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Gift Kugara-Herald Correspondent
The world today feels like it is constantly balancing between progress and crisis.
In the middle of this, Africa stands at a critical moment, brimming with potential.
The continent is rich in cultures, a young population and vast natural resources.
Often, people focus on what Africa lacks—whether it is infrastructure, money, or political stability.
But there is a more compelling narrative: Africa has the opportunity to create a path toward sustainable development that could set an example for the world.
At the core of this opportunity is a question that transcends borders: How do we balance progress with the fact that our planet’s resources are limited?
More importantly, how can we ensure that the technologies driving this progress—such as blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT)—reflect values of justice, dignity, and solidarity?
Technology and serving human good
We often discuss technology as if it is a magical solution to all our problems. AI, blockchain, and IoT are often praised for their potential to revolutionise industries.
Yet, as Aristotle once noted, tools are only as good as the purposes they serve. True progress should lead to eudemonia—human flourishing—and extend beyond material wealth to include moral development and communal well-being.
Africa is demonstrating this concept in action.
Take Kenya’s mobile banking revolution, led by M-Pesa.
More than just a financial tool, M-Pesa provides millions of previously unbanked individuals a sense of dignity and control over their financial lives.
This innovation shows how technology can drive economic empowerment while promoting inclusion and ethical responsibility.
Similarly, blockchain is addressing critical issues of transparency and fairness in Africa.
For instance, BitPesa allows faster, cheaper cross-border payments, providing a lifeline to families reliant on remittances. In Ghana, AgriLedger uses blockchain to track agricultural produce from farm to market, ensuring farmers get fair compensation by cutting out middlemen.
These examples show how blockchain can promote justice and empower people by increasing transparency in financial systems and supply chains.
In Southern Africa, blockchain is solving challenges related to property rights.
Bitland uses blockchain to secure land records, reducing corruption and land disputes. These efforts are also transforming sectors like financial services and healthcare, ensuring transparency and fairness.
IoT and blockchain: connecting for a better tomorrow
IoT is another technology transforming lives, particularly in agriculture and healthcare.
In Southern Africa, IoT is used to manage water resources more efficiently. Smart sensors monitor soil moisture, helping farmers optimise water usage, which is critical in drought-prone areas like parts of South Africa and Namibia. This technology not only increases crop yields but also conserves precious water resources.
Blockchain and IoT can work together to drive more sustainable systems.
In Zambia, smart grids powered by IoT help communities manage energy consumption more effectively, reducing waste while ensuring that power reaches remote areas.
These technological advancements show how Africa can bridge the gap between economic growth and ethical responsibility by addressing social and environmental challenges.
The infrastructure challenge: A test of our morals
Africa’s infrastructure gap is often seen as a barrier to growth, but it presents an ethical opportunity.
In many parts of the world, the industrial revolution drove economic growth at the cost of environmental and social harm.
Africa, unburdened by outdated industrial systems, has the chance to avoid those pitfalls and instead build a future centred on sustainability.
Kenya’s geothermal energy projects in Olkaria are examples of how Africa is leveraging clean energy to power its future.
By investing in renewable energy, Africa can meet its energy demands without harming the environment.
Infrastructure development in Africa must be guided by the principle of responsibility for future generations. The decisions made today will shape the social, economic, and environmental realities of tomorrow.
Sustainability and the ethics of care
Sustainability is more than just a policy issue; it is a moral concern.
African philosophies like Ubuntu, which emphasise interconnectedness, teach that “I am because we are.” This belief stresses that human well-being is tied to the well-being of others and the environment.
IoT and blockchain can play critical roles in reinforcing this interconnectedness.
In South Africa, Sun Exchange uses blockchain to facilitate investments in solar energy projects, bringing clean energy to schools and communities.
This model not only promotes renewable energy but also allows people worldwide to invest in Africa’s sustainable future.
In Namibia, blockchain is being used to manage water resources.
By integrating IoT devices, authorities can track water usage and prevent wastage, addressing water scarcity challenges. These examples show how Africa is fostering an ethics of care, where technology supports both people and the environment.
The need for fairness and inclusion
As technologies like IoT and blockchain continue to evolve, we must ask who benefits from these innovations.
In the digital age, access to technology equates to power. Yet millions of Africans remain disconnected from the internet, excluded from the innovations that could improve their lives. This inequality is not just a technical challenge; it is a moral one.
John Rawls’ theory of justice argues that a just society prioritises the least advantaged.
Technology has to reach rural communities, women, and marginalised groups.
True progress is not measured by the construction of smart cities, but by how it uplifts the most vulnerable members of society.
We must ensure that technological progress narrows the gap between rich and poor, not widens it.
Looking ahead: a moral responsibility for Africa’s future
Africa’s future, as it embraces new technologies, builds infrastructure, and strives for sustainability, is not just about economic growth—it is an ethical challenge.
What kind of progress does Africa want to see? What kind of world does it want to create for people?
Philosopher Martin Buber warned against treating people and nature as objects to be used.
Africa’s development must avoid this trap. Instead, the continent should aim for a vision of progress that respects the dignity of all people and the sanctity of the environment.
Africa has the opportunity to show the world that technology, when guided by moral principles, can be a force for good. By creating infrastructure that respects both people and the planet, Africa can establish a new model of development—one that not only seeks growth but also helps people live better, happier lives.
As the global community looks to Africa, we should not only hope for its success but also learn from its example.
In a world focused on power and profit, Africa can remind us that true progress is rooted in care, responsibility, and respect for both people and the planet. This is not just Africa’s challenge—it is a challenge for all humanity, a blueprint for human progress in the digital age.
Gift Kugara is a lecturer in Analytics, LSBU Business School
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