The African Economic Conference was just held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During the event, the topic of how technology can improve industrialisation in Africa was heavily discussed. A paper discussed at the conference, titled Technological Capability and Industrialization in Africa, sampled 50 African countries and found that while some countries on the continent lagged far behind others in terms of technological capabilities, others had fairly strong levels of technological capability that can help provide an important base for future industrial development.
The paper also showed positive trends in the region as a whole, with average technological capability in Africa nearly doubling in the recent past, increasing from 25 percent to 41 percent. A jump of that magnitude is mostly due to increased internet penetration and the quick diffusion of digital technologies that have been able to reach increasing numbers of Africans.
In addition, further improvements in technological capability could also result from increased economic interdependence through improving trade channels across the continent. As countries deepen economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area, improved collaboration amongst African producers could go a long way in improving the continent’s technological capabilities and industrial capacity. By developing regional value chains, hopefully the states that are lagging behind when it comes to technological capabilities will be able to integrate themselves into the continent’s economy and enjoy the benefits of knowledge diffusion, eventually benefiting their economies in important ways.
Alexander Jelloian
Alexander Jelloian is the Research and Project Manager at the Initiative for African Trade and Prosperity.
The African Economic Conference was just held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During the event, the topic of how technology can improve industrialisation in Africa was heavily discussed. A paper discussed at the conference, titled Technological Capability and Industrialization in Africa, sampled 50 African countries and found that while some countries on the continent lagged far behind others in terms of technological capabilities, others had fairly strong levels of technological capability that can help provide an important base for future industrial development.
The paper also showed positive trends in the region as a whole, with average technological capability in Africa nearly doubling in the recent past, increasing from 25 percent to 41 percent. A jump of that magnitude is mostly due to increased internet penetration and the quick diffusion of digital technologies that have been able to reach increasing numbers of Africans.
In addition, further improvements in technological capability could also result from increased economic interdependence through improving trade channels across the continent. As countries deepen economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area, improved collaboration amongst African producers could go a long way in improving the continent’s technological capabilities and industrial capacity. By developing regional value chains, hopefully the states that are lagging behind when it comes to technological capabilities will be able to integrate themselves into the continent’s economy and enjoy the benefits of knowledge diffusion, eventually benefiting their economies in important ways.
Alexander Jelloian
Alexander Jelloian is the Research and Project Manager at the Initiative for African Trade and Prosperity.