Africa’s technological opportunity — Leapfrogging into the digital age

The global order is being reshaped not only by economics and geopolitics but also by technology. In this unfolding digital era, traditional hierarchies are being flattened, barriers to entry are being lowered, and latecomers are no longer condemned to permanent disadvantage. Unlike previous industrial revolutions that rewarded early movers and punished those who arrived late, the digital age offers a rare gift: the possibility of leapfrogging.

This is Africa’s technological moment

For much of modern history, Africa has been positioned as a consumer of technology rather than a creator of it. Development models assumed that progress required replicating the long, capital-intensive pathways taken by Europe, North America, and parts of Asia. Today, that assumption no longer holds. Digital technologies—when strategically deployed—enable Africa to bypass outdated systems and integrate innovation directly into the foundations of governance, enterprise, and society.

Freedom from legacy systems

One of Africa’s most significant technological advantages is often misunderstood as a weakness: the absence of large-scale legacy infrastructure. In reality, this has created space for creativity and experimentation. With fewer entrenched systems to dismantle, African innovators have been able to design solutions suited to local realities rather than imported assumptions.

Mobile payments are a powerful example. Long before fintech became a global trend, African entrepreneurs had developed digital financial systems to serve populations excluded from formal banking. What began as a necessity-driven innovation has since become an international benchmark for inclusive finance.

“African challenges are complex: youthful populations, rapid urbanisation, informal labour markets, fragile institutions, and deep inequality.”

A similar pattern is emerging in digital identity, e-commerce, health technology, and education platforms—solutions designed for low-bandwidth environments, informal economies, dispersed populations, and constrained public capacity. These are not inferior adaptations; they are innovations forged under pressure and therefore resilient.

From adoption to creation

Africa’s technological opportunity does not lie in consuming imported platforms but in adapting and creating technologies that reflect African contexts. Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, biotechnology, and digital platforms are redefining productivity worldwide. Africa can choose to embed these tools directly into its development architecture rather than layering them onto inefficient systems.

African challenges are complex: youthful populations, rapid urbanisation, informal labour markets, fragile institutions, and deep inequality. These realities demand solutions that are flexible, scalable, and context-aware—technology that, when locally designed, can meet this demand.

To realise this potential, deliberate investment is required:

• STEM education that prioritises problem-solving over rote learning

• Digital infrastructure that treats connectivity as a public good

• Innovation ecosystems that link universities, startups, government, and industry

Without this foundation, technology risks becoming another imported dependency. With it, technology becomes a force for sovereignty.

Technology as a democratiser

Perhaps the most transformative aspect of the digital age is its democratising power. Technology lowers barriers to entry, decentralises opportunity, and empowers individuals outside traditional centres of power. A young African entrepreneur with a smartphone, connectivity, and the right skills can now access global markets, knowledge, and capital in ways unimaginable just a generation ago.

This has profound implications for governance and service delivery. Digital tools can reduce corruption through increased transparency, improve efficiency through automation, and extend services to underserved communities on a larger scale. In many cases, technology can achieve in years what traditional bureaucratic reform has failed to deliver in decades.

If harnessed intentionally, technology can help Africa:

• Reduce inequality

• Improve healthcare and education outcomes

• Strengthen accountability

• Accelerate inclusive growth

A choice, not an accident

Africa’s technological future is not guaranteed. Leapfrogging is not automatic. It requires vision, coordination, and courage. Without strategic leadership, Africa risks becoming merely a data source, a testing ground, or a digital colony for external platforms.

But with intentional policy, investment in people, and confidence in indigenous innovation, Africa can shape a digital future that is inclusive, sovereign, and transformative.

This moment is rare. The digital age does not reward size alone; it rewards adaptability, creativity, and speed above all else. Africa possesses all three in abundance.

The question is no longer whether Africa can catch up technologically; it is whether it can.

The question is whether Africa will seize this moment to define its own digital destiny.

Prof. Lere Baale, DBA, MBA, BPharm: President & Chairman, Governing Council – Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy; CEO – Business School Netherlands International (Nigeria).

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