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“ ICT Potential for Development in Africa ” Foster Ofosu Capacity Development Specialist

Data, Digital assets and Platforms for innovation The World Conference on Intellectual Capital for Communities UNESCO, July 12&13. “ ICT Potential for Development in Africa ” Foster Ofosu Capacity Development Specialist African Development Bank Group f.ofosu@afdb.org @fofosu.

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“ ICT Potential for Development in Africa ” Foster Ofosu Capacity Development Specialist

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  1. Data, Digital assets and Platforms for innovationThe World Conference on Intellectual Capital for CommunitiesUNESCO, July 12&13 “ICT Potential for Development in Africa” Foster Ofosu Capacity Development Specialist African Development Bank Group f.ofosu@afdb.org @fofosu

  2. Key Questions • Why does Africa need to be innovative capacity? • What is the landscape for Innovation and ICT in Africa today? • What are some of the opportunities Africa can harness? • What is the role of AfDB in leveraging ICT for Development?

  3. “Africa must get onboard… Right now! … Africa will be either on to the Information Age or off to the dark Agricultural Age … Africa is suffering from knowledge apartheid that forces its children to eat the crumbs from the dinner table of the information-affluent nations.” - Philip Emeagwali, A Father of the Internet (www.emeagwali.com)

  4. The Landscape

  5. 1. The Mobile Continent? • Key Drivers • Significant Infrastructure Development • Increasing Fibre-optic cable connections to households • Spread of low cost smartphones and tablets • Industry deregulation • Public Sector involvement • Demanding customers

  6. 1. The Mobile Continent? Telecom companies have added 316 million subscribers since 2000 Technology-related productivity gains 318 billion USD by 2026 Broadband backbones have been built which, coupled with the innovations in mobile and the presence of submarine cables, has led to a major uptake in data. Mobile penetration is expected to increase by 79% by 2020 with mobile broadband connections to reach 160 million by end of 2016

  7. 2. Rising TechHubs We have 200 fragile young organisations with noble intentions but no clear path to long-term survival. Charting a sustainability plan for entities we don’t fully understand is no small task – a sobering thought to say the least,” Tayo Akinyemi, director of pan-African hubs network AfriLabs

  8. 3. The App Economy • , Or Is it all a hype?

  9. Africa’s Young Techpreneurs

  10. Movers and Shakers 2016

  11. But the story needs to be understood

  12. “I think we need to change the narrative. People are talking about bringing Silicon Valley to Africa. I am a believer that rather than try to bring Silicon Valley to Africa, let us bring Africa to Silicon Valley. I think it is time we, as Africans become innovative; creative solutions that we can take global rather than trying to reinvent what has already been done”- Ashish . J. Thakkar, Founder. MARA GROUP

  13. The story needs to be understood. •  Urban areas are faring strongly • But there is a growing risk of a digital divide as the economics of data do not extend readily to rural areas.  • Data devices, such as smartphones and computers, are not cheap, coverage is expensive and many operators are focused now more on their existing customers (supplying them with value added services) than on extending their reach • Risk of young Africans focusing on the Apps Industry

  14. AfDB is Leveraging ICT for Development

  15. Strategic Framework: Broad Agreement

  16. Continent’s Aspirations VersusBank Accountability +162 GW electricity generated +130 million on-grid connections +75 million off-grid connections UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO ELECTRICITY AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION +300m people adequately fed +100m people lifted out of poverty +190m hectares with restored productivity ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION Industrial contribution to GDP increased by 130% 35 industry clusters supported 30 PPPs developed & strengthened Building regional infrastructure Boosting intra-African trade & investment Facilitating movement of people across borders REGIONAL MARKETS ACCESS TO SOCIAL & ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES Creating 25 million jobs Building critical skills Improving access to water & sanitation Strengthening health systems

  17. The role of the AfDB • Helping identify the main micro and macro-level barriers affecting the successful deployment of ICT in capacity development • Identifying ways in which ICT can help improve the delivery of capacity development for youth entrepreneurship and employment • Creating an environment in which various stakeholders can collaborate to build innovative capacity for development

  18. ICT Infrastructure Infrastructure • Rapid modernisation of Africa but also inclusive communications. • Financing to the creation of the Central Africa Backbone  • Extended funds to support skills development and the adoption and application of ICT services within • Supporting Technology Parks • financed digital technology parks  in Senegal and Cape Verde and have been approached to fund others (Ethiopia, Congo-B, Zambia) • Submarine cable connectivity - multiple cable systems landing all around the African coast is strong and we see the advent of virtual landing stations providing land-locked countries with direct negotiated access to the cables. 

  19. TODAY AT AFDB

  20. Building Skills and Capacity • The eInstitute • Distance and eLearning • Innopitch • AfDBIntrapreneurship Initiative • iYes • Innovation and Youth Entrepreneurship Support Programme

  21. The vision of the e-Institute is to be the lead platform for distance learning and eLearning in Africa for generating and sharing knowledge for capacity building.

  22. Ready for the third wave?

  23. Innovation and ICT Minding the Gap

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