By Ajibola Akindele, Country President, Nigeria, Schneider Electric West Africa
24 November 2023
Digitisation is one of the most transformational opportunities of our times. It is reshaping the global economy, driving financial inclusion, closing information gaps, and changing the way we work, live, and learn. It plays a critical role in poverty alleviation and subsequent shared prosperity in West Africa.
According to a recent report by International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Google, Africa's Internet economy could add up to nearly $180 billion to its economy, accounting for 5.2% of the continent's gross domestic product by 2025.
Using data from Nigeria, the largest mobile market on the continent, a 2020 World Bank and GSMA study demonstrated that extreme poverty declined by about 4% after one year of mobile broadband coverage, and about 7% after two or more years of coverage.
Leapfrogging ahead with digitisation
One of the key drivers behind West Africa’s digital transformation is the cost of technology, which is making digital solutions more affordable to a larger part of the population.
Furthermore, this cost reduction is enabling organisations to utilise the power of technology. Western Africa today features numerous examples of organisations that have expanded and diversified their services by adopting digital technologies.
The region’s digitisation efforts are also driven by the “leapfrogging” phenomenon which sees developing nations skip certain stages of technological development and jump directly to advanced solutions.
Nigeria features more than 140 million registered mobile phones which has seen the country make substantial strides in embracing digital technologies. To place it into perspective, the landscape has transformed from 400 000 landlines 25 years ago, to millions of mobile devices today.
As a result of the explosive mobile growth, eCommerce is also enjoying tremendous success, allowing individuals to trade electronically from the comfort of their homes. Furthermore, remote work continues to enjoy success; digital solutions have been instrumental in enabling the hybrid working model.
The NCL (National Control Laboratory), a major player in the region, has also played a instrumental role in driving forward the digital revolution. In addition to providing essential phone access, the organisation has e initiated several noteworthy projects such as the provision of small-scale solar lighting solutions in Nigeria. The NCL’s contributions exemplify the collaborative efforts required to boost digital inclusion and adoption across West Africa.
Partnership in skills development
As digitisation continues to sweep through the region, the importance of skills development cannot be overstated. Here, the partnerships between governments and organisations are allowing for swifter market penetration.
A good example is Schneider Electric’s partnership with HEMA Trading and Construction in Sierra Leone which is facilitating the accelerated digital solutions skills development in the region. Our partners play an invaluable part in our efforts to upskill the region.
We are proud to say that our partners serve as our ambassadors. Through Schneider Electric-facilitated training programmes our partners can drive forward the uptake of digital solutions through both skills’ upliftment and deployment.
