It’s time to put Africa on the 4IR map and ensure that the continent is not left behind.

By Rebatho Madiba, Business Development Digital Platform Solutions, BCX

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is described as the new age of economic disruption and innovation. For some countries, this is true. For the rest, it is still a game of catch-up. In 2020, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Industrial Development Report found that only 10 countries were leading the 4IR with 90% of the global patents and 70% of the experts associated with advanced digital production (ADP) technologies. No African countries sat among the 10. Now, as the world shifts into deeper digital gear thanks to the radical revolution spurred by the pandemic, where does Africa sit on the 4IR stage?

The Industrial Development Report 2022 found that less than 2% of firms in Africa, Asia and Latin America are relying on 4.0 technologies. The continent is still lagging, but that doesn’t mean it’s left behind. The digital revolution ignited by the pandemic has played as pivotal a role in Africa as it has in the rest of the world. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) found that the digital technology sector on the continent has undergone a surge in growth and innovation over the past three years. Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, and Rwanda – these countries all delivered extraordinary solutions throughout the pandemic, but growth remains hampered by the growing digital divide.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the widest chasm between the availability of digital infrastructure and actual usage by citizens. The World Bank found that 84% of the population across countries in SSA had some 3G mobile internet, 63% had some 4G, but only 22% were using mobile internet services in 2021. Cost and limited availability are two of the biggest reasons for this shortfall and are inhibiting the adoption and growth of 4IR as an innovative platform and as a service delivery platform.

Infrastructure, accessibility, and cost have long held the titles as the top three reasons why 4IR isn’t gaining traction in Africa. These are not easily solved problems and while the pandemic did ignite digital investment and innovation, it also made the gaps wider and the infrastructure challenges more complex. It will be difficult to resolve these challenges for 4IR to become a driving force on the continent. 

The first and perhaps most important step is for governments across Africa to focus on policies that allow for investment, innovation, development, and economic transformation. The IMF believes that to kickstart the sustainable development of the continent, there needs to be clear direction around resource management, optimising the energy mix and rebooting economic structures. Unless policymakers pay attention to these critical needs, African innovation will remain stagnant – held back by complexity and limited support.

That said, Africa does have what it takes to thrive on the digital stage and to lead the world when it comes to 4IR innovations, but its growth is inhibited by the ongoing digital divide. The African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) is committed to driving the African agenda within the global economy and the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution South Africa is one of many hubs that’s focused on connecting stakeholders to opportunities for transformation within the realms of 4IR. 

Moving forward, the private sector needs to engage with multiple stakeholders that include government, organisations, and policymakers to drive the 4IR agenda in Africa. As much as 4IR is the era of technological innovation, it is the era of digital collaboration. By forging partnerships, organisations can open doors, reshape opportunities, and change the 4IR narrative in Africa.