demonstrated a sustainable energy solution [7]

4. Healthcare Improvisation

Malawiโ€™s bicycle ambulances: Bamboo frames attached to bicycles transport patients in remote areas lacking roads. [8]

DRCโ€™s "pharmacy motos": Motorcycle delivery networks supply medicines to conflict zones. [9]

5. Urban Housing

Lagosโ€™s "container homes": Shipping containers converted into affordable housing units amid housing shortages. [10]

Trojan Mining team in front of a bitcoin mining container in Nigeria

Citations

  1. Nigerian Tribune (2023), "Inside Lagosโ€™ Computer Village."
  2. GSMA Mobile for Development (2022), "Circular Economy in Africaโ€™s Tech Sector."
  3. FAO (2021), "Zai Pit Farming in Burkina Faso."
  4. International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (2020), "Push-Pull Pest Control."
  5. African Journal of Science (2019), "Jua Kali Solar Innovations."
  6. Energy for Growth Hub (2023), "Ghanaโ€™s Dumsor Resilience."
  7. From One S9 Miner to a 2 MW Hydropower Site in Nigeria: https://chaintum.io/2025/01/21/from-one-s9-miner-to-a-2-mw-hydropower-site-in-nigeria/
  8. UNICEF Malawi (2022), "Bicycle Ambulance Initiative."
  9. The Lancet (2021), "Medicine Delivery in Conflict Zones."
  10. African Urban Institute (2024), "Container Architecture in Lagos."

Kanju reflects a broader African ethos of "sankofa" (using past wisdom to address present challenges) and thrives in contexts where formal systems fall short.