How can AFRICA leverage technology as a competitive advantage to become an economic power.

In economics, it is widely accepted that technology is the key driver of the economic growth of countries, regions and cities. Technological progress allows for the more efficient production of more and better goods and services, which is what prosperity depends on. Digital Transformation is a driving force for innovative, inclusive and sustainable growth. Innovations and digitalization are stimulating job creation and contributing to addressing poverty, facilitating the delivery of goods and services, and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Furthermore, AFRICA leverage technology as a competitive advantage will build on the existing initiatives and frameworks such as the Policy and Regulatory Initiative for Digital Africa, the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa, the African Continental Free Trade Area, the African Union Financial Institutions, the Single African Air Transport Market and the Free Movement of Persons to support the development of a Digital Single Market for Africa, as part of the integration priorities of the African Union.

 

In economics, it is widely accepted that technology is the key driver of the economic growth of countries, regions and cities. Technological progress allows for the more efficient production of more and better goods and services, which is what prosperity depends on. Digital Transformation is a driving force for innovative, inclusive and sustainable growth. Innovations and digitalization are stimulating job creation and contributing to addressing poverty, facilitating the delivery of goods and services, and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. 

 

Furthermore, AFRICA leverage technology as a competitive advantage will build on the existing initiatives and frameworks such as the Policy and Regulatory Initiative for Digital Africa, the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa, the African Continental Free Trade Area, the African Union Financial Institutions, the Single African Air Transport Market and the Free Movement of Persons to support the development of a Digital Single Market for Africa, as part of the integration priorities of the African Union.

 

so what Africa need to leverage technology as a competitive advantage to become an economic power is:

 

• With rising high percentage internet penetration, and broadband and mobile internet speeds below the global median, Africa should increase internet access to a broader cross-section of its population improve the quality of the access and promote the 4G network system.

 

• Digital payments capabilities must be made more inclusive and more widespread in Africa to help in time management and to make a reduction in the price cost. Also, salaries and fees paid by public and private entities should be made electronically. In Africa we do have some digital payments capabilities that have to be strengthened more like Mobile Money, M-PESA, Credit cards, Pay and Go, etc

 

• Also, Africa needs to prioritize creative and multimedia skills in schools to help especially young generations to know how this technology works so that they can be a good foundation of rising technology.

 

• Africa needs to make it easier to get all the government documents needed by its population online without losing time making lines on government offices, and also this will help to have access to the population’s daily work and their properties, etc…., to help in the survey.

 

• In Africa, there is a low number of telephone users due to its cost which is high especially smartphones which Africa need to improve by taking a good example on Rwanda where they help even the people from down there in the village to have access to the internet through one smartphone per citizen campaign with a help of Mara Group which became the first manufacturers of a smartphone made entirely in Africa.

 

• Increasing of the financial access point, where at least in 5Km there must a construction on the financial access point and also encourage prioritize the online transfer of money where you can get your money from one account to another, where also comes the way of finding what is needed to make banks work together where I can get money from one bank and transfer them directly to the account from another bank online.

 

• Promote open standards and interoperability for cross-border trust framework, personal data protection and privacy;

 

• Promote the management and use of Country Codes Top Level Domains as they are critical national resources whilst ensuring that technical and administrative operations are at international standards to foster trust and use of African Domain Names in order to bring financial, economic and socio-cultural benefits to Africa.

 

• Build inclusive digital skills and human capacity across the digital sciences, judiciary, and education, both technical and vocational, to lead and power digital transformation including coding, programming, analysis, security, blockchain, machine learning, artificial intelligence, robotics, engineering, innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology policy & regulation;

 

• Support the Agenda 2063 flagship Pan-African “E” programme by providing policies and strategies that lead to transformative e-applications and services thereby making the digital revolution the basis for service delivery and ultimately transforming Africa into a Digital Society. Language barriers and time zones for e-learning and the telepresence component of the Pan-African e-Network to be removed.

 

• Build a vibrant sector approach to the digitalization of the agriculture, health and education sectors, and to make African citizens, enlightened and responsible e-citizens.

 

• Strengthen collaboration between African Institutions and regulators in charge of digitalization and the protection of personal data.

• Establish a common coordinated digitalization agenda in Africa

• Ensure policy coherence for the achievement of digital transformation in Africa

• Invest in green ICT by mobilizing resources to invest in Green ICT, develop a continental green ICT program and encourage environmental protection actions through the management of electronic waste.

 

• Promote gender-inclusive education frameworks and policies and boost relevant education opportunities and digital skills development for women and girls in STEAM subjects to narrow the gender digital divide.

 

• Develop partnerships through a multi-stakeholder African Alliance for Digital Skills and Jobs by engaging public stakeholders, private companies, international organisations and donors, universities and NGOs to deliver expertise on market needs and review, co-create education curricula at all levels and establish new programmes focusing on digital skills; also by Supporting knowledge transfer, exchange programmes between a) innovation hubs and research centres, and b) incentivizing mentorship or role model programmes. Develop forecasting tools to analyse the existing skills base and evolving needs in the labour market, Set up incentive mechanisms and develop a regional qualification framework for African institutions to become centres of excellence delivering training on ICT in line with market needs.

 

 

The priority for science and technology innovation in Africa has been emphasized by the African Union through the adoption of the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024 (STISA) and the African Science and Technology Consolidated Plan of Action (CPA). Technology and innovation have been the major forces of progress in the world in recent years in terms of poverty reduction, human development, growth and competitiveness of national economies in the 21st Century. The importance of technology for development and economic growth was recognized in the SDGs and the AU 2063 Agendas and it is well recognized that it plays an even more central role in the attainment of all SDGs. In fact, Goal 9 of the Sustainable Development Goals, “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”, implies that without technology and innovation, industrialization will not happen and that without industrialization, the development will not happen. Innovation is at the heart of the continuing digital revolution that is affecting almost every part of the social, commercial, and political areas. Relentless innovation in the

hardware, software, applications and networking fields including, Cloud Services, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and the Internet of Things, 3D Printing, Digital Sequencing, Nanotechnology and sensors among others are driving change 19 at a staggering pace. Innovation and Entrepreneurship are thus critical if Africa has to remain in the race with the rest of the world and benefit from the Digital transformation within the broader framework of Agenda 2063. This innovation ecosystem is giving rise to new ways of doing old things (e.g., mobile payment) as well as completely new forms of activity (e.g., Social media). Digital entrepreneurship takes advantage of these innovations and is on the rise across Africa. For African countries, there is a need for incubators, technology parks and national and regional innovation centres. There is no question that the number of technology startups and the organizations to support them has multiplied in recent years. In Africa, we now have an inspiring generation of entrepreneurs that are working actively to bring the benefits of the digital age to every citizen and organization of Africa by unleashing the power of modern-day technology for the benefit of society. It is a generation that seeks to help create a brighter future full of opportunities and possibilities for the many generations.

 

 

As the above factors show, the digital advantages and gaps of different countries vary widely. A free-trade zone could help in collaborative initiatives, such as the benchmarking described here, to close the gaps and transfer knowledge across countries to enable the delayed promise of growth in Africa and help make the growth inclusive – thereby accomplishing that rare phenomenon of getting lions to leapfrog.