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Africa’s Digital Solutions During COVID-19

Africa's Digital solutionsThe COVID-19 pandemic presents a chance for Africa to modernize by going digital, even after the socioeconomic consequences COVID-19 has wrought. Policies and economies have to be rebuilt and Africa has taken the steps to restore its nation with digitalization at the forefront. Through Africa’s digital solutions and technology innovations, the nation will become more sustainable, competitive and creative.

The Aftermath of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has helped increase the spread of new technology across Africa. The pandemic has spurred incredible creativity when it comes to technological innovations. According to a study conducted by the World Health Organization, Africans are responsible for 13% of all new or improved COVID-19 technology created. Two countries that have specially crafted technologies specific to the pandemic are Ghana and Tunisia.

Ghana created a COVID-19 tracking app and drones that deliver at-home COVID-19 tests as well as handwashing stations that are solar-powered. In Tunisia, a government ministry invented a robot to assist in enforcing lockdowns. Africa has made striking technological enhancements in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, COVID-19 has also highlighted the digital divide between the wealthy and impoverished, online and offline.

The Digital Divide

The unequal access to information and communication technologies, or the digital divide, shines a light on the technological gap in developing countries. Due to the general delayed adoption of internet technology, Africa experiences difficulties overcoming barriers to long-term growth. Civil society and the commercial sectors cannot produce transformational progress alone. The digital divide in Africa is fueled by the continent’s socio-economic disparity. In order to transition to a digital society, governments must accelerate the use of digital technologies in all sectors.

Throughout the pandemic, digital media and technology have been critical, allowing for the continuance of work, communication and instruction. According to research by the International Telecommunication Union, only 28% of the African population has access to the internet. It is crucial to consider the many obstacles Africa has to overcome when it comes to digital technology. Not only is there a lack of internet access in Africa but the country also lacks electric power, access to education, social inclusion and more.

Africa cannot regress to pre-pandemic conditions as it recovers from COVID-19. Instead, Africa must create a brighter future that acknowledges the importance of digital transformation, particularly modern technology. Africa’s digital solutions can help overcome the continent’s complex challenges, including poverty, healthcare, industrialization, environmental degradation and government administration.

The Missing Piece: Policy

The majority of studies indicate that digital technologies are critical for solving global issues. However, technologies implemented without laws and policies that support new technological infrastructures rarely succeed long-term. With Africa’s digital solutions, the continent will be able to accelerate its transition to a sustainable and equitable economy.

For example, Rwanda, a country in Africa, is an excellent example of how the development of sustainable legislation can provide benefits to its citizens. Rwanda’s government has made significant investments in digital technology facilities, which resulted in 90% of the population having internet access and 75% of the population having mobile phones.

Enabling policies that provide digital technologies and promote their use will enhance Africa’s recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, it is essential to realize the importance of innovations through digital technologies and put action behind policies that support socioeconomic equality in Africa.

– Anna Lovelace
Photo: Unsplash

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How Africa’s Digital Economy Contributes to SDGs

Africa's Digital Economy ContributesDigitalization is not new to the African economy. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to improve and expand Africa’s digital economy has become evident. With intentions to minimize the health and economic risks of the pandemic, African businesses are implementing strategies that will lead to the rise in digital transformation. Economic sectors such as banking, transportation, agriculture and telecommunication have already digitally evolved to adjust to the economic climate and health crisis. Most importantly, Africa’s digital economy contributes to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Developing Africa’s Digital Economy

The World Bank started the Digital Economy Initiative for Africa (DE4A) in mid-2019 to accelerate digital enabling achievements as part of the 2030 SDGs. As the COVID-19 pandemic transpired, the rise in digitalization laid expectations for more transformations in the coming years. With investments being made, Africa’s booming digital economy contributes greatly to the SDGs.

A digital economy would create more jobs, promote entrepreneurship and introduce new markets. Reaching DE4A’s targets would raise growth per capita by 1.5 percentage points annually and poverty would be reduced by 0.7 percentage points per year. In addition, this approach takes into account that only 27% of the African population has access to the internet. Increasing access to digital resources will be the focus of the five pillars of the DE4A. This includes digital infrastructure, digital public platforms, digital financial services, digital businesses and skills.

Growing the Economy by Promoting Digital Transformation

The African Union (AU) has launched the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020-2030). The initiative strives for a collaborative digital single market, building on the recent trade initiative, Africa’s Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This would facilitate the movement of digitized services and propel the expansion of internet access across the continent.

Notably, the initiative also promotes innovation and digital upskilling with development programs. The e-skills vocational program will reach 100 million Africans a year by 2021 and 300 million annually by 2025. This would not only integrate Africa into the digital era but create new opportunities for startup businesses.

