By Prince Osuagwu

Rising from a digital Africa conference last week, technology professionals who form bulk of the participants at the event advocated for structured global partnerships, favourable regulatory environment, constant engagement with policymakers and increased investment in technology training if Africa’s economic growth prospects must be met.

For them, these activities would ensure that Africa attains technological competence, and becomes more developed and economically competitive.

They will also help the country close the huge gap between it and the developed markets of Europe and North America in the next 20 years.

For  instance, Chairman, Digital Africa Global Consults Limited, organisers of the Conference & Exhibition, Dr. Evans Woherem, said that constant engagement between technology industry players and policymakers, favourable regulatory environment and increased investment in capacity building must be made priorities if Africa must close the huge gap between it and developed markets in 20 years.

Africa, according to available data, is a passive consumer of technology products that must be galvanized into becoming a dominant innovator and producer.

It is now commonly known that countries that have technological competence are more developed and economically competitive.

But Woherem noted that Africa lags behind other continents of the world in technology acquisition. “Other continents, especially the Americas, Europe and Asia seem to be on steroids in acquiring and adopting new technologies. But in Africa, there is no sense of urgency in this regard at all”, he said.

Advocating technology entrepreneurship and innovation as the way forward, he distinguished between passive consumption and being a producer of technology products.

“Of course, there is a difference between using technologies invented and innovated by another country and actually being the inventing country. It is more rewarding to be one of the key inventing and innovating countries of the world in technology. This is what I mean as technological competence.

In other words, it is not the mere purchase and use of technologies invented from abroad or technological diffusion. To get to the level of technological competence of the rest of the world, African countries need to run faster than they are doing so far. This requires our leaders to comprehend that reality and develop a sense of urgency for the development of technology and the economy”,

On her part, Ms. Nneoma Ofodile, Chief Executive Officer, Digital Africa Global Consults Limited said, “It is for this reason that Digital Africa Global Consult Limited was incorporated in Nigeria to provide ICT Services and engage in organizing events that bring ICT manufacturers, customers and policy makers together. We also promote activities that lead to increased level of innovation in Africa and provide a gateway for international companies interested in setting up presence and growing their businesses in Africa.”