As we’ve shown, many signposts are pointing the way to a bright digital future for Africa. Companies everywhere need to pay attention. So how should they move forward?
The good news is that global companies provide an example to fast-follow. The likes of Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Orange have invested heavily in digital infrastructure and upskilling in the last 10 years to further improve the tech ecosystem’s foundations. Companies like them have succeeded by partnering with local governments and businesses as a way to better navigate the regulatory environment and local population needs and wants.
Making sure that products and services meet local requirements is essential. Just think back to when mobile payments player M-Pesa launched in Kenya in 2007, giving Africa mobile banking before anywhere else in the world. It quickly became indispensable across several countries in the continent, by extending payment services to more than 50 million people24 in otherwise underserved communities, leapfrogging the need for traditional telecoms and banking infrastructures.
We could well see a similarly disruptive opportunity through low-code solutions to democratize digital innovation in Africa. Not only could these accelerate the continent’s digital transformation, but they could also empower a whole new generation of local developer talent to achieve innovation at scale and create powerful new solutions for the African market – and beyond. These could, in turn, help local tech companies punch above their weight on local and global stages.
It’s hard to exaggerate the scale of the opportunity. The time to plan your African success story is now. Regardless of industry, Africa must be a key component of any global expansion roadmap. Accenture is an ideal partner to help structure and execute African expansion. Our unique purview on Africa is underpinned by local experts and extensive market knowledge.