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By Chinenye Anuforo, [email protected]
Africa’s technological ecosystem can experience the much needed transformation and attain a level of excellence only if there is a better structure of agility, collaboration and digital strategy.
According to technology experts, the fundamentals around value creation are changing due to the revolution of demand, supply and transformation of content and there is a need to focus beyond the digital era and address problems that the world needs to resolve.
The experts disclosed this during a panel session tagged, “Winning through digital transformation” during the 2022 Texcellence conference which was organized by CWG in Lagos recently.
Delivering a keynote address titled; “The Path to Tech Excellence”, Partner, PwC Digital and Innovation, Femi Madariola, said the focus on digitalization does not achieve everything and is not enough to gain a competitive edge due to the fact that there is now a revolution of demand, supply and transformation of content.
Whilst stating that the time has come to go beyond the digital era, Madariola said entrepreneurs have a role to play and there are key imperatives that can drive digital transformation in the African continent.
“For digital transformation to be successful, there is a need for companies to begin to build their focus on the KYC initiative, becoming outcome-oriented, craft out a digital strategy, re-invent social contract with people and proactively invest in leadership capability development.
“To succeed beyond the digital era, these imperatives have to be adhered to and the journey has to start now and so we need to collaborate to ensure that Africa’s tech ecosystem can compete with other continents in the next few years”, Madariola said.
Speaking during a panel session which was moderated by Senior Lecturer, Faculty, Lagos Business School, Dr Bongo Adi, the Chief Information Officer, MTN, Shodunke Shoyinka, stated that there is need for each governments to come up with policies that can help the growth of technological companies as well as aid transformation while adding that mobility and innovation separates a technological company from a telecommunication company.
Also speaking, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Clydestone, Paul Jacquaye, noted that in order for digital transformation to thrive, collaboration is needed.
“In my point of view, it is important that we carry the regulators along. Technology cannot drive itself and if there is no collaboration, nothing happens”, Jacquaye said.
For his part, the Head, Information and Technology and Security, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Michael Bamwesigye, said the danger of African countries taking a backseat when it comes to leveraging modern technology to do business, will deny citizens of immense opportunities and value that they might stand to gain.
Bamwesigye further noted that the success of digital transformation and Texcellence in an economy is dependent on the shift from just providing services to people to extra value creation for its citizens.
Earlier in his welcome address, the chairman, Board of Directors, CWG, Philip Obioha, said digital transformation integrates digital technology into aspects of a business, basically modifying how one can operate and provide importance to its customers.
According to him, digital transformation represents embracing a digital-first perspective to help businesses processes, streamline operations and drive greater customer and shareholder importance.
