Giving Compass' Take:

• Chukwudi Onike discusses insights from the 2019 Transform Africa Summit into the future of digital transformation in Africa. 

• How can funders work to ensure that technological advanced serve the needs of communities in Africa? 

• Read about strategies for jobs in Africa in the digital age. 

In May, Africa’s top digital leaders and donors converged in Kigali to attend the 2019 Transform Africa Summit—one of the continent’s premier convenings to discuss accelerating digital transformation in the region. The Rockefeller Foundation’s Data and Tech team sponsored two sessions on the topics of Data Governance and Privacy hosted, by our grantees at Future State, and a working lunch with Ministers of Information Communication Technology (ICT) of several countries, technology providers, and international organizations. We had the opportunity to learn about their priorities, the challenges they face in advancing digital economies and governments, and potential opportunities to expand digitization on the continent. Below is a summary of what we heard:

  • Digital transformation is less about deploying specific types of technologies and more about improving the government’s ability to deliver services and spur economic activity.
  • Policymaking around data governance remains an area of peak interest to government leaders and a potential enabler for digital innovation.
  • Capital mobilization in the space is expected to grow in the coming years, driven both by national success stories and donor interest.

Read the full article about digital transformation in Africa by Chukwudi Onike at The Rockefeller Foundation.