## 4 Results and Discussion
### Potential Areas for the Implementation of Internet of Things of in the Central African Sub-Region  
This study also aimed to identify potential areas and benefits of the IoT within the Central African sub-region. As illustrated in Figure 3, the results indicate that the majority of respondents (121 or 82.9%) advocated for the adoption of the IoT in smart health applications. Similarly, there was considerable support for applying the IoT to the agricultural sector (105 or 71.9%). The findings also highlighted significant interest in implementing the IoT for security and safety (74 or 50.7%), smart metering, and smart cities (99 or 67.8%). The least favored area for IoT adoption was intelligent transport systems and logistics (50 or 34.2%). Additionally, other potential areas for IoT application included environmental and weather monitoring, flexible manufacturing or industry, control of factory physical systems, and smart logistics and businesses.  
These results align closely with the literature on IoT adoption. For instance, data published in 2018 by IoT Analytics [49], a leading provider of market insights and strategic business intelligence for Industry 4.0 and IoT, reveal the growing importance of the IoT in sectors such as healthcare and agriculture, noting that these areas are frequently highlighted as high-potential domains for IoT applications [50]. The signific  
Figure 3: Respondents’ identification of potential areas for the implementation of the Internet of Things in the Central African sub-region.  
health and agriculture observed in this study corroborates their findings, emphasizing the global trend towards leveraging the IoT for enhancing healthcare delivery and optimizing agricultural processes [51]. Furthermore, the interest in the IoT for security and safety, smart metering, and smart cities reflects the broader industry focus on urban management and infrastructure development, which has been well-documented in previous studies [52].  
Other sectors (such as education, transportation, and manufacturing) also offer significant opportunities for IoT adoption in the Central African region. In higher education, the IoT can play a crucial role in smart campuses, improving operational efficiency and safety [53]. IoT sensors can optimize energy usage, monitor building security, track equipment usage, estimate room occupation, and determine student classroom attendance, leading to cost savings for educational institutions. Furthermore, the IoT can be leveraged to support research initiatives, providing real-time data collection for various academic fields. In the transportation sector, the IoT can transform public transportation by providing real-time updates on bus or train schedules and optimizing routes based on current traffic conditions to enhance commuting experience. In logistics, the IoT can streamline supply chains by enabling fleet management systems to monitor vehicle locations, fuel consumption, and cargo conditions in real time, improving efficiency and reducing costs [54]. In manufacturing, the IoT can help optimize supply chain management, tracking raw materials and finished products throughout the production and distribution processes [55]. This will lead to improved inventory management, faster response times, and enhanced coordination between suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors. The adoption of automation and robotics powered by the IoT can also improve product consistency and quality control, driving competitiveness for local manufacturers in the global market. Thus, as the Central African region seeks to improve its educational system, modernize its transportation sector, and expand its industrial base, adopting the IoT will play a key role in achieving these goals.