Nation Digital Summit: Africa tipped to tap on tech-savvy youths to grow economies

Africa is increasingly lagging in technological advancement, despite the continent's large tech-savvy youth population.

Speakers at the fifth edition of the Nation Digital Summit in Diani, Kwale County, organised by the Nation Media Group, highlighted how Africa, despite its immense potential, has been left behind and has not claimed its rightful place in the global tech landscape.

"Our youth are as good if not better than the youth you find around developed countries. If you go to those countries and compare one on one, our youth are way ahead. But then why does Africa still lag when we have all these critical mass of young people who are digitally savvy yet we are punching way below our weight?" NMG Plc Board Chairman Dr Wilfred Kiboro asked.

He said that he hopes the summit will help various stakeholders in Africa to leverage what they already have to upscale.

Dr Kiboro also said Nation Media Group, by creating an avenue for the dialogue on technology, will help create partnerships and linkages to improve the situation.

Besides this, Dr Kiboro said challenges such as millions of people lacking access to the internet, especially in the rural areas were one of the reasons the continent was lagging.

At the same time, he said it was important for the media to play a role in connecting people and provide a platform in which people can talk about issues that face Africa.

“When we talk about the Internet of Things or even generative AI, it can be very confusing. But it is imperative for the media to demystify this language and what technology says so that people can understand in a simple way," said Dr Kiboro.

The summit has brought together technology players from different sectors with the conversations focusing on how technology can be adopted in the health sector, governance, and other areas.

ICT and Digital Economy Principal Secretary John Tanui said the digital economy is playing a major role in the overall economy of the country, growing 2.5 times faster than the physical economy.

He further said Kenya had already positioned itself as a leading tech hub in the continent, with some of the technology giants setting up in the country.

At the same time, he stated that Kenyans had the technological skills and were exporting them, creating a strong balance of trade in favour of the country.

"Services exports are already outweighing our goods exports in ICT," said Mr Tanui.

Special Envoy of Technology in the Office of the President, Ambassador Philip Thigo, said despite the growth of technology, misinformation had become a major challenge.

Ambassador Thigo further said there was a need to improve the digital infrastructure in the public sector, which has been a bit slow.

Kwale Deputy Governor Chirema Kombo said the county government was already reaping from including digitisation in their operations such as the collection of revenues.

He further said the digital space has played an important role in terms of improving governance.

"It is because of digital transformation that the young people in the country got to voice their issues. Digitisation has brought us closer to the kind of governance that we are looking for," said Mr Kombo.

Nation Media Group Chief Operations Officer Monicah Ndung'u challenged stakeholders to be more proactive in policy-making regarding technology in the country.

According to Ms Ndung'u, as it stands, the country has often been reactive in coming up with policies to do with technological matters.

The summit is expected to end on Friday where conversations on innovations and technology solutions across various sectors will be discussed.

The 5th Summit kicked off with calls for Kenya and Africa in general to play a more active role in technological advancement.

Speakers at the event's gala dinner on Wednesday night challenged Africa to tell their story and make it part of the larger global imprint as opposed to being mere observers and consumers of new technologies.

According to Nigeria-based Big Cabal Media CEO Tomiwa Aladekomo, Africans must ensure that as digital transformation unfolds, their contributions are felt.

He explained that the continent should not just be users of existing digital platforms but should also be active participants, with their data and narratives shaping the transformation.

“Africa has the talent, the creativity, and our young people have the insatiable appetite for innovation yet for far too long, Africa's story has been told by others. We don't do the work of taking our stories to the world.

“The digital transformation is giving us an opportunity to take control of our narrative, our economies, and our future,” he said.

He further said that Africa is lagging as Artificial Intelligence (AI) takes centre stage, emphasising that it is time for Africans to have their stories included in the training of AI and to actively participate in the processes for the sake of social and economic transformation.

NMG Chief Information Officer Russel Akuom said the summit will offer a platform for key players in digital transformation to chart a way forward for Africa's inclusion.

“The choices we make today will define our continent's future in ways we are only beginning to imagine.

“As technological leaders, we have a responsibility to ensure that technology doesn't only serve economic growth but also inclusivity, sustainability, and resilience. The discussions ahead will focus on leveraging technology, digital transformation, and policy frameworks to build a future where technology uplifts communities and also empowers businesses and enhances governance,” he said.

The summit which runs up to Friday brings together investors, policymakers, and academicians in the digital transformation space.

This year’s theme is ‘Shaping Africa's future for sustainable prosperity’.

scece@ke.nationmedia.com

jnambeka@ke.nationmedia.com