Africa must improve connectivity to develop

Leonard Ncube

AFRICA needs to build resilience on digital transformation to improve intra-continental connectivity which is hovering around 40 percent, Smart Africa director general/chief executive Mr Lacina Kone said.

He was speaking this morning, 25 April, while giving remarks at the investment forum which is one of the pre-events at the Transform Africa Summit that effectively kicks off tomorrow in Victoria Falls.

Mr Kone said Africa connectivity is 40 percent, and there is a need for an all-stakeholder approach to drumming up digital growth in the continent.

“Africa was not colonised because it was poor, but we were misinformed. We need a mindset that says we need to improve connectivity; we can’t have 40 percent connectivity in the continent and so we need to change that mindset to resilience. We won’t achieve the ambition alone, we need you leaders,” he said.

This is despite the continent having the youngest population in the world.

The investment forum is meant to unlock the potential of how to build a resilient smart Africa based on investment.

Discussions so far have zeroed on the need for a digitally connected Africa by 2030.

Smart Africa is in 36 countries covering close to 1 billion people globally and has launched 30 projects globally supported by various members.

Meanwhile, high-ranking dignitaries are expected to arrive this afternoon for the conference, with King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Eswatini expected to land at the end of the day.