An important tool to achieve the initiative’s objectives is collaboration with policymakers. The government plays an important role in the promotion of market transformation. As a result, the AU will propose actions to equip educational institutions with renovated technology, promote digital rights and security awareness.

Significant growth will occur when stable infrastructure is built for the 200 million people currently without internet access. Addressing this digital divide is how Africa’s digital economy contributes to the SDGs as it plans to build resilient infrastructure, create sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

Investing in Digital Resources

There are many investment opportunities in Africa’s digital economy as a myriad of sectors start transitions. For example, banking in Africa is experiencing major changes. Mobile-based digital banks provide access to transaction activity, savings, loans and other financial services. Banking in Africa is expected to increase to $53 billion by 2022 so long as digitalization continues, contributing to the DE4A’s digital financial service objective.

Additionally, large international corporations have set foot in Africa, which will further increase investment flow. In 2019, Amazon Web Service launched its first data center in Africa. Likewise, Microsoft expanded its cloud services and opened its first data centers in South Africa. With two of the biggest players in the global digital economy in Africa, increased access to methods for digital transformation for businesses becomes more feasible. Digital transformation in Africa has the potential to significantly reduce poverty on the continent.

– Malala Raharisoa Lin
Photo:Flickr

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Airtel Africa Connects Millions of Africans

How Airtel Helped Millions of Africans Get ConnectedPrior to the arrival of Airtel Africa, implementing and maintaining a large-scale telecommunications company in sub-Saharan Africa seemed unthinkable. But, in 2009, when Airtel set up shop in Africa, the cellphone, once a luxury available only to the upper-class, became a simple and affordable tool for the average person. With more than 100 million subscribers in 2019, Airtel Africa represents a game-changing shift in the accessibility of mobile connections in Africa while providing employment to 1.6 million people across the continent. When its first major operation in sub-Saharan Africa began in 2008 with the acquisition and transformation of smaller telecommunications companies within the continent, the face of the average African cellphone user began to shift dramatically.

Airtel Africa: Providing Affordable Mobile Access

While it is difficult to measure the number of unique users of mobile phones, as of 2019, sub-Saharan Africa noted 747 million SIM connections, accounting for 75% of the population. The increased accessibility of cellphone access in this region is largely credited to Airtel Africa’s groundbreakingly affordable prices, with a basic handset, SIM card and prepaid credit voucher available for just $20.

A portion of Airtel Africa’s impact is also attributed to the company’s radical construction of cellphone towers across sub-Saharan Africa. Airtel Africa has targeted the capitals of all 14 countries in which it operates, with 4G live in each city and plans to expand to rural areas as well. The company’s largest investment is in Nigeria, with the construction of 30,000 towers across the nation. From 2008 to 2018, rates of Nigerian cellphone subscriptions rose from 2 million to 172 million.

One of the most significant causes of increasing mobile connections in Africa is visible in Kenya where rates of cellphone ownership rose from just 1% in 2002 to 39% in 2014. The effects of increased mobile connections in Kenya are exemplified by the development of its online economy through developments such as Kenya Internet Exchange Point, an international axis for the country’s mobile technology. Today, urban Kenya serves as a hub for novel advancements in information technology that serves populations across the globe.

Additionally, thanks to increased rates of cellphone usage, mobile banking in Kenya has become more widely available than ever before. The accessibility of online banking allows those abroad to easily send remittances to underserved populations in rural areas without the hefty fees that once came with international money transfers. This cash flow allows rural populations to lead better quality lives while bolstering the local economy and filling the gap between developed and developing nations.

Mobile Access Improving Education

Evidently, cellphones in sub-Saharan Africa have also come to fill an important role in the world of education. In one 2015 field study, researchers found that students and teachers alike utilized smartphones as multipurpose tools for education.

At the student level, 37.5% of surveyed students in Ghana, 36.9% in Malawi and 60.9% in South Africa reported receiving funding for their education, including uniforms, books and lunches through their smartphones. Aside from being a source of mobile money, school children also used smartphones for their calculator applications, internet search abilities and as a light source in areas with little to no electricity. In other words, smartphones fill crucial gaps for students with limited access to educational resources in and outside the classroom.

Likewise, in all three countries surveyed, teachers reported using their smartphones to access more detailed information in the classroom. As one teacher in Ghana reports, “I try to get current issues for illustration in class.” In short, the mobile connection in Africa represents radical economic growth that allows those stuck in poverty to become upwardly mobile and create better lives for themselves and their communities. By working to allow the average, often underserved person, to easily access a cellphone connection, Airtel Africa has created a new world of possibilities for the future of development in Africa.

– Jane Dangel
Photo: Flickr