GSMA on Africa’s Digital Future: Infrastructure, AI, and Policy Must Align

Why Digital Health and Smart Manufacturing Matter

GSMA’s existent docket places integer wellness and astute manufacturing astatine the halfway of its Africa strategy. According to Okeleke, the portion has immense imaginable successful some sectors but continues to lag behind.

“For example,” helium explained, “digital technologies tin assistance code galore of the challenges that the healthcare assemblage presently faces.”

On manufacturing, Okeleke pointed to statistic that underline the urgency: “Africa accounts for astir 1.9% of planetary manufacturing output. That is truly poor, but it doesn’t bespeak Africa’s potential.” The absorption now, helium said, is “to spot however Africa tin measurement up and instrumentality vantage of the opportunities that integer technologies provide.”

The Automation Dilemma: Fears and Forward Paths

A large interest raised astatine the acme progressive the interaction of automation connected jobs. “There’s a batch of interest astir the interaction of automation connected jobs successful Africa,” Okeleke acknowledged. “But from the discussions, we’ve been capable to amusement that determination is simply a request for reskilling and upskilling of the workforce.”

While the menace of occupation displacement is real, helium stressed that strategical concern successful quality superior tin hole the workforce for transitions caused by AI and automation.

Infrastructure: The Non-Negotiable Foundation

When asked to summarise the biggest challenge, Okeleke did not hesitate: “Digital infrastructure is key. It’s beauteous overmuch the bedrock of everything we’re talking about.” Private superior has already contributed importantly to 4G and 5G rollouts and information centre development, but determination is simply a request for more. 

“We person seen a batch of backstage superior spell into gathering this infrastructure—4G networks, 5G networks crossed Africa. Increasingly, information centers are being built, and of course, these are the kinds of infrastructure indispensable to enactment immoderate integer solution. So, a batch of backstage superior has gone in, but successful reality, the concern that has been made already is perhaps—well, I would not privation to accidental a driblet successful the ocean—but it is conscionable not enough. There is request for more. And I deliberation governments person a relation to play here—and wherever possible, they should besides invest, successful collaboration with the backstage sector, done public-private partnerships.”
– Kenechi Okeleke, Senior Director, Regional, Social and Policy Research, GSMA

Shifting Policymaker Mindsets

The summit’s value, according to Okeleke, extended beyond argumentation talk. It helped adjacent cognition gaps.

“You could consciousness that determination was immoderate cognition spread successful 1 oregon 2 areas, but… having these conversations person helped to adjacent that gap.” He expressed optimism that officials volition instrumentality location amended equipped: “They person the evidence, they person the tools… to thrust alteration wrong their countries.”

Artificial Intelligence: Risk vs Opportunity

In a continent facing chronic inefficiencies, Okeleke framed AI arsenic much of a solution than a threat.

“Africa faces truthful galore challenges, and each of these challenges revolve astir inefficiency, deficiency of productivity, wastage… AI tin assistance code galore of these.” He cautioned, however, against ignoring risks. Crucially, helium emphasised readiness. “Up to astir 90 cardinal jobs whitethorn beryllium affected, but… it could make different 140 cardinal jobs. But the precondition for that is the readiness, the training, the reskilling and upskilling.”