Online Reporter
Sanda Ojiambo
AFRICA stands at a pivotal moment in its development journey. Across the continent, digital transformation is no longer a distant aspiration but a tangible reality. From mobile money to e-commerce, Artificial Intelligence to e-governance, digital tools are reshaping industries, driving inclusion, and offering new ways of connecting people and ideas. Yet, despite growing momentum, Africa’s digital promise remains unevenly distributed.
Infrastructure gaps, limited investment, and fragmented policies continue to hinder progress. Unlocking the continent’s full potential in the digital age will require bold leadership, long-term commitment, and, above all, active private sector participation.
These themes were brought into sharp focus at the recent Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) Bridge session held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum.
The message from the gathering was clear and urgent: Africa does not lack ideas or talent. What it needs is decisive action to turn vision into reality. The challenge lies in accelerating digital growth, mobilising long-term investment, and aligning national and regional policies to create enabling conditions for innovation and entrepreneurship. This, in essence, is what it will take to build Africa’s digital future.
Convened by the UN Global Compact, the Abidjan session brought together an influential mix of CEOs, government representatives, investors, and development leaders. Their discussions underscored the critical importance of placing Africa’s private sector at the heart of global trade and investment. The dialogue was both pragmatic and inspiring: Africa has the ingenuity, entrepreneurial spirit, and youthful energy to leapfrog traditional development pathways. But without scaled infrastructure, robust regulation, and consistent financing, the continent risks falling short of its own aspirations.
James Manyika, Senior Vice-President at Google–Alphabet, captured the essence of this dual challenge when he remarked at a recent GABI event that connectivity is the first building block. “Basic connectivity infrastructure is essential — that’s why we’ve invested in undersea cables connecting Africa to itself, Europe, and Asia,” he said. However, he stressed that infrastructure alone is not enough. Investors must also focus on building skills and supporting the entrepreneurs who will shape Africa’s digital economy in the decades ahead.
Through initiatives such as the Black Founders Fund, Google has already supported more than 1,120 African start-ups, catalysing innovation across the continent. At the same time, research centres in Ghana and Kenya, along with partnerships with universities, are nurturing the talent pipeline needed to build a vibrant Artificial Intelligence ecosystem rooted in African realities.
This point is crucial: Africa’s digital transformation cannot be imported wholesale — it must be built locally, reflecting the continent’s diversity and needs. Manyika is right to emphasise that the real challenge is not identifying potential solutions, but executing them effectively and at scale. Africa has already made remarkable progress in mobile money, broadband access, and online services. Fintech is powering some of the world’s most innovative financial solutions, enabling millions to send and receive money seamlessly.
E-commerce platforms are creating markets for small and medium-sized enterprises, allowing them to thrive in both urban and rural settings. Artificial Intelligence is opening new opportunities in healthcare, agriculture, and education.
Yet behind these success stories lie structural constraints: patchy electricity supply, unreliable last-mile connectivity, limited access to fibre optic cables, and underinvestment in data infrastructure.
The global tech industry’s tendency to focus on short-term venture capital gains also presents vulnerabilities. Too often, start-ups are pushed to chase rapid growth without the long-term backing needed to build sustainable digital infrastructure.
To secure Africa’s digital future, governments and institutions must lead in providing patient capital, stable regulation, and cross-border co-ordination — elements that venture capital alone cannot deliver. Data centres, public digital platforms, and national broadband networks require consistent, large-scale investment achievable only through committed partnerships between public and private actors.
The private sector is undoubtedly a vital driver of Africa’s digital revolution. But true transformation demands a collaborative approach that goes beyond profit margins. Governments must offer clear rules and stable policy environments.
Development partners must align their programmes with African priorities rather than impose fragmented initiatives. Investors must commit to the long haul, recognising that building digital economies is a generational endeavour.
As Sinazo Sibisi, Chief Investment Officer at the Timbuktoo Africa Innovation Foundation, reminded participants in Abidjan, “We need to move from talk to action – from finite projects to systemic change — and build an innovation architecture that drives competitiveness in the next 10 to 30 years.”
Leadership, therefore, is indispensable. The decisions taken today by African governments, investors, and private sector leaders will determine whether the continent fully harnesses the digital revolution or remains on its margins. One of the most urgent tasks is the development of human capital. Fibre optic cables and data centres are meaningless without the people who will design, manage, and expand the digital ecosystem.
Africa must invest in education systems that equip young people with the skills needed to thrive in the digital economy.
This means revising curricula to include coding, data literacy, and AI ethics; training teachers to deliver digital content effectively; and creating apprenticeships and internships that provide real-world experience. The talent pipeline cannot be an afterthought — it must be central to every discussion about infrastructure and investment.
Equally important is inclusivity. If Africa’s digital transformation excludes the rural, the informal, or the marginalised, it will breed inequality rather than prosperity. A truly digital Africa is one where every citizen, regardless of geography or income level, has access to affordable services, reliable infrastructure, and relevant content. This requires prioritising not just urban broadband expansion but also rural connectivity, local-language platforms, and community-based innovation hubs.
Digital services must reflect the lived realities of Africans — from farmers using mobile platforms to access weather data, to students relying on e-learning resources in remote villages.
There are already shining examples of what is possible when political will, private investment, and public trust align. Togo has made remarkable strides in digital governance, leveraging technology to enhance transparency and service delivery. Rwanda is positioning itself as a regional leader in fintech, innovation, and smart city development.
Kenya continues to be a global trailblazer in mobile money, with M-Pesa providing a model that is studied and replicated around the world.
These examples demonstrate that African nations can lead — not follow — in the digital era. The task now is to replicate such successes at scale across the continent, ensuring that progress is not confined to a handful of countries but becomes the norm everywhere.
The message from the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) is unequivocal: Africa’s digital future depends not on abstract visions but on effective delivery. Success will be defined by the policies adopted today, the investments made in infrastructure and skills, and the partnerships forged between the public and private sectors.
This is why GABI’s work is so vital. Each year, in September, as world leaders gather for the opening of the United Nations General Assembly, GABI seizes the moment to elevate Africa’s private sector agenda on the global stage. Its flagship event, Unstoppable Africa, showcases trade opportunities, investment prospects, and the continent’s role in shaping the global economy.
Through the Global Africa Business Initiative and the UN Global Compact’s Africa strategy, we are working to forge this path with determination and clarity. The choices made now will determine whether Africa becomes a leading shaper of the digital age or a passive consumer of technologies developed elsewhere.
The continent has the vision, the people, and the entrepreneurial energy. What it needs is for governments, businesses, and investors to match that energy with policies, resources, and long-term commitment. Africa’s digital future is within reach—but only if we move together, from vision to action.
— New African Magazine
Sanda Ojiambo is the Assistant Secretary-General and CEO of the UN Global Compact
