Digitalisation has been recognised as a pivotal driver of Africa’s economic transformation at the 2025 World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos, Switzerland.
The four-day summit, which brought together over 60 world leaders and prominent global economic players, focused on key global issues, including boosting economic growth to enhance living standards, tackling climate change, and harnessing emerging technologies, among others.
In a dedicated session on Africa, the forum explored the transformative potential of technology across the continent. A consensus was reached on the critical role of adopting emerging technologies—such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and digital economies—in fostering Africa’s growth.
At a special roundtable discussion featuring notable speakers, including Botswana’s President Duma Boko and the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, the forum underscored the urgency of building a digital African economy. This shift is seen as essential to accelerating development and unlocking opportunities for Africa’s vibrant and youthful population.
New Botswana’s President, Duma Boko, acknowledging that young Africans constitute majority of Africa’s population, called for a new approach to development, adding that the adoption of digital technology, which he described as “the language of young people” in every aspect of African economies, is the way forward to addressing “many challenges.”
Indispensability Of Digitalisation In Africa’s Economy
Speaking at the forum, the General Secretary of African Continental Fee Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, highlighted the importance and indispensability of digitalisation in Africa’s economy, and the need for digital trading on the continent.
As a step towards attaining this on the continent, he revealed that the Africa Digital Trade Protocol, is ready and will be adopted next month, by the continent’s heads of state.
“We have established the protocol on digital trade. The last instrument of that protocol will be adopted by our heads of state next month in Addis. The protocol on digital trade responds exactly to what the President has just said,” said the AfCFTA General Secretary, in response to comments by the President of Botswana.
The AfCFTA General Secretary acknowledged the cutting edge innovation’ of young Africans, and the ability to create entrepreneurship through Africa’s digital economy.
“By the year 2050, Africa will have the youngest workforce in the world. Those jobs will have to be created intra Africa. We will not be able to import jobs from somewhere else so Africa’s digital economy, we believe, is a very, very important aspect of intra Africa trade. And it actually addresses day-to-day challenges that all of us are battling with.”
Wamkele Mene
As part of the call for Africa’s adoption of digital economy, the AfCFTA also raised concerns about lack of seamless payment systems in Africa, and called for urgent need for payment interoperability on the continent.
“The issue of payments for example. I live in Ghana. There is a direct flight to Nigeria. When I travel to Nigeria, I take my direct flight. But when I send money, it goes somewhere else. It should be the same that we have a seamless interoperable payment system in Africa to address this challenge of youth unemployment,” Wamkele Mene said.
“We are also, in the same protocol, have far reaching provisions on emerging technologies, on improving SMEs, which will create an environment where we will see more investment in digital public infrastructure.
“Once we have come a long way, we do recognise that we have much work to be done. But I believe that in any endeavour, the starting point has got to be to write the laws. That is how the investors around will have the confidence to invest in digital technologies in Africa, to invest in youth entrepreneurship and finally to invest in trade finance.”
Wamkele Mene
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
In his address to the World Economic Forum, South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa also agreed that digital economy is the future of Africa.
“The digitization of the continent, particularly when it comes to artificial intelligence, will enhance trade and development, and they are key enablers that we want to see fully developed,” the South African President said.
A digital African economy, with emerging technologies driving it, are projected to contribute around $1.5 trillion to Africa’s GDP by 2030, which will yield transformative changes across various sectors.
A fully digitalised African economy reliant on technologies, the World Economic Forum agreed, will enhance agricultural productivity through precision farming, improve the efficiency and responsiveness of government services, expand access to quality healthcare, support environmental sustainability, and revolutionise education through personalised learning, to accelerate Africa’s development and fostering sustainable growth.
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