Africa must focus on science, technology and innovation to accelerate investment in digital public infrastructure to transform its economy and meet its grand development development agendas, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Claver Gatete has said.
Gatete made the remark on Sunday during the opening session of the eighth African Science, Technology and Innovation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital under the theme “Achieving progress towards the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 through transformative and coordinated actions in science, technology and digital innovation.”
He said the world is witnessing slower economic growth, tightening financial conditions, rising debt vulnerabilities, intensifying climate shocks and increasing geopolitical fragmentation reshaping trade and investment patterns.
Alongside these developments, a rapid technological revolution – driven by data, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, are redefining competitiveness, productivity and even the nature of governance itself.
“From Morocco’s industrial value chains in automotive and renewable energy to South Africa’s use of advanced manufacturing and digital tools, we know that innovation can and must translate into production, value addition and job creation,” said Gatete, highlighting that without robust digital systems, interoperable payments cannot be scaled up.
According to ITU, internet usage in Africa stood at just 36 percent in 2025, with glaring divides between urban and rural areas, and between men and women.
“The continent’s contribution to global innovation is also limited, accounting for only 0.6 percent of global patent applications, despite representing nearly one-fifth of the world’s population,” said Gatete, noting that there is untapped potential and urgent gaps Africa must close.
“From Egypt’s precision agriculture improving water efficiency, to Ghana’s mobile health platforms expanding access to care, and Botswana’s digital public services enhancing delivery and trust, we see how digital systems are already transforming lives,” Gatete indicated.
He said climate-smart agricultural technologies in Kenya are increasing crop yields by up to 20 percent while reducing input costs.
He further said in Rwanda, drone-based medical delivery systems have reduced wastage by 67 percent and cut stock out times by 60 percent transforming health supply chains.
“This is what aligned innovation looks like – it delivers not just efficiency, but lives saved, improved incomes and stronger systems,” the executive secretary said.
Gatete emphasized the need to expand Africa’s renewable energy capacity, strengthen regional power pools, and invest in energy systems to determine Africa enters the next decade as a contributor of solutions to the world.
MG/as/APA