A group of experts including policymakers, innovators, investors, entrepeneurs and tech giants from across Africa and beyond have expressed the belief that embracing information and communication technologies (ICTs) and enabling digital technologies, can yield more concrete steps for collaboration.
They were speaking at the fifth Transform Africa Summit that opened on Tuesday in the Rwandan capital Kigali under the theme “Boosting Africa’s Digital Economy”.
The four-day event which is hosted by Rwanda for the fifth time is expected to explore available solutions to transform African continent using the power of digital technologies from May 14 – 16, 2019, it said.
“There are currently many ways Africa can take advantage of the Fourth Industrial Revolution especially through the development of digital skills,” Elsie Kanza, the Head of Africa at World Economic Forum (WEF) told delegates.
Official reports indicate that ICT sector, industry and governments in Africa are currently trying to unlock its potential for citizen service delivery, customer experience and innovative solutions, for a
better life for all.
“As Africa becomes more driven by services, the continent must foster digital skills as part of transitioning its population from low-skill and low-pay jobs to high-skill and high-pay jobs,” she said.
ICTs and enabling digital technologies have led to job creation and advancement in healthcare, education, agriculture and general living standards in the developed societies, it said.
The digital economy has the potential to accelerate existing Pan-African integration efforts by fostering intra-regional growth in trade and employment as well as leveraging the transformational power of tech towards increasing productivity in all sectors, according the organizers.
CU/abj/APA