African nations must evolve from tech consumers to innovators – Ken Ashigbey

By Bernard Yaw ASHIADEY & Ebenezer Chike Adjei NJOKU

African nations must move beyond being mere consumers of technology and deepen cross-border collaboration to drive innovation.

This is according to Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officier (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, who believes that Africa’s technology challenges present unique opportunities for continental collaboration and innovation.

He expressed these thoughts during the Government Parastatals panel at the recently concluded Texcellence Conference 2024, spearheaded by CWG Plc, where he said: “Africa must redefine its role in the global tech landscape by becoming creators and innovators, not just consumers.

“Our technology challenges are gateways for cross-border collaboration that can spark solutions tailored to Africa’s unique needs and drive long-term progress across the continent,” he added.

The telecommunications chief highlighted that Africa’s projected 5G market, expected to reach 70 million consumers by 2026 according to a 2021 Ericsson report, offers substantial opportunities. However, achieving success will require a fundamental shift in mindset across the industry.

“We need to start thinking about how we can work together and view each other more as collaborators than competitors. The organisations that will succeed are those that can recognise their rivals and still find ways to collaborate with them,” Dr. Ashigbey emphasised.

Addressing the growing importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Dr. Ashigbey pointed to critical gaps in Africa’s technological foundation.

“We have all been talking about AI and AI and AI but in Africa, we are not focusing enough on teaching the mathematics behind the algorithms that drive AI,” he remarked, warning that without developing local expertise and ensuring AI models are trained on African data, the continent risks being left behind in the global technology race.

The Government Parastatals panel, themed ‘Collaborative Innovation: Shaping Africa’s Tomorrow Economy,’ brought together leaders from Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Ghana’s telecommunications sector, and other key technology stakeholders. The panel focused on the role of collaborative innovation in shaping Africa’s economic future.

Dr. Ashigbey emphasised the urgent need for substantial policy reforms across the continent, particularly in the area of cross-border regulations.

He pointed out, “There is too much emphasis on national interests, which complicates efforts to scale operations across borders.” He argued that a more unified approach is essential for fostering regional collaboration and enhancing economic growth.

The discussion highlighted several infrastructure developments, including Nigeria’s progress in data centre capabilities. Galaxy Backbone, Nigeria’s government infrastructure provider, reported the development of TR4-certified data centres in Kano and Abuja, with approximately 5,000 kilometres of fibre backbone connecting 33 states.

Dr. Aristotle Onumo, Director of Stakeholder Management at NITDA and representative of the Agency’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, emphasized the crucial role of trust and transparency in fostering successful collaborations.

“For collaboration to be sustainable, effective, and efficient—and to generate genuine value—it must be viewed as a long-term endeavour,” he stated.

The session also addressed intellectual property protection, with Dr. Barr Obiageli Amadiobi, DG of  Nigeria’s National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), discussing initiatives to protect and commercialise academic research.

As African nations work to strengthen their technological capabilities, Dr. Ashigbey stressed the importance of making technology accessible to all citizens, including those who do not speak English.

“We cannot be having conversations where the language that you use is foreign to our people,” he said, advocating for solutions that would enable local language users to interact with technology effectively.

The Texcellence Conference, now in its third iteration, continues to serve as a platform for dialogue on technological advancement and innovation in Africa, with a particular focus on collaborative approaches to development.

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