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Digitalized economies in Africa. Structural change in a dynamic environment

By Kerstin Fritzsche, Stefanie Kunkel, Marcel Matthess

Digital technologies are important tools for the flow of goods, capital, knowledge, data and ideas around the globe. Many countries in Africa see potential in digitalization for their socio-economic development and are seeking to strengthen the basis for a flourishing digitalized economy. However, with profound political and socio-economic transformations unfolding across the continent, key questions for the international governance of the digitalized economy unresolved and a looming global economic crisis, the prospects for the digital development of African countries are growing increasingly uncertain. There is a high risk that the digital divide between African countries and more technologically advanced countries could widen even further and that already existing market imbalances will be reinforced at the expense of developing
countries. This factsheet provides a concise and fact-based overview of various aspects of the digital transformation of African economies and is intended as a basic introduction to this topic.

Geographical distribution of value added in % in ICT manufacturing in 2017, Source: UNCTAD (2019).
Global robot installations in % in 2018.

Read more:

Fritzsche, K., Kunkel, S., Matthess, M. (2020). Digitalized economies in Africa. Structural change in a dynamic environment. IASS Factsheet 4/2020.