eLearning conference: Africa must invest in digital infrastructure — Dr Apaak
The Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, has said Africa must invest in its own digital infrastructure and expertise if it hopes to achieve technological independence.
He identified the lack of African-owned digital infrastructure as one of the greatest obstacles to the continent's technological ambitions.
"So for me, that is the biggest challenge that we ought to be addressing, where we can mobilise our own resources to build our own infrastructure, train our own experts, as part of the effort to domesticate AI in a way that would protect our history, our culture and our value systems," he said.
Discussion
Dr Apaak made the call during a ministerial roundtable discussion at the eLearning Africa conference in Accra last Wednesday, where participants examined strategies for advancing digital transformation and artificial intelligence across the continent.
He said Africa must take deliberate steps to ensure emerging technologies reflect the continent's interests and values rather than relying solely on external actors.
He further cautioned that ambitious plans for digital transformation would remain difficult to achieve without adequate financial commitment from African governments.
"Thinking through all that we have said, fantastic ideas, very worthy of implementation, but Madam Chair, without the resources, how far can we go?" he asked.
Dependence
Dr Apaak questioned whether dependence on foreign technology companies would allow African countries to exercise genuine control over their digital future.
"If we are going to depend on the same entities whose agendas we cannot tell, do you really think that will allow us to be independent and to use technology the way we want to?" he questioned.
The Deputy Minister proposed the establishment of a continental funding mechanism to support the development of digital infrastructure across Africa."So in my own thinking, part of what we should be looking at is how to get African governments to commit at least about 1-2 per cent of their annual GDP towards a pool or a fund that would support the building of the continental-level digital infrastructure," he stated.
Investment
He explained that such an investment would help create the foundation needed to domesticate digital technology and artificial intelligence throughout the continent.
Dr Apaak also pointed to the global imbalance in the technology sector, noting that Africa has yet to produce one of the world's leading technology giants.
"Because if out of the ten global giants in the area of technology, not even one is African — nine are American- and if our emails have to still bounce off Europe and America to get to us, then what is really our basis for trying to assert some semblance of independence?" he asked.
He urged African leaders to mobilise resources and work collectively to secure the continent's digital future.
