Africa stands at a critical juncture in its digital transformation journey. With over 60% of its population under 25 and 54 diverse economies, the continent faces both unprecedented opportunities and unique challenges in building foundational digital infrastructure. Currently, 57% of adults in Sub-Saharan Africa remain unbanked, more than 500 million people lack any form of legal identity, and fragmented markets limit the scale potential for digital services. Yet Africa's mobile money success story—with over 548 million registered accounts—demonstrates how thoughtfully designed digital infrastructure can leapfrog traditional systems to serve previously excluded populations.
For Africa's SMEs, which account for 80% of employment in many countries but struggle with informality and limited access to finance, DPI represents a pathway to formalization and growth. Digital identity systems can help micro-enterprises build credit profiles and access formal financial services through e-KYC processes. Interoperable payment rails can enable cross-border trade aligned with African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) goals. Data exchange platforms can facilitate targeted government support and reduce compliance costs for small businesses.
However, building inclusive DPI in Africa requires addressing complex challenges around digital literacy, cybersecurity, data governance, and ensuring that infrastructure investments don't exacerbate existing inequalities. Women-led and youth-led SMEs, who often face additional barriers to formal systems, must be central to DPI design considerations. The fragmented nature of African markets also necessitates regional coordination and interoperability frameworks that can support continental integration while respecting national sovereignty.
As African governments, development partners, and private sector actors collaborate on DPI initiatives, the focus must remain on creating infrastructure that is open, inclusive, and sustainable—particularly for the informal micro-enterprises that form the backbone of African economies.
Potential discussion points:
- How can African governments design DPI that effectively serves informal and micro-enterprises while building formal economic participation?
- What policy frameworks best support regional DPI interoperability while maintaining national data sovereignty?
- How do we address the digital divide to ensure DPI doesn't exclude rural, women-led, or youth-led SMEs?
- What cybersecurity and data governance standards should guide African DPI development?
- How can development finance institutions and multilateral organizations best support sustainable DPI investment across the continent?
- What lessons from successful mobile money implementations can inform broader DPI strategies?
- How do we balance the need for standardization with the diversity of African markets and regulatory environments?
- What role should private sector actors play in building and operating foundational digital infrastructure?