Chiamaka Ajeamo
The Ag. CEO/MD, CWG Plc, Mr. Adewale Adeyipo, joined other African leaders recently in discussions that would allow the continent edge further towards building a more viable digital economy, which will ultimately turn Africa into a technology-driven knowledge-based economy.
Adeyipo lent his voice to the clarion call, while participating at the 7th edition of the Africa CEOs Forum holding in Kigali, Rwanda.
He advocated an inclusive ecosystem that can aid technological development on the continent, arguing that Africa’s labour market is currently being disrupted as over 65 per cent of primary school children today are likely to work, in the next few years, in jobs or fields that do not presently exist.
“Africa is rapidly becoming consumer of digital services rather than creators in today’s digital economy and to change this scenario, we need to rethink the existing model and build a sustainable digital ecosystem and as well create more digital champions for our children of today,” he suggested, while sharing few points on building an ecosystem for digital technologies in Africa.
Speaking further, Adeyipo advised that the continent should create broader awareness and the deployment of a digital economy that can follow the ‘integrated design approach’, saying that Africa will bring together specialisms usually considered separately.
A report by the GSMA Intelligence Report, 2018, shows that the mobile economy in Africa will generate more than $150 billion (or 7.9 per cent of GDP) of economic value while 300 million people are expected to come online by 2025. “The question then is, would all these be enough for Africa to be ready?” he asked.
The Africa CEO Forum is the leading international conference dedicated to the private sector in Africa and hosts the continent’s top CEOs, international investors, experts and high-level policymakers every year.
It has an unparalleled ability to mobilise, offer cutting-edge content and is committed to unlocking Africa’s economic potential by championing private sector-led growth, leading discussions around innovative public policies and sustainable business.
