In the recent past, Africa’s development has improved somewhat, due to smart technologies and related interventions in solving developmental challenges.
One of the greatest advantages of smart technologies is that they indiscriminately cut across many sectors of the economy, thereby benefiting myriad stakeholders including academic and research institutions, nonprofit organizations, governmental bodies and businesses.
As such, new generations of smart technologies have contributed to industrial transformation, for example through automatic programming, which enables manufacturing firms to efficiently maximize time and increase productivity. We are also now witnessing increased employment due to smart technologies. Many people, especially the youth, are finding gainful employment through online blogging and investments, and other social media platforms, while also improving their skills through enhanced distant learning opportunities.
Health care systems have also improved their processes considerably, with increased efficiencies in operating systems, diagnosis, treatment, record keeping and patient follow up. These factors have resulted in better access to treatment, and overall well-being of the general public.
These are just a few examples of the impact of smart technologies in Africa. In the long run, smart application usage could put Africa on the global map, as a continent that has ably harnessed its technical intellectual capacity for economic growth and development.
One of the main observations from the fifth PASET Forum is the need to integrate youth into an increasingly technological job market to address Africa’s challenges, transform the continent, and make it globally competitive.