In the days following the publication of Moving from goodwill to action: A call for a Coordinated Vision for Africa’s digital economy by the Next Einstein Forum, we conducted a poll on Twitter, inviting our online audience to tell us what the greatest challenges facing digital economy in Africa are. We listed four solutions: better infrastructure, enabling regulations, connectivity for all and digital entrepreneurship. Each of the four enlisted answers in the poll bring at least 32% of likely solutions to the digital economy table in Africa.
We agree. The Opinion paper says that, “infrastructure is an undeniable necessity, one that governments should focus on. This requires innovative funding instruments to support rapid infrastructure expansion that includes digital infrastructure.” According to NEF, basic infrastructure is the first pillar of the digital economy framework comprising transport infrastructure as roads, ports and airports, and utilities as electricity and water.
Other than better infrastructure, about a quarter of the respondents believe enabling regulations ought to be addressed first (29%). Again we agree: “An enabling environment requires the harmonization of current policies and regulations across African countries.”
To read the full paper, click.
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